Career Coach and Career Coaching Articles

By Carol Harris-Fike, NCOC, PCC and author of "5 Life Energies: The Choice You Have in How Energy Shapes Your Life" ©2009. May 8th is the U.S. celebration of mothers everywhere. May 7th will be my mother's Memorial Service in celebration of her 90 years of life on this earth. In preparation for my part in this celebration, I thought of the gifts she gave me. There is one I desire to share with all of you. (If you are interested in more about Mother, I'd be glad to share all my thoughts. Email me carol@yourlifefromhere.com) Julia A Wade Harris, 1920-2011

You’ve hung your shingle outside your front door and are excited at the thought of the work you’ll be doing to support your clients. However, excitement soon turns to dread when you realise that prior to being of service to your clients, you need to become skilled in not only marketing, but also in the selling of your services – with the latter being an activity that makes you cringe. Can you relate?

One of the most commo "screw-ups" when it comes to the successful use of the Law of Attraction is believing in scarcity. Believing that you better grab a piece of the pie because there is only one pie and that is not enough for everybody! It starts as a young child, especially if you have ...

Ever been fired and it was a complete surprise? If you have, it shouldn’t have been. You missed the cues. Whether you created it or the company decided it, you lost control of your career. Frequently those two are intertwined, and if you don’t dissect the experience, you may recreate it.

Several years ago when I was preparing to start my own business I decided to take an accounting class. I took the course at a local college. Each week I set out for the school which was in a nearby city after working a full day. I drove during rush hour and left more than enough time to ...

“Do you have any questions?” When this question is asked in the interview, surprisingly, the most common answer is “No.” Not only is this the wrong answer, you have missed an opportunity to find out information about the company. It is important for you to ask questions; not just any questions, but questions relating to the job, the company, and the industry. Example: Two candidates are interviewing for the same job. They are both asked the same question - “Do you have any questions?”

Sometimes some professions are closely related, performs similar kinds of tasks, yet the major difference they share gets ignored. Interpreter and Translators are closely related linguistic disciplines and both deals with language translation skills. Before considering the differences, the similarities can be discussed. Both these professions being closely related need profound professional qualifications and experience as well as a very professional and accurate knowledge of

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own."- Benjamin Disraeli You have probably heard it said many times that mentoring is a very helpful experience for both parties involved. I agree! I wholeheartedly recommend that you seek out ...

Margaret Thatcher was born on 13th October 1925 at 9.00am in Grantham, England. Her Sun is placed in Libra, her Moon in Leo and the Ascendant in Scorpio. With Sun, Mercury and Mars in Libra, Thatcher was a natural diplomat and politician. She knew how to keep her cool, even when violently angry. This is the energy of Libra, able to keep its head and remember the importance of interacting with others in a calm, rational manner, even when one is focused on getting one's own way.

What resumes can’t do

If you want to find work that is meaningful, fulfilling and exciting then it is time to reawaken your ability to dream. Most of us used to dream big at one time or another. We dreamed of being a movie star, sports hero, a princess or the richest person on the planet. Then we begin hearing ...

In a meeting with an alumni group, a young man stands up and tells me his “MBA is broken.” He goes on to say that it hasn’t done anything for his career. My response to him was that the MBA is blind. Of course, the expression on his face was pure bewilderment. As I began to elaborate on that comment, his expression changed drastically. Here’s what I offered to help him understand the issue with the MBA’s vision.

“What is a marketing?” is a commonly asked question. Here’s a simple answer that you can take action on immediately in order to increase your sales. Marketing is what you do to get interested people in front of you. Sales is what you do when you have a prospect on the phone, or standing in front of you. Several years ago, I used to be really confused between the two terms until a leading marketing consultant offered that simple distinction. If you’re asking a question about marketing you’re probably interested in how to increase sales.

Nobody will stop you in the hallway at work to ask if your career provides meaning and personal fulfillment. Recognizing that something’s missing in your vocational life and taking the initiative to change must come from within. Serena Williamson found a way to turn her passion — helping ...

I found myself standing in the middle of a spectacular ballroom in Long Beach, Califo ia. It was an astonishing scene. Trailblazers Billie Jean King and Gloria Steinem stepped forward. So did entertainment names like Rachael Ray and Jennifer Lopez. As did CNN media great Christiane Amanpour. ...

We are, once again, in the aftermath of the Winter Holiday Season and recovery and resolutions are everywhere. This time of the year can be so stressful for everyone, perhaps even more so, to families adjusting to divorce. Newly single-again parents have been struggling to bring the joy and security of the holidays to family and friends.

FEAR: It stops us dead in our tracks. It’s at the root of our conflicting intentions. We know it well. Or, do we? Fear is not something we like. In fact, it is something that we do our best to avoid feeling, if at all possible. We don’t like feeling fear, so most of us play small enough ...

