I actually think that the concept of career planning is a little dated. ‘Planning’ infers a set-in-stone plan that one follows through thick and thin. In the days of previous generations and jobs for life this was probably a great thing to do, but today we need to think a little more creatively.

I encourage the people I work with to be Career Explorers because explorers have or do the following:

Extreme self awareness

They know their strengths and what they stand for. They recognise their courage to push themselves and others towards a goal and acknowledge their limitations. The latter of course can be challenged and stretched. The first stage of being a Career Explorer is to assesses yourself to ensure that you know what you offer and want, both technically and culturally.

Consider options

Self awareness allows you to consider the options you have. There are no shortcuts though; this is a phase of investigation. You’ll need to explore the job types, companies, traditional and new career paths, qualifications, cultures, locations and more. We all know that HR is different in every organisation, so talk, network and be curious; find out what is happening out there and which style of practice, leadership or project suits you best. Career Explorers will continually be refreshing their knowledge in this area, even when their current role is going well.

Set Goals

Every explorer has their goal; something to work towards and aim for. This provides the vital ingredient to this process – purpose. If you are able to define the purpose behind what you are doing this allows the clarity and motivation to make it happen. But let’s be sure of what we mean by purpose. Great Career Explorers recognise that their purpose, like ambition, can be about breadth of contribution or self development, rather than needing to be a hierarchical climb. And exploring, unlike planning, allows for unexpected elements to come in to play, be considered and adopted. The road to your goal should rarely be a straight one.

“One giant leap…”

Explorers are people who know their goal and actually take the steps towards it. They may have to fight off cynics and blockers, but they will take action. A Career Explorer who does not take action is simply a dreamer – someone who is waiting for things to happen to them and their careers will drift and wither. How do we ensure that we take action? Well, I suggest you share your purpose or goal with an influential character in your life. I often find that the contents of employees’ PDP’s are very different to what they personally are trying to achieve. This should not be the case. Share your thoughts, be judged on your progress and achievement and commit to succeed.

Evaluate

Explorers will constantly evaluate and fine tune their progress. Is this the right path? What else could I have done? Why am I not seeing success? Let’s celebrate what worked really well! Career Explorers are always conscious of what they are doing and how this leads to the next milestone. The best explorers kept a journal – find a modern day equivalent to keep tabs on interesting aspects of your journey and keeping on top of the attainment of the goals. Stagnating and drifting are not options in this competitive workplace, so ‘career consciousness’ is a mindset to value.

If you have not assessed yourself and your options, then now is the time to do so; best done with the support of a professional career expert. This lays the foundations for your journey. Career Exploring is a mindset that one has to adopt, based on inquisitiveness, continuous development and aspiration. To get on in your career you must want to achieve, so if you do then take action to make the most of your skills, influence and contribution. In 2015 look back and recognise the shift, not the drift.

At The Career Gym we are proud that our clients truly get to explore and discover new aspects of their career and lives that make a real difference. Call us and make 2012 a year of exploration.

Originally written by The Career Gym on Changeboard, the leading HR job board and career advice site.
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For many candidates CV writing is a chore and they simply add to previous templates that served them well in the past. Things have certainly moved on and people need to approach their CV’s in a fresh way. One area in particular is the traditional first section ‘Personal Profile’.

If we look at the CV as your ‘advertisement’, the advert needs a strap-line; a hook that appeals and makes the reader want to read more. The Personal Profile is the perfect place for this, but so many candidates fail to impress straight away.

A recruiter, on first sift will probably give the front page of your CV no more than a 15 second scan. Can they immediately pick out relevant, differentiating and quality aspects that they are looking for? If yes, they’ll read on, if no – well, you know what happens!

What impression do you get from the following typical Personal Profile?

Fifteen years HR operations manager level experience in various organisations, with a mix of strategic and operational experience. I am a friendly and honest proactive person, who is adaptable and conscientious. Being a good communicator contributes to my ability to problem solve and I am an effective team player but also a person who can work effectively as an individual.  I am able to multi task and work well under pressure and I am willing to work hard to accomplish tight deadlines.

