Arleen’s Blog | Arleen Bradley Career Coaching - Putting the care in your career

You Can Be Grateful Even If You Are Unemployed

November 17, 2012 | Author: Arleen Bradley

In a few days, we will be sitting down with family and/or friends to celebrate all that we have by giving thanks. However, if you are unemployed, you are probably wondering what you have to give thanks for. Well you do have a lot to be thankful for. In this post, I will share with you many of the things I will be grateful for when I gather with my family on Thanksgiving.

My family has been with me through thick and thin. We have celebrated happy occasions and supported each other through the sorrows. The big sorrow we faced this year was the death of my father. We all miss him, but none more than my mother. However, his passing was peaceful and painless. He was sick for a very short time and didn’t suffer, and I am grateful for that. I am grateful for the love he and my mother have given me through my life, for all the sacrifices they made to give me not only with what I needed, also what I wanted.

My husband, daughter and son have given me many reasons to be proud and grateful. We have created so many wonderful memories throughout the years. All three have given me unconditional love and encouragement to be the best I can. This year I will celebrate Thanksgiving without my children. My daughter will host a dinner for her husband’s family at their home. My son lives at the opposite end of the country now and won’t be home. Their presence will not be seen but only felt in my heart. Which leads me to be grateful for the technology that allows me to connect with them, to hear their voices, and see their faces when they are far away.

There are many people I call friends. We share meals, conversation and enjoyable times. And are there when I need them. I am grateful for the many people I have met through various networking support groups. They have shown me support, tips and leads. Most importantly they showed me where my passion is. Patiently they listened to me practice my skills on them as I learned to be a career coach.

The internet has profoundly influenced the job search process. I am thankful for the information that is free and the people who share information to help others. Because of the internet, I have met people from all over the country and in 4 other countries, as well. I have learned with them and from them. I met these people on Facebook and LinkedIn and continue to connect with them. I have also reconnected with old friends on these sites to resume lost friendships.

My house is small but warm and dry and keeps me safe from storms and dangers. There is food in the cupboards and refrigerator that is nutritious and healthy. My car is reliable and gets me where I want to go. I have the proper clothes that keep warm in the cold or cool in the summer.

As you can see I have many reasons to be grateful. There are times when I don’t think I have anything, but I have quite

a bit actually. I have the love of family and friends and have the things I need. And I have much more to be thankful for but I think you get the idea. Gratitude changes your perspective. You go from looking at the glass as half empty to half full, and it makes you feel better about everything. What are you thankful for?

Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and certified job loss recovery coach. She assists clients in moving beyond job loss grief in order to land dream jobs. To learn more about the Job Loss Recovery Program and how you can benefit from it, log on to www.arleenbradley.com.

Do you feel all alone in your job search?
Do you feel like no one understands what you are going through?
Looking for state of the art job search strategies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group. Click here for more information.

Unemployment and the Holidays: Yes they can be compatible.

October 29, 2012 | Author: Arleen Bradley

Believe it or not it is that time again; the time when you start thinking about the holidays ahead. Or maybe you are trying to put it out of your mind. But nevertheless they will be here upon you soon. `seem to increase every year; food, family, gifts and so on. But how do you cope with the holidays while unemployed? If you don’t have the answers, fear not, I have some suggestions for you.

Some advanced planning you can survive the holidays. And it all starts now. First talk to your family and friends about your situation early before everyone has everything planned. Second start your preparations now. Third create a budget and stick to it.

First. You know your family does the same thing every year. This is the time you can change the way things are done. By starting the conversation now, you will let everyone know what to expect.

Be honest with your family and tell them what you can and can’t do. Be honest with them. Change isn’t easy and welcomed which is why you are doing this now. It will allow people a chance to get over the change. Some will like it and be thankful that you brought it up. Others will think you are messing with tradition. Some are organized and have already started getting things ready. Others wait to the last-minute and scramble around in a frenzy. You will make one group unhappy and the other happy. But the idea is to make everyone satisfied, and you have to do what’s best for you at this time.

Second. Make a budget and stick to it. Once you have decided what you are going to do, sit down and estimate the cost for gifts, food, clothing and travel. Find out where the money is going to come from. Will you have to find a part-time job for the extra money; or make and sell items for others to buy; or some other way to earn money.

And lastly, if you start purchasing, baking, cooking, making and such now it will take the pressure off your finances. As stated above, by having the difficult conversation now, you will know what is expected and can plan ahead.

If you are planning to make gifts, you have almost two months to get items finished without pulling all nighters. Buy one gift a week seems less expensive than going out on a one day shopping spree. There are many foods you can make and freeze ahead. By preparing the food in the coming weeks, you will have time should you be called in for an interview. Additionally, watching sales and buying at the lowest price you get more for your money.

I have been doing some of these things for many years. I feel more organized and don’t run around at the last-minute shopping, cooking, baking and spending money I don’t have. The best part of all is that I get time to reflect on the true meaning of the holiday. And that’s the best thing of all.

Do you feel all alone in your job search?
Do you feel like no one understands what you are going through?
Looking for state of the art job search strategies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group. Click here for more information.

Getting Back to Your Life

October 1, 2012 | Author: Arleen Bradley

Recently I polled a number of people in my job search networking support group about what they look forward to doing again when they get a job. Although the answers varied, they had one thing in common. People wanted to return the life they had before they were let go from their job.

