?? Top Useful Ways Job Seekers Are Using Video Today

?? Top Useful Ways Job Seekers Are Using Video Today 36 How to get the most out of YouTube to get a job. Photo by Jakob Owens While there's a good chance you have a smartphone camera capable of recording video in full HD or even 4K, there's an even better chance you've never tried using it as a job search tool. Have you posted any videos online as part of a job search? Yes No View Results In the 2019 JobMob Census, not one person made a video for their job search. Some people have a fear of being on camera, while some people worry that a video should only be uploaded if it looks professional (and they don't know how to do that).eval Others think it takes too much time, and that time will just be a waste on a video that no one will ever see. Fortunately, there are many successful job seekers who disagree. Here are some of the ways they're using video to get their next job.eval Not just videos on how to get a job The simplest way to use video to get a job is the way you're already doing it: by watching (more on creating in a minute…) Whether it was from a search result, or an embedded clip in an article, or because YouTube recommended something that other people like you watched, there's a lot of useful job search information and tips you can get from video sites. 1) Videos about getting a job YouTube is filled with videos of advice about every aspect of finding a job, just one search query away. You already know this, so I won't go into more detail. I've compiled some of the most popular YouTube job search clips ever, many of which teach job search best practices, such as this one: 2) Expert responses with personalized advice Many job search experts and coaches will take your questions and feedback requests and then respond with personal advice. Their responses may be in real-time on live streams that are then available for replay whenever you like, or they may just post video responses. 3) Video research of companies you may want to work for One way to keep your job search short and avoid taking a job you'll hate is by targeting companies early, and one of the best places to research companies is by watching videos posted by them, and videos posted about them (such as news items, charity mentions, events, etc.). 4) Video job openings or job descriptions Your video research may even lead you to discover relevant, open jobs at an appealing company, posted on YouTube by that company. You just need to look. 5) Real job interview video examples Preparing for a job interview isn't only about imagining how you'll respond to common job interview questions, it's also about getting a feel for how interviews can and should play out. This is especially important if you haven't had many job interviews recently (or ever) and videos of both good and bad interviews can help by giving you a real sense of what it'll be like when you're getting interviewed. 6) Mock job interview videos A mock job interview video is a fake job interview video. It can be a clip of a staged job interview used to demonstrate best practices and mistakes to avoid, or a recording of a practice job interview in order to provide feedback for the job seeker trying to improve their interview skills (and if you're the one being recorded, keep the video private once it's been posted or don't publish it at all). Here's a virtual mock interviewer you can use to simulate a job interview by speaking aloud to your screen: That's 6 ways to get a lot of job search help out of YouTube by sitting back for the most part. However, if you really want to set yourself apart and make a great impression, you need to be creating videos. 7) Job search vlogging The easiest kind of video you can make is to just prop yourself in front of your smartphone and share a job search story. It could be an update about how your search is going or it could be a way to crowdsource feedback from a community of followers: 8) Show off your skills and grow your brand YouTube and similar sites are the ultimate virtual work portfolio if you use video to show off your expertise and attract job offers from companies who need people just like you. This could be an ongoing channel, or just a one-off video that clearly demos what you can do. In 17 Creative Targeted Resumes That Got Quick Job Interviews, Margaux Barre recorded the story of how she organized a tasting event at a famous French cookie company she wanted to join as an event coordinator, and that was enough to get a job interview there: She ultimately wasn't hired, but her video lives on to impress other employers moving forward. 9) Video elevator pitches An elevator pitch should be just long enough for you to say who you are and what you can do for a person next to you in an elevator, which comes out to roughly 30-60 seconds. A clip of yourself giving such a pitch serves as a video professional summary that recruiters can watch quickly: 10) Video resumes Sometimes called visumes, a video resume will be understandably longer than an elevator pitch. What do you say in a visual resume? The best ones visually show off the achievements and skills your written resume can only describe: But video resumes don't need to be as creative as Matthew's to still be effective: 11) Video job applications The best job applications explain to an employer how the applicant is fully qualified and likely to succeed in the role needed. The best video job applications show an employer how the applicant is fully qualified and likely to succeed in the role needed, with a highly targeted video created just for that one employer and which demonstrates the skills the employer is looking for. That's exactly what Benoit Finck did with his video job application for the Darewin PR agency who eventually hired him: 12) Video testimonials from references Normally, you prepare a list of references to hand or send to an employer so they can check your qualifications by speaking to people who've worked with you. With video references, you can post clips of those people speaking about you, saving employers time from having to reach out to them (possibly avoiding the employers asking a question your reference may not be able or willing to answer). This young fisherman had been looking for a job for 4-5 months before an industry friend posted this video profile about him: He was hired in 24 hours: That said, it's completely fine to do this on your own channel, by uploading a clip from a reference: Question of the article Have you used video for your job search? If so, how? If not, what's holding you back? Tell us in the comments. What others are saying 5 Ways to Get a Job Through YouTube Dancing Her Way to Pop Stardom, Thanks to YouTube and Rihanna 10+ Brilliant Video CVs That Will Bag The Job Enter the Video Job Application!

