The Secret To Successful Candidate Feedback

The Secret To Successful Candidate Feedback Forgetting to give candidate feedback is one of the most common mistakes made in the recruitment industry, more often than not it’s not even considered a mistake. In fact many employers just hope that their candidates will ‘get the message’ when they don’t hear anything a few weeks (or months) after the interview, but guess what? They don’t. A silent rejection leaves candidates to make up their own assumptions as to why they were decided against, which may not seem so bad until you think about the additional implications. Not giving your candidates any feedback says a whole lots more than a simple rejection, it says “we don’t value your time” or “we don’t value our fans”. Having gone through the process of finding, applying and attending interview, it’s a given that some form of candidate feedback is needed to close the book and not just the deal. Those who didn’t make it to interview deserve recognition for the time they invested preparing their cover letter and CV. Why? Because your candidates are your fans, and your fans help your business prosper. So, in order to make sure none of us ever make this horrible mistake ever again, we’re going to have a look at the most simple and useful ways to deliver candidate feedback successfully. Remember, even if your candidate is a total flop during interview it’s no reason not to send them a rejection letter, after all who knows who they know? A little common courtesy can go a long way! Successful candidate feedback: First off, time is of the essence. After applying for a position, most candidates gage about 3-4 weeks before losing faith in a reply. So if you think it may take longer to process your applications say so in the job ad. There’s no harm in adding a little sub note along the lines of: Please note: Due to a high volume in applications it may take several weeks for us to get back to you. Thank you for your patience. Simple, right? This way you give yourself a little leeway to process your applications without making any enemies at the same time. If it so happens that you get totally bogged down with applications, send a top-up email to calm any fraying nerves. Once again it doesn’t have to be complex, just try something like: Due to a high amount of interest in this position it will take a little longer to process your application. We thank you once again in your interest in the company and appreciate your patience. As long as you do eventually get back to your candidates, these two simple steps will pave the way for several weeks of worry free applicant processing, which brings us to the next step Initial rejections: For every sterling candidate there will be several others who just don’t make the grade, whether it was a spelling mistake or employment dates that dont quite add up. For one reason or another you will end up with a sizeable No pile following your first round of processing. Now, you could just dump them in the trash, or you could draft out a nice, polite email that will kindly but firmly let those candidates know that they didn’t quite cut it. For the sake of politeness and your employer branding, we’ll go for the latter: Dear Beatles, Thank you for your application for the position of Rock Band. We’re sorry to say that we won’t be taking your application further at this point, but we appreciate your time and interest in Decca Records and wish you all the best for the future. Kind regards, Tony Meehan at Decca Records Feel free to copy and paste that by the way, just don’t forget to change the names unless of course you are actually addressing The Beatles as Tony Meehan from Decca Records. The next round of processing will generally filter out those candidates which you would like to bring for a final interview this may involve phone interviews, a task or questionnaire. Either way it will involve more input from your runners up, in which case it’s nice to include a little more information as to why they don’t get invited to the final interview. Lets take another look at The Beatles who, for those of you who didn’t know, were rejected by Decca Records in 1961 because guitar groups were on the way out”. Dear Beatles, Thank you for your application for the position of Rock Band. Unfortunately we have opted for another band who we feel is more suited Decca Records and to the role in terms of sound. We’re sorry to say that we won’t be taking your application further at this point. However, we appreciate the time you’ve invested in Decca Records and wish you all the very best for the future. Kind regards, Tony Meehan at Decca Records Get the gist? A few words can make all the difference!  Your candidates know where they stand, plus they’re 10 times less likely to bad mouth you to friends, family or the rest of the world via Glassdoor.com.  There are also times when you’ll be completely torn between your candidates and might find yourself in the unenviable position of choosing between several great contenders. Naturally only one will eventually make it through. So, how do we go about letting the others down? Well, first off, you could send them one of the examples above, it’ll do the trick. However, as mentioned it’s worth giving back what your candidates put in. They may not be perfect for this role but it isn’t to say they’re not ideal for the next. So take the opportunity to line up an excellent contender for a future position. To let your candidates know that they did a great job and that you would love to keep them on your books, try adding a sentence along the lines of: We were extremely impressed with both your skills and performance and, with your permission, will keep you in our talent pool for future positions. As well as keeping a great candidate, a little flattery will soften the blow considerably. READ MORE:  How to  Reject  Job Applicants Without Making Enemies How much is too much? When it comes to candidate feedback there is, of course, a fine line between what is and isn’t appropriate to say.  Some argue that giving specific details will help job seekers to improve their applications and interview performances. On the other hand, not everyone would appreciate being told that their dress sense was too casual, or that they didn’t seem enthusiastic enough, or that their personality didn’t fit the team… Constructive criticism does run the risk of coming across as outright criticism, and therefore it’s often easier for employers to stick to tried and tested lines. However, it doesn’t mean you need to rule out the option completely. The trick is to keep candidate feedback factual. You could, for example, include test results or give examples of skills which need development. Perhaps your candidate just doesn’t have the sufficient work experience? It’s ok to let them know that.  Nobody can argue with hard facts, plus the extra feedback will mean that your candidate will not only understand the reason behind their rejection, but it will help them improve their game. Whats the true secret to successful candidate feedback? At the end of the day, the secret is not only to give candidates feedback in the first place, but to treat your candidates as you would anyone of your valued clients. True, not all candidates will walk away joyous in the face of rejection, but you can at least save your company from getting slammed on Glassdoor and you might just bag yourself a great future candidate or two while you’re at it! Do you have any further tips? Let us know in the comments below!

