5 Questions with Alan Corey, Author of The Subversive Job Search

21 June 2013June 21, 2013Eric

Great conversation with Alan Corey, author of the The Subversive Job Search: How to Overcome a Lousy Job, Sluggish Economy, and Useless Degree to Create a Six-Figure Career. His insights might surprise you.

Why do you think most
job-seekers trust the status quo approach to looking for new employment?

No one is
taught job hunting in school so many job hunters get their job searching advice
from a trusted family member or friend who they think has great job. They want
to know how he or she was able to do it so they can replicate the same steps.
Unfortunately, that advice is always outdated as they’ve probably have held
that job for five or more years and even worse, it may be the only job they
have ever had.

You want to
talk to someone how is constantly job hunting. Ask them how they are getting
noticed? What is working and what is not working? I’ve had 5 jobs in 24 months
and I learned a lot as I was constantly on the hunt. And I’m still learning
more. But the big difference is that
employers are hiring differently than they have in the past.

A decade ago,
employers hired based on an employee’s potential. If you came from a good
school or had a college degree, then you’d be worth taking a chance on. But now
employers don’t have time or budget to train new employees, which means job
seekers need to come in with value on day one.
It’s on the job seeker to pay to get their own training, have to find
their own way to build up their own skill set, and create their own working
experience. Showing you can come to work the first day with value is the
difference between getting noticed or not by a hiring manger in today’s
economy.

In your book you discuss your
struggles with depression. It seems like depression would go hand-in-hand with
a loss of a job, what advice would you give to someone in that spot?

Yes, I was unemployed for a
year and suffering depression and the number one thing is getting help. Depression
sucks the life out of you, and without help from family and therapy I may still
be there. Talking about it helped a lot
and allowed me to look at my situation in a new light.

If you find yourself in this
situation reach out to family, friends, and professional help. My therapist
gave me the tools to get back on my feet. There shouldn’t be shame associated
with losing your job. It happens. It’s life. I realized I was one of millions
suffering from lack of employment and it gave me encouragement to try job
hunting in different ways. I eventually
made job hunting my number one focus, stopped blaming others for my problems,
stopped blaming the economy for poor job prospects, and taught myself how to
job hunt subversively.

Is it important to know what’s
most important in your life when considering the next opportunity?

This is a
huge key to job hunting. I’ve job hunted for different reasons based on my and
my family’s needs. I’ve taken jobs just for the paycheck, I’ve taken jobs for
the experience, and I’ve even taken jobs for the abundance of vacation days it
provided. Each served a different
purpose of my life at different times.

It’s crucial
to recognize where you stand in your career. If you are entry level, go for the
experience. Or better yet, go for what excites you or what you want to learn
about. And realize that every job you
land may end quicker than you think it will, so always be building up your
skillset so you are instantly employable in case you get laid off. By taking
after-hour classes, networking outside your office, and reading your career’s
industry-focused magazines you’ll begin to learn what it is that you want from
your career and you’ll also know what it will take to get there. Working on
your career doesn’t just stop when you leave the office.

Where do you see the U.S. job
market heading in the next 3-5 years? Will people get more subversive in their
approach to finding employment?

I think the
job market will be improving and I see no other way to job hunt than to be a
bit subversive. You have to make yourself a big fish in this huge sea of job
applicants. This can be done by branding yourself correctly, working online or
for free to earn a reputation, or finding ways to be noticed within your career
niche. If you are labeled as an expert
at something, even if it is just one tiny task or responsibility, this goes a
long way to get employed. Someone out there will have a need for this expertise
and is willing to pay top dollar for an employee to fill it. If you recognize what these skill sets are
with your career, you’ll be no longer be a job hunter, but you’ll be head-hunted
instead by well-connected recruiters and hiring managers. The ideal situation
for anyone looking to further their career.

What advice would you give the
person, just out of college, trying to land their first job?

With hard work comes experience, with
experience comes opportunities, and with opportunities comes luck. And with all of these four things working for
you, then comes wealth. To be a graduate shows you’ve got the ability to work
hard, but most graduates lack experience that makes them the in-demand hires
they want to be.

