Author Archive for Ramon Greenwood

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Three Steps To Career Success

Published by Ramon Greenwood on November 23, 2011.

If you are not getting what you want in your career one major reason may be you haven’t decided what you want.

The first step toward a successful career is to clearly define your goals. Until you take this step you can’t know how to prepare to achieve them. In other words, if you don’t know where you are going you can’t get there.

The second step is to prepare an action plan to get you to your goals. This can include applying to schools and universities which will prepare you for your career. Part of this process will include deciding what degree you may want to attain; deciding whether it would be an accounting or business degree. Be sure to include a timeline. Stick to it.

The third step is to begin immediately to execute your career plan. Right now, not later today or tomorrow.

Only you, and you alone, can define what will mean success.

Only you, and you alone, can take the actions necessary to enjoy a successful career.

I wish you success!!!!

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work

P.S. I am excited to tell you that early next week I will be announcing the publication of my new ebook titled “How To Get The Pay Raise You’ve Earned.”

 

 

 

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Career Counseling: Lessons From Steve Jobs

Published by Ramon Greenwood on November 17, 2011.

I’ve been mesmerized for the past few weeks by all of the media coverage of the death of Steve Jobs. I have been especially impressed with Walter Isaacson’s excellent book titled simply “Steve Jobs.”

There are many lessons (both positive and negative) to be learned from Jobs’ career, as well as from the conclusions being drawn by various writers.

Consider this observation from one review of Isaacson’s book: “Most companies are managed in a way that keeps them producing what they already know how to produce. They play it safe. That’s why most companies fail to reach their true potential.”

Stop a minutes to ask yourself: Does this apply to how I manage my career?True career success requires reaching out into new territories, which will be populated with risks and opportunities.

To move ahead you have to be willing to leave some of the old things behind. Jobs was famous for casting out old products that did not meet his high standards for serving consumers’ needs and desires. He built his legend by focusing on three or four of the important products and issues at any given time.

Also, if you are to move forward with your career you have to form new relationships, particularly with people from whom you can learn and those who can contribute to your well-being. This may mean leaving behind old relationships that are easy and comfortable.

One has to gather new knowledge and acquire new skills to build a successful career. Some wise person has said, “If you keep on doing what you have been doing you are going to get the same results.

Products and attitudes (the total of your performance on the job) that are merely adequate are not good enough to put you ahead of the pack.

Reach out to grasp new responsibilities; embrace new ideas.

Have high expectations—even some that may seem irrational—for your career. Believe that you are more capable and more valuable than your present position allows.

While keeping the “big picture” of your ultimate goals in mind is critical, at the same time, it is necessary to pay meticulous attention to the day-to-day details that are required for success.

Sure, taking these steps to advance your career involves risks and discomfort. But remember, it is chipped in stone that when nothing is ventured, nothing is gained.

I wish you career success!

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work (Copyright 2011)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Career Counseling: Lessons From Steve Jobs

 

I’ve been mesmerized for the past few weeks by all of the media coverage of the death of Steve Jobs. I have been especially impressed with Walter Isaacson’s excellent book titled simply “Steve Jobs.”

 

There are many lessons (both positive and negative) to be learned from Jobs’ career, as well as from the conclusions being drawn by various writers.

 

Consider this observation from one review of Isaacson’s book: “Most companies are managed in a way that keeps them producing what they already know how to produce. They play it safe. That’s why most companies fail to reach their true potential.”

 

Stop a minutes to ask yourself: Does this apply to how I manage my career?

 

True career success requires reaching out into new territories, which will be populated with risks and opportunities.

 

To move ahead you have to be willing to leave some of the old things behind. Jobs was famous for casting out old products that did not meet his high standards for serving consumers’ needs and desires. He built his legend by focusing on three or four of the important products and issues at any given time.

 

Also, if you are to move forward with your career you have to form new relationships, particularly with people from whom you can learn and those who can contribute to your well-being. This may mean leaving behind old relationships that are easy and comfortable.

 

 

 

One has to gather new knowledge and acquire new skills to build a successful career. Some wise person has said, “If you keep on doing what you have been doing you are going to get the same results.

 

Products and attitudes (the total of your performance on the job) that are merely adequate are not good enough to put you ahead of the pack.

 

Reach out to grasp new responsibilities; embrace new ideas.

 

Have high expectations—even some that may seem irrational—for your career. Believe that you are more capable and more valuable than your present position allows.

 

While keeping the “big picture” of your ultimate goals in mind is critical, at the same time, it is necessary to pay meticulous attention to the day-to-day details that are required for success.

 

Sure, taking these steps to advance your career involves risks and discomfort. But remember, it is chipped in stone that when nothing is ventured, nothing is gained.

 

I wish you career success!

 

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work (Copyright 2011)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Career Advice: How To Gain Confidence At Work

Published by Ramon Greenwood on November 11, 2011.

I think you’ll find this posting by Kate Croston to be very interesting and inspiring.

Confidence is an underutilized resource. Confidence is the reason people get hired, get dates, and get respect. But why does it seem like people are either overconfident or under-confident? Where is that magic medium; that point at which confidence is at its peak without going over the top? What should confidence look like?

