Stop Self-Sabotage has several quizzes, tips, and advice on how to stop behaviors that hold you back from getting you want. And haven’t we all been in a situation where we wondered, “Why does this keep happening to me?” Someone once told me that if you continually wonder about why the same problem seems to pop up in your relationships or career, then the common element in all those things is you. And you’ve got to figure out what you’re doing to help perpetuate the problem.

This is a book that people at any age will appreciate. I especially would have liked to read it in my early 20s. It would have helped me a clue a lot sooner! LOL

Want to know the best part? I’ve got TWO copies of Stop Self-Sabotage to give away to two lucky readers of Career and Kids. If you want to win, leave a comment on this post by Sunday, February 1st. I’ll choose two winners at random and announce them both the next day.

Image from Amazon.

Post from: Blisstree

Stop Self Sabotage

Thanks to everyone who left responses for the contest. I’ll be sharing some of those with all of you very soon.

Post from: Blisstree

Winner of Bulletproof Your Job

She’s one of those people who seems to have “done everything.” She is a multi-published author, and a clinical psychologist in private practice on the east coast. She specializes in forensic work, and her clients have included murderers, psychopaths and convicted felons.

She also writes young adult novels, middle grade fiction and mysteries. She’s sold 33 novels, has a doctorate in psychology, a Master’s degree in Dramatic Arts, and has studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan. In her quest for a ”real job,” she once worked as a television news writer for a CBS affiliate and as a copywriter for a rock radio station.

More than that, however, she has some excellent advice about goal setting. And isn’t that what we’re all thinking about these days? To top things off, Mary has generously donated three of her books as part of a giveaway!

I hope you all enjoy meeting Mary Kennedy as much as I did. Here’s her interview!

Image from Mary.

Your books have sold over 2 million copies. Very impressive! Tell us about some of your books and how you came to be a novelist.

Like most writers, I’ve had a checkered career history. One of my first bosses told me that I was either the most versatile person he’d ever met, or I showed a “complete lack of direction in my life.” Ouch. (I got the job, by the way, so I guess he decided it was good to be versatile. ) I’ve been a model, a radio copywriter for a Nashville rock station, a television newswriter, a college professor, the public relations director for a large travel company, and of course a clinical psychologist. Oh, and a writer!

I’m currently working on my 38th book. I started writing for middle grade students for Scholastic, then moved on to young adult novels for Penguin, and now am writing an exciting adult mystery series for Penguin. And the heroine (you guessed it) is a psychologist. And she happens to be a radio talk show host, like Frasier. You know, they say that everything is “material” to a writer, so I guess I’m living proof of that.

How did you make the leap from forensic psychology to young adult novels?

Actually, I’ve been writing for 20 years, so the writing came first. During a quiet spell, I decided to go back to school and do a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and I found myself interested in forensic psychology. I’ve never used my forensic psychology training in a novel, but I hope to, someday. The trouble is, I find myself writing light, funny books and I just can’t seem to get away from that.

What kind of clients do you work with and what types of issues do you help them with?

I work as a clinical psychologist in a really lovely group practice in Delaware. My clients include both adults and teens, and I’m seeing a lot of anxiety and depression, partly due to the economy. Occasionally I work with creative people; artists and writers, and that is especially rewarding. Artists have to deal with constant rejection and disappointment and I feel I can really help them with those issues since I’ve experienced them first-hand…

I think everyone naturally starts thinking about resolutions and aspirations at the start of the year. Tell us about the work you do in helping clients reach their goals.

Yes, you are so right, Cherie. I think all of my clients have made New Years resolutions, in spite of a recent study that showed the 98% of these resolutions will be abandoned in 14 days. A very discouraging statistic, but I try to help my clients devise clever strategies to guarantee success in achieving their goals.

Describe the SMART method of goal setting for our readers. What is the key to making this method work?

The SMART method is incredibly down to earth and practical. It’s also easy to remember, no complicated psychological jargon. Here’s a quick rundown.

S is for Specific. That means you must state your goal as specifically as you can, no generalities. So, don’t say, “I want to lose loads of weight.” Instead, say, “I want to lose fifteen pounds.”

