My Career Coach

While walking through the Arts & Music Festival in Hoboken, New Jersey my came across a vendor who sold hand carved desk items that depicted various professions. We searched for one that was appropriate for a "coach" but were disappointed to find the only items of this nature were for athletic coaches.

If you are on unfamiliar with the field of coaching you might be interested to know that coaching is a rapidly growing, exciting career path that is revolutionizing the field of personal and professional development. It is important to note that coaching is not therapy or counseling and should not be treated as a alternative to such. The goal of coaching is often to help clients reach SMART Goals. Goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable / Actionable, Realistic / Relevant and Timely.According to the International Coaching Federation “clients are naturally creative, resourceful and capable of finding their own solutions.”

Coaches may specialize in a variety of areas that include but are not limited to business, parenting, relationships, and leadership. My specialty is career coaching. Over the years, I have coached hundreds of clients in transitioning to a new career or position that is supports  their values, skills, knowledge and interests.  In helping clients move away from the chaos of their minds and into the realm of possibility I draw upon a variety of  skills and models to help coachees reach their professional goals. In order to help you better understand what the coaching relationship  looks like, I have provided the following  case study from my private business.

CASE STUDY
Susan C.
Background

Susan C. (not her real name).,, a young year old female, lived at home with home grandparents  and received unemployment.. She first contacted me to write her resume. During the project I found she had a poor record of employment  However,  she impressed me with her  motivation, and honesty. She completed assignments quickly and called a day ahead to confirm our  meetings. My gut feelings told me that she could benefit from coaching.

Establishing the Relationship

 While the resume was being written I asked if she interested interested in career coaching. To establish the relationship l told her what the coaching relationship involved. Given her personal and professional goals it was an ideal time for Susan C. to accept coaching.

We moved forward to an introductory call. During the call I asked Susan C. to rank on a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being couldn't care less and 10 being total and sheer excitement) how committed she was to her goals. She said a 10 and that she had been thinking about this for at least two years. If she were able to  achieve some other goals first it would rank it a 12. Immediately after the call I sent Susan C. a Welcome Packet to complete and email back to me prior to our first call.

These steps  laid  the foundation of  the coaching relationship and provided  Susan C. with clear guidelines as to what was expected of her.

Establishing Performance Goals

During the first call we reviewed  Welcome Packet to clarify Susan C.'s goals.  Out of the 7 areas of the Whole Life Model (this can be viewed online by doing a search for the Wheel of Life) Susan C. chose to work on career, finance and physical environment. It was necessary for Susan C. to reach her initial  goals of finding a job  in order to support her other two goals. In the meantime she would read several books and review websites to anchor her commitment to her financial goals.

This phase of the engagement helped create a road map. that defined where Susan C. wanted to go and what she needed to get there. Clear notes helped me track key points that would act as a guide during her journey.

Ongoing Active Coaching

To establish a clear direction we verbally reviewed a coaching call prep form at the beginning of each call.  Over the engagement Susan C. designed an effective strategy that attracted  job interviews for which I asked thought provoking questions to help prepare her. To address  a personal relationship issue I introduced different models and presented ways to reframe her thoughts and ideas as well as metaphors that allowed her to form her own insights and solutions.   I shared resources such as websites, books and made a referral to a social worker to advance her healing around  personal and family issues.

To  support her in making a decision whether to attend school this semester, I used the SMART Goals model  and asked what she needed to weigh and who needed to be involved in making this decision. As a result she decided to avail herself of several organizational trainings and revisit attending school the following semester.   

During our first call Susan C. said she  felt hopeful that it was not to late to get her life together. Over the weeks she said she benefited from having me listen objectively and hold a space that helped her make her own decisions. When I asked if there was anything she would like me to change or do less of she said that I was doing fine and she really felt she was benefiting from the relationship.  It was powerful and suprising for me to learn how positive it was for her to be heard.

Completion

Susan C. is a delightful coachee who is deeply committed  to  achieving  her goals despite her difficult home environment. Witnessing her growth helped me to understand how powerful coaching can be. I found myself wondering how her life might have been different had we not entered in this unique and special coaching relationship.

Susan C.'s first day on her new job as an  administrative assistant was a few weeks ago. That night Susan C. excitedly shared with me all about the opportunities for advancement. She has already established new career goals and defined several steps that she needs to take to achieve her financial and physical environment goals.

