Maybe swimming isn't for me

I tried something different this morning. I did my normal cardio workout (intervals), today it was the elliptical for thirty five minutes, then a few lower body weights for about twenty minutes, then swimming again, for only twenty minutes.<br /><br />The reason for only twenty minutes of swimming:  I almost drowned in five foot of water. I'm serious.<br /><br />While I was in the middle of my fifth lap of doing the backstroke, I somehow flung a bunch of water up my nose as I was inhaling. I panicked, started coughing, choking, and gasping for air. I tried to stand up but couldn't touch the bottom of the pool. My mind couldn't register this because I was sure the pool was four foot, even in the deepest area. I'm 5' 6", I should have been able to stand up and touch bottom.<br /><br />There were only two other people in the pool with me, swimming the lanes on each side of me. As I coughed and choked, they kept swimming. I grabbed onto the plastic rope that separates the lanes and gathered my composure. I was mainly embarrassed, and a little bit afraid. Then I saw the sign on the edge of the pool next to me. It said "5 Ft.". Okay. I can touch the bottom. I stood up, on my toes, with my head tilted back and quietly walked a few feet until I was in the four foot area. I swam a few more laps but I'd lost my momentum.<br /><br />After the pool I went into the dry sauna for six minutes (thermometer said it was 205F degrees...I think it must have been broken). Then I went into the steam room for six minutes.<br /><br />All day I was absolutely physically exhausted. It wasn't a hard workout so I'm not sure why I was (and still am) so wiped out.<br /><br />Someone recently told something that's making me rethink this whole swimming thing. They said recent research has shown older people are happier people. The reason is because older people have figured out what they like to do and what they don't like. Now that they're older they focus on just the stuff they like, and forget the stuff they don't like.<br /><br />I've never liked swimming. I don't like water in my face in up my nose, or the taste of chlorine. I don't like wearing a swimsuit. I don't like the fear I get that I could drown in five feet of water. I don't like that I can't wear my heart rate monitor or my iPod. I don't like the silence. I don't like other people in the water with me. I don't like that it's so hard for me and that it hurts. I don't like it that I don't like. Everyone loves swimming, right?<br /><br />What do you think? Should I just forget about the swimming? Maybe I should try an aerobics class or something else? My gym has spinning classes, but only at noon, so that's not an option. In my twenties aerobics was all the rage, high impact aerobics. Remember "no pain, no gain"? I must have heard that a hundred times in all those stupid step aerobic classes I took in the 80's. <br /><br />I really need to do something different. The gym with it's daily grind is losing it's charm. I go, but I don't go enthusiastically. At least not lately. Maybe when and if it ever stops raining around here in this hell hole called the Pacific Northwest, I can get back to riding my bike. I just need something new, but maybe not swimming.

Maybe swimming isn't for me

I tried something different this morning. I did my normal cardio workout (intervals), today it was the elliptical for thirty five minutes, then a few lower body weights for about twenty minutes, then swimming again, for only twenty minutes.The reason…

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Un site d'offres d'emploi dédié au secteur des cafés, hôtels et restaurants

<BR><br />Un site <a href="http://www.emploi-cafe-resto.fr" "target=_blank">www.emploi-cafe-resto.fr</a> a été mis en place par Pôle Emploi en partenariat avec les plus grandes fédérations et syndicats professionnels de l'univers des cafés, hôtels et restaurants.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf07KGh53t-cOoZIBJxyYKXPeImaGvvJjbYlsGFBzqLB4mL7rjaYcC9qkfCN-QkMjEZm0EBJTIr6IlbMwljqR8XRjQLd5el3uZWNpzUvUR1ZigSqJ5QpN3ZS1ipo2ByR720GuL9LmCnlOn/s1600/emploi-cafes-hotels-restaurants.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5475620698229802434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf07KGh53t-cOoZIBJxyYKXPeImaGvvJjbYlsGFBzqLB4mL7rjaYcC9qkfCN-QkMjEZm0EBJTIr6IlbMwljqR8XRjQLd5el3uZWNpzUvUR1ZigSqJ5QpN3ZS1ipo2ByR720GuL9LmCnlOn/s200/emploi-cafes-hotels-restaurants.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 185px; height: 200px;" /></a><br /><br />Les demandeurs d'emploi peuvent consulter les offres d'emploi du secteur et postuler en ligne, mais aussi s'informer sur les métiers.<br /><br />Les employeurs peuvent déposer gratuitement leurs annonces, consulter les candidatures ...<br /><BR>

