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Information and Resources for professionals helping disabled and injured workers as well as those needing to make a career change.
www.Life-Works.Info
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Skype Mary.E.Sherwood
It is Friday afternoon and hopefully as beautiful a day for you as for me! Do yourself a favor and walk away from your desk and get out to do something NOT related to job search. Even I do this.... really! You can too!
Taking a break from something can rejuvenate your spirit and mind and allow you to be even more effective when you go back to the task at hand. Job search after an injury can be especially challenging and frustrating. Take a break!
Focus on where you are, who you are with and what you are doing as you do it - make sure not to let your mind stray to anything related to job search, employment, career planning, etc.
Enjoy the rest of your day and have a successful week of job searching NEXT WEEK!
Job search tip of the day: Stretch every hour. Sitting at the computer applying for jobs can put a strain on your body and mind. Do yourself and your job search some good by taking a break every hour or so. Set a reminder in ...
Pain and heart-break are laced with guilt in this stage. You may relate it to a lost love from which you suffer and know it must be that you are not worthy or must have deserved it. What you can do: Accept comfort and seek out ...
Personally, my view is
that it is easier to start back on the path to RETURN TO WORK by
first determining what you can CONTROL. If you are looking for work after an injury, you may feel like few, if anything, is within your control. Little, if
anything, can be gained by spending energy on something you cannot, yourself,
control. It is hard enough to handle the things you CAN control, let
the rest go… Those of you who are religious may receive strength from The
Serenity Prayer, those opposed, from The Secular Serenity Prayer. You can find both
versions here.
I met with an injured
worker recently who wrote me two emails within 24 hours that both ended with,
“So, I assume they don’t want to hire me.” Unwritten, but definitely
there was: Because of my injury…. He was so focused on
his injury and the resultant disability that he assumed that
everyone else is too. In both cases he was expecting action from the
employer that may not have been realistic.
What we choose to
focus on correlates directly to what we see in terms of options. The narrower
our focus, the less there is to see. Cup your hands around your eyes and
describe what you see – the computer screen? A piece of paper? The
floor? Whatever your answer, it is a mere fraction of what there
is to see. There are options and opportunities out there
that you will never know about because of your FOCUS.
As adults, we
structure our days around our work schedules and identify ourselves as what we
do. Think about it. When you meet someone new do you say, “Hi, Joe
Smith, I am trying to teach myself Spanish and am taking piano lessons in my
spare time.” No. We typically will say something like, “Hi, Joe
Smith, I am a Plumber. What do you do?”
When someone is
unemployed, through injury or otherwise, they often lose this sense of self,
which includes:
oEsteem
oConfidence
oIdentity
oReliance
oDetermination
This area of loss
includes so many aspects that it requires separate treatment. In short,
if a worker has been injured he or she may become almost paralyzed – not sure
what to do or in which direction to turn. I hear, “I can’t…” so many
times a day it makes me crazy (it may explain a lot, actually!). I
hear myself say, as many times a day. “Focus on what you CAN DO and/or
WANT TO DO.”
For many of the people I
work with, activity helps them to FOCUS and to feel hopeful.
First consider, what is in your control – your ACTIONS.
If nothing else, you have control of this. Next, what do you want?
If it is like most of the clients I work with the answer is to RETURN
TO WORK. The very next step then is to figure out what YOU
CAN DO (physically, mentally, in terms of your skills, anything
you can think of). Finally, JUST DO IT (thank you NIKE).
So what can you do to
regain these important parts of yourself if you have been injured at work, have
been disabled, or are looking to make a career change? It may not be
easy, but it is possible:
·Focus on what you CAN control
·Think about what you WANT or CAN do
·Set short and long term GOALS
·Determine what you NEED to attain your goals
·Ask for HELP
It may not be possible
for you to get back on your feet and back to work alone – you may need
assistance, as we all do from time to time. Talk to your family, friends,
co-workers and seek out expert help.
Inevitably you must mourn the loss of the job and all that it provided: Security, money, self-esteem, status, identity, etc. I like this model for dealing with loss that is similar to the traditional Kubler-Ross Model, but provides 7 ...
Increased self-esteem and confidence. Control over your income versus waiting for an insurance payment to come (or to end). Expanding your network, knowledge, skills, experience; Providing the opportunity to think about ...
Inevitably you must mourn the loss of the job and all that it provided: Security, money, self-esteem, status, identity, etc. I like this model for dealing with loss that is similar to the traditional Kubler-Ross Model, but this one ...
When someone is injured, they often lose this sense of self, which includes: o Esteem. o Confidence. o Identity. o Reliance. o Determination. This area of loss includes so many aspects that it requires separate treatment.
