TGHarris Consulting

Why should you experience coaching?

There are many reasons, but the number one reason is CHANGE! How long are you going to continue to do the same old thing and get the same old results? How long are you going to wait for success?

Coaching is about action and action= CHANGE! Change is about achieving results and results = SUCCESS!

Action: the accomplishment of a thing usually over a period of time,in stages, or with the possibility of repetition. Taking action to make changes will impact your life substantially. Taking action to make changes will put you in control. Taking action to make changes will put you on the road to success.

Results: to proceed or arise as a consequence, effect, or conclusion. Creating results will make the changes to impact your life substantially. Creating results will allow you to be in control. Creating results will put you on the road to success.

Call For Your Free Consultation

619-272-9337

Can’t See Outside Your Box?

Are you living in your own box (the world according to your own reality and perception)? Do you need help stepping outside that box which has taken you a lifetime to build?

We all enlist help from others when we need their expertise. You go to the doctor when you’re feeling ill, you hire a mechanic when your car needs repair, you hire a computer repair specialist when your computer isn’t computing correctly, and you hire an accountant when your taxes are due. Even professional athletes use a coach to help them see outside their box. A coach offers them knowledge from experience, guidance when something isn’t working for them on the field, and solutions to tough plays on game day.

Isn’t it time you discover what a coach can do for you? A coach outside your box looking in and can help you without bias and with fresh perspective.

Coaching will give you:

• Clarity of direction.
• Redefinition of your goals.
• Step-by-step action plans for success.
• Confidence to overcome personal obstacles.
• Accountability.
• Greater confidence in yourself.

Call Today To Change Your Life

619-272-9337

I’ll Be Waiting For You On The Other Side Of Success!

As the economy and job market fluctuate, many companies have embraced a leaner approach to business, laying off or dismissing thousands of employees.  Or, maybe you find yourself on the wrong end of a divorce, inventorying your resources and coming up short.  Whatever the cause, this juncture is where many people make the decision to go from employee to small business owner.  For the purpose of this narrative, we’ll call these people “impulse owners.”

The problem with small business is that for most small business owners, the creation of their business enterprise was more of an afterthought than intelligent design.  They are unhappy with their current salary/finances/situation, and use these feelings as justification for leaping head first into business ownership.  Although they might have the talent/ability to successfully manage a business, these impulse owners have not done the research necessary to give the venture a fighting chance.

Many employees confuse expertise in their field for sound business know-how.  However, if we compare the ideal business owner to the impulse owner, the differences between the two become glaringly obvious.  For example, the ideal owner has a plan for his business.  Not an official, SBA-approved business plan perhaps, but an idea of his goals for the enterprise.  He has a good concept of his business model, knows what type of capital he needs, and has some form of marketing strategy.  Now, compare this to the impulse owner.  He created his business because he needed a source of income and he has not allotted much time to research or conceptualize the fundamentals of his business.  He has no awareness of his market, has no idea which type of business entity to create, and no real understanding of what he wants to do with his business.  In short, he has all the ingredients for failure.  The fact that most owners don’t grasp is that they are not failing because of a poor business concept necessarily, but because of poor execution.

In order to create a successful small business, an owner needs to understand their plans for the business’ future.  Think of making a cross-country road trip without a map—if you drive long enough, you’ll end up somewhere, but it might not be where you had intended (or desired!).  Unfortunately, this is how many small business owners start.  However, what many fail to realize is that you don’t have to attempt this undertaking alone–there are numerous resources at your disposal.

Business coaches/consultants are one example.  A business coach provides 1-on-1 interaction in order to identify the weakest points of your business.  They’ll discuss your plans for the business and what you’re looking to get out of ownership.  Is this a passion or merely a source of income?  How much time and effort are you looking to invest in its operation?  Once you have identified your goals, a business coach can devise an action plan for shoring up those weaknesses that are most detrimental to your business.  Most importantly, a coach can hold you accountable!  By establishing priorities and specific goals, you can take drastic steps to improve the quality of your business.  Business coaches provide very direct, specific coaching and can usually be retained on both a project and monthly basis.