My opinion is that it is flawed in a number of ways:

1. Recruiters are unlikely to take the time to read this block of text.
2. It doesn’t really say anything of value – nothing stands out.
3. It says the same as so many other profiles.
4. It really isn’t well written.

So what do I suggest?

Well, we live in a world of sound bites and Tweets and people want information that is quick and easy to grasp. Read the profile above, then look away and say what you took from it. I guarantee you’d only remember odd phrases like ‘friendly and honest’; ‘team player’ etc. If this is the way our brains are wired, shouldn’t we be presenting the information in this way?

In my view the Personal Profile should be a set of short phrases that highlight what your strengths are and show that these relate to the brief. Ideally they should be tabulated with white space around so they can be picked up immediately when a reader scans the page.

It is inevitable that we will use some of the classic phrases i.e. ‘customer focused’, because job descriptions are full of these competencies, so if we are to highlight that we meet the spec, we do need to play some of them back. But do try to phrase them slightly differently.

Some good examples are:

• Influential and inclusive leader
• Astute commercial acumen
• Proven Board level influencer
• Engaging and clear communicator
• Consultative style of client management
• Driven by quality and integrity
• Inquisitive, analytical and decisive

The formatting of this blog does not allow me to tabulate them, which I would do in situ, 3 on the left and 3 on the right.

There are two immediate advantages to this format: Firstly you are highlighting, very simply, your strengths against the brief. This will get you noticed.

Secondly if you want to re-order or amend the strengths then it is a short and simple process rather than re-crafting a whole paragraph of prose.

The intention is to make your strengths jump off the page so that the reader immediately engages with the content. From all my years of reading CV’s and advising on them, this is the most successful way of conveying your personal profile in a strengths format. If you can do this, you will be one further step ahead of the competition!

I appreciate some people may not totally agree with me but many of my recruitment contacts love the simplicity and directness of this approach. Make their lives easy and you are half way to the interview!

Contact us at The Career Gym to have your CV reviewed and we can work with you to refocus the document on what is really important and attractive to recruiters.

Originally written by The Career Gym on Changeboard, the leading HR job board and career advice site.
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What is HR? This is a question that I have been asked so many times by those curious about the profession. Even those with some experience of the function are sometimes unaware of what it really offers. Let me offer my view of the function, having been immersed in HR for many years and have witnessed many different companies’ departments and working practices.

At an organisational level Human Resources is the department who have responsibility for devising and implementing strategies and policies relating to the management of individuals or employees.

On a more tactical level, HR professionals proactively get involved in:

• Managing talent within the business; in other words ensuring the best people are hired, ensuring talented employees are fulfilled and have a career path, ensuring people’s broad talents are maximised.
• Managing the development of the employees; ensuring they receive the correct induction and training as well as continuous learning as their careers evolve. At senior levels being a coach for the company leadership.
• Managing people’s reward; people like to be paid so the company has to offer and provide an attractive and competitive salary, incentives and benefits package. The complex but routine process of payroll management is also vital.
• Managing employee disputes. This could be negotiating with unions on a national scale or facilitating disciplinary or grievance action at a local level. Employee relations work will involve a good working knowledge of employment law.
• Managing change. Advising on restructures, organisational designs and working processes.
• Writing policies and procedures for all working practices including managing international mobility.
• At all levels being a confidante to the internal population you have responsibility for.
• Working with the HR Information System, which is an essential source of management information.

So, lots of technical areas to get involved in. HR has a privileged position of having access to all areas of the business. Credibility therefore is a must.

There was a time when HR, or Personnel as it was called, was there as a reactive service, often offering what was colloquially called ‘tea and sympathy’. Through the last 10 years or so HR has evolved beyond recognition to become a recognised Business Partner function. Business Partnering means just that – partnering your commercial colleagues in matters of people management. This is not however in a reactive way- this is proactive opportunity spotting, finding commercial solutions to people issues.

