Why Feeling Incompetent Is All Part Of The Career Change Process And What To Do About It

Why Feeling Incompetent Is All Part Of The Career Change Process â€" And What To Do About It Expert Advice > How to break out of analysis paralysis Why Feeling Incompetent Is All Part Of The Career Change Process â€" And What To Do About It * When the new skills you need to change career don't come smoothly, it's easy to feel like a failure or want to give up. Gwen Knowles draws on a mixture of psychology and neuroscience to show you how to overcome the discomfort. “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” It’s a well-known adage, but learning new skills and trying new things can be incredibly daunting. And we all know that knowing what you’re supposed to do and actually doing it are two very different things. Making a career transition into your ideal job or your own business is an experiential learning process. By this I mean that in order to get from A to B you’ll need to learn lots of new skills, and you'll only learn them by experiencing them. Take networking, for example. You can read about how to network to make useful contacts, or get advice from friends and mentors on how to network successfully, but you’ll only truly learn how to network 'your way' by going out and actually doing it. What's the new skill or behaviour you're learning for your career transition that feels daunting right now? The one that makes you feel physically uncomfortable, or think 'I can't do that'? Why is there such resistance? And what can you do to overcome it and keep moving forward? The four stages of learning There are always four stages you go through when you learn something new. These are often called the four stages of competence. Stage 1: When you try a new skill or activity for the first time, you don't know how to do it right, and you can't see what you are doing wrong. Stage 2: Next, you can see clearly everything that you're doing wrong and this can make you embarrassed or feel like a failure. Because it feels weird and wrong, it's easy at this stage to tell yourself to stick to the things you know how to do well instead. Stage 3: If you stick with it, with time and practice you begin to understand how to do the new activity well. You're still a bit wobbly, but you're getting better. And with every new success, you grow a little in confidence. Stage 4: Eventually the new activity becomes second nature. It’s now a habitual action you take without thinking. It feels natural and comfortable. Stage two can be tough, but don't give up So, let's think about this in terms of your career change, and all the new skills you might need to learn just to make the transition â€" these could include networking, interviewing, selling your strengths, pitching your ideas, giving presentations, talking to strangers, and so on. For any unfamiliar new behaviours, you’ll go through the four learning stages and, for each, the behaviour will start out feeling weird and uncomfortable. It’s inevitable â€" you will start with a heightened awareness of how badly you think you are doing. But don't let this discomfort stop you. It's just stage two of the learning process, and it will pass with perseverance and practice. Understand the discomfort (and a little neuroscience) Above, we talked about stage four, the final stage where you've done something the same way so many times that you just act without thinking. Most of the things you do every day are these automatic, habitual behaviours â€" from brushing your teeth or driving your car, to how you interact at work. Let's look at a little neuroscience. Each time you behave in your normal, habitual way, a neuron in your brain fires down its usual route, automatically and subconsciously. But now you need to try new activities and behave in new ways. You need to create new neural pathways in your brain. And these new neurons need to be fired consciously, because your brain is going to try to automatically revert to its usual routes, its usual habits. And here's the key â€" when your brain automatically reverts to its habitual behaviours, it's not because the new ones are wrong, but simply because they are new, so they don't have strong, habitual neural pathways yet. A real-world example of this might be that you habitually email people when you don't know them personally, and now you need to call someone to make a personal connection. Your brain will automatically want to email instead because that's the familiar habit, so it'll come up with all kinds of reasons why it's better not to call. In this way, any new behaviours and actions will feel weird and wrong, and to start with you'll have to do them consciously and deliberately until your brain has fired those neurons enough times that it doesn't try to revert back to your original behaviour. In our example above, you'd know that calling instead of emailing feels uncomfortable simply because it is a new behaviour, and tell yourself to give it a go anyway. Four ways to work through the discomfort So, how can you become more comfortable with the discomfort of learning and make your career transition easier? Here are a few simple techniques that can help you persevere through initial discomfort to learn new skills and successfully make the career change you want. 1. Expect and accept the discomfort When you behave in new ways, learn new skills and try new activities, expect a little discomfort at the beginning. Remind yourself that this isn't failure on your part, or incompetence; it's a normal stage of your learning process. Know that it will pass with practice and perseverance. 2. Track your progress Keep a close eye on your achievements, so that you can see yourself improve. When you're beginning to learn something new and you see glaringly what you're doing wrong, it can be hard to see past that to notice what you're also doing right. Track your successes, and track what you are learning; you'll see yourself go from wobbly to competent in no time. 3. Practice, practice, practice Know that doing something only a few times will mean that it continues to be uncomfortable. Practice is the only way to build up your neural pathways, to build up your body’s experience of the new action, the new way of behaving. 4. Start with baby steps If a new behaviour seems too daunting to start, find ways to build up to it. Neuroscientists have found that every time you practise a new behaviour in any way, it strengthens the new neural pathway â€" even if you are just practising with friends, or talking to yourself in front of the mirror. So, if you need to start networking, find ways to practise fake networking to get your new habit started; you'll feel less discomfort when you get to the real thing. Have you got stuck at Stage 2 when attempting to learn something new? What could you do to move through the discomfort next time? Let us know in the comments below.

