Career Safari - surviving and thriving!

The value of downtime...

2010-05-07T08:16:00.000+01:00

I've been absent from my blog for a couple of months. Why? Well, I've been consumed in a very time-hungry project with a big corporation in London. It's been interesting but has drained me of energy for all the other things in my life - including my blog.

This week, I've suddenly come to the realization that I had lost myself as a result. The temptation was to blame the corporation. But actually, my frustration is with me. Frustration for not being my biggest and best self, for allowing myself to be subsumed to the extent where the very personal side of me was playing small.

On Tuesday, reality hit. And I'm back! Watch out for future updates right here :-)

Watch until the end for an inspiring message!

2010-02-10T21:22:00.000Z

What will they ask at interview?

2010-01-04T13:08:00.002Z

Wouldn't it be great to get some insider tips on what you might be asked at interview?

If you're looking for a new job in 2010, you might want to take advantage of the experience of others - and add your experience too. Social website www.whatwilltheyask.co.uk offers a froum for people who've been to job interviews to let others know what was asked - and the database can only grow!

Especially useful for graduate interviews - take a look: www.whatwilltheyask.co.uk

Christmas and Holiday Party - Top Tips!

2009-12-12T22:56:00.003Z

How can parties be the best - and the worst - place to enhance your career? Read these top tips from Toastmasters International before you go!

What are you grateful for in your career?

2009-11-26T08:00:00.000Z

Happy Thanksgiving! Giving thanks is one of the great traditions - what you appreciate, appreciates!

So why not think of all the things which you are truly grateful for about your career...?

Here are my top 25....

1) My mum and dad, who encouraged me to make the best of myself in my education and to find a career and determine my own future rather than be dependent on others.

2) All the campaigners who went before me who made it possible for me to work and be paid equally and to choose my career freely.

3) My university studies and everyone who encouraged me, gave me holiday jobs to pay my way, and celebrated with me when I graduated.

4) The corporate employers (especially Marks & Spencer and IBM) who invested in training me when I was young and inexperienced.

5) The opportunities to take voluntary redundancy (3 times to date) and change career direction with ease.

6) The PC and the Internet - both of which have played major roles in my life and my career.

7) The joy of selling products and services which change the way companies work and the way people live their lives.

8) Customers and clients through the years, who have challenged me to stretch myself even further than I thought was possible.

9) The bosses that hired me and gave me the mentoring and opportunities to grow, especially Tony Marland who gave me my first break into sales in 1987.

10) Travel to interesting places all over the world - to work and to .

11) The colleagues I have laughed and cried with, despaired and celebrated with.

12) Coaching clients who have stretched themselves to achieve goals they had never thought possible when we started.

13) Winston, my dog, for being a great office companion!

14) My bright and airy loft office with views over to Canary Wharf and the City of London.

15) Headhunters and job agencies for promoting me to their clients.

16) Christopher Howard for creating his Fast Track training and for allowing me to support his speaking events and absorb the lessons over and over again.

17) My car and the ability to drive which has meant that I can travel easily to take advantage of opportunities.

18) Good health and sound sleep!

19) Austin Reed for the best business suits.

20) Filofax, Tumi and Samsonite for the best business bags and briefcases.

21) Toastmasters International for their fantastic speaking programs.

22) My husband Steve who encourages me in my business and my new ventures.

23) London for being one of the best business centres in the world.

24) Facebook and LinkedIn for all the connections, past and present, which wouldn't have been possible before.

25) Career Safari - my own career has been a magnificent journey and the story continues - watch out for the next chapter!

2009-11-26T01:01:00.000Z

The best...........

2009-11-17T15:50:00.000Z

“Believe in the best…have a goal for the best,never be satisfied with less than your best,try your best, and in the long run things will turn out for the best.”- Henry Ford

Where's the coat check?

2009-11-11T12:56:00.002Z

Have you been trying to create wealth by sticking in a job where you feel you need to check in your personality at the door?

I have. And it's de-energising, de-motivating and all the other de-s that I can think of.

What would life be life if you woke up every day raring to go and passionate about your mission? And then wealth flowed easily and effortlessly as a result?

Register here for this new event from the inspiring Christopher Howard in London, December 4-6! How is now the best time to take action?

Silly Question? Not when it gets you the job!

2009-11-02T09:11:00.002Z

How are hiring managers getting creative with questions when they have so many people to choose from?

The New York Times reports how personality counts when there are hundreds of people competing with you for a job: http://tinyurl.com/yhzjkxp

Quote of the day

2009-10-30T17:09:00.003Z

“Activity is contagious.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American writer and activist

What do you want to do?

