Empowerment Blog

‘If you can dream it, you can do it!’ said Walt Disney, and he was right.

This famous filmmaker began his journey with a drawing of a mouse. With the power of his imagination, Walt Disney visualized the worldwide empire we know today. The one that spans from theme parks to movies to TV shows to merchandise (just to name a few).

Visualization is a great tool that can make your own future brighter. It’s not just something used by entrepreneurs or self-development gurus.

Mental imagery has been used in sports psychology for decades to increase the performance of athletes. This psychological technique helps to decrease anxiety in competitive situations and to increase concentration. With it, you can also gain self-esteem, optimism, and mental toughness. 

This means that it could also be useful in your job search!

It’s not only a spiritual or emotional tool, but an evidence-based fact: visualization improves your performance. If you combine that with diligent practice, the results can be more than convincing.

‘The results were nothing less than spectacular. From doubt came confidence. From distraction came focus. From anxiety came intensity. From timidness came aggressiveness. From inconsistency came consistency. And, most importantly, from decent results came outstanding results.’ -writes Kim Taylor, an internationally recognized authority on the psychology of performance.

He experienced the power of visualization himself as a young athlete and since then he has helped many world-class athletes and famous artists, published hundreds of articles, and wrote numerous books on the subject. 

If you are familiar with meditation then it will be easier for you. 

Find a quiet place to sit (or lie) comfortably.

Close your eyes and relax. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly. Notice your breath traveling through your lungs and your body.

Imagine your dream career or a moment from the future that you are craving right now. For example, a successful job interview or the moment when you receive an email that you have been hired by your dream organization or when you enter the door of your future office for the very first time and are happy to meet new colleagues. Immerse yourself in these images, visualize as many details as possible, and enjoy these moments of success.

There are a few factors you should pay attention to:

For example, when you imagine your first day at work, you may see the picture from your perspective: you see the other colleagues as they greet you. But the whole thing could also display like a movie scene: you experience it from afar, seeing yourself and others distantly in the situation. There is currently no scientific evidence that either is more effective than the other. However, the first solution works better - visualizing what you really want while embracing all of the emotions that arise with your whole being.

You should involve as many of your senses as you can. Don’t just see your new working place, also feel the sun on your skin while walking to your new office, listen for any noises or the voices of your new colleagues, smell the air and even taste what you would eat for lunch in this new place! Feel the happiness that you have the job, what happens when you meet new people, and your strength as you face new challenges.

Practice is the basis for everything. You may not see anything the first time, so it works best if you build it into your routine. Find a suitable time for you to practice your visualization and do it every day. With just 10 to 15 minutes of daily practice, your inner movie will become deeper and more detailed. It will be easier to focus and you will enjoy the pictures of a brighter future more and more. 

Be persistent even if you don’t feel like it. Regular practice is still useful for strengthening your goals and dreams even if you can’t fully immerse yourself.

If you are ready to start, check out this video from one of our community chats. Our volunteer coach, Roberta Meli, introduces how to use creative visualization as a powerful tool to help you gain awareness in your life. You can watch it here.

Of course, we’re not claiming that if you practice enough, your inner movie will become a reality. Maybe parts of it will become true. Maybe parts will happen differently but in an even better way than you could imagine.

But we all know that job searching is tough. If you’ve lost your self-confidence, visualization can help you find your way back to your inner stability. With its help, you can gain hope, self-esteem, and determination. 

Mental imagery can also help you prepare for job interviews better. It doesn’t have to only be for a long-term dream. You can imagine your answers and behavior in advance, and clarify your thoughts. This will greatly reduce your stress level at the interviews and hopefully will help you land your dream job!

(To really prepare for your interviews you can also read our previous posts here: how to prepare for an online interview and how to be vulnerable during a job interview.)

If it’s still difficult for you to imagine a new future, then we at Empower Amsterdam are here to help. If you’re unemployed (no income), an international, and living in the Netherlands, you can apply for free coaching here. Our coaches can help you start visualizing your ideal future today.