Want To Earn More Money In Your Career Read This

Want To Earn More Money In Your Career Read This A successful career is a dream shared by millions. Your definition of successful may take many forms depending on your personality. However, the one item that we’re all looking to achieve is increased remuneration. Following a dream job is great. But in a perfect world, you’d still rather be sat on a paradise island with a cocktail or 12. Even if you do find a career that you love, it’s imperative that you make the most of it by getting the salary you deserve. Here are a few simple hacks to ensure that you do. Embrace them now, and you’ll soon be earning more money than ever. Upgrade Your Skillset Modern business is progressing at a rapid rate. Even if you have a degree in your specific field, employers want to see that your skills are current. Therefore, taking on extra education in your spare time could be the key to maintaining your relevance in the field. Courses on new technology are a leading candidate. However, you can also look at developing key leadership and communication skills too. If it’s going to boost your reputation and chances of success, then you’d be a fool not to capitalize. Make First Impressions Count In business, you only get one chance to make a lasting first impression. Making good use of the facilities at your disposal is a must. Taking the time to improve your CV and cover letter could make a world of difference to your future applications. You can gain some fantastic tips at http://www.thecvexperts.com/?. Make sure you do because landing the interview is often the hardest hurdle of all. Nowadays, you can also use websites to set a great first impression before you’ve even met a potential employer. Meanwhile, dressing to impress can stand you in great stead too. Appearances are important in business. If nothing else, it will give you added confidence too. Stand Up For Yourself Many employees feel like they deserve more money than they currently receive. Many of them are right. If you’re one of them, it’s crucial that you go the extra mile to ensure you gain the remuneration that you deserve. One of the most common abuses of the system is unpaid overtime. Visit https://www.lawsuitlegal.com/unpaid-overtime.php to find out how you get the money you are entitled too. After all, time is money in business. If the company wants to gain your time, then they need to pay you properly. Work In The Right Location Doing a job should gain the same level of payment no matter where you’re based, right? Wrong. The discrepancy between different cities can be huge, particularly in certain industries. Finding out whether you’re in the most affluent location could make a world of difference to your earning power. Of course, there are other factors to consider when choosing to live. However, following the money can often allow an employee to earn substantial amounts of added income. The key to success here is weighing up the various options. As long as you give the decision sufficient thought, you should be just fine. Image Source; Image Source; Image Source

