The following is one of my favourite quotes:         

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.
Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company … a church … a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude … I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me, and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you … we are in charge of our Attitudes.” ~ Charles R. Swindoll

Look to your favourite quotes to enhance your day!

“ReIgnite at the McLaren” Including The Passion Test, presented by Ignite Consulting Group and facilitated by Edye St. Hill, Chief Ignite Officer is accepting registrations for March 22nd at the McLaren Art Centre, Barrie, Ontario.

Individuals or Businesses looking to ReIgnite your life, work or relationships – this is for you! Your Passions and Strengths are the clues to your ideal life. Gaining clarity on them is the first step toward…A Life and Business on Fire!  

Rejuvenate your resume! Maintaining an impressive and current resume is always in your best interest. You never know when the next opportunity will arise. Be prepared with a resume that will entice the most discriminating decision maker to call you in for a job interview. Contact a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Martin Buckland at Elite Resumes for a free critique today. Discussing your many accomplishments is sure to inspire confidence!

Relate to your peers through networking events to share ideas, different perspectives, new leads and resources. Your connections are your support system and you are theirs, in the successful pursuit of all future endeavours! Toronto ExecuNet and Senior ExecuNet is facilitated by Martin Buckland on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Wednesday each month. Register online for one of the GTA locations convenient for you.

Another year is coming to a close and we would like to take this time to thank so many clients, associates, colleagues, new acquaintances and old. The very best of wishes are being sent your way for a wonderful holiday season and a very prosperous career! Please visit our blog and subscribe to our blog posts covering a variety of topics and career tips. If there is any information you would like to see to assist you in managing your executive career we would be pleased to welcome your suggestions, comments or questions!

We would also like to thank everyone for all of the positive feedback received from the many speaking engagements, ExecuNet networking meetings and professional career services that have been offered throughout the year. The driving force behind Elite Resumes is your career success! Please take advantage of a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer!

Wishing you a very safe and happy holiday, the very best in the New Year and to all, a very successful career!

Elite Resumes

Martin Buckland @MartinBuckland

Barbara Mackie @BarbaraMackie

Some people dream of success… while others wake up and work hard at it.  ~Author Unknown

Those who have succeeded at anything and don’t mention luck are kidding themselves.  ~Larry King

Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs.  Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger.  If you do the little jobs well, the big ones will tend to take care of themselves.  ~Dale Carnegie

When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.  ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Don’t be discouraged.  It’s often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock.  ~Author Unknown

The drops of rain make a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling.  ~Lucretius

Every day may not be good, but there’s something good in every day.  ~Author Unknown

If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.  ~Eleanor Roosevelt

It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.  ~Author Unknown

The only man I know who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew each time he sees me.  The rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.  ~George Bernard Shaw

Contact Elite Resumes to find out about the wide range of executive career management services available including a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.

Canadian athletes set a new world record for the most Gold Medals won by a host country, topping it off with the Gold in men’s hockey. This is one proud Canadian who certainly enjoyed our Olympic “cake” and then experienced the “icing on the cake”, when I stopped at Timmy’s this morning for it is day one of RRROLL UP THE RIM to WIN time and I won! ( The opportunity to play again.) Now that’s Canadian, EH!

As I enjoyed my coffee, I began to reflect on how the world’s best athletes could be the inspiration and hope for our beleaguered economy. I thought about how each athlete ventured to our host country in their quest for Olympic gold, competing, hoping and daring to believe it was theirs. I’m still recovering from the awe of what was arguably one of the 10 best, hockey games ever played, where each player demonstrated what it takes to be an Olympian with every ounce of skill and heart. We witnessed the same unwavering effort over and over again, by every athlete throughout the games even though they have no guarantee of a win.

My reflection took me to the years of preparation and sacrifice of that of an Olympian. A conscious decision to venture down the difficult path of long hours and extensive training required to be a world class athlete, knowing that for most, there will be no real gold at the end of their rainbow. In many countries, once an athlete retires, their sport’s career won’t sustain them long-term, nor does little to assist in the transition to a “normal” job or career.

I suddenly realized that the Olympic Games are a perfect microcosm of our current economic state; so many talented people competing for a limited number of employment opportunities. For some, they’re playing against a highly skilled and experienced field of competitors. For others, they possess greater skills but are up against younger talent with emerging talent. Many are lacking in experience but possess tremendous heart and are full of future promise. Some might have just won Gold (i.e. a short-term contract position) but still have to compete in other areas so they can’t rest on their laurels. Whatever the dynamics, the parallels with the current employment market are simply uncanny.

We have witnessed our Olympic athletes fuel a flame in Canadians and across the globe like never before. Hopefully we can use this flame to fan our own embers a little more brightly, because the people who are going to “win” those few coveted jobs are not necessarily the most skilled, but they will “come to the game prepared to play”, with more heart, more optimism and more belief in success than those who’ll get passed by. In order to get your next job, “go for Gold” and get out there every day and “train”! Network, hone up core skills, educate to learn new skills and open up to all possibilities including self employment. Some players will choose different “sports” to excel in but for many the competition is simply too fierce and it is a strategic move to seek a career in self employment that will leverage their talents and skills. The constant in this group of competitors is the belief in an Olympic Gold, the next successful opportunity despite the incredible adversity.

