Moxie Work and Career

7 Ways to Love Learning (Esp If You Flunked School)

June 14 Dawn

how to love learning again

Continuous effort—not strength or intelligence—is the key to unlocking our potential.

I fully believe that if a person has the desire and willingness to remain curious about the world, ask questions, seek out information and knowledge, spark up their brain and remove all barriers and blocks to learning, then they can change their lives: with effort they unleash their own potential.

Unfortunately, for many of us the process that was supposed to instil that passion within us is the exact same system that removed it, extinguished it, and tragically (and I do mean that) for some, closes the door for life.

It doesn’t make sense. All of us arrive bursting to learn, the majority leave bursting to get out.

(Aside: I own the fact I have only experienced systems in the UK, I know your story and experience may be different.)

So, have you lost your love of learning?

When?

What was the date?

How can you open the door again, if your previous experience left a bitter taste in your mouth?

Did not making the grade with the game leave you lacking self-esteem and confidence in your ability to learn? For that, I am so sorry.

You see, I believe that school is just a game: play it well and pass the assessments that the system states are ‘crucial’ to your future, you’ll survive.

If you aren’t able to memorize the games, in the format it was taught and recite it when the system decides you should, you’ll lose (according to the rules of the system.)

If you’re lucky, you may be supported by an adult who is more passionate about you and your learning, rather than the systems and rules that they have chosen to work in.

With their inspirational help they may be able to help you learn what’s important, rich and meaningful, as opposed to what is measureable. So at least you’ll leave the game with skills and tools to help you survive in the adult world. But that’s if you’re lucky.

Labels Limit Learning Potential

For years, I’ve delivered employability and training programs to long term unemployed adults with major barriers to employment: those are the labels that were given by the organisations funding the programs, not me.

I prefer just to use the word ‘people’, I don’t believe people need ‘stamped’. In each program around 80% of the individuals present had failed the game of ‘school’. No qualifications, no paper to measure their success as a player of the game.

My remit according to funders was to prepare the individual for work: done and I had one secret mission, to help the individual become passionate about learning again.

The funders were constantly asking ‘have they got a job yet have they got a job yet have they got a job yet’, why weren’t they asking ‘has the person realised their full potential as a learner’?

Sadly, unemployment is a financial commodity (to some places) and ‘any job’ is more important than loving to learning.

Smart Learners

And the world is missing out, because the people that close the door, in my experience, are really smart.

People spout we have ‘so much untapped potential’ and dish out the sugar coated phrase without asking “how much do I have?’

What a world it would be if we could re-open the learning doors that have been locked in a person for so long, I think we all would be blown away at the possibilities of how much.

These 7 ways are just an idea, I don’t have all the answers, I just have my experience with the people I’ve had the privilege to work alongside over the years.

I’m just a trainer who is passionate about helping people find a passion for their own learning, and someone who wants to know why a system is still failing too many people every year, and yet it’s the only one we’ve got.

If there is one thing I know is true, the world doesn’t stop changing, and learning the new world never stops.

Here goes…

Lesson #1 Unlearn Useless Learning

You, me, all of us have learned a lot of information and (cough cough) knowledge that is utterly useless, untrue and blocking our potential to real learning.

Imagine for a second it’s your very first day of school, on that day you were probably taken there by your primary care giver, they left and you were sitting down in one of those tiny chairs.

Got it? Do you have the picture?

Okay, imagine the same day and in the first 10 minutes you are given a pill, this pill will ensure that over the next 12 years of your life: you will only follow instructions given, you will only learn what is on the curriculum, you will not question the content and only obey, you will be taught in styles that don’t suit your preference.

Would you take that pill?

You are not the same person who arrived at school that first day. You are an adult and you have the capacity to unlearn all the useless beliefs you have about yourself as a learner.

You have the power and potential to turn your attention to anything you want to learn. You are more within your rights to ask questions, and you can now choose how you wish to learn.