We reviewed where she had started from and where she was now, which she expressed happiness and gratitude for my helping  reach her goal growth in less than two months. Next week we will speak to determine our next steps.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                  

Noted Career Expert Joins the Center for Women of New York (CWNY) 

The Center for Women of New York, which is based in Queens Borough Hall, welcomes Anne-Marie Ditta, a nationally recognized career coach and speaker to their organization. Ms. Ditta will be leading CWNY’s Job Club, a free program for individuals seeking employment. . The Job Club features topics that include: How to Write a Resume that Gets Interviews, Keys to a Successful Job Search, and Interview Secrets that Will Get You Hired.

Ms. Ditta presented a workshop on “Successful Job Search”¨ on October 2007 at the Center for the Women's World of Working Women’s Conference at the Sheraton- LaGuardia Hotel in Flushing and now joins our staff of professional consultants. Ms. Ditta owns and operates First Impression Career Services, LLC, a career coaching and resume service.  Ms. Ditta is a highly credentialed practitioner who has spoken at the Project Management Institute, the National Resume Writers Association, appeared on local television on radio and has contributed to numerous books on resume writing. 

The addition of Ms. Ditta is part of CWNY’s expansion of its programs in anticipation of its permanent home in a landmark building at Fort Totten, Bayside, New York. CWNY is a non-profit, volunteer organization driven by its mission to be a one-stop walk-in resource center for women.

The Job Club session takes place on alternate Fridays at 10 am-12 noon  in Room 325 at Queens Borough Hall. For an appointment, please call 718-793-0672.

If you have ever tried to call me and reached my voice mail you most likely were greeted with "It's a wonderful day here at First Impression Career Services..." I choose this greeting because every day that allows me to help people to achieve their goals and stretch themselves is a wonderful day. As I thought back on what I  accomplished over the past year I concluded that 2007, was a wonderful year, too. Here are some of the highlights of the past year.

• Personal Branding - Companies like Coca Cola and Pepsi stand out in a highly competitive market because they have strong brand awareness. Celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Martha Stewart and Donald Trump have built empires on their personal brand and you can, too! Over the course of 2007, I participated in a number of workshops and seminars to expand my ability to help people like you tap into their personal brand. I am proud to say many of these individuals have moved on to new and better opportunities where their personal brand and talents are valued.
  

• MBTI Qualified Practitioner - In May I attended a week long training in preparation for the Myers Briggs Qualifying Exam. The class was difficult as it involved an understanding of statistics, not one of my greatest strengths. None the less I persevered  and  in  August I was awarded a certificate. As a MBTI Qualified practitioner I administer and validate the Myers Briggs Personality Assessment, a tool that is instrumental in helping people gain a better understanding of themselves and others. This awareness can be leveraged to assist in making rewarding career choices.
  

• Professional Speaking - This was the year that I got out from behind the desk and got in front of people. I delivered several presentations to the The Center for Women of New York, The American Association of University Women, Project Management Institute in New York and Westchester County. The most recent one being "What Do You Say After Hello? How to Network Your to Job Search and Professional Success!" In addition, I joined Wendy Enelow and several colleagues who volunteered their time to conduct resume reviews at The New York Times Support Our Troops Job Fair.
  

• Professional Advancement - In November I enrolled in  a Coaching Certificate Program at NYU. The first class Foundations of Coaching I was very enlightening. We explored the underpinnings of coaching which are rooted in the disciplines of learning, change and systems theories, philosophy, positive psychology and contemporary neuroscience.  I have already begun to implement what I learned with favorable results. I am looking forward to   Foundations of Coaching II, which begins next month, as well as the subsequent classes.
  

• Job Club Leadership - Last month I joined The Center for Women of New York as a Job Club Leader. Twice a month I am conducting classes in Resume Writing, Job Search Strategies, Interviewing Skills, Salary Negotiations and Career Exploration for underprivileged women returning to the workforce. Currently I am assisting 2 very bright and capable women. It is personally rewarding to make a real difference in the lives of people who don't have readily have access to private services. 
  

• Giving Back - Over the weekend of October 9th, I joined over 2000 women and men who walked 39 miles on behalf of the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade. To participate in the walk I had to raise a minimum of $1800. With the help of my family, friends and congregation I raised over $2100. This event taught me a lot about myself and what I could accomplish when given the right conditions. Without the support of others, proper  nourishment, rest, and the drive to succeed I could not have walked through the finish line.
  

I am proud of what I accomplished  over the past year and hope that when we ring in 2009  the above highlights will  have paled when  compared to what I plan to accomplish this year.

Several years ago I read "The Accidental Tourist." The book's main character Macon Leary found he had to learn how to live on his own after his wife left him following the loss of their son. Macon struggles to adjust to his new status He sews his sheets into one big pillowcase  to make changing the bed easier. He wears sweat clothes to bed so will not have to have to change his clothing when he wakes up. These shortcuts result in an injury, which forces Macon to move in with his siblings. Once again, Macon has the comfort of a family structure.

