Think back to the worst interview you've ever had. What was happening inside yourself? From the interviewer or the situation? What were you doing that didn't work well? What did you do very well? I recommend you explore the interview for all positions whether full, part-time or contract work in three separate phases. Your interview will either secure your offer or not. I recommend that you hold in context the interview as two things: to explore whether working at that company is a good fit for you and second to have fun and clarify your offerings and your professional value and contribution.

The three phases of interviewing:

1. Research 2. Reality 3. Respond

Before embarking on any interviews the first step is clarity your value, what you can do for them: your accomplishments, your unique offering, and what you are looking for. Take the time to get yourself clear and focused and apply for positions which you know you have a high probability for. This increases your confidence and saves time. Find out about the company and people interviewing you. Take the time to do thorough research on the company in the paper, on Linkedin, on Facebook, Twitter and by your informational interviews. The more you know what is current the more creditable and professional you are. Remember that interviews are a process of observing, sharing, responding, and impressing. The most comprehensive way to do all of this is to do your research.

The reality of an interview is that you are nervous, uncertain and may speak faster and with less clarity than you usually do. Given this it?s important that you approach the interview with a simple system and recall mechanism. I recommend my favorite, which is that you image yourself being interviewed by the media. Identify 3-5 key points with examples that you can share with them in a comprehensive longer version and a shortened sound bite to convey the items mentioned above. The key components of these accomplishments are accessed by remembering what was the situation or problem that you are sharing about, what solution did you identify, what was the response , what was the result and what feedback did you receive. When you organize your thoughts in this manner you are sure to impress.

What have been your personal secrets to interviewing? I have many more tips I can share so let me know your specific problem areas or questions.The final stage is that of responding. You do this by responding to your questions, how to take action during the interview and what you choose to do after the interview. It has been demonstrated over and over the importance of doing a form of debrief or summary with yourself after an interview to evaluate what worked and didn't work. This allows you to let the interview go and learn from it. When we don't do this we have a tendency to consistently analyze and over think our interviews. Better to learn from it and let it go.After an interview it is crucial to follow up with thanks and summary of who you are and why you want the position. You want to remind them about why you are the best person for the job. Don't assume the interview by itself did it. It's the research; actual interview and responding in follow up that makes a difference.

In this economic climate businesses have available to them a gluttony of well-qualified if not over qualified candidates. Because of this companies can and are not paying people what they are worth, asking people to work well below their financial threshold or are encouraging unpaid internships. There are ways to move beyond this. What is important is to position youself in a way that will make a difference and add value. Don't allow others to set your worth, do it for yourself.

The first step is to set in your minds eye a definite plan of action and goal for your career and integrate into that plan a specific amount of money that your skills and talents are worth. You have to begin first valuing yourself and your professional plan before anyone else will.

The next step is a reality check to see what the market is paying in your region and around the world. Identify how you compare to others with your similar background and skills. Begin to do research and network with others who are doing what you do and who are hiring people like you. The more timely information that you have the easier it is to negotiate and speak your value to others.

One very important step is to gain or highlight your specific skills in the area you are applying for. What works very well is developing an on line portfolio of your work as well as hard copy samples. This is a tremendous way to keep yourself focused and on target as to what you are accomplishing. It also facilitates you in speaking the specific results and value you have provided.

If you don't have specific experience in the industry you are aiming for then it's crucial to align with an internship or apprentice program to gain those precise skills. If you ever choose to do something for free or low pay then it's imperative that you have an exit strategy and a game plan for why you are doing it. When I wanted to learn how to do special event coordination I coordinated two very specific, high profile events that included a budget, a detailed system, a team of people to help me and a time line. By doing this I positioned myself to learn a specific skill and then I leveraged that to gain a paid position doing the same thing. I did all of this in less than 4 months. You can as well.

I also recommend that it's easier to negotiate and ask for what you want when you don't need it. So find a way to gain income and a reserve of cash flow so that you aren't dependant on the companies you apply to. Find additional revenue streams, become an expert and share your information on the Internet, start a direct sales company, reduce your expenses, become creative with money, etc. When you don't need a job you can more easily attract one.

And finally the last thing you may need to do is set a boundary about what you are able and not able to do. Saying no can be one of the most empowering words in the dictionary if done correctly. When you say no about a no pay or free then say NO with power and detachment. By doing from a place of power and professionalism you leave the door open for that company or another one to approach you with something that would be an even better fit. Don't sell yourself short. Others will respond and react to you as you position yourself. Be your own best champion and allow your professional career to reflect what you value and your worth.

As I have shared in previous posts creditability, being an expert and offering value all interrelates into networking and building a community of people, who believe, and want to work with you. Networking is a lifestyle not just an activity. You need to make connections with people. It's the #1 most important thing you can do to accomplish your goals.

Why network? More than 83% of all jobs are found and developed by word of mouth and by relationships build over days or years of contributing to one another. It's also a time to serve and give to another person and be given to in exchange. One important factor that is often overlooked in networking is the importance of a clear goal and focus for networking.

Where to start?

