tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65750421303267542782024-02-20T23:46:01.987+02:00Nicoleta DomnicuKick-start your career!NDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10441925465328472945noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575042130326754278.post-20552395867760753212014-03-17T01:53:00.000+02:002014-11-21T00:27:10.997+02:00How to develop confidence, a fresh view<br />
This is my answer on Quora for the question "How do you develop confidence when you have nothing to be confident about?"<span class="inline_editor_value"> - I thought it would be interesting for others as well. <a href="http://www.quora.com/How-do-you-develop-confidence-when-you-have-nothing-to-be-confident-about/answer/Nicoleta-Domnicu" target="_blank">Here you can find the link</a></span><a href="http://./">.</a><br />
<br />
I will write what helped me, and I think it can easily be done by
everybody who needs to build their confidence. I feel I have come a
long way comparing to 4, even 2 years ago. My answer slightly differs
from the others written so far and I hope it will be interesting for you
to read (at least). <br />
<br />
1) <span style="font-weight: bold;">keep a running</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"> gratitude list</span><br />
When
my confidence and my performance goes down, it's the first thing I go
to. What it does for me is that it helps me remember that I already have
a lot of good things in my life already. And yes, I may even add a
smile from a stranger and nice weather on the list as well. <br />
<br />
2) <span style="font-weight: bold;">keep a running list of small & big wins</span><br />
She
accepted to go on a date with me/I have finally managed to cook an
exquisite omelet/steak/I got an empty place in a crowded bus/a salary
raise, anything. It improves my mood instantly and makes me think of
myself capable of moving mountains. <br />
<br />
3) <span style="font-weight: bold;">know what worked and what didn't</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> (and act on it)</span><br />
This goes hand in hand with the idea of integrity being your main generator of confidence - <span style="font-style: italic;">when you know that you do your best</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">you are more confident.</span><br />
I
usually do this when I feel I have come to certain times when I feel
I'm at crossroads or in a (big or little) stump. It gives me a sense of
evolving, growing, becoming better with time and that helps a lot with
the confidence part.<br />
Put in order your finances, your career and other areas of life that are important for you. <span style="font-style: normal;">You can add here a thorough ana</span>lysis
of your dressing style, find on the internet and try on, make photos of
what works for you and what doesn't, in order to know that you did your
best to look good (you stated in the question details about being
shorter than you wished - google "how to look taller for men", for example). <br />
<br />
4)<span style="font-weight: bold;"> immerse in something that makes me loose track of time</span> <br />
Hobbies,
going out with friends etc. I think that doing things that give you joy
from time to time is a necessary luxury. I think about it as more of a
pill that I need to take regularly in order to be able to function
properly. For me, that's small DIY projects.<br />
<br />
5) <span style="font-weight: bold;">surround myself with people who believe in me</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">or inspire me</span><br />
Whether
it's in person, as with coworkers/boss/friends, by telephone - for
long-distance loved ones, or by watching interviews and reading
biographies/blogs, I believe that the human factor makes it all worthy. I
know that I feel very confident after a friend tells me (s)he is proud
of me or pays me a compliment and after a pleasant discussion about
future plans that seem very attainable after you share them with someone
who believes in you. Or seeing other people do it.<br />
<br />
That's
what works for me. Building confidence is like healthy eating - you can
make unhealthy choices sometimes, but you have to be committed to it
and do every day what it needs to be done in order to keep the
confidence momentum going. Good luck!NDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10441925465328472945noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575042130326754278.post-56404028804448330232013-07-07T15:48:00.000+03:002013-07-18T21:45:14.094+03:00Where to start if you have no idea what to do after high school<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Before blindly taking the leap and applying to everything our grades qualify us for, I'd take time to explore all the available opportunities. Here you have the 5 tools that I've found to be the most useful for the career orientation for youth (including myself). That way, when a parent or somebody else forces you towards a career choice you don't want to pursue, you'd have the data, the knowledge and the confidence to boomerang it back.<br />