Five Simple Ways to Improve Your Career Prospects

Five Simple Ways to Improve Your Career Prospects On average, we spend just under 9,000 hours at work every single year. This is, essentially, one-third of a typical lifespan in the developed world. So, if you are not doing a job that you enjoy, you could be losing out on a lot of great experiences. Oftentimes, it isn’t even a lack of skill or ability that prevents most people from securing their dream position. It is a lack of confidence. They don’t realize their true potential because they’re not accessing it. The good news is that there are a million different ways to unlock your hidden talents and boost your career prospects. Whether it’s investing in online language courses and tutors, improving your public speaking skills, or simply making better relationships in your current workplace; it is easy to get more out of your job once you know how. This guide to some of the simplest ways to improve your career prospects will give you some ideas on where to start.       Get Savvy About Social Media It is becoming more common for people to lose out on employment opportunities simply because they don’t have a suitable separation between their work and personal lives. These days, the first place that interested employers look is social media, because they want to get a feel for how professional you are. So, it is always best to use stringent privacy settings on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other platforms, just in case eagle-eyed recruitment agents are browsing your wall for reasons not to hire you.       Improve Your Communication Skills Studies have shown, time and time again, that the most successful individuals are those who speak confidently and express themselves with authority. This applies to conversations over email, the phone, or in person; assertiveness suggests capability. You should be polite and engaged when speaking to clients, colleagues, and senior staff. If you think that you may need to tweak your speaking skills, ask friends and family members for some honest advice on whether or not you have a positive, memorable presence.   Even better, consider taking up  public speaking training to really take your communication to new heights.       Learn a Brand New Skill One of the most enjoyable ways to improve your career prospects is with online courses and qualifications. You can learn how to do pretty much anything on the internet because there are digital mentors and tutors of all stripes willing to teach you. You could master a second language, brush up on your debating skills, or learn how to set up an at home business. The possibilities are endless, so don’t limit yourself; get out there and start learning.       Request an Evaluation It might feel like a bold move to ask your current employer for a review, but who else is better placed to do it? Your boss has a duty to help you grow and develop as a worker, whether that means providing support as you apply for a new position or giving you tips on how to become more appealing to other employers. Some of the truths that you get may be a bit of a shock, but ultimately, they can be used to refine your skills, credentials, and abilities.       Accept a Challenge If you’re the type of person who usually shies away from challenges, make an effort to turn things around. The next time that your boss wants help with a new project, volunteer. If you hear about events happening in your local area, get involved. If there is something that you’ve spent years telling yourself you’re not ready for, change your tune. Sometimes, all it takes is one success to remind a person that they’re capable of pursuing much bigger, brighter goals. How to Take Steps towards Success The truth is that goals don’t come easy. They require a lot of hard work, dedication, and patience. This is why improving yourself and your skill set shouldn’t be a static ambition. It should be something that you continue to do naturally, throughout your career, in order to give you the best possible opportunities. Image Source; Image Source

What Im reading. Really.