Writers, Dont Give Up On Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Writers, Dont Give Up On Social Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Writer Randy Ross recently wondered on his blog whether social media was turning out to be a waste of time for promoting his writing. He wrote in a blog post that Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn seem to be over-saturated with users generating useless crap. Randy has seen both his web traffic and Facebook Reach drop by 50%; Twitter is still fairly new to him, but all hes seeing so far is spam, crap, and inane comments; and, LinkedIn has just created a nuclear arms race as everyone scrambles to get more of these new Endorsements. My response to him was the same I give to all other writers who are struggling with social media. Social media is not a waste of time, because this is where everyone is spending most of their time and energy gathering new information and sharing their work. But it is becoming harder to stand out, especially if you dont put in the effort. With more and more meh content and dreck, people are narrowing down how much they read. That makes it harder for the really good writers to stand out. (Theyre having the same problems with self-publishing versus traditional publishing.) Remember, rule #1 of social media is to write good shit. (Or as the hoity-toity, jargony people like to say, create interesting content.) Write stuff thats not only interesting, persuasive, and even educational, but make sure its well-written and coherent. You can have great ideas, but if you dont express them well, people wont care. And if you write beautifully about half-baked ideas, no one is going to care either. Dont forget rule #2 either. Share others content. Not only that, share it more than you share your own. Retweet other peoples interesting tweets. Tweet their own articles to your network. Like and share their cool status updates on Facebook. Then, if theres time, you can talk about your own stuff. In Branding Yourself, we said the ratio should be 90% someone elses stuff, 10% yours. That shows people youre interested in them, care about them, and want them to do well. Ultimately, that makes them want to be your advocates as well. Theyll tweet your blog posts, like and share your Facebook updates, and retweet your cool tweets. Now, heres the big secret to winning at personal branding: You have to outlast the people that put out mediocre crap. Thats it. You dont have to do it better; although just by putting in a conscious effort, you will. You dont have to resort to trickery; the spammers will burn themselves out with trickery that yields nothing. You dont have to double your energy or time spent on social media; just put in 30 60 minutes per day, spread throughout the day. As you do social media more and more, you will finally reach that tipping point where people are paying attention to your stuff, they are sharing it with everyone, and they are visiting your website on a regular basis. Its just a matter of being tenacious. Put the same energy into being a social media rockstar that you have into being a literary rockstar. If you write good shit, and promote everyone elses stuff on a consistent basis, you will begin to see success. And success begets success. The more you do it, the more youll have. Author: Erik Deckers  is the owner of  Professional Blog Service, and the co-author of  Branding Yourself: How to Use Social Media to Invent or Reinvent Yourself. His new book,  No Bullshit Social Media: The All-Business, No-Hype Guide to Social Media Marketing. His wife is a jazz singer and is building her own audience.