Another resource lies with the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE).  SCORE is a volunteer organization that has access to literally thousands of former business owners and corporate executives.  While the advice/mentorship they provide is significantly more generic than what a business coach/consultant can provide, their assistance can still have a positive effect on your business.  They can help you answer questions concerning a variety of topics, like how to file taxes, how to secure financing, and how to plan out the stages of your business.  Although they will not actually walk you through how to implement their suggestions, they are a good resource nonetheless.

Finally, there are also numerous articles pertaining to the creation and operation of a small business.  Many of these articles can be found on SCORE’s website and on the Small Business Administration’s website (www.sba.gov).  There is a wealth of knowledge contained within these libraries, and even if you decide to employ a coach or mentor, every small business owner should take a glance.  Although this method is time-consuming and would best be served as a supplement to a coaching agreement, the information contained in these online libraries is invaluable.

While most small business owners might have started out with very little actual knowledge about how to run a business, there’s no reason to remain uninformed.  There is a wealth of resources available that can help transform a struggling enterprise into a successful venture.  But please, don’t wait until the situation has turned desperate or impossible before you begin looking for help.  Remember, just because you’re new to business, doesn’t mean you have to go it alone.

Article written by James Sly, Business Coach TG Harris Consulting. A full service coaching and consulting firm. For more information regarding products and services visit www.tgharris.com or call 619-272-9337.

My newest ebook that steps you through the complete process is now available @ www.TGHarris.com.

The Real World Interview Instruction Manual and Workbook for Sequencing Mothers will show you how to:

Explain your gaps in employment for your cover letter and resume.

Explain your gaps and sell yourself in the interview.

Network to find the leads you need for a successful job search.

Critique your interview skills.

Critique your job search.

Negotiate your salary.

And Much More.

Go to www.TGHarris.com click on the Products Page and Scroll down to The Real World Interview Instruction Manual and Workbook for Sequencing Mothers.

I have temporarily reduced the price to make you an offer you can’t refuse.

You also get my 100% Garauntee. If you are not satisfied just request a refund no questions asked.

Over 50 pages of information and exercises to help you get the job you want.

If you have any questions or concerns email me Terry@TGHarris.com or call me (858) 204-9689.

Happy Job Hunting,

Terry

Dear Sequencing Moms,

I continually watch your searches on Wordpress and you are searching for Resume and Cover Letter information. What I would like to know is. What are your specific questions regarding Resume and Cover Letters? Leave a comment for me on what you want answered and I’ll address it in my next Blog. Examples would be: Explaining your time away from the workplace, Regaining your confidence for the interview, Communicating your skills and abilities, Answering the tough questions regarding your responsibilities to the family while trying to maintain your job.

Be specific as you want.

When I have written my articles or blogs in the past I usually try to keep them somewhat general to answer the basic information.

If I can give a more specific answer to your question, it could possibly be of interest to another Sequencing Mom.

If you would like to speak with me in person and get personal feedback call me or you may email your question. What ever way you feel comfortable.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best of luck in your job search,

Terry

Real World Interview Coach

Terry@TGHarris.com Email

858-204-9689 phone

I usually don’t write about the clients I have coached but this time I am compelled to share this story with you. It is one of the best examples of the struggles a Sequencing Mom has to go through to get a job after staying home to raise a child.

I had been giving Returning to Work After Staying Home to Raise a Child presentations for Sequencing Moms at a local mommy coffee cafe for the past several months. The owner loved my work and had asked me to give another presentation with only a one week notice. I quickly put together a flier for her and delivered them to the cafe announcing the day and time of the presentation.

A couple of days later I recieved a phone call from a mother that had seen the flier while visiting the cafe with her 14 month old daughter. At first she was just asking me general questions about my topic for the presentation. As she talked I began to wonder just why she had called me. There seemed to be no specific direction of her questions. Finally I asked her what I could do for her. That is when she informed me she wanted to come to the presentation but with such short notice she had no way of getting someone to watch her daughter. Having a three year old daughter myself I understood the challenges you can face when raising a child especially when it comes to schedules and time management. We bagan to chat abit about how it can sometimes be difficult to find a babysitter last minute.

