The wave pool at a water park is like the course of a career. The water is smooth sailing, the sun is shining, and everything is great with the universe. And then, BOOM! The warning signal goes off, the swimmers begin to scream, and the big waves come racing toward them. I find that these swimmers can be easily divided into three distinct categories.

The first type of swimmer is the one who was caught off guard. He is not prepared for the oncoming wave nor has a plan of action to ride out the next one.

The next type of swimmer disappears under the giant swells. This swimmer may have been unprepared for the initial wave, but has a plan of action ready for the next surge.

The final type of swimmer is the one who confidently sails by you on a raft, riding the crest of a wave with a BIG smile on their face. He or she is relaxed and ready to go!

Which type of swimmer are you when it comes to your career? Do you hear the warning signal indicating that rough water could be ahead? Do you have a raft? By that I mean, is your resume up to date, your job skills up to speed and your network in place?

Like a lifeguard, a career coach can be standing nearby, ready, willing and able to swim beside you and assist you through the choppy waters of the career wave pool. By engaging a professional coach, you will have someone ready and able to hand you a raft and help you glide over the tops of the waves!

As a nationally Credentialed Career Manager, Coach Kevin Tucker has been partnering with individuals like you for the last 25 years. Through the military, as a minister, a human resources executive, and finally as a career and life transition coach; he has continually been able to help motivated individuals find their calling in life! Check out more at www.CCubedCareer.com.

Have you taken the time to nurture yourself lately?  Are you ready to break through the dormancy of winter and start growing again? Whether you’re the worker bee or the head enchilada, you need to renew and refresh yourself so that you continue to be productive and be able to give of yourself to others. It’s difficult to pull energy from within when you are drained! Can you even remember the last time you did something specifically for you to energize yourself spiritually, physically, and intellectually?

Nurturing yourself spiritually can happen many ways. You can participate in your faith’s activities or services; spend time daily reflecting, meditating, or praying. Reading or studying books or other materials can help to renew your spirit. Giving back to your community by volunteering does wonders for the soul also! Find a great cause and help!

Physical activity, some welcome it some dread it. Be that as it may, it’s a great way to relieve stress and clear your mind. Go for a walk, go to the gym, or do something with your kids. You’ll be amazed at your increased energy level!

When’s the last time that you read a book or attended a seminar or workshop that stimulated you intellectually? Do you have a hobby or have you thought about getting one? Does your career field have continuing education requirements, or maybe you’re thinking of updating your skills. Check out classes at the rec center or local college.

Employers, what have you done recently to renew your employees? Just as taking care of yourself is important, nurturing and encouraging those who work for you is equally important. When you invest in your employees, it is money well spent and you will realize a great return on your investment. Little things like a team build, a John Maxwell Leadership study, or even a department pot luck will go a long way in refreshing the work environment!

As a nationally Credentialed Career Manager, Coach Kevin Tucker has been partnering with individuals like you for the last 25 years. Through the military, as a minister, a human resources executive, and finally as a career and life transition coach; he has continually been able to help motivated individuals find their calling in life! Check out more at www.CCubedCareer.com.

Technorati Tags: career inventory, kevin tucker, life coaching

The dictionary defines inventory as both a noun and a verb. The noun, inventory, is a detailed, itemized list, report, or record of things in one’s possession, especially a periodic survey of all goods and materials in stock. The verb, inventory, is the process of making such a list, report, or record. This month, we’re going to inventory your inventory.

The first step in taking inventory is knowing what you want it to accomplish. That’s something you need to decide. Are you looking actively for a job, or are you just looking to advance in your current one? Are you happy with your career course, or do you feel it’s time to try something different? If you’re not sure, the perfect place to start would be a career assessment that inventories your skills, aptitudes, and interests.

Now that you have a clear goal in mind, it’s time to inventory your abilities. Listing your skills along with their outcomes or accomplishments will give you a solid understanding of where you have been, where you are going, and what you need to improve to realize your intended goal. It will also help you understand what tangible skills you have to offer your current or future employer. If you are staying on your current career course, you’re ahead of the game. If you’re contemplating a career change, you have a little more work in establishing how your current or past skills will transition to your new endeavors.

So now you have a strong sense of where you’re going and how your past is going to contribute to your future. Now what? It’s time to move forward! If you’re going to progress through your current company, start investigating their process for advancement. If you’re looking for another job your options are wide open! Internet websites, newspapers, job fairs, networking, placement services, and career coaches are all fantastic avenues for career opportunities. Keeping your contacts and opportunities inventoried or organized will help you stay on track for success!

The skills and accomplishments that you inventoried earlier will help you with the interview and negotiation process. By having a good understanding of what you are able to contribute and how that relates to a potential employer will give you an advantage in marketing yourself more effectively and showing your true worth. If you feel a little rusty on these skills, give us a call and we can help you work through them!

