Blog - Page 6 of 22 - The Career Success Doctor

The Healing Power Of Woo-Woo: Hawaiian Style

Twice a year I come to Hawai’i to study and teach Huna, the life philosophy of the Hawaiians. And that’s where I am right now.

I feel enormously privileged to be here, and to be able to do this. It’s always hectic, particularly once the students start turning up, and I have to put energy into ensuring that everything is in place for them to have a really great experience, yet each time I do this, I grow too. It’s always a salutary reminder of just how rewarding it is to support others in their journey.

Huna’s been a lifesaver for me. I used to say, when people asked me what it is, that it’s the spiritual, psychological, energetic and healing practices of the ancient Hawaiians, but the truth is so much more than that. The Hawaiians don’t separate Huna from Being. For them, all these things we Westerners strive to study are just a natural part of living, of being healthy in mind, body and spirit.

We teach Huna in a Western way, to suit the Western mind. For me, growing up in a rather traditional British family, the idea we might all be connected, that my judgements and reactions to others might reflect judgements I make about myself and emotions I have suppressed, just did not feature in the way we lived life. My mum, a trained nurse, was deeply hostile to anything psycho. Psychiatry, psychology, being psychic, all were anathema, weirdness, unscientific, unproven, a sign of weakness. And as for meditation, well! God was OK, though, and Sunday was Church day (which turned out to be quite profitable for me as I got paid to sing in the choir!)

That attitude was common back in the day. It’s wonderful that people are becoming much more open to the idea that we have both a conscious and an unconscious mind, that we are connected, that there is something of a higher order, be it god, the universe, the collective, that just because you can’t see energy doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. You can’t see electricity either, but come the power cut we all know it exists!

If you’re finding life stressful, or you’re feeling out of flow, then here are a couple of Huna tips that might help you.

1. Breathe. When Captain Cook and his merry men first showed up in Hawai’i, the Hawaiian’s called them haole. Literally it means no-breath. Hawaiians take the time to breathe deeply, in through the nose, before doing or saying anything important. Breathing brings oxygen into your lungs – vital for organ health and brain function.

2. Come from a spirit of aloha – love. Honour other people, other beings, and the connection we all share. That doesn’t mean you have to hang around with people who sap your energy – but do respect their right to be on the planet, and learn what you need to learn from them.

3. If something gives you energy (real energy, not crash and burn energy) then do more of it. If it doesn’t , then stop doing it! Energy drinks are a classic example. We take energy drinks because we THINK they give us energy. A friend of mine was knocking back 5 or more a day, and decided to give it a rest for a few weeks. After the first few days, he couldn’t believe how much more energy and focus he had once he left the energy drinks behind.

If you’d like to know more about Huna and the Hawaiian approach to living well, leave a comment below this post. I’d love to know your experiences with the world of woo-woo.

How To Answer Salary Questions In A Job Interview

Written by Natalia

Many job seekers feel uncomfortable when asked salary questions in a job interview. I had a phone call today from a friend who is currently searching for a new job, and he told me he landed two interviews last week. That’s excellent news! And then the question arose: “The recruiter asked me about my salary expectations. What’s the proper answer to this question?”

It is a fact that interview questions like “what are your salary expectations?” are considered to be among the difficult ones. You really have to be careful because your answer could either lead you to miss a good opportunity if the wage you propose is too low, or even miss the job if it’s too high. Other trick questions like this could be “what was your last salary?”, or “would you be willing to take a lower pay than what you were getting in your previous job?”.
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So, how should you answer salary interview questions?

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Research

First of all, it is vital to do your research before the interview. This means that you have to learn as much as you can about the company including its compensation policies. A web search will help you with this if you do not know any of the employees in person. In addition, Ellen Gordon Reeves, the author of ‘Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?’ proposes to go straight to the source: “You can call the HR department of a company and simply say, ‘I saw a job advertised at your company and I’m wondering what the entry-level salary is for this department.’”

Of course, I am assuming here that you have already done your homework, and you know what salary to expect for this position according to the industry, your location, skills and experience.

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Diplomacy

Unless you are a psychic, you can’t possibly know the exact figure the recruiter has in mind. That’s why it is a good idea to give a diplomatic answer ‘throwing the ball back’ to the interviewer. Don’t be too open though (like “I’m willing to take whatever you give”), as you don’t want to sound weak.

A good example could be saying that you need more information about the job responsibilities before discussing salary. You could also ask the interviewer back what the company typically offers to someone with your qualifications, or what is budgeted for this position.

Always remember that what we say is not the only important thing. How we say it is quite significant as well. Your body language, your voice, your pauses and the way you talk are crucial to communicate your message. You don’t want to sound aggressive, right?

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Set a range

If they insist on a figure from you, it is best if you reply with a range. This will give you room for negotiation in case what you have in mind does not agree with what the company is offering. This is where all the research you have done becomes handy.

You could say something like “Based on the industry rates, my skill-set and previous experience, my requirements are in the $55.000 – $60.000 range, depending on the scope of work. Is that the range you had in mind?”

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Room for negotiation

Supposing you did your homework, the range you proposed was an acceptable one. Nevertheless, you will probably be offered a salary closer to the low end of your range. That is why it is wise to structure your proposal in a way that there is room for a counter-offer, in case you are not happy with the compensation the recruiter suggests. Lisa Gates in her article on The Daily Muse explains perfectly how to wiggle.

Negotiation conversations are made up of anchors (putting a number on the table), counteroffers, and concessions. Simplifying wildly, you need to know two things—your target (what you really want) and your reservation point (your walkaway or resentment number).