2009-10-14T19:35:00.002+01:00

A frequent wail heard in career strategy discussions: "But I don't know what I want to do".

Especially frequent in younger people...as in "But I don't know what I want to do at university", "But I don't know what job I'd be good at".

Hey - who cares? If you are good at something when you're 18, is that a good thing? Maybe you won't still be good at it when you are 40, and maybe whatever it was won't be relevant any more anyway.

Career choices are not permanent decisions, even though school career advisers may make it look, feel and sound like you need to know what you'll be retiring from before you've even left school.

It's OK to change your mind, spot a new opportunity, maybe to use emerging technology to change something. Or to adapt your working life to suit your dmoestic circumstances, to support your need for travel and new experiences or to just take it easy for a while.

Above all, it's OK to be flexible and aware of the constantly changing world and how you can evolve your role in it. And it's great just to be you and to be as much as you can possibly be.

How far can you go?

2009-10-06T19:31:00.000+01:00

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.

- George Washington Carver

The Ninety Day Challenge

2009-10-03T08:28:00.000+01:00

Ninety days before 2010! What actions will you take to ensure that the New Year starts with a bang for your career?

If you're in London, join me on Saturday, October 10th for "Kickstart Your Career", a fast and fun, four-hour workshop to open up opportunities and speed you forward!

Register at: http://www.mycareersafari.com

For everyone - join our "Career Power" teleseminars - group coaching for one hour every Monday in November to set goals and make incredible progress towards your goals in 2010.

With a BONUS one-to-one call with me as soon as you register!

Register at: http://careerpower.eventbrite.com

Speak soon!

Was Henry Ford talking about careers?

2009-09-29T08:00:00.000+01:00

“Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” Henry Ford

Confidence is what you need! How is Now the Time to Vote With Confidence?

2009-09-22T17:41:00.003+01:00

Only 3 days to vote for Britain's Next Top Coach! See my friend, finalist Jule Wyman explain how her confidence tips can help your career progress...

Happy Birthday Big Issue! Creating meaningful work for the homeless

2009-09-20T20:54:00.003+01:00

I had the extreme good fortune to be invited to the 18th Birthday Party of The Big Issue last week. For those of you who live in cities in the UK, The Big Issue is now a well known entertainment and current affairs magazine which is sold by homeless vendors. They buy the magazine from the charity for 75 pence and sell it for £1.50, thereby making 75 pence for themselves per copy.

The great thing about The Big Issue is that, while there were over 500 charities helping the homeless at the time it was started, it was the only charity which gave homeless and vulnerably housed people the opportunity to earn a legitimate income.

The charity believes in offering ‘a hand up, not a hand out’ and earning an income is the first step on the journey away from homelessness.

It has worked for 18 years, and work gives dignity to what can be a very demoralising situation.

Do you think of your your work as dignifying? What is it helping you to do?

A quick and painless way of sharing your resume around the web!

2009-09-07T13:19:00.002+01:00

Take a look at this new site, developed specially to share your CV or resume around the web quickly and effortlessly!

Sign up for free :-)

See: http://www.ceevee.com

What's Your Career Strategy? Could a Free, No-Obligation Call With Me Help?

2009-09-07T13:19:00.001+01:00

"Rich people have small TVs and big libraries, and poor people have small libraries and big TVs." — Zig Ziglar

2009-09-04T13:13:00.004+01:00

Need I say more!!

New Term, New Career Strategy!

2009-08-28T15:43:00.004+01:00

It's that time of year when the vacation season is over and the shops (in the UK at least!) are filled with "Back to School" clothes and pencil sets.

Maybe you had a break over the summer (or winter if you're in the southern hemisphere) and started wondering where your career is going? Or perhaps you've been feeling stuck for some time and can't think of a way to get moving, especially in a slow economic climate?

If you feel it's time for a fresh start, you're in the right place! To celebrate "Back to Work" time, I'm offering free, no obligation, Career Strategy calls throughout September.

Here's how it works! Email september@careersafari.com and we'll agree a specific day/time for the call. I'll call you either at work or at home and we'll spend up to an hour exploring your situation and finding ways you can move forward.

Is it a deal? I hope so!

What is the best answer after a definite yes?

2009-08-25T11:02:00.004+01:00

Have you ever spent lots of time and energy chasing up an opportunity, a relationship, a job perhaps? Time goes on and on, and you're still not sure whether it's going somewhere. And then eventually - you get a rejection.