I’d recommend freelancing online via website like odesk.com and elance.com to
earn real-world experience as quickly as possible and to prove you are a self-motivated
candidate. This is also a great way to learn what you like within your career,
learn what skills are in demand, and make a little money on while you job hunt.
Furthermore, they’ll have actually talking points to discuss in future
interviews that can help them make a great first impression.

Alan Corey is the personal
finance and career author of “A
Million Bucks by 30” and “The
Subversive Job Search.” You can learn more about him by visiting his
website at www.alancorey.com or by
following him on Twitter @alancorey.

5 Questions with Joe Messinger of Capstone Wealth Partners

28 February 2013February 28, 2013Eric

The following is an interview I did with Joe Messinger of Capstone Wealth Partners. I wanted Joe's take on some financial stuff that was on my mind and probably yours too.

Why should someone consider engaging with a
financial advisor?

There
are 3 main reasons why people typically decide it is time to work with a
financial advisor 1. They take very little interest in financial matters and
they are intimidated by money 2. Their personal financial situation has become
more complex than they are comfortable with and they know
they are missing opportunities and 3. TIME!!! This is the biggest reason to
consider working with a financial advisor.
You simply don’t have time to stay up to date on all of the aspects of
your personal financial plan, and it is much more valuable to delegate those
matters to someone else that you trust to consolidate, coordinate and simplify
your financial life. Pay someone else to
worry about your financial matters so you can spend your TIME doing what you
are best at, and doing the things you love to do with the people you love to do
them with.

What are a few of the most common financial
mistakes people make with their money?

They wing it. People don’t
plan to fail, they fail to plan. A good financial plan should act as a guiding
document to help you make smart choices with your money so you can achieve YOUR
goals for the reasons that are important to you. An Easy exercise for planning retirement is
to ask yourself 3 questions; By when would I like to retire? What amount of net spendable money do I need
each month to fund a comfortable retirement?
Now that I am there, what are 3 words that describe what I am thinking
and how I am feeling now that I am there?

They procrastinate – everyone today knows they should be saving to fund
retirement and/or college. Don’t
wait! Get empowered and take action
now.

They don’t seek advice when they know they
need it. It is hard to know who to trust, so make sure
to ask people that you trust who they work with and if they are loyal to them. If things sound to good to be true, they
probably are. Use your spider man sense!

They don’t pay attention to interest rates. An interest rate
is simply a lender telling you how much you need to pay them to use their money
for a period of time. Obtaining a lower
interest rate on your mortgage for example could mean tens of thousands of
dollars over the life of the loan, and increase your current cash flow at the
same time.

They don’t think it through. People often
times get in over their heads with a payment, or run a massive amount of credit
card debt. If they just thought it
through and asked themselves “Can I really afford this? Do I really NEED
this?” they would be much better
off. Buy with your brain, not your
heart.

It seems like we’ve got some major fiscal
hurdles (higher taxes, inflationary pressures, market ups and downs, etc.) in
front of us here in the U.S., what are some ways to protect and preserve the
money we make?

So many
families today are living paycheck to paycheck.
One of the most important things you can do is set aside 6 months of
your house hold expenses in an emergency cash reserves account. FYI – the family vacation to Florida is not
an emergency! When times are good is the
best time to plan for the uncertainty that will indefinitely come. Another important thing is to make sure that
you are properly insured in case the unthinkable happens. Work with a professional to determine the
proper amount and type of insurance for you and your family. The market will always have ups and downs and
the most important thing with investing is to make sure that you are in a
diversified portfolio that is appropriate for your age and time horizon. Understand the risks associated with
investing and don’t let emotions drive your decisions for long term
investing.

Saving and paying for college is getting a
lot of attention right now. What are some practical things a person can do to
brighten up this part of their financial picture?

The
cost of a 4 year education at a state school has doubled in the last 10 years,
and the costs continue to rise. There
are 2 parts of the equation; 1. Saving
for College and 2. Paying for college

Every little bit helps in saving for college. I would recommend that you start saving at
least something into a 529 college savings plan, even if it is $25 a
month. Also, ask grandparents to
contribute to the plan. Perhaps instead
of giving the kids money to blow, ask them to split it 50/50. Half they can see them enjoy now, and half
can go to help fund college. As far as paying for college understand that
there are a lot of ways to pay for college.
Work to create a proactive plan, not
a reactive plan to pay for college.
Before you even apply to colleges, predetermine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as
determined by the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Also, determine
your family’s college funding philosophy; How much of college will you pay for,
for each child. For example “we are
committed to paying for up to 50% of what an in state school would cost
regardless where you go to college” or
“we will pay for $10,000 per year for each of our kids”. Federal Financial aid, Education Tax
incentives, Private Scholarships, scholarships and grants from the colleges and
universities, and student loans will likely all contribute to paying for
college. It is an elaborate process with
a lot of moving parts, so start early and be an informed buyer of a college
education.

