Category: Success

Jay Wren: The World’s Noblest Headhunter On the first day that I worked as a corporate recruiter, I sat down at a desk that had a telephone, a stack of 5 X 8 file cards, a legal pad, and a copy of the Directory of Advertisers. I had no clients.  I had no applicants.  I had…… Continue reading Jay Wren: The World’s Noblest Headhunter

Preparation: The Key to Self-confidence “One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” Arthur Ashe An effective way to prepare for anything is to create an outline of the things you want to do, that is, an agenda. Below is an interview agenda you can use as a format for…… Continue reading Preparation: The Key to Self-confidence

Finding Your Individual Greatness Great leaders have things in common.  They also have different ways to find their individual greatness.  Here are eight ways you can find your own individual greatness. Find the beat of your own drum and march to it. It is so easy for me to get distracted and off course when…… Continue reading Finding Your Individual Greatness

he Mental Zone of Success The mental zone of success enables us to live in the present moment, work stress free, and perform from a higher mental level. From 1998-2001, Jason Williams was the starting point guard for the Sacramento Kings.  The February 15, 2001 Sports Illustrated cover featured Williams along with teammates Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, Doug Christie,…… Continue reading Intelligence Versus The Mental Zone Of Success 

Highly successful people do many things that make them successful.  Here are four traits that enable them to keep a clear head, make better decisions, do more, and have a well-balanced life. Highly successful people focus on solutions. They don’t obsess about things that worry them.  Worry helps us by calling our attention to the problems…… Continue reading 4 Traits of Highly Successful People

Correcting people on the Internet feels so satisfying while I am writing my comment.  But is it good for me to judge others and police the Internet? By trying to correct people who post an article, I draw attention to the article. On LinkedIn, when I comment on an article, my comment makes the article appear in my activity…… Continue reading Correcting People On The Internet

When politicians offend you, they are not talking to you. They are talking to the people who will likely vote for them. Everything that Politicians say offends someone. When politicians are on the campaign stump, the best politicians say things that draw headlines.  The media people pick these things from political speeches and write their headlines.  Conservative,…… Continue reading Why Friends Don’t Post Politics on Social Media

How do successful people manage the future?  They don’t.  Even when they are planning, they are not managing the future.  They are managing their plans for the future. The future doesn’t exists.  There is a sign that hangs above some bars: “Free beer tomorrow.”  Of course, the same sign will be hanging above the bar tomorrow and carry the same message.…… Continue reading How Successful People Manage the Future

Be the Leader in the Workplace. There are things that I can do to make work happier and more successful for my coworkers, my boss, my customers, and me. Give credit where credit is due.  I do not like people to take credit for my work.  I cannot allow myself to take credit for the…… Continue reading Be the Leader in the Workplace.

8 Success Habits How do you make success a habit?  Here are some tips that work for me. Arrive early.  I find that it is nice to arrive early for work or appointments.  When I meet someone locally, I leave in time arrive fifteen minutes early.  I can always find a comfortable place to relax before…… Continue reading 8 Success Habits

Sticking with winners is the key to happiness and success in my life. One of the things that attracted me to my wife, beyond the fact that she is attractive, intelligent, interesting, and fun, was her family.  My wife’s parents were intelligent people.  I enjoyed being with them.  I admired them for the way that…… Continue reading Sticking with Winners

How Successful People Think I have a friend who is a professional poker player.  He is a successful professional poker player. He also has the most discerning eye for controversy that is emotion based, and he seems to screen it out intuitively.  I think that this trait is the reason that he is so successful…… Continue reading How Successful People Think

6 Things Successful People Do Everyday Assess and Adjust Every day things can happen that can thwart the plans for the day.  Successful people don’t focus on the frustrations that occur every day.  They assess and adjust. What is the new situation? How practical is it to continue to with the current plan? What adjustments can they make…… Continue reading 6 Things Successful People Do Everyday

24 Top Career Articles from JayWren.com 10 Ways to Get Respect at Work 5 Interview Tips for Getting a Job Offer How to Deal with a Bad Boss Post-Interview Thank You Letter Top 100 CPG Companies Correcting Mistakes in the Workplace Dealing with Difficult People Companies Use Social Media for Hiring Hidden Expenses at a…… Continue reading 24 Top Career Articles

12 Steps to Career Promotions I do the job correctly.  With my goal in sight, I am doing my job based on the direction I need to go. I can see what belongs in the work and what does not belong in the finished product. 2. I use the correct tools. If I am fixing…… Continue reading 12 Steps to Career Promotions

The Death of Email Email is hardly dead.  However, more convenient, immediate, and more effective applications are taking over services that were formerly the exclusive role of email. Receiving news updates via web services Facebook, Google News, and other news feeds give news content and updates.  These services allow readers to pick and prioritize content.  Rather than…… Continue reading The Death of Email

I have had some excellent people work for me over the years.  They were people I would like to have as neighbors around my home.  They did things to help, often without my asking. They were people I could trust.  One of these instances of trust resulted from my needing to look into the desk…… Continue reading Kindness Everywhere

