FIT Happens:
TIPS For Level III Candidates
A little extra exercise, or stepping up to more regular and frequent exercise programming may boost your spirits, now, or at anytime during career transition.
Studies have revealed that exercise is a great way to boost mood or keep
negative feelings a bay. In a study, regular physical activity appeared to
reduce the risk of both depression and anxiety. Many people feel an emotional
letdown as things get back to
"business as usual" following any time away from regular job
search or regular exercise... this can be complicated with the extra eating
involved during the recent holidays.
These factors tend to play together and influence the productive attitude of many individuals engaged in career transition or actual job search. However, executing your Personal Market Plan during a soft job economy requires special attention to positioning, targeting… and YOU. Let’s start with you and your general physical fitness… This is the last in this series of articles on integrating personal and career FITness. It is dedicated to those who are already enjoying good physical fitness and activity.
Level III: COMMITTED to fitness. You are already involved in a regular exercise habit… regular visits to your gym are an important part of your weekly routine… Participation in a fun sport has become a social practice for you…
Attention to both your physical and career FITness is for everyone, not just the young. Habits you develop earlier in life can be 1) carried over into later years or ... 2) easily refreshed and brought back into play-- or... 3) part of how you may choose to REINVENT YOURSELF at various stages of your career.
So, if you are already paying attention to fitness concerns, look to set new goals, achieve new heights of intensity or stamina. FITness is a dynamic issue, not something you can achieve… then forget, or practice at the same level for many years. Fuel your life-long commitment to fitness each and every day. The keys, here, are to get some regularity and frequency, thus boosting the productivity out of everything you do while involved in career transitions.
Your existing pattern of fitness activity may be working against you as your body gets accustomed to it.
BREAK THAT PATTERN.
Supplement your regular exercise habits... walk up the stairway a few flights;
Early evening walking is good to "walk off" that heavy supper you just ate;
Keep a consistent eye on ramping up your level of activity and putting variety into it... try a different piece of equipment or a new sport;
Find creative ways to exercise... get outside the box.
FUEL your Market Plan implementation
Engage your IMAGINATION, INTEGRATING your physical fitness with your career FITness.
While exercising, think outside the box regarding both positioning (differentiation in your marketplace) and implementation issues.
Re-read a section of your job search workbook, reviewing your notes from a recent session with your Consultant.
Consider how you are willing to commit to putting the information into productive practice during your walk. Consider your action plan for the day ahead or debrief your morning interview… You will come back from each such walk refreshed and ready to succeed in your next campaign efforts.
Give your head and your heart a break... some free time to consider longer range planning. A strategic view of career continuation will serve you well and create optimism. Research-Research-Research.
PLAN.... really plan your day and week ahead. Self-regulated accountability can increase your productivity and, ultimately, your results.
Take your exercise to the next level by rolling in some easy-to-do routines, exercises that don’t require any special equipment or time consuming preparation. Search out a fun, doable sport that you can do with a friend or colleague… biking, swimming, golf or tennis come right to mind (remember to check with your physician as to what is right for you)
Consider ways to increase your physical fitness while gaining productivity with your CAREER FITness.
The same can be said for CAREER FITness. During your working years, fully integrate your expanding Personal Market Plan implementation with your regular exercise habits. This creates a "self-regulated accountability" that feeds on itself to increase your productivity and, ultimately, your results. Remember that TIME IS YOUR PARTNER when you apply your imagination to make things happen within your life. Constantly seek out ways to increase productivity and efficiency.
BUILD Your Career Management Strategy
Both physical fitness and career FITness represent a journey rather than destinations. As your life and career progresses, so does the journey. There will always be a next level. Practice excellent career continuation skills for the rest of your career...and, of course, especially during any career transition. The full integration of physical fitness and Personal Career FITness takes time… perhaps, the rest of your career, at least.
What are you waiting for?
Learning Points…
F
UEL your Market Plan implementation…I
ntegrate your physical fitness with your career FITness by using your IMAGINATION…T
ime is your partner.<< BACK << TO AN OVERVIEW OF CAREER FITNESS
Have a
productive mindset during any career transition...Practice your two minute drill every chance you get.... its the fundamental building material of your communication strategy--your verbal collaterals!
Practice your exit statement... most all potential employers and networking contacts will want to know your current situation and why you are available.
Practice answering both common and tough questions... including pre-offer negotiation tactics.
Now, GO PRACTICE !
"If you
practice the way you play, there shouldn't be any difference. That's why I practiced so hard. I wanted to be prepared for the game."Michael Jordan (1963- )
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Bob Maher, CMF... The Careerpilot
Bob created his online presence, www.careerpilot.com, in 1994. He has over twenty years of successful experience in Corporate Recruitment, performance management and Career Management Services. He is an entrepreneur and innovator in the use of information technology in the recruitment and employment process. On the Founder's Council of the Association of Career Professionals - International and quite active in their Professional Development, Technology and Chapter Growth initiatives--a frequent speaker at industry conferences and seminars.