Do you have a strategy you recommend for
people that may have never put a dime into a mutual fund or a 401K?

START! Get educated on your options and go. If you work at a company with a 401(k) or
other retirement plan, that is a great place to start. Request a meeting with a representative from
the plan so that you are aware of your options.
Many retirement plans now have what is called a target date fund option. These funds are a great way to get
started. They essentially ask when you
plan to retire, and professional money managers do all of the heavy lifting to
select a portfolio of investments that is appropriate for you based on your
time horizon and your risk profile. These types of funds are also available in
self-directed Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA). If you are looking for one on one help, ask
people that you trust if they work with an advisor that they are loyal to. Don’t be afraid to meet with 2 or 3 advisors
to find one that is a good fit for you.

Joe Messinger began his financial planning
career in 2001, and worked with industry-leading financial services firms. His successes as a financial advisor lead him
to senior leadership roles where he had an opportunity to coach and mentor some
of the top financial advisors in the country.
After nearly a decade of working for some of the largest firms in the
industry, Joe concluded; “The only way to deliver truly comprehensive,
unbiased advice with no conflicts of interest is to operate as an independent
fee only Registered Investment Advisor.” In 2009 Joe co-founded Capstone Wealth
Partners to do just that

5 Questions with Dr. Mark Goulston and Dr. John Ullmen, Authors of Real Influence

17 January 2013January 17, 2013Eric

Had the pleasure of connecting with Dr. Mark Goulston and Dr. John Ullmen,
authors of Real Influence: Persuade Without Pushing and Gain Without Giving In
about their new book and more. Some really great insights from two great thought leaders. Enjoy!

The book is
ripe with practical ideas, could you unwrap the concept of "their
there" and why it's important in the arena of influence?
MG: "Your here" is your agenda and in this distrustful world everyone
expects people to have one and so everyone either has their guard up or is
primed to put their guard up at the first sign of you trying to foist your
agenda on them.

JU: Focusing and remaining focused on "their there" or where the
other person is coming from and helping them to see and get to where they want
to go and way beyond that, where they could go is one of the keys to real
influence. In fact, the most influential people from our lives were influential
because they saw a potential in us that we couldn't see.

We here in
the U.S. live in a very self-focused culture. What are some ways to transcend
this state?
MG: Think of someone and what they did who stood up for you when you couldn't
and/or stood by you in a crisis and refused to let you fail and/or stood up to
you in private and pushed you to do something you didn't think you could or
stopped you from doing something foolish that would have hurt you or your
reputation.

JU: Good point Mark. What was that
person's effect on you? Probably amazing.
What would be the best way to honor them? Probably by doing onto others
what they did onto you. What would be
the effect on people around you? Probably the same as that special person's
effect was on you… huge. Plus you might even like yourself or be proud of
yourself more.

What will the
solo/individual contributor find most practical in the book?
JU: The solo/individual will find a 4 step way to truly win friends and influence
everyone, that works 100 % of the time if you apply it.

How does
listening help our efforts to influence?
JU: Ask yourself, "When was the last time I felt someone: got my situation
(I mean really got my situation); got me in my situation (my fears, dread,
dreams and possibilities) and got not just where I wanted to be, but where I
could be that would be profitable, successful, meaningful and fulfilling.
" We're guessing, "Doesn't happen to often." That is the power of listening to influence
someone.

Could someone
apply the concepts found in the book to their personal lives?
MG: In a word… absolutely. Just think
of the people who helped you become the best you could be and who will be among
the top handful of people you are most grateful to at the end of your
life. What if you became that to the
people in your personal life? Imagine the possibilities.