  • Confidence should be calm. Anyone who is truly confident is not frightened or nervous. Confidence is facing your fears and knowing that you have made the best choice possible. There should be an inner peace and tranquility in true confidence.
  • Confidence can be faked. Sometimes, in fact most of the time, confidence does not come naturally. True confidence is the result of feeling secure in an insecure world. But if you can’t feel it naturally, feel free to fake it. The great thing about confidence is that if you pretend to be confident for long enough, eventually you actually become confident.
  • Confidence is different than pride. Pride will get you fired, confidence will get you hired. Pride says, ‘I’m better than you.’ Confidence says, ‘I’m the best.’ A subtle difference, but an important one. Be sure of your abilities without lording it over others.
  • Confidence is not blind. Even if you are confident in your decisions, that doesn’t mean you can’t change them. Another great thing about confidence is that it isn’t brittle. It can change and adapt. If someone has a better idea, you can still be confident and follow them.
  • Confidence is leadership, even when following. It may sound counter-intuitive, but leaders can follow without losing their leadership- if they are confident. Confidence makes a leader. People want to follow confident people because they look like they know where they are going. However, confident leaders can still follow others without losing their leadership. Taking on a partner, starting down a different path, even taking control of another’s project are all acceptable as long as you maintain your confidence.

Confidence can seem like a complex thing, but in reality it is simple. If you believe in yourself, others will believe in you too. Keep your eyes on the goal, your head up, and keep moving. You can only make the best of a difficult situation. Once you uncover what the best thing to do is, do it with confidence. You can always, confidently, change directions later.

Author Bio:
Kate Croston is a freelance writer, holds a bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She writes guest posts for different sites and loves contributing internet service <http://www.internetservice.net/>  related topics. Questions or comments can be sent to:  katecroston.croston09 @ gmail.com <http://gmail.com> .

I wish you career success!

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work

 

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Career Coaching: Daily Habits Determine Career Success

Published by Ramon Greenwood on September 11, 2011.

There is a school of thought among psychologists that 90% of our behavior is controlled by habits. Therefore, it follows that the results we achieve in pursuit of our career goals are determined by our habits.

J. Paul Getty, an oilman who was once regarded as the richest man in the world, was right on when he declared:

“The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might and force of habit. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him—and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires.”

Jack Canfield, career coach extraordinary and author of the best-selling book, “The Success Principles”, advises:

“One of the problems for people with poor habits is that the results of their bad habits usually don’t show up until much later in life. When you develop a chronic bad habit, life will eventually give you consequences. You may not like the consequences, but life will still deliver them. The fact is, if you keep on doing things a certain way, you will always get predictable results. Negative habits breed negative consequences. Positive habits create positive consequences.”

So it makes common sense that if you want to achieve a successful career you should make a list of the habits, good and bad, that drive you every day. Build on the good; get rid of the bad.

I wish you success with your career.

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work

 

 

 

 

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Don’t Kill Your Resume With Stupid Mistakes

Published by Ramon Greenwood on September 9, 2011.

It’s hard to believe but here are nine stupid mistakes in resumes turned up by CareerBuilder.com in a survey of 2,600 employers:

1.  Declaring “The more you pay me the harder I will work.”

2.  Listing as a reference someone who has fired you.

3.  Listing one’s dog as a reference.

4.  Using an inappropriate e-mail address such as “shakinmybooties.”

5.  Claiming the “ability to moonwalk” as an skill.

6.  Insisting on getting paid to come in for an interview.

7.  Reporting being arrested for assaulting one’s boss.

8.  Using only first name in resume. (This is akin to using employer’s first name in application documents.)

9.  Displaying arrogance with such statements as: “Would you pass up an opportunity to hire someone like this? I think not.”

To calibrate the damage caused by such errors consider that according to CareerBuilder.com 45% of HR managers spend less than one minute in reviewing the average person’s job  application materials.

I hope this career counseling helps you in your drive to career success!

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Words Of Wisdom To Advance Your Career

Published by Ramon Greenwood on August 14, 2011.
Tips from the late Randy Pausch, Carnegie Mellon University professor:
• Stand while on the phone.  You’ll finish the call more quickly.
• Avoid copying five people on an email when you want something done.  Each will assume that one of the other four is going to do it.
• Minimize interruptions.  Turn off the “ping” alert for new emails.
• Do the “ugliest” thing first.  Everything else will seem easier.
• Make time for the important things, not just the time-sensitive matters.  Otherwise, you will spend all your time fighting fires rather than coming up with creative ideas.
• Recognize that the best reason to save time in your work is to increase time with our family.
I wish you success.
Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach
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Don’t Miss A Blog Posting

Published by Ramon Greenwood on July 19, 2011.

You can receive an email alert every time I provide a new posting re career success. It’s easy. When you are on our blog go to the Feedburner box on the right and enter your e-mail address. Going forward you will receive an email to let you know each time there’s a new posting.

If you have a RSS reader, add our feed to your reader. Just click on “Subscribe to a feed in a reader” beside the orange icon in the right hand column and follow the steps to add the feed.