Un site d'offres d'emploi dédié au secteur des cafés, hôtels et restaurants

Un site www.emploi-cafe-resto.fr a été mis en place par Pôle Emploi en partenariat avec les plus grandes fédérations et syndicats professionnels de l'univers des cafés, hôtels et restaurants.Les demandeurs d'emploi peuvent consulter les offres d'empl…

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Facing the Scale

<p>I have to start my post out today by saying <strong><u>THANK YOU</u></strong> guys <strong><u>SO</u></strong> much for all the encouraging comments from my post <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/05/confessions.html">yesterday</a>. You guys are the <strong><u>best</u></strong>!!</p> <p>My breakfast this morning was more like desert! I mixed up my <strong>oatmeal</strong> with a <strong>sliced banana</strong>, <strong>1 T peanut butter</strong>, and <strong>1 t</strong> of <strong>mini chocolate chips</strong> for a total of <strong>6 points</strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g4aj672GzglEbyhUsX2wZW0brLoIZGEXMOp0gtHAoX0-4VD5My2szc8C6oFybzKVZLdmsgkcIrS1yPkGbaV0KEbKKeGCabCKJXAYeqDSaOC261cSYOjUoqCde3-nY8-yIlCelKt5JEa7/s1600-h/DSC07388%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07388" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi85oVbdJAKlz4eWAHx-Ya4bJbyyKemHfNhNdBwh4fOy7JmglHJ6ZlMG0puPppFKU9p678V6l0MNQslP_8KrXTmo7FmEgFS3I0Ff4cdxYnPH7CdyvfWwUesgtGhXv1Bem32MjOznJNbEh3n/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07388" width="404" /></a></p> <p>I couldn't believe that my oatmeal held me over till lunch! I might have to have this breakfast more often!</p> <p>Lunch today was a <strong>smart ones</strong> for <strong>5 points</strong> and <strong>1 cup</strong> of <strong>fruit salad</strong> for <strong>1 point</strong>. Click <a href="http://weightloss-stories.blogspot.com/2010/05/confessions.html">here</a> to get the recipe. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpL1NAbFn6ZSK0NpL_qCkUtNZG_48VRchoDi6buH0ajAn6o54XrsVtPqvlDT4r070oH4um5zTkmk5cxpoMNwomvXkphBtGSFFt3znNjGB-do4CF8vWTlMVvtZ_KRF73D5qGek84bU8yK91/s1600-h/DSC07389%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07389" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ByCEBuIQRIbUwrvx9RFv31GlPXFuCdUOZ89-rkgt3ScR4GBb4wlAoPbwq5wqZGJdSr-Hyp1R_aQpdXRGR9q6YvE1G2t9gsz5VyHzFyRJAmLDrFTxKTtL1vqTwoYABbuByjFpkcBexeFG/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07389" width="404" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCC3A3xg0PdmX3Zq5LFJPEvFLAIhIa8aDVzpqRZ77lU31zsn5T88fJSQJ_NNyAgk8MQKsdqCPUc_madLvn4Kta6m0rcybmEYNFM58WnKnk-gq_i4VAEO7c-1kCIMT7rugxxHBn08zAR9Z6/s1600-h/DSC07390%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07390" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJYexBXSvHx8dL-c55c8n1WW6vO9ayDv5hjS8_fUNMWtnOoNOTn2RMlF4DAFxrerISCPA78vXZwLRKQOCkpAQVstqdP5hLPrsVXLJ4uvSa3ELLkZnvrF6IcQaJ__2ZlIPKDZgdqPsRQkf7/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07390" width="404" /></a></p> <p>I had a great afternoon at work! Oh and how could I forget….my sister started a new job today [she moved home from Florida last week]…at the same place I work!! So not only are we <strong><u>sisters</u></strong>, but now we’re<strong><u> co-workers</u></strong>!</p> <p>When we got off work we came home and made supper right away so we could get settled in to watch the Biggest Loser finale!!</p> <p>My supper was a <strong><u>great mix</u></strong>, <strong>2oz whole wheat pasta</strong>, <strong>3oz chicken</strong>, <strong>1/4 ff mozzarella shredded cheese</strong>, and <strong>zucchini squash</strong> for a total of <strong>7 points</strong>. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX14l-5aOi1D-NFA1ibLKrLJpOZvGf4st0foBNTi3IA5SA5V-OP-rJkDf65KdSndrnDbjJwwqDWATFzC2TdXLQcpRYhXvPO09qoAUPVzEYf2IqPUXTfRMzIvVpwgC_8ff_-kxiodVzxwyw/s1600-h/DSC07391%5B3%5D.jpg"><img alt="DSC07391" border="0" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi57uN85hJWQ3uKGdsYkWePx71f0zyF_4yUQOekE9RaKQ_FK85QSe23WZ5El4PrhhBZ7IYaUwY3b4cy_344geFYDYBnpfQisEtsI-xkVVQ1ijFR62Xv00SYiZaGOXObN2TPJ5VNCkeBt41K/?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" title="DSC07391" width="404" /></a></p> <p>Tuesday’s are my WI day. I stepped on the scale this morning and was SO scared at what it was going to say. It wasn’t pretty, but I need to be accountable so I’m going to tell you guys! The scale said 173. Yuck! But not for long….it’s going to go down, down, down!!</p> <p>Wish me luck guys!!</p> <p><strong>TUESDAY’S STATS</strong></p> <p>POINTS = 19/23 <br />WEEKLY ALLOWANCE POINTS = 0 used/35 remaining <br />ACTIVITY POINTS EARNED =    0 today/0 week <br />WATER =  120 oz <br />EXERCISE = none</p> <p>One more thing…I’ve been catching up in blog land and it seems like a lot of people have also had a rough few weeks! Well I don’t think <a href="http://www.bobbimccormick.com/">Bobbi’s</a> post yesterday could have come at a better time! <a href="http://www.bobbimccormick.com/?p=7706">Check it out!</a></p>

