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Well posting has been very erratic of late for various reasons which are going to continue, so am now going to take a break from blogging until further notice. But one final post.

In working as a career coach one of the things I’ve noticed is that this recession affects people from all walks of life and at all stages of their careers. From young graduates looking for their first job to senior managers being made redundant.
If I could give only give one piece of advice to all these people, it would be to develop an overall sense of purpose for your life and to work towards that purpose. It will change over time as you progress through life so you will need to keep updating it.

Research shows that people who have a sense of purpose for their lives whether they’re employed or unemployed tend to be happier and more content. They also tend to be more resilient and more able to cope with life’s up and down’s.
Regular readers will know I’m a great fan of Stephen Covey’s “the 7 habits of highly effective people” which is very good on developing a sense of purpose.  Now Covey has launched a new website which people can use to develop their own sense of purpose. It‘s in beta testing mode at the moment so it’s free. Do try it out for yourself by clicking on the link below.

Link to Covey website

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The personality questionnaire I use is from one of the marketing leaders, SHL who are regarded as worldwide leading experts in the field of occupational testing. It’s known as the OPQ and despite many other competing profiles, it is still rated by the British Psychological Society as one of the top test instruments in reliability and validity which are vital issues in psychometric testing

Up to now only people (like me) who had completed specialist training with SHL could provide these assessments. That is still the case, but recognising the impact of the recession and technology developments, in a world first, SHL have now made a shorter less comprehensive version of this scientifically robust questionnaire available as an iphone application.

Only 0.59 stg 

If you can’t afford the personalised service of a career coach like me this is a useful alternative option and only costs 0.59 stg. 

Your report will list
• Your three key strengths that will help you get a job
• The roles you are most and least likely to enjoy working in
• Your personal strengths and areas of potential development needs that will help or  hinder you in an interview situation or in a new role

Based on the above, you also get personalised development tips on how to improve your performance at interview or assessments.

You can download the application for free, take the assessment and only then decide whether you want to buy it.
There’s plenty of help available on the website to help you use the information. You can even look at a sample report before you buy.

Click here to find out more and buy the report.

(Note I am not being paid to promote this!)

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Last post was about career development, this post is about the feeling & emotions  which everybody experiences and how to work with these feelings and emotions. These are books I’ve read and found useful and are available in public libraries. It’s not intended to be exhaustive.
For a more complete list see the HSE’s list of self help books here

Feel the fear and do it anyway, Susan Jeffers
Jeffers writes in a very simple way and whilst the very American approach can grate with us Irish, (the first chapter is really bad, but it gets better!)  her book is a must for anyone thinking about changing careers. The basic premise is that’s everyone is scared and the difference between achievers and non achievers is the achievers are still scared but just get on with it.

The Power of Negative Thinking, Tony Humphreys
Written by an Irish Clinical Psychologist this book’s basic premise is that if we can understand why we are thinking in a negative way we can have a happier more fulfilled life. Not the easiest of reads, but well worth while.

Codependent no more, Melody Beattie
An Italian clinical psychologist once only half jokingly  said to me, he believed the Irish were passive agressive where as Italians were emotionally agressive. A major source of passive agressive behaviour is if you find yourself always worrying about other people and what they think about you. If this is you,  read this book. 

Help Yourself, Dave Pelzer
Written by an American who was the victim of one of the worse recorded child abuse cases in the state of California.  This book consists of the lessons he learnt growing up which enabled him to survive horrific abuse. Whilst there are no graphic descriptions of this abuse it may upset more sensitive readers or survivors of childhood abuse. It is however a very inspiring book which demonstrates the power of human spirit.

When success is not enough”, by Adam Walker
This is a nice short book and is easy to read. Good on goal setting.

Status Anxiety, Alain De Botton
An international bestseller this is an interesting take on how we’ve become so consumed by material possessions. Provides some useful insights on why we need to constantly “keep up with the Joneses”

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Happy new year to you all. Hope you had a good and restful break.  