GOOD Education recently asked the question,“Is the certificate the new college degree?” We’re inclined to say that it’s a likely possibility. With the rising cost of college tuition, the lengthy process of study, and the lack of available jobs for graduates, more and more students are becoming turned on to the idea of a short, sweet, and cheap certificate instead of a college degree. At the same time, others seek out certificates to bolster their existing degrees, launching them into new employment opportunities.
However students are using certificates, there’s one thing for sure: they’re on the rise, and they offer opportunities for lots of great jobs. We’ve picked out 15 of the most helpful certificates to have in today’s job market, from health care to IT, and even construction. Read on to learn about some of the very best certificates you can earn for finding a job today.
My client reported his passport was expired, but he had a birth certificate and his license (of course). I released him with a handshake and hearty congratulations to his new role asWORKER. We were both quite happy.
I know. I just heard the mass grown from the thousands reading this!:-) In all seriousness this is the hardest thing to convince job ... Monday Mission August 20, 2012. Think about how your life will be when you return to work.
Sending a thank you note to someone who has helped you either in the past or recently can really brighten your day. It will provide you with a brief diversion from your routine that can accomplish a number of things with one ...
The Best Websites For Your Career. Suggest you might mention it is the Best Website for. Injured/Disabled Worker's job search. Tweet @JacquelynVSmith OR Email careerwebsites@forbes.com. Thank you! Posted by Mary ...
Neither are you! Try to think about different things or the same things differently. Change can rejuvenate your relationships. If you have been looking for work for what seems an eternity your relationships may be suffering for it. .... smoking cessation (2) social media (2) thank you note (2) to do (2) unemployed (2) worker (2) accomplishment (1) anger (1) apply (1) applying (1) attire (1) attorney (1) brand (1) break (1) careeer advice (1) careeer fair tips (1) career advice.
Many job seekers feel isolated. As adults, we structure our days around our work and evaluate our self by what we do and how we do it. If you have lost your job due to injury or are out of work and seeking employment, you may not have the opportunities for positive social feedback you did when you were working.
Just being acknowledge by a smile or nod is positive social feedback. If you are out of work, you may need to go out of your way to meet someone new - don't just introduce yourself and move on. This strategy will do little or nothing to further your cause. What is your cause? To meet someone new AND step away with each of you knowing at least your full name and a little something about each other.
To illustrate: My husband and I were at an event for a business celebrating their first year anniversary. He said to me, "George is here." At a loss, I asked, "George who?" No answer. "Will I recognize him?" and from my husband, "Yes."
I looked over his shoulder, "Oh, that guy!" I recognized him as someone we run into throughout the region, but whom we only know as George. A friend came up and greeted us. "Hey, did you see that guy George is here?"
Will filled him in on our cavernous knowledge of him and our friend agreed, "I see him everywhere, too. He is in sales or marketing or something and tries to glad hand himself around. You know to get contacts."
Before we knew it, George himself walked over greeted me warmly and shook my hand. He proceeded to chat up my two male companions on his way to the men's room. Are knowledge was not increased by this exchange and he will continue to be known to us all as That-Guy-George.
Don't be That-Guy-George! Go out of your way to meet and get to know someone today. If you can do this every day, so much the better. Meeting someone knew can do a few things to help you in your job search:
Give you something else to think about besides your job search.
Stimulate your brain
Keep your social skills fresh
It may give you the opportunity to help him or her with an issue he or she may have
It may be that this person can help you in your job search or with another issue
Help you feel connected
Give you something else to talk about besides your job search, "Guess who I met..."
For ideas on how to meet other people see my other articles on volunteering, taking a walk, networking and others. Here is a short list to get you started:
Set aside a couple of hours one day a week to network with those people on your list that you feel might: ... As LinkedIn is the biggest professional social network in the world and is a proven tool for building business, ch.
You may never have had the opportunity to use or practice skills employers are looking for. Volunteering may be just the way to get the skills you need to be competitive. 3. Network with people you wouldn't normally come into ...
linkedinadvice.com - Insightful ways to improve your profile and grow your LinkedIn job search network. As LinkedIn is the biggest professional social network in the world and is a proven tool for building business, ch.
Expanding your network, knowledge, skills, experience; Providing the opportunity to think about an plan your future career path. As far as I know of not liking your job options or even your job never killed anyone. We have all ...
Smile! No, really smile - like you mean it. You may not feel like you have much to smile about if you are looking for work post-injury. But, it will change your day if you do!
Have you ever been out somewhere and come across someone who you just thought to your self, "What a sad sack. I wonder what his problem is?" I know I have.