Visualizing Your Success: The Most Powerful Tool to Ignite Your Inner Potential

Indeed, the job search can be quite an intimidating process, but it is better to face the situation - starting with naming your fears. Knowing what you are afraid of will make every step of your job hunting easier, from browsing job postings to the final interview.

While some find it easier to find a job, others find it harder. Being unemployed in a foreign country can feel like an extra obstacle because it usually means that you lack a local network and you’re unfamiliar with the system you want to be a part of. You have to spend a lot of time understanding the job market and specialties of your field while having this  constant thought: nobody needs you. 

With the help of Empower Amsterdam’s coaches, we’ve compiled the main fears of international job seekers and what to do to overcome them.

No one likes to be rejected. Especially if it happens many times. What can help maintain your self-confidence is remembering that most of the time rejection is not about you. 

It may not be about your knowledge or qualities, either. It could be simply about the company and their needs. Maybe you are overqualified or they need someone who has more experience in a specific area. You may not even know the real reason for the rejection because you just got a “no” response without any explanation. 

If you get a rejection, here are some things you can do:

Reflect: Spend some time reflecting on what you learned from the experience, what you can change for next time, and what is clearer for you now about the type of job you want.

Keep going! When you’re ready, open your computer and start applying for more job posts. Having more alternatives (like other prospective jobs) also helps you deal with job rejection by giving you some hope. In this case, you will always have other ways to go on, other jobs to dream about.

Create a weekly goal: Job searching isn’t just about applying for jobs. Your weekly job search goal can also include researching positions or making new LinkedIn connections to grow your network. Make a SMART goal, so you can track your progress and continue your journey towards finding the career of your dreams!

You scan the list of requirements for an open job, see they want 15+ years of experience, and feel frustrated: ‘How is it possible to have so much experience or expertise?’ 

It’s important to remember: other applicants are not a 100% match either. And hiring managers aren’t looking for a 100% fit. The perfect applicant does not exist so stop comparing yourself to an ideal candidate.

Maybe you’ve already read this statistic: men apply for a job when they meet 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. 

On top of that, research shows that women can sometimes present as more uncertain during job interviews. Here’s what typically happens in interviews when a recruiter asks the applicant about their competency in 3 skills and the applicant has only 2 of them: 

Women will admit that they have only 2 of the 3 skills. 

Men will more likely say: ‘Well, I can do all of them.’, and after that go home and learn the 3rd one.

So what is the conclusion?  If you are trying to meet 100% of the required skills, lower your expectations, no matter your gender. You can still grab the attention during an interview and convince the interviewer even if you don’t have every skill. If you have the core knowledge and are passionate about the job, it is worth giving it a try. 

The interview is the perfect opportunity to emphasize that you are keen to learn new things. But do so without underestimating the knowledge you already have. Believe in yourself!

Fear #3: Fear of admitting you’re unemployed or have gaps in your employment

To admit that you are unemployed - yes, that's tough! You can feel like you fell out of society, that you are excluded from the club of the ‘successful and always smiling people’. You are afraid others will look down on you and find you worthless.

Don’t be hard on yourself! The fact is that everyone has been unemployed at a certain period of their life (or multiple periods!).

If you are still uncertain how to explain gaps in your CV in a job interview, then read our previous blog post on this topic here.

In the end, you have to sell yourself and reach the salary you feel comfortable with. Negotiation on compensation can feel much more difficult in a foreign country. Maybe you don’t know the average salary of your profession. You may not have friends who can give you pointers on how much you should ask for. Also, there may be slight differences between cultures in the way they talk about money. 

So, first of all, be prepared. Do your homework and research the salaries for your profession, age, and experience. There are helpful, informational sites to do that, for example, glassdoor.nl or payscale.com. Recruiters can also help you. They may not share an exact salary but they may say a range which is also useful.

So be prepared and confident when they ask about your salary expectations. Always aim for the top of your salary target first so you will have room to negotiate.