She finally paused for a second and asked me my rates for interview coaching. As I began to tell her how much I charge I could tell she did not have to money to afford my services. I immediately stopped going through the payment options. For some reason I felt drawn to her story and the reason she had contacted me. Those of you that have heard of the Laws Of Attraction will understand this next part.

The mother on the other end of the phone had come to me and I felt compelled to help her (after all, that is what I do). I asked her what she felt her problem with getting a job was and she proceeded to tell me her story. She was born in China and had moved to San Diego several years earlier. She went to school to get her degree and took english classes along the way. She spoke with a fairly heavy accent but I understood her quite well. She went on to tell me she felt that she had a difficult time communicating in the interview and that was one of the main reasons she could not get through an interview successfully. Not to mention she had lost her confidence since she had been out of the workforce for just over a year raising her daughter.

Hearing all of this I decided to offer her my service at a rate we could both agree to. She accepted and we set up a weekly schedule to start her interview coaching process. I got her email address and told her I would email her my interview instruction manual and workbook for her to read and start the exercises before our first session.

The first part of her homework was to work on explaining the gap in time while she was not in the workforce for her cover letter and resume. Over the next couple of days emailing back and forth we came up with the perfect cover letter and resume. We were on the road to geting her a job now. Throughout our coaching sessions we worked on her confidence by learning the techniques required to answer the interview questions that exemplify her newly aquired skills while raising her daughter as well as the knowledge based skills she already had. By the time we had our third coaching session she had four interviews lined up. Her first interview went well and she got a call back for a second interview, in the meantime she went on an interview with another company. Her first interview with that company went better than the first one. The second company called her back that very afternoon and requested that she meet the Vice President of the company, Human Resource Manager, and The Department Manager of Purchasing for a second interview. The next day we did a mock interview and practiced her answers to help her prepare for the group interview. Two days later she went on the job interview and to her utter surprise they offered her the job at the end of the interview. It paid 6000.00 more a year than the first job interview she went on and they needed her skills since they did alot of business with China. By the way she is fluent in speaking and writing chinese (if you had not already guessed).

She accepted the position and took the next two weeks as a vacation before starting her new job. I was so proud of her and how fast she had made the transition from an insecure mother with nothing to offer to a secure Employed Mother of a now 15 month old daughter.

Law Of Attraction: She contacted me to help her get through the interview. She took the step to learn and put out there what she wanted and I got to watch someone better themselves and be successful. And that my friends Makes Me Successful.

I’d like the thank her for allowing me to be a part of her growth and success.

For more information on interview coaching email Terry@TGharris.com or call 858-204-9689

Unemployment is at a 14 Year high!

Are you a part of that statistic?

Get the Edge over your competition with proven
Interview techniques that will take you from
Unemployed to Employeed!

You need to be one step ahead of your Competition!

Get the answers to:
Tell me about yourself?
Why should I hire you over your competition?
Tell me your greatest weakness?
Explain the gap in your resume?
And so many more!

Aceing The Interview is a practiced and technical skill!

If you are a Sequencing Mom or Dad, Law Enforcement Candidate,
Changing careers, Recent Graduate, or any other
profession (skilled or non skilled) learning the
techniques to <b>”Aceing The Interview” </b> is the
first and only step to beating your <b>Competition</b>!

If you need help call the <b>Real World Interview Coach</b>!
For more information or to see how I can help you
call:

Terry @ 858-204-9689 or email Terry@TGHarris.com

The “Premier” Real World Interview Coach

You choose which is best for you
in person one on one or phone consultations.

Tell me what advice you would like to see next for my blog!

Sequencing Mothers and Illegal Interview Questions

By Terry Harris

How many inappropriate and sometimes illegal questions can the interviewer ask? The answer is NONE!

However, the more sequencing mothers I talk with the more I hear stories of these types of question being asked in the interview. It seems there is a underlying concern with companies out there.

Will the sequencing mother be able to handle the responsibilities of coming to work every day?

Will the sequencing mother be around any length of time or is she planning on having more children in the near future?

While these and other questions you may face can be inappropriate or even illegal, it ultimately comes back to you to decide how you will answer them.

You have a few choices to make:

Answer the question to the best of your ability even if you are not comfortable with it.

Refuse to answer the question and tell the interviewer it is an illegal question.