Facing the Scale

I have to start my post out today by saying THANK YOU guys SO much for all the encouraging comments from my post yesterday. You guys are the best!! My breakfast this morning was more like desert! I mixed up my oatmeal with a sliced banana, 1 T peanu…

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What's the Big Deal About Being Overqualified?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/hs/ar5m3x9763ydx0vhd9hs.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/hs/ar5m3x9763ydx0vhd9hs.gif" /></a></div>Scouting through job listings, you spot a position in your field. The prospective employer is looking for somebody with a bachelor's degree and four years of relevant experience. Having a master's degree and seven years under your belt, you hurry to apply, figuring that your higher credentials will at least score an interview.<br /><br />But your phone never rings.<br /><br />Instead of working to your advantage, being overqualified for a job can be a red flag that keeps employers from wanting to know you better. While it may be difficult to overcome their objectives, knowing the basis for their concerns can help make your job search more fruitful (and perhaps make rejection more palatable).<br /><br />The money issue<br /><br />When Charlotte Tomic moved to Florida about three years ago, she applied for various junior public-relations positions because of the lack of openings for senior professionals in her field. Due to the experience shown on her résumé, she found employers weren't interested.<br /><br />"There's never even been a discussion except for one job where I was actually offered the position," Tomic says. "They said they knew I was overqualified, but they needed help. I was willing to take the job, but it made no sense because of the salary. It wasn't paying enough to leave my freelance solo practice."<br /><br />Money is a key reason people work. Even if you are willing to settle for a lower salary because of the tough economy, employers worry that you will jump ship as soon as you find another position offering compensation more in line with what you are used to earning.<br /><br />Other strikes against the overqualified<br /><br />According to Duncan Mathison, co-author of "Unlock the Hidden Job Market: Six Steps to a Successful Search When Times Are Tough," hiring managers ask themselves three questions:<br /><br />1. Does the person have the ability and skills to do the job? <br /><br />2. Is the applicant motivated to do the job in that it meets her needs, interests and values? <br /><br />3. How will this candidate fit into the group, the organizational structure and culture? <br /><br />While you clearly may have the skills, a lower job means that the number of competitors who are also qualified is greater than if you were applying for a higher position. The sheer number in the applicant pool can work against you.<br /><br />Likewise, Mathison says, "Questions two and three could work against you because the hiring manager will assume on the long term the lower-level job will not meet your needs or you won't fit into the structure. The manager might also feel threatened if you are qualified to do his job."<br /><br />Easing fears -- and getting hired<br /><br />Ford Kanzler of El Granada, Calif., has been told that he was overqualified many times during his 30-plus years in technology public-relations management. In one instance, though, he was able to turn that potential negative to his advantage.<br /><br />"I told the hiring manager, 'I agree. I'm more than qualified for the job, but that means I'll be able to come in, hit the ground running, create desired results in a short time and require virtually zero management. I can operate as your wing man, and together we can really get the job done fast and well.'" Kanzler landed the job and worked for the company for several years.<br /><br />Mathison agrees that sometimes it pays to get the issue on the table and ask the prospective employers if they see any pluses to your candidacy based on your higher qualifications. "Tell them that you too had concerns that the job might not be a fit but applied because factors beyond the title were important to you. Promise that if at any point you feel the job appears too low or not one where you will bring the full engagement needed to excel in the position, you will withdraw your candidacy. Your willingness to walk away tells them you are motivated if you stay in the game."<br /><br />Tailor your résumé<br /><br />Finally, remember that a good application for any position should be created to match the employer's needs as closely as possible. While experts generally don't recommend lying or "dumbing down" a résumé, simple (yet truthful) changes can make you a more desirable candidate.<br /><br />A few edits to consider:<br /><br /><ul><li>Changing terminology, if appropriate (for example, "manager" can become "project team leader" to match the language of the job description).</li><li>Shortening years of service by dropping early jobs if the years sound too long.</li><li>Toning down executive-sounding titles, especially if inflated (for example, calling yourself by a managerial title rather than showcasing that you were vice president in a company with only five employees).</li><li>Dropping a degree in favor of an "Additional Professional Training" statement describing topics on which you have advanced knowledge.</li></ul>Hopefully, the result will be the greatest change of all -- a foot in the door.<br /><br />Get the latest job search news and advice on CareerBuilder.com's job blog, "The Work Buzz," and follow us on Twitter @CBforJobSeekers.<br /><br />By Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder Writer<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