Are you looking for a sales job? Do you want to start a successful and profitable sales career? It’s not just enough to scour the sales vacancies; you need to know that you have the skill set and experience recruiters are looking for. It’s one thing to be a great salesman, but are you a great salesman in the right area? Many industries are becoming increasingly specialised, so you need to know the area in which you’re working. Take a sales job in the building sector, fo

Every August, new faculty and staff arrive on campus, to begin their new jobs. The month is packed full of meetings and preparations, and soon enough fades into memory, as freshman orientation passes, classes begin, and at some schools, football and tailgating roll into town. For new staff and faculty, the excitement soon gives way to routines and normalcy, and eventually, a feeling of being at home. But what should you do if September rolls around, and despite all your best efforts, you still don't have a job? First, don't give up.

How honest should you be when you’re interviewing? Unequivocally one hundred percent honest. But don’t confuse honesty with showing all your cards or not utilizing the power of presentation. Nor does honesty mean volunteering your dark secrets – perceived or otherwise - from the moment you walk through the door.

Are you wanting to switch careers or explore new job options? Perhaps you are unhappy with your current career, but unsure of what your options are. Maybe you have so many options that you feel overwhelmed. Whatever your situation, taking some time out for a self-evaluation prior to making ...

In growing your business have you accepted people you don't like as clients because you believed you needed to? Sometimes small business owners are not confident enough to say no to people who they don't like even if the person fits other criteria of their ideal client. How have the business relationships with people you don't like worked out? As a trained mediator and through business coaching and life coaching, I know most of my clients experienced some of these relationshi

Although interview preparation is everything it's sad to say that perhaps as many as half of all interviewers you’re going to meet will be unprepared or incompetent. It’s not all their fault, it's just lack of interview preparation time or responsibility; some of them will be co-opted at the last minute to meet you and won’t have had time to prepare. However there are those who just think they’re great interviewers and fly by the seat of their pants!! It’s not all bad news though; you can turn this to your advantage.

Whenever the students are thinking about jobs after passing graduation, the first thing that probably comes to their minds is going to cities like Chennai, Hyderabad or even Pune. What makes these cities the favourite haunt for job seekers is a blend of many reasons, all of which point out to the basic fact that IT jobs for freshers in Chennai, Hyderabad and others are found in plenty. Companies which are related to information technology and computer related activities are o

A roadblock is something that blocks progress or prevents accomplishment of an objective, according to Merriam-Webster. With regards to our career, roadblocks are things that keep us from new opportunities, advancement, raises and bonuses, new jobs and recognition. These obstacles keep us from getting the rewards we seek. They can be internal or exte al. Some we can see. Some we don’t. One year ago we began to take a look at the roadblocks many of us face in reaching our career goals.

I came to North Carolina on a quest for beauty. My vision was of beautifully cared for communities with green trees, sunshine, clean streets and warmth. Beauty, to me, meant vibrancy, new, colorful, pretty exteriors, and manicured lawns. It also meant natural surroundings like trees, parks, ...

As 2008 begins, it’s the perfect opportunity for a Career Tune-up. The New Year provides a natural time to evaluate how your career progressed over the past year and to determine what you want for the year ahead. Investing time in assessment and planning will enable you to have a greater ...

It’s no secret that your business needs to have a really great office. This is actually pretty key for helping to make the workforce more productive, as well as ensuring that the business runs smoothly. You probably didn’t realize that the office was such an essential component in the daily running of the business, but it can really make a huge difference. That’s why it’s important to always look for ways of improving and changing the office to turn it into what youâ€

Creating future leaders for business is on the verge of becoming a crisis. Three reasons reign supreme on the subject: it limits power and threatens the future, companies aren’t good at it and the qualities of tomorrow’s leader are nothing short of the modern day Da Vinci.

1.I don't trust myself to choose the RIGHT business or career. The fear of making the wrong choice can freeze you into inaction. So often we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to have THIS career choice be the perfect one. Give yourself a break! If you are following your heart and your ...

Why to retire? Retirement has traditionally meant to stop working and to enjoy leisure time. Nowadays, more people have reasons to never retire. One of them is the need to continue making an income. First, you have to consider my definition of working which I call vocation. This is work which calls you, the type of activity that makes you to fill your day doing things which you care deeply about. This is the area where you want to make a difference and give you much joy.

I just received my 2011 date book in the mail. I’m one of those old-fashioned people who still use a paper calendar. I carry it with me everywhere and I feel as if it is ‘my life.’ I do worry about my archaic scheduling method at times since it can’t be backed up. What would happen if I lost it?

One of the most challenging aspects of making a career change is learning how to harness your dreams and make them happen. Bring your fantasy of "the perfect career for me" back down to earth and turn it into a workable plan that you can knock out step by step. I suggest you begin by setting ...

The MBA Program is considered as the most sought-after program today. However, it is important to keep in mind which university you are pursuing this program along with other features. Therefore is important to consider a destination of study smartly before applying. By pursing this program in a developed nation like Canada or New Zealand can give you a quality education allowing you to gain practical knowledge, competitive work opportunities and even opportunities to get PR in these countries along with New Zealand.