Many of us have been there. When that's happened to me, I feel so angry that my time has been wasted when the other party involved clearly didn't intend to employ me, do business with me or have a relationship with me at all.

But my anger is really with myself. Wasn't there that little voice inside my head - the voice of my unconscious mind - telling me that it wasn't going anywhere all along?

Next time you're spending what feels like too much energy on something, stop and ask yourself whether this really is going somewhere - or whether you're just desperately hoping it will and ignoring all the signs.

So "What is the best answer after a definite yes?". A definite NO!!! Then you can get on with the next opportunity and stop wasting time.

Relationships get jobs!

2009-08-20T10:31:00.005+01:00

Is there safety in numbers? If you spray your CV or résumé out far and wide, you might be forgiven for thinking that it increases the chances of a new job role popping up.

Unfortunately, though I wouldn't stop people from reaching far and wide in this economy, building relationships is one of the most fundamental ways to differentiate yourself in the eyes of recruiters. It's so easy to send your details online that pretty much everyone's doing it with one click, so yours just end up in a faceless digital heap.

UK Marketing and HR agency group Stop Gap published this interesting comment about how to build relationships with recruiters for the best results - well worth a read!

http://tinyurl.com/llzvua

The 30 best careers?

2009-08-18T16:40:00.002+01:00

U.S. News profiles 30 careers that offer strong outlooks and high job satisfaction:

http://www.usnews.com/sections/business/best-careers/

Find Time To Exhale

2009-08-13T09:39:00.005+01:00

Spending a few days in the English countryside, visiting family, I've been struck by the amazing benefits of simply changing the energy around you. Winston the dog and I set off bright and early for our usual morning walkie, which today took place in the local cemetery! The sun was shining, the grass was green and lush, the birds were twittering and the whole energy felt calm and serene. I live in a quiet corner of central London and have a fantastic woodland and ecology park behind my house, but nothing beats the earthy grounding of a countryside retreat!

I'm listening to a radio interview with Derek Sivers as I type this, and he's just commented about "finding time to exhale". That exactly sums up my morning walks, when I love to just breathe out and prepare myself for the day to come.

Don't get me wrong, I love the adrenalin of London and there can be no better place for people coming together from around the world and bringing new ideas to life!

But today I realize again how important it is to regularly refresh yourself with a change of scene and energy. I haven't been doing that enough, and now I will be addressing that more vigorously!

Jack Lemmon on Failure

2009-08-07T10:00:00.000+01:00

"Failure seldom stops you. What stops you is the fear of failure."– Jack Lemmon

Personal Goals

2009-08-03T14:33:00.002+01:00

I very much admire my fried Neal Moore, who has relocated to Singapore to set up a new Asia Pacific operation for his company, Telecom TV (http://www.telecomtv.com). For those of you interested in the world of telecoms, this is a really great video and media company which makes the business of telecoms most entertaining!

Neal has been working a crazy working schedule to get things moving, and came up with the following observation: "Work/life balance isn't just about finding time to relax outside of work, it's also about finding time to do something you are passionate about where you set the goals and nurture skills or ambitions that are neglected at work!".

Neal helped me to remember the importance of setting personal as well as career goals. After all - work is part of life - it's not life itself!

"Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot".

2009-07-30T16:20:00.003+01:00

"Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot". Those words were written by Truman Capote and spoken by the character Holly Golightly inthe film "Breakfast at Tiffanys", 1958.

Coming right up to date, Britain's Next Top Coach finalist Jules Wyman, a respected friend of mine, has some confidence tips for you in her session on:

www.britainsnexttopcoach.tv/contestants/jules-wyman/final

Go straight there, watch her video and vote! Or see Jules's tips for Career Safari members - and then go and vote!

How is now the time for you to make better quality choices?

2009-07-28T09:31:00.003+01:00

"Your life today is a result of the choices you have made in the past. If you want a better quality of life, you need to make better choices".

Many people are stuck in unfulfilling career situations as a result of the choices they are making. Let's face it, even if you choose to do nothing, you are still making a choice! You can choose to take action to change your situation and to keep moving your life forward - or you can sit around watching Big Brother and moaning about your situation.

Let's look at some of the incredible people around the world who made radical choices in order to follow their passion.

Bill Gates chose to drop out of Harvard University to follow his determination to put a computer on every desk, even though his parents were dismayed at the time.

Richard Branson chose to drop out of school to set up his original business venture, a student magazine, which became the foundation of the Virgin business empire and the philanthropic work which now helps others set their lives on a new course.