Being just a ‘people person’ no longer cuts it – the HR competencies as I define them for 2012 and beyond are as follows:

Commercial Acumen - Understanding business/competitors/the market, financial aspects and contributing to broader strategy.

Consultancy Skills – Listening, questioning, challenging and advising. Project management and being solutions led. Being able to delegate transactional work.

Relationships/Stakeholder Management – Being customer focused. Clarity about who the real stakeholders are; why and how are you building relationships with them?

Proactivity, Strategic and Pre-emptive – Spotting opportunities and acting upon them.

External Focus – Networking. What is the competition doing? Benchmark your activities and bring fresh perspectives to the business.

Innovation – When was the last time you suggested a new way of doing things? Creativity is the key to future impact and success.

Persuasion/Influence – Convince me that you can really turn someone’s mind around!

Delivery/Outputs and Measurement – Delivery focus, performance improvement. Demonstrate and measure your success – show a real Return on Investment to your customers.

Courageous Conviction – Passionately believe in what you are doing. Have the courage of your convictions to ensure HR will add tangible value to the business.

Change Management – Understand the key drivers for change and live the above competencies and you will naturally drive change and progress.

If you would like support in starting an HR career or would like some coaching on developing your HR career, The Career Gym is set up to assist. Do make contact and we can discuss how we might be able to help.

There’s no doubting it, I’m a realist. I hear stories from many clients and recruitment contacts about their experiences in the current job market and I know it’s tough. But I am a realist with an optimistic streak. I don’t have my head in the clouds, but I do strongly believe that if we really want something we can work hard to achieve it – no matter the economic climate.

Developing a better career or working towards gaining a new role certainly fits into that category. But unfortunately many people don’t focus on the right things to make a difference. Through my years of commercial roles, headhunting and career coaching I have realised that those who successfully achieve their goals get the basics right. The fads come and go – the essentials remain, slowly evolving.

So the best career advice is………

Get the basics right! 

The basics:

1. Know yourself.

Self awareness. How often do we honestly sit down and think about ourselves. It’s usually supporting family, friends or colleagues with their issues or interests. When was the last time you truly reflected on what you are great at; how you really add value at work; why others respond to you in a certain way? To move forwards you must understand who you are. Learn how to articulate your strengths, values, motivators and career or life decisions.

2. Know what you want.

Easier said than done, but again, you must take some time to plan. In business you wouldn’t set off on a growth plan without a strategy, so why do so many ignore this activity in their career planning? Knowing yourself will enlighten you to what roles, sectors or work styles may suit. Look at the options; get excited and put a plan in place to drive towards that end goal.

3. The right contacts

We go through the years meeting many people. Some may come in very useful now, or some time in the future.  As c70% of roles or promotions are currently filled through referral, nurturing your network is essential. Maintain contact with as many as you can, using LinkedIn or similar tools, but be sure to offer as much advice as you seek. Good networkers ‘give’ a lot to their contacts and favours are then returned. Make sure you attend the right events to keep growing your contact pool.

4. Build the right reputation

What are you known for within your business? Are you comfortable that this is appropriate and can be career enhancing? What else could you do to internally raise your profile? Are you putting yourself forward for visible projects and are you pushing your comfort zone? Externally, are you someone who others would like to get to meet? Create your own positive profile by seeking speaking opportunities, contributing to industry or functional debates, building a useful network group to share ideas or solve problems. Have an opinion – it doesn’t have to be radical but fresh thinking is always warmly received.

5. Take action

The world is moving fast and we have to be active to keep up. We have to take accountability for our own future, so waiting for things to happen is denying that responsibility. Define your own ambition and be courageous – take the first step towards carving your own success. Be mindful of others of course, but this is about you. Only you can make this happen, whether by giant leaps or small steps. Finally make it fun – you will be far more motivated if you can work through this journey with a smile on your face, so at your planning stage be sure to add a spoonful of enjoyment!

