DEFINING YOUR GOALS in Career and Life!

"Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination." Fitzhugh Dodson

Goal setting define success from failure. This is a critical first step because without definition of what you want to be, and without the ability to measure your progress, you will not succeed.
Goals become more tactical – specific to a degree – and serve as tools to guide you and measure your performance. Establishing life goals defines where you want to be, looking at you as a total person.  It is not just about  money or status – but rather defining and achieving goals that will make you smile and know you are doing good for yourself, your family and community.
Goals include but certainly are not limited to:

• Your Career Goals – Understanding the  level you want to reach in your career.
• Your Financial Goals – The bottom-line: How much do you want to earn, by when, and how this is related to your career goals.
• Your Educational Attainment – Determining what you want to achieve in education, by when, and as well including specific knowledge of skills you wish to obtain.
• Your Family Goals – This is determining your overall family plans (i.e.: parent – or not) as well as understanding how do you want to be viewed by a partner or by members of your extended family?
• Your Attitude Goals – The big gun --- the one tool you have that can put you first – your attitude and it is your choice what it will be. Is there any part of your mindset holding you back? Is there any part of the way that you behave that upsets you? If so, set a goal to improve your behavior or find a solution to the problem.)
• Your Physical Goals – Do you question the way you look and feel? Do you desire to attain a change in your health, appearance or activity? When you define your physical goals, it is important to create – and sty on – a plan to achieve them.
• Your “Me” Goals - Pleasure – It is important to determine and set goals for enjoyment and how one wishes to enjoy themselves. It is part of putting yourself first which is critical.
• Your Service Goals – Determining how you want to help others, the community or on a larger context, society and ht you leave behind is critical as well and part of your vision. Do you want to impact the world in some manner – how do you plan to do it?

Every goal must be measure: The Beauty of SMART Goals
To make your goals truly powerful and achievable, make them “SMART”. This is a process to define not only your goal, but to test its viability, impact and measure of achievement. No one has a definitive answer of where the concept of SMART goals came from. Zig Ziglar mentions SMART goals in his programs; Ken Blanchard did as well. Some feel it was Paul J Meyer who is considered the father of goal setting. No matter where the concept came from, it works!

Defining SMART Goals
SMART goals are those which are:

• S - Specific (or Significant).
• M - Measurable (or Meaningful).
• A - Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
• R - Relevant (or Rewarding).
• T - Time-bound (or Trackable).

For example, to state that you will have a new career isn’t SMART. Rather, stating that I will be engaged in a career that is aligned to me by 12/31/XXXX – now that is a SMART goal.
Other tips to make your goals more effective
A few suggestions:

• Make  each goal positive 

• Be Very Specific
• Establish Priorities
• Write goals down
• Set achievable and realistic goals

Set your goals – high but not unattainable and shot to meet – and then exceed them. You will be inspired, blessed and catapulted to new heights!

And thank you for reading this. – Dan (sorry about the length – important subject!)

Job Market Report 6 13 13

Market churning along --- that is good!

__________________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release

June 12, 2013

Job Postings Hold Steady after strong increase – Continued Strength in Job Market Indicated

(Albany, NY,  June 12, 2013) –  Job postings held steady at a rate of sharp increase the prior seven days, a strong indicators of continued consistency and strength in the local, regional, statewide and national job market and this is good news all around, Postings were 2092 vs. 2072 the week prior, but holding steady. “ “Steady is good especially at the levels we are seeing now which are new high levels for the market but not to  pre-recession levels and many economists agree – it might be five years before we see that, but we will take a stronger market now – good news for all”, stated Dan Moran, of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie.

This news is on the heels of a lowering unemployment rate but lower than average April job postings nationwide. “We saw this in our market as well – employers paused a bit – but the indicators are strong for the last month of this quarter so job seekers be advised – don’t put your resume on the shelf for the summer and don’t buy into the old take that jobs go away in the summer – they do not!” continued Moran.

Other markets in NYS showed similar results with either flat for very slightly lower numbers. The Capital Region continues to still outpace Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, all larger markets with more employers and population.  

National Job Scene

On the national level, job postings were up rater sharply reaching 651,000 this past seven days vs. 579, 630 jobs the week before. April was softer nationally; a bit of catch up.  

About Next-Act

Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. In 2013, his firm will celebrate 25 years in business. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! &  Get Hired Now! programs.

 

Dan Moran

President & Founder

Next-Act:

Career Management & Transition Specialists

Corporate Management Services

Celebrating 25 years providing career & corporate management services in 2013!

125 Wolf Road, Suite #128

Albany, NY 12205

Phone: 518-641-8968

eFax: 586-279-4212

   

dmoran@next-act.com

Visit the Assessment Center: next-act.com/assessment-center.cfm

Manage Performance & Achievement: next-act.com/prescriptive-performance-analysis.cfm

Are you just “working” – or achieving leadership in your career?

"Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others". —Jack Welch

This is a tough question to answer for most. The day-to-day of your job or your business consumes you and often doesn’t provide the time for you to pause and reflect on where you have been,  and most important, where you are going in your career. In today’s employment market, it is critical that you put yourself first and not just work – but actively manage your career. Think of yourself as the CEO of your own company – You, Inc. This is the reality of today.

All too often I meet a new client who has just had the rug pulled out from under them – they lost their job, and it was unexpected. Others come to me with careers that, to the outsider, seem like they got it made, but I find out that they are bored, not feeling valued and not learning. 

The rare few come to me fully engaged in their job and seeking a plan to manage their career – not simply going to work everyday – but managing their future. Managing one’s career is like managing your finances – you establish a plan, routinely monitor your results and make adjustments as the market changes to get the best return on your money. The same goes for your career – you establish a plan, timetables and measures and adjust your plan as the market or opportunities change.

To better understand what career management is, the following description accurately describes what career management is and is not. The last line is so important:

"The ability to actively manage one’s work life, make choices and career decisions in a rapidly changing environment.  It is accepting responsibility for the strategic and proactive management of your career and being career-resilient and in control your own career actions and satisfaction. Career management is not job hunting – job hunting results when one does not manage their career.

Over the past few years, I have seen a significant increase in the number of professionals & executives who are not looking for a job, but rather seeking help with outlining and managing a career plan. In the past few month, I have seen even more interest in career management planning as the economy does it’s ups and downs.

Developing a career management plan is an essential tool as you navigate your way through opportunities and challenges. The plan outlines your goals and establishes planned and measured actions. For example, it could be as simple as:

·          Work with specialist to update resume 1/1/00 and 7/1/00 and update career journal

·          Attend one networking event and establish three contacts monthly

·          Meet with career specialists twice yearly to discuss plan, strategy and opportunities.

·          Passively monitor job activity in my chosen profession

Some of my clients will not be pursuing a new job or business opportunity for 1 – 2 – 3 or more years, but they are planning now, creating a career journal (accomplishments, successes, what you learned and of course, what didn’t work) and using me as their guide and face to the market, so to speak. They are truly in control of their greatest personal economic resource – their business or their job.

Commit to developing a career management plan today --- and be ready for those opportunities that may be presented. Call me if you need assistance.

Job Market Report - May 6, 2013

Strong results - jump in if you need a new opportunity!

For Immediate Release

June 4,  2013

Job Postings Jump Significantly – Rebound after holiday and Stronger Market Overall

(Albany, NY,  June 4 , 2013) –  Job postings increased significantly the past seven days – from 1800 to just about 2090 – a very healthy rebound from the holiday week and this shows continued strength in the Regional job market. “ This is just good to see and as I called it last week, we would see a strong rebound after the holiday – and it has occurred. This seven-day average is only the second time we have broken over 2000 job postings in a week in better than one and one-half years – in fact, this is one of the strongest reports since the recession really took hold in 2009. Job seekers rejoice and to those on the sideline thinking that now may be the time, rest assured, it is – start your search now!”, stated Dan Moran, of Next-Act (www.next-act.com), a career transition management firm located in Colonie.

Other markets in NYS showed similar results with a strong increase in Buffalo as a highlight. Like an old record, the Capital Region continues to still outpace Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, all larger markets with more employers and population.  

National Job Scene

On the national level the job market has been softer. There were 579, 630 jobs this week compared to 609,00 the week prior.

About Next-Act

Next-Act, a division of DVG, Inc. is a career management & transition firm directed by Dan Moran, the Founder & President of the firm. Moran contributes over thirty years experience in career consulting, business and human resources management. In 2013, his firm will celebrate 25 years in business. Moran is noted for his expertise in helping today’s “boomers” move on to fulfilling second careers, while helping executives and professionals achieve their career goals. The firm also provides human resources consulting and corporate services to companies. Moran is also a certified facilitator for C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now! &  Get Hired Now! programs.

The process of career and life defination ...

Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.” – Karen Ravn

Defining career and life – heck, that is what our parents did for us – right? Sadly, in many cases yes. I recently met with a woman who was in nursing – a fine and in-demand professions – who admitted that she really never liked nursing, but her father told he it would be right for her. Or the son of an attorney who “pushed: his son to law school – and he never had any interest in law. And the stories go on and on. Fast forward to today and the reality of the career marketplace. You have choices – many choices – perhaps too many choices – if you can open your mind, dream and visualize possibilities.

