After two months of holidays, camps, part time jobs and lots of last minute shopping, children were filled with apprehension and anticipation as they lined up once again for the start of a new year back to school. For those parents with older children, it may have been a welcome return to normalcy and routine in addition to a new year of higher expectations for academic achievement. Of course there are those leaving their children for their first day of school with an overwhelming wave of emotion in response to an experience that is anything other than normal and expectations for success that are simply to get through the day without a call from the teacher to pick up an uncooperative child. 

There are also those parents or adult sons and daughters that have spent their summers in an active job search successfully edging out the competition to  land their next job and get back to work. Hot Tips for a Summer Job Search was good advice for many as 14 clients of Elite Resumes have recently acquired new positions. In a highly competitive labour market it is an accomplishment to be acknowledged and celebrated! New starts are not without some apprehension but at the same time begin with the greatest of expectations that these new positions will be a positive move towards a rewarding and successful career.

Many new challenges and opportunities will be presented as the school year or the new job progresses. The ability to recognize, respond appropriately, be decisive and follow through with viable action plans and attainable goals will be the foundation for your advancement in your academic endeavours or your career. The following tips and quotes are meant as inspiration for those back to school and back to work to achieve the best possible results:

Resilience ”You may have a fresh start at any moment you choose, for this thing that we call “failure” is not the falling down, but the staying down.” ~ Mary Pickford

Persistence ”Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” ~ Henry Ford

Vision “Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” ~ Unknown

Positive Thinking “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” ~ Winston Churchill

Enthusiasm “A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one.” ~ Unknown

Personal Branding Back to school for your personal brand ~ Paul Copcutt

Support  There will always be those who are happy to support, encourage or share in your success. Whether it be a friend, family member, colleague, teacher or professional coach, ask for support when you need it.

Stop and smell the roses, a change of scenery, or a series of inspiring and thought provoking quotes; whatever it takes in our busy and sometimes stressful lives, it is important to take a break and create an opportunity to look outside the box. Discover new ideas, re-visit old beliefs and perceptions, seek avenues for rejuvenation, revitalization and re-invention and inspire emotional, intellectual and physical well-being. Here are a few quotes to think about:

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.

Guest Post by Gary Prenevost, gprenevost@frannet.com FRANNET

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!  

Inspiration, motivation, determination, drive, confidence! All are necessary components of a successful job search. In today’s economy we are dealing with record high unemployment rates, a fiercely competitive job market and an average of 10 months to secure a senior executive position! It is not always easy to stay positive and sometimes all we need is a Time Out, even it’s just for a few minutes, to gain a little inspiration.

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.

Yes, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur writes, 7 Reasons Why The Recession Is Good For You. This year will certainly be remembered by some as one of economic  despair, which is why it is necessary to focus on the positive whenever possible. It is not healthy to be surrounded by the amount of negative hype that has been emanating from every feasible media outlet day after day, night after night! Check out these ”7 reasons the recession is good for you” from the TP Entrepreneur:

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.

“Leadership is the ability to articulate vision and influence others to move towards achievement.”

In today’s challenging economy our global recovery will be achieved through the actions, courage, determination and responsibility of great leaders! Here are a few inspiring quotes on Leadership: 

“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.” ~ Peter F. Drucker

“A leader must have the courage to act against an expert’s advice.” ~ James Callaghan

“A leader or a man of action in a crisis almost always acts subconsciously and then thinks of the reasons for his action.” ~ Jawaharlal Nehru

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” ~ John Quincy Adams

“It is the responsibility of intellectuals to speak the truth and expose lies.” ~ Noam Chomsky

“I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” ~ Ralph Nader

“Leaders are more powerful role models when they learn than when they teach.” ~ Rosabeth Moss Kantor

“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” ~ Rosalynn Carter

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” ~ Winston Churchill

“South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu walked by a construction site on a temporary sidewalk the width of one person. A white man appeared at the other end, recognized Tutu, and said, “I don’t make way for gorillas.” At which Tutu stepped aside, made a deep sweeping gesture, and said, “Ah, yes, but I do.” ~ Walter Wink 

Current affairs are offering little inspiration these days with the media focused almost solely on the current economic melt down. Few are not directly affected by the severe market downturn and resulting job loses. For many it will be a test of perseverance unlike any they have ever known. Throughout this test of time, it is imperative to focus on the positive. Inspiration and motivation are critical elements to success.

“The future depends on what we do in the present.” - Mahatma Gandhi

The resources that are available today are infinite. All you have to do is ask. Martin Buckland at Elite Resumes thrives on the opportunity to answer any questions you may have with respect to your career. He offers free  resume critiques and is happy to provide potential leads. Another critical element to success for everyone is expanding your network, whether socially or professionally.

The following videos are  two that are sure to offer:

Inspiration – “Playing For Change: Peace through Music”
and
Motivation – “Are You Going to Finish Strong?”

Enjoy and aspire.