Finding a job as a foreigner in an unfamiliar market is not easy. If you feel you need personalized advice, contact one of Empower Amsterdam’s coaches. Our volunteer coaches help you get through your unemployment with free 1:1 coaching sessions. You can find out how it works here.

Conquering Your Fears: The 4 biggest fears during the job search and how to conquer them

If you’ve been thinking about your next career move or have been interested in starting your own business, the online world is rife with opportunity. 

And unless you’ve been stranded on a desert island for the past decade, you’ve heard the term “influencer”. For the person who isn’t an avid social media user, the image that comes to mind is likely of the gorgeous instagram models who have amassed thousands of loyal followers to whom they sell their merchandise and partner up with brands for endorsements. 

To the casual scroller, the word tends to have a cringey association, it might even induce an eye roll or two.  

Do you have a favourite recipe blog? The one you go to when you need an easy meal in the middle of the week? 

Do you have a style icon who you love, whose page you follow because they always know how to dress for any occasion? 

Do you have a motivational speaker or coach who is so down to earth and whose work moves you to take action every time you hear them in a Linkedin video?

What do all these people have in common? From the Instagram model to the TedX speaker, they all have the power to influence. 

This article is going to bust some common myths about the elusive ‘influencer’ and show you how you too can use this modern form of marketing to start your own online business without needing thousands of followers and a massive budget all while remaining in alignment with your values. 

What does it actually mean to use the power of your influence?

Becoming a person, business or brand with the power to influence simply means being able to use social media strategies to connect with an audience and convince them to invest in what you have to offer. 

Whether it’s through a personal brand or through starting an online business for products or services, influencing is all about sharing your knowledge and skills with those who would benefit from them. It’s about establishing yourself as an authority to your audience, no matter how big or small they might be, so they trust you enough to buy from you.

Let’s start by demystifying some common misconceptions about the ‘influencer’ model of business.

It’s vapid and salesy, and lacking authenticity.

This is what a lot of cold marketing has made us fear. That selling online is icky and salesy and void of human connection. But the truth is that becoming an influencer is about sharing your expertise, your knowledge, your skills so you can actually help people. 

To change people’s lives, you can use your influence by creating a mixture of educational, inspirational and aspirational content on social media that speaks the truth about your product or service and genuinely changes people’s lives. 

Promoting what you have to offer can be genuine. If you believe you have a solution that can solve people’s problems, you can amplify your voice by becoming a person of ‘influence’. 

It relies on vanity metrics such as likes and followers.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. You do not need thousands of followers or to keep track of vanity metrics such as likes to earn a living from a legitimate online business. 

You only need to influence a handful of the right people, ie. your ideal clients, to make a living online. Quality over quantity is the key. 

It’s not as legitimate and not as ‘real’ as an offline business.

Starting an online business and embracing the influencer model, when done authentically and organically, utilizes the exact same principles as starting any offline business. 

Of course, the principles and the action steps we use in the ‘traditional’ space are converted into the online equivalent but an online business that uses the influencer model is no less legitimate than any offline business that uses advertising, marketing, and business growth strategies.

If you’re still skeptical, think of it this way: Even your favorite brands that existed before the online world used the power of influence to sell their products - from endorsements in magazines to ads on TV to promoting celebrities on billboards. The platforms changed, but the idea is still the same. 

So, how can you start an online business and become a person of influence?

Develop your first idea and customer: The first element of starting your own business (online or offline) is about coming up with your business idea and understanding who this offer is for. 

Share your influence (knowledge, skills, expertise)! Once you’ve crystalized this idea and you believe wholeheartedly that it’s something people need, you then share your knowledge, skills, and expertise, to impact and influence people so that they are led to change their lives for the better by investing in what you have to offer. 

Align your solution with your customer’s needs. You’ll want to use your experience and your voice to influence people’s lives through your business, hitting your ideal customer’s pain points and then offering them a solution that is your product or service. 

Still skeptical about starting your own business? If you’re an unemployed international living in the Netherlands, you’re eligible for free coaching with Empower Amsterdam. One of our coaches can help you get clarity on whether starting a business or being a person of influence could be your next career step! Apply on our contact page.

