How to Manage Your Lost Career

I have written about this subject many times and I have talked about it on my radio show. Recently on the news Pres. Obama was talking about creating jobs and getting people back to work. This should not be the direction he should go in. Many of the jobs that he is trying to create havoc and lost for ever because of the technology, and people need to read train to a less on what is a job today.

Jobs that exist today didn’t exist 10 years ago, jobs that existed 10 years ago don’t exist today, and there will be jobs in the future that haven’t been invented yet. An example of this is if you were a secretary working in an office, today you are a virtual assistant working from home on the Internet. If you are a graphic designer, you may have worked at home while you may have worked in an office, but today your job title would be web designer. These are just two examples of how the job market has changed and job titles have changed.

Here is another example of how the job market has changed and why. Manufacturing has moved overseas simply because the unions have helped write the job market. For example, you have been saying the car manufacturing business going through big changes and the government bailing out these companies. For one reason I did not agree with this because the price of our cars have gone up simply because the car companies want to keep their same margin of profit while the line worker who belongs to a union makes a high hourly wage. For example, a line worker can make $100,000 or more a year, if they put in overtime.

The American people have become greedy and what they want to make working for someone else. What they need to consider is learning how to start a business of their own so they can make up what the owner of the launch company makes. Technology has a layover to us to do this, but the problem is that the people who use the computers and understand how to start a business of their own on the Internet is the millennial generation simply because they grew up using personal computers and laptops, as well as, cell phones.

It is not hard to use Google to research different products and see which is the top-selling product and contacting that company and become an affiliate with them to help sell their products and earn a commission. 10 months ago I attended a presentation on Internet marketing with someone had taken this theory and used it to build a business marketing credit cards on the Internet. He used pay per click, sales letters, and keyword advertising to build up his business to where he was making $1 million a year. Instead of just advertising and affiliate program, he put together a slick info commercial to promote a presentation in each city where he had a promoter-people up on how much money they could make and make it sound like he invented the wheel. He was then selling this program for $4500 to teach people how to have a business on the Internet. Sooner or later he is going to be found for the fraud that he is. Anyone can do the same thing he did and they don’t have to pay him to learn how to do it.

The first thing I would ask you is: “what is it that you have a passion for and would do for free if you could afford to but would like to earn money doing?”I know a lot of people who have a ready answer but do not know how to take it to the next level and start their own business doing what they enjoy doing. That is why you need to work with someone who is a career coach to help you come up with ways that you can build your own business and build a successful one with financial security. Some of the reasons that people do not try this on their own is because they place obstacles in front of themselves, simply because they believe they will fail, or simply because you lack self-esteem. First you have to learn to overcome these ” limiting beliefs” you have in yourself so you can achieve your desired goals.

Here is another thing that you can do to earn an income in the interim. Think of the jobs that you did as a teenager to earn an income– for instance mowing lawns, walking dogs, or washing cars. Why not go back and do these things as a way of earning an income while you learn the new technology and how to build your own business using the new technology.

There are many avenues that you can take to find an income for yourself today, but you have to be willing to take the initiative and not wait for someone else to create a job for you. You also need to go back to school and learn how to use computers and learn what software there is out there that can help you to build a successful business today. If companies create jobs for new employees– these employees will want to start out making a high income which means the company will sell their products at a higher price just to keep their margin of profit. This will create more inflation which starts the cycle all over again.

So I believe that the president needs to not just talk to companies about creating jobs but they also need to suggest that people learn how to become entrepreneurs. We have gone back to where we were 100 years ago. When the Europeans first came to this country at the beginning of the 20th century they took their wares installed it on pushcarts on street corners. Today, we are doing the same thing only our place of business has changed. For instance, when you sell your product on the Internet you have set up a website where you are selling your products and services and people are paying for their products and services online. So as you can see we have come full circle for where we were at the beginning of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century.

