The More of You

By Alys Sadler

Everyone is unique…

…and it may be that recreating yourself is where you will begin. For others, it’s something else. In any case it begins with self, the innermost part of who we are. So, here we are. At the beginning, a new beginning – a fresh start.

They say it’s all about timing.

For me this is the time. It’s because of you that I’m doing this…and I know if you’re reading this, this is the time for you. Consider the words to a song by Ricki Byars Beckwith, “more than I have been, more than I will be, All that I am.” Your purpose; what is that?

For me this is about anyone…

who is embarking upon a new way of seeing, doing, and being themselves in their life; change and the courage it takes to do that. Life is change. Change is living life.

Are you living your life or are you just moving through it? Are you the More of who you really are?

Love and light,

How Long Should You Wait to Follow up on a Job Interview?

By Alys Sadler

How Long Should You Wait to Follow up on a Job Interview?

By Alys Sadler

When you’re following up on a job interview, the important thing is what day of the week the interview is and which day of the week it is that you follow up.

The best days of the week to follow up are on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Don’t follow up on a Monday or Friday.

The best times of the day to call are between 9:00 am and 11:00 am or between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. This includes those follow ups for an alternate time zone from your own as well. Be sure it’s their time zone.

When you have an interview, they will probably tell you when they will get back to you. If they don’t, then have that be one of the questions you ask when it’s your turn to ask questions at the end of the interview. They may tell you they’ll get back to you in a week or two.

If it’s a week, then wait until it has been a week and see if they get back to you or not. If they don’t then wait until the next day on (Tues/Wed/Thurs) to follow up and you can call or email him/her. If you call and they do not answer, firstly, note the time. It should be within the times I’ve suggested above. If it is and they didn’t answer the phone, make a note – maybe they’re not in the office at the time of day. Pick a different time from the suggested times and try again.

Under no circumstances leave a voicemail. Ever. Keep calling back to see if they’re in the office at a different time. It could be when you call, you may be speaking to a receptionist. Great! Ask him/her what is the best time to call that person and do that the next time. You could ask the receptionist if she knows who else you could speak with to get your question answered.

When you are in the interview and they tell you that they will let you know something within 2-weeks, then wait the two weeks and follow the same way as above.

I know you’re anxious and want to know by a ‘call back’ if you got the job. Here’s how you can rest at ease when you don’t hear something earlier. They are probably still interviewing candidates. As a panel of interviewers, they have a job to do day-to-day and they have to schedule a time to meet to review the candidates interviews to narrow it down. Sometimes it may be protocol for the interviewers to fill out forms to submit to Human Resources their thoughts/opinions of the candidates and that takes time.

If there is yet a second or a final interview by the ‘decision maker’ you’ll get the email or phone call when they’ve done all of that and have made a decision whether to make the job offer or schedule you for the following interview/s.

If the timeline they’ve stated for letting you know your status has come and gone, and they don’t contact you, they may have forgotten, they may not follow up with bad news, or they may. In any case you can follow up after the time they tell you has passed and as I said, if it’s a phone call, don’t leave a message. If it’s an email and you are not the chosen candidate, they may not email you in response to your email.

Be aware, they may send you a computer generated response that says that they have chosen a candidate that better suits the requirements/qualifications for the interview. While it’s not easy to hear that you weren’t offered the position, it may be equally as hard for a staff member to call you to give you the news, and it could be that they don’t call at all. Unfortunate, I know – but you already know, it happens.

If you follow up and get no response…

There is one more thing you can do before accepting defeat! You can call the company and speak with the receptionist first and tell her what you want. Ask her for a recommendation as to how you can speak with someone who would know the status of your interview. She may forward your call to Human Resources, and if she does be sure to get the name of the person he/she is connecting you to and their contact information to continue to follow up in case they don’t answer the phone either.

If you don’t get an answer and it’s been some time post interview, don’t be discouraged. Know that things happen and if you were #2 choice – well, what if number 1 choice doesn’t make it? They may call you later and see if you’re still interested. I’ve seen that happen many times.

Lastly…

if you do get in contact with someone and they tell you that you weren’t chosen by all means, be gracious. Thank them and let them know if something doesn’t work out down the road, that you want to work for the organization and would appreciate an opportunity to be reconsidered.

If you’re keeping a log (I recommend) for each job you apply and interview for, then just check them off the list for now. However, don’t get rid of that log or the information about that job/company. Follow them on LinkedIn and see if there is a connection you can make with someone. You can always go back later, months or years and take a look at the companies you interviewed with – check them out, see if you still want to work there and check out their Careers tab to see if there is an opening that fits you. Rework your resume and apply. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Love and light,

What’s the Personal Aspect of Networking that Makes it so Effective?

By Alys Sadler

What's the Personal Aspect of Networking that Makes it so Effective?

By Alys Sadler

Firstly, I think that we can all agree that people like people who set goals and make an effort to achieve them. Job search is no different.

Think about it. When you meet someone and get involved in a conversation, most of the time one of the first things that comes up is “what do you do?”

It’s an ok thing to say that you’re looking for a job. The next question that may come up is the perfect Segway for your Elevator Pitch. Share your goals in the job search process and what type of networking you’ve been involved in. Right there, you’re already more interesting. Don’t you think? I mean if the shoe were on the other foot, wouldn’t that person be more interesting to you if they shared all of that information that is truly a sign of maturity, responsibility, and self-confidence. You sound interesting.

You never know who you’re talking to. It could be someone who owns a company, a department head, or maybe someone who knows where the company is hiring. You just never know.

When you’re in job search mode, expect that everyone you meet is a potential employer or co-worker. That way you’ll never embarrass yourself. You may not get a second chance at making a first impression.

It’s important to realize that when you speak to people you don’t know, if you present yourself in a way that is professionally attractive, if that person does know of a lead or contact for a job it could very well be that they may give you permission to give their name as the person who told you about the job.

Think about it. Are you the person you would refer to a business or manager for a job opening? If you are, great! You’re headed in the right direction. If not, think about what changes you could make for yourself that would make you want to refer you. Interesting right?

People like people who use soft skills when interacting. You know soft skills – the behavior one exhibits. Communications – effective listening, courtesy. Those are soft skills and if you are one that knows how to speak and present yourself with poise, grace, and confidence, they may not remember your name, but they will never forget you. Which reminds me, carry your business cards with you.

If you don’t have a business card because you’re unemployed, have some made. Put your name and contact information on them including your LinkedIn address, and a website if you have one. If you don’t consider creating one from a free source like Weebly or Wix. That’s it. If you have a set job title e.g., Engineer, Construction, Sales, or the like, add that too and take them wherever you go. Now, that’s impressive. By-the-way, you should keep your business cards in a business card holder – they fit in a purse or a pocket, it will keep them clean and crisp. Carry them with you.

Those are all examples of what makes networking so professionally personal. You want to make a lasting impression with information enough to contact you again if they hear about something. If you can get their card do that too. Now you’re networking, with a personal touch!

Love and light,

Networking Know-how

By Alys Sadler

Networking Know-how Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

How to network…

may depend on how long you’ve been looking for a job, what type of job you’re looking for and if you don’t have a lot of time to spend on looking for the right job right now. If that’s the case and you need a job to generate income, the quickest way is through jobs like Uber or Doordash, and hey, you never know who you’ll meet networking through either of those types of jobs – right?

Ideas for networking…

include of course LinkedIn and joining groups there. The types of groups within organizations or people you want to work around. And don’t forget to post within these groups so that you can be seen. Then, when you reach out to someone to message or friend them, they have an idea of who you are – Bingo! There’s a contact.

Other ways…

are to volunteer. As a volunteer, you learn about the organization, the people, clients, and the business from the inside. If that doesn’t fit your job type, then consider an informational interview. Done right, you never know how that will turn out. You may find out about job opportunities opening in the future within that organization, or they may know about openings within competing companies.

An informational interview does have a protocol if you decide to do one, you’ll want to do it correctly. I have another blog on informational interviewing so read over that or you can email me…info@roadtochange.net.

Here are some other tips:

– Prepare your Elevator Pitch – this is number one! There’s nothing worse than a job seeker bumbling over their words when trying to describe themselves and what they’re looking for.

– Let people know you are looking for a new job. Set a goal. Try to talk with at least 3 people each week, then add on and make it 5 people.

– Get as much information as you can from other people – ask questions about their ideas for job search.

– Get referrals. You can contact your friends and family and ask them if they can refer you to anyone who can help you expand your contact list.

– Social settings. When you’re in a place where there are people, you can bring up the subject that you are looking for a new position. Try asking them about their job and how they found it.

– Giving back. If you’re in a social environment or know someone else in your place, share with them what you’ve learned. It’s interesting when you help others, the help you seek comes to you.

You can do this. Stay positive. Stay grateful. That which is yours will not pass you by.

Love and light,

Networking Know-how

By Alys Sadler

Networking Know-how Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Let’s start out with how to approach networking as a vehicle for contacts that may lead to job opportunities. It’s important to stay reminded that when you network, you’re asking for help, not for a job. Networking takes some commitment.

Yes, you can…

network through friends, family, and former co-workers; or you can try to meet new people who do the kind of work you want to do or work in a place like that you’d like to work.

Online networking…

is a strong way to engage with others within a group. A good place to start would be LinkedIn. If you don’t already have a profile, create one. If you don’t know how, get some help so that it reads and looks professional. Remember, you’re putting yourself out there for recruiters and potential employers to view. The great thing about LinkedIn is that you never know who you already know that knows just the person you want to meet.

They say,

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Just so happens this saying is true when it comes to looking for a job.

You may be surprised how many people know of job openings that don’t know you’re looking for a job. Whether it’s a career change to level-up from where you are to where you want to be, fresh out of college, or if you’ve been unemployed and reentering the workforce.

Networking is the best way to find a job.

When employers are looking for new hires, they may post the position internally first and may ask existing employees if they know someone they can recommend. Employers appreciate being able to hire someone that knows and trusts that person, so if you can think of contacts and relationships that you already have that could help you find a job – it’s a smart move!

Networking can take some time,

so patience will be a virtue for sure. It may seem easier to search for jobs online, and it probably is, but people find more jobs through networking than any other way of job searching. Don’t get frustrated and don’t get scared. Challenge yourself to present yourself to the world and look upon it as an adventure!

Love and light,

Excuses to Give Employers for Not Being Able to Talk on the Phone

By Alys Sadler

Excuses to Give Employers for Not Being Able To Talk on the Phone

By Alys Sadler

Employers aren’t looking for an excuse.

It’s ok not to have one.

When you try to explain why you can’t talk on the phone right then, the call becomes clouded with personal information. Really? No one, wants to know that. You’ll be using his/her business time to tell a story. Don’t do that.

You simply answer the phone, let him/her tell you why they are calling you. That’s the important part. You can let them know that you want to have the conversation about _________ and be in a place where you can speak confidentially, so you will call them back at ______, give them a day and time.

Ask if he/she will be able to take the call at that time. If not, then ask him/her for a time when they will be able to take the call, then schedule that time with him/her.

Don’t hang up the phone without a scheduled time to call back. Get on their calendar.

That being said,

If a potential employer calls you, and in the case your baby is screaming or something of that magnitude, then you wouldn’t answer the phone. You will have to call back.