What Im reading. Really. Willem de Kooning I get asked so often to publish a list of what Im reading. People tell me to make a discussion board. Make a Facebook group. Have an online book club. I dont do that because I worry Id feel pressure to be a reader of substance. And Im not. Heres what Im reading. 1. Tabloids My reading list would start with the Enquirer. I have surveyed all the supermarket newsstand material and I think the Enquirer does the best reporting. I read Us Magazine for reports on the Royal Family because those of us in the know understand that  Will and Kates baby means more than mere tabloid fodder. But also tabloids are a diet mechanism, because if I need to feel better about my life and I dont want to be fat later, the only thing left is reading about other people getting fat. Or doing some similarly ruinous thing to their life. 2. Childrens books. Our house has basically nothing in it. This is what everyone says the first time they visit. And Im constantly throwing stuff out. Except childrens books. It used to be that I could tell myself Im saving them for my kids, but I can tell you with certainty that they are not into my collection of Maira Kalman books. We have picture books all over the house. They are first editions. I shouldnt let the cat scratch them. I should put them in the garage. I should donate them to a library. (Actually, theres  a book in my stack about a woman who donates her stacks to a library.) But I need them.  People who were abused as kids often self-soothe by doing things they loved as children. I sucked my thumb until I was in my mid-twenties. So that Im still reading picture books that Ive read a million times actually feels high functioning. 3. Melissas links. I have to work pretty hard to live on a farm without missing whats happening in the world beyond. I used to read the New York Times and force myself to read stuff I dont care about. Its a great way to teach yourself to synthesize disparate ideas. But I cant do that anymore because the Times wont deliver to me. They wont even deliver three days late. So I had to rethink how I get a wide range of information and thats when I started reading what Melissa sends like my life depends on it. There is no way to predict what will be there. Heres a sampling: Heres a link  to show you why Boston is racist and what the stereotypes are of other cities you love to hateor just didnt have the right information to hate. Heres a link  about how the Abstract Expressionist art movement in the US was actually promoted by the CIA because the loose, emotional art seemed like an effective propaganda tool against the Soviet Unions rigid Socialist Realism. Heres a link  to a Myers-Briggs distribution chart that shows, among other things, why women like Melissa who are INTJs look completely out of step with the rest of the world but always send great links. 4. Food delivery web sites. Im in Seattle right now. By day Im the mother of a cellist who cuts out on lessons to bike  the Burke-Gillman trail. By night Im an explorer of online  food delivery sites.  We dont have food delivery web sites in rural Wisconsin. Actually, we dont have food delivery. Tonight I ordered from Eat 24. It was good. It was miraculous, really. Thats what the local Internet feels like when you live on a farm. I tried to convince my son o do Open Table    just so I could say I did it. Actually, its not that I had to convince my son to use an online reservation system.  I had to convince him to commit to going out to dinner instead of going biking. The new tourism: For people who live in rural America, traveling across the country city by city is not about visiting local attractions but rather about experiencing the local Internet. 5. The Brief  Wondrous  Life of Oscar Wao. I am reading The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao because my editor is. Well, he was. He suggested that we do a reading group but I couldnt keep up. Although I think its not that I cant keep up, its that I dont do well with assigned reading. For example, I waited until my junior year of high school to read all the books assigned sophomore year. Just so I knew I was reading them by choice. A week ago, I did the webinar Reach Your Goals by Blogging. Melissa and I did it together. Shes the moderator and I talk over her.  Shes also the recorder of the session. Because in my mind I am building an online learning empire so I want to sell the courses as downloadable recordings. But on the third night of the webinar it turned out that the recording thing didnt record.  So I was going to just redo that evening of the webinar, tirades and all. Though maybe different tirades because I do all the webinars largely unscripted so they are more authentic. But then we still had to figure out what to do because we couldnt reproduce the QA session during the second half. We should have a special guest, I said. Melissa said, Can you ask Seth Godin? She always says this. Like, Seth and I are roommates or something. No. Of course Seth will not do that. Why do you always yell at me when I suggest Seth? He did one with you. Why wont he do another? Because he hates me because I hate his stupid school reform ideas. You flatter yourself to think Seth has enough focus on you to hate you. You flatter me to think Seth would even take my call. Melissa says, I have to go. This is Melissa-talk for I am practicing having good boundaries and you suck. I call her five seconds later and say, Jay can do it. Hes the surprise guest. Dont say his name. Its better if you always say, my editor. Its like the fake twitter accounts, if you reveal it, theres no mystery. Theres always mystery with me. Like, how will I sell downloads of webinars when I admit that they are unscripted and I dont have the real recordings? Its a mystery. What sort of person will click buy? Will Penelopes family starve? Will Melissa get fired for all her technical errors? What? Just kidding. We call Jay. Jay does the webinar with no notice, from a conference room at his day job, which is both brave and fun. Jay sends me links as well.  The difference between the links Jay shares and the ones Melissa shares is that Jay is intent on being useful. (Maybe you can fit this link into a post about baby boomers.) Whereas Melissa sends anything thats fun and interesting. But I share the best links from both of them. So really, we are all in a book club together. Its just there are no books and theres no club. Its just my blog posts, peppered with links from those two and all of you. And maybe thats why I feel like I am not a very good reader. Because the one at book club meetings who cleans the house and makes the sandwiches always gets away with not reading as much as the guests do.