My final thought on this is, we need to learn to embrace the technology of today and learn how to build a successful business working from home. If you choose not to do this then you will be left behind simply because companies are going to outsource their jobs to countries where they do not have to pay large salaries and they can still keep their margin of profit.

Having a Coach Keeps You on Track

When you have your own business sometimes it is hard to keep on track unless you are someone who likes working alone.  In today’s marketplace a solopreneur works from home, therefore it is easy to procrastinate, or waste time due to distractions.  Therefore, it is important to have a room set aside to work from , have set hours that are your office time–t6hat all family members know about, and close the door.  If this is hard to do on your own then hire a coach to help you keep on track.

An advocacy coach I work with clients to help you increase your ability to speak up for yourself and make sure your needs are being met in the workplace or that your family listens to you when you set the ground rules.  Make sure they know what your boundaries are.  Remember respect works both ways.

A career coach helps you plan your career.  What is it that you have a passion for that you would do for free if you could but want to get paid for?  How would you get started with your business?  It is easy to know what you want to do, but it is hard to get started, a coach can help you come up with a plan and make sure you work that plan and stay on track to become successful.

An organizational coach can help you organize you business from start up to growing your business.  Do you want to hire staff to work from home or in an office, do you want to work with other entrepreneurs as independent contractors, or what departments do you want to set up within your business?

A life coach helps understand how you early experiences influences your outlook on life.  Often if you have insecurities they will hold you back from having success or setting reachable goals in your personal life or business.  Learning to change these thought processes can help you overcome all the things that hold you back from getting the things you really want in life.

A technology coach can help you understand how to use the technology available to build a successful business.  Unless you were born after 1980 you may not know how to use the Internet to research a business or build a business using websites or socia media as marketing tools.

I have experiences in all these areas and have talked about them on my radio show.  A coach is part of your mastermind group where you discuss the steps you need to take to start, grow, or build a business or self esteem in your abilities to succeed.  You have to decide for yourself what you want in life.  Since we are in a down economy people are more concerned about finding a job rather than building a career or changing how they look at a job.  It is important to remember that the job market has changed–how you look at a job or consider what is a job today has to change as well.  Jobs that existed 10 years ago don’t exist today,  jobs that exist today didn’t exist 10 years ago, and there will be jobs in the future that haven’t been invented yet.  Technology has changed whaty is a job today.  So, to find gainful employadment means you have embrace technology and change what you consider a job.

Business has Changed Over the Past 40 Years

Irecently connected with people I knew in High School through the Internet–particularly Facebook and Plaxo Pulse.  We are having a 40th year reunion.  Technology has made it easier to find where past friends and aquantances are.  In 1969there was no computer technology or Internet to keep in touch with friends, or evewn cell phones.  Those were the days when you only had land line phone service, typewriters–which required whiteout to make corrections, and sending letters meant snail mail.

I was always the outsider because I graduated 8 years before PL94-142 Individual Disability Education Act became law so I was the only one with a disability in bthe school, much less the classroom.  Because I was different and no one understood what a disability is, so they were unwilling to get too close.

Today, things are different.  These same people treat me different.  Over the years I have run into several people I knew from high nschool who nrecognized me, I even ran into someone who apoligized for miustreating me back then.  This is a great time to look back and compare how society has improved but still has a long way to go.

In 1977 Congress guaranteed  people with disabilities up to age 21 the right to an education.  This law took effect in 1980 3 years after it was passed.  In 1973 Congress passed the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which addressed accessibility, employment, state and federal issues affecting people with disabilities.  It was not until the invention of the personal computer and software developmentg did it make it a more eqaual playing field for people with disabilities in education and the workplace, but it took passiung the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 before people with disabilities could sue emploers for discrimination before doors in the workplace opened up.

Computers were in use before the 1980’s but were large and took up whole rooms to run.  Apple invented the personal computer (desktop) and Microsoft produced the software.  This changed how business was done.  Today, we have laptops and the Internet.  With Wi-Fi today you can take your computer and work anywhere, even in the park. This means there are no longer 9-5 jobs.