Take care of the present moment and call them back immediately. If they don’t answer the phone, do NOT leave a voicemail! Never, leave a voicemail. Simply call back again. If you call several times to no avail, then contact the receptionist and ask what his/her office hours are so that you can call back at that time.

The best times to call an office for any type of follow up is Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday – not on a Monday or Friday. Call during the hours of 9:00am – 11:00am and 1:00pm – 3:00pm.

You’ll find that those hours are the productive hours for office staff and they will typically pick up the phone if they’re in the office. If they don’t answer, again, do NOT leave a voicemail. Simply continue to call back until you reach them.

When you do reach him/her, let them know who you are and let them know that their call is important to you. Here is where you could use an excuse if you want to, but remember, they aren’t looking for an excuse. They’re about the business they want to discuss with you, not about why you didn’t answer an unscheduled telephone call.

Letting them know they are important and what they have to speak with you about is important. That’s just good manners. Other than that, move forward with the conversation for which you are on the phone.

It’s that easy. Don’t overcomplicate a situation because you feel uncomfortable. Relax, let it go and just get to the business at hand. That’s a sign of emotional intelligence and they’ll respect that.

Love and light,

How to Follow up on an Interview if You Forgot to Ask for an email

By Alys Sadler

Not to worry – it happens.

Especially when you are in a panel or group interview and there are multiple people participating in the interview all at once.

If you are in a serial interview,

Whether it’s all in one day or over several days, it’s pretty easy to jot down the interviewer’s information. However, when there are more than one all at once it can be a challenge.

If you are in an interview

using a virtual platform, the names of the interviewers will be at the bottom of the thumbnail view, so you could write their names down when they introduce themselves.

At this point you won’t have their email address, but not to worry.

You can call the company and speak with the receptionist. A receptionist can be a job seekers best way to gain information about most anything. It’s the receptionist who knows everyone in the company and all of their contact information.

Be sure you are friendly with the receptionist when you call – and be genuine. Most people can detect false appreciation, even over the phone.

Let the receptionist know

that you were in an interview and the name of the position. Give him/her the date and time of the interview. This simply identifies that you are a genuine caller and not a random person seeking information they’re not entitled to.

Then let him/her know

that you were unable to get the contact information from the interview panel/group and you are asking for their email address to send a thank you follow up to the interview.

I know you’ll find the receptionist to be more than helpful with your request. Everyone who has a job has moved through this process and they know exactly what you’re asking – even the receptionist.

So, give a call

to the company and ask your questions. It’s easy. Then create a thank you note and send it to each of the interviewers. It’s my suggestion that if you send the email as a blanket email, use the BCC option so that each recipient gets their own email.

Otherwise,

If there are only one or two interviewers, you could create a thank you email for each individual person and send them separately. Either of those options is on par.

Love and Light,

Rest

By Alys Sadler

Rest

By Alys Sadler

Do you? Can you?

What does it mean to rest?

It’s an individual thing

Rest….the mind

Rest….the body

Rest…the Spirit

No TV, no phone, no radio, just an empty mind – simple but not easy – try it!

No thinking.

Be still and know…and

All will rest.

Love and light,

What to Add to the email Subject Line to Reach Out to Potential Employers

By Alys Sadler

What to Write in the email Subject Line to Reach out to Potential Employers

By Alys Sadler

If you decide that you’re going to email a potential employer about a position that they have open, be sure to read the job posting first. Sometimes in the job posting it will tell you that they don’t want the candidate to contact them via email or by phone. If it does say that, then honor that note and don’t try to contact them. If it doesn’t then, go ahead.

In either case, I suggest you firstly check the company’s website to see if you can create an applicant account. They may have correspondence within the candidate’s account to let you know the status of your application. That way if you’re trying to contact them to find out something that you could have found out on your own, it looks better.

All that being said, if you do find out it’s okay to contact the employer, my suggestion for the subject line is to put the position title in the subject line.

When employers are looking to fill a role within the organization and they know that candidates are going to contact them they want to know which position you’re talking about. They may have several job positions that they’re hiring for, so the subject line helps them to separate emails into files and organize their time for communication, resume reviews or other correspondence.

Another important point is that when you do decide to send an email, be certain that the content of the email body is saying something that is valuable to them. Then, they’ll be glad to read your email. Don’t be one of those candidates who sends something generic without substance. That could be a disappointment to the employer and influence his view of your candidacy. Make your email strong enough to stand out.

Love and light,

How to Stand Out When Applying for a Job

By Alys Sadler

How to Stand Out When Applying for a Job

By Alys Sadler

I’m going to write about resumes here but before I do, I must mention that when you submit a resume to a job announcement if a potential employer is interested in you, as you probably already know, he/she is going to search social media to see what other information he/she can find to learn more about you.

If they’re searching social media,

my bet is that they look at LinkedIn first. LinkedIn is a business networking site that is really about the business side of your network engagement. I’ll say right here that your LinkedIn site should be everything you think this potential employer would want to read about you – the banner, your photograph, and all of the content within the profile that aligns with the brand you are projecting within the resume and any other documents you submit in the application process.

If you are within the scope of entry to mid management this approach will stand out far beyond other applicants. If you are higher up on the ladder, an executive applicant, this information absolutely applies to you too.

Now, about the Resume.

When clients ask me for a resume review, I see it in a couple of different ways. One way is to review and share with the client how the resume looks – the formatting, the value of the content, and most importantly – how the content is responding to the job description.

The resume is a direct response to a job announcement. If your resume is written as a direct response to the job announcement, you will stand out.

Most people I meet don’t realize how important it is to dissect a job description and think about how the reader will apply the information to the needs of the company, the department, the manager and the team.

When I read a resume written by the applicant…

…the content is generic in nature and speaks of information inapplicable to the job announcement. This will not cause you to stand out and it could be that the resume may end up in the “no” pile, meaning no further review. This is where a professional resume writer can be more helpful than you know.

A hiring manager will spend about 20-seconds on a first review of a resume to determine if it will go into a “yes” or a “no” pile. The yes pile means that it gets a closer look later. The no pile means it won’t.

It’s important to write a resume in response to the job announcement as well as to understand the reader’s mind frame as they read it. How much there is to read, and how objective the content is in relation to the job announcement.

The resume is much stronger when it is written without personal adjectives. It’s one thing to state soft skills, it’s another to describe content with subjective fluff.

If you want to stand out, it begins with a no-nonsense resume, transferable skills written in response to the job announcement in the announcement’s language and not as a resume with information that doesn’t apply to the job.

The resume is strong and stands out when all of the information is in response to the job description showing your skills and experience as transferable entities. If there is information on the resume that doesn’t apply to the job description – ELIMINATE IT!

If you’ve got a niche type of skill set,

and the job is a fit, don’t hesitate to polish up that information – if it applies to the job description of course.

Your resume has to be absolutely dedicated to the verbiage and the content in the job description. I find sometimes it’s almost like writing code, but it must be done if you want to stand out from the other applicants.

And using this approach will do just that.

Stand out!

Love and light,

Reaching out to Potential Employers email After not Hearing Back

By Alys Sadler

Reaching out to Potential Employers email After Not Hearing Back

By Alys Sadler

Let’s say you applied for a position and the employer reached out to you via email to say thank you for your application, it’s under review and they will be getting back to you.

That is an auto response. Some companies have auto responses and some don’t. So, the thing is that you wait in question as to whether they’ve even received your resume/application. If you decide that you want to reach out to them, here’s how you do that.

So you get an automatic response from an employer and you decide to call back to find out if they have made a decision on which candidates have been selected for interviewing.

Firstly – Never, ever leave a voicemail. Not ever!

This is what you can say:

Hi my name is _______ and I applied for the ___________position. I did get an auto response that said my application was under review, BUT, I haven’t heard anything since then. I know sometimes an auto response will get sent out, but the resume/application didn’t transmit. Can you tell me if my resume/application was transmitted successfully? Can you look and see if you have received it?

If they tell you that they don’t have access to that information, let them know you will call back – then ask them who you should speak with who will know if your resume/application has been received.

It sounds like this:

Ok, I can call back tomorrow. Can you tell me who I would speak with that will know if my resume/application has been transmitted? If they tell you they don’t know (or something like that) then, say:

Can you give me your name? That way when I call back tomorrow, I’ll know if I’m speaking with the same person.

Most of the time, when it’s established that you will be calling back, they will look to see if your resume/application is there.

Then they tell you they see your resume/application and they have received it. Now ask:

Can you tell me if the candidates have been chosen for an interview?

If they say yes, then ask:

Can you tell me if I am one of the candidates selected?

If they say no, they haven’t made the choices yet. Then ask:

Do you know when they will be selecting the candidates?

If they say they don’t know. Say this:

Okay. Thank you so much for the information. I will call back tomorrow to see if you know when the candidates will be selected. Is there someone specifically that I should ask to speak with?

If they say no, then let them know you will speak with them tomorrow. If they give you a name, then tomorrow, ask for that person when you call back and then ask the same questions.

The goal is to know if you have been selected for an interview and when the interviews will be held. While some companies are great at getting back to you, others have a process that doesn’t allow them the courtesy of letting you know where you stand in the application process. It’s ok to call and ask the questions that help you to know if you should expect an interview or if you’ve not been selected. Either way, you just want to know.

Be friendly, be kind, and use your voice skills to present your questions in such a way that elicits the reciprocation of your kind and friendly telephone demeanor.

Love and light,

How is the Best Way to Find Job Opportunities

By Alys Sadler

How is the Best Way to Find Job Opportunities? Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Firstly, I recommend it if you know the type of job you want and if you know the companies that offer that type of job that you look for a job by company or organization. This is a much quicker way to job search than by the title of a job.

If you are looking for a job by title then, when you’re looking at online sites, use different sites. Some sites are paid sites where employers pay to have their jobs posted. Some online sites are search engines that pick up job listings from other sites and put them all onto their site.

You may notice that some jobs say that they’ve been posted for a period of time. Whether that information is written on the posting or not, always go to the company site and see if that job is actually posted under the career tab of that company. See if that job is real, and if it is still posted as an open position. Then you’ll be able to decide if applying to that job interests you since now you know if it is a real job and it is open to applicants.

Other ways to find job opportunities is to network of course. Over 87% of jobs are found through people you know, or people you know who know someone. I suggest you begin with an elevator speech and have it ready.

A good way to network is to do a search online to see where there are job fairs. Check to see if they are virtual or live. That will give you an idea if you have to drive and/or how far. Next, check the companies that will be attending the job fair and identify if there is a company you want to work for. If there isn’t a company where you want to work – don’t spend your time at that job fair. Do your homework, and if there is a company you want to work for – again, check out their website career tab and see what job postings they have open.

If you don’t know any the companies at that event, then now is the time to research them to see if anyone of them may be one you would want to apply to – check their website/s and see what the company is about and if you align with what they do and how they do it – and of course check the career tab to see what jobs are open.

In case you find a company you want to apply to and there isn’t a job posting for the type of job you are seeking, go to the job fair anyway. When you get a chance to speak with the company’s representative, let them know you checked their website and ask them if the type of position that you are seeking might be open and not posted on their site.