Is Presenteeism the Real Threat to UK Productivity

Is Presenteeism the Real Threat to UK Productivity Is presenteeism the latest scourge of the modern workplace? There is little doubt that technology and instant connectivity have blurred the lines between work and life outside of it. It would appear that this change in work culture, along with a growing stigma around taking time off, is causing employees to feel they have no choice but to come into work when they are ill. Research carried out by the Canada Life Insurance Group found that 9 out of 10 UK employees say they have gone into work when feeling ill. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed said they wouldn’t take a day off sick unless they were hospitalized or had no other choice. Presenteeism isn’t a new phenomenon, but it is increasingly coming under the spotlight in scientific studies as researchers try to fathom the productivity puzzle that troubles the UK. Presenteeism is an issue that UK businesses need to address if they are to fix this. The UK has had a dismal productivity record since the financial crisis a decade ago. Brexit uncertainty isn’t helping matters. Is presenteeism posing a further threat? Here I’ll be looking briefly at the causes of the UK productivity puzzle and consider the impact of presenteeism. Importantly, is presenteeism a real threat to productivity and if so, what can employers do to address it? Presenteeism: a definition Health Insurer, Vitality, defines presenteeism as “being present at work but being limited in some aspects of job performance by a health problem and thus experiencing decreased productivity and below-normal work quality.” It is essentially when a sick employee comes into work and underperforms when they really should be at home recuperating. The UK productivity puzzle While productivity growth has slowed since the financial crisis in almost all developed economies, the UK has suffered most, with current productivity near historic lows. Weak growth in the UK, according to an in-depth report by McKinsey on solving the UK’s productivity puzzle, has been blamed on relatively low capital investment (especially equipment and structures), low wage growth and an oversized financial sector which accounted for nearly 50 percent of the aggregate slowdown. In addition, the emphasis on financial services in the UK also pulled people from other industries, causing their decline, and the benefits of digitization have yet to be fully realized. The productivity gap is also pronounced among Britain’s regions. Research by the University of Cambridge on how to solve the UK’s productivity problem points to the negative impact of regional disparity. All economic growth in the UK is centered on London, the South East, and a few other cities, but many regions outside of these areas have low or negative economic growth and are actually some of the poorest regions in Europe. In a report by the Financial Times, Andy Haldane, the Bank of England chief economist, said, “The UK’s international productivity gap is, to a large degree, a long tail problem.” He refers to a ‘long tail’ of companies with poor output per hour worked. In addition, Mckinsey’s research (mentioned above) points to the fact that the growth in loans and deposits in the financial services sector contracted sharply after the crisis, but because of the fixed nature of many of the inputs, hours worked barely changed. On top of these wider economic issues is the increasingly recognized issue of presenteeism, and the closely related problem of stress and mental ill-health in the workplace, specifically employees feeling unable to speak to their employers about these problems. Business culture has