Remember to never try to negotiate anything until there really is an offer on the table.

Also, don’t forget that salary is not the only aspect of a job offer. Bonuses, employee benefits, or even share percentages are also parts of the package. If the benefits are more than you had expected, maybe a slightly lower salary isn’t so bad. On the other hand, if they are less you could use that as a justification for a higher salary.

For further reading on how to answer salary questions in a job interview, I have two more articles for you:
– The first one is by Aimee Bateman on Undercover Recruiter
– The second one, on BioSpace, by Carole Martin, provides some really good examples of Q&A’s

How To Succeed At Interview – Change The Way You Breathe

Written by The Career Success Doctor

In previous blogs I’ve talked about How To Succeed At Interview using your body language, and using your voice. This latest video is all about building rapport and making that all-important good impression in less than 10 seconds using your breath. This is certainly the subtlest way to build a connection with another person very rapidly, and arguably the relationship you build is deeper than with any other method.

It’s all about noticing how the other person breathes, and matching where they breathe from, the speed of breath, and when they are breathing in and out. It works in interviews, work meetings with relative strangers, bank managers, mortgage brokers, and even blind dates!

Check out the video below for the why, the what and the how of improving your chances of interview success using this method.

A Job Offer You Don’t Like? 5 Things To Consider Before Accepting

Written by Natalia

When you’re searching for a new job, chances are that you won’t like every job offer you get. Maybe the salary is lower than your standards, the required working hours don’t leave you any time for your family, or the company culture doesn’t suit you.

It is completely normal not to like each and every job offer you have. We all have our preferences.

However, there are times that people choose to accept a job offer they don’t really like. Sometimes it is due to financial reasons, especially if they are searching for a job for a long time and their savings account is getting lower. Another reason would be that their job hunt has lasted more than a couple of months and they have lost their self-confidence. In difficult times it’s easy to lose hope and feel desperate.

Nevertheless, whatever the reasons are that drive us to accept a less-than-ideal job offer, we should never forget the power of negotiation. You’ll never know what you could have accomplished if you don’t at least try!

Of course, there’s also the option to turn it down. Sometimes, a greater opportunity could be just around the corner. If you can afford to wait for it and chase it, it might be the best move.

If you are in a situation like this, trying to decide what to do, Heather Huhman, in her article in Glassdoor, suggests 5 things to consider before accepting a job offer you don’t like.

“Imagine you’ve just finished interviewing with several employers. Out of all of the interviews, you received one job offer. It wasn’t exactly what you wanted. Do you accept it?

If you’ve experienced a long-term job search, you’re probably feeling like you should take what you can get. But when you encounter offers you don’t completely love, you must ask yourself if you will accept the job offer, attempt to negotiate, or wait for a better opportunity to come along.”

Read the whole article here: “5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Accepting a Job Offer You Don’t Love”

Success And Happiness: What Is The Connection? Which Comes First?

Written by Natalia

If you have attended our free webinar “How To Have A Career That Really Works For You”, you already know the truth about success and happiness and how they are connected.

The fact is that it doesn’t apply to career success only, but in every aspect of your life, as well.

So, what’s the connection between success and happiness? Which comes first?

We all have heard phrases like “If only I could get a raise! Then I would be happy”. Chances are we have all made similar thoughts.

We are raised to believe that if we succeed, then we will be happy. And every time we achieve our goal, we make a new one. And we convince ourselves that once we achieve that one too, then happiness is ours! And this goes on and on forever.

But that’s a myth! The truth is exactly the opposite: Happiness leads to success! You will be successful, if you have joy and positivity in your life. You might achieve success when you are unhappy, but it won’t last. Sustainable success comes from happiness.

Lenka Lutonska in her article in ‘Advantage Woman’, discusses the same topic and provides some facts based on scientific studies about how happiness drives success in every part of our lives.

– Journals from a convent of 180 nuns showed that the nuns who shared joyful content lived nearly 10 years longer than the nuns whose entries were negative or neutral
– Unhappy employees take 1.25 sick days per month or 15 extra sick days per year
– Happy people make 37% more sales
– Happiness increases productivity by 31%, and accuracy on tasks by 19%.

When we are happy, our brain becomes more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, healthier, resilient and productive. We attract effortlessly good things, people and circumstances into our lives, and achieve our goals – big or small – with ease.

Read the whole article here: “Success or Happiness – Which Comes First?”

Shawn Achor, the CEO of Good Think Inc. and the author of two best-sellers -“Happiness Advantage” and “Before Happiness”-, spent over a decade researching and lecturing at Harvard University on positive psychology and the connection between success and happiness.

According to Shawn, happiness leads to long-term quantifiable positive change. In his article for CNN, “Is happiness the secret of success?” he states:

“Scientifically, happiness is a choice. It is a choice about where your single processor brain will devote its finite resources as you process the world. If you scan for the negative first, your brain literally has no resources left over to see the things you are grateful for or the meaning embedded in your work. But if you scan the world for the positive, you start to reap an amazing advantage.”

To find out more about this research, I encourage you to watch his popular TED Talk “The happy secret to better work” on the video below.

If 75% of job successes are predicted by our optimism levels and our brain at positive performs significantly better, then the first thing we should do in order to be successful, is to get our state of mind right.

As the psychologist says, “your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, your energy levels rise. In fact, what we’ve found is that every single business outcome improves”.

Now that we’ve learnt how happiness and success are connected, and that happiness actually fuels success, the next step is to change our mindset.

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If you need any help on what to do to change your mindset, claim your spot on our free webinar.