Oprah Winfrey chose not to accept the limitations whcih society sought to impose upon her as a black woman, read voraciously and made the choices which led to her TV career and charitable foundations which support many aound the world.

What choices have you made and how is now the time to make better choices?

Can gadgets and freedom attract the best young talent?

2009-07-22T11:51:00.005+01:00

Interesting new research in the USA about "Millennials" - those aged between mid-teens and late twenties - and their response to IT usage at work.

In these days when companies struggle to contain the use of social networking sites and keep IT security and privacy of client data high, Millennials are apparently broadcasting information, blissfully aware of corporate IT security policies, and leaving their iPhones and client phone numbers behind in bars.

But the flip side of this coin is that younger workers are far more likely to generate breakthrough business ideas than competitors who want their workers to conform to "old school" IT policies and procedures. How can companies find a balance?

Read this fascinating research from global consultancy Accenture at: http://tinyurl.com/m3c5a5

Learn from the circus!

2009-07-21T10:52:00.003+01:00

I loved this quote from UK newspaper "The Daily Mail":

"We have a country in which a former circus manager's son, John Major, became prime minister - don't talk about glass ceilings".

I had the good fortune to bump into someone who has turned the art of the circus into a business: Bubblz the Maths Clown! She has inspired me - and, I hope, many others, to think more creatively about their careers and how to bring fun into learning.

See her site for details at: http://www.bubblztheclown.co.uk/bubblz.html

Career Safari will be launching a series of inspirational speaker events, with opportunities to network with people in all sorts of careers in all walks of life. Our first event will be in the last week in September (just sourcing a venue right now!) in central London. Sign up for our news updates in box to the right of this post to be kept informed!

Inspiration from the greats

2009-07-17T09:41:00.001+01:00

"The best way to get through hell is to keep moving" - Winston Churchill

It's time to prepare

2009-07-16T09:55:00.004+01:00

Global bank HSBC's 2009 "Future of Retirement" research makes sobering reading for those of us who were hoping to put our feet up in our later years.

The world’s population of over 65s will increase from 550 million to over 1.4 billion by 2050.

Fundamental changes in life expectancy around the world, coupled with the current economic downturn has already accelerated the trend of employers who are reducing the value of their contributions into workplace pensions.

Currently, just 13% of people around the world feel that they are very well prepared to cope with their future of retirement. The twin themes of preparation and self-reliance will therefore
increasingly come to define how we think about the retirement of the future.

How well are you prepared? Read the full report: http://tinyurl.com/nv49pd

Free courses!

2009-07-14T16:24:00.003+01:00

It's incredible what resources you can find on the Worldwide Web for free! There really is no excuse for remaining ignorant ;-)

Check out the world-renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology Open Course Ware site - you can download their programs for self study...all sorts of topics from Aeronautics to Writing!

Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/meggbq

To your learning!

30 days without the TV.....

2009-07-14T10:27:00.003+01:00

I found an interesting post today on "The Personal MBA" blog, which extolls the virtues of turning off your TV for 30 days!

See: http://bit.ly/SPdEV

This really works for me: forcing myself into that empty time space with no mindless chatter from the TV means that I have to think of something more constructive to do. Or simply clear my head of the constant buzz of the day.

Try it and comment with your thoughts!

Make working from home work - Part II

2009-07-09T09:46:00.002+01:00

I'm going to address a couple of the issues which I came across when I started working from home: controlling interruptions from friends and family, and what equipment and gadgets you need in order to appear as professional as someone who has access to the facilities of a huge corporate office.

1. Controlling interruptions from friends and family.

Having a dedicated work space where you can tuck yourself away is of course the starting point here (as I mentioned in the last post). But one additional problem I found in getting down to work is the tendency for friends and family to think that, because you are there at home, you are available for them to drop in for coffee, for runnning errands, taking deliveries and generally getting things done around the house.

The only answer to this is for YOU to set your boundaries. When friends say that they are passing and will drop in, you have to say "Sorry, but I am working". If they persist then you may have to invent something like an important conference call taking place at that time, which means that you will be tied up. You can, of course, say "But why don't we meet after work when I finish at 6pm?".

The same applies to family (i.e. the family living in your home). They may assume that you will have time to run their errands or pick up stuff from the shops. Just a few times saying "no, I'm sorry, I was working all day and didn't have time to do it" will soon train them!

Remember, you need to train the others around you that your working time at home is as sacrosanct as it would be if you were working in an external office.