Clarify your purpose and your intention for networking. Do you want to attract a new job, move, learn something new or make a friend? Be clear and specific before you begin.Identify a way to introduce yourself. Develop a 30 second introductory statements or elevator pitch. Include your accomplishments, your goals and something unique about you. Please email me to receive a handout on this.Think of your life as one big canvas and opportunity to meet and network. Everyone you come in contact with is a person you can learn from, contribute to and be helped by.

Building Your Connections

Begin to brainstorm and write down people who you would like to share your goals with and receive help from. These are usually former supervisors, friends, neighbors, vendors, relatives, and people you interact with daily, a mentor someone further along that you are. This is a time to find places and organizations you believe in and find ways to align. The most effective way to do that is to volunteer and take on a project or event that you can get exposure with and be involved with. The process of gaining creditability with an organization while you are helping them supports you to expand your network. By being seen and affiliated with you increase your creditability and recognition.

Making Contact

Develop your relationships when you don't need them. Offer to help someone and extend yourself by being generous. This will provide a foundation that is worth working from. Find automated ways to stay in touch with people. Begin a blog, do a monthly newsletter, send out a group notice about fun events to attend or charity functions you support. I also find ways to keep track of what people are excited about and needing and I'll send magazine articles, resources, links, and ideas as I hear about them. I also find it helpful to link people together via facebook or linked in and by sharing quotes, Utube videos and job leads with others. Be a resource, offering who you are and your individual value to others. They will remember and want to help you back.

Following Up

After you've made contact with someone send a handwritten thank you note with your personal flair and focus. Be remembered by being YOU. Take the time to connect with people and contribute to their success. A simple email follow up is good too so they have your contact information in your signature line and are able to add you to their address book and send texts and updates to you too. Find time in your schedule to meet with at least one new person per week for coffee or tea. Ask them about them, get them connected to their dreams, be inspired by people's stories and create space for new opportunities to come to you. When someone extends himself or herself to you, be gracious and willing and thank them. It takes a lot to step out of our comfort zones and engage with someone new.

Have fun and share one of your networking success stories with us.

Being socially responsible in this day in age involves riding the wave of sufficiency and partnering with change. At times we get into a phase of over creation or manic action in order to attract new work or our next work. By the sheer force of action laced with fear or stress we can mask and even distract ourselves from the real challenge at hand, which is partnership and cooperation with change. When we realize that change is simply an outer reflection of an inner process we are closer to our employment opportunity.

As you have heard stated before, the only thing that is constant is change. When we begin to realize that and engage from that perspective in our job search we are more in harmony and cooperation with the actions, leads, and resources that come to our attention. When we don't, we generate ineffectiveness increased resistance and loss of momentum. Let me share with you some specific actions you can take to move from a place of ineffectiveness to results.

The first distinction and shift that is necessary for expansion and success is to take a longer view. Most people are much too focused on what is in front of them and loose sight of the big picture. When you look beyond this next letter, a no or rejection, the phone conversation and piece of advise or feedback you are able to take all perspectives in without becoming overly critical or discouraged. Change is meant to bring us closer and closer to our truth and our deep inner resilience.

The second main point in managing your career is to identify your core values, which drive your decisions and actions. Please see my previous blog on values. By knowing this you are given an opportunity to make decisions and focus on creating a foundation that allows you to weather any change. The main reason why change is so upsetting and challenging is that we don't have structure or a foundation (based on our values) that allow us to see the long view and accept change.

The third and final point is that we aren't trained or focused on looking for the gift or blessing in change. We instead approach change as a problematic occurrence that has to be dealt with verses an opportunity to grow and learn and become more successful. I encourage my clients to view change as an adventure and opportunity to test out new theories, stretch their capacities and stay present and alive with what gives them most passion.

A resume is meant to highlight your most effective and marketable skills and focus you towards your ultimate goal. It positions you in front of others and allows you to summarize your ability to produce results and be an asset to employers. Let's focus on the use of a resume. One main point is that it documents and clarifies what you have to offer and how your skills can be put to good use in the workplace. By consolidating your past and clustering them into segments you see very clearly what you have to offer and what you may need to learn or add in later.

Use your resume as a way to summarize and gather your confidence in yourself and accomplishments for past good results. It's important that the statements reflect not just what you did but what the benefit was for the employer or client. Your resume is best utilized by being accomplishment focused not TASK driven. The best way to highlight your strengths is to speak in terms that relate to and communicate what they are looking for in an employer.

Identify a specialized format that places your unique selling focus in the foreground. It's important to guide your reader to the result you want and there are many styles and looks that allow you to do that. The best format is the one that allows the reader to experience your job history and specific results that you generated. Take the time to focus in on the top five to six specific examples that relate to and demonstrate your skills. Keep it simple, direct, and specific.

The two main types of resumes are either functional: organized by skill clusters relating to the job description and company you are applying to or the second organized in chronological order listing one job after another. A third option is a combination of both, highlighting your specific accomplishments, organized in skill clusters with a listing of your chronological job history at the bottom. I recommend you experiment and do one of each.

Keep your resume on one page and have the summary statement at the beginning speak in words and phrases that shine your special contribution and value in the workplace. Your resume is our unique fingerprint which sets you apart from others. Use it to your advantage.

