Optimism, Hope and Resilience

"Stand up straight and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances.” 
—Maya Angelou

Hi Audie,

As we step into December, it’s a perfect time to reflect on 2020 and begin looking to 2021 with optimism and hope for containing COVID-19 (hello, vaccines), addressing equality and diversity, celebrating gainful employment for the millions of people who are in transition … and returning to civility and goodwill toward others.

This month’s newsletter is focused on resilience and also offers some job search tips (and pitfalls to avoid) for this time of year. You won’t want to miss these!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Chanukah, Christmas, or Kwanzaa. Please continue to be “COVID smart” and stay safe and healthy. Whether you’ll be together in person or through Zoom calls, celebrate the meaning of your holiday and having had the resilience to survive 2020.

Sending hugs and love your way!

Warm regards,

P.S. I invite you to share my newsletter with anyone you feel could benefit from receiving valuable content and insights specific to mid- to senior-level executive job seekers/career changers. 

P.P.S. To learn more about Your Call To Action and how I help my clients go from being frustrated and struggling with their search, stuck in a toxic work environment or worried about being downsized to feeling excited, valued and re-energized at work (and in their life) again, take a look around my website.

Optimism, Hope and Resilience

There’s no doubt most everyone will agree 2020 has been one for the books! Aside from the elephant in the room – the pandemic and its impact on everyone’s life – most of you reading this newsletter have been directly impacted by the ripple effects of COVID-19: you’ve been furloughed, your position has been eliminated through no fault of your own (or worried you’ll be impacted by the next wave of downsizing), your pay has been reduced to keep your employer afloat during these challenging times, you’re busier than ever at work with less headcount/support, and you’re juggling other family responsibilities which didn’t previously exist.  

On top of this, you or loved ones may have contracted COVID-19 and are still recuperating from it or you’re dealing with the grief of losing beloved friends and family.

Whatever challenges you’ve faced (or are still facing) this year, you’re still here! Talk about resilience!  

I’m happy to share a few quotes on resilience I often refer to whenever I’m experiencing challenges. I hope at least one resonates with you, as well:

“It’s your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s story will develop.” 
—Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving; we get stronger and more resilient.”  
—Dr. Steve Maraboli

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” 
—Nelson Mandela

“Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”  
—J.K. Rowling

Stay the course

At this time of year, it’s not uncommon for job seekers to think “no one is hiring” or “things slow down around the holidays; I’ll pick back up with my job search in January.” I’m here to tell you that this is the furthest thing from reality … and yes, even this year!  

Here are some job search tips for you to focus on in December:

• Continue networking with former colleagues and others you know through work, making sure you walk away from the conversation with at least 2 new people to be introduced to. You want to continually expand your network!
  
  
• Circle back with the hiring manager for opportunities or positions you interviewed with and were excited about 2-3 months ago, but received a "Dear John" letter. It’s a good time to reconnect and wish them a happy holiday and see how things are going with the person they hired. For all you know, that individual may not be working out or they left to accept another position they were interviewing with at the same time (but accepted the first offer – a bird in the hand…).
  
  
• Take advantage of family gatherings or holiday zoom calls to let people know that you’re looking for a new position (including a brief description of the type of position, industry or company that would be ideal) and you’d welcome any introductions. Most importantly, be upbeat and show your enthusiasm for finding something new and exciting!

Pitfalls to avoid in your search throughout December:

• Putting your search on hold until January. You want to be active and visible with your network, on social media (provide valuable content), and with Executive Recruiters and hiring managers and corporate executives.  
  
  
• Using the number of job postings on LinkedIn or other job board sites as a way to measure how vibrant (or not!) the market may be. As a general rule, roughly 10-15% of your time should be spent looking at job boards, as networking and proactively reaching out to executives at targeted companies and working with Executive Recruiters should continue to be your primary strategies and focus.
  
  
• Being hard on yourself and not taking the time to “fill your soul”. Being in job transition is stressful and often anxiety-filled. Don’t forget to take time each day for activities that you enjoy and fill you up, whether it’s spending more time with your spouse or children (because you can!), taking up a new exercise or health/wellness routine, relaxing and reading a book (novel idea – pun intended!), etc.  

“It’s not the load that weighs you down, it’s the way you carry it.” 
—C.S. Lewis

If you’re frustrated or struggling with your search, and you’ve been going about this on your own, it may be time to seriously consider hiring an experienced executive job search/career transition coach.  

Based on my experience coaching hundreds of business leaders, more often than not, having a mentor and someone in your corner every step of the way makes all the difference in the world.  Whether it's tweaking your messaging, branding (resume and LinkedIn profile), what you write in email and LinkedIn communications; improving your interviewing skills and practicing in a realistic yet safe environment; having a healthy job search mindset and someone to help you through the emotional highs/lows of your search; and helping you execute proven job search strategies geared toward Directors, VPs and Executives is the difference between flying solo with a longer, more frustrating search and working with a proven coach and landing offers in as soon as 90 days without the struggle, frustration and overwhelm.

You don’t have to do this alone! Click here if you’re interested in scheduling a complimentary strategy call with me. 

Whether you’re just starting out with your search or you’ve been at it a while, take this quiz to find out the most productive job search approach for you along with helpful strategies, tips and pitfalls to avoid.  

🎁 Who do you know is also in job transition (or considering making a change) and could benefit from this? Help out a friend, business colleague or relative by sharing this quiz and newsletter with them.🎁

If you are a mid- to senior-level executive and motivated to find your next opportunity (or know someone who is), I'd love to speak with you to better understand your situation, what you're looking to do, and see how I can be of help.

Book your complimentary 40-minute Strategy Session here.

Prior to launching Your Call To Action in 2015, Audie spent over 30 years in technology sales and sales leadership roles working with C-Level and other key stakeholders at Fortune 1000 companies utilizing a consultative and value-based approach to addressing her clients' needs.

Due to the evolving nature of the technology industry, it was common to change companies due to M&A, new leadership coming in and bringing their own team, corporate restructurings, or as a way to advance one's career. Audie became very proficient — and successful — in landing multiple offers each time, and was frequently complimented on how she stood out (in a good way!) from other candidates throughout the interview process.

She leverages her business acumen, consultative and value-based approach to sales, and professional coach training (ICF Certified) in working with clients and delivering her proven methodology, strategies and tips for successfully landing a new position (after all, one needs to sell oneself, right?).

Audie is intuitive, nurturing, and compassionate yet firm—all of the qualities you should want in a coach. She is your accountability partner with a focus on helping you get real results ... and you’ll also have fun along the way!

Want to learn more? Click here to book a Complimentary Strategy Session.