I had a client recently tell me she was having a bad day, and to please excuse her attitude. As a coach, I know never to let that or any issue go without at least addressing it to identify some improvement opportunities. 

Especially in this case, because she is far from alone. We all have bad days, of course, but in the US the frequency is rising and the causes of bad days are multiplying as well. 

Excuses or reasons include not getting enough sleep, work stress, issues at home with family, the kids, money issues, disatisfaction with life, a favorite sports team losing, your boss...there's no shortage of "reasons" for bad days. 

But how can we turn these situations around so they don't leave us defeated and ineffective? 

One idea that many successful people have employed is to make a Happy List. Ok, they might not call it that, and for many it's a mental list more than a written one - but the concept is the same and simple - a Happy List is a list of things, places, actions, activities that bring you Joy and can turn your mood around almost instantly. 

What would you put on your Happy List?
Keep it simple and make sure it's quickly doable in most any situation.  

• Going to the Gym for a good workout
• Reading a positive and empowering book 
• Watching or listening to something positive and motivating 
• Talking a walk outside in the fresh air, or to a park, or to a nearby lake or beach 
• Making a Gratitude list of all the good things in your life
• Planning a lunch or drink meetup with a good, cheerful friend 

Other ideas? Leave a comment and share how you turn your day around after a negative situation! 

​Coach Baez

I was recently asked by a coaching client - "What books should I be reading to be more successful?"

Of course, there are hundreds of great books and I can recommend many that would be valuable to have as a knowledge base.... but books alone aren't the answer. In fact, for many, books and other content such as websites, blogs, YouTube videos, etc...often become an addiction and escape from what really matters - taking action. 

Yes, we're back to that. But it's a very important topic and realization many have to make. 

The real value of books
Books are only as valuable as the knowledge you take from them to propel you to take the next action. The should be seen as a means to an end, that being the achievement of whatever goal or milestone they are trying to achieve. 

Books are neither good nor bad...they're just simply a step in the info to wisdom path we must consciously make sure we're on. 

What do I mean? 
Think of it this way. Our goal as professionals and human beings on this planet is to live with purpose. That purpose can be most anything that elevates us and in the process helps others. 
Books provide lots of information we can use toward that end, be it financial rewards, healthier living, or even spiritual enlightenment.
When you read books you should see them as information that must be processed in your mind and turned into knowledge that is actionable. Knowledge that is acted upon becomes experience. Experience over time becomes wisdom. This is the learning process and path you should follow if you're goal is to achieve anything worthy in life. 

INFORMATION --> KNOWLEDGE --> EXPERIENCE --> WISDOM

INFORMATION acquired toward a purpose becomes KNOWLEDGE, which when acted upon become EXPERIENCE, and over time experiences accumulate into WISDOM.

So what's the problem with reading?
Reading for the sake of gathering loads of information can become a crutch and an excuse to not act or apply your learning. For many, it's a form of procrastination. If this is you, you need to stop reading for the sake of reading and start being very selective about it and what you want to get from it. 

How I read books
When I read books my aim is simply to get 1-3 nuggets of knowledge that I can apply to my most urgent need or project. I could get that from simply reading the table of contents, or from a single chapter, or through reading the book in it's entirety. This does require clarity about what your goal is and what you want to get out of the book.
So always start with asking yourself -

• "Why am I reading this book?"
• "What goal or task am I trying to accomplish? or
• "What barrier am I trying to get past?"
• "Is this book the best resources to find my answer?" 
  ​and finally - 
• "Am I prepared to apply what I learn by reading this?"

These questions will get you focused on your goal and help you target your reading to only what's essential toward that goal. 

Alright...with all this in mind let me know what you're reading now, what problem you're trying to solve, and how your current read will help you do that. I'll look for your comments below! 