What's the Big Deal About Being Overqualified?

Scouting through job listings, you spot a position in your field. The prospective employer is looking for somebody with a bachelor's degree and four years of relevant experience. Having a master's degree and seven years under your belt, you hurry to …

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Developing Your Selling Points

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/my/ar5m388745lps4nnp3my.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/my/ar5m388745lps4nnp3my.gif" /></a></div>Imagine you are an advertising executive assigned the task of getting people to try a new soft drink. Before you pitched the product to consumers, chances are you'd examine the item carefully. How does it taste? Is it lower in calories than other beverages? What features distinguish it from other drinks?<br /><br />The process is much the same for job seekers -- only this time you are both the marketer and the product being peddled. Before trying to "sell" yourself to prospective employers, it is worth taking time to evaluate your attributes and the best ways they can be presented.<br /><br />Pinpointing strengths<br />Experts agree that honest self-assessment is paramount when seeking to identify your selling points. Enlisting the help of a few trusted friends and colleagues who know you well also can be helpful, but ask them to give specific examples to back up the strengths they list. (Evidence will help keep the comments truthful rather than just supportive or nice.)<br /><br />Paul Klein, director of the career services center at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio, suggests making a list of all the job responsibilities that you've had, no matter how many or few times you've done them. "For example, if you work at a fast food restaurant and spend 99 percent of your time flipping burgers, it's still very important to include the other 1 percent of your job, which might entail opening or closing the store or taking money from the cash register to the bank. Although this only counts for 1 percent of your job, it's extremely important, as it indicates a level of management skills, trust and responsibility."<br /><br />Presenting your information<br />While you might be an excellent typist, an employer looking for an experienced cook is probably not going to care. Worse yet, skills that would have made a hiring manager take notice may be lost within a sea of information.<br /><br />Instead of a cover letter that could be used for 25 different jobs or a résumé detailing every experience you've ever had, focus on the skills that pertain to the job in question. Take cues from the job ad as to what might be important, and show with positive language and concrete examples how your strengths match the employer's needs. To say you have great writing skills is one thing. To state that you helped your last employer achieve greater communication between departments by creating a monthly newsletter is another.<br /><br />Klein offers these tips to further help job seekers trying to decide what to include:<br /><br /><br /><br />If you work for a name brand employer (IBM, Microsoft) that should get highlighted on your résumé. <br /><br />If you work for a solid employer with a great reputation in the field that you're going into, that should be highlighted. <br /><br />If you're working for an organization that no one's heard of, emphasize the position, its responsibilities and your accomplishments. <br /><br /><br /><br />Selling yourself at the interview<br />Sara LaForest, co-founder of Kubica LaForest Consulting (a management consulting and performance improvement company serving clients nationwide), notes that when your application leads to an interview, consistency across your verbal and written presentation is essential. She recommends seeking a trusted friend or coach to help with a practice interview in which you "articulate your strengths as aligned to the prospective role and use specific evidence (behaviorally-based examples) that demonstrate the outcomes of your skill strengths."<br /><br />"Practice responding to questions that focus on your strengths, why you would be good for this job and 'why should we select you'- type questions," LaForest says. "Practice responding in a conversational tone -- even if the question surprises you. Exuding a calm confidence, discussing your strengths and reinforcing them in a matter-of-fact way with evidence to support your statements is powerful."<br /><br />Making the sale<br />A last thought to consider: Just as you would be leery about a product making too many claims, so might a person making hiring decisions.<br /><br />"Sell yourself responsibly," LaForest cautions. "Nobody likes a pusher. Specific to selling yourself to prospective employers, ensure you clearly understand their needs and priorities. Do this by listening sincerely and asking clarifying questions. Listen first -- and more than you talk."<br /><br />By Beth Braccio Hering, CareerBuilder Writer <br /><br />Get the latest job search news and advice on CareerBuilder.com's job seeker blog http://www.theworkbuzz.com/ and follow us on Twitter @CBforJobSeekers.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Developing Your Selling Points