Apparently at this time of the year, there’s a big demand for self help books, so here are a few of my favourites on  working life.  Next time I’ll post on self development books.
 

Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success
Written by American Penelope Trunk who is brutally honest about personal issues on her blog, this book is a must for anyone trying to develop a career whether in business or not for profit. It’s very direct and hard hitting and should be mandatory reading for anyone who has just left education and is job searching for the first time.  It’s also useful for people who are already in employment.
I don’t think it’s available in Irish bookshops but can be bought on Amazon.

Downshifting. The Guide to Happier Simpler living Polly Ghazi & Judy Jones
Written by two English women this provides practical advice on changing careers and living on a lower income. A must if you’re thinking of leaving a highly paid job to become a struggling musician or artist.

Slave to a Job, master of your career by Sean Mc Loughney

An Irish book there are interesting chapters on networking and developing your personal brand which would be useful to anyone developing a career. Unfortunately the business language will put off a lot of people not working in business, which is a bit of shame, because otherwise it’s well presented  and is a useful reference book, particularly for anyone at mid management levels  wishing to develop their career further. For a full review by me click here 

How to safely quit the day job, retiring early in economically tough times by Ian Mitchell.
Given the government has started making restrictions on pensions which will further restrict pension relief in future years, anyone who does has not already looked at future pension planning should do so now.
What Mitchell really does well is making the very boring and complex area of pension planning clearer using plain language which is easy to understand. In part two he shows how to work out the numbers, in part three he gets in to the really complex stuff, but again tries to keep it simple. Part one also has a useful look at managing your expenses better so you can plan for the future.
For a full review by me click here
The Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams

A very funny cartoon book which takes the madness of working life  to task. I got this from a  satisfied client some years ago and find the cartoons very useful when dealing with clients working in difficult organisations. They (the cartoons!) always make me laugh.

The 7 habits of highly effective managers by Steven Covey.

This timeless classic  is also a must read for all aspiring workers whether managers or not and has relevance to daily life as well. Well worth a read.

Next post will be on self help books -personal development.

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Apologies for the delay in posting, blame windows vista  as my   computer crashed, costing me a lot of time and hassle!

With firms going into liquidation and being bought out, more and more people are dealing with new employers.
Don’t assume that just because of your knowledge of operations, the company etc you will be kept on. I’ve heard of instances where the new owners simply keep employees for a few months to learn as much as possible and then let them go, once they’ve acquired the inside knowledge they need.
Unfortunately if you try to hold on to all your knowledge yourself, you’re liable to be let go even quicker!
So what can you do?

Firstly, be prepared.
Keep your CV and your contacts up to date
Listen to what’s going on in your trade or industry
Check out whether your existing salary is high or low for your position in your particular industry as this can determine whether the new owners will make you an offer & how likely you are to be let go. The higher your salary is compared to other similar roles the more likely you  are to be let go..

Make sure you know what your own career objectives are for the future as this will help you decide what’s best for you.

Do your research on the new owners
Find out as much as you can from surfing the internet, talking to suppliers, customers etc. The more information you have -the more prepared you’ll be for dealing with your new owners and adapting to their style of managing. It will also help you decide whether you see a long term future with the new owners.

Thirdly don’t hide.
Think about how you can be useful to the new owners either in your existing position or in a new position.
Volunteer to get involved in new activities the owners are planning.

Listen really hard
All this means you have to really listen to what the new owners are saying both through the grapevine and through the formal communications system.

Know your rights.
There are legal protections in these situations, but it is a complex area, depending on whether the old owners make you redundant, new contracts are offered or existing contract still in place.  See Nera the National Employment Rights Authority to see what legal rights you have in your particular situation.