Why You Need to Treat Candidates Like Gold Dust

Why You Need to Treat Candidates Like Gold Dust All recruiters know that the most frustrating thing during the hiring process is giving out a great opportunity to an awful candidate it can lead to low productivity and a high attrition rate. It can also cause massive damage to your personal brand as a recruiter. To ensure you dont make the same mistake, take a step back and review your strategy. Are you engaging with candidates or solely focused on pleasing your clients? If you arent, youre playing a dangerous game. Here are the reasons why you should be treating any candidate like gold dust (courtesy of Manila Recruitment): 1) You wont need to spend on job advertisements: If you can fill any position without having to place a job ad, then make use of your database of CVs and resumes some may not fit the job spec, but there will be people who will jump at the opportunity. Youll save money, and make your job easier plus your candidates and clients will be happy. Winners all round! 2) Engaging with candidates equates to a good word of mouth: Just remember: candidates do not need recruiters, but recruiters need candidates you dont only work for your clients. Engaged candidates will not only let you know when theyre ready to move on (and possibly help you fill a position), but will also share the good news about you on social media, and to friends and family. No-one can ever put a price on good referrals or word of mouth, so thats why you always need a good candidate experience. As you develop your talent pipeline, and build ongoing relationships with qualifying candidates, ensure you dont alienate any good content during the rejection process too so choose your words wisely. 3) Placing candidates becomes easier and faster: If you are the person who reaches out to candidates on a regular basis allows them to understand that interactions are something that you would welcome. In term, it saves you effort and time. 4) The recruiters playing field is levelled: Candidate engagement has always had a big impact on the success of the hire however researching and reaching out to potential hires is becoming increasingly easy, in turn levelling the playing field. This means that if you dont engage with your candidates and treat them well, someone else will and youll have to return to the start so be quick, and good! [Featured image: Shutterstock]

4 Tips for Achieving Your Professional New Years Resolutions

4 Tips for Achieving Your Professional New Years Resolutions Although many resolutions are focused on personal developmentâ€"like losing weight or quitting smokingâ€"many of them are catered toward professional development, such as getting a promotion or finding a better job. Since New Years resolutions are notorious for being abandoned by February, its important to approach your professional goals with a concrete plan within your reach. To discover some helpful tips on reaching your own New Years resolution, consider these. Resolution #1: Get a promotion Almost every working professional believes he or she should have a promotion, but a much smaller portion is actually working toward making this wish a reality. To get that coveted promotion, you have to put yourself in a position where you truly deserve it. This means working harder, investing more time and effort in your company by submitting ideas for improvement, and furthering your education to qualify for higher positions. The latter approach can be one of the best ways to show your boss you are a true go-getter. Although you may put your heart and soul into your work, you can still take advantage of educational opportunities by considering online alternatives to further your degree. Resolution #2: Quit your job Quitting your job puts you in a slightly less favorable position than the one presented above, but it doesnt necessarily have to be a negative or dramatic step. New years are about new beginnings: out with the old and in with the new. If youve been slaving away at an unfulfilling job with little sign of advancement or improvement, quitting may be a pragmatic decision. However, if you truly believe your decision is reasonable, then be reasonable in your approach. Submit a formal letter of resignation that respectfully discusses your decision with your boss and co-workers and gives the company adequate time to find a replacement and tie up loose ends. Leaving on good terms not only benefits the company, but also benefits you when searching for a new job. Further reading at So You Want to Leave a Job You Hate. Resolution #3: Find a job Following resolution number two, finding a job can be one of the most difficult resolutions to achieve when the economic odds are against you. However, remaining diligent and assertive throughout your search will generally pay off in the end. The first thing you should do is use every resource possible to help you find a job. This could include connecting with the career services department at your alma mater, industry associations, networking groups, and former professors and peers to discover new job leads. All of these resources can put you in the right place to land the job youve been searching for. Resolution #4: Improve your professional appeal Improving your professional appeal usually goes hand in hand with any other professional goal or resolution you may have this year. To improve your professional appeal, and to avoid getting into a monotonous routine at work, you can work on your professional development by taking advantage of a number of opportunities. Education should be a number one focus, since it usually has the biggest impact on an employers opinion of you. Consider going back to school either in a traditional setting or online to enhance your degree. You can also take training courses relevant to your profession to obtain specialist certifications and give yourself extra credibility. If youre not finding any luck in the job market, consider trying out internships to gain experience and develop connections with other professionals in your industry. Making resolutions is easy, but keeping them is tough. Commit to following each step that gets you closer to a new job, and you might be celebrating next year with a better job and a promising career. Further reading at 7 Little Known Ways to Jump Start Your Career this year. Author: Jesse Langley lives near Chicago. He divides his time among work, writing and family life. He writes on behalf of coloradotech.edu  and has a keen interest in business blogging and social media.