This tells the representative that you are eager, you did your homework, and you’re serious about working for their company. You’ve just represented yourself as a desirable candidate. Get their contact information so that you can follow up with an email the next day and if it’s a virtual event, attach your resume to that email. By-the-way, you have already met this representative and have had a conversation with him/her so there’s no need for a cover letter at this point.

If you find a job fair that is a live event, follow the same guidelines as for a virtual event. Check out the companies, do the research, then go. But this time, take copies of your resume with you. Take as many copies as there are companies you plan to speak with – one for each – on resume paper!

Be sure to get the business card of the representative that you spoke with so that you can follow up the next day. Remember to do your homework before you go so that you have something to offer the conversation at the job fair. If you go and have nothing to say, you won’t be very memorable.

It’s important to prepare – do the research – and practice your elevator speech so it’s fluid and impactful.

Lastly, don’t forget to smile! Even if you wear a mask, they’ll see your smiling eyes and feel your energy. The way that representative feels when you walk away is what they will remember, and more than likely, they’ll make a note on your resume to remember you when they get back to the office.

Follow up within 24 hours and make relative your follow up to the conversation you had at the job fair.

Love and light,

How is the Best Way to Find Job Opportunities

By Alys Sadler

How is the Best Way to Find Job Opportunities Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Job Search – the hardest job you’ll ever have.

Have you heard that before? It’s so true, right?

There’s a way to see job search another way rather than how tedious or monotonous it can be. I tell my clients – if you had a full-time job, you’d be doing that job for probably 8-hours a day, 5-days a week, right?

If looking for a job is your job, then by comparison, do you spend as much time looking for a job as you would if you were working? For most, not the case.

Try to see it that way – as your job – to look for and find a job.

Love and light,

How to Talk to Potential Employers on the Phone

By Alys Sadler

How to Talk to Potential Employers on the Phone

By Alys Sadler

You speak with a potential employer over the telephone just like you would speak to them in person. With clarity, enthusiasm and professionalism. Remember, no matter the style of the interview, how friendly or low-key they are, they are not your friend, or your family – you are not having a casual tell-all afternoon. This is a professional business meeting – conduct yourself as such.

It’s important to know…

…who you are speaking with and how the telephone call fits into the hiring process. Is it a phone screening for an interview invitation? If so, they are absolutely calling to see if you fit the culture of the organization.

That being said – side note,

when you apply for a job it’s imperative to research the company so that you know what they’re about. When that phone screen comes in, you want to impress with the speech that resonates with the company culture. This will get you the interview.

I talk a lot about voice during an interview,

and with good reason. Again, if you have a 100% of an opportunity to get a job offer and 40% of that opportunity is about your voice – it’s pretty important to know the way you project yourself, your brand as it is likened to the company, and how that equals to your likeability factor.

I have found that sometimes candidates don’t understand that the telephone conversation, whether a pre-screening or a real interview, is an important step if it’s included in the interview process – so, don’t discount it. In any case, the telephone is simply another communication device only without a person in front of you – live or virtual. So, the ability to express yourself through your voice becomes even more important.

Remember an important point in interviewing…it’s a performance.

When the curtain goes up – you’re on. Be it a virtual platform, telephone, text, or in-person. So keep your energy up and make it an enthusiastic experience for the interviewer. They are going to remember how they felt when you hang up the phone – so keep the energy up!

It is the candidate’s job to control the interview, not the interviewer and you control it with your voice.

Good luck!

Love and light,

Job Search Organization

By Alys Sadler

Job Search Organization Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

The importance of creating an electronic filing system for email correspondence is equally as valuable as organizing the various companies to which you have applied and documents you have sent, as explained in Part 1.

During job search, you will have electronic correspondence with the companies to which you have applied. It could be automatic responses, emails, attached letters (as in offer letters) onboarding documents or any type of document sent by a company where you have applied.

My first suggestion is to create a new email address. They are free. If it’s available, use your name as the email address. This allows all electronic document transference from every company to which you apply to come to that job search email. This way there is no comingling of email you use for any other communications. Additionally, your name will be in front of the document reader yet another time, as a reminder of who is sending him/her valuable documents.

A great way to create your filing system works like this:

Create an electronic folder, like an email folder.
Title the folder with the NAME OF THE COMPANY.
Each time you receive correspondence from a company – ALWAYS – put those emails in the folders that have the individual company’s name on it.

NOTE TO REMEMBER:

If ever you have to retrieve a document sent by an employer you will have the file system set up. You can retrieve the documents and email correspondence from a specific company this way.

Also, if you send emails, file your sent emails in that company’s folder as well. Nothing harder than looking for an email from your sent folder with what could be many other emails you have sent to many other people or places. File everything in its own folder.

REASONS WHY YOU HAVE AN ELECTRONIC EMAIL SYSTEM in job search:

If you need dates of applications.
If you need proof of documents, submitted within a specific deadline.
If you need to retrieve a document to resend.
If your documents are required to be sent to multiple departments.

In addition, for other reasons not listed here.

You can see the importance of creating your file system for your job search efforts. Using a system for tracking, corresponding, and retrieval purposes have proven invaluable to my clients over many years and I’m sure it will benefit your job search organization efforts as well.

Happy job searching!!

Love and Light,

Job Search Organization

By Alys Sadler

Job Search Organization Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

The importance of organizing your job search is simple. Instant recall.

If you are applying for jobs with or without a resume, most likely you have received automatic responses from those online applications. If not, it’s still important to create an electronic filing system for correspondence and for the soft copy documents you send to that particular company.

A great way to create your filing system works like this:

Create a folder on your computer or on a USB drive.
Name the folder the NAME OF THE COMPANY of which you are going to apply.
Each time you apply to a different company, create a folder for each company with the name of the company on the folder.

Inside a folder you should have the following documents saved. Do this for each company to which you apply.

A copy of the JOB DESCRIPTION.

I suggest when you apply for a position; you copy and paste the posting into an MSWord document or Google docs so you have a copy of it. Save that document in the folder with that company’s name.

NOTE TO REMEMBER:

An online job posting will expire. If the company contacts you some time later, you will want to know what the job description said and what resume you sent along with corresponding documents. This a way to retrieve those documents.

2-copies of your RESUME. Save the resume that you will send to that company for that job posting. One is saved as a pdf and one is a document that is not pdf.
2-copies of your COVER LETTER. Save the cover letter that you will send to that company for that job posting. One is saved as a pdf and one is a document that is not pdf.
If there are copies of REFERENCES or LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION, REFERRAL LETTERS, TRANSCRIPTS, or any other documents you send to that company – put copies of each of the documents you send in that folder. You will have them all together in a safe place where you can easily and quickly retrieve them if needed later.

Lastly, the various companies to which you apply should all have their own folders with the individual names of the company on that folder. Why? Because when you send a document electronically, the thread from where the document came shows in the address bar at the top. If you send company ABC a resume or any other document to company XYZ, they will see that you sent them documents from a file with another company’s name on it. Not a good thing – considered poor job search etiquette. So, do your due diligence and create folders for each company with the appropriate documents in it for that company. Even if they are the same documents. It’s a good document filing habit to get into during job search. It can save you embarrassment or the possibility of a company not responding to you.

Love and light,

Managing Your Thoughts

By Alys Sadler

Managing Your Thoughts Part 3 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

What if your thoughts are on purpose? They came into your mind for a reason, awareness of that thought and only that thought.

You can control your thinking mind and allow only the thoughts you want, not the crazy, unlimited thinking that the mind can do that takes you away from the serenity of your day. Mind chatter can be exhausting.

Allow thoughts to pass you by without judgment. Choosing only one thought to come into your “now” awareness.

It will bring you mind control, ease of mind, and with no judgment you can focus on one and only one thought at a time.

Find appreciation for the flexibility of your mind and your ability to allow in what you choose, not what chooses you.

You can, you know.

Be Happy – Choose your thoughts!

Love and Light,

Managing Your Thoughts

By Alys Sadler

Managing Your Thoughts Part 2 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

Here’s how:

See the thoughts moving along in the sky of your mind, see them as a cloud with a word or a message, and let go of attachment to any of them – no judgement.

2. As they pass by, you can pick the one upon which you choose to think.

3. Bring that thought cloud into your mind and continue to allow other thoughts to keep moving in the sky of your mind and focus only on the thought cloud you chose.

4. Bring that chosen thought into your conscious awareness and focus only on that thought – don’t allow your mind to expand on that thought and don’t pick any other thought cloud passing by – let them go, stay focused – take control!

5. Now, see the chosen thought in your mind without judgement. You frequent the thought often but my guess is you judge it and that takes your thought away into more depth of more thought. Stop right there!

6. Gather back the thought cloud and keep focus on it. Bear in mind it is not good nor is it bad. It’s only a thought.

Love and light

Managing Your Thoughts

By Alys Sadler

Managing Your Thoughts Part 1 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

Managing your thoughts – Can you?

What if you managed your thoughts in a new way? You can, you know.

What if you chose to expand your thinking only on the thoughts you like? You can, you know.

What if you didn’t judge your thoughts? They’re just thoughts – not good, not bad, just thoughts? You can, you know.

It works like this:

Managing your thoughts takes practice,

and there’s no time like the present to learn how to do this and of course, the more you do it the better you get. By controlling your thoughts you can control your emotions and help you control your mood increasing your feelings of joy simply by choosing only what you want to think about at that moment.

Imagine…

…that your thoughts are like nebulous clouds in the blue sky. You allow each thought it’s own cloud and let it pass by you. In your imagination, you can wave to thoughts as they pass by. No judgment, good or bad, they’re just thoughts passing by.

Love and light,

How to Leave a Professional Voicemail

By Alys Sadler

How to Leave a Professional Voicemail Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Now – when is the perfect time to call?

Never call on a Monday or Friday.

Do call on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

On either of those 3-days, call between 9am and 11am OR 1pm and 3pm.

Why, you ask?

Ok, on Friday – it’s Friday and they’re tying up their week, getting ready for the weekend. They’re not going to want to talk to you on Friday to start anything at the end of the week.

On Monday, it’s Monday and they’re getting in from the weekend and preparing for their work week. They’re busy and they’re not going to take your call or call you back.

Why those times of the day?

Prime times of day to do your follow up calls are because by 9:00am, they’ve been at work for at least enough time to get their coffee, say good morning to colleagues and look at the day ahead.

After 11am they’re thinking about lunch, so, between 11am and 1pm they’re not going to be thinking about having a conversation that involves a possible commitment. They’re going to be thinking about getting ready for lunch.

In the afternoon – between 1pm and 3pm

They’re back from lunch and have a couple of hours to be productive. So, this is a good time to call. You’ll have their attention. After 3pm they are getting ready to conclude the day’s work, prepare for the following day, and think about their evening. So don’t call after 3pm if you really want their full attention.

Good luck!

Love and light,

How to Leave a Professional Voicemail

By Alys Sadler

How to Leave a Professional Voicemail Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

The truth of it is…

never ever leave a voicemail, and I’ll tell you why. Simply because you will never get a call back.

You’ve left a message…

now they can decide if they want to speak with you or not. And, if you’ve already sent them a resume – they have the opportunity to review it and decide from the voicemail if you are a candidate that they want to speak with. The chances of a call back are reduced because of the voicemail. Just hang up and call back! Then you can speak to impress.