a huge part to play in productivity. Many studies indicate that companies with strong and positive cultures are more profitable. How does presenteeism threaten productivity? A report by The Psychologist on The hidden costs of working when sick, highlights the cost of presenteeism to UK employers, with mental ill health alone, estimated to be costing more than £15 million per year. Research by the Nottingham Business School found the average UK employee spends almost two weeks every year working while ill, which they say costs firms more than £4,000 per person. In an article published by the HR Director last year, Steve Thompson, MD of Forward Role Recruitment, argues that presenteesism is one of the biggest threats to the UK’s productivity and is a problem that many employers have chosen to ignore. Research has shown a huge rise in the number of people going into work when ill and that people are significantly less productive when they are working while sick. Ill employees can, in fact, be more costly to employers than if they take time off sick, and even more so if germs are transmitted and cause other staff members to become ill. Employees working when ill are less effective in their roles and this can also have an impact on the morale of the people around them trying to cover the workload. Working when ill can also extend recovery rates and may even pose a threat to long-term health. The pressure of working when ill can also lead to disengagement and further complicate productivity problems. Why do employees come to work when they are ill? There are many reasons people come into work when they are sick. The most common reasons are: Heavy workload Financial insecurity when absent (insufficient sick pay) Fear over job security Management pressure Sickness stigma A strong sense of duty and obligation Short staffing A lack of support An always-on culture Employers need to do more Research by CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) and Simply Health report a link between an increase in stress, anxiety and depression and the tripling of presenteeism in UK organizations since 2010. Rachel Suff, Senior Employment Relations Adviser at CIPD said, “Increasingly the threats to well-being in the modern workplace are psychological rather than physical, and yet too few organizations are discouraging unhealthy workplace practices and tackling stress, which is strongly linked to health conditions such as anxiety and depression. “In order to encourage a healthy workplace, organizations need to look beyond sickness absence rates alone and develop a solid, evidence-based understanding of the underlying causes of work-related stress and unhealthy behavior like presenteeism.” Presenteeism is currently one of the biggest threats to UK productivity. The HR review reports that 57 percent of employees say they would stay in their job longer if there was more effort put into looking after their wellbeing, and 58 percent believe their work would be of better quality if there were more wellbeing measures in place. In this article, I’ve shown that presenteeism is a real issue and a threat to productivity. Employee wellbeing initiatives are the answer, and that includes more open conversations about stress and mental health at work, encouraging staff to take time off when sick, and doing more to spot the signs employees are suffering from stress, anxiety, and depression. About the author:  Mike James  is an experienced business writer specializing in HR, tech, and cybersecurity. On the latter, he has contributed to many of the leading publications both online and in print â€" such as StaySafeOnline, GlobalSign, Tech London and more.

How Does Keystone Momentum Work?