2. What equipment and gadgets do I need for home working?

Most people these days have a desktop or laptop computer, so I will take it for granted that you do. I think that, beyond this, the next essential item is a multi-function laser printer. This can be black and white or colour, but only laser printing gives a professional finish. Inkjet printers are very cheap to buy but the print quality is not great, theink runs out very quickly, and you will find over time that, though the upfront investment in a laser printer is more, it will pay for itself.

Make sure that your printer can scan, copy and, ideally, fax too. There is nothing more amateur than saying that you don't have the facility to copy something or to scan a document.

Apart from the printer, I would say that the other essential for office based home working professionals is a land line. So many people have mobile phones these days and think that they can get away with just giving out their mobile number. But for professional calling, land line quality is best. What about using Skype and other Internet based phone systems, I hear you say?

Well, I leave it to you to decide whether the quality of service is of professional standard. My own experience is that there is nothing more frustrating, unprofessional and time wasting on a conference call (or indeed any call) of participants dropping in and out, with background noise, because their mobile or Skype line is losing strength. If you have ANY doubts - don't be a cheapskate - get a land line!

Post your comments on what you think are the necessities for home working!

Make working from home work - Part I

2009-07-05T13:03:00.000+01:00

In these recession-ridden days, many people are considering jobs or projects which would require them to work independently from home. For many, this seems like a dream fulfilled - working at your own pace, in a flexible environment, able to take time out when you feel like it and so on. For others, it is their worst nightmare - no colleagues around to chat to, long days on your own, the need to continually motivate yourself to get things done.

I've worked from home on and off for almost 15 years now, and here are my top 3 hot tips for making it work! I'll continue with more tomorrow in Part II.

1. Designate a particular space / desk / table which is your working area. Ideally, this would be a separate room, but if not, put your desk in a corner of a room which is not used as the main living area. I have a dedicated office now but, years ago, I lived in a small apartment and put my desk/computer in a corner of the bedroom so that the living area was not a "work space".

2. Get some storage together for your work materials - either a filing cabinet, a box or whatever . Then you can put things away where you can find them again, and they are not in peril of the cat, the child or the cleaner ruining them or throwing them out in error.

3. Decide on your minimum working hours and days. Very early on, I found that thinking "Don't feel like working this afternoon, I'll go out to play and make the time up at the weekend" does NOT work for me. Not only did I not feel like doing work at the weekend, I also recognized that my work requires me to communicate with other people, most of whom are available during office hours Monday to Friday.

Nowadays, 9am is my deadline for starting work (and that means having got out of bed, showered, dressed and furnished myself with ample cups of coffee BEFORE 9am) and I usually finish around 5-6pm (depending on how much work I have on and when my husband comes home from his office). I can work later if needed or take time off if needed, but those are my working hours.

More in my next post....on controlling interruptions from friends and family, and equipping your home office with enough gadgets to make you look professional!

Closing the gap?

2009-06-29T11:53:00.002+01:00

Found this interesting video from PricewaterhouseCoopers, making the valid point that diversity is good for the world. What do you think?

How to use LinkedIn in your job search

2009-06-26T17:38:00.002+01:00

An interesting article in the Chicago Examiner offering hints and tips for using LinkedIn - are your details there already?

http://tinyurl.com/m7tdhe

Social Networking in Plain English!

2009-06-25T12:37:00.003+01:00

Love this kooky video from Commoncraft which de-mystifies social media in a very visual way!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a_KF7TYKVc

Thanks to my friend Andrew McCauley for sharing it! Catch up with more on social media by asking your most important questions at Andrew's site: http://ow.ly/fNJy

Making yourself more valuable to your company....with social media

2009-06-23T10:15:00.000+01:00

In an economy like this one, your best career survival tip may be to hold on to the job you've got. If you're working at a company that isn't necessarily closing down but may need to let some people go, then your challenge is to prove yourself too valuable to lose.

Social media (blogs, social networks, forums, online video, etc.) can help with this. Here are a few ideas for how you could use social media to keep the job you have right now:

Grow your personal brand

Having a strong personal brand and having a positive and optimistic way of describing yourself builds your reputation. Use tools such as social media to bring it to life. You may choose to update your busines history on LinkedIn, start a blog, build an online profile on Facebook, or start actively using Twitter. Many companies are now also providing internal online directories where you can showcase your skills Regardless of what you choose, start building brand "you" right now.

Invite testimonials

With most social media, people can interact with you and give you comments based on your service to them. You could get a client posting a comment on your blog, a tweet on Twitter from a customer happy with your service, a recommendation on LinkedIn or a Facebook comment thanking you for special efforts. Find appropriate ways to get visible comments like this and share them with your boss and colleagues to make sure they know you are respected.