How Do People Judge You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

How Do People Judge You - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Although we don’t like to admit it, we are continually judged by others. Consistency in words, actions, and deeds are essential. Word of mouth travels very rapidly online, and so it’s important that only admired verbiage speaks on your behalf. The way in which you become known or people define you is known as your personal brand. Tomorrow is a blank canvas, paint your future today. No doubt you have on occasion experienced a frustrating round of communication with someone. Although you attempted to keep a cool head and remain professional, the other party chose to toss a degrading name at you. On these (hopefully) rare occasions, the best strategy for handling this type of event is to connect with a trusted friend. Whether or not you reveal the entire story does not matter. What is most important is to hear the support and encouraging words on the other end. Dependent upon whose words of wisdom you chose to receive, the verbiage may be practical or spiritual. Either type of encouragement works as long as you have the fortitude to continue on your path. Those spiritually oriented will tell you there is a bigger plan in the works. The poor experience works itself out, and that better times will come. And if you aren’t spiritual in nature, it does appear that the aggravating instances happen in waves. But by hanging on tight to get to where you want to go, a lot will be learned along the way, and suddenly improved opportunities seem to appear out of nowhere. Find Your Purpose Dedication to continued education and reevaluating goals helps dramatically to find an improved tomorrow. Begin listing everything that needs to be in process to move up the ladder of success. You may wish to join networking groups, online collaborative efforts or hire a coach on occasion. In-between continue to read as much as possible regarding trends in your industry. Being among counterparts provides the encouragement and motivation to forge forward. The right group hands you the formula for painting your canvas today. The next step is to reach out to mentor those coming up behind you. The reward is enormous and benefits you on several levels: You empower others to find success. The teaching reinforces your learning. Those you help rave about you and spread news of the good work you do. Status to be Considered: Are you making the progress you desire? Did you receive adequate training? Are you struggling with confidence? For any area that you have doubt, the wise move is to step up to get the help you need. Education is the formula most successful people use. They invest in their career to make the long hours well worthwhile. Ultimately, the a-ha moment comes to light, and the motivated each find their very own Smooth Sale! Sales Tips: Keep an open mind when things go awry. Seek help from friends and peers. See the difficult through to get to the better projects. Multiply the preferred projects to the point you can handle. Find partners who also enjoy their work. Improve your reach with a collaborative effort. Join a community of like-minded peers dedicated to learning. Invest in yourself to become the person you envision being. Share your best insights with peers. Celebrate success!

Car Salesman Job Description Sample - Algrim.co

Car Salesman Job Description Sample - Algrim.co Car Salesman Job Description Template Download our job description template in Word or PDF format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Using Your Template Follow these instructions to use your new job description template Step one: Fill out all details in your job description template using the provided sample on this page. Step two: Customize your requirements or duties to anything special to your workplace. Be sure to speak with team members and managers to gauge what's required of the position. Step three: When the census of the team has agreed on the description of the work, add in a Equal Employment Opportunity statement to the bottom of your job description. Step four: Check with your legal department, management team, and other team members to ensure the job description looks correct before creating a job advertisement. Choose a job board that's specific to your needs. Related Hiring Resources Car Salesman Resume Example

Do I Need to Say Address in Resume?

Do I Need to Say Address in Resume?It's a good thing that there is a 'Do I Need to Say Address in Resume' question that you can ask yourself. While it's obvious, it is still necessary to spell your name the way you want to spell it. We all should have a sense of self-respect and honor, so why should we disregard our own desires. Besides, we really don't want to appear uncaring, we would rather appear casual.As you go about your job search, you will have the opportunity to write your resume. Although you won't have time to decide what kind of resume you are going to use, you should still be able to write your resume as you desire.If you do not know how to spell your name, you should realize that it is always better to mention an address or even your city and state of residence. We want people to hire us and to be able to contact us when they need to. Although we may not be able to spell it out for people, it doesn't mean that they can't spell it out for themselves.People do not always write their names at the end of the line for every possible address, they will send to us. So they will ask you for an address or at least a phone number. So it is best to point it out or to include the city and state as well as an email address or a toll free number.Sure, you might need to keep a level head. However, this doesn't mean that you shouldn't be sincere in your communications. You want to come across as professional, sincere and above average. If you forget to mention your address or have to point it out, you should be able to say that you made a mistake and you should have included it.We live in a fast paced society and you will get plenty of contacts that may not be able to talk to you on the phone, but they will communicate with you through emails, instant messages and on social networking sites. You can include this information as well as the name of your employer. You can also choose to include your current cell phone number or cell carrier.If you are not a native English speaker, you can mention your address in capital letters. Sometimes it helps to go back to school, you should be able to learn a second language, whether it's Spanish French, Chinese or whatever. All you need to do is follow up with the person who is contacting you.Even if you have a personal home in California, you can include your address. Yes, you are in California and yes, you are employed, but you are still in contact with contacts from other states.