There have also been those times that I have caught sight of my reflection unawares and was shocked to find all my troubles on my face. Or heard my own voice with the weight of the world dragging it down.
You have a lot to worry about if you are out of work. That is a given.
However, you will do yourself a HUGE favor if you put on a smiley face! Here's why:
People like to interact with happy people. When you are out of work, you need all the positive interaction you can get.
Employers are impressed by people who can persevere. You want to give the impression you can deal with anything - nothing is going to get you down.
Pretty is as pretty does. Not right away, but eventually, you will feel happier if you act happier. Part of the reason for this is that other people will react differently to you.
You will feel better. When you use the muscles in your face it will change how your body actually feels - releasing endorphin an serotonin, that make you feel more relaxed and can even effect pain.
You will look younger. Smiling lifts your face and makes you appear not only younger, but happy and healthy.
Whether it is in person or on the phone, you will just get further if you have a smile on your face!
I know. I just heard the mass grown from the thousands reading this!:-) But, if you have an injury and are looking for work, it may be helpful to apply for jobs where there is LESS COMPETITION rather than more.
In all seriousness this is the hardest thing to convince job seekers to do, but can be one of the most important! There are several reasons to cold call an employer:
1. To obtain information about:
Unadvertised openings
Contact names and/or preferences
Hiring practices in general
Unadvertised internship or community group opportunities
Hiring trends - types of positions, how often they hire, when they might hire next
Industry trends
2. To cultivate a relationship, start with the receptionist! In fact, you can sometimes gain a lot of information from the automated message and/or phone tree announcement. You might go so far as to seek out a mentor with a company near you that is in an industry for which you would like to work.
3. To hone your communication skills and increase your self confidence in interacting with others in a professional way. We all get a little lax when we are at home speaking only with friends and loved ones who already know us and our situation. Speaking with employers will keep you sharp and comfortable talking with "strangers."
It is well worth the time and effort to take this step in your job search, but how do you get started?
Make a list of employers you would like to contact
Generate a script or at least a goal of your conversation
Obtain contact information for each
Research each for as much information as you can gather - cold calls sometimes result in impromptu interviews!
Wednesday: Cold calls and practice interviewing, other job seeking skills training. Thursday: follow up calls with any outstanding employers, work force technology job search. Friday: Networking – Call friends and identify ...
Gives you something else to think about for a change; Allows you to get out of the house and at least to the post office; Encourages communication - you will likely get a email or call to thank you; Solidifies networking - it never ...
You were assured they would call you in the next few days, weeks, hours, etc… You really ... The employer may very well call you and offer you the job as you (and he or she) expects after such a good interview. The issue is ...
If everything else is equal, the employer will be more likely to call an applicant with whom he or she has interacted in some way than with one he or she has not. 3. Impression. Employers, regardless of industry, are looking for ...
It is important to organize your efforts and cover all your bases in job search - even more so than when you were working! There is nothing worse than finding out about the perfect job AFTER it has been filled by someone else. You certainly don't want to miss following up with a company about a position you would really like to work for.
A schedule can help make sure you are varying your job search methods and sources as well as following up and networking. If you have an injury and are looking for work you want to be especially careful to maximize every opportunity. Having a schedule can help you do this. Click on the Job Search Portal Page to see how to organize your job search online.
It doesn't have to be anything fancy - it can be as simple as making a list of things you need to do and sources of jobs and divvying them out over the course of the week.
Having a schedule also ensures that each day will be different and give you some relief from the non-responsiveness of your computer! It is important to write your schedule out and to refer to it the evening before and the morning you start your job search. Have it available throughout the day to help you stay focused.
If you are somewhat easily distracted or find yourself spending more time on some tasks than others make a more specific schedule for yourself. You may even need to tie a reward to completion of certain tasks, like making following up calls.
Make a schedule and stick to it - you will find a job before you know it! Here is a suggested schedule I give my clients to get them started:
Sunday:
Review and apply to help wanted ads online and/or in classifieds (If
your local paper comes out on a different day, start this schedule from that
day and change the below dates accordingly…)
Monday:
Call those ads that request a call and obtain directions/additional
information for ads asking to apply in person
Tuesday: Apply in person, return calls of
employers who called, attend any job development / training meetings, review
job seeking skills material online/participate in groups
Wednesday:
Cold calls and practice interviewing, other job seeking skills training
Thursday:
follow up calls with any outstanding employers, work force technology
job search
Friday:
Networking – Call friends and identify employers who are hiring. Call and follow up with Staffing agencies you
registered with.
