Strong HOPE

During class today, I asked the Smashcut crew "When you wake up to unemployment, how do you feel?"  They responded:  "alone, confused, conflicted, angry, isolated, stuck, inexperienced, scared, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable."

We agreed that negative feelings create a very dangerous filter.  What you feel determines how you respond to the world.  Your filter effects what you see and experience - every day.  In order to have more proactive, positive, and productive days, adjust your filter.  New feelings = new perspective = new attitude = new results.  New filter:  creative, courageous, collaborative, purposeful, helpful, educational, curious, hungry, excited, HOPEFUL?

In addition to equipping you with resources and tools to expertly navigate the job market, the Smashcut program demonstrates 3 powerful ways to build a strong hope in your job search:

1.  Proactive and positive job seekers develop a strong hope when they know and recognize their God given abilities and turn them into assets.

2.  Effective and efficient job seekers develop a strong hope when they lead adventurous lives and take risks!

3.  Smashcut students don't make their goal to manage a "safe" search, they aim to design and work a STRONG search.

Abilities, adventure, accomplishments = STRONG hope.  

Are you hiring?

"Are you hiring?" - I ask this question EVERY WHERE I go (for me and for other people in my networks).  Our job market is not in as bad of shape as you think...most places I visit are hiring.  When in doubt, ask.  What do you have to lose? 

For someone who has worm glasses since 7th grade, when I shop for lenses and frames, I know quality. Based on 23 years of experience, Lens Crafters is #1 when it comes to inventory, product quality, and customer service.  

Lens Crafters (LC) in Centennial, CO is hiring part time and full time reps.  My rep has been with LC for 11 years, and she raves about the environment and benefits.  Currently, all the employees at her location have 10+ year tenure, and she enjoys 5 weeks of vacation per year! 

For more info, visit the website http://lnkd.in/FTu4Ch or visit the store to fill out an application.

Got Time?

There is one very important thing to remember when it comes to having an efficient, effective, and successful job search - you have to make time for it!

Source:  "The Get-Back-To-Work Book" (Chapter 20)

Step 1:  to understand what you should be doing, look at what you're currently doing.
Step 2:  log your daily tasks on a calendar (how many hours do you invest in your job search?  online?  off line?  face to face meetings?  on the phone? )
Step 3:  identify 2 hour time blocks when you can blueprint, research, gather data, call, go on field visits, interview hiring managers, network, and/or interview
Step 4:  set your weekly calendar
Step 5:  implement your new schedule and track your progress for 4 weeks

Guidelines:

• Schedule no more than 6 hours per work day or 30 hours per work week
• Spend no more than 10% of your time online
• Avoid working on Saturday and Sunday.  However, Sunday night is a great time to email, follow up, and leave voice messages!
• Don't forget to eat, exercise, and take 15 minute breaks!
• Try not to do one activity exclusively for more than 2 consecutive hours
• Only review email and voice messages during assigned time blocks
• Use "open" blocks of time for meetings and interviews
• Focus on 1 industry/location per week (ex.  Week 1=health care, Week 2=education, Week 3=nonprofit)

Structure = Focus = Results = Success

"Time is free, but it's priceless.  You can't own it, but you can use it.  You can't keep it, but you can spend it.  Once you've lost it, you can never get it back." - Harvey MacKay

"Smashcut" - Job Seeker Class Series

I own a company called LeadSource, LLC, and I help local job seekers expertly navigate the job market.  Since February 2008, my model has evolved from recruiting/coaching agency to large group presentations and workshops to small class instruction.

Currently, I am teaching a class series titled "Smashcut".  A smash cut is technique in film and other moving visual media where one scene abruptly cuts to another without transition, usually meant to startle the audience. To this end, the smash cut usually occurs at a crucial moment in a scene where a cut would not be expected.  So...we have incorporated this technique into the modern day job search. 

Resumes are not the first step in the hiring process, networking can deliver a low ROI, and online job searches yield little to no positive results (HR black hole).  In order to get attention, "wow" someone. 

In 6 days, we blueprinted 5 companies, identified 5 viable job opportunities, targeted 5 high level decision makers, and created 5 unique and robust marketing campaigns.

In order to get what you want, give companies what they want.  How will you make an impact?

We're on to something...

Smashcut Series #1 - 2.7.11 thru 2.18.11 (CLOSED)
Smashcut Series #2 - 2.21.11 thru 3.4.11 (FULL)
Smashcut Series #3 - 3.14.11 thru 3.25.11 (SEATS AVAILABLE)

Seats are limited to the first 5 RSVPs.  To RSVP connect with Sarah Burton Wells via email, LinkedIn, Facebook, and/or Twitter (leadsourcellc).

RSVP: sarahburtonwells@yahoo.com

Do as I say and as I do.

As I've told my students time and time again - increase your visibility, find your voice, and write a BLOG!  Does it matter that it took me 2 years to cross this task off my "to do" list?

Finally, I have a blog.  This is going to be great.