About The Authors MARK GOULSTON, M.D., is a business psychiatrist,
consultant, Chairman and Cofounder of Heartfelt Leadership, and the author
of the bestselling Just Listen and Get Out Of Your Own Way. He also
writes a Tribune syndicated career column; blogs for Fast Company, Business
Insider, Huffington Post, and Psychology Today; and is featured frequently in
major media, including the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review,
Fortune, Newsweek, CNN, NPR, and Fox News. He lives in Los Angeles. JOHN
ULLMEN, Ph.D., is an acclaimed executive coach whose clients include dozens of
leading international firms. He oversees MotivationRules.com, conducts
popular feedback-based seminars on influence in organizations, and teaches at
the UCLA Anderson School of Management. He lives in Los Angeles.

5 Questions with John Baldoni, Author of The Leader’s Pocket Guide

19 December 2012December 19, 2012Eric

The Leader's Pocket Guide

I had the pleasure of doing this interview with leadership expert, John Baldoni, who is the author of the new book The Leader's Pocket Guide a few weeks ago. I've always admired his wisdom and energy. Enjoy!

In
your book you note the importance of what people think, but in a way that
builds a solid reputation. What’s at stake in doing this?

Thinking
is good because it points us in the right direction. But when it comes to
leadership, action counts. Leaders put their thinking into gear when they lead
by example.

How
important is critical thinking to the growth of a leader?

Leaders
must often choose between two good alternatives. Critical thinking teaches
leaders how to balance alternatives as well as to put things into context.

What
role does hubris or arrogance play in hindering a leader from impacting their
organization in a positive way?

Hubris,
a Greek word, is the condition by which a leader is blind to his or her faults
and often leads to living in a bubble, surrounded by yes people. This is never
a good thing.

One
of the last tips in the book mentions the importance of finding interests
outside of work. What keeps leaders from doing this?

Time.
time. time… Anyone in a leadership position needs to recharge themselves. A
hobby, a trip or close associations with family and friends can do this.

In your mind, what
organizations are doing the best job of developing and growing leaders?

Rather
than focus on names of companies I focus on the many capable leaders in
organizations large and small who are making a positive difference in the lives
of their customers, employees and customers. They are legion.

JOHN BALDONI, president of Baldoni Consulting LLC, is an internationally recognized executive coach, speaker, and author. In 2011, Leadership Gurus International ranked John No. 11 on its list of the world’s top 30 leadership experts. He is a regular online contributor to CBS MoneyWatch, Inc, and Harvard Business Review.

Five Questions with Amy Shea, Author of Defending Happiness

3 August 2012August 3, 2012Eric

Had the pleasure of conducting this interview with Amy Shea, author of Defending Happiness. Love her insights and the experiences that forged them.

Why do we need to defend happiness?

We need to defend our happiness from the idea that it's dispensable. We not only put it last, but we eliminate it from our daily life. We save it up for vacation. And we blame and complain that we have all these responsibilities, these things that have to be done first. Yet, if we examine those things we are putting in its place, so often they are tied to an ideal of what life is supposed to look like, what we are supposed to be doing. Remember in Star Trek, when an episode would open up with the team in the transporter room, ready to beam down to the supposedly-docile planet? Whenever you saw a new guy you didn't recognize on the team you knew two things: a) there was going to be trouble, and b) he was going to be the first to go. That new guy is happiness. It's the first to go when there's trouble. Yet when we have trouble, that's when we need it most.

Is happiness a choice?

Yes. And it's sometimes a hard choice. No one is happy when hard and difficult things happen. And the last thing I am suggesting is positive thinking–I don't believe in that. It's denial of what is. I believe in seeing what is, and seeing the value in what is. When I got breast cancer, my world, as I knew it, stopped. And that experience was not one sided. Was it a gun to my chest? You bet. But it also stamped an expiration date on my consciousness, and I was more present, laughed harder, and stopped making unimportant things so important. And THAT'S the choice: not what happens, but how to show up in what happens, how to live with a full consciousness instead of one that is but a limited perception of what happiness is supposed to look like. Breast cancer taught me that, though as a strategy I would not recommend it.

You’re very transparent in your book, Defending Happiness. Was it difficult to be so open?

Not at all. I'm not ashamed of being human, and I think being human is hilarious. And I love to laugh, especially with others. I think pretending we are perfect is toxic–to us, our relationships, and our world. It is the most isolating thing we do as humans.