For example, I organize my lists according to whether or not they can be done at the computer, on the phone, or in the car (errands). I tend to do things when I am in the mood or have a chunk of time, so this makes sense to me ...
You should use the job logs provided to organize yourself so that you are calling on each employer applied to the previous week. You may ... http://www.jobsearchfortherestofus.com/ · Job Search for the Rest of Us!: Your ...
You should use the job logs provided to organize yourself so that you are calling on each employer applied to the previous week. You may also have a small batch from prior 2 or 3 weeks that you will want to try to follow up ...
Think about how your life will be when you return to work. Be realistic. If you have been off work for a while you will likely have a period of adjustment - typically two weeks to a month. Everyone deals with the transition back to work differently, but here are a few things to think about and/or to prepare for:
You may have some physical discomfort. Talk with your doctor about taking an over the counter anti-inflammatory around the clock for your first two weeks. Even if you do this, you may have some discomfort as you will be doing things that are different than you are used to doing. This is normal.
You may find that you feel more "stressed." This is because you are not used to juggling a job with other responsibilities. You may also really want to do well and/or fear you may not be able to "cut it." Put any fears aside and make sure to develop a routine that makes sense BEFORE you go back to work.
You may find that your family and friends are reacting to you or behaving differently. Just as an injury impacts your entire life, so does return to work! Cut yourself and those around you some slack. Your children may act out because they miss you and are not used to going to a babysitter. Your spouse may feel neglected or lonely. Open communication will help alleviate some of these issues.
You may overcompensate in the workplace, either physically or in terms of activity to "prove yourself." Don't give in to the temptation to do this. All new employees require a learning curve and no matter the position, no one expects you to sprint the entire marathon. Take your time to learn your job, get to know the people and the culture and how you fit in.
If you use your head and take it easy on yourself and others you will move through this adjustment phase just fine. Remember that you may have some physical, emotional, or relationship discomfort for a little while. If you accept this is normal you will move through this phase a little quicker and easier.
You may have even heard TOO MUCH of it. I know in worki... Monday Mission August 20, 2012. Think about how your life will be when you return to work. Be realistic. If you have been off work for a while you will likely have a ...
Injured Workers Need Guidance to Return to Work. January, 2012. By Mary Sherwood Sevinsky. Job seekers with a work injury need career guidance to address issues only they experience due to their unique situation.
Whether you Considering a career change or looking to change employment, your first step should be to think about how you want your work day to be. As adults, we spend at least a third of our day working. Get few of us give ...
Sending a thank you note to someone who has helped you either in the past or recently can really brighten your day. If you are out of work, especially after an injury you can use something to brighten your day! It will provide you with a brief diversion from your routine that can accomplish a number of things with one simple act:
Gives you something else to think about for a change
Allows you to get out of the house and at least to the post office
Encourages communication - you will likely get a email or call to thank you
Solidifies networking - it never hurts to remind someone you are still out there
Provides a sense of accomplishment and involvement
It doesn't take long and you AND the other person will feel good about it!
... an absolutely wonderful job making my resume professional and more comprehensible. I am now proud to give my resume to employers! Due to the fantastic job she did, I have a new job that I am excited to start! Thank you ...
... an absolutely wonderful job making my resume professional and more comprehensible. I am now proud to give my resume to employers! Due to the fantastic job she did, I have a new job that I am excited to start! Thank you ...
... an absolutely wonderful job making my resume professional and more comprehensible. I am now proud to give my resume to employers! Due to the fantastic job she did, I have a new job that I am excited to start! Thank you ...
Sitting at the computer applying for jobs can put a strain on your body and mind. This does nothing to help with an injury or disability. Do yourself and your job search some good by taking a break every hour or so. Set a reminder in your calendar or use a kitchen timer if you need to.
Here are a few simple things you can do:
Eyes - focus on something far away.
Hands and wrists - interlace your fingers and turn inside out, pushing away from yourself. Let your arms hang down and shake your hands loosely.
Neck - tilt your head forward, back and to each side several times.
Back - stretch your hands above your head and clasp them, then lean to each side several times. Put your hands on your hips and bend forward and backward several times.
Legs - lift each knee to your chest and hold several seconds; do this a few times. Lunge forward several times on each leg.
Mind - think about a pleasant memory, vacation or a loved one. Go outside and walk around the block!
Now you should be ready for a more productive hour of job search!
Ask questions and take notes of the answers - write the questions or concerns down as they come to you; you won't remember them at your next doctor or employer meeting. Take stock of the resources you do have - including ...
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Lewin's Change Management Model Video
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Q. Is checking a candidate’s references worth the effort since most
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