How to use your personal influence to start an online business

Empower Amsterdam coach, Daniela Dzuganova, knows how effective coaching can be first-hand. One of her favorite things about coaching others is that she is able to adapt her coaching technique to match the personality of her client. She says that “coaching is a powerful tool that can help to see things from a different perspective and to understand how many times we think we cannot or that we are not good enough. But suddenly, it’s not true; everything we need, we have it within ourselves”.

Originally from Slovakia, Daniela has lived in the Netherlands for five years and previously lived in Germany as well. In Germany, she found it difficult to find a job and wished Empower could have been there to help. Even after moving to the Netherlands, she, like many expats, felt a little stuck in her career. 

At that point, she worked with a coach who helped her figure out a career path: to be a coach herself! What drew her to coaching, she says, is that coaches don’t give you the answers you are looking for. Rather, a coach will help you find the answers you already have within yourself. After a rigorous coaching training, she started working with Empower Amsterdam in September 2019. She loves that she can rely on her own experience moving abroad to help Empower Amsterdam clients. 

When working with a client, Daniela tries to create a personal connection. As an empathetic and deep listener, Daniela knows that a personal connection is a great way to build a strong coaching relationship. In addition to coaching clients based on their personality and their connection, she is also working to expand her knowledge and learn more coaching techniques. She thinks that since, as a coach, you are responsible for other people, it is your responsibility to work on yourself as well to be as good a coach as possible.

Outside of coaching, Daniela enjoys being outside. She loves the parks Amsterdam has to offer and enjoys going cycling. She enjoys good food and has adopted three cats! When she needs time away from screens (like many of us may these days) she follows online yoga classes. 

She also enjoys dancing as a way to release energy. When possible, she loves traveling and exploring new places. Her advice to everyone in these times is to stay active and enjoy what you can enjoy. Also, reach out for help if you need it. There are people around you who are happy to help you through the tough times. 

Daniela truly values working with Empower Amsterdam clients. She thinks they are amazing people with rich personalities and intricate stories of how they have arrived at this point in their lives. 

Her advice to new arrivals in the Netherlands? Come to Empower because we can help! 

Apart from that, she would advise people to think about where they want to work and create a scenario for their future. 

Do you want to continue in the same career? Research the same types of companies. 

Would you rather switch career paths? Take some time to list out opportunities such as networking events, joining a LinkedIn of MeetUp group. Make and use connections within your field of interest to raise your profile. While it may not get you a job immediately, it will open doors for you that may have previously been closed. 

Daniela is dedicated to helping others find their path and learn more about themselves along the way. Coaching has given Daniela more appreciation for people and how strong we are as human beings. 

If you're an unemployed international living in the Netherlands, you can apply for free coaching with coaches like Daniela. Use the Apply button on our Contact page.

Coach Interview: Daniela Dzuganova. Finding Your Path

Be vulnerable during a job interview... wait, what?!?

Let’s start off with some statements. Which of these feel true to you?

You feel insecure creating connections within a bigger group of people, therefore you prefer to not express your concerns or ideas. 

You avoid taking initiatives, as being in the spotlight is not your thing. 

The idea of making a mistake is scary and you consciously choose not to take the leap. 

All of these are symptoms of a root problem: an inability to make yourself vulnerable.

Just a couple of months ago, I finished the book “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown and for those of you that haven’t read it, you are in for a ride. One of the most important take-aways from that book is this: 

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it's having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome. Vulnerability is not weakness; it's our greatest measure of courage.”

Living your life with vulnerability as a principle can feel intimidating and scary. It can feel highly confronting and not always comfortable. Acting from a place of vulnerability is:

Owning our story and not running away from it.

Loving the uncertainty of being exposed and showing that we are capable of learning.

Showing who you really are without being afraid of potential criticism because you are open to discovering new parts of yourself and tapping deeper into it.

How then can we make sure that we are creating a meaningful connection during a job interview when we have limited time to get comfortable enough to open up?