Answer the question with an understanding for the reason and addressing their concerns regardless of the legalities surrounding the question.

Remember, you are applying for a job with their company and you need to be prepared upfront how you will answer these types of questions. By expecting them and being prepared for them, it will make the interview go much smoother. The last thing you want to do in the interview is offend your interviewer.

If the interviewer asks personal questions it is a good indication of the companies culture. This allows you the opportunity to evaluate how comfortable you will be working in that type of atmosphere. You are not only being interviewed but you are interviewing them as well. It’s up to you if you want to work for them or not.

Terry Harris, the Premier Interview Coach and Consultant, specializes in the teachings of Real World Interview Skills to Sequencing Mothers. For more information on his online services, products, and customized coaching packages go to:

http://www.TGHarris.com or call 858-204-9689.

Interview Preparation (Re-entering The Workplace)

By Terry Harris

One of the most important factors to interviewing is being prepared. I can not stress enough how important this simple but commonly overlooked part of the interview is. Just taking a little time before your scheduled interview to practice answering interview questions will not only help you with having an arsenal of prepared answers to the interview questions but it will also give you a sense of confidence during the interview.

If you don’t have the resources to work with a professional interview coach, find a friend, or relative. Give them a list of questions that are usually asked in an interview and have them act like the interviewer. If you can, I would recommend recording your answers so you can play them back after the practice interview is over.

Listen to the way you answered the questions and critique yourself.

Did your answers make sense? 

         Did your answers stay on point or did you have a tendency to ramble on?

Did you answer the questions with ease?Did you cover everything you wanted to get across to the interviewer?Did you come across as having confidence in your abilities?

Did you sell yourself the way you wanted?

Did you solve their problem? (remember you are the solution)

Did you keep the interviewer engaged?

Did you ask the appropriate questions at the end of your practice interview?

If you were not comfortable with the way you answered the practice interviewers questions, then keep practicing until you feel good about the way you handled yourself.

By recording your practice interview you will be able to hear how you are coming across to the interviewer. If you are not confident in the way you answered the questions neither will your interviewer. It is all about perception. How did the interviewer perceive you?

If you want to instill a sense of confidence with your interviewer, you need to be confident in yourself during the interview.

So Practice, Practice, Practice!

Terry Harris, the Premier Interview Coach and Consultant, specializes in the teachings of Real World Interview Skills to both individual and small business clients. For more information on his online services, products, and customized coaching packages go to:

http://www.TGHarris.com

or call 858-204-9689.

Resume Cover Letter For Sequencing Mothers,
Or Mothers Re-entering The Workforce

There’s no need for you to feel uncomfortable about the fact that there’s a gap in your resume. You’re part of a growing population of stay at home mothers that have taken time off from their professional life to care for their families. The increase in women making the choice to stay home and raise their children has caused a rise in employer awareness. More women than ever feel confident in their decision to take much needed time off to raise their children and later return to the workforce.

The traditional purpose for a cover letter is to allow your employer to see what qualities you have that relate specifically to their available position, and to see whether you have taken the time to do any research about their company.
For the sequencing mother, though, the cover letter is the perfect opportunity for you to shine and highlight the skills you’ve learned as a full-time manager of your household.

Instead of approaching your absence from the workforce with hesitation, highlight your time spent managing your family and the many new skills you’ve mastered during this time. Be proud of the decision that you made to be a stay at home mother, for this is no small accomplishment. It is vital that you are up front about your absence from the workforce because it is a very important part of who you are and your working career. Besides, you don’t want to get caught up making excuses or speaking half-truths during the interview to explain away your gap in employment.

Of course, it would be ideal to be able to tell your story in person, but often you don’t have the luxury of meeting someone face-to-face. As such, the cover letter becomes a great tool to let a potential employer know about your resume gap and why you are now ready to re-enter the professional arena.

Selling your interviewer on a gap in your resume takes careful thought. Don’t try tricks like changing dates or exaggerating your managerial skills because you were able to keep your household running smoothly for years. Your interviewer is aware of a mothers duties and will know if he/she is being tricked. What he/she wants to know is that you’re back in the game and have something to offer their company. Be sure to mention why you’re re-entering the workforce now. Such as, your children are now in school full-time, so it’s the perfect opportunity for you to re-enter the workforce. You now have the time and the motivation to regain your career.

