Career Toolbox - Welcome to Striding Out!

Coping with Change in the Workplace

2011-07-05T09:14:12Z

"No matter how safe, secure, predictable and stable your life is, you will still have to cope with change at points along the way. Change is a normal and essential part of life, yet, ironically, when we're in the middle of it, it feels anything but normal." (by Carlo Handley)

The effects of change

Different people react to change in different ways. While some embrace change, others resist it.

You may experience a mixture of physical changes such as; loss of concentration, headaches, muscle tension and soreness, loss or lack of sleep, stomach and digestive upsets and changes in eating habits. Some of the emotional effects you may experience could be; anger, fear, anxiety, tiredness, tension and resentment. The following strategies can be used when dealing with change...

Ageism in the Workplace

2011-07-05T09:06:08Z

Should the press be telling us we are too old to get a job and our lives are finished – these are the messages that are coming out if you are 40+!!

No wonder people think their options are limited, but maybe we should approach our job search like a sales and marketing exercise – how can we net that job?

What are our options?

· Self employment

· Voluntary work – which can often turn into paid

· Re-train and go back to university/college

· An adult apprenticeship

· Looking at the skills and experience we have and transferring it into something different.

Where do we look?

· Register with agencies

· Register with the JCP

· Up our Linked in Profile

· Contact family and friends and see if there are any suitable vacancies that we can go for

· Get a Coach to help and support us through this difficult time.

· Do some networking

Are we doing all the right things?

· Update your CV to reflect the job you are going for

· If you get an interview, prepare start thinking about relevant questions you may be asked.

· Keep a log of all the jobs you have applied for and the replies you get.

· Ask for feedback if you don’t get the job.

· Get an expert opinion on your CV

It has been said that employers look at CV’s for the buzz words e.g. if you have mentioned safeguarding or collaborative working whilst going to work in advice and guidance.

What else can you do?

· What is your unique selling point?

· Why are you different from other applications – why should they hire you?

· What could you put on your CV that makes it stand out – maybe a great achievement or particular skill you have that is relevant to the job

This article was written by Striding Out Coach Gill Tate.

Gill has worked with a wide range of clients and is passionate about helping people reach their true potential.

To find out if Gill can help you email [email protected]">[email protected].

Does Your Job Define You?

2011-01-07T00:00:00Z

Finding the Right Job

Some people see their job as a way of making a living, providing for a family, paying the bills, an exchange of money for a job well done. They see their job as a way of means. Their job does not define who they are or how they feel about their life. It has no effect on their happiness. To them their nights and weekends are time for enjoyment and fun. This is known as the “Day Job Philosophy.” Find out where your dream job lies and how to get there.

Goal Or Gaol?

2010-12-29T00:00:00Z

First of all let's see the dictionary definitions of those two words:

Goal - The purpose toward which an endeavour is directed

Gaol (Pronounced 'jail') - A correctional institution used to detain persons

It is easy to see how a small shift in the letters of these words creates a completely different meaning thus creating a totally different feeling. It demonstrates how attention to detail is necessary in order to ensure life stays ‘on track’. Imagine setting a goal and finding that in actual real living fact you’ve invented yourself a gaol.

What's Stopping You?

2010-12-29T00:00:00Z

Victim of Circumstance?

Taking Control of the Situation

Do you find you're always making excuses for how you've ended up where you are? Do you seem to settle for things because you feel that it's not in your capability to get what you want out of your life or career? Could you be a victim of circumstance or is it something else?

Read on to find out where the real challenge lies.

The A-Z of Workplace Wellbeing - B

2010-11-09T00:00:00Z

"B" for Balance

This month in our series about being well and staying well at work we are looking at B for balance.

It doesn’t matter whether you run a business, work for someone else or have a promising career – whatever your situation if you don’t get the balance right it will have an effect on your overall well-being.

Interesting isn’t it that we say “work life balance” surely we it should be life work balance? Great work life balance is not all about working less hours, it’s also about what you do with your time outside of work.

Work out what work/life balance means to you

One person’s ideal balance could be another person’s nightmare. "Work/life balance" is a very personal thing. To be able to achieve a work/life balance you first need to understand what it means to you. Does it mean not working at weekends? Or does it mean leaving work on time and spending a couple of evenings at the gym?

Assess how "balanced" you are

Inevitably, achieving a better work/life balance means making sustainable changes in your life.　 Unless you are aware of where (or how) your life is not in balance, you wouldn’t be able to make the changes.

Identify what is stopping you from achieving your ideal work/life balance

There is no point in setting goals and putting in place action plans to achieve your ideal work/life balance if you don’t know what is stopping you from achieving your ideal work/life balance. For example, it may be as simple as you switching off your work mobile phone when you leave the office, so you can’t be disturbed by work calls in the evening.

Change your job or working environment

Typically the first 90 days in a new role sets the pattern of how and when you are going to work. It may sound a little melodramatic, but often the only way of improving your work/life balance is to change your job or working environment. For example, 12+ working hours are quite common in big city law firms. If you have a long commute into the office, have you considered working from home one or two days a week? Home working, by making you slightly less accessible, can help you be more productive during the working day. Another option is to think about compressing your hours, so that you can minimise your overall commuting time.

A coach will help to keep you to your good intentions. They will also help you improve your self awareness to understand what is getting in the way of you achieving the work/life balance you crave – and then help you put together simple actions to achieve your goals.

Article written by Denise Chilton, Striding Out Coach specialising in business,career and youth coach with a passion for health and wellbeing.

Remember you don't have to go through this alone. You can be supported in your career by working with a career coach.

To find out more contact us for an informal chat on 020 3303 0468 or email [email protected]

Work with a coach

The A-Z of Workplace Wellbeing - C

2010-11-09T00:00:00Z

"C" is for Career

This month as we continue to look at all things health and wellbeing we look at C for your career.

So how healthy is your career and are you truly happy with what it is that you do? Do you have a job that makes you leap out of bed each morning or do you just want to pull the covers up over your head and stay there?

What Motivates You?

2010-11-08T00:00:00Z

What Motivates You?

We all have deadlines to meet, things we wish to do – but what keeps us motivated and focused?

WELL, WHAT IS MOTIVATION AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

Here is a definition:

They could be internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested in and committed to a job, role, or subject, and to exert persistent effort in attaining a goal. Motivation is the energizer of behavior and mother of all action. It results from the interactions among conscious and unconscious factors such as the intensity of desire or need, incentive or reward value of the goal, and expectations of the individual and of his or her significant others.

What motivates you, is it money or do other needs have to be met? Here are some tips on staying motivated.

What Motivates You?

2010-11-08T00:00:00Z

What Motivates You?

We all have deadlines to meet, things we wish to do – but what keeps us motivated and focused?

WELL, WHAT IS MOTIVATION AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

Here is a definition:

What motivates you, is it money or do other needs have to be met? Here are some tips on staying motivated.

The A - Z of Workplace Wellbeing, A

2010-10-18T13:51:50Z

Over the coming weeks we thought some food for thought about being well and staying well at work would be helpful. It doesn’t matter whether you run a business, work for someone else and have a promising career – whatever your situation you owe it to yourself to ensure that your work doesn’t make you ill either physically or mentally. So lets start with A – for assertive.