Jobless Claims Fall to the Lowest Level Since 1973 “In the week ending July 18, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 255,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week’s unrevised level of 281,000. This is the lowest level for initial claims since November 24, 1973 when it was 233,000.  The 4-week…… Continue reading Jobless Claims Fall to the Lowest Level Since 1973

Here are 6 steps to a winning career. Arrive early. “Better three hours too soon than five minutes late.”  William Shakespeare If you cannot be at work on time, you are unemployable.  That idea seems simple enough.  The best way to be at work on time is to go to your work before your days…… Continue reading 6 Steps to a Winning Career

Focus on Work:  this simple principle determines my work success. Work Focus When I am the most successful at work, I focus on the job.  I don’t focus on my issues with other people.  I don’t focus on my feelings of frustration with my job or my life.  I don’t focus on jobs that I…… Continue reading Focus on Work

I used to think that a certain amount of worrying was healthy, productive.  Over time, I have found that worrying is really counterproductive.  Worrying makes me tired and causes me to become confused. When I am worrying, I am not finding a solution to anything. What happens when I worry is that a painful idea…… Continue reading How to Turn Worries into Plans

I used to think that a certain amount of worry was productive.  I saw myself focusing on things that might happen.  I was being vigilant.  I was anticipating problems.  Business people need to anticipate problems to reduce risks. Everyone experiences a moment of uncertainty from time to time.  However, making a practice of worrying is…… Continue reading Turn Your Career Worries into Career Plans.

Self-doubt is a sign that I am growing. Things that I can do easily do not create self-doubt.  I do not get nervous when I ride a bike or use a keyboard.  I have had a lot of practice at doing both of these things. New, complex things create self-doubt.  I feel anxiety.  I feel…… Continue reading Self-doubt is a Sign that I am Growing

“You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.” Eleanor Roosevelt Going from self-conscious to self-confident is a simple process of developing skills.  Being self-conscious is painful and pointless.  Being self-confident is healthy and rewarding. Self-conscious people have to think about themselves.  They are less aware of…… Continue reading Going from Self-Conscious to Self-Confident

“A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.”  Mahatma Gandhi Saying ‘No’ without feeling like a jerk or acting as if a jerk is an important skill. You can’t say “Yes” to everything.  You will end up with things that you do…… Continue reading Saying ‘No’ Without Feeling Like a Jerk

“Most people are as happy as they make up their mind to be.”  Abraham Lincoln Job Security: How to Stop Scaring Yourself Who doesn’t have days when they worry about things going badly?  Sometimes these worries are about job security.  Job security worries are often scary. Here are five key elements to understanding worrying. No matter how…… Continue reading Job Security: How to Stop Scaring Yourself

Start by setting your own rules for email.  In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web.  He put his personal rules on email on the website World Wide Web Consortium.  He wrote eleven points for sending email.  He put these points under these three headings. “Before you email me.” “What not to email.” “What…… Continue reading Get Your Job Done Fast.

You Have Enough Talent. Now Work on Your Skills.  Your skills will create your success.  Don’t let your feelings about your talent discourage you from success. “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”  Albert Einstein We’ve all known the kids with talent. These are the gifted students. They are instantly successful.  …… Continue reading You Have Enough Talent. Now Work on Your Skills.

Onboarding eases the transition into a new job.  Starting a new job involves meeting new people.  New employees must learn new places.  They develop new skills.  They learn to adapt to new expectations.  New hires often feel uncertain about what to do.  They are often uncertain about how well they fit in with the other…… Continue reading Onboarding New Employees for Maximum Success

10 Ways to be More Likeable Likeability is a soft skill that helps people build relationships and forge alliances.  The things that students do to become likable are the same things that make workers likable. However, with evolving technologies and changing social norms, the skills and etiquette for likeability are more complex. In the “Wall…… Continue reading 10 Ways to be More Likeable

Saving Your Career from Job Burnout Are you working on adrenaline and caffeine to push yourself to work faster and for longer hours?  Are you working under constant pressure from your supervisor or from your working conditions?  Are you taking shortcuts by eating at your desk, reading your email on your smartphone during breaks, and…… Continue reading Saving Your Career from Job Burnout

In the first 90 days, you will create first impressions.  Make them all positive. 1. Impress your boss.  Do the job your boss expects you to do.  Make your number one priority to do the things that your boss has told you to do in the order in which your boss directed you.  Let your boss…… Continue reading 6 Steps to Success in the First 90 Days

How to deal with a bad boss If you are working for a bad boss, you have my understanding and empathy.  I have had a couple of bad bosses.  One had no interest in his job and was a roadblock to my career.  The other one was verbally abusive.  In the first case, I left…… Continue reading How to Deal with a Bad Boss

Your performance review is important for more than your self-esteem.  The results can affect your promotions, your pay raises, and your job security.  Depending on where you work, your success in getting a great performance review is as important as doing a great job for your company. As managers come and go or as you…… Continue reading 6 Tips to Ace Your Performance Review

Is Your Desk Killing You? Standing at work burns calories at a rate that adds up to running marathons.  By contrast, endurance athletes who sit at work damage their health as though they were smoking. The solution for many people is to stand at their desk. There are desks specifically designed for people to stand while they work.…… Continue reading Is Your Desk Killing You?