Counselling psychology is the largest specialty area within psychology. The Society of Counselling Psychology describes this field as “…a psychological specialty that facilitates personal and interpersonal functioning across the lifespan with a focus on emotional, social, vocational, educational, health-related, developmental and organizational concerns.” Those pursuing or wanting to pursue counselling psychology as a career will find a large vista of optional career pa

Unlike other industries, the Scrap metal industry has been immensely successful in achieving a reputation of its own. Today, more and more people are choosing to sell scrap metals so as to encourage metal recycling, which in a way helps in the effective conservation of the environment. In this article, I will be providing you with an overview about the truth of the Scrap metals industry. The growing usage of metals in almost everything has made the Scrap metals trade as one o

It’s not that complex In the last ten years of working with mid-life adults on finding the right work which aligns interests and abilities, I have come to the conclusion that the criteria for the RIGHT work is very similar. Make a living and make it interesting

You hate your job, but what specifically? Take this structured approach to get some clarity, and identify some action to take. It's unlikely you hate everything, there must be something that is good, and other elements that are ok. Take some time (perhaps over the weekend) and put down in ...

A big part of setting up a home-based business involves marketing your business and building a clientele. Your marketing efforts boil down to either an investment in money or time. When starting out, you are likely on a shoestring budget so a good approach is to devote time learning about low-cost and no-cost marketing strategies. One low-cost marketing strategy is to become the perceived expert in your field. Word-of-mouth can become your primary method of advertising when you are the perceived expert at the type of work you do.

Just last week, one of my favorite clients received a major honor: She learned she is among just five associates in her Fortune 500 Company selected to present at the organization’s national sales conference. The event, which will be held in California this March, is attended by more than 3200 sales professionals and their leaders from across the entire company. For any associate, this would be considered an incredible honor, but for my client it is a dream come true. Not s

Before you start to counsel owners about home improvements, remember these two rules: * First and foremost, never counsel before you are hired. Counseling happens after a client-relationship is established. Atto eys don’t offer legal advice before their services have been officially retained. Doctors don’t diagnose without assurance of compensation. Realtors should follow suit. Wait until the listing agreement is signed.

What system could you set up which you could do everyday that would take you small steps closer to what you want to achieve?

In the northern hemisphere July is in full swing with the robust growth of spring garden seedlings that burst through in the summer. The world is changing around us, whether we like it or not. Are you gaining momentum, too, or are your thoughts crowded with the exuberance of the season? Nature’s exuberance is often riotous and unfocused. An effective gardener knows when to prune back new growth from areas that will not benefit the plant, and to train new shoots in desired d

Do you sometimes find that as soon as you take that leap and decide to make a positive career change, you’re met with criticism and resistance from those around you? They tell you why it’s a bad idea and try to persuade you not to follow your dream. Luckily, it only seems that way. One of the ...

Big projects are daunting, whether it's a strategic plan, a screenplay, a new business plan or a book. Although you want to complete it, you find that things prevent you from attaining the goal - getting it done. During a large project it's easy to become distracted. Procrastination sets in, ...

Tom Hess, professional guitarist, musician in the virtuoso metal band Rhapsody Of Fire and international guitar teacher shares his perspective on reaching a major level of success in the guitar teaching profession. Did you ever ask yourself why you are not as successful as your local guitar teaching competition? If so, you are not alone. Most guitar teachers are very concerned about how they stack up to their competition. The truth is, regardless of how well others in your lo

The statistic alone tells an interesting story—it’s estimated that 75 percent of folks wake-up on Monday morning uninspired about what they do for a living. In response to this epidemic, a plethora of experts, consultants and coaches are making their living telling us how to solve this unfortunate phenomenon. Most of the advice, I believe, isn’t getting to the root cause of why so many individuals aren’t able to bring their hearts to the office. We are afraid.

Truckers are the lifeline of any economy or market. They provide an essential service by transporting finished goods and raw material over land. It carries tons of loads from manufacturing site to retail and distribution centers. Whenever I think of a trucker one masculine image appears on my thought who took all the responsibility of prompt services essential to run and manage a market. Well I am not talking about local market I am depicting the world market in a nutshell. T

Congratulations, you landed the interview! Now - you need to make a great impression. Are you digging through your closet? Asking everyone you know what you should wear? What kind of tie do you put on? What should you do with your hair? If you’re getting differing opinions, here are some simple guidelines to help - plus two things not everyone considers but employers do notice: 1. Dress for the job you want, not the job you currently have. If the industry is more formal, dress accordingly. If the position is a step up from your current one, dress better than you normally would.

What five tips would you have for women to get the best possible health care possible and feel empowered with doctors? 1. Recognize that medicine is considered BIG business today and treat it as such. If you hire a contractor to do something for you in your home, you are paying their bill, ...