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Archives for August 2014

August 29, 2014 by Carrie Pinsky

Intentional Living – My August Facebook Challenge

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It was a rainy summer and my workload was heavy. I was trying to be happy about both of these things but as August approached I felt myself getting grumpy. Summer was passing me by. To make matters worse, I read in the Farmer’s Almanac that we were going to have an early and cold winter this year. Glum.

Keep in mind that I was born and raised in a place where summer comes early and where Indian Summer is a season all its own. The long, lazy days of summer fuel my creativity. It’s as if I need summer in order to store up enough energy to see me through the dark days of winter.

Not only that, but I am a career counselor who helps others create lives that make sense and feel good. What kind of example was I setting?

On August 1st, I gave myself a challenge. Despite the heavy workload, I set an intention to infuse every single day of the month with a little snippet of summer.

Thirty-one days later here is what I know for sure.

You won’t “find time” to do the things you want to do. You need to make time to do what matters most to you.

And you won’t even make the time unless you set a very clear intention about what it is you are trying to accomplish.

And, private intentions are well and good. But, what can really help is if you announce your intentions to the world.

One of the things that kept me on track was that I announced my challenge on Facebook.

I regretted this on more than one occasion. I offer a sincere apology to the friends who have had to endure my daily posts. On the other hand, I hope I have inspired others to take a look at what matters most to them.

Finally, think small! It was the little things such as lounging on my deck reading a stack of magazines that felt the most luxurious and decadent.

I did not want the self-imposed challenge to turn into work or pressure of any kind. It was easy-breezy summer joy that I was after. And that is what I found tucked here and there between all the other things that I need to do each day.

So, here my challenge for you. Look at what is not feeling good or making sense in your life. What could you do for 30 days straight to create a new habit and to begin living in closer alignment to the life of your dreams? To keep yourself honest, you may want to announce your intention on Facebook or perhaps you can find an accountability partner to share the journey.

August is just a few days from gone and you can feel a touch of fall in the air. Last night, we added an extra blanket to the bed! I am ready for fall and the winter that is just around the corner. I am no longer mourning the summer that almost passed me by. I am celebrating every single day and that is what makes sense and feels good to me.

 

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: career, dreams, journey, life, work

August 23, 2014 by Carrie Pinsky

Advancing Your Career Need Not Be a Solo Journey

Here is my most recent column in BizWest…Read it here or there!

Need Help? Ask!

Moving Your Career Forward Need Not be a Solo Journey

Independence is a highly valued quality in our society. We take great pride in being able to think and act for ourselves. There is definitely something to be said for being self-sufficient. However, sometimes we can be independent to a fault. When overused, this quality of independence quickly becomes a weakness.

I see this in my career counseling practice. People come to me after months or even years of trying to find a job “all by themselves.” Armed with a fresh résumé, a boost in self-confidence, a renewed process for connecting with others, and some expert interview coaching, they quickly begin getting solid offers.

Why do we struggle alone when help is often readily available? Sometimes we doubt that anyone can help us. Perhaps you reached out for help in the past and did not get the support you needed. We may imagine people are too busy. At the core, many of us believe that asking for help is a sign of weakness.

Achim Nowak, Founder and President of Influens, an international leadership training firm as well as the author of, “Infectious: How to Connect Deeply and Unleash the Energetic Leader Within,” believes we need to flip a switch in our brain so that we see asking for help as a sign of strength.”

Nowak adds, “The moment I ask for help, other forces of energy are being released that want me to be successful. I am giving others a chance to share in my success by offering their expertise and good will. These people then become my allies.”

Job seekers often express frustration about networking. It is easy to think, “Why would someone want to help me?”

According to Nowak, “Most people will feel honored to be asked to share their expertise. The request alone makes someone feels good. The moment we ask, collaborative goodwill kicks into motion. This kind of helping energy accelerates success – our own success and that of the person we ask.”

Still, asking for help takes skill and know-how. The first step is measuring our own level of readiness for help. If you lack confidence in your abilities, people will feel that.

We need to believe in ourselves before we enlist help from others. Nowak adds, “I don’t ask for help because I somehow feel deficient. I ask because it will enhance my experience and it will make the outcome stronger.”

The next step is being selective about who we go to for assistance. Are you looking for a friendly shoulder or could you benefit from professional coaching?

Turn to people who have a mindset of abundance. Abundant thinkers believe there is enough opportunity for everyone. Your success will not be seen as a threat but as a ripple of good in the world that leads to a greater overall experience for everyone.