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TD Olwyn Enright will not be standing for re-election for the next Dail, citing pressures of a political  life and a young family. The life of a politician is not for those who want to have some kind of balanced life.
A friend who was once a politician told me  people expect you to be available all of the time even on Christmas day for the most mundane of matters. It got to her eventually as did the amount of time spent in endless meetings where nothing was really achieved.
I think this is one of the reasons why the economy is in the mess it’s in. People working very long hours tend to lose the ability to question the status quo, and notice something’s badly wrong. In the politicians case they seem to be disconnected from the reality of many people’s lives with their ongoing claims to unvouched expenses and failure to see the Dail and Seanad needs urgent reform. (Watch or read any Dail proceeding and it will prove this point)

A political example
Dermot Ahern, Minister for Justices is obviously suffering from the long hour’s syndrome as he called for higher fees for ATM transactions to discourage bank robberies, only to retract when saner voices protected. (Incidentally I ended up withdrawing €500 cash this week to make a payment because the electronic payment had not been processed by my bank within the standard 3 working days. In England a similar payment can be in the other person’s bank account within twenty minutes! Maybe addressing this issue will go towards solving the high cash levels in circulation)
Anyhow I know when I worked seventy to eight hour weeks my decision making ability became weaker and weaker.

A medical example
A really tragic example of the impact of long hours is this week’s medical council review of the Stewart/Conroy case where a consultant (Martin Corbally) noted incorrectly that the left kidney was to be removed on a then eight year old boy rather than the diseased right kidney. Despite the parents raising concerns on four different occasions, the operating doctor (Sri Paran) removed the healthy kidney, without reviewing the X-rays.
Both doctors worked very long hours of up to 80 hours a week. Both come across as caring and responsible professionals who immediately admitted the mistake and are now putting together a joint document to see what lessons can be learnt from this fiasco and to prevent it happening again. The Medical Council review does not appear to have addressed the issue of doctors working long hours though.

Impaired decision making
If you are working very long hours over an extended period of time, be aware your decision making ability is probably impaired not just in your working life but in your personal life. If you’re stuck in a rut and don’t feel able to take action to change the long hours seek professional help. If this is not an option do make sure to get some physical exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week as this is known to help. 

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How to safely quit the day job- retiring early in economically tough times

I enjoyed reading this book as the author Ian Mitchell has a funny light hearted approach to the complex area of financing your retirement in Ireland.
The book is divided into three parts. The first is about defining what you want. While it talks about portfolio careers it does not go into a lot of detail on this. It uses a nice simple example to show how to look at your life, what money you’re spending and how to make savings. It does not go into much detail though on looking for alternative careers with a better work life balance. Ghazi and Jones “Downshifting, the guide to happier and simpler living” is probably a better guide to choosing how to get to a better work life balance.
Where Mitchell really does well though is making the very boring and complex area of pension planning clearer using plain language which is easy to understand. In part two he shows how to work out the numbers, in part three he gets in to the really complex stuff, but again tries to keep it simple.

He makes it crystal clear why because of tax relief that it really is a no brainer to invest in a pension.  Even though my pension funds value are way down on their previous values, because of tax relief my pension fund is still worth more than I originally invested.
Even if you’re not thinking of retiring now, would it not be nice to reduce the tax you pay by saving some money?
In the next edition, he could usefully cover the impact of expenses within pension funds as this has a huge effect on investment returns and also how to choose a qualified financial adviser. (QFA;s) Although QFA’s are regulated, I’ve noticed a huge difference in the quality of the advice they give, so you do need to be careful about who you take advice from.
April’s consumer choice has a good article on choosing the right QFA.

There has been lots of noise about the Government reducing the tax relief on pensions, so now is a good time to think about planning your future finances, even if you’re broke at the moment. So unless you are a TD with multiple pensions, this book is a must read for the non expert. Any one from their late 20’s onwards should read it.