7 Things Millennials Should Know About Interviewing for a Job

7 Things Millennials Should Know About Interviewing for a Job Thanks to Michael Klazema for his guest blog on millenials. A brief bio is below. â€" Amy Entering the job market straight out of college has rarely been easy, but millennials have a tougher time at it than any prior generation. Not only is the economy still recovering from a historical recession, but millennials are also often saddled with a not-so-flattering reputation among older age groups. Combine these two factors and even the twenty-something with the perfect resume can have trouble finding a job. To make things easier for yourself, be sure to remember the following seven things. 1. You will have to pass a background check. Many millennials going through the job interview process for the first time are unaware that criminal background checks are a common part of the screening process. High schools and colleges will often stress the importance of the resume and the job interviewâ€"going as far as to incorporate them into assignmentsâ€"but no one prepares you for the background check. Be aware that its coming and that you will be asked to consent to it at some point in the application and interview process. 2. The background check might pose more of a challenge than you think. Once you do know the background check is coming, dont make the mistake of dismissing it as something you dont have to worry about. Millennial applicants tend not to spare much thought for the background check process because most of them are just out of college and have never been charged with or convicted of a crime. Even if you have a squeaky clean record, though, you might run into issues on the background check. Background check companies cull a report about you from police and court records. If you have a common name, they might pull the record of another person instead. Or, if youve been the victim of identity theft, there might be red flags on your record that you werent even aware of. The best advice is for you to run a criminal history check on yourself before you go out and start interviewing. That way, you can make sure that what your prospective employers are learning about you is accurate. 3. You need to ask questions. Dont go into job interviews expecting to answer all of the questions. Good interviews should be two-way conversations, where you come prepared with a set of your own questions to ask. One of the biggest mistakes that millennial job hunters make is taking on the Im willing to take any job no matter what it is persona. No employer wants to hire someone who is only interested in a job as a stream of income. On the contrary, employers want passionate people whose skills, goals, and attitude line up perfectly with the job at hand. Asking questions about the job, the company, the culture, what your responsibilities will be, who you will be working under, and the opportunities for growth and advancement show that you are genuinely interested in the opportunity at hand. Your interest will engage the interviewer and help them to remember you later when its time to make a hiring decision. 4. You need to come prepared. In order to ask specific questions about the company or to show that you’re truly interested in working there, you need to do your homework. What does the company do? What is their mission statement? What is their history? How are they looking to grow and develop in the coming years? What role would you play in this growth? Get on the internet and research the company to find out answers to as many of these questions as you can. Read their website from cover to cover, including landing pages, manager bios, press releases, and more. The more working knowledge you have of a company, the more ready you will be to ask and answer questions. 5. Referrals are important. You know that old saying? The one that says Its not what you know, but who you know? In the hiring world, that motto is very true. Having someone to put in a good word for you isnt essential to landing a job with your dream employer, but it can never hurt. Referrals are the roots behind many a hiring decision, and if you can land one, your chances of getting the job will skyrocket. So start networking. Ask parents, friends, parents of friends, or old college professors if they have any connections related to your industry in the area where you live. Chances are that you know somebody who can help you establish valuable connections, meet new contacts, and improve your hiring odds. 6. Your phone needs to stay in your pocket. True or not, there is a stereotype that paints millennials as entitled, easily distracted, inexperienced, lazy, and technology-addicted kids. If you want to compete for a job, you are probably going to be interviewing with someone who is familiar with those stereotypes, which means that you are going to have to break them down in your interview. Carrying yourself in a professional mannerâ€"giving a firm handshake, making eye contact, remembering the other items on this listâ€"can help you kill those stereotypes. The biggest make-or-break factor, though, might be your phone. Believe it or not, some younger applicants will check their phones or send text messages during job interviews. To avoid playing into the easily distracted and technology-addicted millennial stereotypes, leave your phone in your pocket. Better yet, turn it off before you walk into the interview. 7. Hiring managers may or may not be looking at your social media accounts. Social media background checks may not be as commonplace as some people think, but they do exist. Some employers will research their applicants on social networks like LinkedIn, Facebook, and even Twitter ahead of an interview. In other words, if theres content on your social feeds that you wouldnt want a future employer to see, clean it up! Look for offensive comments, racy photos, or other items that might detract from the professional image you are trying to project. There are no guarantees in todays job market, particularly not for young and largely inexperienced workers. However, by considering the seven items listed above and keeping them in mind as you are preparing for the interview gauntlet, you should be able to give yourself a leg up on the rest of the millennial workforce. Happy job hunting! Author bio: Michael Klazema has been developing products for pre-employment screening and improving online customer experiences in the background screening industry since 2009. He is the lead author and editor for backgroundchecks.com. He lives in Dallas, TX with his family and enjoys the rich culinary histories of various old and new world countries.