Lesson 2# Re-educate Your Brain and Tell It What is Possible for You

If your previous experience of learning was a negative one, I would take a guess that you have very negative beliefs surrounding your ability to be a great learner. If you believe that great learning comes with a string of qualifications, IQ scores and test marks, have you ever considered that measurements don’t necessarily make great learners?

Measurements demonstrate the ability to memorise information. Is that great learning? Is smart learning?

You may even want to learn, you could have signed up for a few courses, the desire is there, but are you unconsciously stuck with past negative beliefs and everything you start doesn’t get completed?

You may have lived with the belief that you can only be a brilliant learner if you can pass exams. It would be a great time for me to talk about people who failed at school and then became a success, but that’s such a cliché.

Ask yourself if you’re limiting your potential to achieving your goals because of the limits you have surrounding your beliefs about learning. To re-educate your brain, spend some time exploring the brain and how it likes to learn. Read more about learning styles and preferences: find which way is your way and incorporate it into your learn.

Your brain is an incredible learning machine. It’s multi-sensory, nothing (yet) matches it’s capability.

Lesson 3# Get Rid of the Crappy Limiting Emotional Learning Beliefs

Do you say things like:

‘I’ll never be able to learn that’?
‘That’s impossible.’
‘It looks awfully hard.’

Has anyone ever said to you anything like.

‘Don’t be so stupid?’
‘Your sister/brother passed so can you.’
‘I don’t know why you can’t understand this.’
‘Everyone else is getting it, what’s wrong with you.’
‘Make sure you pass, you don’t want to be the only one who fails.’

We could go on and on. Get yourself a pen and paper and write down the answers to the following questions:

What do I remember about learning as a child?
What did people say to me about my ability as a learner?
What do I remember my teachers and educators saying?
What do I say I am not good at and can’t do well?

Next thing, write down beside next to all your answers the word ‘Hearsay’.

Because that is all it is, take a hammer to the hearsay. Vow to yourself that you will no longer add fuel to limiting beliefs about your ability to learn.

Lesson #3: Embrace, Encourage and Grow Curiosity

As children and before we entered any system, we were endlessly curious. Continually we asked why, we wanted answers, we were willing to take things apart to see how they worked, and we didn’t hesitate to seek and explanation. And yet, our why’s were the first questions that were drilled out of us. They became ‘Don’t ask why, just do it’.

Give yourself full permission to be curious about the world. Ask why. Seek different opportunities, try new ideas, and allow yourself full creativity. Carry out tasks you may find Repetitive and boring in a completely different way. Play. Be unique. Choose your preferred ways of completing tasks. Accept that you were once exceptional at finding out information by asking the questions you may hold back on as an adult.

Lesson 4# Resilience

Resilience is not solely about bouncing back quicker from setbacks, resilience includes you being able to maintain your emotional and mental wellbeing in any environment or circumstance that is challenging you or where there is a risk involved.

Resilient learning is about staying the course, staying with the learning until it moves from new to embed. The a-ha moment when you ‘get it’. When you push through the resistance and defeat the dragons called barriers.

What this could mean to you

Learn about resilience; teach yourself coping techniques and strategies for emotional and mental wellbeing to use while you are learning new information.

Lesson 5# Make Your Peace With Your Passed Failed Attempts

It’s not a bad thing. The failures of past have no place in the future, just distance memories. Failure and failed attempts are crucial to learning. Embrace it, listen to it, it’s your internal guide to remind you that what you’re doing isn’t the right way.

You could if you wanted to, fear all failing, but then you wouldn’t accept or attempt new learning. What a dilemma? To risk, or not risk. If you never failed, how would you ever know that what you are doing is better than the last time? How will you ever realise just how much potential you have? Risk. Stay safe. But risk.

Pass through the guilt of past failure. If you carry heaviness over failed learning in the past (left school with no qualifications, dropped out of college or university) to open the door to lifelong learning you may want to put down that which you carry. It’s weighing you down. Release it, what it was has no reflection on you today and where you are going tomorrow.