During an interview we of course want to impress others with our accomplishments and learnings but connecting in an informal way can make those achievements stand out even more. Show interest in the interviewer’s life: What gives them energy? What are the things they want to improve? What are their own proudest moments? Asking these questions shows your interest and compassion towards the interviewer(s) more than listing your compassionate qualities.

Approach the discussion in an authentic, transparent way

Shed the role that you are trying to play and appreciate the fact that you are meeting another human being with similar challenges, concerns, goals, and dreams. 

Admit what you don’t know and what you’re not great at doing

No one is perfect and your interviewer knows that. Everyone has room for improvement and we can all learn from each other. Before your interview, take some time for introspection and prepare to talk about those elements within yourself you are trying to work on.

Talk about your most significant failure, setback, or life-changing moment

Failures and how we deal with them shape who we are. Talking about them with a sense of maturity and development while focusing on your learnings gives another dimension of your personality.

At the end of the day, either in interviewing or your personal interactions, seeking real connections is a conscious effort of choosing to NOT hide your emotions or ideas from others.

Job interviews aren’t just about getting hired. They’re about getting hired at the right place. The best way to ensure you meet your goals (and not just the company’s) is to make certain you’re being open about who you are.

If you're an unemployed person living abroad and need support going through the job-seeking process including interviewing, you qualify for our free coaching sessions. Click here for more information.

Interview Prep 101: How to be vulnerable during a job interview

Sometimes, people experience an extended period where they’re not working anywhere. This is known as a gap in employment. An employment gap can last months or years.

There are several reasons why people have gaps between jobs. Some may have been laid off and are finding it difficult to find something new. Many Empower Amsterdam clients may have relocated and/or are in the process of changing jobs. Still, others might have taken time off to raise their children full-time.

When you decide to start looking for a new job, many employers might want to know why you took time off and whether it could happen in the future. Here are a few good ways you can explain unemployment gaps on your CV or resumé.

Some people have short employment gaps that last a few months, while some people stay out of work for a year or more. How can you explain wider gaps to a prospective employer?

Try listing the reason for this gap as part of your employment experience. What this means is you could describe what you were doing as a job itself.

For example, if you took five years from full-time employment to raise children, you can list this pursuit as full-time parent on your CV while including the years, duties, and location of this job. Consider making this a brief entry so it doesn't distract from the other relevant positions you have held.

One way to make your employment gap look less obvious is to change your CV's style or format. A chronological format resume is a common style, but it might highlight extended periods when you were unemployed.

To de-emphasize these periods, switch the style of your CV to a functional format. This style focuses more on your skills and achievements rather than chronological periods of employment.

Using this format, you can also include sections for a career summary statement and a list of key accomplishments that could help your CV stand out from others.

Another good tip to making your employment gap less obvious is to omit the months on your CV. If your employment gaps lasted only for a few months, you could disguise them by removing the months from the date of the position.

As an example, if you held a position from March 2019 to May 2019, consider eliminating the months for that entry and say you worked in that position in 2019.

This method could work if your gaps were less than a year and if you've worked in positions for more than a year. While this method could help employers initially consider your CV, it still helps to be prepared to explain any gaps in your employment.

When explaining employment gaps in your CV, it's also important to be honest. Employers will appreciate you when you tell the truth about your extended period or periods of unemployment.

Being honest shows that you are a potential candidate that is trustworthy. For example, if the reason for your employment gap was because you were organizing your family’s relocation, don't be afraid to explain this to the employer. They might find your thorough response to this question refreshing.

Such answers can show that you’re willing to improve yourself and able to solve problems, traits that could translate well in the workplace.

When you explain your employment gaps, be prepared to discuss them in a clear, articulate way. It's also important to be confident in your explanation. If you don't feel assured about what you are saying, it could influence how you carry yourself in the interview.

Share with the employer the life skills you've learned while you were unemployed. Also be sure to mention any professional development or formal training you completed during that time. Such training can help you look poised and demonstrate your professional commitment.