We are all proud of our children and love to share stories and photos with others, but when it comes to the resume cover letter and interview, It’s best not to mention the children in a personal aspect. Try to keep it business or position related. You may, however, mention your children in support of certain skills you mastered during your time away from the workforce. For example, you stayed current with computer technology because you spent numerous hours helping your children with research on their computer. The best way to present your newly acquired skills is in the same manner you would present other skills you have mastered during your professional career. Example:

Positive attitude and exceptional people skills.
Highly effective organizational abilities.
Exceptional attention to detail and follow-through while managing multiple projects and meeting demanding deadlines.
The ability to work both independently, or as part of a team to produce quality bottom-line results.

The most important thing to remember when beginning the resume writing process, is to be proud of your choice to stay home and manage your family. List your newly acquired skills with confidence, for they have made you who you
are today!

Terry Harris, the Premier Interview Coach and Consultant, specializes in the teachings of Real World Interview Skills to both individual and small business clients. For more information on his online services, products, and customized coaching packages go to: http://www.TGHarris.com or call 858-204-9689.

Sequencing Mothers
Regaining Your Career After Staying Home To Manage The Family
Written By: Terry Harris

Sequencing:The fluid work pattern which occurs over a number of years and at various stages of motherhood in which mothers move in and out of paid employment and/or opt for a variety of flexible work arrangements in order to successfully balance their work and family responsibilities.

Regaining your professional career after staying home to raise a family presents an often frustrating challenge for the stay at home mom. The truth is that the longer you are out of the workforce, the harder it is to sell yourself and your abilities in such a way that you can actually get an interview, much less a job.

The Good news is that according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of April 2007, 60% of married mothers with pre-school aged children are now back in the workforce.

Repeated labor shortages and periods of high unemployment work in favor of moms returning to the workforce. For the past several years many companies have been starting up programs geared towards the sequencing mother.

But Where do you begin to search for available jobs? How do you regain the self confidence to get your professional life back on track, and most importantly, get offered a job when you have been out of circulation for so long?

Networking is an important step in the sequencing mothers list of preparations for regaining her career. Seventy-eight percent of employers use employee referrals as their primary method of recruitment. Once you have made the decision to return to work you should start discussing your decision with anyone who will listen. You never know who may have a lead, or may have heard of an available position through the grapevine. Get in touch with old work buddies or coworkers and do lunch. If you belong to some sort of Mommy & Me group begin discussions with other mothers about their plans to return to the workforce, or start a blog on the Mommy & Me website where you can share information, personal stories, and tips about the job market. Join clubs and attend alumni events. Many of these organizations have online newsletters, communities, and job boards. Another really great source of information is job fairs and expos. Even if you don’t walk away with the job leads you were hoping for, job fairs and expos will give you the opportunity to ask questions and to get a feel for what companies are looking for these days. Use job fairs and expos as an opportunity to work on your interviewing skills by engaging in conversation with the people working the booths.

The most important thing you can do for yourself when trying to get back into the workforce is to make your intentions known. So get out there and get the process started!

Creating a winning resume and cover letter is also of major importance for the sequencing mother. It is here that you will get the opportunity to explain the gaps in your resume and sell your future employer on all the great skills you have mastered while staying home to manage your household.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the preparation involved in regaining your career, you may want to consider hiring an interview coach or consultant. An interview coach will help you to discover your hidden skills and create a job objective, write a creative cover letter and resume to get you noticed, and prepare you for the interviewer‘s difficult questions. Nothing builds confidence better than preparation, and nothing can prepare you for the interview process better than someone who has spent years mastering the art of interviewing. For more information on interview coaching go to http://www.TGHarris.com.

The biggest hurdle for mothers re-entering the work force, or sequencing moms, is their uneasiness about having been out of the professional world for so long. It’s really just a matter of changing your perspective and giving yourself a mental makeover about all of your wonderful qualities and all you have to offer your employer.

If you have a clear vision of who you are, what you are looking for in a job, and what your skills and strong traits are, then you will be prepared for the interviewer’s questions. Especially the ones directed towards sequencing mothers.