You want to follow up for everything – whether it’s an interview follow up or you’re following up to a resume or an application that you submitted. How long to wait before you follow up?

The earliest…

is 48-hours but my suggestion is that you wait 5-7 business days. It takes time for the application/resume to filter through HR, then to the interviewer. Some electronic processes with organizations cause the application/resume 48-hrs just to appear on the other side. So give it some time. Also, count the business days from the day you sent the information and be certain you follow up within the days and times suggested below. You can follow up with an email as well using the guidelines I have suggested but keep your inquiry short and objective.

Now – when is the perfect time to call?

Next week…part 2

Love and light,

How to Send a Thank You if You Don’t Think You Got the Job

By Alys Sadler

How to Send a Thank You if You Don't Think You Got the Job Part 3 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

Now,

Visualize yourself in that role just like you did when you applied. You know sometimes interviews go great and sometimes they don’t because of what you say, but the bottom line is you know after an interview the first thing that they think about is how they felt when you left. Not about what you said. That comes later.

When you leave,

the panel members adjourn and one says to the other, well what did you think, and they talk about how they felt and if they liked you. And there it is. They begin talking about how they felt, not about what you said.

Then they go into their notes and they talk about the technical part of what you said and they reexamine the resume for your qualifications and experience. The interview is about a cultural fit. How many people do you know got a job they didn’t qualify for? But they passed the interview – the “likeability factor”. Right?

Yes, they asked the questions…

about the job and your skills and abilities, then later they combine it all together and come up with a decision. You’re the total package. So, don’t cut yourself short because maybe your answers weren’t great. If you gave a really great interview in terms of the energy that you projected you are definitely in the running.

You know that’s how you get the job. Out of a hundred percent of an opportunity to get a job offer 50% is the likability factor and 40% of that is your voice. 30% is if they think you want the job and 20% is if they think they can work with you. The other 10% is image and demeanor.

Think about it…

Forty percent of an opportunity to get a job offer is your voice! That’s a big deal. Your voice is about conveying who you are, which is what the interview is about. It’s about them getting to know you and finding out if you fit the culture of the work environment.

So, don’t think that you don’t have a job offer coming because you don’t think that you answered the questions well enough. As you can see, it’s not totally about that, it’s about how they felt when you left that interview and if you’re a consideration.

And, if you had great energy and they felt good, that’s going to be accountable. So, don’t cut yourself out of the race just yet. Give it time and visualize yourself in that role just like you did while you were preparing for the interview.

It may surprise you,

so don’t put out the negative thought that you didn’t get the job before you even write the follow up note. Think positive, believe in yourself and who you are and the job you can do for this company. They’re thinking total package and you should too.

What is yours will not pass you by.

Love and Light,

How to send a Thank you if you don’t think you got the job?

By Alys Sadler

How to Send a Thank You if You Don't Think You Got the Job? Part 1 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

First of all,

don’t sell yourself short! Thinking that because you don’t think the interview went that well that you’re not going to get a job offer – you don’t know that. You don’t know by comparison how the other candidates did in the job interview.

They may have done as good, maybe not as good. So, you want to send a thank you email after the interview, even if you think you didn’t get the job. What I’d like to interject here is the idea that you don’t know if you got the job or not.

They haven’t made a decision. You just had the interview.

You want to try…

to send the follow up thank you 24 to 48 hours afterward. No later than 48 hours. If you can do it when you get home (provided it was in person) that’s the best thing to do. If you forgot, you still have the next day to do it and it’s going to be fine. If it was a virtual interview, you could send the follow up thank you after the interview, but I suggest you take some time to debrief. Think about the interview and the things that stood out so that you can touch on that (briefly) in the email.

Just don’t make it too long or too wordy when you do send a follow-up email. It shouldn’t be any more than 2 short paragraphs, meaning that you have two sentences in the first paragraph and maybe two or three in the second paragraph – and make it sound positive!! Assume you will get an offer – how does that sound? Make it sound like that!

Next week…part 2

Love and light,

Nature’s Beauty

By Alys Sadler

Nature's Beauty

By Alys Sadler

Ever watch a bug crawl on a picnic table? Where is it going?

Ever lay on a park bench and watch the sunshine through the leaves of a tree or watch the leaves dance in the wind? Or listen to the creek flow downstream, where it’s easy?

Do we ever just listen? Slow down or just stop? Do we feel what we see or hear? Or just see and hear?

Is it time to go within even with all that goes on around you?

How does it feel…

…to be around any of those things you’ve seen or heard and feel it from your inner being, not the mind thinking of what the feeling is. Just feel and let your body tell your mind instead of the other way around.

Open up. Let go of the mind and focus on the feeling. It’s restful – it’s saying something to you.

You can even ask – what is my body feeling? It’s telling me something – what is it?

For me, it’s how good all things are. No matter what it is. It’s good.

Be grateful and say thank you.

Love and Light,

What to Say to Potential Employers on the Phone

By Alys Sadler

What to Say to a Potential Employer on the Phone Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Now, you’re ready to call the potential employer.

Connect with Human Resources, let them know your name and tell them you are calling to ask about an informational interview with the department manager (state his/her name) within the (give the name) of the department.

If the situation is that you didn’t locate the name of the department manager, when you ask for the interview within that department, ask the name of the department manager – then you’ll have it going forward.

The Human Resource representative will ask you why you want an informational interview. This is where you separate your reason for the interview from knowing that you want to work at that company at some later date. Do not say that you want an informational interview so that you can apply for a job. That’s not what informational interviews are for – and it will not be given to you. Again, the purpose of an informational interview is just that. Information.

When asking HR for the interview time, ask for 10 -15 minutes. They may have to go to the department manager and ask and then get back to you. Usually, a department manager will give you that short amount of time. Most managers are very generous with their time to help someone who is on a mission to find the right career direction or position within a particular career field. Keep your line of questions within the scope of either or both of those topics.

When you get to the interview,

have a list of questions for you and for the department manager. If it’s on the telephone or a virtual platform, then email them the questions ahead of time.

Stick to the list.

It’s considered protocol to observe the 15-minute time slot and to stay on target with the questions (you may not get through all ten, so ask the most important ones first).

Take a resume with you, in case you get asked for one. However, DO NOT – I REPEAT – DO NOT, ask if you can leave a resume! That is considered bad manners and looks like the informational interview was a deception to get in front of the manager.

That’s it. So, pre-plan your approach, list what’s important and with your intention set, you’ll sound professional, valid, and potentially hireable.

Good luck!

Love and Light,

What to say to Potential Employers on the Phone

By Alys Sadler

What to say to Potential Employers on the Phone Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

When deciding to call a potential employer on the telephone, know the questions you want to ask. This could be thought of as an informational interview.

What do you want to know that would prompt you to make a cold call? During an informational interview typically you would call the Human Resource Department of the company.

Before you make that call you will need to decide what you want to know and from whom it would be that has that information e.g. department head, department manager, etc…

Are you looking for information about a career direction, want to know more about a particular career field, or a specific job within the company?

The purpose of an informational interview…

… is to speak with someone who can give insight into any of those areas above and more. Make a list of questions. I recommend six to ten. I also suggest that you use LinkedIn to research the company you are going to call and see who works there. This way when you call the Human Resources Department you can ask questions regarding that particular person in that particular department, if you find them on LinkedIn.

Until next week

Love and light,

What Percentage of all Jobs are Advertised?

By Alys Sadler

What Percentage of all Jobs are Advertised? Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

The hidden job market…

An article published on the subject of the percentage of jobs advertised “What Is the Percentage of Jobs Advertised.” The Biggest Job Search Myth, Debunked, Jennifer Paris, www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/biggest-job-search-myth-debunked/ sites that not only is the myth of a hidden job market non-existent, the myth is over 40-years old.

The article also states that a more recent study done in 2014 found that people who were hired between 2011-2013 were hired within the following categories:

Referrals: 24%
Career site: 17%
Job boards: 18%
Direct Source: 9% (e.g., contacted through LinkedIn or already have your resume on file)
3rd party: 4%
Others: 20% (temp-to-hire, rehires, etc.)

Certainly, if you know someone who knows of a job opening, it may be prior to the employer posting the job announcement. Of course, get the information including the department manager’s name and apply for the job and direct your correspondence to that manager.

The hidden job market myth is about someone who knew someone who knew about a job opening before it was advertised.

It’s not hidden at all – you just heard about it first.

Congrats!

Don’t wait!

Apply now!

And, remember to follow up.

Love and Light,

What Percentage of all Jobs are Advertised?

By Alys Sadler

What Percentage of all Jobs are Advertised? Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Today,

compared to times past, with the Internet, social media, and sites like LinkedIn the question is – is there a hidden job market? The answer? There never really was one.

The more important question is…

…how many jobs are advertised that are not real jobs? And, you may have applied for one. If that happens to be the case, you’ll never hear back from your application.

When you find a job announcement that is interesting to you, research it before you begin the resume update process. Find the company’s website and click on the “Career” tab.

Look for the job announcement on the company’s career page of their website and be certain it’s a real job – and – a real company. There have been times when working with a client, I’ve researched a company and found there was not such a company for the job to which they were expecting to apply. It’s true, it does happen.

There are jobs found on Internet search engine sites that are not real and you’ll only know for sure if you check the company’s website.

Until next week…

Love and light,

What Now? If I Don’t Have my Potential Employer Email to Follow up?

By Alys Sadler

What Now? If I don't have my potential employer email to follow up?

By Alys Sadler

Ughh! We’ve all done it – right?

Okay so what can you do after you’ve had an interview and you want to follow up from the interview to thank the potential employer for their time and the information that they provided you but, you don’t have their email address?

My suggestion is…

…that you call the company and talk to the receptionist! The receptionist is the person who knows everything about everyone. That is her job. She knows everybody’s name, she knows their email address, she knows their phone number, their personal extension number, she even has a record of you having an interview at a specific time with the people that you had the interview with!

So call the company and talk to the receptionist. Tell her what your name is and when your interview was and who you interviewed with. Let her know that you want to follow up with a post interview thank you and that you would appreciate it if she could give you that person or persons email address/es. He/she will be happy to do that. Remember he/she was looking for a job when he/she got that one and they may have done the same thing. Most of us have!

You could initiate a small conversation and ask him/her how long they’ve worked for the company. People like to talk about themselves, so relax, go ahead and initiate that opportunity. Most receptionists are really pretty cooperative when you befriend him/her and using that “I’m interested in your story” tone of voice, it usually elicits a kind and helpful response to your inquiry.

Soon you’ll have the information and you’ll be able to send the follow up/thank you email that you want to send. A post interview follow up should be simple and to the point reiterating your interest in the position (state the name of the position) and the value added point of why you’re the best candidate.

Good luck!

Love and light,

The Unexpected

By Alys Sadler

The Unexpected

By Alys Sadler

Ever have a day when your expectation happens in an unexpected way? How do you respond?

Frustration? Slow down.

Anger? What’s the trigger? That’s the past showing up in the now. Let it go –

Laugh? There ya go! Have a good time with the unexpected.

If your plans flow even mildly near your expectation only with some unexpected follies – let it go – just laugh.

Maybe the universe is trying to tell you to relax. To allow things to flow organically. You’ll see, there’s always enough time and there may be more in the experience than you expect. You never know what you’ll learn or who you’ll meet.