At The Career Gym, we understand these basics and help many people get them right. Developing your career has to be a conscious activity and it can be tough to do it alone. We are professional Career Coaches who enjoy working through the journey with you, offering challenge and constructive thought on which you can build your ideas. This may lead to CV writing and interview practice, but to stay true to what we suggest…let’s go one step at a time!

Originally published on Changeboard, the leading HR job board and career advice site.
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To better yourself internally you are likely to have to enhance your impact and earn even greater respect. In the external market many headhunters will be requiring you to prove how influential you have been, so I thought it may be helpful to highlight a few ways in which I have seen this done.

Influencing is about understanding yourself and the impact or effect you have on others. It is certainly not coercion, manipulation or bullying people into submission! The art of course is to bring people with you and engage them so that they become champions of the cause.

So what do great influencers do?

• They know their ‘audience’. To influence you need to understand the other person’s hot buttons; what’s in it for them? The influencer has researched, listened and thought through beneficial outcomes before attempting to persuade anyone else.
• They are able to easily modify their personal style whilst still being true to themselves. It’s a fine line but changing behaviour is the key, not changing how you feel or who you are.
• Building a rapport is essential. Friendly and warm to some groups, more logical and factual with others, but always consulting; listening, questioning and showing great interest in their views. State your thoughts in broad terms to allow others to make a creative contribution to the thought process.
• Influencers will appeal to peoples’ expertise. Not only is it good to have their specialist input but we all love to be encouraged to share our expertise and often feel engagement as a result!
• Those who succeed in influencing others are confident in what they are proposing. It doesn’t mean they are rigid, but they state their cause clearly and positively. For some groups this self confidence gives the direction and clarity they need to make their decision. People move towards those who are suitably self assured.
• They practice what they preach; lead by example and demonstrate the values and behaviours that others respect and aspire to.
• The best influencers are not shy of ‘influencing by numbers’; in other words they may gather a group of people together who share the vision and use the combined power of that group to encourage the sceptics to join. This is often best achieved if a high profile person or two are within the initial group.
• We find it hard to join with someone if our values are very different from theirs. To influence some groups you will need to engage them in a values-led way, appealing to their own passions, emotions and drivers. Trust is built and a common understanding reached.

Above all, people like being around those who use their influencing skills well. There’s a kind of excitement, or sense that things happen when they’re around. The reason is that they don’t sit around wishing things were different while moaning that there is nothing they can do about it.

Truly excellent influencing skills require a healthy combination of interpersonal, communication, presentation and assertiveness techniques.

So next time you are faced with a situation that draws on your influencing skills, it will probably pay dividends to take stock and think about those you are influencing and what it is that they require. Bring people with you willingly and you’ll create a ground-swell of like minded champions.

At the Career Gym we recognise that influencing is only one small part of being a great commercial practitioner. We have expert knowledge of the key career competencies and have successfully worked with many people to help them realise their career potential.

The highlight was that for those individuals wanting to further their commercial knowledge (and let’s face it, this is a priority in most HR Functions), their preferred choice for gaining this development was to have a mentor. The respondents acknowledged the power of these relationships, the learning opportunity and the potential direct outputs. Why then did only 32% actually have a mentor?

What we have discovered is that many individuals don’t know who to approach as a mentor and are not able to clearly articulate what they would like to get out of the relationship. Time is tight and there is also a potential cost implication. We are currently researching how we can make mentoring, or indeed mentors, more accessible to organisations so that these difficulties can be overcome and this need can be fulfilled. Keep in touch to find out more!

Mentoring however comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. There is one model that I have come across that is proving to be exceptionally beneficial. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to employ a highly niche mentor to help you on a specific strategic issue, or support you on a complex project?

The Career Gym is a strategic partner with Sylvia Doyle who runs Reward First® People Consulting which provides HR Directors and leaders with a tailored mentoring service around the challenging area of Reward. This is not hiring a consultant to do the job for you, but a Reward mentor to help guide your thinking, coach through options and drive tangible outcomes that leave you successful and better educated to face future challenges.

