A few weeks ago I had the honor of being interviewed by Gary Karp of Passionate Talk. In the sense of a formal “interview,” it was not. Rather, it was more of a conversation about the value of mindfulness and its importance in professional life. Gary has a skill with …
The 3 R’s of Effective Internships
In past centuries, when someone wanted to develop a skill and had the opportunity, he or she would be introduced to a master craftsman. After an evaluation based on criteria including potential for the craft, discipline, overall “the right stuff,” the individual became an apprentice. An apprentice was a direct …
How to Answer This Very Important Interview Question
If you’re not prepared, interview questions may feel like a grueling interrogation. While in the “hot seat,” you might be sweating, feeling gaseous and forgetting what you’ve practiced the night before. Interviewing is an in-depth experience that can be covered over several posts, which we’ll do over time. The important …
How to Create a Poised Presentation Mindset
There’s a general assumption that people prefer death over public speaking. Perhaps it’s the fear of it that weighs being in a casket lower on the scale. This fear in the mind of the possessor appears justified. After all, there’s much to fear about speaking in public right? There is… …
2 Tips to Avoid Digital Self-Sabotage
So you’ve clicked the “Submit” button on the online application. Or you sent the resume to someone specific by E-mail. Or you’ve just handed off your business card to a potential employer in an unexpected social event. This is an opportunity to congratulate yourself for taking that step, grasping the …
3 Principles of Practical Personal Power
“Personal power” is a catch-all term given to our ability to create our reality. This power is what enables us to step out of bed just as much as it empowers us to write a book, influence a team or dissolve a cold. As important as this power is, it …
How to Skill Build with a Company in 90 Days
On an interview it’s been my observation that questions of professional skill development rarely surface, unless asked by the candidate. In all the interviews I’ve personally been on, only about 2 employers asked me directly about how I’d like to grow with the organization. Every other time I was the …
The Yellow Chakra and The Office Bully
It’s a normal workday and you arrive at your desk. Ready to load up your computer, you receive a quick tap on the shoulder. “Hey, is it done yet?” your peer asks, referring to the project you’re working on together. Of course you didn’t choose to work with him; in …
Metaphysical Preparation for Job Interviews
Having been on the side of an interviewer and interviewee, and assisted people with their process I’ve come to recognize a few perceptions of this event. One, there’s a lopsided perception that the candidate must plead for the job opportunity. Two, the employer needs to be on their best behavior …
Is Your Job Description Successful?
Question: Is your job description successful? Every employer’s answer should be, “absolutely.” Even if you feel like your worst pitch could never grab the attention of candidates you seek, fear not because: Every description that every employer has ever created, posted anywhere, at any point in time on the Internet …
The Mindset That Paralyzes Your Job Interviews
Congratulations, Mill. You have a job interview! Mill sets the phone down; the company he’s always wanted to work with, since he actually thought about working not long ago, actually called him and scheduled to have him come in for a one-on-one meet with the hiring manager. No interruptions. No …
Professional Development 101: Tracking Performance
Tracking is everywhere. We check our phones to track the weather. And watch the news to track the happenings around the world. We can track our animals and grandparents with little chips just in case they become lost. We like to track our packages, especially when very excited about receiving …
The Art of the Teacher-Student
In my journey towards self-mastery, I’ve realized a prerequisite to reaching a new level is to accept the student role. There’s a time when I have to acknowledge I don’t know something or, could dramatically improve in some area, and so the I have to sit down, shut up and …
Professional Development with a Blue Ocean Mindset
“When everything goes right, go left.” – Unknown “Watch what everyone does – do the opposite. The majority is always wrong.” – Earl Nightingale There are beliefs out there that we take as complete truth just because people continue to use them like: Opportunity only knocks once. No it doesn’t. …
Library Beast – The Ultimate Self-Learning Resource List
How would you define the ultimate resource? “Resourcefulness” is such a buzzword. We know it when we see it and yet it can still have this aloof nature. To be resourceful sounds like a positive trait. And when venturing into entrepreneurship, resourcefulness is one of the word’s closest relatives. But …
Should You Quit College?
You’ve been attending college and feeling overwhelmed. You’re not that interested in the courses, you’re not mingling with your classmates and peers the way you expected, and you’re not even sure you want to continue majoring in whatever you chose. Right now, in this moment, you feel done. Time to …
How to Answer 3 Difficult Interview Questions
Interviewing can be stressful enough. You have to prepare to meet someone you might’ve talked to once or twice on the phone, someone whose name you just saw on the job posting or a few contacts on the same day: multiple interviews. You should adopt the mindset that having a …