Like Macon, you might find yourself thinking there is a shortcut to making a career change.  The first thing you will probably do is prepare a resume, click on to Monster or Hotjobs and start responding to anything that looks good.  However, the most effective method for making a career change is to conduct an analysis of your skills, interests, experience, values, likes and dislikes. You may be thinking this approach will take too long. While it could be lengthy, it could  also save you precious time and money. Why insist on looking for job when you really want to make a change?

The reason probably dates back to the messages you received while growing up. Habits are hardwired into our working memory. Such messages include "there's good job security working for  the government" or "have you looked in the paper?" A few decades ago, television and radio commercials touted "I got my job through the New York Times."  , 

Agreed, you cannot make a career transition without conducting a job search. However, skipping important steps can actually prolong your transition. I have known people who have left secure jobs to try something new and wound up regretting their choices before contacting me. Others posted resumes online with little or no success.

*My client Karen graduated from medical school as a plastic surgeon. She has had several positions since she graduated from medical school two years ago. During our first meeting she confessed that she disliked performing surgery. In fact, she disliked it so much that she frequently found herself getting sick on the way into the office. When I asked her what made her decide to enter medical school, she replied "I wanted to own my own beauty salon but I was afraid I wouldn't make a good living. Now I am paying off loans from medical school and I hate being in the medical profession." Had Karen taken the time to explore her choices she would have never entered medical school. 

Creating a rewarding career presents new and exciting opportunities for increased self-awareness and increased self-esteem. Do you have an idea of what you would love to do? If you answered yes, what are you next steps? Perhaps you are unsure at this point. If this is the case, what then, do you need to do to begin the journey?  

College Grads find job search success at college career centers, according to a new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE's 2007 Graduating Student Survey found that:

• 52% of students who reported securing full-time jobs had applied for a job through a campus career center-sponsored career fair.
• 41% had posted their resumes through their campus career center's website.

•  71% of the 12,000+ students applied for a job by sending their resumes directly to an employer's website.
• 47% of students mailed a resume directly to the employer.
•  44% applied at a career center-sponsored job fair.
• 34% posted a resume through a career center website

Like a good book, your resume should capture and hold the interest of your readers, hiring managers. By using the same techniques that authors use to create best sellers you can compose a resume that makes it to the top of the candidate pool.

1.       Present a job objective that will appeal to the readers’ interest. A clearly stated objective such as PROJECT MANAGER / BUSINESS ANALYST will get more attention then “a challenging position that will utilize my skills and talents.”

2.       Think of your profile or Career Summary as the back cover copy of a book or a mini sales letter.  Some hiring managers decide in as little as 10 seconds whether to call you or toss your documents in the circular file.

3.       Keep your profile no longer than 6 lines. Make every word count; your profile is 10 times more powerful than the sections that follow. Use sound bites; action oriented verbs and KEY words; picture and emotional words, benefits, not features to keep your message focused and capture your readers' attention.

4.       Writers know readers like to focus on one topic at a time. include only information that is relevant to your career or job objective. Omit information such as marital status, age, weight, and any data that is unrelated to your objective.  

5.       What are your readers most interested in? Take the time to research the jobs and companies that interest you. What qualities, skills, or knowledge are they looking for? What have you accomplished, have knowledge about, or are skilled in that will demonstrate you are qualified to do the job. 

6.       A well-designed, clean, simple layout with ample white space is easier to read than a document that has multiple type fonts and type styles. Use BULLET POINTS TO CALL ATTENTION TO ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BOLD FACE TYPE for Section Headers, Job Titles and / or Company Names, Academic Degrees and / or Colleges or Universities. 

7.       The key to good writing is edit, edit and edit some more.  What if your readers can spot grammatical errors that you didn't know were there?  EVERY MISTAKE IN GRAMMAR, SPELLING, SENTENCE STRUCTURE, AND OVERALL ORGANIZATION, ANYTHING THAT TRIPS UP THE SMOOTH FLOW OF IDEAS FROM YOU TO YOUR READER IS A POTENTIAL MINEFIELD. Once your resume and cover letter are completed have the documents proofread by someone other than you.

Everyday, our lives are peppered with sound bites. Tune into the morning news and you’ll hear something like “Searchers are headed out today looking for John Smith. He has not been seen since Monday morning when he left his home in Hollywood and headed to his office in Miami.  ABC’s correspondent in Miami joins us with the latest information about this case.” In a legendary presidential campaign promise George Bush, Sr. avowed “Read my lips, no new taxes.” In fact, knowing how to get your point across in sixty seconds or can change your life.

