After earning a Bachelor’s degree from Dominican University with a major in Communications, Nancy knew she wanted to pursue a career in public relations or advertising. She described herself as the classic people person but when she landed a job in an ad agency, she soon learned that this was not an ideal fit. It was through trial and error, tenacity, and some incredible mentoring that Nancy forged an amazing professional journey that has given her opportunities to work in a myriad of career sectors. [Read more...]
Career Coach • Author • Speaker
Anne Shroeder, Star Gazing Farm/Language Works Websites/Sheep Shearer
June 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Anne Shroeder has been through many transitions in her life but at age 50 she has now found her passion and peace with a dream career that will warm your heart. She splits her time between her web development business, Language Works and caring for 50+ animals in need of a home. Her animal sanctuary: Star Gazing Farm is also a non-profit organization and if that wasn’t enough, Anne is also refining her skills as a sheep shearer. [Read more...]
Tap Your Inner Meryl Streep
May 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Whether you have the performance gene or not, there are times in your professional life when you have to command an academy award winning performance to offset your emotions – especially fear. You remember the tag line of the Dry Idea deodorant commercial: Never Let Them See You Sweat – the same holds true in many professional situations.
Fear is natural and it can be very difficult to remain calm under pressure but you need to learn how to act confidently even if your heart is racing a mile a minute on the inside. When I am coaching my students and clients in mock interviews, I encourage them to have their game face on and approach the interview with confidence and their authentic personality, even if they are scared to death on the inside.
Imagine that person in your professional world who stands tall with humble confidence and exudes composure at all times. She seems to have it all together and you wish you could behave like her under pressure. You can and should emulate that confident person and practice holding it together when your nerves get the best of you. The truth is she may be just as scared as you are but she has developed a technique to lead with a confident persona and it works.
You set your audience at ease when you exude a confident and friendly persona as well. It’s torture watching someone who is terrified present or interview and no matter how well prepared they are, the focus is on their emotional distress and not their brilliant content.
Whether you are in a job interview, a board room presentation, or a public speaking engagement, tap your inner Meryl Streep and bring on a command performance. Work with a coach doing role play scenarios or practice with a trusted advisor so you can perfect your technique.
You can smell fear a mile away but a simple smile can be the best technique to let others know you are confident. By the way, in a recent interview, Meryl Streep confessed to severe stage fright before live performances but you would never know it!
How to Stay Motivated During Tough Times
September 29, 2010 by 1 Comment
The economy is still bad and the job market is bleak so tell me something I don’t already know! How is a well qualified candidate supposed to keep her spirits up when the prospects for gainful employment are dismal? While I believe it’s important to have a sense of reality about the economic environment, keeping a positive attitude is crucial so you are not paralyzed by fear. I met a woman who was so preoccupied with being laid off at work that it began to impact her performance on the job. Don’t let fear become a self fulfilling prophecy and work to keep the power of positivity part of your strategy for self motivation.
I read a terrific piece by Roland D. Nolen about staying positive in tough times and want to share his action steps to keep a positive attitude.
- Don’t fall into the misery loves company syndrome. If your friends and contemporaries frequent the pity party, get yourself out of that environment fast. This behavior is negative and a drain on your time and energy and in the end it doesn’t solve your problem, nor does it make you feel better.
- Avoid toxic people. Or at least deal with them in very small doses. You know exactly who they are and why their negative, complaining, and critical behavior drags you down. Just say no!
- Limit your TV time. When you are stressed and feeling down your occasional TV time can turn into extended hours of lying around feeling lethargic and watching anything just because it’s there. Spend your time wisely and re-energize yourself by exercising or getting out into the fresh air so you can work on job related tasks more effectively.
- Take a half hour each day for motivation time. Read a motivational book or listen to an emotional speaker’s CD to jazz yourself into a positive mindset. Some of Nolen’s favorites include
- Over the Top by Zig Ziglar
- Live Your Dreams by Les Brown
- The Power of Focus by Canfield, Hansen, Hewitt
- What Makes the Great Great by Dennis Kimbro
- Try new things. To overcome the fear of failure, rejection or pain, try something completely new to get your mind off your troubles. Try a new hobby, sport, or past time to refocus on something positive.
- Reward yourself. With every small success or baby step, reward yourself for your accomplishments. By setting small, attainable goals you will feel as if you are actually moving forward (and you are!) on your journey towards the big picture.
If you get your mind off your problems occasionally, you will give yourself time to re-energize. Staying positive and motivated is much better for your health and well being and will enable you to keep trying as you work towards your goals.