At C~Cubed we’re also taking inventory of our assets and we consider you, our customer and friend, to be among what we value most.

As a nationally Credentialed Career Manager, Coach Kevin Tucker has been partnering with individuals like you for the last 25 years. Through the military, as a minister, a human resources executive, and finally as a career and life transition coach; he has continually been able to help motivated individuals find their calling in life! Check out more at www.CCubedCareer.com.

Technorati Tags: career inventory, inventory, kevin tucker, skills inventory

We’ve all heard the phrase “Attitude is everything”. Leo Tolstoy once said, “We lost, because we told ourselves we lost”. Key phrase being “because we told ourselves” . w Is it your skills or your attitude that get you hired? Is it your skills or your attitude that needs to be updated?

Finding another cow

Unfortunately, like Tolstoy’s quote, many people begin their job search discouraged, bitter, and angry about their employment situation. They’re defeated and unable or unwilling to move on. Negative attitudes begin deep within the soul surfacing and influencing everything and everyone in its path of ooze, eventually affecting your ability to find a job. Most people would like to believe that their skills and achievements alone will get them that next position, but that’s not the case. Attitude is everything!

While researching this month’s newsletter, I pulled out my big book of quotes and looked up “attitude”. I found a lot of wordy and pious quotes. But the one that struck me is quite simple. “Instead of crying over spilt milk, go milk another cow”. Wow! Erna Asp sure had the right attitude and I bet her pail was large enough to reap the rewards!

Go milk another cow. Believe it or not, there are other cows in the pasture! And sometimes, the cream is a lot sweeter from the new cow! How big is your pail? Just enough to get a few drops or large enough to recover what you lost and then some? You know what? It’s all in your attitude.

Here’s Some “Cheese” to go With Your Milk!

Dr. Spencer Johnson, who wrote the book the One Minute Manager, has written another book entitled Who Moved My Cheese? If you have not read this quick read, I highly recommend that you do! Although it was published in 1998, it is still relevant in today’s life circumstances, including employment change.

In the book we meet Sniff, Scurry,(two mice) Hem, and Haw (two little men) who see and read “The Handwriting on the Wall” which are reminders of how we can choose (remember: attitude) to respond to change. These powerful messages are:

Change Happens:  They keep moving the cheese.

Enjoy Change:  Savor the adventure and the taste of new cheese!

Anticipate Change:  Get ready for the cheese to move.

Monitor Change:  Smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old.

Adapt to Change Quickly:  The quicker you let go of old cheese, the sooner you can enjoy new cheese.

Change:  Move with the cheese.

Be Ready to Quickly Change Again and Again:  They keep moving the cheese.

Change is sometimes hard, but with anticipation and the right attitude, it can be a grand adventure. If you’re faced with a career change and need guidance with your future course, we’re here to help!

As a nationally Credentialed Career Manager, Coach Kevin Tucker has been partnering with individuals like you for the last 25 years. Through the military, as a minister, a human resources executive, and finally as a career and life transition coach; he has continually been able to help motivated individuals find their calling in life! Check out more at www.CCubedCareer.com.

Technorati Tags: attitude, career coaching, Coaching, kevin tucker

Like it or not, technology is here to stay, especially when it comes to the hiring process. Welcome to the computerized workplace. Is your resume ready?

In order to be competitive in today’s job market, it is essential that your resume be designed in a scannable format. More and more companies are using some type of database technology to streamline the hiring process. You can be certain that your resume will be scanned into a computer database at some point in your job search process. The question is: Will it grab the attention of the hiring manager immediately? Or, will it be put aside to decipher later with the other resumes that didn’t translate so well?

There are a few things you can do to make your resume scannable:

• Use plain serif or san serif fonts of at least 10 point. Avoid decorative fonts as it will confuse the optical character recognition software. Stay away from italics and underlining if possible since many Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software programs can make mistakes converting them.
• Print your resume on light colored, quality resume paper using a laser printer. White, grey, or cream colored paper works best. The crisp type of a laser printer will result in a cleaner scan of your resume. Always send an original, never a copy, and print on one side of the paper only.
• Avoid tables and columns as well as horizontal and vertical lines and graphics. Again, OCR software cannot translate these features.
• Avoid stapling or folding your resume. Creases and other damage will not allow your resume to scan properly.

Finally, your resume needs to be a concise snapshot of who you are professionally by calling attention to your achievements and responsibilities as well as how you will contribute to future company. By highlighting these and designing your resume in a scannable format, you increase the chances of your resume being noticed quickly in the screening process.

As a nationally Credentialed Career Manager, Coach Kevin Tucker has been partnering with individuals like you for the last 25 years. Through the military, as a minister, a human resources executive, and finally as a career and life transition coach; he has continually been able to help motivated individuals find their calling in life! Check out more at www.CCubedCareer.com.