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1) <i><b><a href="http://www.inputyouth.co.uk/jobguides/jobguides.html" target="_blank">Input Youth Job Guides</a></b></i> is a good starting point, but is a little unstructured, thus messy to use. Still, it has a good search option if you have a specific career in mind, and it gives you advice about the skills, education and diplomas needed to get started in the industry and link for further information.<br />
<br />
2) <i><u><b>The Bureau of Labor Statistics of US</b></u></i> is a wonderful resource as well. For example, <a href="http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_203.htm" target="_blank">here we have this table</a>, which shows us the numbers of the fastest growing industries and the fastest declining ones for the last year. This might serve as a guide for the future trends for unemployment or very poorly paid industries - the ones you have to stray away from, as well as the future treasures of dynamic career opportunities.<br />
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If you want to dig deeper and study the usual pay in different industries, highest paying, fastest growing and the industies with most expected new jobs, what education is required, the work environment, what exactly do the workers do etc. etc. <a href="http://www.bls.gov/ooh/" target="_blank">here is the link to the <i><b>Occupational Outlook Handbook</b></i></a>.<br />
<br />
It truly is a gem and I highly recommend it. First of all, it doesn't make use of assumptions as the writers of the latest career orientation articles usually do. It's all about facts and real data, all gathered by professionals from the US Labor Bureau. I love that! And I'd love that in my country the labor bureau would work as good. <br />
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3) <i><b><a href="https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/majors-careers" target="_blank">The College Board's Majors and Career Search</a>. </b></i>Here you'll find not only (a short) description of the career, but it also give links to the colleges that provide the required major. Also, for more in depth information, you could sign up to <a href="https://myroad.collegeboard.com/myroad/navigator.jsp" target="_blank">College Board's My Road</a>, that helps you build your "map" of options, especially if you're in US. This is the tool I've personally used when I was in high school to help me get oriented in the field I was about to embrace, therefore I recommend it as well.<br />
<br />
4) <i><b><a href="http://www.personalitydesk.com/career-profiles/advanced-search" target="_blank">Personality Desk's Advanced Career Search</a></b></i>. If you're clueless about what career would suit you best, and you strongly believe in tailoring it to your personality, you should use this one.<br />
<br />
First of all, you should <a href="http://www.truity.com/test/type-finder-personality-test" target="_blank">take the Myers Briggs test</a> to identify what would suit your in-born qualities. As a "know-thyself" psychology junkie, I tried a lot of tests and read about a lot of classifications of natural personality types - and I found out the Myers Briggs to be the most complete and powerful tool I've discovered yet.<br />
<br />
Next, <a href="http://www.truity.com/test/holland-code-career-test" target="_blank">take the classical Holland test</a>. This one will guide you to your interest and the fields you'll likely be happy working in. It has been widely recommended and used - and it makes it more clear about your likes and dislikes. <br />
<br />
Then, introduce this two variables in the advanced search - and, voil<span class="st">à! - all the career opportunities at your feet. The ones that would most probably suit your interests and qualities. I'm <a href="http://www.personalitydesk.com/infp" target="_blank">INFP</a>, by the way. And the half of hour (at most) that you've spent doing those tests would pay off with lots of time that hasn't been lost on fruitless self-search.</span><br />
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5) After you've done all that research using the previous tools listed, you'll have a big-picture and a more clear direction of your future. Now comes the most powerful tool for propelling you into the right career. <i><u><b>Find a mentor and learn everything you can.</b></u></i> Take every advice seriously and give something back. <a href="http://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/why-successful-people-dont-want-to-mentor-you/" target="_blank">Here, I'll redirect you to someone that know infinitely more about the subject.</a> Good luck and stay on track!<br />
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<b>Share this now:</b>NDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10441925465328472945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575042130326754278.post-39486647956279029352013-01-09T12:16:00.000+02:002015-08-29T12:33:58.581+03:00A "big fish" wants to partner with you? Think twice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Big name = company or person who is already established and has authority on the market you are just entering.</i><br />
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<b><i>Back-story</i></b><br />