Network internally

Many organizations have Facebook pages or LinkedIn groups, and even more have formal and informal gatherings of employees. Find out where the opportunities to network are, and be aware that many other informal opportunities exist too, even over lunch or in the coffee machine queue. Find out what other people are doing and get more knowledge about the challenges elsewhere in the company and how you could help. Connecting with other employees gives you a sense of belonging and purpose and can also create opportunities for you to get involved in more within the company.

Be a person who helps people informally

Go beyond your job. Social media offers you the chance to go beyond what may be described as your job: for example, you can be a champion for your company and its products among your social circle. This helps you add more value to yourself beyond your actual job description.

Today's challenge - start or update your profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and consider how you can regularly use these sites to build your value (make a start by connecting with me: Rhian Pamphilon!).

Motivation on a Monday

2009-06-22T09:45:00.000+01:00

People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centred. Forgive them anyway!

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway!

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway!

If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway!

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway!

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway!

The good you do today will often be forgotten.Do good anyway!

Give the best you have and it will never be enough.Give your best anyway!

In the final analysis, it is between you and God.

It was never between you and them anyway!

Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

The most difficult jobs to fill in the USA

2009-06-21T09:49:00.000+01:00

Are you an engineer or a nurse....or have a number of other sought after skills? Then take heart from this article on America's hardest to fill jobs.....

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31390083/ns/business-careers/

Get creative for your next job move...

2009-06-20T20:31:00.003+01:00

Your next job can be as close as your best friend! Yes, really. We are all so accustomed to creating a CV or resume, sending it to job agencies, looking at the job adverts in the newspapers and so on, that we fail to get creative about opportunities.

How about taking these 3 simple steps do do your own advertising?

1. Decide what type of work you want (yes, this can be the most difficult bit - but ask for help or get a coach).

2. Tell everyone about the work you're looking for...that's EVERYONE! Friends, relatives, Social networking contacts including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. People that you meet in everyday activities. People in networking groups that you join. And more....get it?

3. Rinse and repeat.

Change your habits - and get different results!

Courage!

2009-06-17T13:20:00.003+01:00

"Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is knowing that there is something more important than the fear".

I heard this at a motivational event from fabulous speaker Christopher Howard, who helps you remove all the barriers to getting what you really want out of life - in career, relationships, finances and health.

Chris runs a life-changing 3 day "Breakthrough to Success" seminar in various locations around the globe and I want to offer you a special deal. Tickets are normally £895 (GB Pounds) per pair but, as part of my team, please sign up as my guest for free by visiting this link: http://tinyurl.com/l4g6l6

To your success!

Stand and Deliver!

2009-06-02T16:12:00.002+01:00

Last night I was talking about Career Safari to members of Women in Banking and Finance Speakers, a group affiliated to Toastmasters International. I was reminded how important communication is for career progression: the ability to prepare effectively, to think quickly and order your thoughts before speaking to make the greatest impact, and to research new information and present it in a compelling way.

The great opportunity that Toastmasters groups provide is a regular opportunity to stand and speak. Speaking effectively, whether it be on a one to one basis, from a stage, in a group meeting or over the phone, cannot be wholly learned from a book or a seminar. In order to be a good speaker, you have to speak - and speak on a regular basis and get encouraging and constructive feedback - a big focus of the Toastmasters format.

Remember, you don't need to be good to start, but you have to start to be good! Toastmasters International has groups all over the world and you can find your nearest on their web site.

Stand and deliver!

Honesty and integrity...?

2009-06-02T16:01:00.002+01:00

Here is the UK, press coverage is raging on the subject of politicians' expenses - with many having made outrageous claims for items as diverse (and essential?) as a duck house for their pond, cleaning out their moat, rent for their daughter's apartment ...and the list goes on.

I wonder how these supposedly intelligent people didn't think that their expenses, paid for out of public funds, would not be subject to public scrutiny?

"The way you do one thing is the way you do everything" - is one of my favourite sayings. So if politicians are dishonest about their expenses, can we trust them to be honest with their dealings and decisions - and to ensure that they have the UK electorate's best interests at heart?

No doubt some of the guilty parties will now be regretting their indiscretions for wrecking their careers.

Victory!