This has also allowed companies to change how they do business.  Today, they outsource by purchasing computers with software and phones, then hire people to work from home.  The software allos them to transfer calls to each employees computer.  This allos them to cut the overhead in expenses–smaller office space, less on utilities, ECT., but it also gives the employees tax breaks by working from home.

I want to finish up by talking about the differentgn generations in the workplace:

Mature Generation born before 1945 and looking into retirement, but the economy has changed how they can live confortably.

Baby Boomer Generation born between 1946-1964 have used the computers in business but still have to learn to adapt to the new technology in the workplace, also closing in on retirement and hoping for a change in the economy.

Generation X born between 1964-1980 have an easier time adapting to technology and using it in the workplace.  They have to learn to adjust to hard times created by the economy because their parents gave them anything they wanted.

Millennial Generation born between 1980 and the present, they gre up on MTV + they multi-task.  They grew up using the new technology–laptops, cell phones, ECT.  They are just now entering the workforce and have the easiest time adapting to the new workplace.  Just think of the changes that occur over the next 40 years that they will live to see.

Using the Internet & Social Media to Promote Your Business

When I entered the job market 25 years ago there was only the traditional marketing tools available for professional speakers.  They were printed brochures, multiple mailings, and purchasing multiple mailing lists because you could only use them once.  The overhead was high evven before you made your first sale.  Many speakers would have to hire someone to come in and tape their presentations so they could create product to sell as audiotapes at the back of the room.  They had to contract with training companies and travel from city to city for 5 days/week to make $250.00/day + a percentage of the sales from the audiotapes to make a good salary.  They were often gone 2-3 weeks/ month.

Today, with computers and the Internetyou can work from home doing the same thing only for less money + through your website or storefront on the Worldwide Web you have a larger market to sell to.  You can use software to make your own audiotapes to upload to your website,  you can write your own articles and E-Books to sell mnore quickly + you can become known as an expert on your topic much faster.

Everyone knows Zig Zigler or Tony Robbins from their books and infocommercials.  By learning to know which websites to link to, understanding SEO through articles and blogs by using key words can help you compete on an equal playing field as some of the “celebrities” in your field.  You can have a radio show on the Internet which helps you become a “celebrity” and expert on your topic.

You can market and build you business working from home using social sites like SIG Yahoo Groups, Facebook, Ning, Linkedin, ECT.  When you link all you social sites together you increase you ranking using Google or Alexa.  These sites send out web crawlers to review you writings tro determine if their original, then look for the key words sprinked throuyghout the articles, and then add this to help you accumulate product that also helps you increase your ranking constantly.  The idea is to increase your ranking so when your potential customers put key words into the search engines to want to be either 1,2, or 3 on the first page so you increase your ability to make sales.

Making connections with people in your field or people you went to school with also increases your ability to make sales.  People purchase from someone they have a relationship with, that is why building a network of connections are very important in today’s marketplace.  Know where your customer’s hank out and hank out with them.  Using the Internet when you are on a limited budget, helps you grow your business.

Don’t forget to use offline marketing tools, just understand that you may want to hold off using this medium unless you have made some sales using the Net.  You can use fliers–as someone once told me since I live in Atlanta, Georgia–Wallpaper Atlanta. Advertising through the Media such as television, radio, and newspapers are expensive, and not too effective since you have to plan months ahead due to deadlines and publishing dates.  When you use the Internet you can do it on a weeks notice and you can make changes immediately when things change.  When using traditional media you can’t make last minute changes, so by the time it is publiushed the information could be wrong.

I reference the Professional Speaking field because that is what I know, but the same principles can be used in any product or sales situation.  Marketing is the way to sell yourself so make sure you make the right choices, based on the funds and resources you have available to you.  REMEMBER BE COST EFFECTIVE.