How Does Keystone Momentum Work?A new website called Keystone Momentum has emerged in the online resume writing business with a newly developed system to generate a stellar resume. Even though, the concept of this company is just too good to be true, it has been proved true and still today is regarded as one of the best in its field.It basically involves the generation of a certain email address that an employer would be in a position to contact you about the post you are applying for. As soon as you decide to enroll yourself in their program, you would also be required to register your information so that all the details you have available to you are properly updated. In addition, they would be able to supply you with a series of ideas that could help you write a good resume.This website has a part which is specifically designed for job seekers that intend to use it for both traditional resume writing and also for web applications. The system that they have developed means that you only need to enter your contact details once and it would store them in their system until you want to receive information about it. When you want to change something, you can simply do so and send your information again.All you need to do is sign up for a free account at Keystone Momentum. You can find this kind of portal on the website or even in various other places too. The main objective of the portal is that it helps people avoid the pitfalls of the ordinary resume writing method where each and every detail is looked into individually and there is no teamwork involved.So, here's what you need to do: first, you should join Keystone Momentum and log in to your account. Then, you will have to fill out your information in one of the many sections they have. For example, if you want to enroll for a paid membership, then you must provide your username and password; and you also need to provide the name of the person you want to talk to about the job you are applying for.Secondly, th ere are certain pieces of information you need to add to the information you are already inputting in the system. These are such as the name of the employer, the name of the position you are applying for, the current address of the employer, the name of the company, the period of the job and the starting date of the job.Once you have done that, it will automatically help you in generating a list of emails you can send to potential employers so that they are informed about your application. Also, a step you need to take is to change your contact details from time to time. If your profile changes, your contact details too should be updated and you will not get the same emails in the future.That is the reason why you should do it best the first time. This is the best portal for resume writing.

Why employers should consider flexible workplace environments

Why employers should consider flexible workplace environments Why employers should consider flexible workplace environments Losing employees (especially good employees) is bad for business. While turnover is inevitable, there are things that can be done to minimize the exodus. A knee-jerk reaction may be to offer raises or promotions to your top talent, but I recommend you listen to what each employee values most. Employees are placing extremely high value on other perks, especially those that increase work/life balance. Value in flexibility According to a study from Regus, the worlds largest workspace provider, 79 percent of business people would choose one job over a similar one if it offered flexibility, and this doesnt just mean hours. Professionals are looking to improve work/life balance by having the freedom to use alternate work sites that can help alleviate long commutes. The formula for business success lies with creating a strategy that makes employers comfortable with a remote team and gives employees a professional setting where they have the resources to do their best work. At every level, todays workers are stressed, said Sande Golgart, senior vice president of corporate accounts at Regus. Anything that can be done to relieve that stress and improve work/life balance is far more appealing than financial compensation. He added that flexible work is a key driver to managing responsibilities at home and at work. The freedom to work remotely or outside of traditional hours gives individuals more control over their time. The study found flexible options arent just good for the employees, they benefit the business as well. Nearly 80 percent of business people polled agreed that flexible work increases staff retention, helps attract top talent and eases work-related stress. Seeing the benefits The good news is that advancements in mobile technology, including webinar solutions, shared calendars and information sharing sites foster remote working. The common fears by employers that they couldnt measure a remote employees performance are now addressed by the use of basic technology tools. And shared space providers have systems in place to help users maximize their use of the space to achieve the best possible results. Companies of all sizes need to embrace flexible work and share in the benefits, from Fortune 500 businesses to new start-up companies. These collaborative workspaces have proven to yield cost savings, provide a boost in employee satisfaction and result in better productivity for companies. Small companies, like New York City-based Dark Arts Consulting, rely on flexible options as well. Dark Arts does not have offices for all their employees. Instead, they provide access to Regus flexible workspaces where employees can drop in and stay productive between appointments. The CEO of Dark Arts, Lee Solt, credits his remote work policy for retaining and attracting great IT consultants in a very competitive field, as well as helping him to grow his business. My employees are always on the move, meeting with clients, he said. There is no reason to pay for an expensive office no one will use. More importantly, why make my employees waste time commuting when they can be productive from anywhere? If your organization isnt implementing a flexible arrangement, now is the time to start considering the strategy. Assign a committee or leader in your organization to develop a plan and communicate broadly with your employees that this is more than just on your radar.