What advice would you give to the person waiting for happiness to pay them a visit?

Hit the road. Go find it. Happiness is not a furry puppy that's going to climb up into your lap. Going after what makes you happy is going to mean disturbance. At the very least, it's going to disturb the habitual life. It may disturb those who are accustomed to you doing what they want, what makes them happy. It may mean you make less money, have fewer things. But whatever disturbance you encounter, you will be here, you will have shown up in your own life.

Do you think there is a connection between contentment and happiness?

Yes, if you can find contentment in being yourself and contributing from that place. To me, happiness is the peace found in being completely present in one's life, even as one faces all that life is–that amazing feeling of being awake. It is to have lived. I wouldn't trade it for anything of this world.

5 Questions with Daniel Wong, Author of The Happy Student

21 June 2012June 21, 2012Eric

Very pleased to bring you our second installment of the 5 Questions series. Today's post features Daniel Wong the author of The Happy Student; 5 Steps to Academic Fulfillment and Success. You'll be intrigued by his insights on students and the issues around happiness.

What percentage of students in high school and college are happy?

As an education excellence coach and speaker, I've had the privilege of speaking to and working with thousands of students. A majority of students tell me that they're simply not happy! I estimate that only 5% of students say they're happy.

Just to be clear, when I say "happiness" I'm not just referring to a temporary emotion. I'm referring to something you experience at a much deeper level even when you don't feel very cheerful. I'm talking about long-lasting fulfillment.

I believe the main reason students are unhappy is that they feel "forced" into education. They feel like they have to do their homework, have to participate in extracurricular activities, have to study for exams. Teachers and parents don't commonly encourage students to take full responsibility for their education, so students don't feel like they have a choice.

But if you want to be a great student— or great at anything, really— you need to make a conscious choice. No one can force you into becoming great! Even the most well-meaning teacher or parent can't force a student to become a great one. We need to empower students to commit to their own success, instead of trying to nag or coerce them into becoming successful.

Based on your experiences what makes most students unhappy?

Students become unhappy by trying to run the race that other people want them to run, instead of deciding to run their own race. It's easy to give in to peer pressure and to "go with the flow," but if you do that, you're trying to find happiness on other people's terms. Placing your happiness in the hands of others definitely isn't the way to become a happy student.

Students need to define success for themselves, rather than just accept society's definition of success.

What connection should be made between the state of happiness, or unhappiness, in students and career aspirations?

When students don't ask themselves what's truly important to them, they end up pursuing the things that other people tell them is important. This is true when it comes to what classes they choose to take, and even what career they choose to pursue.

I've spoken to many students who are pursuing a particular course of study just because other people think it's a good idea. That's a recipe for unhappiness in the long-term!

People who haven't learned how to find enduring happiness as a student will potentially become unhappy workers, and even unhappy parents. The problem of unhappy students is one that we cannot ignore.

Happy students are much more likely to discover their passion and their calling, which will lead to more happiness and success in their careers and beyond.

Is happiness a choice?

Yes, happiness is a choice, much more than it is a feeling. Besides, when we think of the people we admire and respect the most, we'll probably realize that they are people who have done many things to make themselves unhappy in the short term. But in the long term, they became people of courage, commitment, conviction and character. These are the things that contribute to your happiness in the long run.

So happiness really is a matter of making day-to-day decisions that will result in you becoming a bigger person who will be able to add more value to other people's lives. At the heart of it, happiness isn't just a personal thing.

Where in the world are students most happy?

That's not an easy question to answer, because even though I've had the opportunity to travel to many different countries, I haven't been to every country in the world.

But I have observed that the happiest students are the ones who are given plenty of freedom to explore and discover. I think it's a sad fact that the longer students are in school, the less curious they become! Students who are encouraged to develop a spirit of curiosity— rather than a spirit of competition— are the ones who end up the happiest and also the most successful.

We live in the Information Age where there's so much knowledge available online. Education shouldn't be about forcing students to memorize facts and equations— you could easily find that information on Google or Wikipedia. Education should be about teaching students to care— to care about what they're learning and doing, and to care about the world around them.

The happiest students are the ones who have learned to care.