Get Your Dream Job

The job market has changed.  Jobs that existed 10 years ago don’t exist today, jobs that exist today didn’t exist 10 years ago, & there wqill be jobs in the future that haven’t been invented yet.  Today, we have moved back to where we were 100 years aho the small businessman–100 years ago when the Europeans came to this country they took their wares , put them on pushcarts, and sold them on street corners.  Today, we do business on the Internet selling our services and products through our websites(storefronts on the worldwide web.  This is why we’re a global economy today.

The first question I would ask a client is If you could do anything you wanted to do that you would do for free, but get paid for it, what would it be?  Everyone has a ready answer, but no one knows how to get started.  As a coach, I work with clients to help you figure out what you can do to get started, and help you stay on track.  As children we believed we could do anything, then as we grew up we began to conform to what society dictated, therefdrore, we lost our creativity, and bief that the world was ours with unlimited potential.

Now you need to reprogram your thinking to open yourself up to the opportunity to unlimited potential again.  That is, learn to become creative again.  First think of what it is you want to do, then visualize yourself in that position achieving your goal and earning up to your potential and living the life of your dreams.  There are so many products and companies today selling through network marketing, affiliate programs, and joint ventures.  You just have to do the research to find out which one is the best fit for you.

Are you into health & wellness?  Are you into writing?  What job did you hold previously?  What skills did you use there that you can translate into the position you want to create for yourself?  Do you need to improve your communication skills so you can build good relationships?  Are you laid back & want someone else to do your marketing for you?  Today, we are working more from home.  This allows us to have more flexable schedules.  This allows us to destress ourselves from the pressures we put ourselves under when working.

You dream job is what ever you want it to be.  Be as creative as you want to be when deciding what you want to do.  Write out a step-by-step plan of how you can make your dream job a reality.  If you can’t do it yourself, we want to help you increase you chance for success.

Blended Learning is Growing in Popularity

Blended learning incorporatates Webinars and E-learning as an accepted form of training for the employees today.  This is happening because more and more companies are hiring employees as independent contractors to be their salespeople in the field.  Because their employees are scattered all over the world it becomes more feasible for them to offer this training via the Internet.

All the company has to do is create a power point presentations that can be uploaded to a virtual room on the Internet and presented as a webinar. Then all they need to do is set up a bridge line where participants can call in for the training session.  This allows the company the ability to offer training on a continual basis. This also allows companies to incorporate more than one type of training method to reach more and more people around the world whereever they have branches, and know that everyone has the same type of training.

This also allows companies to cut their expenses of having to fly people from all over the world for training sessions, or the expense of hiring a speaker to motivate the employees, or at the expense of the hotel room’s used during the training sessions.   If you have your own business and are not already using e-learning as a method of reaching your employees then it needs to become a part of your expanded programs so that you can make sure that all your employees are receiving the same training on their products they are selling now.

To conduct this training the only thing it requires of your employees is access to a computer that accesses the Internet from where ever they are through wireless networks. Almost every restaurant, hotel,  airport,and even your home can have wireless connectionsand a  phone to participate.  Laptops have  become the computer of choice by companies and individuals, since they can use them whereever they are located even at airports while they are traveling to their destination.

Companies rather than opening offices in every city  would rather use MLM or network marketing, as a way of hiring employees, since tghey are then considered Independent Contractors and are paid by commission on sales.  Then, the company provides the training on the products while it is up to your sponsor  to make sure you get the training you need to sell the products.  Therefore, blended learning or e-learning as a form of training to the new employees is the best way to reach everyone at a lower cost.   Network marketing, is a great way to have a business because even though you are in business for yourself you are not alone  your sponsor is there to make sure you gain the knowledge to duplicate what they are doing and  market the products the company offers for salebsuccessfully.

Another reason that network marketing is growing as a form of employment is that it allows the company to cut their expenses and overhead when getting them product to the consumer.  It also allows you to be in business for yourself without having the expense of a brick and morter building and you get a tax break because you work from home on the gas used to drive your car, your phone when used for business, and your electricity.