Imagine you are an advertising executive assigned the task of getting people to try a new soft drink. Before you pitched the product to consumers, chances are you'd examine the item carefully. How does it taste? Is it lower in calories than other bev…

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Why Your Job Search Is Not All About You

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/mq/ar5f2sf6s55tjtdfd6mq.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/mq/ar5f2sf6s55tjtdfd6mq.gif" /></a></div>We all get calls from telemarketers. Their generic, impersonal sales pitches typically yield responses like: "Really? Why would I let you spend 10 minutes telling me about your vacuuming services? I have a vacuum cleaner in the closet." Click. <br /><br />Chances are you have received this type of call. And chances are you have hung up before you even know what the caller has to offer. <br /><br />Were the vacuum company to peek in your window for a few hours (creepy -- but go with me here) they'd find out you were a single parent with three kids, two shedding cats and a bad case of seasonal allergies. With this new background information, the call might go something like: <br /><br />"Hello Ms. Murphy! Since you're so busy you barely have time to vacuum these days, I'll send my professional cleaning service to your home. In addition to saving you time, our filter-equipped vacuums will get rid of the pet hair on your furniture and decrease the amount of airborne allergens in your home!" Since the telemarketer just solved three of your most pestering problems, you're probably more inclined to listen to his or her sales pitch. <br /><br />Vacuum cleaners and allergies aside, applying to a company without targeting your application to its needs is a lot like making a random courtesy call. Employers aren't going to pay attention to you unless they know what you can do for them. <br /><br />Solve a problem, land a job<br /><br />"You have a job for one reason: to solve a company's problem," says Debra Benton, author of "Lions Don't Need To Roar" and "The $100,000 Club." "You do not have a job because you need or want one; that is irrelevant to the marketplace." That means you need to stop focusing on what your strengths are and start focusing on how your strengths can help the company you'd like to work for, Benton suggests. <br /><br />Putting it all out there -- strategically <br /><br />Rich Dukas, president and CEO of Dukas Public Relations, says that targeting your cover letter to address the needs of each company you apply to is the only way to get noticed. "Specificity rules," he says. "I am impressed when a candidate spends the time to learn about our firm and tells me in a cover letter and interview how they would directly contribute to our business. Generic cover letters don't cut it." <br /><br />Using employer-centric language when applying to a position can also help, Benton advises. "Every part of your communication should be them-oriented instead of you-oriented, from the first word in your cover letter," she says. "Instead of writing, 'Dear Mr. Smith, I'm interested in a job at XYZ ...' your letter should start with 'Dear Mr. Smith, You have an exciting position at XYZ that I'm interested in ...'. Just making the first word 'you' versus 'I' is the start of a myriad of ways to be company-oriented." <br /><br />Tina Chen, director of operations at Carlisle Staffing in Illinois, says today's tough job competition makes it especially necessary to focus your job search on the needs of employers and how you can make their organization a better one. "Employers are no longer just looking for 'qualified candidates' but rather those who will go above and beyond to justify their seat, so job seekers really need to stay ahead of the curve and lay their best assets on the table," Chen says. <br /><br />The bottom line: Employment is a relationship<br /><br />Although it is important for your communication with a prospective employer to stress how your skills can meet its needs; employment is ultimately a relationship, and you still need to keep your own interests in mind. <br /><br />"Take a step back, assess the potential employers that you would like to work for, do your homework and decide if there could be a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship. Look at it as 'job dating.' In order for the relationship to work, both parties have to bring something to the table," Chen advises. <br /><br />Kurt Weyerhauser, managing partner at Kensington Stone, an international search firm in California, also compares employment to a long-term relationship. "It's like a marriage of sorts," he says. "Most of us who are married realize that we wouldn't be married if leading up to the wedding it had been all about –'me' or, for that matter, all about my spouse's interests. The key is to understand that while your primary interest is you, it's not your sole interest." <br /><br />By Kaitlin Madden writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, "The Work Buzz." She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Why Your Job Search Is Not All About You