A key factor in any job search or career transition is the ability to effectively network. I have come across a variety of reactions when I coach people in this method.  The most common response is a sigh followed with “I have tried but I have not had any luck.” When I ask about what exactly they tell their network, they say they tell their friends they are looking for a job and if they know of something to please let them know. One of the reasons people fail in their networking efforts is because they lack clarity. Think about it, whom do you know has the psychic power to know what you are looking for and would be willing to listen out for something that could help you, even if they were unsure of what it was you were looking for? 

“Help me…help you” Jerry McGuire (Tom Cruise) pleaded with Ray Tidwell (Cuba Gooding) in the 1996 movie Jerry McGuire. Besides being an excellent sound bite it sums up how effective sound bites can capture interest and win support. The clearer you are about your strengths, your goals and what you need from your contacts the easier it will be for them to become a valued member your career team.   Instead of asking vague questions use carefully selected words to demonstrate the value you present.  Prepare a list of companies you are interested in working for instead of telling your friends how hard it is to find a job. Ask who do they know that either works or who might have a contact at one of these companies. I promise you   your friends, family, acquaintances, past employers and even the dry cleaner really want to do anything they can to help you achieve your goals. They just want need to be told what you need from them.

ANATOMY OF A SOUND BITE:

 
The Sound Bite

I have 10 years experience in selling advertising space to small business owners, non-profit organizations and schools. I am now looking to transfer my experience to a private school or cultural organization that wants to reduce their marketing costs and expand their reach. While sales have been a large part of my position, I also write powerful ad copy and press releases. I have been told that I also have a real eye for layout and design. In fact, ABC Day School and County Arts Center were so happy with the campaigns that I created for them that they fired their advertising agency. With the money they saved on agency costs they were able to penetrate new markets. Since you have such a good handle on marketing, I thought I could take you to lunch and discuss some ideas on which organizations to approach and my strategy for reaching them.

Breaking It Down

About you - I have 10 years experience in selling advertising space to small business owners, non-profit organizations and schools  

Clearly Stated Objective- I am now looking to transfer my experience to a private school or cultural organization that wants to reduce their marketing costs and expand their reach.

Strengths / Personal Qualities - While sales have been a large part of my position, I also write powerful ad copy and press releases. I have been told that I also have a real eye for layout and design.

Unique Value Proposition - In fact, ABC Day School and County Arts Center were so happy with the campaigns that I created for them that they fired their advertising agency. With the money they saved on agency costs they were able to expand their campaigns to penetrate new markets. 

Effective Request for Help - Since you have such a good handle on marketing, I thought I could take you to lunch and discuss some ideas on which organizations to approach and my strategy for reaching them.

The Sound Bite

Breaking It Down

Strengths / Personal Qualities - While working out in the field I discovered I had a knack for working with people in education and cultural organizations. Not only was I able to uncover their real needs but I found I had effective ideas about how to increase subscriptions and enrollment.

Unique Value Proposition - They had such a great response that they had sold out tickets for entire season in less then two weeks.

Effective Request for Help - Do you think that some of the cultural organizations around here would have the need for a full time marketing director?

My friend, Mona called the other day to say she was in town and would like to get together. Mona and I go back almost 30 years, when we helped each other nurse broken hearts and struggled to find our place in the world. When Norman and I moved to Westchester five years ago, I was comforted to know Mona lived nearby in New Rochelle. I had fantasies of  us and frequenting garage sales and thrift shops to find a few rare treasures to compliment my 70 year old home. Of course life got in the way and we settled on getting together for birthdays, holidays and the occasional lunch. Fed up with the high cost of living in New York, Mona headed for the hills of Virginia last year. Always supportive of my efforts, I was delighted to think how proud she would be when I told her I was participating in the  Avon Breast Cancer Walk. And then I remembered, Mona is a breast cancer survivor.

Since I signed up for the walk, I've been touched by the realization that many people I know and love have been affected by breast cancer. My Aunt Francis who will be celebrating her 98th birthday this Sunday had a bilateral mastectomy over 40 years ago. My friend, Catherine fought hard and won her battle against the illness. Anna, my husband's cousin, wasn't as lucky. It is a bittersweet experience to see the list of family members, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and neighbors who've been personally affected  by breast cancer expand with every dollar I raise.

The Law of Attraction says we manifest the results of our predominant thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. This certainly has been the case with my fund raising  efforts. Yet, I can't help  wonder is it reasonable to expect as a person's career goals become clearer  that corresponding opportunities will present themselves? If it this is the case, why do many people avoid or procrastinate in taking steps to fulfill their dreams? What dream have you put on hold? Why have you left it on hold?  What's the first step to making your dreams happen?  What benefits will begin to manifest themselves in your life when this happens?