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I was at the National Concert Hall to celebrate 10 years of Knocklyon concert band.  Very enjoyable. The compere mentioned there was a newspaper front page in the dressing room from the day the NCH opened in 1981 with the following headlines
•  Unions threatening to strike
•  Tough times continue
•  Football hopes still alive

Some things don’t change.  To-day unions are likely to strike. Yesterday IMPACT took out a full page ad in the newspapers criticising the pension levy.
SIPTU have however moved with the times and produced a You Tube video criticising the government approach. You can see it by clicking the link below.
Link to SIPTU YouTube

They may be using new technology, but oh dear, could some one not have coached Jack Kelly, the SIPTU speaker   on the art of influencing?
I don’t know Jack, he may be a very nice man, but in this video he comes across as so aggressive, even though he’s simply sitting at a desk.
His shoulders lean forward and to emphasise points his whole body  leans forward as if he’s coming at you out of the screen.
His face is tight, he frowns, his face changes  colour several times.
His eyes are glaring and stare constantly.
The language is complex and aggressive “tantamount to an act of war,….. categorically state”.
He states union employees are willing to compromise, but it’s lost in this video.

Now, I’m sympathetic to the unions, my Dad was a shop steward and I see them as a  “necessary evil”.  The pension level is unfair to lower paid workers, and I believe lower paid workers do get a raw deal in the public sector, but half way through I just wanted to switch off. It was so boring.
This video will kill off the support of all but the most die hard union supporters and strengthen the views of people in the private sector that public sector people are rigid and inflexible and increase the divide …“them with their secure jobs, whilst we don’t have jobs”
It’s not going to change any one’s views.

Honey catches more flies than vinegar.  Jack needs to demonstrate assertiveness not aggression.
Assertive people relax their facial muscles, their face does not change colour,  the brows are smooth.
Assertiveness can be demonstrated by sitting  upright with shoulders down and back.
Arms should be relaxed, moving easily.

Jack may not realise how aggressively he presents.

I will never forget an exercise on one training course when I thought I was coming across as calm, reasonable  and gentle and the feedback mentioned “You had the smile of an angry nun”. (Those of you over 40, who went to Catholic schools run by nuns, know  this means I came across as some one about to commit murder!)

So how do you look to other people, when you’re trying to persuade others?
If you can find some one to give you honest feedback, why not practise trying to get your point across?
Otherwise video yourself using your mobile phone and then look at it, as if you did not know the person and try to guess what your body language is saying.

You might be very surprised.  You might learn some thing that could help you in both your personal life and career.

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I’ve been following the FAS story for a while now.

It seems to be getting bigger and bigger. It’s reported an executive bypassed procurement rules, awarding contracts to firms on very favourable conditions, nominating certain people  he knew personally to work on them. Some of the suppliers appeared to know they were getting the contract, before the tender was completed. In these situations it’s a rare supplier who won’t add in a bit extra, thus the tax payer is probably paying too much.
Some reports estimate up to €1.2 million is involved.

I used to work in public sector procurement and following  public sector procurement rules could be  a lot of hassle. Some of the EU rules were just so complex they were nearly impossible to understand.
However they did ensure we dealt with suppliers fairly and ensured we had to plan well in advance.  There was also an “emergency clause” for genuine emergencies.
No system of rules however is fool proof. If people want to break the rules, they will as the FAS episode appears to show. 

Does this matter? I think  is does. There’s a direct connection between quality of decision making at the top and the quality of services provided.

Recently I’ve dealt with a few clients who’ve experienced FAS services.  There seems to be huge inconsistencies in the way people are treated. For example, one 50 year old client was told “she was too old to get retrained and not to bother”. 

Another was told he could get onto a retraining course in a few weeks, only to be told several weeks later, “not a chance, a huge waiting list”.

The quality of the courses can be excellent, but they can also be very poor.
Now granted if people are happy with FAS, they probably won’t come to me, but there does appear to be a lack of  assessment of the quality of their services. They do not appear to be receptive to customer feedback.
 I know of one tutor who was expert in one area, having to retrain over a weekend in a totally different area to give a course “as an expert”  the following week.
I’ve found information on the web site poor and often I’ve had to email them or ring  to find out about specific courses. Usually though they respond pretty quickly.