Many people in the professional world experience gaps in their employment. Regardless of your situation, you can explain your time away from work with professionalism and in ways that can help further your career.

Guest Writer Bio: Patrick Bailey is a professional writer mainly in the fields of mental health, addiction, and living in recovery. He attempts to stay on top of the latest news in the addiction and the mental health world and enjoys writing about these topics to break the stigma associated with them. 

indeed.com - How to Explain Gaps in Employment

themuse.com - How to Explain the Gap in your Resume with Ease

CV Writing 101: How to explain gaps in your CV

It’s safe to say that for many of us, 2020 was a challenging and transformational year filled with events that will be etched in our minds for a lifetime to come. 

Those 12 months taught us many things, not least the fact that we will never again take the freedom to travel for granted and that our relationships with our communities and neighbours are to be treasured. They are after all what supported us during the most difficult of times.

But having been indoors most of the year, with no choice but to cultivate new habits and adapt our daily lives to a new normal, one of the biggest gifts 2020 gave us was the chance to rediscover and take better care of ourselves.

Many of us will remember the time we spent learning to put ourselves first when the world seemed like it was falling apart. 

Perhaps many of us realised that we’d been wrong in ignoring our self care before, and that going forward, we want to be more conscious of the fact that we deserve the attention we spend so much time giving to others. 

Here are a few things we learned about self care in 2020: 

It’s about more than bubble baths and face masks. Your self care routine can be whatever you want it to be, it can be as simple as a bubble bath or more radical like decluttering and organizing your entire house. It means something different to different people, as long as it helps ease what you’re going through, you do you. 

Self care can be eating a salad OR eating a whole tub of chocolate ice cream. There is no right or wrong way to make yourself feel better with food and we’re never again going to let anyone tell us otherwise.

It’s okay to feel the entire spectrum of emotions in one day. Whether you started your day hoping for one that was peaceful and productive but ended up with chaos and madness in the house, you’re allowed to feel whatever comes up and you’re allowed a moment to process it all and to pause when the world gets too busy.

Routines and rituals are what help get us through the moments when we feel out of control. The little moments to ourselves sipping a cup of coffee, that 10 minute yoga stretch by yourself, the daily chats with a loved one far away, or having a quiet moment to tidy up the house - it’s our routines that we can rely on that remind us that although the outside feels out of control, we can control the controllables within our space. 

It’s about so much more than the physical. Yes, it’s about moving your body and those precious 30 minutes daily walks. But it’s also about the mental and spiritual - whatever that means to you. The 15 minutes of journaling in the morning, the meditating in the bath with some bubbles, the saying how you feel out loud and not bottling it up 

It’s okay to ask for help. Of course, you can take care of yourself! But if you need it, it’s okay to reach out and lean on your support systems. 

Wherever 2021 takes us, may we all remember to put ourselves and our care first. As they used to say in the good old days of travel, you have to put your oxygen mask on first, before helping others. 

And if you’re looking for some extra support, we’d be more than happy here at Empower Amsterdam to offer you that helping hand. If you're unemployed and living in the Netherlands, you can apply for our free coaching here. 

If you’re looking for general career or job search help, please feel free to connect and reach out to us in our private Facebook group for job seekers here.

Michelle Mourits is a coach who has been volunteering with Empower Amsterdam in a variety of different roles over the past two years. While she started on our marketing team, she now dedicates her volunteer time to coaching Empower Amsterdam's unemployed clients.

Originally from Australia, Michelle worked in a corporate role for several years before being made redundant. She took this unexpected turn in stride and turned it into an opportunity to reassess what she wanted to do with her life. During this time, she worked with a life coach and fell in love with coaching. After traveling around the world, she took a two-year training course to become a Life Coach herself.

In contrast to a career coach, life coaching takes a holistic approach to help someone in their whole life. It integrates timeless wisdom from the past and is centered around the spiritual aspects of human life. Life coaching is not just about helping someone get a job (though that’s a part of it), it's about coming to the core of who you are. This has far-reaching benefits such as building self-confidence and self-worth, as well as focusing on the energy you are putting out into the world. 