Much success,

Coach Baez 



  

How to know you’re seriously being considered for the job, or not
Although it’s not easy to tell in most cases, even if you think the interview went well, or poorly, there are some indicators you can look out for. Here are just a few:

1. Checking References – this is generally the last step in the hiring process, so if they’re spending the time and energy to check yours, you’re in the final stretch.
2. They extend the interview – if they seem to want to learn more about you, that’s a very good sign you’re a top candidate. Now, this isn’t the same as the interview taking longer because your answers are long winded, or they just didn’t allot enough time given the questions.
3. They introduce you to the hiring manager – if you don’t get to meet your potential manager in the interview process, you’re probably not a top candidate just yet, unless you get a follow-up meeting of course.
4. They offer to show you around and meet the team – this is a very good sign they’re interested, as long as they introduce you to key players. If it’s a basic tour of the office, that might be standard procedure for them.
5. They ask about the competition or your timeline for deciding on a position – if they’re interested they’ll ask this to weigh their competitors and their ability to keep interviewing without losing you as an option.
6. They ask personal questions about your personal life, goals, and hobbies – this is a good sign they’re trying to determine if you’d fit in with their staff and culture, but they’re imagining you as part of their team.
7. A vague or specific date for letting you know – if it’s vague, it’s less likely you’re a top candidate. But if they offer a date and seem concerned, or even ask you when you need to know by, there’s a very good chance you’re in the running.
8. A shorter than expected interview or no follow-up questions – in many cases this is an indication that they don’t think you’re a good fit or that they already have a favorite candidate in mind, and you’re not it.
9. You notice positive body language – lots of agreement, nods, smiles, good eye contact, are all signs that they approve of you and see you as a good candidate.
10. They negotiate – if they’re talking salary and benefits, there’s a good chance you’re being offered the job with the contingency of those options. 

Need help with your job search, resume, or interview preparation? 

In my work with many executives and director level clients, I've learned to walk them through a simple process and way of thinking that helps them keep calm and have a plan of action they can follow. Here are the steps we follow. I hope they serve you! 

• Finding a job is a Job – treat it like a part-time project that you’ve been hired to do, to showcase your research, writing, and personal marketing and sales abilities.
• Targeted Resumes are a must – remember to tailor each resume to the target role/company. That might only require simple asjustments in wording or layout.
• Targeting Your Efforts is Key – it’s better to identify and target 25-30 companies, and follow a simple strategy (such as Intro/Share/Contact) than it will ever be simply apply to any and every job online
• Don’t Wait – Take Action – you can’t wait for them to contact you. Have a timed strategy in place to make your 3-5 impressions, and then schedule them and be consistent.
• Use a Broad Search Strategy – this should include job posting websites, company sites, state and fed employment agencies, and your personal, professional, and online network.
• Brand yourself – align your resume, your LinkedIn profile, online executive Bios, and anything else you’re using during your job search.
• Craft various stories – Situational / Achievement / Results focused stories that sell your experiences, talents, and strengths. Also craft your story of struggle and interest in each target company. 
• Prepare for Interviewing —Company research, job / contact research, exploratory, standard, behavioral & situational interview questions.
• Do your Salary Research – see what the market is paying, not only for your target job but for your unique skills and abilities. The sum might be worth a lot more than it’s parts.
• Get out there and Networking – Traditional networking opportunities, Eventbrite, Meetup, school alumni groups, corporate alumni groups, professional and industry associations.
• Follow Up! – This might be the most important and missed point of all. Start and finish your job search process by following up with potential employers. 

Did this help? Are their any other points of advice you'd recommend? 
Let me know your thoughts in the comments. And if I can be of service to you, contact me at baezcoaching@yahoo.com. 

If you've never worked with a coach it can be quite a mystery, as far as how this all works. And that is often the number one reason people don't hire coaches, even when they really need the help...that ambiguity becomes a big gap in their mind that they can't leap over. 

So I'm going to give you a brief rundown on how I work with my clients to prepare them for the job search process, so they're substantially more confident, marketable, and seen as a top candidate amidst a flurry of hundreds, if not thousands of other applicants for jobs. 

Now, the finer aspects of the coaching process are probably different for every coach, so don't expect this type of guidance wherever you go. But here's the overall process for someone working with me through every step (full coaching). 