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First of all - who am I to debate this subject?<br />
<br />
Several years ago I had my first (indirect) encounter with a ”big name” due to my dad's passion with<br />
recumbent bikes and trikes - and they were a sensation on my country's roads. He used to travel a lot by trike - <a href="https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/530669_4014828885346_1790134331_n.jpg" target="_blank">here is a link to the picture of one of the ”parades”</a>. His latest (2nd or 3rd) acquisition was an orange trike and - because it magnetized people - a mobile phone service who had orange as its corporate color proposed him a partnership for promotion. The rules they imposed determined my dad to decline their request.<br />
<br />
More recent stories occurred due to my involvement with Life Science Club (that started under the aegis of the lyceum I have recently graduated from, the Lyceum of Academy of Sciences of Moldova) and organizing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu-o0tweFR4" target="_blank">Kick @ss Party</a>. Most collaborations ended because of the unreasonable or uncomfortable conditions imposed.<br />
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<b><i> Pros</i></b><br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li><i> you will get instant credibility</i><br />People tend to trust the ones who are working with a respected name. Alike the theorem of transitivity in mathematics, in real life it works for the respect and trust. Think about the latest hits: they may feature a duet of a new singer and an established one. The first benefits from the respect of the former - and the former views it as an opportunity to prove that (s)he is still in the game.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> <i>you will be pressurized (both from the inside and the outside) to give your best and make the project remarkable</i></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><i>the promo will be priceless</i></li>
</ul>
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<b><i>Cons</i></b></div>
<ul>
<li><i>you start to have very little power over your own project</i><br /><br />In short, you will have to play by their rules. This is the most important thing that make visionaries and freedom-lovers to withdraw from the idea of getting a big name to partner with them. When you have little power over your project, you cannot fully manage the outcome and make it resemble the image you have for it in your head or on paper.<br /></li>
<li><i>you are accountable for each step you take </i>- and that takes time and effort you could have focused on the results that matter.<br /></li>
<li><i>you cannot experiment<br /><br /><span style="font-style: normal;">Most of the times, when you start something, you want to make it as flexible as you can. That way, if something doesn't work, you can change the course towards sunnier shores. But, if you have that big name by your side, you cannot change anything without permission. And that sucks, because you feel like a 3-year-old that should ask mommy and daddy for allowance.</span></i></li>
</ul>
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<b>Share this now:</b></div>
NDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10441925465328472945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6575042130326754278.post-49420310409523163682012-12-13T20:32:00.000+02:002013-07-18T21:39:44.156+03:00Pursuing your passion will not help you find a job<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Cal Newport's advice on having a remarkable career is based mainly on the philosophy that passion will follow after you are really good in a field - and you should not try to find a career that you feel passion for in the first place - because longing and searching for a "dream job" is meaningless - nothing will ever truly be a perfect fit - and it also can turn out to be not so rewarding as we might have thought.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://calnewport.com/blog/2008/02/01/the-steve-martin-method-a-master-comedians-advice-for-becoming-famous/" target="_blank">He recommends instead</a>:<br />
<br />
1) <b><i>deconstructing the field in which you are trying to achieve success</i></b>: <br />
*who are already the best out there?<br />
*why did they succeed?<br />
*how can you leverage your skills and knowledge to surpass them?<br />
<br />
2) <b><i>keeping a highly-focused approach to your work and ignoring the urge to have multiple projects at once</i></b>.<br />
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There is one more question left - the most important one for me - <b><i>which field to choose</i></b>?<br />
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Unlike most high-performers, I didn't start early in life with something that could be the field I choose to specialize in for the rest of my life. Actually, I'm clueless about it - and strength finder tests are not helping much, and trying to figure it all by myself is painful as hell.<br />
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<b>Share this now:</b>NDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10441925465328472945noreply@blogger.com