Tag Archives: career success

Step-by-Step = Goal Achieved

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When we think of a goal, we are often in a state of motivation. A conversation sparked an idea, a movie prompted an inspiring thought, or perhaps a song brought forth a vision to embark. No matter the prompt, there are a few things that need to happen before you get to “happy slappy” about how great it is going to be once you accomplish “that” goal. The idea, vision, and thought are the easy part … the hard part is the work put into achieving the goal. I once heard a motto that I will never forget, “The work between an idea and a goal is the arduous steps that are required toward completion.” That statement has driven each and every goal I have set out to accomplish. You have to remember, there will be hard work involved to attain any goal that is worth your while.

It is in the middle, the hard part, the work, the sweat, and tears … that is where the goals start to come to fruition. That is where you discover who you are and what you are made of. Too often, when things get hard, we simply stop. But, it is in the “step-by-step” brainstorming and mulling over the tasks over and over where the motivation kicks us into high gear. Motivation is not something that you get from a PodCast, YouTube Video, or phone call from a supporter. Motivation is the still and small voice that reminds you of why you started on your “Goal Journey” in the first place. You are welcome to use that phrase to remind you of the hard work you will put in.

I have worked in the private, public, and federal sections. It was in the midst of one of the greatest opportunities that I found my passion for education. I recently found an old photo of myself. I was sitting at a Play School desk, and if you are a Gen-Xer you know the one I am talking about, heck you probably had one too. I actually remember the moment when I fell in love with learning … it was that moment. Fast forward a few years, I was in one of the darkest places in my professional career and reconnected with my love of learning. But, I had to allow something new to emerge. It was from a candid conversation with my supervisor that I realized my life purpose was to work in education. I researched and found the perfect Doctoral Business Management program for my needs, and started out on my goal toward earning a terminal degree in business management, with the goal of working in higher education.

Was the goal hard and far off? Yes. Did it take longer than I thought it would? Of course. But the point is I started. Just start. Start now, you cannot worry about the details if you have not made a decision to start. Start where you are and start now. Stop comparing yourself, your situation or your life to others. Truth be told, there are probably others comparing their lives to yours. Instead of all of the reincarnations of iterations of what we think we should be doing, let’s break the cycle and set an example for “Doing It Your Way” … oh … I think I feel a book birthing out of that last statement. Be the best you, you can be … unapologetically.

Patel, Deep. “16 Actions to Take to Achieve Any Goal.” Entrepreneur, 27 Aug. 2018, www.entrepreneur.com/article/318347.

Career and Success Tips: How to Use O*Net

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It is true; we are living in unprecedented times. The unemployment rate has sky rocked beyond anything any of us could have imagined … but wait – maybe this is just the opportunity we needed to pursue the careers we are meant to be in. Stick with me for a second … I promise I will get there. Life has a way of making us believe that we need to settle for whatever job/career we need to pay the bills. Paying down and getting out debt is essential, but your professional happiness is just as important.

Like many, I have been detoured from doing many of the professional items that provided substantial motivation to “keep going” – and maintaining my professional happiness. The other day, I received a message from a LinkedIn networker. She mentioned she viewed one of my Youtube videos I published at the height of my “Job Classification” research. This contact mentioned that she was looking to learn more about the topic and was open to any advice I could provide. “That’s right! I am a subject matter expert in job classification,” I thought as I pondered my response to her.
I remembered that I purchased a “pop-up” backdrop for future videos. After figuring out how to the contraption up, adjusting the stand, and sitting down at my kitchen table … I began to record a video to better show her, instead of merely telling her about job classification. And why not take it a step further, there were several websites I could include which would also assist her with updating her resume and gaining information about job classification. At the end of the short video, I realized I had forgotten that I thoroughly enjoyed creating videos about business topics to assist others with their professional goals. That being said, I decided and made a promise that I would write up a quick blurb about the entire experience and share it with you as well.

Long story, longer – we should take this time to reevaluate what truly makes us happy. If this entire experience has taught me anything (thus far), it’s that we need to be grateful for our health, our friends and family and our lives. We are social beings, always have been and always will be. Instead of spreading fear and anguish to one another, let’s spread love, life, and encouragement.  I am encouraging you to revamp your job skills, take a hard look at your resume, or start working on or revisit that degree you never finished up. I hope the video I created on “Career Success” assists you with getting the clarification needed to pursue your dreams. If you have any questions – I am here. Believe me … I am here, and you are there … and we might be where we are for a while.

Be well,
Jenice

Dr. Jaye YouTube Link:  How to Use O*Net – Career Success

Dr. Jaye YouTube Link:  Understanding USAJOBs – Career Success

How to Answer Key Interview Questions: Future Plans

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When you are interviewing you will be asked about your future and what your plans are. This is a tool that selecting officials use to see where you plan on “being” in a determined amount of time.

You may be asked: What are your long-term goals? What are your long-term career objectives? This is not an opportunity for you to “spill your guts” keep it professional and stay focused. Think about this question before you interview, you shouldn’t take more than 5 – 7 minutes. Talk about your professional goals and what educational aspirations you have. DON’T talk about your personal life or what personal projects you are working on.
Selecting officials want to know: How you plan to achieve your career goals? They don’t want details, this question is meant for them to see if you know how to lay out and achieve goals. This is also a tactic to see how well you focus on objectives and how you plan to achieve objectives. Again, keep it professional not personal – stay focused.

You may be asked: What do you see yourself doing in five years from now? What plans do you have for continuing your education? These questions help selecting officials to determine what kind of professional “drive” and motivation you actually have. It is my personal advice to answer all appropriate interview questions, keep in mind you can “respectfully” decline to answer any interview questions that you don’t feel comfortable answering. If you don’t plan on continuing your education or haven’t thought about what your goals are for the next five years, it’s okay – use your imagination and stay focused on the professional conversation.

Reference:  Armstead, J. (2013). Pep Talks: Answering Training Questions. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Pep-Talks-Answering-Training-Questions/dp/1492834203/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1546981419&sr=8-5&keywords=jenice armstead pep talks

Practice Makes Perfect,
Dr. Jaye