M is for Measurable. The goal has to be something that can be measured, something tangible. Saying “I want to look thinner” is not measurable, it is too subjective. Saying “I want to be able to fit into this size ten dress by March” is measurable. Either you can fit into the dress or you can’t.

A is for Attainable. Let’s face it folks, there is a difference between goals and fantasies. If I said, “I want Brad Pitt to call and ask me out of lunch,” that would be a fantasy, not an attainable goal. If I said, “I would like to join the gym and meet a whole new circle of friends,” that would be an attainable goal. That is something that I have control over, something I can do.

R is for Realistic. Again, ask yourself the hard questions. If I said, “I want to lose 25 pounds in the next month,” I am setting myself up for failure. A pound or two a week is considered a healthy weight loss. So yes, you can lose 25 pounds, but it could easily take you six months to achieve your goal.

T is for Time Frame. It is very important to set a time frame when setting goals, because how else will you measure your progress and see if you are on track? If your goal is to de-clutter your office, give yourself a specific time frame to accomplish your goal. Perhaps if you worked on it every day for an hour, you would have a neat office in seven days! Having a neat office “someday” is only a fantasy. Having a neat office seven days from now is a goal. Big difference!

Your accomplishments certainly illustrate your belief in setting goals. What are you working on now?

I’m working on a really exciting mystery series for Penguin, called The Talk Radio Mysteries. Maggie Walsh is a New York psychologist who closes up her Manhattan office and moves to south Florida to take a job as a radio talk show host. And she solves a murder in every book. My agent pitched it as a cross between Frasier and Murder She Wrote. This is my first adult series and I’m enjoying every minute of it!

Anything else you’d like to add?

Yes, I’d like to share some goal-setting tips from my friend and fellow author, April Kihlstrom. April is a multi-published author and the acknowledged mistress of the Book in a Week course, which she teaches online. Here are two tips from April: “be sure to find a way to build in fun every day and as part of reaching for your goal. Also, ” break your goal down into small pieces and do them in the order that allows you to build experiences of success over and over again.” Excellent advice!

Thank you so much for having me as a guest, Cherie. I love Career and Kids and every day I find new –and wonderful–information on it. Hope I can come back and chat again when the first of the Talk Radio Mysteries is released!

Mary, we would love to have you back! Much success with your new book!

Want to win three of Mary’s books? Follow this link to the giveaway!

Post from: Blisstree

Interview with Mary Kennedy

Happy New Year to all the loyal readers of Career and Kids!

I want to thank each and every one of you for reading our blog, sharing your thoughts, and adding your comments.

I also want to know what you want to see here in the upcoming year? Here’s your chance to tell us what types of posts you’d like to read. Want more interviews with career experts? More giveaways? Information on telecommuting? How to survive in a changing economy?

Please tell us by leaving your comment below. Your input is valuable and I look forward to hearing what you have to say.

Here’s to a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Post from: Blisstree

Happy New Year from Career and Kids!

I’m thrilled to introduce Stephen Viscusi, author of the bestselling Bulletproof Your Job: 4 Simple Strategies to Ride Out the Rough Times and Come Out on Top at Work.

We are already fans of Stephen’s book and have talked about it in a previous post here at Career and Kids. His advice is especially pertinent to our changing economy today. He has been a featured guest on programs such as The Tyra Banks Show, Inside Edition, and Good Morning America.

Stephen has not only generously agreed to an exclusive interview here but is also giving away a copy of his book for one lucky reader.

For now, enjoy this interview with Stephen Viscusi:

Tell us about your book, Bulletproof Your Job: 4 Simple Strategies to Ride Out the Rough Times and Come Out on Top at Work. How did you come to write it?

I wrote the book in 45 days, and sent it to 6 publishers. All six wanted to buy the book. One of my criteria was that I would write it in 45 days, and it had to be in book stores by Labor Day.

I wrote the book last May in 2008 after doing the NPR Radio Show on how to “recession-proof” your job. I got over 5000 emails in response to that show appearance. Clearly, I saw the handwriting on the wall in terms of people losing their jobs.

My decision to write it was based on remembering the 1991 recession, and recognizing that whenever the word “recession” was used in terms of state of the economy, it became a blank check for employers to fire employees subjectively, regardless of performance or merit.

Included in this book are secret tips to bulletproofing your job, and staying ahead of the firing curve.

