Career Archives - Page 38 of 43 - The Voice of Job Seekers

Want A Real Career Lesson? Learn From Don Cornelius

Here’s a career lesson from a place you wouldn’t expect. Many of us who grew up when Soul Train began wanted to emulate all the dances. Some of them were easy to do, other dances took coordination that few of us had.

It was cool. It was more than hip. It was enlightening.

I wanted an afro and bell bottoms. Eventually got the afro, and the bell bottoms, but too late. Mesmerized by Soul Train as a music fan, I don’t know what I was diggin’ more, the dancing and the music, or the culture.

Years later, I have not forgotten the way the show made me feel. Because of muscle memory, I can still do the “bump,” “the robot,” “the washing machine,” “the muscle,” and “the penguin.”

Soul Train has been off the air for several years now, and many of us, black, white, yellow and brown remember what Don Cornelius did during his career. Like Cornelius, we push past the lack of resources, means, and opportunity to achieve success. How we show it varies from person to person, and possibilities of opportunities.

Note what the competition is doing, then smash it with a locomotive

Don Cornelius started an entertainment show that featured stars who pantomime songs while young people dance in 1970. Sounds like “American Bandstand” doesn’t it? Yes the same genre, but Soul Train carved its own niche (also fighting off copycats). What made Soul Train different was the way it shaped culture, the distinct sound of music it showcased (especially the first few years) and how the show commanded the black community’s attention. Career lesson: Time and work should strengthen your product making it yours and original.

Stay on your personal brand track, even when errors in judgment derail it

Cornelius focused with the show’s brand passed up meaningful opportunities such as putting the name Soul Train on the title track of a song written for the show. The song “The Sound of Philadelphia” was one of the biggest songs of the decade. Career lesson: Many job seekers will mis-identify opportunities as good and bad. When you mistakenly miss a good opportunity, don’t be afraid to ask for another opportunity. Yes it’s humbling, but no, there’s no shame.

Train stops to allow others on board, and continues to the next stop

Don Cornelius stopped hosting the show in the late ‘90’s mostly as a business decision for the show continue to appeal to young adults. Career lesson: For many job seekers, allowing others to take over is not a choice. For many people it is the beginning of new opportunities, and a chance to have more control of the future. Experience never goes to waste as it becomes a part of character.

The same reason Soul Train is remembered, is the way older job seekers can stand out: People can recall how you make them feel, and make them change what they do. Soul Train changed what we did on Saturday afternoon, how we danced, and how the music changed our lives. Job seekers who exhibit changes in process, people, and technology successfully will impact the way co-workers do and forge forward.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Career Advice I Will Not Follow From Observing Politicians

Politics is an inflammatory subject that people take personally. But more often than not, politics is the lot for career advice. Americans in general take criticism of their favorite candidate seriously. I watch the debates, speeches, and commentaries and as it has reinforced what not to do in the job search. One thing that stands out to me is that you can turn people on and off without having a conversation.

Networking: Your hands say what your mouth won’t make clear

Despite what we believe on the political elections, we learned this week that your hands speak a language of its own, and those excluded from the conversation will interpret it any way we want. Hand gestures are easy to mis-interpret, thus terminating your employment candidacy. Hand gestures are not wrong, but undisciplined movement can fail efforts to communicate well. An article in Forbes in 2006 confirms,

“Use hand gestures for emphasis…”

and that,

“You’re not a cheerleader, and you don’t want to fidget unconsciously. This is why it’s important to practice before a mirror.”

The startling image of Jan Brewer pointing at President Obama thrilled some, and angered others, depending who you champion. If no one has coached your hand gestures through Toastmasters or Theater, then you may not know what non-verbal messages you’re sending. If second and third interviews are rare, consider getting some coaching, especially if your hand movements are family entertainment.

Interviews: Mean what you say, and show what you mean

The whole tax return controversy with Gingrich and Romney is a great lesson in sending clear messages. If what you show people is different from what you said, it is hard to retain credibility (assuming you earned it to begin with). This is a common issue with job seekers who are able to get interviews, but no call backs. A frequent anomaly is stating on your résumé a certain type of experience, but unclear in displaying through accomplishments and results the skills needed to perform the job.

It shows up in your writing, too. You are just the last one to know.

Job search: The first candidate is not always the best job candidate

CNN reported right after the South Carolina Republican primary, that Romney had spent over million dollars in Florida primary ads before the other candidates spent money. We don’t know the outcome of the Florida primary, and neither do you when you race to be the first to apply for job. When employers announce an opening, most job seekers race to apply. That is old thinking as employers have many choices, and will wait until they have a pool of candidates. For me to say that this is recent is wrong because it has been that way for years. That is why, you apply when you have established and determined that the package you offer is your best.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Teach Your Employed Teen About Career And Life

Your working son or daughter cannot wrap his or her head around money or worth yet. They will need to understand the value career and life. Teaching this to children may save them heartache, so they won’t sell themselves short.

My son, “Boy Wonder,” has a budget from us on payday. He knows to save X amount for the first year of college because he will not work. He pays his own cell phone bill (two months in advance). He gives his brother an allowance (he insisted on giving an allowance).

The rest is for himself. We allow a little freedom for him to spend it on what he wants, but we have used his freedom as training opportunities.

Parents need to look for training opportunities that will add value, and not build Dad or Mom’s domain of authority. Although he or she is 16 or 17, and legally a parent’s responsibility, the bully in the parent should be dying, and the trainer and mentor are regular guests. That is if they are not doing drugs, or out of control the bully will need to stay longer. But I digress.

It is the trainer and mentor that will need to show a lifelong lesson to their employed teen about value.

Demonstrate responsibility monetary value, not just the value of money. My working son used calls me “frugal” and not cheap. He is starting to shop around, but his natural inclination is seeing it—get it. Instead of saying “no,” have them research before acting. Have him or her share what they earn with siblings.
Mistakes and error in judgment are OK. Teach them the correct way. Video games are a tool for this lesson. Both of my sons have used their money to buy games they regret. “Boy Wonder”has bought two video games ever since November 2010.
Show them the value of doing the dirty work. This is a career lesson for every age: dirty work sustains value at 17 for life. I told the story of my son cleaning poop at work and assigned to poop duty several times after the one incident. He knows that he may need to do that for a patient one day as a nurse. Some of the value is in sharing that with every employer he interviews with how it translates to his future career.
Model for them what money will not bring, and the value this adds to life. If he or she is saving, sharing, learning, earning, and implementing the lessons learned, eventually they will adapt your values and philosophies (assuming that this is out of love and not an obligation).
Display the value of love. The hardest thing for a parent to do is not to allow success and failure to influence the attention given to your working teen’s siblings. Love is unconditional, and each lesson as a result of failure needs to have the same intensity of love given in success.