She has been kind enough to share a recent case study with us that explains her offering:

The situation: The client company is a leading provider of specialist services in the UK with clients in the private and public sector. In 2010, the HR Director faced significant challenges on their reward agenda following a recent merger. With growing scrutiny from the board and remuneration committee, the priority was to achieve a timely yet sustainable solution that was affordable.

The approach: The HR Director initially considered buying-in consultancy, though with tight financial budgets and staff reductions in the pipeline, this was not appropriate. When the opportunity arose for 1:1 reward mentoring, although a new concept, its tailored approach offered a viable answer. The HR Director used initial reward mentoring sessions to untangle conflicting reward, HR and business issues to reach an informed diagnosis and set realistic goals. Further sessions focused on the review of live issues and ‘road testing’ different scenarios and their implications on staff, shareholders and the remuneration committee.

The outcome: The mentoring was guided to the HR Director’s specific needs and resulted in a successful plan of action which was endorsed by the senior management and board. The concluding 1:1 sessions addressed the practicalities of implementation, with the 1:1 reward mentoring providing an expert sounding board with relevant challenge. While this support helped overcome the inevitable road blocks, it increased confidence and support to successfully lead and manage the challenging reward issues.

This highlights the fact that mentoring can be flexible but very targeted. One issue that people face when considering mentoring is that it can become un-focused, as most people have such a wide range of issues to deal with. Specialist mentoring such as that above enables a focused approach to supplement the HR professional’s existing level of expertise. My own view is that this model is a wonderful win-win opportunity.  Contact Sylvia through www.reward-first.com 
or http://uk.linkedin.com/in/sylviadoyle

It’s one thing to be a mentee, but another being the mentor. …or is it?  In our survey, those that were already a mentor gave their time willingly, not only to ‘give something back’ but to actually learn from the mentee. It is such a two way relationship for both sides that the networking, knowledge sharing and development opportunities are far more balanced than one might immediately think.

Being a mentor or a mentee can be career enhancing and I would encourage anyone interested to proactively find out what benefits it can offer you.

We will be publishing our survey results shortly. If you would like to receive a copy of the report please contact Paul Deeprose via The Career Gym website.

Sure, career development is not a ‘straight line’ activity; many external factors can knock you off your chosen path, but keeping sight of your goals, by means of working to a career strategy, can mean that your ambitions are always in focus.

How many people can honestly say that they have a career strategy? Just like any other business venture, a career path needs thought and planning and by setting a strategic journey you are far more likely to keep on track.

So what does it take to put a career strategy together? We have identified 6 stages that will allow you to gain clarity and direction:

Stage 1 – STOP!
Take a step back – a rare luxury these days I know, but you must find some breathing space to take stock and take off the blinkers of everyday routine. Allow yourself some dreaming time- what is the dream? What could your life look like if you were brave enough to pursue that dream? How much of that dream could fit into reality? This is your personal time, so take these thoughts as far as you wish; whether sitting at home, on a walk, travelling or lazing on a beach.

Stage 2 – Discover
Self awareness is the key to so many facets of success. This is the time to reflect on who you are, what you stand for and know what you have achieved. Work with a friend, colleague or career coach who can help you uncover the reasons for your success and develop your clear personal brand.  Look at your achievements, re-affirm your values, understand your competencies and strengths. It will be these things that will enable you to move forward.

Stage 3 – Research
There are no short cuts here. This essential phase will tell you what is possible and what is less realistic. Look at different roles within your function, or a completely different career and apply your strengths and values to these scenarios. How well do they fit? Research, network and consult to find out more about careers in your chosen field – what are the geographical, salary and skill implications? If you like that career path, where can you take it? What would denote success?

Stage 4 – Set objective
Be bold and courageous; set your clearly defined career objective.  Consider your ambition and remember that ambition is not just about hierarchy, it can also be about breadth of career and level of expertise. Consider your objective – is it too short term? If so, what is the longer term goal? Make it SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound). Write it down and declare it to those around you. That way you will take some real accountability for committing to it.