Your values are the bedrock and foundation of your professional contribution and work in the world. Most people either don't know what their core values are or they are unable to demonstrate and perform them in the workplace. In this article I will explore with you some ways to identify your values, name some of the common obstacles to sharing your values and this and provide specific advise and suggestions for moving beyond that.

The first step to living from and integrating your values into the workplace is becoming intimately familiar with what they are. One way I find to do this easily is to identify when you feel your most present, energized and productive. When you are in this state some people call the Zone or in your sweet spot you naturally produce results and are expanding. In this arena of alignment with your values and your work you naturally are successful and a contribution to yourself and your employer.

In contrast a different approach to uncovering your values is ask yourself what bothers you most about the world, about your workplace, and about career life. You can look at the conversations you are invested in, the books you read, the blogs you write and respond to, the places you spend your time and money and the people you spend time with. All of this will point you to identify what your top 5-8 values are. A very powerful question to ask is, "What decisions did you make in your life that were your best ones and what values were being honored?"

As you do this you will become much more adapt at choosing and researching companies that are aligned with what you value. Here at Justmeans we provide venues and discussions that facilitate interaction with company executives, employees and key stakeholders at companies that can align with your values. Please engage with others by asking questions and offering insights about how your values are driving and inspiring your actions. Each one of us by sharing our truth and our excitement for our values provides opportunities to open up the world to others.

I find one major obstacle to sharing your values is not feeling confident enough that people will receive you or understand. This is where communicating, and asking questions and being interested in others makes a big difference. People want to help and learn from you if they like you and know that you care about them.

I find that a very practical way to live your values in the workplace is to align on a project or committee where your value can be seen and shared on a regular basis. If you align with a movement or a focus that the company sees valuable and worth investing staff time and money in then your presence and insights will be taken more seriously. Trying to initiate something new while living your values can be challenging until you have a proven track record. Start small, build champions and allies and build creditability that serves the company's bottom line.

Another very successful approach is to pull together research and facts that point to the importance of your values in the workplace. Having a third party endorsement can lend creditability and confidence to you in many ways. Consider exploring those places on our site that will facilitate that for you.

Please share with me and others your successes!

As you explore your next career opportunity is important to cultivate and develop relationships with others who support you and your work. Waiting until you need someone creates an imbalanced situation, which can be uncomfortable. The Hidden Job Market is where you hear about work before others do from a colleague or a friend of a friend. This career information for the hidden job market is timely and will be useful to support you in moving your decision and career path forward. In future articles I will speak more directly to networking tips and strategies, on and off line.

Once you know your destination you can begin assessing whom you already know and who you need to meet. Once this is established you can go about doing your research and choosing a direct path.

A big part of the hidden career market is the process of asking different questions. A few thought provoking questions to draw you closer to your Good Work is to ask, What cause, problem or solution do I want to be known for?? ?Who do I want to contribute to and serve? and thirdly. How will I know I am successful?? Each of these questions when pondered thoughtfully will give you career information to direct your research and relationship building.

Your future employer is looking for you as you are for them. Hence the importance of exploring options that are hidden to the masses and available only to you because of your creativity and persistence. You need to be proactive, doing research, asking questions and formulating a plan based on how you can best contribute to and support yourself and your career goals.

I find it important to align and associate with people who are in the direction that you want to be in. When doing this, the results you generate by finding jobs before they are shared with the larger community will bring results to you. The best job openings are ones that are discovered from people who know you, are invested in you and speak on your behalf. What success stories do you have that can inspire and encourage readers?

The second key factor in regards uncovering options to support your career focus is watching for and noticing the trends in your industry and in the industry you are moving into. As you notice where the trend is going you will be more clear as to how your skills and problem solving can be put to good use. When anticipating the future focus of the business and career trends will give you access to results that bring your career success.

One of the JustMeans tweets last week pointed out a NYTimes story about Harvard MBA students taking a pledge to "serve the greater good" and the recent surge in demand for ethics courses in business schools across the country. This article is now the second most viewed business article online, just below another about new iPhone apps.

It is a nice article and deserves attention but reading it, I can't help but think about how unimaginative and under-ambitious of responses an ethics course and a pledge to be a 'better person in a bad world' are for young business leaders. I took a similar pledge, along with about 2/3 of Vassar undergrads in 2002 and I recently finished an ethics course in my MPA (the public sector MBA) at London Schools of Economics, and rather that considering myself 'enlightened', I feel utterly unprepared to confront the global ecological and social dilemmas of business. Now, this arguably wasn't a Harvard ethics class, but in my opinion any ethics class can only be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to business solutions to world problems. I realize that unfortunately big global issues such as climate change require a whole lot more out of business leaders than ethical propriety (although this is a requisite).

The size and complexity of these global problems that businesses are asked to deal with requires a heavy dose of ecology, geography, and sociology and a pledges to do no harm. This type of stuff is unfortunately hard to find in business schools. But if business is really serious about having a productive place in society, shouldn't these be standard practice? Until I see an article about these types of changes, I think I will skip it for one about new iPhone apps.