Your ultimate guide to house hunting in London - Debut

Your ultimate guide to house hunting in London - Debut This post is part of our ultimate guide to moving to London as a graduate.  Its one thing to have a location in mind, but how do you go about actually finding a house?  We promise: house hunting in London doesnt have to be difficult.   So, youve figured out where you want to live in London. Its a nice area, not too busy or too quiet, and theres a 24-hour Tesco in the vicinity. Perfection. However, when you come to look up properties in the area, theres one major problem. You have no idea how to go about actually looking for a place to live. Thats where this guide comes in handy. There are a few bits and bobs you need to know before you embark on your London house-hunting adventure. Dont forget to bring a bottle of water with you, because pals, this is going to be a marathon. Plan of attack A marathon is nothing without prep, ya hear me? Some self-reflection is absolutely necessary before launching into your house hunt. We recommend you consult our full guide  on where to live in London as a graduate before you continue further. If youve gone through all of that, heres a quick recap of the most important points to remember: Consider the important variables.  How safe is the area? What will your commute be like? What are the available facilities in the area? And perhaps most importantly, how much will rent be? London is divided into zones.  The bigger the number, the further it will be from the centre of London, and therefore the mores expensive your commute will be. However, this might be balanced out by the exponential growth in rent prices the closer you get to Zone 1. It will be up to you to decide what to spend on, transportation costs or rent. The areas of London youll initialy consider living in probably wont be where you end up in.  Check out the guide for some great suggested areas some of which you might have never heard of. The best online resources Inevitably, youll start off your search via the powers of the Internet. We recommend searching broadly, using multiple websites and keeping track of it all using Excel or something similar. Our secret hack? Weve been using the website Airtable as an alternative to Excel where you can upload attachments and work collaboratively with your potential housemates. Score. Here are some golden rules to follow when you begin your online search: If the property doesnt have any photos attached, dont even bother. Thats a sign of either a dodgy deal, or a lazy landlord, both of which youll want to avoid. In this case,  do judge a book by its cover. A listing with tons of detail and a friendly tone of voice will reflect pretty accurately on the room/property. When youre viewing a listing, take note of what it  doesnt  tell you. If the property piques your interest, you can ask about the missing information during the house viewing. Whats important to bear in mind is the speed of the London housing market. There is no real point looking for a place to live well in advance. Landlords generally want their properties filled up all the time, so if youre looking to move in three months time, theyll probably go for a tenant who can move in immediately. We recommend starting your search around 4-5 weeks before the big move. Spareroom This is the graduates usual first port of call. Their search engine is probably the best out of all thats available, with loads of variables you can tinker with to find what suits you. We particularly love their Buddy Up feature, where you could find a potential flatmate and team up to move into a property together. The most common options on SpareRoom are usually, well, spare rooms in properties all across the United Kingdom, studio flats, or flat-shares. Rightmove Rightmove is another search engine for potential properties. The difference between Rightmove and SpareRoom is that Rightmove strikes us as a little more adult. There are even tools on the site to figure out whether an area will have the right schools for your potential children. However, if you are looking for properties to either rent or buy, this is a great website to explore. Zoopla Zoopla is pretty similar to Rightmove. However, its worth looking on both Zoopla and Rightmove because there might be alternative properties you may not have seen on other websites. Remember searching broadly may yield more potential house viewings. Gumtree Gumtree is essentially the United Kingdoms Craigslist equivalent. Its an online marketplace rather than just being a property search engine, meaning you can find just about anything on there. Gumtree could yield some surprising hidden gems, but as with Craigslist, we would advise you to proceed with caution with any listing on Gumtree, as it isnt as regulated as other property search engines would be. All Agents Maybe you want a more traditional method of searching for a house. That means youll want to use an estate agent! All Agents is a website that rates letting and estate agents in the UK, so you dont end up with an unsatisfactory deal. A word of warning: estate agents will incur administrative fees, so youll need to factor that into your budget. Knowing somebody who knows somebody who lives in London One resource you may have forgotten about are your current network of university pals. It doesnt hurt to reach out to any one of your older friends who currently live in London by private message. After all, they might know somebody who knows somebody who needs a flatmate in a cool area. If youre the shy type, sliding into someones DMs on Twitter might be the better method for you. However, an earnest Facebook post about your search for a room in London will yield more results than youd expect! I ended up living on someones couch for a couple of weeks house-hunting, and moved into a room with some friends of friends because I posted in on Facebook. The moral of the story? When youre house-hunting in London, you gotta do it with an open mind. Not  too  open though. This brings us to our final point the house viewing. Your house viewing checklist Attention, attention: weve got an important announcement. NEVER ??  SIGN  ??  A  ??  CONTRACT  ??  WITHOUT  ??  PERSONALLY  ??  SEEING  ??  THE  ??  HOUSE  ??. This is so important! Youre going to be spending two thirds of your life at home, so youll want to make sure your house is your safe space. Take lots of photos, ask lots of questions, and bring a buddy if youre going in the evening. The house hunting process might take a few weeks, so you might need to commute from your current location, or couch-surf for a bit. We swear this will be worth it better a temporary period of slummin it for a chance at a great place to live. Here are some things you need to keep in mind: Whats the area surrounding the property like? Are bills included? If yes, which ones? And if not, how much will bills be on average in addition to the rent. How old is the property, and how well has it been maintained? Were talking stuff like damp and disrepair cos nobody wants to be dealing with any mould. Is there any communal space at all? What are the facilities like the bathroom and kitchen like? Would you have your own? If not, do these shared spaces seem crowded at all? Consider the current tenants. Are  they a social bunch? Do you think youll get on? Does the property come fully furnished? What do you have to provide yourself? Also, a reminder to ask any questions about any missing information from the property listing. Dont forget to be polite and friendly yourself, as house viewings are basically like a job interview, but like, for a house. Landlords will be looking out for tenants they can trust, after all. Bear in mind, even if you fall in love with a property, the landlord or current tenants might go for a different person. In this case, shake it off, and move on to the next one. Stay safe, and hope your house hunting goes well! Check back next week for our next post in the guide: Your ultimate guide to budgeting on a graduate salary Connect with Debut on Facebook and Twitter