Understanding your natural behavioral style in the way communicate gives you the ability to adapt your style of communication to the style of the person who you are selling to.  If they are an individual who likes detail about a product but you are someone who does not like to give detail about the product, then you will become frustrated with the individual starts asking you a lot of questions.  On the other hand, if they are someone who likes to give a lot of detail, and all you want to know is WIIFM and cost, then you will become frustrated when they become long-winded, therefore it is a good chance they will lose the sale even if you really want the product.

This is why it is important for the independent contractors to get the right training for yourself  on good communication skills  so you can learn to read the your client and build a relationship first, as well as, be very knowledgeable about the product you are selling, then and only then will your opportunity to increase your sales because people buy from people they kno9w before they buy from strangers, that is why Amway proved that MLM can work as a business plan.

As a presenter of  Webinars and E-learning I encourage you to visit my website and review my programs so you can increase your bottom line of sales of your products and income.

http://www.1personalcareercoach.com

Why Building Good Relationships is Good For Business

People buy from friends not strangers.  After getting to know you they feel they can trust you and want to give you the business.  People assume they know how to communicate, butr if they listen to themselves speak they would understand just what poor communication skills they really have.  Our first experience in communication comes from the home we come from.

You can see how the Kennedy family were good communicators and socially conscious.  The story is that Joe Kennedy made all the children read and find something to talk about at the dinner table.  This is agood example of how people learn to communicate.  For most people this is not a traditional family dinner setting.  In most homes the chilren eat first and the parents eat together later or they all eat separately so few have the opportunity to share opinions or learn good communication skills.

That is why as adults we have to learn our behavioral styles in communication.  There are many assessment profiles available, but as an Inscape Publishing distribtor I use DiSC which is a self administered assessment profile with EPIC.  It generates a report which shows you your strengths and weaknesses.  There are no right or wrong answers, since we have all these behavior patterns within us.

Here is an example of the “C” or Consciensiousness profile.  In this profile individuals question everything and are slow to decision making.  When you listen to Obama this is the profile he exibits most often.  In different situations we respond differently and move or respond in different behavior patterns.  When we learn to read diffderent people then we learn to not be as judgemental of others and can adapt our behavior pattern to theirs.

Companies provide this training for their employees to avoid conflict in the workplace.  But, since  now there are more Entrepreneurs or small businessmen with the downturn in the economy it is more important then ever to build good communication skills and relationships to grow your business.

You can learn more about these products by visiting my website:

http://www.1persnalcareercoach.com

Are You Willing to Make the Changes Needed to Find a Job

Jobs that existed 10 years ago don’t exist today, jobs that exist today didn’t exist 10 years ago, and there will be jobs in the future that haven’t been invented yet.  With the change of the economy the general public is now forced to change their concept of what a job today and where to look for gainful employment.  Technology has brought about these changes.

This has made it a level playing field for everyone.  For years companies refused to hire people with disabilities for positions even if we were the best qualified for the position, but now we have the same opportunities as everyone else.  When I entered the workplace 25 years ago there were no opportunities for gainful employment so I had to create my own opportunities.  Now that we have moved into the Information Age and the Internet is more widely used as a means to market your business it has opened new doors and opportunities for everyone.  The BABY BOOMER generation are the one’s finding it the most difficult because we are having to learn to be creative in the job market.

As children we are more creative and open to a world of opportunities, but as adults we learn to conform to what society dictates.  Now we are having to learn to be creative again.  Ask yourself this question:  If I could choose to do what I love and earn an income doing it what would it be? Then How do I go about making this a business and earn money doing this? If you do not have the answers then you need to participate in my Career Expo Teleseminar.

The millennial generation knows how to transition into the new workplace because they grew up using the computer.  They know how to use Google to research a product to sell, build key word advertising, and write sales letters.   They are also taking advantage of the Baby Boomer generation by charging us an exorbitant price to teach us a system that you can learn for virtually nothing if you want to.  You just need to go to find this information.