Lesson 6# Ignite the Spark You Had Before the System

It’s still there. Within you are the embers, all you need to do is add fuel (passion for what you are learning) to see them burst into flame, throw learning with purpose into the mix you’ll be blazing furnace.

You have witnessed everything as new at one point in your life. Using all your senses you made sense of a world that was alien, you learned quickly: stored the information, made a judgement, formed a belief, put everything away into neat little boxes. We all do.

Every day was a learning playground. The environment was perfect. For most of us (sadly not all) before the system we felt safe, supported, encouraged and accepted.

Motivate yourself by providing all the right conditions to your adult learning by ensuring:

What you are learning is meaningful.
Why you are learning makes sense.
How you are learning fits with your preferred style.
When you learn, you learn in a goal orientated, positive state
Where you always feel safe and unthreatened

Create the environment where you are totally safe.

Lesson 7# Learning Machine

You are so fortunate to have on board a highly complex machine that thrives on learning.

It’s not built to watch hours of television, stagnate, it can’t be bored (unless you bore it)and it never switches off. It’s ready: your brain and your ability to feel is still one of the biggest mysteries to science. There is a myth that you will use 10% of your brain potential, how can that be? What happens to the other 90%?

Your system is better and more powerful than the one that you entered at 5 years old. It’s no surprise to me that many didn’t survive the system, your wonderful brain was built to survive, not to receive rules, snore and bore methods, and formal instruction. I can’t believe that people are told to shut down distractions, not doddle, focus and concentrate on the task they are learning, variety, the brain learns in multiple ways.

From this moment forward, how are you going to enrich your life through learning? Whether you were labelled a successful learner or not doesn’t matter.

You have the keys to unlock potential. You always did.

No system will ever, no matter how hard they try compete with what you hold in your hand until the day you die. Ever.

Your Turn

How do you learn best? Did ‘school’ fit you? Any advice for anyone who feels they have failed in life because they failed the system? Did you love the learning system, what made it unique?

If you enjoyed this, please share it with your friends and family, or anyone you love who has a barrier to learning.

10 Ways to Be Happy At Work (Even If You Hate It)

May 28 Dawn

In my life I have walked out of three jobs: a bank, a call centre and a themed pizza restaurant. And yes, when I say walked I do mean stood up, coat on, bag over the shoulder and left.

Irresponsible? Totally.

Utterly miserable? You bet.

But I’m going to defend myself okay? I was young, I didn’t know anything about the world of work.

It does amuse me when people say ‘school prepares you work’, I disagree. I think for the majority of us it does nothing apart from ‘here’s the next system you enter and the rules that you must follow’, of course your experience may be different.

Educators agree that happy pupils learn better, what happens when we enter the 9-5? Goodbye happiness?

The bank was the worst, crying on the way there every morning was not good for the old mental health.

The last two were jobs I held as a student: the call centre I refused point blank to put my hand up to use the loo (rebel) and the themed pizza place is laughable, apparently ‘ I’m the worst waitress ever’, according to the manager. Personally I didn’t think I was that bad.

There are millions of people doing exactly what I was paid to do and even though I hated it, they don’t. Which makes me want to ask you, is happiness at work the responsibility of the employer or you, the employee?

The Other Side of The Coin

Fast forward a few (many) years and the last role I had where someone else paid my salary was fun, employee happiness was considered important, creativity and play was encouraged. Not at Google, I may add, a non-profit in Edinburgh.

Play was encouraged?

Yes. How novel, huh? Being told to play and get creative at work.

Was the work done? Yes, and people actually enjoyed doing more with no grumping or bitterness. Having the creative freedom meant the team were always devising better solutions, programs and ways of doing things.

Can we be happy at work, even if we hate it?