2009-05-27T19:38:00.001+01:00

“When you accomplish a goal, don’t cross it out. Instead, write ‘victory’ next to it and move on to the next one. This way, whenever you have a bad day, all you have to do is to review your victories to feel good about yourself.” – Jack Canfield

Losing your job? How to act with inspiration rather than desperation

2009-05-27T17:54:00.014+01:00

In today's economy, the sad fact is that a number of people out there (maybe you?) are going to lose their jobs when they really didn't want to through redundancies and layoffs.

What are the best ways of moving on? Here are some practical tips: I've been redundant three times in my career and I reckon I'm getting expert at picking myself up, dusting myself off and moving on!

Step 1: Think of a reason why this happened and decide to believe it.

No matter how confident you are, losing a job always makes you question and doubt yourself. Or worse; blame your situation or the colleagues at your former employer. Neither is constructive. The best thing to do is to analyse why this happened and de-personalise it. Think of the overall situation - maybe economic reasons, your company had out of date products and services, too many staff who were not busy and productive enough. Find a reason why and accept it - then you can move on.

Step 2: Split your decision making into two: earning money and future career.

The high level advice on deciding what to do with your career and your life is good, but is not always practical when bills need to be paid. Decide on two things to do. Firstly:

What are you going to do to support yourself or your family financially in the short term? This might include reducing expenditure, workign out how long any final payments from your employer might last, taking a short term temporary job in order to support yourself while you sort out what to do next. Lots of people focus only on trying to find some kind of ideal and altruistic existence and create more of a crisis for themselves in the long term as supporting themselevs and their family goes unaddressed.

What do your really want to do with your career? This requires more long term thought and might include seeking a similar position elsewhere or making a radical change of direction - or something in between.

By separating these two questions, you can give yourself permission to take a job for short term money, even if it isn't perfect for the long term, and leave yourself space to thing more clearly about your future and what you really want to do.

This approach has many benefits - not least because it removes the sense of panic and allows you to search from a mindset of inspiration rather than desperation.

Watch for more instalments on this topic!

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Quote Corner

2009-05-13T11:49:00.000+01:00

"Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life".- Confucius

Amazon and advertising - the future is in lazy consumers!

2009-05-08T11:20:00.005+01:00

Have been at TM Forum Management World this week. A conference about the techical world but with some inspirational speakers from the digital world giving a completely different insight into the direction which technology is taking us. Have a look at my recommendations on fab video site Telecom TV: Rory Sutherland (pictured) from global advertising company Ogilvy telling us why the industry must take note of lazy consumers! And Werner Vogels from Amazon explaining how important it is to look not just at things which will change, but also things which will stay the same.

There are business lessons in these speeches for us all!

Dinner time anyone?

2009-05-06T08:32:00.002+01:00

There can be no more civilized country in the world to hold a conference or a big event than France! I’m currently setting up a conference on the lovely Cote d’Azur in Nice, right down in the south, where the sea and skies are blue and the days are sunny and bright! But the weather is not only the reason for my positive vibes.........

France is the only place in the world, in my experience, which puts paid to the pre-event, all-night setup frenzy that characterizes most conference venues in the world. Come 8pm, the building closes and work ceases. Just in time for a relaxed and delicious French dinner, punctuated only by the loud and important tones of foreigners on their mobile phones, ensuring that their authority continues to be felt remotely as they do business in distant time zones over the dessert course.

Now workaholics among us may think this is a terrible loss of productivity. But let’s remember the old adage: “Work expands to fit the time available for it”. By making it possible to continue working through the night.... lo and behold, it is necessary to work through the night (and with a fair amount of stress, panic and sleeplessness that simply isn’t recovered until the conference is over).

Think about it. Are there areas in your working life where your work expands simply because it can? Do you really and honestly believe that you achieve better outcomes and results because of those long hours?

Quote Corner

2009-05-02T13:51:00.001+01:00

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves,"who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?"
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that otherpeople won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Marianne Williamson (A Return to Love)

Creating goals that your unconscious mind can help you achieve

2009-04-16T13:20:00.000+01:00

Have you ever ever set goals and wondered why they didn't happen? Well, in life, we don't get what we want, we get what we expect. And it could be that, somewhere down in your unconscious mind, you have unconscious expectations of faiure. So you go into a meeting with a potential employer with unconscious expections of failure. What you need to do is take charge of your unconscious expectations from moment to moment, in order to produce the best reaults.

Writing your goals is the first thing to do. Any goal should serve as a suggestion to your unconscious mind so that the unconscious mind can get resources together to help make it happen. For example, most successful people had an image in their mind from a very early age of what they would become. Writing your goals concisely and clearly will help your mind take on and achieve the challenges.