Go ahead, let it go, relax. Be free of the itinerary and allow the universe to manage your experience. Just enjoy it…and laugh.

Love and Light,

Imagine – Take the Time

By Alys Sadler

Imagine - Take the Time Part 2 of a 2-part series

By Alys Sadler

Give yourself the time.

You deserve your own time. Take the time back from whatever is running your life right now. Take it back and allow yourself your time and imagine, without striking it down with doubtful side thoughts that it could never happen. That is not the assignment. Stay focused, stay on task.

Imagine the good. A Good Life.

All is possible.

Now that you’ve imagined it. You see what it can be, how it can look and what it feels like.

It is possible.

Believe.

Now, ask for it.

Now, repeat the above. Morning, noon and night.

See how you feel. How you feel will change. It will get better. Believing will get easier.

Soon, things will start showing up. See them. Know you created them from your imagination.

All good.

All possible.

Allow it for yourself.

Love and light,

Imagine – Take the Time

By Alys Sadler

Imagine - Take the Time Part 1 of a 2-part series

By Alys Sadler

If you allowed yourself time.

What would that look like?

How would it feel?

Imagination.

We all have one, but is it used to imagine all the good we want – want to see, want to have, want to feel?

If you allowed yourself to have time to imagine, would you? Would you imagine all that you could imagine that is good, without allowing negative thoughts to come in? Negativity – Keep Out!!

I’m saying all of this…

…to say that when I talk with people, they want to imagine the good things, but they hardly allow it. If at all, it’s only a fleeting thought of imagining good things, things they want, want to be, want to have.

If this is you,

can you allow yourself to imagine? Imagine all those things you want. All those things that feel good to you that you’d like to see happen, or feel, or be, or do, or have. You can. You can imagine and you can allow your imagination to run with all that good that you can muster!

Allow it!

Love and light,

How To Organize Applications & Resumes

By Alys Sadler

How To Organize Applications & Resumes

By Alys Sadler

Start by creating job search folders.

Start organizing your documents for job search right when you begin the job search process. It is worth your time to begin now rather than later!

The filing system you create on your computer is important. This is how you do that for easy reference when the company calls you for an interview.

Do a File/Save As and create a New Folder and title the folder with the name of that company and save the job description in that folder.

After you revise your resume…

for that job description, save it in that folder also. Same for the cover letter. You will save your working documents (resume and cover letter) in the same folder and resave each one as a PDF document. Always send your PDF document when applying for a position unless it is otherwise stated in the application instructions.

Each job that you apply for will have its own folder with the name of that company on the folder – with all of the documents that apply to that company in the folder.

This is important…

since when you email or send an electronic document, the thread from where it originates shows up in the URL (address bar). It would be a disservice to yourself if you send a document from one company to another company with a different name. The recipient would be able to see that. Not a good thing for you!

Now, you have your folders created for each company (name) with the documents and the job descriptions of each job in the folders. If you hear back from a company weeks or months later and you need to recall that job description and the documents you sent them, Wahlah!! You have it in a file!

Remember,

while the job you applied for was some time ago, if an employer reaches out to you – it’s in real time. You may forget about that information, but for them it’s right now, current. So, you’ll want to be able to speak with them about the information you submitted and now you have a way to do that by retrieving your filed documents. Yay! You’ll be so glad you have those documents in a folder with that company name on it for quick and easy access!

Good job!!

Love and light,

How To Avoid Job Search Burnout

By Alys Sadler

How To Avoid Job Search Burnout

By Alys Sadler

Ok, so you’re job searching.

There is certainly a defined way of searching without burning out.

On a day when you feel like looking for a job and you’re looking online I suggest this process:

Day 1

Locate the sites you want to visit – and write them down
Create an account on those sites – write down your account information
Find a comfortable place to be and start your search.

At this point you are only job searching. When you find job postings that you favor, save them into the account you created for later. When you get a few, say 5-10 postings on each site, depending on how many hours you’ve been looking at job descriptions, you may decide that’s enough for that day.

Day 2

Plan your day for morning hours, a lunch break, and take a notepad to your desk area to get started.
Begin with one account where you know you saved job descriptions that appealed to you the most.
Go back and begin to read them.

Here you may find that some of the ones you saved yesterday may not be as exciting today. You can delete those.

Let’s say you find one job posting that you really want to apply for. Now is the time to go to the company website and see if the job is still open. Look around on the company’s website as well to see if it’s the type of company that you’d want to work for. If it’s not, move on.

If it is a company you’d be interested in working for and you’re reading the job description, ask yourself, is my resume applicable to this job description? Does the job description meet the career pathway that I have chosen? How much of my resume needs to be revised to meet the job description? Now evaluate if the job is what you really want – then save the job in a job search folder on your computer.

When you have one or two folders for jobs you want to apply for, then begin to work on your resume revision to correspond with the key words and information that matches that job description. Write your cover letter also.

You can decide how you feel right about now. If after your document updates you feel like applying to the company, then do that. Do as many applications as you feel like you can without burning out. Stop when you get tired or irritated. Begin again tomorrow. It’s a lot to revise a resume for each job description and create a cover letter for each – and it is necessary.

You have folders with job descriptions in them. You have job search sites with an account where you have saved postings. You’re gaining momentum. Now, manage your time and pay attention to how you’re feeling when it comes to the actual resume, cover letter, application process.

If you get one per day done, you’re doing great! If you can do 2-per day – even better. You do need to pay attention to the expiration date of the position, so keep that in mind and apply those closing dates to the application sequence.

I suggest you keep a log of companies you apply to with dates and follow up correspondence to track the activity of each application. If you are called for interviews, track that activity as well so you stay aligned with each job you’re interviewing for.

This is what you’ve worked for. A pipeline of applications and job possibilities. And, they’re all jobs you’d want to do at companies you’d want to work for. You did it! The momentum is there – it won’t be long now!

Good job and Good luck!!

Light and love,

Intention 2022

By Alys Sadler

Intention 2022

By Alys Sadler

It’s a New Year!

What do you intend?

Beauty ?

Well-being ?

Prosperity ?

Happiness ?

Beauty: Seeing all things from an inner place. Seeing with the inner eyes, the heart, these things of beauty. Look around. What do you look at? Think about it – how do you see it? Intend to see the beauty – in All.

Well-being: The wellness emotionally, psychologically, relationally, physically…know the wellness of wholeness. Choose it.

Prosperity: Large or small, grateful for it All.

Happiness: A choice. Hear with the inner ear all the sounds. Count how many there are. It will require silence of mind to hear with the inner ear. It’s joyful to listen – the joy inside brings happiness on the outside.

Set your intention for this new year. What will be your choices?

Inner first – and the outer will show up.

Love and light,

Should You Always Answer the Phone for a Potential Employer?

By Alys Sadler

Should You Always Answer the Phone for Potential Employers?

By Alys Sadler

Yes! Is the answer.

When a potential employer calls you, answer the phone. Even if you are not in an ideal place to speak with them, answer anyway.

Take a minute to let them tell you why they are calling. If it is because they saw your resume online, or if they are responding to your application or maybe they saw your LinkedIn profile and decided to call you (if you have your phone number listed) or maybe they want to let you know they are sending over a job offer.

At that point…

…it is important for you to thank him/her for calling. Thank them for calling you and now let them know that you are not in an ideal place to have a business conversation, and you want to speak with them.

If it is to let you know they are sending you a job offer, that call is quick, so you may be able to step out and take the call, or maybe you do have to return his/her call.

If the call is not to tell you they are sending you a job offer, ask them if they are available later that afternoon (or the soonest you can get to that call). You will have to think on your feet here. Suggest the call back when you know you are available and in a private place to talk.

Time is of the essence.

The sooner you can return the call the better. Remember, you are on his/her mind right now and they are ready to find out more about you. Putting him/her first is a very positive sign.

Be friendly.

Remember these numbers:

Getting a job offer after an interview depends highly on these things:

40% is your voice.
30% is if the potential employer thinks you want the job.
20% is if the potential employer thinks that they can work with you.
5% is demeanor.
5% is image.

In this case, they may not see how you look, but very little at this point is riding on image. This may be a telephone screening perhaps to invite you to an interview, but none-the-less it could be part of an interview.

Now is the time to turn on your performance self. Be upbeat and positive. Use statements that show you can be objective and professional in an unexpected situation.

Schedule the follow up call and be on time.

This is a great opportunity. Embrace it! Take the call and see where it takes you. Not taking the call will for certain take you nowhere, so, answer the call.

Good luck!

Love and light,

No High School Diploma

By Alys Sadler

No High School Diploma

Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Most recently…

…I had a client in his late 40’s who was downsized from his job of 34-years without notice and little severance pay. When he came to me for help he was nervous, afraid, and had no idea what he would do. With a home mortgage and children in the home, he expressed he did not have a high school diploma and feared he would have to go back to school to get an HSE (formerly GED). He stated he would not be able to do that from a financial perspective.

After conversation and evaluation,

coupled with his on-the-job training and 34-years of work experience I was able to use his skills as the key factor in building his resume. Together we began to research other career sectors and with great success found those job postings that required his skill set. He sent his resume to the recruiter of one and received a call from the employer leading to an interview.

The high school diploma…

…was absent from the resume and the interviewer asked my client about having one. My client explained briefly why he did not finish high school, and proceeded to explain how he had grown through the longevity of his career of 34-years due to the training he had received on the job.

When I spoke with my client, needless to say, he was hopeful but worried. Good news! He got the call for a second and yet a third interview as I encouraged him to stay positive – and he did.

Then, he got the call. He was hired!

They told him that although the company policy was such that he didn’t technically meet the qualifications, he had the skills necessary to do the job – and – they liked him! They said that they would overlook the high school diploma. He accepted the position with the promise that he would be the first person they would consider for promotion to department supervisor.

Therefore, the moral of the story is – if you don’t have a high school diploma, but you have skills, knowledge and experience with other forms of training and/or education, apply to the position anyway. There are always exceptions to the rule.

Let this story be an encouraging one for you.

Yes, you will need a strong resume and interview skills that perform. With that in your arsenal, it’s absolutely quite possible you’ll have an opportunity that you would have otherwise thought impossible.

Everything is possible!

Love and light,

No High School Diploma

By Alys Sadler

No High School Diploma

Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

I’m the first to say…

…general education is a basic necessity as it applies to the world of work. Such is the high school diploma. Career education may not require a high school diploma for entry. It is specific, short term, and touches mostly on general education as it applies to the career discipline therefore, the high school diploma may not be required for jobs with that type of training.

Nowadays,

the high school diploma is a qualification listed on most all job postings. However, in my experience as a professional career coach and employment specialist, when it comes to employer needs right now, I have found that there are exceptions to all rules.

Job postings as a rule require a high school diploma to apply.

However, I have had clients who do not have a high school diploma and their educational extent is from “On-the-Job” training. I’ve learned that currently, (emphasis on currently) there are those employers who may be pressed to overlook the educational requirement in lieu of the skills, knowledge, and experience of the applicant, including that of a high school diploma.

Love and light,

Instant Reset

By Alys Sadler

Instant Reset

By Alys Sadler

Feeling energetically drained and you haven’t started your day yet?

Do this:

Say to the Universe “You know what – I’m not feeling good today” acknowledge it, just put it out there.