Should You Learn A Trade Or Head To College

Should You Learn A Trade Or Head To College Should you learn a trade or head to college? This is often the most fitting question for people around the age they are required to start supporting themselves. We all need to fly the nest at some point in our lives, and the willingness to do this is often hand in hand with the ability to. That means that it pays to research your options, or to help your child research theirs. The most informed choice you can make will always likely be the correct choice. There are many paths you may travel down after you finish school. You might throw yourself into your hobby, and try to make a living from that. It’s not uncommon for eighteen to twenty year olds to get lucrative jobs through a personal portfolio or list of experience. You might choose to enter the military. There are certainly good careers to be found there, and plenty of stability if you engage with the entire affair. You may decide to head to college. This is one of the default options for many people, as college plan are often figured out long before graduating for some people. However, the question remains. Should you learn a trade or go to college? What are the difference? How do you know if you’re cut out for either one. Might you regret choosing one over the other? We have a few assorted and loosely affiliated tips to potentially help you answer this question. They are as follows: Consider The Timeline There is something about this choice that is slightly disingenuous. It suggests that now is the only time in which you may make this decision. While a degree undertaken in your early twenties is of course preferable to one taking in your early thirties, it’s important to consider if you would be best served with some time after your high school graduation. College is not exactly an extension of school. It is a lesson in independence, something that you may never have truly tasted. Combined with a demanding course, this can cause some people to burn out or suffer from stress related illness. There is absolutely nothing wrong with sitting back for a few years and working in your hometown. You might choose to work and supplement your understanding with night courses, building your self-efficacy and reliability piece by piece until you gain a solid work ethic. Then, alongside the savings you have accrued, you are likely to find an excellent pursuit that you might not have originally thought of taking part in. This builds your competence. Then, maybe one or two years down the road, you might consider to learn more about your current trade, or then go to college a little more of an adult than you are now. Consider Your Attitude Many people want to go to college due to the partying lifestyle and ‘free love.’ It’s not always the best idea to do this however, especially considering the extortionate costs of going to college in the first place. It’s likely you’ll take out a massive loan in order to do this, with your parents or guardians co-signing responsibility for the loan. If you go bankrupt due to a lack of income or earnings, your student loan will still need to be repaid. For this reason, it’s absolutely essential you view university through an education-first standpoint. Never go there to party and relax for three years. You will regret it for the next decade. However, if you truly desire to learn more about something, university can be a great option. More and more though the normal bricks-and-mortar institutions are less than the premium. Many much cheaper online courses can be found online, lending you credibility and for a much reduced price point. All in all, it depends on your attitude. You should never force yourself to college for a fear of missing out. You should never do it because all your friends are going. You should never do it because you simply want to wait to work. You need to be one thousand percent sure that you’re interested in a course before you take it. Alternatively, consider looking into a foundation course. These are often one or two years long, and come at a fraction of the price of a full degree. However, they yield little in qualifications aside from eligibility for a full degree, so be sure to consider this option with care. These are usually reserved for those potentially looking to specialize heavily, such as in engineering or other options. The Prevalence Of Skills College has become something that is seemingly the default for people to visit and try to earn a degree out of. This has flooded the market with graduates, waving degrees at job postings and still struggling to gain any recompense from doing that. It’s not simply a cultural meme that graduates find themselves working at Starbucks, it’s true. Without the ability to intern for hours and stand out in your field, you’ll notice that job roles will dry up. A degree does not keep the strength it once did. This has led out for a true calling in specialized skills. There is nothing blue collar about this. Skills are the backbones for which society is formed, not thousands of people talking about their liberal arts degrees. This isn’t to disparage those who attend college, but you can only talk through abstract problems long enough before practical skills are needed. If hoping to push through and educate yourself on something with artistic or debating merit, consider simply reading heavily and learning a skill for a year or two. Then, if it’s something you’re passionate about going into, you will have secured this in your mind and have something to fall back on if nothing comes of it. Alternatively, consider studying STEM subjects or high-value degrees that are guaranteed  to at least help you get a foot in a door. With these tips, you can be sure that the overall decision to learn a trade or go to college is wise, and the two options bind each other to an outcome that makes the most sense and wisdom. That sounds pretty good to us.