Your book has received some really great reviews, including those from Newsweek and Time Magazine. What do you hope readers will come away with after reading it?

People come away with realizing that although unemployment may rise as high as 8%, that still means 92% of people ARE employed. Yes, people may be fired, but the tips and secrets in this book may prevent you from being one of the ones who are actually fired. You will learn on how to be stay part of 92% and not one of the 8%.

The Washington Post refers to my book as “Mommy meets Machiavelli.” I think it’s universally appealing, because my strategies can help save your job, maybe save your life.

The book, by the way, is published in 12 countries including China and Korea.

Your background is as a headhunter and you used this experience to help start www.BulletproofYourResume.com. Tell us what makes a great resume? What components must be present and what are some common mistakes?

A great resume will essentially mimic the company and the position they are applying to. But remember, people hire people–not resumes.

The one thing that sets the difference in www.BulletproofYourResume.com is that people who buy my resume re-writing service will also get 30 min of my personal time.

Believe it or not, people need 25 different types of resumes. Sometimes resumes are read electronically, and they need to have the “key words” that are picked up for a particular position, and perhaps even use the vernacular that is on the website of the company you’re applying for. That is the secret.

What is one thing the readers of Career and Kids can do right now to help them bulletproof their jobs?

Let your boss get to know you “as a person”. The hiring interview legally sterilizes who you are. In particular, let them know you have kids and how many. Even the meanest boss hates to fire. But, it’s easier to fire someone you don’t’ know anything about, or the person he/she thinks doesn’t’ need or appreciate their job. Telecommuting? I wouldn’t be. Out of sight means out of mind.

What do you think the workplace will look like in five years?

I think the workplace will be more global, more technology driven, but work will always remain the same in this way–work is not a democracy. People need to understand that keeping the job is based on the relationship you have with your boss.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Last but not least, of course, I think it’s really important for everyone to remember, that even if unemployment rises, the majority of Americans will continue to be employed. The secret is to keep the job you have. As I’ve said before, during times of recession gives your employer a blank check to fire subjectively. You need to emotionally accept the reality that bosses keep people that they like, and fire the ones they don’t. It’s not as performance based as it should be in a recession.

Everything will change after the election. Elections don’t change the economy, and they don’t change the unemployment rate. Elections can help you keep your job, that’s why I wrote this book, Bulletproof Your Job. Readers of my book continue to tell me that these strategies have helped them keep their job.

Finally, I’m a huge supporter and believer that the workplace is one of the best places to meet your mate. Husband/wife/whatever. It’s better than any online dating service. For starters, you obviously have a lot of things in common, because you’re working in the same field. You spend more time with people on the job, than we do at home. I’m not talking about sexual harassment, I’m talking about “peer to peer” dating. It bothers me that too many people are afraid to reach out and consider dating people that they work with. Best romances I ever had, are people I dated from my job.

Readers are welcome to write me any questions/comments on your website or at Stephen@Viscusi.com. I also encourage them to visit www.bulletproofyourjob.com and www.bulletproofyourresume.com.

Happy Holidays & Happy New Year.

You too, Stephen. You’ve made some great points.

Post from: Blisstree

Interview with Stephen Viscusi, Author of Bulletproof Your Job

She returned to the practice of law after a hiatus of working at home and pursuing some creative endeavors. Though she ultimately decided that this type of work was not for her and her family, she graciously shares what she learned along the way

The one that spoke to me the most was about trusting instincts before taking on a new job or career.

Not too long before I had my third child, I found myself in need of a job. There wasn’t much out there, so I decided to interview for a job in an area I had worked before, but didn’t really enjoy.

My reasoning was that I could at least get my resume inside the company. The interview went well, and I was offered the job and I politely turned them down.

They called back and offered again, and I turned it down a second time.

The third time they called, I accepted since I still needed a job and well, I’m not sure what I was thinking, but I had a bad feeling about it.

As you can imagine, it was miserable and it got worse after the baby was born. The job was stressful, I was away from my family for long hours and it looked like there wasn’t a way out.

Long story, but I got a new job for much less money and that was not a good scenario after adding a new family member, but somewhere along the line was when I realized that there was much more to it than the money.

Post from: Blisstree

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