Then say:

Universe, assist me. Allow me to release and let go of whatever energy it is that I have absorbed. It does not belong to me, it isn’t mine.

I release it and I let it go.

Now, continue in your day knowing that as you move through your day that everywhere you go and everything you do you are protected.

All is well.

It is done.

It is so.

And so it is.

Love and light,

Cover Letter

By Alys Sadler

Cover Letter

Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

I heard a tale that I’ll share. The caterpillar said to the butterfly “you’ve changed” the butterfly responded “ Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?” Ok, could be considered corny but think about it. Have you ever seen someone you haven’t seen in a long time and you or he or she says, “You haven’t changed a bit.” Oh God! I hope that no one ever says that to me! I treasure the idea of change. I haven’t always been quite that flexible and I realized how much of life I was missing, simply because I was thinking in a box.

We adopt our thinking early on from our sphere of influence and the next thing you know those ideas, thoughts, beliefs that were someone else’s became yours and mine. Guess what? For me, they didn’t fit and I finally figured it out. Hey, good for me! Have you ever thought of that?

What or how you think just isn’t working anymore – maybe because those old ways aren’t really your way. Consider a change. Just change your mind. Make small changes to begin with and then change something else – keep going – you’ll get the hang of it and before you know it, it’ll be time to change it yet again. Keep it new, exciting, always fun. It’s your life your way. Try it on – see if it fits. If not, change it!

Love and Light,

Cover Letter

By Alys Sadler

Cover Letter

Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Today a client called…

…to ask me to review her cover letter. I agreed, and what I found was that she had a full page of information describing her resume. Wrong:)

It’s interesting that for the most part, what I proof read in people’s cover letters, that they write, is just that. It’s a detailed explanation of the information found in the resume. Now, there’s no reason to read the resume – oops! I just want to clarify the purpose of the cover letter.

The cover letter to a resume…

….is simply a way to draw the reader’s interest into reading the resume, the resume is to draw the interest enough to get an invitation to an interview and the interview performance is how the candidate gets the job offer. That’s the sequential purpose of those application components.

The cover letter has 3-basic parts.

Unless otherwise asked for in the job posting, the cover letter has three paragraphs. The first paragraph is to inform the reader what job title you’re seeking, where you found the job posting, and the invitation to read the attached resume.

The second paragraph is to engage the reader with information that shows them what you can do for the company based on what is important in that position that has been written about in the posting. It’s imperative that you use the job posting information to know what is important enough to the reader for them to want to read your letter. In just a few short sentences, this is the opportunity for you to tell the reader why they want to read your resume.

This brings me to the point…

…of knowing the information in the job posting in order to respond to the posting through what you say in the second paragraph of the cover letter, short and sweet. It’s an invitation to the resume, not a biography of all the work in your history of employment with every detail!

The third paragraph is simply asking for the interview to explore your qualifications and the position in greater detail. That’s it.

Love and light,

How to Email a Potential Employer

By Alys Sadler

How to Email a Potential Employer

Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

A Letter of Interest is a little different.

In a Letter of Interest you are asking about something you know of within the company that already exists and may apply to you and you are asking for more information. Let’s say someone told you about a potential job opportunity and you missed it. A Letter of Interest is the way to inquire about whether you could potentially be a fit and are interested in knowing if you are. A keen recruiter or business owner will be able to identify whether you could be a match and speak with you about future possibilities.

If you are specialized,

and you know it is a fit, meaning that you fit into a specific niche that aligns with the company, point that out in the letter and the links to your electronic information will show what you can bring to the table. Don’t be surprised if you get an invitation for an interview. Not a job interview – but a possible candidate interview. It’s a way for an employer to explore a potential opportunity. If they don’t have something now, they may have something later.

The important thing to remember…

…is that you are sending an email to a person who probably gets a lot of email. They will look at it because of the subject line – very few people know to use this approach. What you don’t want to happen is that it’s so long or wordy and then they close the email and don’t respond.

Keep it short, and to the point.

Your letter/email should be simple and direct with the electronic links I mentioned above to validate your statements. Again, don’t send a resume and if you don’t have electronic sites set up, then do that first. It will be worth your investment in time to brand yourself for a particular company that you may want to work for before you send them either of these types of correspondence.

Good Luck!

Love and light,

How to Email a Potential Employer

By Alys Sadler

How to Email a Potential Employer

Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Emailing a potential employer would depend on why.

The most professional way, if you’re considering any company as a potential employer, or a business contract partner, is to send them a Letter of Inquiry. There is also a type of letter/email that you can send called a Letter of Interest. These are two different types of letters – or in this case, email. Your Subject line should indicate which type of inquiry you are sending.

Is your interest in the organization or a particular job within the company? Decide that and then write to them about it. Don’t make the email long. Keep it brief and objective.

In a Letter of Inquiry…

…you are attempting to create something for yourself – possibly a position or a contract opportunity. The letter is about a specific topic e.g. how your qualifications fit into the organization and how you might apply, or, if you are interested in an internship and you want to know if they would support that type of position.

Also, whether it’s a Letter of Inquiry or Letter of Interest,

be sure to attach any kind of electronic information that you have, like a link to your website and/or a link to your LinkedIn account. Do not send a resume! You’re not asking for a job – you’re inquiring.

Love and light,

Online Presence

By Alys Sadler

Online Presence

By Alys Sadler

Thinking through what you convey on social media?

Good idea! Think about how it can have a lasting impact in your job search efforts. A positive online presence can be extremely beneficial in your job search and the interview process.

Employers will check,

no doubt. So, be certain that your profile tells the story you want people to know. It’s a good idea to optimize your LinkedIn profile as well and utilize other social media channels to convey what you know best represents you, who you are, and what you do.

Be ready…

…to tell someone who you are and what you do as in an elevator speech. You never know when an opportunity may show up where you can talk about yourself and the job you’re seeking.

Be confident.

Remain confident.

Love and light,

The Bright Side

By Alys Sadler

The Bright Side

By Alys Sadler

Look on the Bright Side!

There is always a bright side, you just have to see it.

Look closely, open your mind.

Don’t let the forefront of whatever it is blind your ability to see it in a different way.

Search for it. You will see it – it is there.

The light always feels better, go within and see it.

It’s there. Know it.

You’ll know you’ve found it because it feels better.

Feel it? Even if it’s small, don’t let that go.

Hang on – focus. Allow the good feeling.

That’s the Bright Side! See? It is there.

Stay there.

Love and light,

Age 50+ ?? You’re Invaluable

By Alys Sadler

Age 50+ ??
You're Invaluable

By Alys Sadler

I work with clients every day that are age 50+

…who may be reentering the workplace and they’re worried. Worried that they will be competing with younger workers, against college degrees, or having been out of the work environment for a while. Well, worry no more 50-somethings! You meet and beat the competition!

If you are 50+ you are a commodity in a hot job market!

As job candidates graduate from college, they have excelled educationally. However, the little or no work experience that they bring, doesn’t always make them the best candidate for the job from an employer’s perspective.

Employers are screaming for seasoned workers…

…that bring to the workplace the ability to apply their skills to a particular job. While some job candidates have great education, they don’t necessarily have the skills necessary to hit the ground running with the ability to get the job done. Employers need employees who have skills and can get the job done without spending a lot of time and money on training, mentoring and shepherding a new employee such as they would someone with no real work experience.

I also have clients who are into their 60’s

…and with a tightly woven resume, they get the interviews. While the resume is certainly important for the potential employer to see what the job candidate can bring to the table, and the interview skills meet the expectation of the interviewer/s, the bottom line is, the candidate can do the job – without question. Moreover, when the candidate is “packaged” in the resume, and “performs” well in the interview – it’s a no-brainer. Easily it’s the seasoned, experienced candidate who gets the job offer.

So, 50 and 60 somethings, bring your skills, knowledge, and experience to the applicant table and see how great that “seasoned” label can feel. You’ve earned it, so bask in it – no fear – no hesitation.

Land that Dream Job,

Change Your Life!

Love and light,

Return After Lockdown Continued

By Alys Sadler

Return After Lockdown

Part 2 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

I have consulted…

…with those who have and who have not remained employed during the pandemic. Many of those who didn’t have a job, cultivated and/or trained for new skills, created businesses, and/or redirected their paths toward something completely new. Many did jobs they didn’t want to do, but they did them anyway. They were productive with the time they did have off and created new routines for themselves. They saw the time off as a way to begin again.

Consider that.

A new way to begin again. Employers have figured it out – the paradigm has shifted and flexibility, adaptability and communication is key for everyone to embrace all that is new.

What if you said yes?

It’s not the forever job, it’s not the forever pay rate. Perhaps the opportunity is for another reason not yet considered?

Momentum.

When one takes action to get the ball rolling, it picks up energy along the way. Couple that with positivity and you really have something that attracts something more into your journey back to the future.

Give it a try.

What could it hurt? Maybe you’ve never done it before. Maybe it’s not what you want or the time at which you want it. Now could be the opportunity to try something you’ve never done before. Right now – Yes, right now!

Just say yes to a new opportunity and see where it takes you because you just never know where the unknown will lead you. It could be great. If you say no, you’ll never know.

If it doesn’t work out. What did you learn? It’s never nothing, it’s always something – and learning is always good.

This is just a way to help you stair step your way back into the workforce. It’s a new day, it’s a new way. Try it on and see if it fits, even if only for a short time.

A reason, a season, or a lifetime?

You won’t know unless you start.

Be grateful for the open door to new opportunities – no matter how it looks. Don’t judge it – just say yes with a grateful heart and see what happens. You just never know.

Gratitude is a feeling.

It’s your energy. It’s powerful. It’s yours. Use your power through gratitude to empower yourself into something more than you know.

Say yes to the new. Right now.

Love and light,

Return After Lockdown

By Alys Sadler

Return After Lockdown

Part 1 of a 2 part series

By Alys Sadler

Someone suggested…

…that I might clarify how employers view job/career candidates – currently employed or unemployed. There are so many ways that employers view candidates right now and the variety of ways is broadly based on specific industry and level of entry into the employment position.

Right now, post pandemic? For the most part, things have changed. Not for everyone, but for most.

The thing that hasn’t changed…

…is that employers like to hire candidates who are currently working. Certainly, for some, if you are not or haven’t been working, a little of that is acceptable. However, if you have an opportunity to return to work – take it. So it’s not the job you want. It’s not the pay you want.

The bottom line is, employers like to hire those who are already working.

Why?

People who are working are in a routine to work, manage their personal lives, and stay focused. They say, if you want something to get done, ask a person who is busy. Employers know that when you’re working, you’re probably organized. When work isn’t currently the priority, it takes time to get back into a routine. Employers know. They’re human too and they’re simply looking for candidates who can hit the ground running. They don’t have to wait for them to get up to speed.

Love and light,

The Unexpected

By Alys Sadler

The Unexpected

By Alys Sadler

Ever have a day when your expectation happens in an unexpected way? How do you respond?

Frustration?

Slow down.

Anger?

What’s the trigger? That’s the past showing up in the now.

Let it go –

Laugh? There ya go! Have a good time with the unexpected.

If your plans flow even mildly near your expectation only with some unexpected follies – let it go – just laugh.