Client Case Study Carrie Lamanna - When I Grow Up

Client Case Study Carrie Lamanna - When I Grow Up Um, do you know that Ive coached hundreds of women since I started offering dream career guidance in 2008? And that these women are freakin rock stars, leaving soul-sucking jobs and traveling the world and launching creative, grown-up businesses and simply doing work that fits their lifestyle goals? Well ya do now and youll hear their stories firsthand in my  Client Case Studies series!  Carrie was an unhappy academic when we first started working together back in 2012. Since then she quit her job, got a bridge job, had said bridge job company go under, started freelancing, and launched her dream business! The mom of 2 small kids, shes finally giving herself permission to do what shes passionate about. I adore her! Why did you decide to work with me, a creative career coach? I had always thought of myself as a creative, artistic person, but my career path had taken me in a very different direction than I intended. Instead of using my writing to express values and beliefs as I had done in high school and college, I found myself in an academic space that values detached, analytical writing and rule-following over everything else, and that is sooooooooo not who I am. I needed someone who could help me get my mojo back and figure out a new career path that would allow me to use writing as a means of self-expression and cultural and political protest. What were you doing work-wise when we started our sessions? I was an Assistant Professor of English specializing in writing studies. In other words, I taught academic writing and rhetoric. What was your biggest takeaway from our time together? That I have the right to love what I do for a living and that I can define for myself what makes for a legitimate career. I spent so much of my working life believing you had to choose your career from a set list handed to you by your parents or some school career counselor. I wanted to write and teach writing on my own terms, but didn’t believe it was possible. I always told my students they had to write what what they were passionate about or they would never learn to love writing, but I couldn’t give that permission to myself. Was there anything else you tried to do as a career between the time we stopped our sessions and what you do for work now? If so, how did it inform your current business? Sort of. I knew I was leaving my university job at the end of the spring semester, so I applied for a job at a virtual assistant company called Zirtual, thinking it would be a filler job for the next year until I could start my own writing coaching business. Well…the “too long; didn’t read” version is that the company went under three months after I was hired, just as my health insurance coverage was supposed to start. That experience solidified something I learned during our sessions together: working for someone else does not give you job securityâ€"that’s an illusion. So, after a day of wondering around the house trying to figure out what to do next, I started recruiting clients and working on my website. What would you tell someone now that was in your shoes when we first started working together? Whats your best tip to allow them to make a grown-up living doing what they love? 1.) Your happiness is not for sale. When we work for someone else, it is a sales transaction. They agree to pay you for a certain amount of your time and expertise, but they should never be allowed to take your happiness. Sometimes this means you have to create your own job, your own unique career path in order to do what you love. 2.) People will pay you to do what you love. For a long time, I was afraid of asking for “too much” when pricing my services, and all of my first clients ended up telling me I wasn’t charging enough. I think we have to market to ourselves first so we can believe in our own worth. Whats on the horizon for your business? Wed love to hear about any upcoming offerings or goals! I have been working with a small group of writing coaching clients over the past year, and have officially launched my coaching offerings! I work with women who are beginning a new project or writing practice after a period of writer’s block or who need a partner to help them develop the courage to start writing seriously for the first time. If all goes according to schedule, I’ll offer an online writing course in January for women who are working on overcoming their self-doubt and self-censoring so they can rediscover their courage and voice and write without fear.