My answer? No job is meant to make you unhappy, period. I’ve worked with enough adults on employability and vocational programs who were emotionally destroyed by negative, belittling, unhappy, stressful and one-size fits all ‘institutional’ work environments.

However (and believe me it’s a BIG however) there are a few things that you can do to reclaim your sanity and happiness.

To me, work is a social place, and yet the majority of workplaces are sequenced, controlled, compartmentalised and standardised, not much has changed since the workhouses of the Industrial Revolution.

Generally speaking:

You are expected to sit or stand all day long.
You are expected to be a working machine, not a complex mix of mind, body and spirit.
You are expected to leave your emotions at the door.
You are expected to solve problems and strategically plan for people who act like School Masters.
You are expected to follow rules, policies and regulations which don’t help you, but just reminds you that your a cog in a very big machine.
You are expected not to voice concern or raise objections, otherwise you rock the foundations of the institution.

Don’t get me wrong, I know all workplaces aren’t like that, but for those that are, in my opinion, rob you of the joy of making a difference, a contribution and exercising your full potential.

Looky look, the chances are, if you have past the point of no return in your career or current role, a move is on the cards anyway. How do I know that? Because the misery isn’t sustainable. You may change career, you may opt for a new wallpaper at work: which won’t solve the long term misery but at least for a while you’ll be happier as you’ll be learning new things, ideas, meeting new people and so on.

So, take these tips as an ‘in the meantime’ lessons, your call if you try them:

1. Define your own definition of work happiness and satisfaction

What does being happy mean to you? What about work satisfaction? Is it flourishing? Is it belonging and feeling valued? Is it achieving? Is it seeing a task to completion? Seeing a customer or client smile, is that a priority? Everyone has a different defintion of the word happiness. Start with these questions as a baseline. Is there anyway you can bring them into your current role? Even if the boss and management couldn’t care, do you care enough to take full accountability for your happiness?

2. No two days are ever going to be the same

What I learned from the bank was I approached each day in the same way. I had already decided how the day was going to go before I even got there (Read: The Pits. Devils Hall) At every opportunity see each day as a new day, each interaction and communication as new, every event as new. I’m asking you to take a massive mindset shift, you can do it, you are much stronger than a role or what you ‘do’, you and I can choose how we want to feel and our state of mind in a second.

3. Be your best

At what you do. Look for ways to give it your all. Hate the bosses and management? Then do it for customers and clients. Start setting your own high standards. Being the best is not competition, it’s about recognising and being proud of your own skills and abilities. Use them. Excellence, the tiny things will make you happy, even if the company doesn’t raise a smile.

4. Play

Be creative, even if it’s not encouraged. Play isn’t just reserved for children. It doesn’t even have to be childlike. Some organisations try to change their working environment to the benefit of employees, but does putting in a gym or a creative room cut it though? Do benefits create happier work environments?

Play and happiness isn’t a tactic or a system.
Work happiness isn’t a set of rules to be followed or forced.
It’s not reserved for team away days or for you to ‘learn’ on a training course you’ve been sent on.

A happy work environment isn’t about resources and objects it has to become part of the mission: it’s all encompassing and is the culture of the organisation.

Here’s the thing, you are the culture. You may not think you are but if an organisation is paying you for your skills, then you shape the culture. Yes, I know you may disagree with me, you may feel you have no power or status when it come to making decisions in a large company. But you do. Read number 3 again.

5. Create your own standards of excellence

You have the power to decide and write your own personal standards. What personal rules can you live with at work? What’s negotiable and non-negotiable? But I hate it, you cry. Okay, I get it, honest I do. Be exceptional anyway. Don’t let something you are paid for lower your capability for displaying excellence, you are worth more.

6. Be the person you would love to work with

Speaks for itself. Its’ so easy to get caught up in the negativity and pessimism of others. When the role no longer fits who you are, it’s pretty common to moan, grump and be the misery. Think about your ideal workmate: what qualities would they have, how would they treat others, how would they speak, be them. If you recognise the qualities, you have them.