They have a major one billion euro budget and it’s likely there will be cutbacks because of these control issues and the government spending problems.
A real shame when their services are needed even more.

So if you’re unemployed, my advice is if initially, you find the first FAS person you talk to unhelpful, keep going back.  Always get the name of the person you are  dealing with and keep a note of all your contacts. Make it very clear, you’ re serious about looking for work and will keep coming back.

If you still can’t find some one to help,  then ask for a referral to another service. There’s a huge amount of them out there.
Depending on your situation you may be eligible for support from local employment services, Vocational Educational Services, Jobs club, local area partnerships etc. For a complete list of available services click here for the INOU publication and go to page 114 onwards for contact details.

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Listening on the radio to people who have been made redundant, some  talk about emigrating as if they’ve no other choices.
Sometime it appears they’ve made the choice to emigrate rather than retrain. Yet retraining is often a very viable option.
For example, many electricians being made redundant could consider taking up the FAS Loughlinstown course on intelligent wiring. Intelligent wiring is where you wire up a building as it’s being built, so you can put electrical appliances or  computer equipment anywhere. Does away with the need for trailing cables. There’s not many people in this line of business and there’s a huge demand for buildings which are “intelligently wired”.

Early in 2009, all residential buildings being sold will  require an energy assessment.  Again not many people are trained as energy assessors, so this is a good opportunity for any one with a building background or DIY  interest to retrain for a new career.

Employers and employees need to realise constant training is now needed. Compared to other countries we’re quite poor in our approach to training.  According to a recent report the ratio of hours spent in job related training and workplace initiatives in Ireland was just 12% compared to the OECD average of 25%.  This attitude shows, for example, many companies are failing to fully exploit information technology according to a recent PWC report. (Can’t find the link on the PWC web site)

Working with some clients recently, I was surprised to realise their computer skills were quite limited.  This is making their working lives difficult as they are unable to access job related information quickly and must keep searching through paper files even though the information is on a computer system.

I needed to get a job done quickly, but when I rang potential suppliers, they had no voicemail- simply a “please ring back later message” or worse the phone simply rang out.  And no, I did not ring back later, simply went to the next supplier. 

These days not being able to use  technology in the workplace  is like not being able  to drive. You can get by without driving, but it makes life a lot more difficult and frustrating.

The same applies to technology such as computers and phones. From personal use, such as paying your motor tax on the internet,  to getting the work done faster,  the ability to use technology are essential. Obviously if you’re reading this your’re probably internet savvy but are you able to

1. Use all the basic functions of  a word processor
2. Use all the basic functions of a spreadsheet
3. Understand about saving documents in  directories and sub directories
4. Use the search function in all the programs you use
5. Confidently figure out how to solve a problem when you get stuck on a computer task
6. Set up and change the voicemail on your phone
7. Use teleconferencing(meetings held over the phone)
8. If you’re job hunting, able to put your profile up on  www.linkedin.com or job boards

If you can’t do all the above, then you may be limiting your productivity in the job. Even on building sites, I’ve noticed they’ve started using handheld scanners so it’s not just office based jobs where PC literacy is required.

The European Computer Driving licence (ECDL) is the driving licence of computer proficiency, whilst this is not essential, being able to use a computer confidently is.  So consider taking  a course if you’re not confident on a computer, or just spend time playing around on the computer.

If you don’t have a computer at home, your local library provides free access usually for an hour at a time. Or you can win your own notebook PC by taking just  takes just a few minutes to complete am Aontas, the Irish adult education  survey on your attitude to adult education, here
or on nightcourses  from the 10th to the 27th October. 
All entrants to the survey will be entered for a free draw for a notebook computer once they leave their details.

So have you started thinking about training, if you’re worried about job security?

If you found this post interesting you might also like these posts.
Redundancy is not the end
Padraig Harrington as a role model
Facing redundancy

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