The market of today provides opportunities to change, redefine and adapt to an ever changing market fueled by technology, innovation and changing social norms. So you can change with it – when you understand the process of life & career definition. It isn’t defining the job you want to be in by the commonly known Big-Four Factors: 1. Money 2. Moving up in an organization or having your own business 3. Having power or more responsibility 4. Being able to retire – early – to do what you really want to do These factors are important. However, defining career & life is beyond these four known factors and looks at you in a bigger, more holistic picture of where you are and where you want to be. Defining career & life is evaluating and finding answers to: Defining Your Goals – Where you want to be from a total person picture. Not just money or status – but achieving goals that will make you smile and know you are doing good for yourself, your family and community. Your goals may include health, financial stability, having flexibility, being a leader and so and so. Defining Your Life – This is a big one. Visualize you are at your own funeral and people are talking about you – what do you hope they say? Do you hope they say that you could always be counted upon, that you were good to your word, that you lived life to the fullest, that you wore a smile every day? That you were happy, purposeful and compassionate? There are the factors important in defining your life, and it is critical to begin writing your “funeral speech” now by living your life as you wish it to be defined. Defining Your Values – As a world, we have been shaken by the acts of terror, the financial collapse and other every day terrible events. In many cases, this has been a wakeup call, and a call to live life by the values important to one. Values are our fundamental beliefs and include honesty, integrity, compassion, courage, honor, responsibility, patriotism, respect and fairness among many others. Defining your values in life & career will steer you to what is right for you to do if it aligns to your values, and what you should not do if not in value alignment. Defining Your Give Backs – As you structure the picture of your life & career, visualize and commit to ways you can give back – to yourself, family, community, the world, etc. Giving back is a return to those who have helped you – your family, community your God or others – and is an important consideration in this process of defining your life & career. When you can measure it, define it and visualize it, you are in the position of managing it and being it – that being your life & career. You have embarked on a critical step. Reward Yourself! And thank you for reading this. - Dan

Labor Shortage – What am I kidding …. ? No!

“Today, many companies are reporting that their number one constraint on growth is the inability to hire workers with the necessary skills”.- William J. Clinton

A report was  on Tuesday) this past week that clearly pointed out a huge issue we face in our State and specifically in the booming Capital Region …

An inability to fill jobs for the future and the problem is very difficult in the five-county Capital Region where businesses need better qualified talent, especially in technology.

The study, prepared by the business group America’s Edge (http://www.americasedge.org), says seven in 10 jobs created in New York from 2008 to 2018 will require some type of formal education beyond high school, and more than 80 percent of the fastest growing and high-wage jobs will require at least a two-year degree. 

Mid-level skills are those requiring more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree. The report urges support for implementation of “college- and career-ready standards and evidence-based high school models.”

The report says it’ll be tough to create a pipeline of skilled workers when 23 percent of high school students fail to graduate on time, only 37 percent of public school students graduate “college and career ready,” and too many drop out.

Many called this potential situation a few years back – yours truly being one. Our education programs were not aligning to the new needs of the job marketplace and educators and businesses were talking – but not really taking action so now we see this problem getting ready to bite us on the butt.

Some of the comments.  Jenn O’Connor, New York State director, America’s Edge stated that she believes the state’s teachers and the education department are at odds over how Common Core testing is being implemented and applied. "We believe in linking and aligning the Common Core standards to real-world expectations and relevant work experience. We understand that it certainly has been divisive and we’re interested to see how it continues to roll out."

David Rooney, senior vice president, Center for Economic Growth  says businesses want to see graduates that not only have mastered hard skills. "It’s also the soft skills: Can I make sure that I am on time? (That) I’m ready to work when I arrive at an organization? That I’ve got the proper communications skills and the basic skills I need to be successful in the workplace?"

How did New York get in this situation? 

Many have viewpoints such as:

·         Lack of  communication between business and education on the skills that are needed in the changing workplace

·         Lack of communication between education and government

·         And my thought: Lack of action on all parties – education, government, employers and employees - to plan, identify the new paradigm of work and skills needed to survive. The market has changes as fast as technology has changed – and this will continue.

What can you do?

Work today. Plan for the future. Prepare for changes. Identify the trends in your job or industry and don’t wait for someone to give you skills training – go out and get it yourself. Coach those you know to not just follow the traditional route – from high school to a Bachelors degree – but rather to work on developing a skill or set of skills, be employable and then further education to whatever level of choosing. 

There are many options to develop skills. Online education is exploding. Certificate (6 months to two-year programs) are available in technology, the trades or other specialized areas. It does not have to require going to a classroom every day; it could be study at home or a combination.
Above all, take action – be accountable – commit to your development and marketplace employability. Only you control your destiny, no one else!

And thank you for reading this. - Dan 

Dan Moran

President & Founder

Next-Act:

Career Management & Transition Specialists

Corporate Management Services

Celebrating 25 years providing career & corporate management services in 2013!

125 Wolf Road, Suite #128

Albany, NY 12205

Phone: 518-641-8968

eFax: 586-279-4212

   

dmoran@next-act.com

Visit the Assessment Center: next-act.com/assessment-center.cfm

Manage Performance & Achievement: next-act.com/prescriptive-performance-analysis.cfm