7. Be engaged and engaging

With honesty and genuineness be interested in other people, be approachable and warm. Listen to understand, be empathic. Make people feel important, but do it with sincerity.

8. Play outside of work

Important —> Recognise you are not your job, you are not your career or what you get paid for. Take accountability for your happiness outside work. If you are thinking of a move, can you volunteer in the field you ultimately want to work in? Can you take weekend courses? Can you build in more time with your friends?

9. Give thanks and appreciation + recognise/acknowledge great work

Even if the organisation or culture doesn’t do it, you can. Acknowledge other people and the work they do: if it’s great, tell them. If you spot something that was a great idea, say so. Appreciate the good moments, be there, be present, say thanks, be the person that is creating a new culture.

10. Be altruistic

Give without expecting nothing in return. What! Yeah, toughie for most of us. Try it for a month. Just try. Don’t be a pushover though, that’s not being altruistic. Altruism is about being motivated to give something in return for nothing, but not of duty or loyality.

Will those tips make you love your role again?

(Smiling!) I don’t know. I do know (my experience) when I accept total responsibility and accountability for how I feel, shifts are made. You’ll know what’s on the cards for your career, whether you need a complete change or not. I’m suggesting to you, try it, it’s your call though, okay? And if you are utterly miserable and beyond the above list, action, decide today that you are in transition and begin the journey. You are the common factor in all this, you may not get to where you really want to go overnight, begin the process, start.

Your Wisdom Please

Any tips for being happy at work (even though you hate it?) Lessons from the past? Something you are doing now? Please leave a comment below.

Lastly if you need a little help to find and do the work you love there’s a course that does just that.

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Sometimes Even the Work You Love to Do Has Boring Parts

April 27 Dawn

Disclaimer: this isn’t a lecture in productivity and time management. Ha!

I’ve been waiting patiently for 4 months.

Yesterday was the day of glee and surprise.

I popped into the greenhouse and there it was…the colour green.

Popping up everywhere from the seeds sown in January are little shoots, new life has finally sprung.

In a few months, if conditions are just right, these little lovelies are going to be a leafy and flowering parade of colour, smells and beauty.

But.

There’s a bit in the middle looming.

Before they are planted in the garden.

Long before the time of bloom.

Otherwise known as transplanting.

(When the seedlings need to be moved to a bigger pot to allow for growth. Thousands of them!)

Boring.

Slightly tedious.

Don’t get me wrong for the first 10 trays, it is therapeutic.

By tray 15, the garden therapy has ended.

By tray 22, I’m seeing double and it’s a case of ‘started a daybreak, ended with backache’. I do think at this moment, “why the hell don’t I just make my life easier and buy plants from the garden centre?”

Answer: no fun in that!

See, part of the reward is witnessing something you cared and nurtured for grow into a spectacular sight: all the way from seed to bloom. (Idea to Realisation?)

A few moments of tedious and boring, is more than a fair trade to what’s going to appear around here in July and August.

Does the same happen in life?

Doing the work that really fires you up, your love work, or your great work isn’t always 100% excitement, all the time.

Some stuff is just boring.

Examples:

How do you feel about paperwork? To me, boring.

Twitter used to be painfully boring (although I’ll admit that was because I had no idea how it worked!)

Generally, meetings to me are tedious. Some. Not all.

Cleaning up databases. Boring. Always.

Traffic jams: Urgh! Triple boring, depressing and painful as a Tori Amos CD. (Just my opinion, no offence if you’re a fan of TA!)

Take my career change clients, they don’t exactly do flips of happiness when they have to:

Update and tweak their CV, they say it’s boring.
Write cover letters. Again, pretty boring.
Filling in another online application. Boring.

But we can’t ignore the boring work.

It still needs done.

Introducing the…

The Self Slush Fund

How do you get through your least favourite tasks and boring work?