The difficulty in emerging from this crisis mode is a reality so let us draw strength from all of the Olympians, especially two of my heroes who faced incredible adversity and still achieved success; Joannie Rochette, who’s Mom suddenly passed away; our hearts and prayers are with you Joannie, and Petra Majdic, who tumbled three metres into a gully, breaking both poles, a ski tip and four ribs. Both of these athletes drew from unfathomable, internal resources to win Olympic Bronze Medals.

We may not be Olympians but we have the inspiration to draw on to dig a bit deeper and find that same “stuff” within ourselves, because we are all competitors in a game called life. Despite any adversity, there is hope and there is the opportunity for a bright future – just look at our men’s hockey team, we got to Gold but we did it the hard way, for we are Canadians!

Thank you to all of our Olympic athletes who have inspired our great nation while earning the respect of the world!  

Seth Godin says, “Now, more than ever, we need a different way of thinking, a useful way to focus and the energy to turn the game around”. His ebook, “WHAT MATTERS NOW”, is a truly valuable resource that will do just that! A compilation of inspiring and thought provoking material filled with quotations that will transcend generations.

“WHAT MATTERS NOW” is a literal work of art created by today’s most influential content producers. 

“It’s not that some people have willpower and some don’t. It’s that some people are ready to change and others are not.” ~ James Gordon

“The most important thing in life is to stop saying “I wish” and start saying “I will”. Consider nothing impossible, then treat possibilities as probabilities.” ~ David Copperfield

“Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change – this is the rythm of our living.  Out of our over-confidence, fear, out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope.  And out of hope, progress.” ~ Bruce Barton

“I rate enthusiasm even above professional skill.” ~ Edward Appleton

“I get to play golf. What more can you ask for - getting paid for doing what you love.” ~ Tiger Woods

“If you listen and learn, become inspired and follow your passion, you will advance your career and enhance your personal life.” ~ BJM

“Choose your words carefully. You never know who will be influenced by them.” ~ BJM

Double click on this image and enjoy a Time Out:

If you are in need of more than a “Time Out”, contact Elite Resumes to receive professional advice on managing your executive career.

The following advice has been shared after landing a new job:

• Persistence! Persistent follow-up with prospective employers is necessary but don’t expect that it will result in all of the answers you are looking for. 
• Sometimes I found out what happened and sometimes I just never heard from the employer again despite persistent follow-up on my part. Sometimes I received the “thanks but no thanks” email months later. 
• Landed after 7 months, 229 applications and 304 new network contacts!  
• Landed after 10 months of searching as a result of an email from a member of the same networking group.
• Stay positive. With the ups and downs associated with a job search, the best way to stay motivated and not give in to discouragement is to stay positive. Believe in yourself and the value you have to offer.    
• Volunteer. The old adage, “the more you do, the more you can do” will keep up your energy and volunteering will generate new contacts and boost your self esteem. It’s a win win proposition. 
• Build your network – After 7 months of building my network, I was usually connected to someone who knew someone at most companies that I was applying to.
• The process, (job search) was at best an exciting opportunity and at worst, frustrating when it felt like my efforts weren’t paying off. After 5 months of searching I have landed a position.
• Patience! After applying for an online job posting, it took over two months before I was contacted by the potential employer for an interview. It was almost another month before I received a job offer!
• Don’t get discouraged. Before landing my job there were many ups and downs through this process. At least three times I thought I was close and then circumstances changed or a more suitable candidate was chosen.
• Through it all, I learned not to take it personally and to continue to believe that in the next hour or day, I was going to get the phone call or email that would lead to my next success. 
• Taking on speaking roles at networking meetings helped me to become known to a large audience very quickly, increasing my presence and my opportunities. I believe it helped me to land my job quicker. 
• Acceptance – Accepting that you are in transition as soon as possible is the only way you will be able to start doing the things you need to do to move to your next success. It will take time to find the right role for you.
• Thankfully, so many of the positions I applied for or interviewed for fell through, otherwise I would not have ended up with my dream job!

If you are interested in speaking to a Job and Career Transition Coach or Certified Employment Interview Professional or would like information on professional networking opportunities, contact Martin Buckland.

1.  Tough times help you monitor your cash flow like a hawk

2.  Focus on personal friendships

3.  Make better choices about spending money.

4.  Experience memorable but simple entertainment with family

5.  Forces you to cut the “fat” out of your life and business

6.  Tough economies force you to innovate

7.  Spend more time at home eating home cooked meals

Make a conscious decision to look for the positive. It’s out there and it can help you ride the waves in this stormy economy.

Are you in career transition? Contact Elite Resumes for information on the Executive Career Management Services available to elevate you above the competition.