If you like the narrative a good story line can reveal, you probably are a fan of some of the best-scripted shows on television. You don’t have to be an actor in your own drama to come up with a good story line. You do however, have to have a sense of the dramatic and be creative in how you engage your audience. It’s no different when you tell your job story. Some of you might feel that you don’t have a compelling enough story to tell. Maybe you have been in the same job for years, maybe you believe you don’t possess enough experience yet to make it worth someone’s time to listen. But knowing how to tell your job story in a way that is both authentic and compelling, helps you to position yourself for your next big career opportunity.

You may have been brought up to believe it’s not nice to brag and that modesty is the way to go whenever you are introduced to someone new or you are asked to tell them about yourself. Some of us were not trained in the art of self-promotion. I’m not suggesting you get TRUMP on anyone, but understanding how to articulate your skills, abilities and accomplishments is an important part of your job story. These are skills that should be honed just like anything else you decide is worthy to put on a resume.

It’s not so much to have a factually accurate resume or bio on hand anytime an opportunity presents itself. It is important however, to make sure your story is compelling enough to make someone want to get to know you a little better. We tend to forget what we did, thinking that our job history is best left in the past. Your accomplishments might be something you check off a list never to be referenced again. Understanding what to include in a resume is one thing, but how do you tell your story when asked to reveal a little something more about yourself? Are you shy and unassuming? Do you say it’s not important? Or, do you launch into a campaign, highlighting your stellar career accomplishments?

Most folks are uncomfortable talking about how good they are at what they are good at doing. Others, it seems can’t stop talking about how great they are and are likely to turn off a few folks in the middle of their diatribe. You don’t have to feel like you will offend if you are honest, humble and direct about your job experiences and how you can promote your accomplishments. No one is going to sing your praises quite the same but understanding that you have a breadth of knowledge and experience that needs to be shared is a crucial step in displaying confidence and self-assurance. You don’t need to have a list prepared of what you do or how you did it, but recalling a few examples of stories from your career catalogue might help you present yourself in a winning way.

Your greatest gift to others is the help and support you can provide in your work. Your greatest gift to yourself is understanding when and how to tell others how you can help them without feeling embarrassed or ashamed. You’ve got a lot to offer, find a few ways to share yourself with others without the fear of rejection.

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Direction, you either crave it or you question it. You may never know which way is up when you are traveling on the road towards career happiness. What you don’t realize it that everyone you know at one point or another in their career journey has passed through a “job phase.” For some it lasts a minute, for others it seemingly lasts a lifetime. What defines a job phase is the pattern of uncertainty and self-reflection you face as you gather enough courage to determine if the job you have is the right one for you. What you do should not define who you are as a person but for most of us, it does. That doesn’t mean you need to stay the same way your entire life. Change, after all is inevitable under any circumstance whether you force the change or not. You should not panic if you feel you are going through a job phase whether you have a job or not. The key word to remember here is it is a “phase” which implies it will pass and you will come out on the other side, better, stronger and more resilient than before. So before you spin yourself into a career frenzy, here are a few telltale signs you are experiencing a job phase:

1. Question Everything, Trust Nothing: You might think it’s just your quirky personality or inquisitive nature but when most of what you experience gives you cause to pause and question the outcome or the motive, you might be on a quicker course to self-discovery than you imagined. Being able to discern the difference between fact and fiction means you are no longer in a position to rely on what others tell you is right for you. Trusting in yourself and learning to experience work in the way you imagined is a skill and quality that will help you grow in your career. You may feel like you are a negative-Nelly, or a doubting Thomas, but questioning what is right for you is a way to harness your ability to be discerning and trusting of yourself and to truly know what is right for you when it comes to the choices you make in your career.
2. Learning to Say No: Accepting a job, a promotion or working for a new boss maybe out of your control, but following your instincts and trusting in yourself is the number one skill you need for self-preservation. Just because someone asks you to do something, may not be right for you. Learning to say “No” does not mean you are being insubordinate. It means you are self-aware and evolved to know with whom and how you want to spend your time. If something does not feel right to you, it probably isn’t right. Understanding the difference and not feeling like you are moving with the wind sets you on a course to understand that the job phase you are going through is helping you to be more discerning in your choices. It’s important to not feel like you are being forced into a corner.
3. Like & Dislike: You may feel like you are a malcontent and that nothing that is happening in your career is pleasing to you. You may have even got a promotion and for some reason you are not thrilled by your prospects. That’s ok it’s all part of your job phase. You first have to know what you don’t like in order to know what you do like that is after all, part of the job phase process. This can mean you may like your work but not the company. Or you may like your boss but not your coworkers. There is always something to every scenario that is not in balance. This should not be a cause for concern but a reflection on your ability to weave in and out of the process and prioritize what is important for you. Learning how to communicate not only to others but also to yourself, about what you want in your career is an important component in your job progression no matter what stage you are in your job phase.