When I’m doing the boring stuff I’ve tried different music: from the energy pumping to the tinkly-pinkly-running-rivers affairs, neither worked.

I’ve thought about rewarding myself with coffee and cake once the boring stuff was done but cake and coffee is a regular habit around here, didn’t work.

So, to get the boring stuff done I had to take this internal motivation to the next level.

I now have, what I will call a Self Slush Fund.

Think of the Self Slush Fund as your reserve of goodies and promises to yourself.

A self reward and points system, if you like.

When you get through the boring stuff you add to your Self Slush Fund.

Things for me are:

A bathe (note I said bathe, not bath. One is luxury, the other is functional!)
Going out for a coffee to the local bookstore, that always works.
A date with myself usually does the trick.
A day out with the doglets, pecking up a hill.
Promise of an afternoon 30 min nap.
Chinese for tea!

Simple easy things.

If you want to try it, there is one rule: you have to be committed to withdrawing from the fund, as and when required.

There is nothing wrong with rewarding yourself for a job well done, whether it’s exciting or slightly tedious.

My point:

The way we can see the end result in it’s full glory is by doing all the work.

If an idea is worth seeding, is it not worth making all the conditions perfect for it to bloom?

(Oh and if all your work is boring, and has been for sometime. You may need a heck more than a Self Slush Fund, this is for you)

Your Turn:

How do you reward yourself?

Why The ‘Googling Career Change I’m Feeling Lucky Coaching Method’ Isn’t Such A Great Idea

March 13 Dawn

You know the type.

She hates her job, so she nips online and types into Google ‘I hate my job’ or ‘how can I change my career‘, hoping the Internet Goddess will return a new life.

She searches for roles she can do (same shitz, different wallpaper), those she used to do (and left because they didn’t fit!), and ones that she would like to do.

Some days she searches for work and roles in the countries where she took a three-day cheap flight break but gives that up because she would need to learn the lingo first (too much like hard work!) and she’s not sure if the doglet would like to move.

Click, click, click.

She’s soon back on Facebook or Twitter, she retweets and ‘likes’ all the positive images others have posted such as:

‘it’s never too late to be what you might’ve been’

written in big bold fancy text over the image of a woman leaping across a beach dragging taffeta behind her.

Obviously enjoying life to the max!

She wants to be her. She wants to launch herself into a Grand Jete or Sodacha across empty sands.

She types beside the picture on Facebook: ‘So true! Yesh! Waa (#the-most-annoying-word-ever) WooHoo . I Love It!‘ and yet deep down she believes it is too late for her.

(In traditional Blue Peter Style. Here’s one I made earlier, just for you!)

If you’ve scrolled down and not read the post, you’ll have no idea why there is a picture of some windswept but interesting looking woman leaping across a beach! That’ll teach you to slow it down a bit! Breathe! Take 5! Chill it a bitty there partner…time is precious!

Who can help her?

She’s so miserable, she wants the pain to stop, having to spend hours at doing tasks that shut her down and off.

She hasn’t got a clue where to begin, where to look, who to talk to, what she needs to do first.

Except the she here could actually be you. (And me at one point!)

And instead of really doing the work on you. You’ll do anything, a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g to get you out the current career reality and pain. The pain that comes with working in a career that no longer fits, suits or means anything.

People talk and deliver sermons ‘atcha (me!) about ‘paths’, ‘direction’, ‘roads’ but you have no idea what country you are in! How the hell can you put yourself on a path when you are lost without a map?

Of course, I’d recommend a completely different approach to the ‘Google Career Change ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ Coaching Method’, like find what you love to do first.

But I know many peeps that stop here aren’t ready for that, or they can’t be fecked.

So…

If the above is YOU.

Here’s a jolly good idea. One of my best!

Figure Out Your Shortest Route. Then Take It.

How?

You need to ask yourself different questions, so you get different answers, which returns different results.

Answer this —> If you had to make a career move by the end of the week, what would you do first?