Nowak advises, “Trust your instincts. It may be presumptuous to ask for significant help from someone you barely know. Assess the quality of the relationship as well as the nature of your request. Avoid going to people who are too busy or who don’t have the expertise to be of real help…choose your allies wisely.”

Finally, be very clear about your needs. In essence, consider how to help your helper. People want to be helpful and it is tremendously beneficial when you are specific in making a request. This sets others up to be successful in helping you.

When we sense someone’s passion and we clearly understand their needs, right away we begin offering ideas and resources. On the other hand, we can feel frustrated or irritated if someone is vague about what they need and we are unable to offer assistance.

For example, it is ineffective to ask for help “finding a job.” This is much too broad. A better approach is to say, “You have a lot of experience as a hiring manager. I am wondering if you would be willing to look at my résumé and give me some feedback about how to grab the attention of a recruiter?”

Nowak adds that, “Offering a clear context shows that you are focused and offers a framework for the conversation. Again, most people want to be helpful. When we are specific about our needs, we make it much easier for others to offer valuable assistance.”

When we follow these steps, asking for help is a way of acting on our dreams. It clarifies our position and shows that we are ready to move forward. We need to learn to ask for what we need and then give the world a chance to respond.

According to Nowak, “One of the ironies is that the more senior we are, the more pressure there is to act as if we know everything. Truly great leaders, at every level of their careers, are willing to be vulnerable. They recognize the value in considering multiple sources of information when making decisions.”

Stop and ask yourself, “What is one thing I need right now? What problem have I spent way too long trying to figure out on my own? What positive changes would occur if I were to receive the help I needed to move forward?”

Independence is a worthy value. Still, I would encourage you to tap into the power of connection. Consider how much farther you could go if you were to cultivate a greater sense of inter-connectedness with others.

Asking for help does not make you weak or needy. In fact, it does the very opposite of that. By asking for what you need, you actually become stronger, more informed, and more capable. We need each other. You can try to go it alone but I guarantee you will get much farther when you learn to ask for what you need and give generously of all that you have to offer.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: career, career counseling, coaching, job, job search, resumé, self-confidence, success

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Phone: 970-225-0772
Email: carrie@pink-sky.net

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“I enjoyed working with Carrie. I felt comfortable with her from the very beginning; she’s very warm, supportive, and easy to talk to. She helped me retool my resume and linkedin profile after taking care to learn about my experience, skills and desires. I highly recommend working with her if you have the chance.”

S.L.
Recreation Private Club Industry

Going in for meetings with Carrie was the best thing I could have possibly done for my education and career. With her tremendous help I was able to figure out what I wanted to do and how I needed to go about my career. I can’t possibly thank her enough for her crucial role in jumpstarting my career and getting me headed in the right direction.

G.W.
Student, International Affairs

Carrie was an informative, supportive and thoughtful guide during a time of career refinement. She served as a sounding board in assessing benefits and challenges of positions, reviewed application materials, prepared me for interviews and debriefed and supported decision-making. The mock interview coaching sessions were incredibly valuable to me.

J.S.
Professor, Higher Education

As a recent graduate with my master's degree in biomedical sciences, Carrie and Pink Sky Career Counseling were immensely helpful in the process of landing my first "real" job. I was at a loss for how to apply for a position to start my career in such a specialized field. With little to no work experience, Carrie was able to help formulate my resume, cover letter and references, and manage my LinkedIn page as well as provide general career counseling. Thanks to Carrie's help and guidance I recently accepted an intraoperative neurophysiologist position for NuVasive in Minneapolis, MN. I could not have done it without Carrie's help. Long story short - I highly recommend Pink Sky Career Counseling for any career counseling you may need.

A.M.
Biotech Industry

Not a day goes by that I don't thank Carrie in my mind on the way to my new job. Calling her was one of the best things I ever did for myself. Carrie is very intuitive, connected in the community, genuinely caring, and a master of her craft. Of course if you sign on for this, you have to dig deep and do things that are outside your comfort zone to get to where you want to be in life. But she held my hand all the way till the end and beyond. I cannot thank or recommend her enough.

J.D.
Non Profit Industry

I highly recommend Carrie. She did an amazing job helping me with my resume and providing valuable guidance in my job search process. I ended up being offered a great new job and wouldn't have gotten there without Carrie's assistance and support.

P.P.
Human Resources

Carrie is amazing, I had a position open that I didn't know about until 4 days before it closed, just before the weekend. She went above and beyond to get it accomplished for me. I highly recommend working with her.

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Accounting and Finance

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