Go ahead, let it go, relax. Be free of the itinerary and allow the universe to manage your experience. Just enjoy it…and laugh.

Love and Light,

Inner Child

By Alys Sadler

Inner Child

Part 3 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

My obsessive thinking is over

The barrier is old, crusty, and broken. I see it all laying around me like dense pieces of old and tattered, dense, discolored clay. It’s broken off of me laying around me on the ground and I see myself stepping out of the rubbish of it. I took a step out and the step itself appeared under my foot. It was my step, intended only for me. I’m free. I allow myself to be free. It’s new. It’s a new way.

I’m slowing down

so that I can listen to my heart and feel the feeling. The feeling of guidance, the discernment, the knowing. I ask, ha! Who knew? We must ask. So, I ask. Then I listen with my heart to know the answers. The answers are the Truth of Me and for me. All I ever had to do was to listen with my heart, my innermost being and believe enough in It – the It I now know as Me, my True Self.

There it is.

I feel the wholeness, the completeness, the un-stuckness. It’s a relief, I don’t have to think it over, obsess, or calculate. I just let go and feel. It requires me to go within, get quiet and listen with my body, my heart, my feelings. It’s intuition, it’s discernment. It’s allowing me to be guided by something bigger than my mind. It is the Universe and the magnificence of It in Me.

It’s the beginning. A fresh start – today, now.

The child I am inside, knowing, listening, learning. My child, Me, knew all along that I was denying Me. Now, I’m letting Me be me, that nurturing, loving, free childlike being that I am. I allow her to be the gift she is. Her gifts, talents, and uniqueness are real. It is the feeling inside.

The outward appearance is genuinity, loyalty and light. It’s confidence, freedom, and simple truth.

It’s easy.

It’s Love.

Love and light,

Inner Child

By Alys Sadler

Inner Child

Part 2 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

I am conscious of Myself.

I’m going along thinking how much I’ve grown and evolved spiritually. But I felt like I should feel more complete; that I should have a feeling of achieving a great accomplishment, or the fulfillment of a task, or a job done. I could feel there was something more. I just didn’t know what it was or how to reach it, but I could feel I wasn’t at the end or what I thought was the end of my journey within.

What I didn’t know is that the end IS the beginning.

It is the ultimate discovery of what I wanted, what I was looking for, what I wanted to feel. That feeling within that nothing outwardly could satisfy.

What I also didn’t know

was that it would come in the peace of the night through my willingness to feel. I let go of thinking and allowed myself to just feel. I began to speak out loud the feelings that were impressed upon me. Funny thing, I thought I was speaking outwardly about someone else.

As I began to write down what I was speaking

I could tell it wasn’t exactly about someone else. I decided to type out what I had written down during this experience in the night and realized something more. I reiterated to myself what my experience was, I had felt these feelings, then I spoke what I was feeling, then I listened to what I spoke, then I wrote it. As I typed it out I realized that what I had spoken out loud about, to me, was about me. There it was. My breakthrough. Now, was the choice I had to make.

I could deny any of that experience, or, I could choose to believe the happening of it. The next choice was to allow it to be – without thinking. I chose to continue to feel without thought. I gave great consideration to this event that was taking place inwardly. I allowed it to continue.

I wondered is this real?

Is it true? Could it be true? Can this feeling of deep knowing be what I was seeking that whole time? I realized, I was thinking. Quickly, I checked back in to my feelings and yes, it was that feeling of fulfillment that I hadn’t quite reached before. It was a knowing and I was right there at the moment of decision. Sort of a cross road, that road to change. The choice was – should I choose to believe my feelings or return to my thinking?

I chose to believe my feelings

and let go of my thinking. I choose it now. This is my break out moment. The old barriers I put around myself with my thoughts. I’ve been holding myself in bondage for so long it just felt normal.

Love and light,

Inner Child

By Alys Sadler

Inner Child

Part 1 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

This morning I’m guided to write about my child. My inner child.

I have had a breakthrough

and I’m breaking out now – into this new beginning of me. I’m conscious of Myself. I now have a new way of moving through life. It is with feeling and discernment instead of the mental barriers of thought. Thought so deep into itself it ends up in fear, the stagnation of fear, the confusion of fear. That is what stuck is for me.

I’ve heard that no one is ever stuck.

So true really. Becoming what we call stuck is really where we face our barriers to freedom. Freedom comes from within. We are all free to be who we really are. Mostly, even if we know who that is we don’t believe it. We stay there, in the mind, thinking that this is the furthest we can go, when that isn’t the truth at all. The truth is we are all so much more.

The Moreness of who we are is inside.

It’s all there and it seeks to emerge and be Itself, free, as Itself. My breakout has been this realization and recognition of myself inwardly. The biggest fear I faced was my magnificence. I see how extraordinary I am and it’s all inside of me, always has been.

I knew I was special, thinking back.

And, while I’ve been through that healing process to rediscover myself, I still hadn’t fully allowed Me to be in charge of me. Well, today is the beginning. It has become clear to me what this new beginning means. Funny, it isn’t hard, it’s not rocket science or woo-woo as some might call it. It’s almost unbelievable – ha! Yes, unbelievable it was, or so I thought, until now.

Love and light,

Realization

By Alys Sadler

Realization

Part 3 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

It’s the mystery we’re not used to. We plan, we organize, we meet our own expectations, we control. What if we didn’t or even what if we did and we let that go (change your mind) for the thing that’s new, unplanned, unexperienced, or at least unexperienced in this way or at this time, the Now. There it is. The Now.

Embrace it.

No matter what’s showing up. No matter how it looks. Allow the Now experience and see where it leads you.

It feels free. It feels good, unlike anything else.

And guess what? It’s not scary. The past is where we get scared. The past is not real anymore – it’s over – it’s past.

So, don’t remove yourself out of allowing the Now experience. When you allow it you won’t feel scared. You are entering a time of belief. A time of new. Feel it. Allow it. There’s noThing like it – nothing like It. It.

Love and light,

Realization

By Alys Sadler

Realization

Part 2 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

Surrender to yourself and the new possibilities of the pathway before you. It feels like a crown of glory each time. Amazing. That’s what I can say. The experience is so amazing.

It’s that change. It’s my road to change. It found me. It’s genuine, it’s happy. I’m grateful.

Energy, it’s all moving now. I look forward with each step and allow the mystery, the unknown to show me the next steps to what’s even better.

The road to change gets better and better with every step. It’s time. It’s Now. Go ahead, let go.

It’s been a while and I realize it Now. Thank you.

Realizing anything can be astonishing. It can feel like a blast of air hitting you – full force – all at once. Suddenly, you’re awake! It’s incredible, it’s an experience.

It’s singular, individual. Every day is different. Everyday is new. It’s not the same, if I allow the different to just be. It’s something I haven’t planned or thought of.

May I have had a desire I wasn’t aware of? A thought that I brought into my experience?

Sometimes I don’t realize there was a desire until it shows up and it feels like a pleasurable experience as it opens up, lies before me to choose to allow it, the unknown experience. The answer is – it’s me, I created this.

Then there’s choice. I can say “no” (and then tell myself to get into my routine – the familiar) then choose to let the new, the experience pass me by.

Let go.

Say yes.

Allow the change to take you somewhere new. A new experience. Go for it.

Love and light,

Realization

By Alys Sadler

Realization

Part 1 of a 3 part series

By Alys Sadler

This is about me but it’s for you.

I know not where I go. I know that when I go I have love as the desire and I feel like I’m at the door. I feel a step and I take it, and the ground shows up underneath my feet.

I know it’s the right pathway…

…or else the ground wouldn’t be there – the experience when I arrive on that step, shows up. Although I know it’s true, I trust it, I know I’m experiencing it, yet to my (maybe it’s amazement, maybe it’s a surprise?) Otherwise, why would it be, I ask? And, then there’s another experience. The experiences show up for me. Something to realize, a lesson, maybe a material object, or another step to take.

I accept the Now…

… of the experience with great gratitude. I choose belief, then another step comes, I feel it. I take it and another miracle happens, then I’m shown another step. I take the step and the ground, once again, fills the space underneath my feet to support me in the new, the Now. That spot in time and in the moment’s experience.

Wow! This is my experience in moving on. Moving forward, trusting, listening, feeling.

Certainly, it takes focus. Let not the naySayers get in the way. Even the ones in the mind. Shut them down. Don’t think. Just trust and focus, step forward.

Love and light,

Grace

By Alys Sadler

Grace

By Alys Sadler

Whether a verb, a noun, or an adjective, the definition of grace, according to the dictionary, means the same thing.

Verb: To treat with honor

Noun: Favor or goodwill

Adjective: Relating to, or noting honor

Perception – all the ways we can choose to see or feel the knowing of Grace. Have you ever thought of how you think of allowing grace for others, or how you are given Grace? It can be given and you might not recognize it. When you’re aware of Grace you’ll know when Grace is given over you.

I once was walking in New York City at night and looking for a restaurant. I had just left Grand Central Station and walked a couple of blocks. I was drawn to walk through a nearby park. It was dark and there was no one around. Why did I go through that park you ask? I just don’t know why. I could see a light on the other side of the park, but it was dim and I wasn’t sure what it was, but I felt like I should walk that direction.

I was a little nervous as I looked around. It had been raining, the ground was wet, and it was cold and dark. As I glanced over to the left, there was a large building. On the front of the building there were no lights but I could see writing on the building in big 3-D letters. G R A C E. That’s all it said. I still don’t know what kind of business was in that building. I was so taken by the message – G R A C E. That was it. I felt safe. I knew I was safe and I continued to walk further into the park.

As I got nearer to the other side of the park, I could see that the ambient lighting I saw was from a restaurant. It looked to be a nice place and there were many people inside. I opened the door and was greeted by the hostess and felt so welcomed. I was seated and I noticed all the people at the tables in the restaurant were happy, laughing, and enjoying themselves at dinner. I proceeded to have a very nice dinner, in a very nice place surrounded by a very nice clientele. It was a blessing to me. I was hungry, the food was wonderful, and the experience was full.

My point? My experience of G R A C E. Although it’s just one example, it was my awareness of the word, that size, affixed to the front of a dark building that I happened to look up and see. It was a feeling. Ever know intuitively that Grace is over you? Isn’t it nice when you know? All of this is to say that if ever you’ve experienced what Grace feels like or you’ve seen Grace happen before your eyes, the question arises…are you able to have grace toward others? We get back that in which we give out. Do it for yourself and see how good it feels. It feels LARGE – it feels GOOD – and it’s a feeling you get to keep. Take notice, take pleasure, live it.

Love, Peace and Joy

The Water’s Journey

By Alys Sadler

The Water’s Journey

By Alys Sadler

The water’s journey, isn’t it like our journey? It could be if we let it. It moves, it travels, it doesn’t know where it’s going and yet it is always guided. At times it goes outside of its guidelines, the boundaries set forth – what happens?

Sometimes awareness, sometimes (what we call disaster) – a tower moment – resulting in the experience of a new territory, a new place, and a new day – recognize it, explore it, acknowledge the realization.

The water either rescinds to its original flow of guidance or continues in a new way – a new direction – and always forward – no going back, always moving forward. The moments, they’re always forward, even if it seems like it’s two steps forward, one step back – it’s still movement forward. It’s part of the process.