Would you write a CV, apply for posts online, or would you actually go 10 steps further and connect with the people who could help?

If you didn’t have to think about ‘is this the right time’, ‘what would others say’, or ‘do I have the confidence and ability’.

What would be the first thing that you would do?

Know what you would do first (if the shitz hit the fan) and do that, erm, 1st!

And I bet you cake and coffee your answer will be connections.

Would you announce to others your intentions?

Would you ask for people to introduce you to other people?

Would you know immediately what you need help and support with?

Leaping across beaches is great, but even taking that picture required help. So get yourself surrounded with people who could offer you suggestions, ideas and advice.

But. Another idea. Why wait? Why wait until you are in crisis mode to carry out the shortest path?

Do it now.

Ask for help.

There’s this belief that most people are too busy to help others. I swear to you that is not the case, people want to help people.

The shortest route, you see, is usually the path that’s already cleared for you. (Yes, you can commence slapping your forehead…1…2…3…Now.)

How can I help you? I mean it. (I’ve got time until my next photoshoot.)

Personal Branding and a Lesson from Picasso

February 28 Dawn

A client says to me: “I’m not applying for an executive role, and the people on LinkedIn are in more professional jobs than I’m going for, so why should I bother about personal branding?“

I drew them this picture (it wasn’t exactly this one, the one I created was on a Costa Coffee napkin which I had to use coming home in the car during a sneezing fit and is in no state to be photographed) and then asked them if they would like to buy it from me.

personalbrandingdawnstyle — Whoever says they ‘can’t draw’ lies!

They laughed.

“No, it’s awful, I could do better!”

I then did a quick image search online, at the same time asking them “Would you ever buy a Picasso, or like one as a gift?”

They laughed.

“Of course, it would be worth a fortune”

I turned the computer towards them and showed them this drawing, by Picasso.

Personal Branding and a Lesson from Picasso — Artwork by Mr Picasso

Me: “So you would buy this picture, and not mine, or you would accept it as a gift because it’s a Picasso, you believe the name alone is valuable?”

Client: “Well, yeah, erm (cue the confusion and penny dropping), of course it means more, it’s a Picasso, it’s ‘art’, yours, well (waves napking in disgust) and I know you’re not famous, or that it’s worth anything! (Me: Humph!)

Me: “So can I clarify, the second drawing means more to you because you know who the person is, and what they are, and what they do (did), you see that drawing as really valuable because of the name, is that right?”

Client: “Yes.”

Me: “So, do you think if people knew who you were, that you were valuable, if they were aware of what you did and what you stood for, it would make you more appealing to employers?”

Client: (Penny hits brain!) “Urgh! Get it. I get it”

Picasso the name alone is a brand. And in this case, when it comes to art, Picasso got into my clients brain first: of course his art work is far more valuable than mine.f

(IMO) It’s not whether or not you should brand yourself, we all have a brand whether we like it or not. We don’t create the brand. The brand is created for us, in the minds of others.

Tweet This: Whether we like it or not we all have a personal brand

What’s yours?

As valuable as Picasso, or a snotty Costa Coffee used napkin?

7 Things To Do the Day Before the Day of the Interview (Phew!)

February 10 Dawn

Before we begin, just a quick reminder about what interviewers are really like, the results may shock you:

They go to the loo, like you.
They may hate Mondays, like you.
They are showing their ‘best’ self, like you.
They have yuckie stuff going on their life, like you.
They have good days and bad days at work, like you.
They may have the tea conversation every night, like you.
They eat, sleep, and probably have arguements with loved ones, like you.
They have probably put an extra effort on what they are wearing on interview day, like you.

They’re human, remember that.

Here’s 7 Things To Do The Day Before, The Day Before, The Day of The Interview:

1. Read The Company/Employer Website Back to Front, Upside Down, In All the Nooks and Crannies

Spend as much time on it as you do on Facebook in a week. Follow all their links, who are they connecting with, what are they talking about, what projects are they working on?