Some of the answers were going on vacation, eat at exceptionally nice restaurants, go to Broadway shows, visit museums and make plans for the future. I expected answers like pay their bills, buy a new house, car, and new clothes. It was interesting to see they missed the finer things in life. These are the things that are driving forces to get back to work.

It was fascinating to see what they missed. Instead of missing the camaraderie of colleagues or learning new skills, they missed their lifestyle. They feel like their lives are on hold and that bothers them. The inability to make plans for their leisure time and retirement concerns the, especially if they dip into retirement savings to get by.

However, it’s the dreams that keep them going because as soon as they get back to work they are going to _____________. I’ll let you fill in the blank. Having a fun goal keeps their thinking about other things than the mundane things about going back to work. I don’t think anyone is looking forward to being stuck in traffic, filled in boxes, or endless meetings. Instead, they are thinking about a fine meal at a 5 star restaurant or seeing the latest Broadway show.

The fun things done after work is what’s driving them forward to search for jobs. And who can blame them. Because now they have more free time than they like, but they can’t do the things they want to do.

What are you looking forward to doing when you get back to work?

Do you feel all alone in your job search?
Do you feel like no one understands what you are going through?
Looking for state of the art job search strategies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group. Click here for more information.

Surviving Unemployment–You are Not Alone

September 23, 2012 | Author: Arleen Bradley

If you were to ask me how I survived my unemployment, I would say it was through my job search networking group.

It as through the support of the people of the group that I first learned I was not alone. I shared the same feelings of loss, grief, frustration and loneliness. The group was made up of people from different occupations and levels. It was a diverse group of men and women all sharing the burden of job loss.

Sharing the typical struggles of looking for meaningful employment allowed me to use what I knew to help others. What they knew helped me. It was like to the stone soup story where the towns people claimed they didn’t have anything to share. But one by one they started sharing what little they had. Soon they had a feast. My group also had a feast. A feast, not of soup but of useful information and leads for finding a job, coping with the job loss and dealing family and friends. As members used this information, they started finding jobs. New people joined and added new information, and the cycle continues to this day.

What I learned from the group was I wasn’t alone, they felt the same as I did. Some were better educated, were better qualified, and felt isolated just like me. I saw that sharing information and leads were the way to feeling less alone led to becoming more positive and hopeful resulted in a getting hired.

I thrived in this group as did over 300 people. Only a handful remains on the search. Some got jobs and lost them more than once. From this experience, I became a career coach so that I could provide positive experiences for others needing the emotional support along with the sharing information and leads.

I highly recommend anyone out of work and looking for a job join a job search networking and support group. The information is helpful, and the support is valuable beyond words.

Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and certified job loss recovery coach. She assists clients in moving beyond job loss grief in order to land dream jobs. To learn more about the Job Loss Recovery Program and how you can benefit from it, log on to www.arleenbradley.com.

Do you feel all alone in your job search?
Do you feel like no one understands what you are going through?
Looking for state of the art job search strategies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group. Click here for more information.

Conquer Interview Anxiety

September 12, 2012 | Author: Arleen Bradley

Do you have test anxiety? I do, and my brother does. My brother will be taking a test soon that has the potential to change his life drastically. He recently found out that in order to keep his job, he needs to pass a crucial test. He has a very comfortable life style. He owns a beautiful home, a lovely beach home, and two brand new cars. His job takes him to 5 star resorts for bonuses and sales meeting. Needless to say, he is stressed about passing the test. Life would certainly be different for him if he doesn’t pass it.

Interviewing is like taking a test. You study and prepare so that you are ready to answer any question that can be asked. You read anything you can get your hands on. Talk to people who have been there before you. You are ready or so you think. You arrive at the site and all of a sudden you can’t think of a single thing you learned. That happened to me several times. When I read the first question, I didn’t even recognize the words in the sentence. When I interviewed it felt the same, I was so nervous I had a difficult time remembering my name.

Those first few minutes were challenging. I finally started to remember everything I had been working diligently to put into my head. After a few minutes, I settled down and then I was on a roll. However, I have found a way to beat the anxiety of test taking and interviewing. I use guided imagery to relax me and to prepare for the test/interview. After practicing using guided imagery, I arrive in a much calmer state. I know I am ready and know how to minimize any nerves very quickly. It has save the day several times.

Sometimes the test/interview is a doctor’s appointment, a speaking engagement or one of many of life’s tense moments. I just go to my calm place and breathe. The tightness in my muscles loosens, my breathing steadies, and the butterflies in my stomach fly away. But best of all, my head clears and opens up so that pertinent information comes to me as needed. Depending on the situation, I am able to recall the way I practiced the answers. I am confident that my answers are spot on.

I talked to my brother about using guided imagery to prepare for his test. He said it’s something he needs do to prepare for his crucial test. He knows he needs the stress relief. And that alone will help him tremendously. After only a few sessions, he is seeing results in calming down and feeling more confident. I will tell you know how he does on his test.

Arleen Bradley Career Coaching

You Can Be Grateful Even If You Are Unemployed

Unemployment and the Holidays: Yes they can be compatible.

Getting Back to Your Life

Surviving Unemployment–You are Not Alone

Conquer Interview Anxiety

Career Coach

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