Should You Be Using Pinterest For Your Job Search

Should You Be Using Pinterest For Your Job Search 106 Flares 106 Flares Sometime around a year and a half ago, I was minding my own business when my sister popped me with a gchat message. . . . Have you heard of Pinterest?  I just invited you to check it out! She went on to tell me that it was growing quickly in the fashion world, and being that she is in fashion, you can understand how she came to learn about Pinterest.  While I visited the site often after my sister pointed it out, I never gained a ton of interest in using it for myself, and up until these last few months, Pinterest hadnt caught on with the normal, every-day  social media user. Things have changed.  Here are some facts from an infographic about Pinterest on Mashable: Users spend on average 15.8 minutes pinning at one time.  This compares to about 12 minutes on Facebook 68.2% of users are Women 1.36 million visitors per day Now keep in mind, these are just numbers, and Facebook users certainly spend more time overall than they do on Pinterest, but its a social channel that needs to be watched by both brands and individuals. If youre looking for a guide on how to use Pinterest, well, this isnt your resource.  Here are a few links I suggest: What is Pinterest? Pinterest Beginners Guide Pinning 101 Should you be using Pinterest for your job search? Pinterest is absolutely a monster in the PR industry.  Honestly, its hard to find a PR girl/guy in college that isnt constantly blogging about it.    Do you know who also loves Pinterest?  Foodies, fashionistas, social media nerds like myself, big brands, mothers, professional sports teams, and the list just keeps going A picture/video driven social tool is powerful.  People love visuals.  People also love cool/techie/nerdy terminology, so using the word Pin gets people goofy. So I get it, theres a great deal of love surrounding Pinterest.  But does this mean its a tool that you should add to your job search? The short answer:  It depends The Long Answer:  Take a long hard look at yourself before you begin using Pinterest as a job search tool.  Here are some questions to ask before you jump in: Do leaders in your industry use  Pinterest or other social technologies to promote themselves? Would your industry ever accept a blog, video resume/cv, or portfolio as part of an application? Is your industry picture driven or visual? If you answered yes to the above questions, then maybe you want to consider Pinterest for your job search.  Here are a few industries that are a given for possibly considering it: Public Relations Social Media/Blogging Graphic Design Journalism Fashion Tourism/Travel Culinary Performing Arts When it comes down to it, you need to spend most of of your time where youll receive the most benefit.  Honestly, my money is always going towards Linkedin as the most beneficial and powerful tool for job seekers, but if you can spend a minimal amount of time on Pinterest, I assume it wont hurt you. Just one more thing Do you remember stretch armstrong?    No?  Yes?  Mr. Armstrong was a popular toy for the kiddies in the 80s and 90s that would allow the youngster to actually stretch his arms and legs.  When they were done torturing poor Stretch, his limbs would just about return to their original location. What you want to avoid is becoming exactly like Stretch Armstrong in your job search.  There are literally hundreds, if not thousands of new online/social tools that can be turned into a job search tool.   Your goal is to spend the most time where youll receive the most benefit. Dont spend a great deal of time on each and every new tool or trend.  Theres no need to spread yourself too thin and stretch out like Mr. Armstrong. Seriously, it can be very painful.