Facebook and Twitter Are Up and Running

Become a Facebook Fan and receive career advice reminders on your Facebook homepage news feed! Simply search for “Common Sense At Work” to find our Facebook Page and click the “Like” button at the top of the page.

Do you Tweet?  Follow Common Sense At Work via Twitter at http://Twitter.com/CommonSenseWorkto receive free tips and blog posting alerts.  You can also get updates via SMS texts by texting follow CommonSenseWork to 40404 in the United States.

I look forward to continued conversation about your career success.  I hope you’ll follow Common Sense At Work regularly with the help of blog alerts, Facebook, and/or Twitter.

I wish you career success!

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach, Common Sense At Work

 

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How To Ask For A Raise

Published by Ramon Greenwood on July 17, 2011.
When you’re working at a job you love and the only point of dissatisfaction is your salary, you have three options. You can leave your otherwise satisfactory job for another; you can stick it out and endure being paid less than you believe your work is worth; or you can ask for a raise. The latter option doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it sounds if you follow some practical advice.
Smooth Out Any Rough Patches
Before you ask for a raise, it is wise to make sure that your relationship with your direct supervisor and/or the person who signs your paychecks is positive. You don’t want an old rift between the two of you to be an emotional factor in why you are denied a raise. Make things right if you need to, and then allow some time to pass before asking for a raise. Also, if in your most recent performance review, your boss pointed out areas where you need to improve, build evidence that you have improved in the areas. Show up to work on time or early and focus on your performance and attitude. Ensure that there is no immediate, obvious reason that you should be denied a raise.
Build Your Case
When sitting for a job interview, successful interviewees know how to build a case for themselves that they are the best person for the job. The same is true of asking for a raise. In the month or so before you plan on asking for your raise, begin drafting a list of your accomplishments in the past year. This can be anything from outperforming other people in your department, taking on new responsibilities, exceeding expectations for your job description, handling challenging situations effectively, coming up with a winning idea for your team, or landing a key client. Be sure to point out how your specific contributions are adding to the company’s bottom line.
Along with preparing a case as to why you should receive the raise, do some homework and determine what the average pay is in your field. If it’s higher than what you currently earn, you have another key piece of evidence to add to your case.
Timing Is Everything
Pay attention to what is going on in your boss or supervisor’s life. If they are dealing with a trying family situation or are angry about a new demand from corporate office, wait for a more opportune time to ask for a raise. Also, if your company or organization is coming up on a stressful crunch time period, such as a week when multiple, deadline projects or monthly reports are due, wait until the storms have calmed. Schedule an appointment to meet with your boss so that you are not interrupted when you make your pitch. The best time to ask for a salary adjustment is after you’ve just accomplished a major feat at work or earned a significant award for performance.
If They Say No
First, guard your response. Leaving the room angry and slamming the door isn’t going to get you anywhere. Instead of having an emotional reaction, calmly ask what about your work performance needs to improve for you to get the raise you believe you have earned. If the reason has to do with the fact that the company is undergoing a hiring freeze and the ability to adjust salaries is out of their control, you may have exhausted your opportunities at your workplace. But if your boss outlines what you need to do further to earn that raise, take it to heart and come back again for round two when you’ve demonstrated that you’ve consistently met those demands.
(This guest post is contributed by Patricia Garza, who writes about gadget, technology, design, social media, e-learning related articles at http://oedb.org/
I wish you career success!
Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach
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Career Advice: Only You Can Define Career Success

Published by Ramon Greenwood on July 7, 2011.
It’s safe to say that of all the gizillion words written to provide encouragement and enlightenment on the subject
of career advice most all of it boils down to a single topic: how to achieve success.
But all of that amounts to little until each individual settles on his or her personal definition of what constitutes success.
The renowned career coach Jack Canfield declares: “One of the main reasons why most people don’t get what they want is they haven’t decided what they want. They haven’t defined their desires in clear and compelling detail.”
The dictionary defines success as, “The achievement of something desired…the gaining of fame or prosperity.”
Still that blanket definition does not meet the need in setting goals and working to achieve them. The “something desired” varies from person to person, as do “fame and prosperity.”
What’s needed for career success is an identified set of achievements that provide proof that we have achieved goals that prove we have made our best efforts with our time and talents, and that we are satisfied with the results. They include pride and satisfaction in our results which each of us defines differently…material wealth; public recognition; respect from our friends; and love from our families.
The bottom line is if you are to achieve career success you must:
1. Have a clear definition of what personal success means for you.
2. Set goals that will produce success, with an absolute timeline for achievement.
3. Determine and execute a plan of action to achieve the goals.
Whatever you do, do not let anyone else define what personal success means for you.
I wish you career success!
Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach
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THE LIFE YOU LIVE IS UP TO YOUR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS

Published by Ramon Greenwood on June 22, 2011.

Words of Wisdom

“The life you are currently living is the result of the thoughts you have thought and the actions you have taken in the past. The life you live in the future will be the result of today’s thoughts and actions.”

Jack Canfield in his book THE SUCCESS PRINCIPLES.

I wish you career success!

Ramon Greenwood, The Career Coach

Common Sense At Work

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