As a Career Entrepreneur Lifestyle Trainer/Coach I work with clients to assist you  with building a successful online business + I can also give you the resources you need to become known as an expert in your field and brand yourself.   Building good relationships in business and good communication skills will improve your ability to build a career that will give you satisfaction and knowledge that you can be successful at making your own choices rather than letting other people fit you into a peg at what they consider to be successful.  Each individual’s idea of success is different.

When I first entered the workforce,  I was referred to an Employment Specialist with Rehabilitation Services.  He told me he had Job Coach positions available, and gave me a book of manufacturing companies to find a company that would hire people with Developmental Disabilities that I could bring in and train to do the job.  In essence, he was asking me to do his job.  In that case, I decided to do what I wanted to do, and not let them decide for me what kind of job I should be doing.

I have Cerebral Palsy (spastic hemiphegia since it affects only my right side).  That is I don’t have peripheral vision or depth perception in my right eye, my right foot grew at a slower pace-there is a 3 size difference in my feet–I wear 2 different size shoes, and I have limited use of right hand since I can’t control the fingers.  It also affected how the brain processes information, therefore I learn differently.  Because I have my own business, I needed a computer with adaptive equipment and software.  I decided to reactivate my case with Rehabilitation Services so they could purchase everything for me.  I use Dragon Naturally Speaking, a software product, that allows me to use a headset and dictate  to the computer and the software hears what I am saying and does typing for me.  It cuts down the time it takes me to complete projects.

Many products that were originally designed to help people with disabilities live a better life and integrate into society more confortbly  are commonly used by everyone today.  Just think where we would be today without technology or the advantages it has given us as a society.  Technology and medical advances have extended the careers of many athletes, which are being used to help people with disabilities improve their quality of life.

Due to my early experiences in my life and career + the fact that I am a good listener and observer of behaviors + my background in Mental Health, Psychology, and Rehabilitation Counseling qualify me to help others to reach their maximum potential in life since I had to learn to Live without Limits because there were few places I could go to get the help I needed.  I have established a NPO--International Disabled Entrepreneurs, Inc. to help people with disabilities learn the skills they need to have their own business and also provide seed funding to get started.  I found that when I started my business I was unable to get funding since I didn’t have the opportunity to work someplace long enough to establish credit for myself.  You can learn more about this organization and make a donation at my website.

You can find more about the programs I offer at:

http://www.1personalcareercoach.com

You can listen to my radio show Live without Limits on Blog Talk Radio at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/careerperformanceinstitute

Career Performance Institute

My name is  Davida Shensky.  I’m a Career Entrepreneur Lifestyle Trainer/Coach.  I started my business 25 years ago which was still 12 years before ADA became law.   Since I was unable to find gainful employment and could not get back on disability I decided to start my own business.  Since I had training in counseling I wanted to offer group therapy using Psychodrama which I’m certified in.  I was unsuccessful because Psychodrama is not widely accepted in the south, therefore, I decided to change my focus to public speaking and training.  I’m an Inscape Publishing distributor and use their assessment profiles to help clients understand their behavioral styles in communication, building relationships, leadership, listening, learning, time management, stress management, sales, and managing people.

I am a supplier of training products to companies and can do Train-the-Trainer sessions.  I took the American Seminar Leaders Association University and am a Certified Seminar Leader (CSR) which means I can write and present training programs.  I observed the job market changing with times and moved into Career Coaching.  I attended the Stores Online Training about Internet Marketing called Cash Flow on the Internet, so I know how to help clients build a successful business online + I can refer you to some resources that can help you.

When I started in the business as a motivational speaker, you had to hire someone to tape and make professional copies of you programs to create products.  Today, with computers, software, and websites you can create your own products.  One way to promote yourself is to set up your own radio show using the Internet.  I use Blog Talk Radio.  This way whenever someone wants a sample of me doing presentations, I have product to send them.  This is how I got hired on as an Independent Contractor to work with a program called Access to Power/Knowledge without Boundaries to teach Webinars.

You can learn more  about my products and business by visiting the following sites:

http://www.1personalcareercoach.com

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/careerperformanceinstitute