Stage 5 – Plan of Action
With the objective in place it is essential to establish your plan of action. What are the milestones? What are the actions you have to undertake to reach the milestones? Do write it as you would a corporate strategy and work with others to ensure the milestones are achieved. This does not have to be, or more accurately should not be, a private plan. Use others and share your vision. Plan what support you might need and what development you may benefit from along the way. Document it.

Stage 6 – Achieve and Review
Obviously a strategy is no good without implementation! In your busy life I would suggest that you work with your career strategy clearly in your consciousness. Regularly ask yourself if the actions you are undertaking contribute to the strategy. If not, how can you re-calibrate those actions to be useful? Take the strategy seriously and you will see the achievements mount up. If you are knocked from the path revisit Stage 4 and work forward from there. The plan may remain the same, or you may decide to alter it. Either is fine as long as the goal is defined.

…Stop for a second….and think whether you have a career strategy that has continuous momentum or will you be making the same old resolution again for 2012?

At The Career Gym we are experts in helping individuals through the detail of this process. Get your career back in shape; talk to us at The Career Gym.

Networking is about the building of relationships where there is some mutual benefit to be had: At work we do that internally all the time don’t we? – I would argue that you could not be successful without building and maintaining such relationships, so we get good at it; very good. At home we meet new people and use social networking sites to keep in touch and exchange information. I think that we are a generation that enjoys the benefits that all these scenarios can bring – so why the dread of ‘business’ networking?

I think the key to unlocking this problem is being clear on what you are looking to gain from the relationship. In my view networking is about the exchange of ideas and favours, so let’s look at a few situations where networking is essential:

Innovation

If I interview an HR professional who does not have a good external network, I’m immediately concerned about how innovative or creative they are – and innovation is a key HR competency these days. Sure, you can gain creative ideas internally but it is so beneficial to benchmark and cultivate ideas from businesses and cultures that are different, thereby challenging your thinking and leading to less traditional solutions. Businesses need fresh input and a healthy external network will give you access to such organisations.

Contacts

How much more confident are you in taking on a supplier or an employee who has been personally recommended to you? Using your contacts to confirm or add to your own thoughts is extremely powerful. There are commercial cost implications of making the correct choice, so your networking activity can directly contribute towards the bottom line.

Career moves

It is estimated that about 55% of vacancies are filled through unadvertised routes. In this market people are happier to hire people who are recommended to them and (let’s be honest) don’t cost them the head-hunter’s fee. If you are looking for a new role, you must be proactive in following up your contacts. Don’t ask people for a job; ask for their advice. Most people are really happy to help with advice and guidance and some will actually introduce you to prospective employers.

So how do we effectively build these relationships?

Remember to help others

Networking is two-way, so remember that it’s not all about you. Successful networkers look for opportunities to help others – the return favours will come.

Create Win-Win Situations

Spot opportunities to connect other people together. It is so appreciated if you make the first move. Win-win situations will result in longer, stronger relationships and more opportunities in the future.

Know What You Are Looking for.

Not everyone is the ideal person to have in your network. Take the time to figure out the characteristics or skills of the ideal person who you would like to be networked with – but think laterally; people on the fringes of your network often have very interesting perspectives.

Be Proactive

Don’t wait for others to come to you. Find ways to get to know others and be assertive with finding win-win situations. Successful networkers will be very proactive – it is part of their weekly routine. Reach out to others that you have identified as possible members of your network and get to know them. If you sit back and wait for others, you’re not likely to get much out of networking.

Be in the Right Places

Part of building a strong network is knowing where to be, and where to find others. Networking takes effort. You maximise the results of your efforts when you’re at the right place at the right time. Find out where other successful people in your field go (this can be a physical location, or it can be an online location that permits networking). Once you’ve found something that works for you, stick with it.