Learning how to disagree without being disagreeable is sometimes a matter of understanding different types of people. Some people have a short temper. I had a partner who had a short temper. He would snap at people. Shortly after he lost his temper, his anger would pass. He realized that his short temper hurt him…… Continue reading Disagreeing Without Being Disagreeable

“The World’s Noblest Headhunter!”

I have had some excellent people work for me over the years. They were people I would like to have as neighbors around my home. They did things to help, often without my asking. They were people I could trust. One of these instances of trust resulted from my needing to look into the desk…… Continue reading Be Extraordinary: Be a Good Neighbor.

Wonderful things happen when I read books.  I learn things that I would not know from surfing the Internet.  There are things in books that I do not know that I do not know. I have a library card and I use it.  There is a library within walking distance.  It is a library branch and…… Continue reading Books for Your Career

Keeping Track Of Your Things At Work:  You are sitting at your desk. You notice that you need to charge your cell phone. When you look in your case, you do not find the charger. As you think over your day and the days before, you can recall the last times that you used the charger,…… Continue reading Keeping Track Of Your Things At Work

Legend has it that Aristotle walked around the Lyceum as he lectured to his students.   Aristotle is often the model for people who discuss walking meetings. The idea of a walking meeting has a lot of appeal. Many people find the flowing environment, the exercise, and the side-by-side pairing stimulating. No one should find it…… Continue reading Powerful People Who Regularly Take Walks

Stress loves mental clutter.  As the pile of clutter grows in a person’s mind, stress becomes more powerful.  The clutter creates confusion, making it difficult to see the important things, the things that a person needs to do.   The confusion creates doubt and lowers self-confidence, creating more stress.  The growing stress robs a person’s…… Continue reading Clearing the Mental Clutter of Job Stress

Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2:  “… for there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” Winning teams and players come out of the locker room ready to play.  Monday blues can distract anyone from starting the week with a winning attitude and mentality.  Here are six steps that can help you…… Continue reading 6 Steps for Turning Monday Blues into Power Mondays

Power Assessment: Are People Your Greatest Asset? There is an old saying on Wall Street that the company’s assets go up and down with the elevator every day. When I went through orientation at Procter & Gamble, the trainer explained to me that the philosophy of the company is that its people are its greatest…… Continue reading Power Assessment: Are People Your Greatest Asset?

12 Ways to Increase Your Mental Skills There is nothing magical to greater mental power.  You do not have to buy anything.  You just need to follow some simple steps. 1. Live in the present moment.  Focus on what is in front of you.  This focus enables you to make good decisions and take the…… Continue reading 12 Ways to Increase Your Mental Skills

Free Websites:  Membership sites and websites give different benefits.  Nearly every career professional I know has a profile on at least one membership site.  Some of these professionals have their profile on several sites.  They put their names on the list among hundreds of millions of other professionals and businesses. Membership sites are terrific to…… Continue reading Job Power through Free Websites

Listening Power People prefer to think that they are smart.  Most people also like to think that other people think that they are smart.  Sometimes I can impress people more when I ask intelligent questions about what they have to say than saying anything. People enjoy discussing things they like and people they like.  People…… Continue reading Listening Power

10 Ways to Reduce Job Stress  I benefit several ways when I relax my mind. I think more clearly. I make better decisions. I feel better. I make other people feel better and help them think more clearly. I am healthier.  My heart rate goes down.  My blood pressure goes down. I have more energy.…… Continue reading 10 Ways to Reduce Job Stress

While everyone else is sneaking peaks at deals, make Cyber Monday a great day to focus on finding a job or doing a great job. This day is a giveaway day for many of your competitors.  They are falling into the cyber pit of Internet deals.  Move ahead of them.  Use this day to find…… Continue reading Make Cyber Monday a Great Day on the Job.

When I can not tell myself what I hope to accomplish, I am probably doing something that I do not need to do. By understanding the purpose of what I am doing, I work at a higher level. I can know the best way to do a job.  I have my goal in sight.  I…… Continue reading How To Get Promoted In Any Job Situation

Some people make friends easily.  These people have the skills to make people comfortable.  They know how to help people bond with them.  These people have a lot of friends.  They know how to make people feel accepted. People who have a lot of friends know that what people think comes from personal beliefs.  They…… Continue reading Making Friends at Work

“You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no results.” Mahatma Gandhi. The best way I can develop a good attitude about my job is just to do my job.   Putting things off because I feel negative or afraid only increases my negativity and…… Continue reading 7 Ways to Turn Job Ideas into Action: Mahatma Gandhi and Aesop

When I am having a bad day, I can forge ahead and strain to push myself through the day.  I can try to fix everything I do not like.  I can ruminate over my frustrations.  I can pour over the pointless hassles I have to endure.  I can persist with a job that is not…… Continue reading 7 Daily Practices for Turning a Bad Day on the Job into a Great Day on the Job