You are not alone when you feel that nothing is going your way or you are not pleased with the direction your career is taking. There is nothing wrong with you for feeling or thinking that things could be different. The good news is that if you don’t like where you are, you can move someplace else. After all the best thing about a phase is that it ultimately passes with time.

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There are many ways to follow your instincts when it comes to finding your dream job. Some like to dream big, imagining all the trappings that come with a successful career. Others like to think about ways to invent and create new ideas in the hopes that they may land something big. And there are some who like to drift along the career current, hoping the tide will take them to a new place of career success and well being. Whether you like to steer your own career course or like to let the waves carry you onto shore, there are at least three things you should keep in mind when you are following your career compass so you don’t drift too far from your intended goals:

1. Plot Your Course of Action: Even if you are just graduating and have no idea which career direction you want, or you have been at a career for quite awhile only to find that you are no longer excited about the prospects, you need to make a plan, any plan will do. Sometimes just coasting along works and you miraculously land in a perfect job. Other times, you find yourself making plans only to course correct once again. If you are not sure where you need to move, it’s okay. Making changes in your career direction is expected, but making no plan whatsoever is ill advised.
2. Career Course Correction: You may be on a path you thought was the right one for you. Giving it your all and trying to make it work yet no matter what you do, something is not working. It’s okay to figure out your options but lingering too long in uncertainty can make you lethargic and unsure about your next move. Making a move no matter which direction is better than making no moves at all. You can always change your mind if the choice you make no longer works for you. Nothing is forever and learning to trust that you know what you want is better than not solving the problem at all and staying stuck in a situation that no longer works for you. It’s okay, take the plunge nothing will hurt you.
3. Following your internal career compass: Others may think they know what’s right for you when it comes to your career choices. However, no one knows what will make you happy except you. Understanding and trusting that only you know what is right for you when it comes to your career choices is the most important step in learning to follow your own advice and make the best career choices for you. It may not make you popular with your friends and family but in the long run it will make you stronger and more self-confident when it comes to making the right career choices.

The next time you doubt yourself and are not sure about your choices, know that no matter what direction your career compass leads you there is always another path to take if the one you are on does not lead you in the right direction for you.

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

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You may be a high-ranking executive, or someone who is still working his or her way up the corporate ladder, or perhaps you are just trying to break into the business. Wherever your position on the career chain, you may now or in the future be in a position where you have to navigate the politics of your work environment. Knowing how to maneuver in a complicated system holds the same challenges whether you are a veteran or a newbie in the business. If you are figuring out your next career move within your own company, or exploring what opportunities might lie elsewhere, remember that wherever you may roam the politically savvy attributes you hone will come in handy along the way.

By being politically savvy I am not meaning to imply that you need to suck-up or kick ass in order to get ahead in your career. Politically savvy people are opportunists. They find a way to make a situation work regardless of the challenges. People who possess strong communication, listening and negotiation skills often find themselves in a good place when it comes to finding, exploring and creating opportunities for themselves-even if it’s outside of their own company. Learning to notice the signs allows you to be open to change and politically savvy people know the difference. Having a strong sense of self and knowing when to lay down your pride is essential in winning or losing the battle. It’s not just about having intellectual smarts that helps you get ahead in business, it’s knowing when to pivot to the right when the odds are stacking up against you and to not view this as a failure or giving in.

Building your allies both internally and externally helps to establish your power base whether you are in an entry-level job, or in a leadership position. Building partnerships within the organization means aligning yourself to others who share your vision and your goals and who may have similar experiences than you do. Remember to check any behavior that will potentially get in the way of forging those key relationships and knowing when to set appropriate boundaries with your co-workers and peers. Being open to changes means that you remain accommodating and cooperative even if you potentially disagree with the direction the companies is moving in. If you are authentic in your opinions, you will know how to express your differing point of view without alienating the rest of the team-this is crucial if you want to stay in your job or move up in your position. Of course if you don’t care much what anyone else believes, than by all means, continue to piss off the masses and see how far that will get you in your career!