Knowing and Doing are Two Different Things

Knowing and Doing are Two Different Things To know something  and to do something are not the same. Too often, I see job seekers take shortcuts or avoid doing things they dont want to do. Job search is hard work. You know what you need to do to find a new job. But sometimes you dont do everything you need to do. Job search requires doing things you dont want to do or dont know how to do. Sometimes, but not often, you get lazy or try to take shortcuts. And when you dont do the right things it hurts your job search in the long run. I truly believe that 90% of job search is having the right mental outlook. Sometimes you have to trick yourself into doing things. Sometimes you just need a reminder. So I put together this list of things most job seekers know (or should know) but dont put into action (unless really pushed). Know and Do These Things Conduct a self-assessment of skills, talents, and abilities. Produce  a resume that contains action/result statements. Customize every resume for every job you apply to. Write a well-researched cover letter. Find a job posting then network with company insiders before you apply. Develop a list of target companies. Create and USE a marketing plan. Network 60+% of the time. Build a meaningful LinkedIn profile. Learn how to use LinkedIn. Constantly maintain your network. Follow up on networking leads quickly. Dont ask for a job while networking. Practice  interviewing. Research the company and people youll be interviewing with. Develop a Plan B Cut and manage expenses. Learn about new occupations and industries. Be positive. Dont appear desperate. Sure, you know all thisbut do you ALWAYS follow these guidelines? Embrace them, master them.   You will be more successful than most job seekers if you actually DO these things. Does it seem overwhelming? Prioritize the actions that will have the biggest bang for the buck.   (Hint, anything to do with networking will reap the greatest rewards.) Remember, your search for a new job will take longer than you want. Pace yourself, its a marathon, not a sprint. And please, find someone to hold you accountable to do the right things for your job search. Knowing and Doing are Two Different Things We all get stuck in ruts. Either personal or professional. Sometimes we can get out of this rut, other times, it isnt easy to do on our own. Fortunately, we have people in our lives that can help! The key is to ask for help! This is very difficult to do. As I write each word of this post I am reminded of the title, knowing and doing are two different things. Yes, we know we should ask for help, but we dont. I need to pay special tribute to the special people who understand how to offer help, the help that I cant figure out how to ask for. These are the unsung heroes helping me move forward. They listen and push. They ask the tough questions that send me back to the drawing board. Whether you want to read about them is up to you, but what I want you to know is that you need to find these types of people for yourself and you also need to pay tribute to them. Mike Lally was the first believer in Career Sherpa, well, maybe not the very first, but the one who pushed me into blogging. He also claims he is the one who came up with the name Career Sherpa (funny how I cant quite recall that small detail). The point is, Mike has given me information, encouragement and the confidence to move forward. Yes, he kicks me in the pants sometimes too. Mike is one of the rare finds who gives unconditionally. Mike is an Operational Leader. He has an uncanny knack of being able to instantaneously asses and redirect derailed projects. Mike maintains a blog and is worth checking out! Graeme Roberts is an intellectual creative genius. No, really, he is! Yet he can also be incredibly effective analyzing and implementing process or strategy. He is a guru for growing business. Hes technically savvy, yet doesnt own a smart phone. He is generous and a serial entrepreneur! He is growing his own business, GrowMotor with innovative ideas! In my meeting with these two last night, they pushed and pried, trying to help me implement a long overdue positioning statement and to determine my niche, brand, value proposition- you know, the stuff I try to help my clients with. We are sometimes so close to the subject (ourselves) that we need help from a more or less objective third party. Thank you to the many friends who are helping me along this journey! Miriam Salpeter, Meg Guiseppi, Skeeter Harris, Greg Taylor, Rita Carey, Sandra Turner, Dean LoBrutto, Rosa Smith-Montanaro, Jenn Sertl, and so many others!