5 Questions with Lois Kelly of Rebels at Work

6 June 2012June 6, 2012Eric

Welcome to our 5 Questions Series. These are interviews I'll be putting out there in the coming weeks for your digestion and inspiration. There will be a variety of interviews with thought leaders from many different walks, so buckle in.

I'm honored that Lois Kelly is our first interview. I've known Lois for some time now and she never ceases to inspire me. The following conversation is no exception. Enjoy!

Why do rebel thinkers so often feel miserable inside of their organizations?

Three overwhelming reasons. Restlessness, loneliness, and self-doubt.

We’re a restless bunch, always seeing new ways to do things better, easier, faster, better. Yes, I say better twice because we’re wired to keep raising the bar on excellence. Needless to say our ideas and relentless energy often exhaust or threaten our colleagues and bosses. So people often keep us at arm’s length, even those who appreciate the value we bring. This can feel lonely and lead to self-doubt, “Why aren’t they moving now on this idea? Am I off base? Am I not communicating the value well enough? Is it me or is it the idea? Why can’t I just slow down and take it more slowly like everyone else? Do I belong in this organization?”

What value do most rebel thinkers bring to the table?

Rebels have the courage to name the elephants in the room, see new ways to solve problems, bring outside ideas into the organization, and be the first to try new approaches. My research has found that rebels call out problems others are afraid to (92%) and challenge assumptions and sacred cow practices (92%), both of which are essential to real innovation, but often shunned in organizations.

The other overlooked value rebels bring is devotion to duty. Rebels care more about their organizations than most people. That’s why we ask the difficult questions that most people feel more comfortable avoiding, and risk being snubbed for suggesting unpopular ideas. We want our organizations to be the very best and we believe that our colleagues and we have what it takes to achieve more than our competitors.

(see the following chart for more)

Why are many managers afraid/intimidated by rebel thinkers?

We tend to trigger three threats that are wired into every person’s pre-frontal cortex, including those of our bosses. Our ideas often threaten managers’ sense of status, certainty and autonomy.

An overwhelming number of managers believe that they are supposed to create the strategy and have the answers — and employees are meant to execute on those ideas. Not question them. I’m the boss. I’ve got the senior vice president title. Hence, I know more and you should respect me for it. It sounds silly in this day and age of empowerment and collaboration, but protecting our status can lead all of us to act in illogical ways.

We humans are also wired to crave certainty. So when we rebels present innovative ideas that have no best practice precedents or haven’t been Six Sigma’d we trigger fears about certainty. Managers worry, “How will we know this will work? What if we make a mistake?” You get the picture.

The last threat is autonomy. Our managers like doing things their way. To suggest something different is to violate their sense of control and autonomy over what they know and like.

What are the consequences of not engaging with the rebel thinker?

Missed opportunities, a complacent corporate culture, and a talent deficit.

Rebel thinkers see risks and opportunities earlier than most people. This is a tremendously valuable competence in age of such rapid change and smaller windows to seize and capitalize on opportunities. One way to look at rebels is as your “intrapreneurs” bringing entrepreneurial thinking, speed, and competitive instincts inside the organization. They spot ideas and see ways to make them real.

The other consequences are that shutting out rebel thinking sends a signal to the organization that creativity, diversity of thinking and change are not welcome. When that happens, your best talent usually leaves, and the culture becomes complacent. Not rocking the boat. Accepting good enough as good enough. In today’s hyper competitive world, few organizations can survive with a “good enough” approach.

What is most surprising about corporate rebels?

Rebels are not motivated by formal recognition or financial incentives, nor are they “troublemakers.” They’re self-motivated to want to make a difference to their organization and to solve things that are not working as well as they could. My research found that just 27% want formal recognition. What they do want is to be asked their opinions more often and be invited to work on teams to solve specific issues. They don’t want to just talk about ideas, opportunities and problems, the want to make things happen.

The second surprising thing is how many closeted rebel thinkers there are in companies. People are yearning to do more – and they know more about what to do than most executive teams realize.

About Lois

Lois Kelly is an international marketing strategist, organizational change facilitator, successful author and dynamic speaker. She’s passionate about helping leaders at all levels make innovative ideas real, and serves as a creative outsider, igniting organizations to see new ways to accomplish important goals.

Why do you think most job-seekers trust the status quo approach to looking for new employment?

Why do you think most
job-seekers trust the status quo approach to looking for new employment?