Before we start the coaching process, a few things commonly happen -

1. You seek help - You decide to seek help with your job search or a sudden career opportunity.
2. You find me - You find me online or a friend recommends working with me.
3. You contact me, and I learn about your situation in one of two ways - 
   ​ (a) You fill out my short questionnaire - Coaching Intake Form for
    (b) You message me and plan a short call to discuss your situation and how I can help
4. We then decide where you need help and I follow up with package options that works best for you, with a link to paypal to cover it. Most clients often ask for one of the following:
   - A Professional Resume Update or 
   - A Full Coaching Package (Job Search, Resume, Cover Letter, Interview Prep, etc) 

If you opt for assistance with only materials, such as resume and cover letter editing, we plan a short call to discuss the current state of your materials, the target job or industry you'd like to focus on, and a timeline for completion. For this process, I will have you fill out the intake form, send me your past resumes, letters of recommendations, and any other pertinent information that we should consider or include. I follow up within the determined deadlines, with a Doc and PDF version of your material. 

If you need assistance through the full job search process and materials as well, we follow the full coaching cycle as shown.

Technology is advancing so fast that it's taking over jobs and industries at an increasingly rapid pace. Whether it's factory lines adding robotics, customer service centers outsourcing or adding Artificial Intelligence support, drones delivering products and mail, or simply smarter systems reducing the need for hospital staff...the trend is clear, technology is cheaper and more efficient than people in many markets. 

But although things look gloomy for the average worker, there is hope. A new set of skills that robots and AI can't do well is emerging, and it will be the smart employee that sharpens those skills and makes themselves indispensable. A new report released by the World Economic Forum found that, with some reskilling, the average US worker has no less than 48 “good-fit” new career pathways to choose from.

You might be asking, "What are some of these skills?" High value skills include things like:

• Team and project management
  
• Complex problem-solving that involves people and emotional intelligence
  
• Technology management and repair
  
• Storytelling, such that it motives a workforce or sells a product
  
• Relationship-building
  
• Empathy and collaborative creativity
  
• ...and more 

Although this all might seem daunting and a big transition for many. See this article on 6 reasons to be optimistic about the future of work. 

And, if you need guidance with developing the critical skills to transition into a new field, fill out my short intake form for free feedback on your situation. Career Transition Guidance will be essential to make sure you're not wasting your time or energy on skills that won't last you the rest of your working career. 

I was recently asked by a client struggling to stay focused, given all the different aspects of the job hunt and life priorities, and I shared with them my guiding approach, namely the Pareto Principle, aka the 80/20 rule.

The rule was discovered by Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist who noticed that the division of wealth in Italy at the time fell into a clean 20% owning 80% of the wealth. He then thought to look at where else this breakdown might apply and started finding it as a pattern for many things.

Later, modern project management theorists noticed it in their efforts to get work done.
And today, the principle is applied even to the job search and life management in general. 

Here's an article I read that does a pretty good job of explaining it. Enjoy! 

How the 80/20 Rule Can Help Improve Your Productivity!

Birds Have Wings, Humans Have Books.

I had a client ask me how they can do better with interviews and just presenting themselves. 
And my #1 recommendation is simple - be smarter! How? by reading and learning something new every day.

And here's the secret why this works - because most people don't and won't do this. You and I are surrounded by people that stopped learning in high school, if not grade school! They just decided they were done, it was too hard, it wasn't for them...whatever! But this sad truth opens up a huge opportunity for those of us that will at least try to learn a little more.

If you do this, it will give you a competitive advantage and confidence like nothing else.
Four Ways You Can Gain Quick Knowledge Before an Interview

1. Find 3-4 books from the top people in your market or industry and read a future-focused chapter from each of their books - Almost all industry leaders have visions of the future for their field. See where their thinking is and have that knowledge in your back pocket, so to speak.
   
2. Not big on reading? Listen to audiobooks - Audible has tons of great books that you can buy fairly cheaply, and download right now for a listen.
   
3. Find webcasts and podcasts (iTunes.com) or watch free lessons on Youtube.com 
   
4. Register for free courses online at websites like Coursera.com or edX.com.

Alright, whatcha waiting for? Get on it! And if you need book or resource recommendations, just ask.

This recent article from Fast Company really nailed down an issue many of my clients face - the difficult task of getting a career mentor.  
Have a read and let me know what you think! 
​
https://www.fastcompany.com/40431711/lets-be-real-youre-never-getting-a-mentor-so-do-these-six-things-instead