Adiós, So Long, au revoir, arrivederci!!

As you may have noticed, lately I have been talking about change. There are times in your life when its time to take calculated risks and embrace new challenges set before you. Good thing I like change!

I was recently asked to take on a new role in my organization. Although, I am leaving a job I know and excel at, I am very excited about the change and the new challenges ahead of me. I think my willingness to learn new things and remain engaged in the happenings of our division has helped me get the attention of my senior management. I believe in behaving with the utmost integrity and making sure your work ethic is unquestionable.

I will no longer have the time I would like to dedicate to this blog and this will be my last post. It has been a wonderful experience and I have enjoyed promoting the blog on the radio (FM 97.7), seeing my picture on the Poughkeepsie Journal website and print newspaper and of course sharing all of my opinions!

Therefore, so long for now and of course I couldn't’t close this blog without a quote! Roy D. Chapin Jr. said “Be ready when opportunity comes...Luck is the time when preparation and opportunity meet.”

So, that's all folks, Godspeed to all!
Blessings and thanks,
Vianeris

Branding Yourself

Personal branding is important to your success in any work environment. The definition of personal branding is the notion of labeling people and their careers as a brand. The same way Pepsi and Sears are brands. You should strive to ensure your ‘brand’ is well presented, known and highly esteemed. Your reputation should be flawless if you wish to be well regarded by your peers and senior management within your organization. If you think a certain behavior or relationship is going to harm your brand you should reconsider and evaluate other options.

I know from my experience I have been approached for new jobs and visible assignments as a result of my positive personal brand and reputation. Throughout my career I have ensured my personal brand was not affected negatively by any of my actions. Keeping abreast of the latest trends in my industry to ensure I was making adjustments and changes has also been a key component of my success.

So remember, make sure your reputation is intact on and offline.

Change should be Constant

Change is often a good thing, as it forces us to re-evaluate what is important and acquire a new perspective on our strengths and weaknesses. I welcome change with open arms! I like the challenge of embarking on a new path, learning new things, and meeting new and interesting people along the way.

From a career perspective you don’t grow if you don’t continually change your skills, outlook and ways of doing things. When things in your life or work are stagnant you grow too comfortable and may not use all of your capabilities to their full potential. In today’s ‘interesting’ economic times we must be ready and willing to change.

The following two books are good resources on dealing with change.

1. Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions by John Kotter

2. Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life by Spencer Johnson

Last but not least, the quote of the day is “If we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we aren't really living.”Anatole France (1844-1924) French writer.

Right time to leave your job?

If you are restless in corporate America and wondering when is the right time to you leave your job.. read this post...its really good!
http://www.escapefromcubiclenation.com/get_a_life_blog/2007/12/how-do-you-know.html

Laid off? Now what?

I know a number of people that have been laid off and they find themselves in a state of emotional limbo. As hard as it must be (believe it or not I have never been laid off), think about this change in your life as an opportunity to do something GREAT and new! A fresh start can be just what you needed.

I was reading this article(http://www.entrepreneur.com/magazine/entrepreneur/2009/february/199706.html) about people that were laid off and took that opportunity to start their own business. I find that so exciting! Remember when you have your own business the sky is the limit for what you want to do. I know there is great risk in being your own boss, but where there is great risk there is also great reward.

Encouraging

I subscribe to a newsletter published by walkthetalk.com and I recently received this interesting outline of a book I will probably read.
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Mary Blochowiak said, “You are always only one choice away from changing your life.” Just imagine. One choice. What would that choice be for you? Mac Anderson’s new book Charging the Human Battery: 50 Ways to Motivate Yourself encourages us to get energized and make those choices that will change our lives. Read the excerpt below and choose to make those important choices…today!

Charging the Human Battery: 50 Ways to Motivate Yourself By Mac Anderson

Excerpted from Charging the Human Battery: 50 Ways to Motivate Yourself. One choice, just one, can change your life forever. Simply put, your life today is what your choices have made it, but with new choices, you can change directions this very moment. For me, that idea alone is highly motivational because it offers tremendous hope, regardless of circumstances, for a better tomorrow. Your life-changing choice may be to switch careers, to leave an abusive relationship, to go back to school, to stop drinking, to adopt a child, to start a business, to lose weight, to start a charity…to name a few. If you have the courage to do so, you could make any one of those choices, or others, today. And you would change your life. Sometimes it’s a different kind of choice. It can be to not quit, to not give up in the face of adversity. We’ve all been there.

Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen received 77 rejections for their idea Chicken Soup for the Soul. They had to make a decision each time…should they throw in the towel and say enough is enough, or should they keep trying to pursue their dreams? You know the rest of the story. The 78th publisher said “Yes” and they went on to sell over 100 million books. So never forget that you are only one choice away from changing your life. Do you have the courage to make it?

Every day there is more and more news about layoffs, well I stumbled upon this list on CNN Money, which details companies that are hiring... not firing.

There are jobs out there!



http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/fortune/0901/gallery.bestcos_mosthiring.fortune/index.html