Another way to survive the maze of office politics is to maintain a high integrity in what you are trying to accomplish.   Know that it’s okay to be selfish over being stubborn. Selfish people have self-interest and motivation and that does not always need to imply a negative thought. People with a strong self-interest have a need for a greater good and know that if they achieve their goals, it will benefit others not only themselves. Being stubborn in your point of view implies you only have self-interest for YOU and no one else. There is a subtle but distinct difference when you are planning your next career move and learning the best ways to survive office politics. Remember acknowledging your own vulnerability is admirable and breaks down the prideful walls that keep you apart from others as well as your next job. Think of being a guest in someone homes the next time you are in a meeting that gets out of control or you are in a disagreement with someone over a matter, step back and remember your manners and check your ego at the door.

Sometimes you think you know how you come across to others but you don’t. You may think you rock in your presentation skills, or present a cool and calm presence or think you are a superstar when it comes to nailing a job interview. When was the last time you went on a job interview and what was the outcome? I thought so! If you’ve been pounding the pavement and think you are just doing fine networking your butt off then think again. If no one has offered you a job or even given you a second look, chances are you are not the picture perfect job candidate you may think you are.

Maybe it’s time for a lesson or two on how to objectively see yourself as others see you. We all think we know ourselves and we may even play twenty questions in front of the mirror admiring ourselves along the way. But do you really know what others think about you when you have just interviewed for a job? Do you ever ask for feedback and get a nervous response or a noncommittal answer? Do you leave the interview not quite sure what the other person thought or, had the perception you nailed the interview only never to hear back from the recruiter again? It’s not uncommon for recruiters or hiring managers to dodge the proverbial bullet when offering up feedback particularly if your interview did not go as well as you expected. That doesn’t mean they are a bunch of liars it just means most people, under pressure, don’t necessarily respond with honesty and directness. That’s not a judgment on you or the other person necessarily, but it does place the burden on you to become more self-aware and really understand how you are coming across.

So what is a mock interview and how can it help you polish up your interviewing skills?   A mock interview is just that, a fake, role-play exercise where you can practice how you present yourself in front of others. You can do this with another person as the interviewer, or you can do this in front of your laptop and record yourself before you go live in front of your next job interview. Here’s how to set up your mock interview:

• Pick a comfortable setting like your living room, office, etc. (avoid the bedroom because you don’t want to look too comfortable).
• Sit in a hard chair so that your back is straight and you have a good angle in front of the laptop, which you will place in front of you.
• You will have already prepared or have asked someone else to prepare a list of 5-10 questions that you will answer in front of the camera.
• Remember to wear something you would on an interview and prepare questions that you might be asked on an interview so that you are recreating as close to an actual interview you’ve experienced as possible.
• If you can invite someone to ask you the questions off screen that’s fine, but you should begin the response to the question by incorporating part of the question in your answer. You can respond something like, “That’s a great question, how do I rate my overall job skills compared to my peers …” In this way, you can follow how you responded to each question when you go back to replay your interview.
• Now the hard part, ask someone other than yourself to review the mock interview BEFORE you look at it. Choose someone you trust who will give you honest feedback. Write down, or have them write down the specific areas of feedback for each question you answered so you can have this to review when you view your recording.
• Next, review your recording and have the list of feedback in front of you to go through when you critique each of your responses to the questions asked. The hardest part here is to try to look at yourself objectively.
• When reviewing your mock interview, try not to focus on the details, if your hair was not in place or you were sitting slanted in the chair. For your first pass, focus on how well or not you verbally responded to the questions.
• List out your own feedback, such as, did you hesitate often, did you use many “um’s” and “ah’s” when you answered the questions. View how quickly or slowly you spoke and focus on the timing of your responses.
• Lastly, go back and critique your visual queues, appearance, posture, eye contact, any nervous habit you may not have noticed you had. Write down ALL of your observations so you have a complete list of how well you did and where you might need to improve.
• When you complete your mock interview, create a Good/Not So Good list and put your feedback and that of the other person reviewing your recording down so you create a side-by-side comparison.   You should wait a few days before you go back and look at your mock interview again with fresh eyes to see if you pick up anything else you may add to your list.

Now that you have an “objective” observation you can critique your interviewing skills and hone up on areas where you may not have performed as well as you once imagined. It’s not a bad idea to use this to practice on your responses and come up with another list of questions and repeat the same process again in a week to see how well you improved. Remember that you are the best judge of your how well you come across and represent yourself to others. Next time you go on an interview, you’ll know exactly how someone sees you and whether or not

Originally posted in 4/2011