Building relationships is second nature to most of us. Plan it, be generous and enjoy the breadth of new input that will undoubtedly come from such activity. Use LinkedIn or any other tool to assist. Just remember that everyone knows that they need to network – if you start the ball rolling the recipient will more-than-likely be delighted to jump on the band wagon. What’s the worst that can happen?!

If you would like to build your self confidence in this field please do make contact.

GREAT candidates do the following:

• When researching the company in preparation, they have found the latest press releases or breaking news, googled the interviewer, looked at profiles on LinkedIn and subtly bring some of this learning into the interview answers or their questions.
• They are very self aware and know their own values and so can determine their own cultural fit to the business. If asked ‘why do you want to work here?’ they answer this by highlighting a match of skills and values which is very powerful.
• There is a natural inquisitiveness to a great candidate. The interview is a two-way process and if it can become more of a discussion, all the better.
• They know their achievements inside-out. They have prepared their CAR (see below) structure and can easily walk an interviewer through the story, always finishing with the outcome/result.
• *Key Learning – How to describe an ‘Achievement’
  • Briefly explain the project or task using the CAR technique.
  • What was the Context? What Action did you take? What was the Result?
• No matter what level the candidate is, my experience shows that so few people can do this effectively and by not having a structure, miss the one off opportunity to really impress.
• Even if the interview is more general and not competency-based, the great candidate will talk in an evidence focused way, bringing out examples of achievement to qualify their discussion.
• Great candidates communicate exceptionally well. They can talk through experiences without needing their CV in front of them or having a ‘portfolio’ of documents to show what they have done.
• Every candidate should have some nerves before an interview, but great candidates will get their ‘butterflies’ all flying in the same direction. Giving an impression of confidence in body language, facial expression and speech is critical, even if inside you may feel slightly differently. They are not afraid of silences and know when to stop talking. They will answer the question succinctly – if the recruiter needs more information they will ask; a waffler rarely gets the job.
• Great candidates have opinions and express them sensibly. The questions they ask at the end do not appear to be rehearsed (although often they are); the question may refer to something that has come up in the interview or makes reference to things that they have noticed or discovered whilst on site.
• Get well networked if you are not already. Great candidates bring varied opinions and know who to approach to add value to the organisation.
• Great candidates know their current package; know their worth and will negotiate their new package based on fact rather than fantasy. Great candidates are never greedy.

When individuals face a personal challenge in changing circumstances, redundancy or having to make difficult choices, finding their courage to tackle these circumstances and take action will determine their future path. For businesses to flourish in challenging times, Leaders need to inspire courageous behaviour and encourage a forward momentum that is driven with confidence and clarity.

So what does a courageous culture look like? I have devised 6 Acts of Courage that if promoted and supported will facilitate enhanced courageous behaviour:

The Courage to Believe
Have the courage to aim high and embrace the positive challenges you will undoubtedly face.

The Courage to Innovate
“Courage disposes people not to just think outside the box, but to live outside the box.” Try new things!

The Courage to Speak Up
Express opinions, give feedback and trust your judgement. You have unique talents; share them.

The Courage to Trust
Be trusting first, don’t force people to earn your trust. Relax your control; trust that others are
capable and want to do a good job. Work with integrity, humility, openness and honesty.

The Courage to Make Mistakes
Too few mistakes highlights complacency. Try things, make mistakes and learn from them.

The Courage to Take Action
Step over the line, build safety nets and the joy of success will far outweigh the fear of failure. As we ease our way out of this recession, whether individually finding a new role or developing your business to capitalise on new opportunities, courageous behaviour will be essential.

In a nutshell courageous behaviour is motivating oneself to above and beyond comfortable performance by focusing on the richest potential of every moment. When enough team members understand and commit to it, it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. If you and your team bring enthusiasm, energy, imagination, ambition and motivation to work, the results will take care of themselves.

“If you think you can do a thing, or you think you can’t, you are probably right” Henry Ford. Have the courage of your convictions and take on a new exciting phase in your life and career!

If I can help you find your courage or could help your team understand the benefits of courageous behaviour I would be delighted to have a conversation.