We all get calls from telemarketers. Their generic, impersonal sales pitches typically yield responses like: "Really? Why would I let you spend 10 minutes telling me about your vacuuming services? I have a vacuum cleaner in the closet." Click. Chance…

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Should You Leave Your Cell at Home During an Interview?

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/bg/ar5f8h05zm2pchsthhbg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/bg/ar5f8h05zm2pchsthhbg.gif" /></a></div>True story: <br /><br />After a move to a new city, I finally land a job interview after weeks of sending out résumés. The company offers good pay and great benefits -- not to mention that the job is right up my alley and right down the street from my apartment. <br /><br />The interview is humming along nicely, when "BLEEP BLEEP BLEEEEP! ... BLEEP BLEEP BLEEEEP!" My interviewer is mid-question when she jumps out of her skin at the sound of my cell phone loudly ringing from my purse. I could have sworn I'd shut it off. <br /><br />I spend the next 20 seconds rifling through my bag to find the offending device and another 10 seconds powering it off. As I apologize and refocus my attention on the interviewer, I can tell our whole vibe is off balance. She is clearly annoyed and I feel like a fool (both of which are total confidence killers). In case I left any doubt in your mind, I was not called back for a second interview. <br /><br />Lesson learned: Don't let your cell phone get the best of you. <br /><br />"In many cases, attitude trumps aptitude when it comes to candidate selection. Bringing a cell phone with you says a lot about your attitude," says Laurent Duperval, president of Duperval Consulting in Montreal. "It sends the message that your focus will not be on your job. If I, as an interviewer, can't get your full attention for a few minutes, what will it be like once you have the job? "<br /><br />Chris Laggini, vice president of human resources for information-technology service provider DLT Solutions, echoes Duperval's sentiment, saying, "Bringing or using a cell phone or BlackBerry during an interview would only indicate to the interviewer a general lack of respect and good judgment, and would indicate that they would exhibit the same behavior during working hours if they were to be hired." <br /><br />Laggini adds that the only acceptable reason for bringing a cell phone to an interview is if you need to be connected to receive an emergency call of some kind. In that case, he suggests that you discuss the matter with the interviewer beforehand. <br /><br />So what's the best way to make sure your phone doesn't interrupt your interview? Leave it at home or in your car. That way, you'll be assured that your phone won't disrupt your interview. <br /><br />If you have other obligations that day and can't leave your phone at home, or if you take public transportation and can't leave it in the car, at least make sure you turn your phone off before going into the interview. Sue Thompson, a career consultant and founder of Set Life Free Seminars, provides the following advice to her clients: "Become proficient with your phone's voice mail setup so you are able to quickly record a new voice mail [greeting] as you go into a meeting or interview, something along the lines of, 'I'm about to go into a meeting. I will return your call by 4 p.m.' Then turn it off."<br /><br />Despite our best intentions, though, sometimes -- like in my own interview -- plans go awry. Should your cell phone unexpectedly ring in the middle of your conversation, Duperval advises that you apologize and quickly silence the phone or turn it off. "Most phones have a button that allows you to send the caller to voice mail or to silence the phone immediately. As long as you don't answer the phone or say, 'Oh! I have to take this,' the interviewer should understand," he says.<br /><br />By Kaitlin Madden writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, "The Work Buzz." She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Should You Leave Your Cell at Home During an Interview?