Aren’t we just like the water that flows? If we let go, so is the flow, easy. Allow, release, and let go. Songwriter, Karen Drucker, wrote a song titled “Let go of the Shore,” that has a line saying “let go of the shore, float into the mystery.” So true, letting go can feel like a mystery. No plan, just inner guidance. Can you feel it?

We are, so trust. It may feel like a mystery, but it’s not. Trust in new – trust in forward. No matter how it looks. If it feels like you’re going out of the boundaries of the past, let go.

Allow the new. Experience the growth of you in a new way.

It’s life. Live it.

Love and Light

Purpose

By Alys Sadler

Purpose

By Alys Sadler

The purpose we serve – ever wonder why you’re here? I just had this thought today so I thought I’d write about it. I’ve thought it many times within my life, so far, and the question arises for me – do we have many purposes as we move through stages in our lives?

I believe that love should be easy and life should be fun. If we free ourselves from drama and self-inflicted mental bondage it can be so. Therein lies the work.

My thoughts are that we have 2-parts to our journey. One is our purpose and the other is, being the life we live. For me my purpose has been mostly about my career field although not solely. Along the way I know there were periods of life that were on purpose and it was absolutely not within my career arena.

There’s a way to tell if you’re serving your purpose in your here and now. Do you feel on purpose? Just ask yourself – am I on purpose? Is how I feel purposeful for me? Is there a reciprocal feeling that when you give it out you’re getting back? Not from another but from yourself, inwardly? Ask yourself: Is there something I feel like I need to do? Maybe you feel that way and don’t know how or where to start – a purpose you are here to serve and haven’t found it yet…

It is about you – how does it feel? If it feeds your soul, beats your heart, floats your boat, you can’t wait to wake up and do it again and again – then you know you’re on purpose. If not, then you’re probably not. Rethink what you’re doing.

Purpose can be the work in you’re here and now – personal or professional. Allow your purpose to flow through you – you’ll see. It will be easy and it will feel good. Again, if it doesn’t flow then it’s not your purpose, it’s time to rethink it – time to consider a change.

Serving our purpose, living the experience of life = the journey. We’re Spirit beings having a human experience. “as above so below” – that feeling is a great feeling to live!

Love and light,

Love

By Alys Sadler

Love

By Alys Sadler

We are love at our core (our soul). Our breath – our beating heart – our smiling face.

Love flows freely – love is intended to be easy – flowing through us – seeking to be all that it is through us.

External conditions as in social domestication press the human emotion. Coupled with societal, peer, familial, cultural and religious traditions we’re influenced from the external and our core stays silently inside wanting to express who it really is, as us, through us and we don’t allow.

Is it fear – shame – confusion – emotional chaos – uncertainty?

I think so.

Love is easy – that’s real.

Genuine love is a feeling deep in the core of who we are. We can allow our soul to open to its truth.

Are you strong enough to be the love you are? The love you seek?

Truth in the love you are feels free like freedom, joy, laughter and peace.

Yes, allowing yourself to be the love that you are in your core, the inner you. The feeling? Freedom – ease. Plain and simple.

Want peace – freedom?

Don’t be afraid to be the love that you are.

Love and light,

What Can You Do?

By Alys Sadler

What Can You Do?

By Alys Sadler

What can you do? Have you ever thought about how many things you know how to do and how transferable the things you know how to do are? Many times I talk with people about the kind of work they’ve experienced in their work life. It always surprises me when they don’t see how so many of the things they know and know how to do, not only from within their career, but what they carry in their toolbox of knowledge, that they don’t equate to a new career pathway.

There’s probably nothing more exciting for me when I see a client recognize their skills from an augmented perspective. So many things we as humans are capable of doing yet, we only see the road straight in front of us. What if we saw our unlimited potential taking a turn off the road we’re on to discover what may be down the road to the left or to the right?

We take for granted sometimes what we know and don’t relate it to skills, knowledge or experience that would apply to a career field simply because we think we haven’t used it in an employment position. Think about all the things you know how to do that you’ve never done before in a job and see how much more you have to offer an employer who has an opening for the job you’ve dreamed of doing but, you thought you weren’t qualified or couldn’t do.

I see it all the time. People are amazing and have so many talents and abilities that they don’t recognize transfer to industry. So, next time you do something phenomenal, think about the possibility…think a new thought…a change…think… phenomenal and transferable.

Love and light,

Modern Resumes: Just The Facts

By Alys Sadler

Modern Resumes:
Just The Facts

By Alys Sadler

How modern do you need a resume to be? Certainly, we all know that your resume depicts what you can do for a company in a particular role and your credibility based on where you’ve done that before and/or your educational background.

Resumes were changing just a couple of years ago to include formatting differences to be able to transmit through a robotic type of reader called an Applicant Tracking System. Up to 75% of resumes never reached a human being because they didn’t make it through the ATS system. Employers found that they were missing out on many qualified candidates due to resumes not written or formatted to make it through.

Times are changing. Resume submissions are changing – yet again. The modern resume while it is also a written document, the document has taken on a more personal style. If you saw the movie Legally Blonde – the writers of the movie weren’t that far off when at one point Elle (played by Reese Witherspoon) made a video of herself, while standing in a swimming pool in a bikini, to send to the admissions panel for entry into Harvard Law School. It was her personal resume.

I’m not saying that employment candidates will be wearing bikinis to create their personal resumes, but video resumes are not just in the movies anymore. That’s where we are now! We are looking at personal resumes of an employment candidate speaking to a potential employer via a performance of their verbal resume. Whoa!! Who knew??

Are you ready? This is the age of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Chat Bots. If you are preparing for a career move whether it’s for change or advancement, and you’re considering preparing yourself to compete for that sweet job you know about in the company of your dreams, this is how you’ll get noticed. Where preparation and opportunity meet is the crossroad called Success!

Love and light,

Be Grateful – It’s Simple

By Alys Sadler

Be Grateful -
It’s Simple

By Alys Sadler

Everyone is unique and it may be that recreating yourself is where you will begin. For others, it’s something else. In any case it begins with self, the innermost part of who we are. So, here we are. At the beginning, a new beginning – a fresh start.

They say it’s all about timing. For me this is the time. It’s because of you that I’m doing this…and I know if you’re reading this, this is the time for you. Consider the words to a song by Ricki Byars Beckwith, “more than I have been, more than I will be, All that I am.” Your purpose; what is that?

For me this is about anyone who is embarking upon a new way of seeing, doing, and being themselves in their life; change and the courage it takes to do that. Life is change. Change is living life.

Are you living your life or are you just moving through it? Are you the More of you?

Love, Peace and Joy

The More of You

By Alys Sadler

Be Grateful
It’s Simple

By Alys Sadler

There’s a way to begin. Start with being grateful for everything and for nothing. Look out and where there isn’t something, there is nothing…no thing. There is a no thing you know? Yet it is something – Invisible Presence. Be grateful. It’s simple.

How about being grateful for your breath? Are you breathing? Imagine if you had to think about and remember to breathe. It breathes us and we don’t even have to think about it. Be grateful. It’s simple.

How about the laws of the Universe like gravity? Were you ever grateful for gravity? Be grateful. It’s simple.

How about your senses? That may sound as if you’d be thinking unnecessary thoughts however, it’s more than that. It’s a way to move away from other thoughts that may be consuming your thinking mind. Try it. The goal is to be in the nothingness (no thing ness) where no thought takes place.

Listen: What do you hear? There is an inner ear, listen to that. It’s real.

Feel: What do you feel? There is inner wisdom, feel that. It’s real.

That’s the beginning – nothingness. The beginning is where It begins.

Be grateful. It’s simple.

Love and Light,

Tell A New Story

By Alys Sadler

Tell A New Story

By Alys Sadler

How does your internal thinking differ from your external thinking? Ever have your gut tell you something then your head gets in the conversation and changes your mind back to the old way – or, talks you out of something new all together?

Do you know a belief is just a thought you think over and over again? Don’t let what you have always thought or what you’ve always done or known keep you from change.

Tell yourself a new story. Tell it over and over again, even if you don’t believe at first, it will become your new belief – oh, and keep practicing. Take a different road next time you travel somewhere and notice, just ask yourself, am I seeing a new road in the same way I saw the old one? Or, can you create a new way of seeing it? Try it! It’s about creating change for yourself and seeing that you can do it.

When it comes to our careers, our money, and our life, where and how we live, and the basis of what supports that, it’s easy to see how our thoughts influence us. Our career life and our personal life are so greatly commingled.

How important is what we do and how we feel about that? It may be the most important thing that we consider right here, right now in this new way of living we’ve all been exposed to. So, to a great extent we’re faced with change and it truly is the opportunity to create the life we want and change the career pathway that supports that.

We can choose to believe we can or we can choose to believe we can’t. I’ve heard it said “either way, you’re right.”

Love and Light,

Change: Interesting – It’s Never Done

By Alys Sadler

Change: Interesting - It’s Never Done

By Alys Sadler

Love and Light,

A New Day: Comfort Thinking

By Alys Sadler

A New Day:
Comfort Thinking

By Alys Sadler

It’s a bright crisp morning and waking up to a feeling of freedom is a real place.

A place found within, beginning in the mind.

Remembering who you really are is the foundation of that feeling of freedom. Peace, love of self, and joy is true freedom. Most people’s thoughts are about external circumstances – conditions. What tends to dominate the mind are the thoughts moving between the past and the future. The funny thing about that is that now gets overlooked. But that (conditions) type of thought is not freedom.

Love and Light,

Just For Today

By Alys Sadler

The Story Behind
The Road to Change

By Alys Sadler

Today I decided to write a blog.

It’s the first time for me to put thoughts, feelings and/or information publicly for people to read. This feels like a part of my Road To Change. Anyone can move forward on his or her road to change, even me.

I started a website…

…to begin a business and I wanted to offer more than employment readiness services and career coaching. I could feel it. I wanted to meet people right where they are, wherever that is, and shepherd them in the discovery of themselves and their latent potential, the Allness of who they are. That could be in life, career, or both. What I know is that we’re affected by our careers in more ways than just money.

Now more than ever before we are considering how we feel about what our jobs are, how and where we do the job, where the job is taking us, and how we feel about what we do – if you are the person who has lost your job, therein lies yet another component to work through. We can see it as a loss or we can redesign our thinking and see it as an opportunity to begin again, in a whole new way. I know you’ve probably heard that a million times – right? But it’s true.

Sometimes what’s difficult…

…is to believe that we have the ability to change what we don’t want for something we do want. People sometimes stay in the same job/career when moving forward because the past is familiar. It’s comfortable. What we love and hate, at the same time, is change. Change is scary sometimes only because we don’t see what is ahead of us. We don’t have a vision of how it will happen. Well, it requires trust and faith. Trust is the beginning and faith is the follow through. As simple as that sounds, that’s where the work is for each of us. It’s an independent thing, involving no one else, just our self. It’s simple but it’s not easy.

Some call it a paradigm shift…

…some call it thinking outside the box. No matter how you label it it’s the same thing. Gaining a new perspective on old thoughts and beliefs will bring change. Wow, imagine that! New thoughts that create new beliefs that lead us to replace what we don’t want with what we do want. Say yes. Just say Yes to the opportunity.

Love and Light,