Technorati Tags: career coaching, job search, kevin tucker, resume writing

I once kayaked down the Salt River with my son’s Boy Scout troop. Before we hit the river, we made sure everyone was prepared as possible; drinking water, hats, sun screen, life preservers, river maps, and advice from the river guides. Being the scouts that we are - we thought we had this preparation stuff down to a science and were pretty confident that we could handle anything that was thrown our way. We were CPR, Safe Swim Defense, and Safety Afloat Certified! We were ready, so bring it on, baby!

As our rag-tag flotilla discovered throughout the day’s journey, there were some situations we weren’t quite expecting. Who would have thought that one of the young adventurers would lose his oar only 500 yards from the starting point?

You know me; I like to compare life experience to careers and career searches, so here it goes! It seemed like once we resolved one - crisis - and were moving along smoothly enjoying the desert scenery, we’d come upon another bend in the river and something else would happen. Some situations we were prepared for, others we had to improvise - much like someone’s career.

Just like our young river rats discovered, there’s hard work, unforeseen obstacles, and an immense satisfaction in pursuing your dreams, whether that dream is reaching the end of the river or obtaining a job that is fulfilling and embodies your passions in life.

In the end we achieved our goal, realized our dreams, and found our purpose. (OK- I’m stretching it here.) We made it to the end of the river, together. We were able to look back and say that the end result was worth the journey.

As a nationally Credentialed Career Manager, Coach Kevin Tucker has been partnering with individuals like you for the last 25 years. Through the military, as a minister, a human resources executive, and finally as a career and life transition coach; he has continually been able to help motivated individuals find their calling in life! Check out more at www.CCubedCareer.com.

Technorati Tags: career coach, kevin tucker

I’m always telling my kids that it’s the attitude that counts the most. Unfortunately, many people begin their job search discouraged or angry about their employment situation - and frankly, it shows! They’re defeated and unable or unwilling to move on. Negative attitudes that begin deep within the soul surface and influence everything and everyone in its path, affecting their ability to find a job. Most people would like to believe that their skills and achievements alone will get them that next position, but that’s not the case. In a competitive job market, employers are looking for interpersonal skills in addition to the actual skills needed for the position. If they think you are going to be a difficult or “high-maintenance” employee, they will move on to the next candidate. Leo Tolstoy once said, “We lost, because we told ourselves we lost”.

When you check yourself in the mirror one last time before walking out the door, take a moment to check the attitude too! You’re qualified for the position; otherwise you wouldn’t have been invited for the interview. You have a lot to offer your prospective employer and you’ll make a great asset to the company! Lastly, envision yourself working for the company. Remember, attitude is everything!

Technorati Tags: attitude, career consulting, kevin tucker, Passion and Job Satisfaction

As a military veteran myself, having a tool like this when I was transitioning would have been a great help! Military Transition to Civilian Success: The Complete Guide for Veterans and Their Families is a must for those in transition.

Many authors have written on the subject on career transition, but few have focused on the military.  Why focus on the military? The authors make a good point that it is going from one way of life to another – for these people, and their families, everything is changing, with it focused on a new employer and a new way of “work”.

The most pivotal take-a-way from this writing will be for the transitioning military person to take ownership and then to take action. The whole notion of filling out a job application is foreign to most of them. As an individual having control over their future is something that hasn’t been thought of by most. As the author puts it, “Welcome to the challenging civilian world.” An uncertain future is sure to follow. The author makes a good argument that it will be hard work. But, for the right person, it can also be very challenging and rewarding.

The author outlines seven steps to take in one’s progress toward employment transition:
- Identify motivated skills and abilities
- Specify a job/career objective
- Research individuals, organizations, communities and jobs
- Produce resumes and job search letters
- Conduct informational/networking interviews
- Manage job interviews
- Negotiate salary and terms of employment

What are the best careers for people transitioning people from the military? Well, it depends who you ask, but our authors have a few ideas. Of course, one would think of the obvious government contracting type folks, but what about the many others? It’s not easy, but many employers want to hire military folks. Two reasons come to mind to start with: a sense of commitment and discipline, for a start!

The authors present much of their research on trends – things to or not to do, or people to talk to. This is good, but only good for that point in time. They also list many web sites and “live” informational areas. This is where one needs to base their search. With so much information, it changes on a daily basis!

Finally, from a practical viewpoint, the authors offer quite a few samples of assessments, resumes, and job search tools. They are a good collection, but I would say this with caution. It would be simple for one to take these assessments and resumes and make them their own. This thought process may work for someone that is going from one job to another. But transitioning from the military to the civilian world is a whole other story!

As a veteran myself, I would recommend Hay’s, Rorrer’s, Rivera’s, and Krannich’s book, Military Transition to Civilian Success: The Complete Guide for Veterans and Their Families as a guide in their search process. Also seeking out an authority within the scope of career transition would be extremely beneficial.

Technorati Tags: Career Transition, kevin tucker, military transition