If they have a blog, read the darn thing, what are they talking about? What are they involved with? What are their ideas?

Have nosey at their Tweets, Facebook updates, Linkedin status – what are they saying on social media?

Follow, like and add them.

Write down five things that interested you. When you’re being interviewed, if it’s appropriate, talk about what you found out on their website. **Say you were on it**. Can the information you learned be turned into questions? See no 2!

Extra Reading: Using Linkedin To Follow Potential Customers from Great Resumes Fast

2. Prepare Questions Please

Five of them at least. Not the salary one or the holidays one.

Take out the job description, person specification or any other material you have (see no 1) and see if you can find something in those to write cracking, awesome questions.

If not, think like an interviewer. What would you love to be asked about the job or role if you were interviewing?

Go back to the job description or person spec and ask yourself, what problems are they trying to solve with this position?

Extra Reading: Think Like and Employer on Harvard Business Review article by Bill Barrett

3. Go and Visit the Place Where the Interview Is Being Held (if you can)

Without looking like a creepy stalker, get a feel for the building (if you can get in). Check out the atmosphere.

Where are people going for lunch and coffee? Nip to those also. Get a real sense of the place.

I have all my employability clients do this, if you already have a feel for a place, know what to expect I promise this reduces nerves.

Try this: make chums with the reception peeps. Tell them you are coming for an interview and want to get a feel for the place. Ask them what their interview was like, they’ll tell you.

4. Visualise The Start, Middle and End of the Interview

Think of all the things that may put you of your stride: a ‘wimp’ handshake, a not so friendly smile, stares from the panel?

See them happening and then prepare yourself ‘mentally’ of how you will successfully cope and react. Then, see yourself after the interview, get a picture and feeling of how you are going to leave. Play it over and over again.

Do You Have a Fear of Meetings try the exercise at the bottom of the page.

5. Have Answers for Your Awkward Questions in Advance

Some of my clients say ‘what if they ask me about that’, usually they’re referring to a gap, perhaps a role that didn’t last because they hated it, or a personal time in their life that they aren’t comofrtable talking about.

You need to be ready. If you have any anxiety over what you might be asked, you can prepare for it.

Think of the questions you don’t want to be asked and prepare your answers. Play them in your head. Ensure your reply is honest, yet still would have no reflection on the role you are applying for. It won’t will it? There is no question that you cannot answer, see no 7!

You probably have a few ‘personal’ toughies that aren’t covered anywhere online! Ask a friend to listen to your reply to your awkward question, and ask them to give you feedback on your answer.

6. Get A Mock Interview In

If you can afford it hire a career coach to run through a mock interview with you, do it. If you’re low waged or not working at the moment, and in the UK, do a little research and find organisations in your local area who provide that offer employability services (start with your local volunteer group or centre).

Mock interviews (done well) are a fantastic opportunity to iron out any sticky points, plus get feedback on presentation skills, how you came across, what did an answer sound like, was it good enough, did you say enough etc. A good ‘mock’ will feel like the real deal.

7. Remember You’re Nearly There

About those nerves, you’ve earned the right to be there, please remember that.

They want to meet you, think on that for a second. They already think that you might be suitable for the role, they came to this conclusion through your CV or Application Form (however you got in the door). So you’re half way there.

If you believe what you wrote, then you know that you only have to live up to what you said.

Yes, you’ll probably have competition. And that’s good, right? If you were interviewing you want to have a choice, wouldn’t you?

Write a list of your key strengths before your interview. When they ask you ‘do you have any questions’ (which they will), it’s perfectly fine to say ‘I just wanted to leave you with a few of my strengths and where you could use them‘ and tell them.

The first impression is mega important, the lasting impression is the one that sticks.

Help:

If you needs some interview prep contact me, we can even hook up for some coaching.

Your Turn

What are your top tips to do the day before, the day before the day of the interview?