For Michelle, coaching is an opportunity for people to take time and create space in their lives. Coaching gives people a connection between their head and their heart, allowing them to be intentional about the choices they make in life rather than ‘going through the motions’.

Michelle first got involved with Empower Amsterdam through a Facebook group post asking for volunteers. After working on the marketing team for a year, she switched to coaching. Her favorite part of working with Empower Amsterdam clients is watching people regain confidence and self-worth. 

When searching for a job, especially in an unfamiliar environment, feeling alone and doubting yourself can happen. However, expats have powerful, varied experiences, skills, and strength and Michelle loves seeing clients realize their own potential again.

As far as advice for new arrivals in the Netherlands, Michelle says you should connect with people. Get out and meet new people and not just in a professional context. It’s important to feel like you are part of a community. In addition to building a community for yourself, seek people who are doing what you want to do. Speak with them and find out how they got to where they are now. It’s all about building real connections with others. 

One more tip from Michelle: visit Utrecht! It’s a great small city with a cool student vibe and fun canals. While the Amsterdam canals are rather ornamental, Utrecht’s beautiful canals are built to be enjoyed right on the water. 

Michelle is dedicated to helping her clients take charge of their lives through coaching and building their own community. Through checking in where a client is and focusing on their current challenges, Michelle helps each client find success in their life. 

Here’s Michelle’s website or you can reach out to her on LinkedIn.

If you're an unemployed international living in the Netherlands, you can apply for free coaching with coaches like Michelle. Use the Apply button on our Contact page.

Coach Interview: Michelle Mourits. Take Charge of Your Life

Talking about living in unprecedented times is an understatement, especially if you are on the hunt for a new career challenge. You are probably noticing a lot of changes along your path of pursuing a new role.

One of them is interviewing. As if interviews weren’t challenging enough, online interviewing may be something that is here to stay!

This new normal involves countless Microsoft Teams or Zoom meetings, online Friday drinks, pub quizzes, online assessments and tests. However when it comes to online meetings, there are some nuances that you can  follow to ensure a smooth online interviewing experience.

No matter how small or big your apartment is, there can always be a way to neutralize your background by eliminating visual and auditory distractions.

The past couple of months I have been interviewing candidates in their children’s room, a messy attic and in the kitchen while you could hear the kettle boiling. Of course, these are not a reason to penalize someone, but you can come across even more professional with a neutral background such as a simple painting or even a white wall.

If you are using a video calling application for the first time, make sure that you spend some time testing it to ensure that everything runs smoothly. If you haven’t used your camera and microphone for a while, try scheduling a meeting with a friend or a family member to test that everything works properly.

Another thing to take care of in advance is your internet connection. If, even after checking that everything works properly, you still encounter technical difficulties during the interview, keep your cool and try to calmly troubleshoot in the moment, even by providing alternatives. This can be a powerful way to show how you show up under stressful situations.

Warn your family or roommates in advance that you will be having a job interview. In case a noise that you can not control comes up like a crying baby, a barking dog or the fuzz from construction work, inform your interviewer in advance. Proactive information can create a smoother approach on that unwanted noise and your interviewer will appreciate the fact that you were forthcoming.

Non-verbal communication can speak louder than words especially during an online interview where the interviewer does not have a full image of you and your essence. Some things to keep in mind would be:

Smile during your conversation and during appropriate moments

Do not try and wink or pull a face during an interview

Make a regular amount of eye contact (looking at their video if on a video call)

When on a video call, avoid looking at yourself too much, look at the interviewers

On a video call, it’s perfectly fine to wave hello.

Sit up straight and avoid moving your position drastically during the interview

Avoid crossing your arms as this may make others feel you are closed off or dishonest

Avoid leaning in too close if you are on a video call (or in person!)

Since working from home or spending more time at home, we have all been getting more comfortable in showing up to meetings with our joggers or yoga pants. While this can be acceptable for your current or previous employer, choosing a classic business casual for a job interview is appreciated. 