For great resources to help write and achieve your goals, email goalsetting@careersafari.net for details of our Career Safari Destination Goal Setting Audio.

Safari Njema! (Have a good journey!)

Quote Corner

2009-04-10T12:31:00.002+01:00

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years".~Abraham Lincoln

Career Turning Points

2009-04-05T21:14:00.002+01:00

Every career has big decision points - times when you have to make a choice about the route which will shape your future. These can include such decisions as: changing the focus of your work through moving on to a new role or even a new country, leaving your current organization, asking for a promotion or more money or benefits., challenging your appraisal or performance rating, changing roles from being employed to employing yourself or others, addressing work/life balance issues, taking time out to care for children, relatives or others - and many more.

As you confront these turning points, it's important to ask for help and to seek resources to support you. That's exactly what Career Safari is here for! Watch the next few postings for announcements about our latest workbooks and a new audio briefing to speed your career forwards!

Quote Corner

2009-04-05T21:14:00.001+01:00

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been” George Eliot (1819-1880 – pen name for Mary Ann Evans, English novelist).

Zig Zag - ride the wave to career success!

2009-04-01T16:00:00.002+01:00

Do you sometimes feel like your career is not going the way you’d like it to go? Although you’d probably prefer that everything would be straightforward from beginning to end, career success rarely turns out that way – for a good reason.

Why? Well, there are no perfectly straight lines in nature – the “straight” route is completely unnatural. Everything is made up of energy and energy travels in waves, meaning that “straight” doesn’t actually exist.

Many people make the mistake of, when their career plans are going a little off course, getting frustrated, upset and wanting to give up. But the journey to success is full of twists and turns, ups, downs, stops and reverses. Just like a safari route which may have to deviate from the beaten track to avoid pot-holes, obstructions and danger zones, you can enjoy your journey while knowing that you’ll be travelling in a zig zag!

Expect to spend a large part of your time correcting and not being frightened to stretch yourself and make mistakes. Success is the result of getting up one more time than you fall down – accept mistakes as part of the journey – they are the feedback we need to correct ourselves.

Continue to take action! Your own Career Safari is all about setting your destination and then acting and correcting in order to get there.

Sunset over Wall Street - End-of-Quarter Layoffs Hit Amazon, IBM, Google, and The New York Times

2009-03-27T16:00:00.000Z

Seems like even the biggest and brightest are making layoffs right now - end of first quarter jitters? No one is immune. Plan now!

http://tinyurl.com/c9o86j

"The best way to predict the future is to create it" (Abraham Lincoln).

Play at 100%

2009-03-27T13:36:00.000Z

Who realises that they're selling themselves short in their career? Are you really willing to do whatever it takes to live your dreams?

Your energy and participation is critical to producing results in your life. If you're not playing full out in one area of your life, where else are you doing that? Where else are you giving up your power to produce the results you really want?

Remember:- "The way you do one thing is the way you do EVERYTHING". If you procrastinate about getting out of bed in the morning then you most likely procrastinate about applying for promotion, promoting yourself and tidying up your resume.

The good news is that you can change in an instant. Creating change is as simple as making new choices, especially when you have the right tools. I'll be sharing more tomorrow on how NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) tools can help.

World Economic Forum stresses importance of education and technology in times of global turmoil

2009-03-26T12:08:00.000Z

This annually published Report stresses the importance of information, communications and technolgy (ICT) as a catalyst for growth in the current global turmoil. It underlines that good education fundamentals and high levels of technological readiness and innovation are essential engines of growth needed to overcome the current economic crisis.

See the full report and rankings: http://www.weforum.org/gitr

What message does this give to you personally about your own career and growth?

Career Safari - hang on tight and enjoy the ride!

2009-03-26T11:46:00.002Z

This is not your parents' world. Gone are the days when you joined a company and retired 40 years later, having worked your way up through the ranks in the meantime.

These are crazy times for careers. Layoffs and redundancies everywhere you look. Gloom and doom from all quarters. Careers today are a journey - and there has never been a better time for those who are well prepared to benefit from whatever is going on outside.

Why? Well, technology has created the means for us to work more flexibly and creatively than ever before. Opportunities are opening up everywhere - they might not be the same opportunities as existed before but surviving and thriving in a downturn is easy if you're looking in the right places.

Take control of your career - it's a safari full of fun, fulfilment and fantastic vistas! You might find a few potholes and ruts along the way but hang on tight and you'll be fine!

Join our Career Safari and enjoy the ride! We'll be providing hints, tips and resources to keep your career right on track - whatever you're doing - so bookmark this page :-)