True story: After a move to a new city, I finally land a job interview after weeks of sending out résumés. The company offers good pay and great benefits -- not to mention that the job is right up my alley and right down the street from my apartment.…

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Putting Yourself in the Interviewer's Seat Can Give You an Advantage

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/wb/ar5l4kt6k5061j39ygwb.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" gu="true" src="http://emj.icbdr.com/artieimages/wb/ar5l4kt6k5061j39ygwb.gif" /></a></div>By Alison Craig, author of "Hello, Job!" <br /><br />What did you think of your last interviewer? Did you feel as if you were mortal enemies? Or were you on the same team? I know that can sound extreme, but many people view a job interview as a fight or a competition -- a duel of wits. Actually, it's just a conversation and collaboration to find the best candidate for the job. <br /><br />So have you ever thought about the job interview process from the interviewer's perspective? As a job seeker, you are more concerned about yourself and your personal needs. That is natural, but this selfish attitude could stop you from getting what you need and want: a job. <br /><br />A job interview is like a graceful dance in which two people come together and find out whether they are in sync. There are three main components to all job interviews at any level: <br /><br />1. Your personal agenda.<br /><br />2. The company's agenda.<br /><br />3. The common ground you both stand on. <br /><br />Now here is the thing: The interviewer already sees and understands all sides. And if you as the job seeker can see the different sides as well, you could have an edge on your competition. You'll be able to communicate more effectively about how you can help the company and how you are the perfect fit for the position.<br /><br />First think about that common ground. What do you and the interviewer have in common? To begin with, you both want to fill the position. You both want to be working rather than looking for that right fit. See yourself as being on the same side as the interviewer. The more you can find out in your research about the company (and the specific interviewer when possible), the more common ground you are likely to find.<br /><br />Next, think about the motives: yours and the company's. Have a clear idea about what you are looking for and why you're well-suited for the job. That sounds obvious, but if you're coming from a desperate any-job-will-do place, you won't be convincing. <br /><br />What is the company's agenda? There will be specifics for each job, and remember that all companies are looking for two things: flexibility and loyalty.<br /><br />How flexible are you? Are you willing to take on new tasks to help the company or are you only going to do what is strictly written in your job description? The more you're willing to grow and stretch as the company grows, the more valuable you will be.<br /><br />Loyalty also matters. As much as you don't want to keep looking for a job, a company doesn't want to keep training new employees. It's costly to keep replacing and retraining. So if you are loyal by nature, and you want to grow with a company and be there through thick and thin, then you are an ideal candidate. <br /><br />So is that the end of it? Know what the company wants and mirror it, right? Not so fast! If you don't have qualifications, or you don't believe in the mission of the company, be honest and upfront. That will make you memorable, you both will know where everyone stands, and you won't waste each other's time. You're helping the employer find the right person for the job, and if you aren't it, simply say so. <br /><br />It might be tempting to say whatever will land you any job, but by lying, you could you get stuck in a job that isn't right for you and end up looking for a job all over again. What's even more likely is that you won't land the job anyway. Your body language, that nonverbal communication, will rat on you. There's even a TV show on the Fox Network about this very thing, "Lie to Me." You may lie with your words, but you cannot lie with your body. <br /><br />So what is your personal agenda? Do you want the job or just the money? When you apply for a job, are you thinking about how you can help the company and whether you're just what they are looking for? Companies want people who want to work, want to grow, want to help and want to be proactive. If you are such a person, it will show. <br /><br />So as you prepare and polish for your interview, practice seeing yourself from the other side of the desk, and go in knowing that you and the interviewer are on the same team, simply finding the right match for the job.<br /><br /><a class="addthis_button" href="http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&username=rockfordlink"><img alt="Bookmark and Share" height="16" src="http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/v2/lg-share-en.gif" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" width="125" /></a><script src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/250/addthis_widget.js#username=rockfordlink" type="text/javascript"></script>

Putting Yourself in the Interviewer's Seat Can Give You an Advantage

By Alison Craig, author of "Hello, Job!" What did you think of your last interviewer? Did you feel as if you were mortal enemies? Or were you on the same team? I know that can sound extreme, but many people view a job interview as a fight or a compet…

Read more »