While adapting to a new normal can seem challenging or even scary, it’s important to focus on the things we can control. All of these tips for your next online interview are tiny changes that will make a huge impact on how you are perceived.

Interview Prep 101: How to prepare for an online interview

Those who follow a minimalist lifestyle appreciate the idea that a good decluttering session could be the antidote to relieving stress and anxiety while regaining clarity by taking back control of our physical and mental spaces. 

I think we can all relate to that feeling of relief and joy after a good wardrobe spring cleaning or clearing out the kitchen fridge. 

But what if we could harness those same principles to declutter our physical and mental spaces to achieve clarity on our next career steps? 

When we carry the unnecessary baggage from our past, hold on to too many things at once, or haven’t made room in our physical spaces, it can be hard to move forward, to visualize and manifest the life and the job we desire. 

So what aspects of your career can you declutter?

Baggage from bad past employment. For example those feelings of resentment and loss after leaving an old job on bad terms with people

Your portfolio/resume or CV. You’ve just been piling on all of your past without really tailoring it to your goals

Your social media, inbox and online spaces

Your work-from-home space. The desk that you use to work at or the cabinet where you keep all your important papers, or maybe it’s an entire home office. When was the last time you did a little organising in there and got rid of the old clutter? 

How can you declutter your career? Here are a few steps to do that so that you can find the mental clarity to make better decisions and the physical space to take action!

Ask yourself how holding on to the past will serve you. Are you ready to let go and make room for what's to come? Are you ready to learn from the experiences and the mistakes and move forward?

Take inventory of your LinkedIn connections.  Which of these connections are no longer serving me? Which ones elicit negative reactions? Which ones are genuine networks that have and will continue to allow me to grow? 

Audit and adjust your CV. Don’t cram those two or so pages with every single thing you’ve ever done. Remove anything that doesn’t serve the job you want next. Need more help with your CV? Check out this blog post.

Clear out your inbox and virtual storage drives. How many times have you told yourself you need to unsubscribe to all these newsletters that are just cramming your inbox? Or that you need to clear up your laptop’s desktop? Maybe you’ve got a whole bunch of files from old work that you need to put on a hard drive or in the cloud. Now is the time!

Visualizing Your Success: The Most Powerful Tool to Ignite Your Inner Potential

Conquering Your Fears: The 4 biggest fears during the job search and how to conquer them

How to use your personal influence to start an online business

Coach Interview: Daniela Dzuganova. Finding Your Path

Interview Prep 101: How to be vulnerable during a job interview

CV Writing 101: How to explain gaps in your CV

What we learned about self care in 2020

Coach Interview: Michelle Mourits. Take Charge of Your Life

Interview Prep 101: How to prepare for an online interview

Clear out your physical and mental spaces

How to achieve job search clarity: 3 activities to discover your dream career

Coach Interview: Lisa Ross-Marcus. The Art of Crossing Over

6 Ways to Effectively Pivot your Career in the New Normal

Coach Interview: Dimi Kassari. Give it everything you got

How Volunteering Can Help You Build On Your Next Career

Reconciling your past and present when re-entering the job market

Remote work: How to make the most out of the new normal

Coach Interview: Anne Gélébart. Spread your wings and find your “aha moment”

Interview Prep 101: Positive Body Language for Interviews

Small things to celebrate while unemployed

Writing a Cover Letter: 8 tips for crafting a cover letter that gets noticed

Beating the machine: How to write an AI-proof CV

Journaling while unemployed – How can it help?

Interview Prep 101: How to Prepare for an Interview in the Netherlands

Managing your mental health during your job search

Five Ways To Stay Motivated During a Job Hunt

What can you do with your “lost goals” of the year?

Pop-up coaching event links expats with professional coaches

What is coaching?

The top 3 things a career coach can (and can’t) do for your career

The hiring bias that nobody talks… To be discriminated against because you are out of work

How to get that call!

Who am I and what do I bring to the world?

Write your own story

How to reject rejection