Tips in Traffic (Be Efficient) - Feb 27, 2006

One of the books that I recently finished reading that directly addresses efficiency is Time Traps where the author provides tips & strategies on how to manage tasks (not time) more efficiently. (The book is geared specifically for salespeople, but I think a lot of the tips apply to everyone.)

One of the more memorable things that was noted is that people waste time doing unnecessary tasks. (I must admit that I am guilty of this but I'm working on it. :) One example presented in the book is faxing. How many times have you stood in front of a fax machine trying & retrying to send something. These types of tasks should be delegated to others as much as possible. If you don't have anyone working for you, then at least make sure you have something important to do while you are waiting for the fax to go through.

So take a look at your daily activities and see where you can squeeze more out what you are doing. I'm sure you already know of some things you do that waste time (e.g. check email & voice mail every 5 minutes, chat with a buddy when you have something, etc.). So limit or stop doing those activities! You'll be happy you did!

Happy Monday & succeed NOW!

Marvin Corea http://www.eMarv.com

Tips in Traffic (Persevere) - Feb, 21, 2006

I went with the family to see Curious George this past Saturday. (It was ok, but not in the same league as Ice Age, Finding Nemo, etc. At least the kids enjoyed it! :) The main character outside of George is The Man in the Yellow Hat (TMITYH). He was told that the museum where worked was closing so he set out to saving it. He didn't know how and then came up with the idea of finding an ancient statue. He did not have any expeditionary experience, but this did not stop him from continuing his mission. He persevered and overcame his shortcomings and saved the museum.

Now you probably may not be saving any museums anytime soon (maybe you are :), but having the ability to persevere will take you a very long way. For example, it can help you land a job or a contract that you've been seeking.

One thing that you have to be careful of though is not to be a pest. to prevent this from happening make sure you give people enough time to respond or react to your request. For example, when trying to find a position, do send your resume through traditional channels, e.g. via the company website. (Most people will stop here.) However, there are several other things you can do to persevere and get your resume in front of the decision makers. Here's a few: -tap your network to see if you have any friends of friends that work at the company -call the company, find out as much info about the company and position as possible (you should actually do this before sending your resume through traditional channels) -find out who the hiring & HR managers are, who is the ultimate decision maker, then contact them, ask for informational interviews -be polite, sincere and courteous in all of your interactions with the company's people, you never know who will have a hand in the decision to hire new people

These are just a few things that you can do to get hired, but as you can see it takes perseverance especially if you don't have an inside connection.

Everything else being equal, those that persevere are the ones that will usually come out on top.

I'd be interested in hearing any of your perseverance-related stories. Please share them!

Succeed NOW! . Marvin http://www.eMarv.com

PS I started this tip on the road, but I couldn't finish it because I needed to concentrate on the road. :) So I finished this tip at home.

Tips in Traffic (Be Confident) - Feb, 16, 2006

Luckily (for me at least), my wife got over the fact that I didn't give her a V-day gift. She got her revenge during our Aikido class last night though... Ouch! (Anyone have any ben-gay? :)

Now onto the tip... Be Confident! Confidence goes a long way especially when interviewing. Confidence, enthusiasm & sincerity can make a world of difference (at least if you are speaking in public or want to work with good companies, (shameless plug) like my own).

Normally, when we (at Esenai) interview folks, we do a phone interview first. One of the reasons why is to get a feel or first impression for candidates. This is a great opportunity for candidates to shine. People can show a little personality and actually demonstrate their confidence. We are able to get an idea of a candidate's confidence level by listening to how the candidate talks (tone) in addition to what the candidate says.

So be confident! And if you are interviewing, make sure you have a cheering squad that will get your confidence up before the big show! It can make the difference in getting the job or not. Don't have a cheering squad, you say, then read something inspirational or motivational like (another shameless plug) The Succeed Network! blog.

I know you can do it, you must know that you can do it and you will do it!

Succeed NOW!

Marvin Corea http://www.eMarv.com

Tips in Traffic (Say thank you) - Feb 15, 2006

I am not a big fan of Valentine's Day, so even though I usually get my wife something, I didn't this year. Big mistake! I should have made sure we were both on the same sheet of music. Naturally, my wife was upset... :( Don't make the same mistake, talk with your loved one to make sure they are not expecting something. Don't make the same mistake I made! :)

Now on to the tip... 3 words: Say Thank You!

This is so easy to do, we often forget. For example, while driving & someone let's you pass, just a quick hand in the air will do the trick. (If you are too cool, then throw up a peace sign. You know how, make a V with your index & middle fingers.)

A thank you will go a long way especially when someone has has a long & thankless day. A sincere thank you will normally lift that person's spirit. It doesn't cost a thing & can make a world of difference!

Thanks for reading!

Succeed NOW! Marvin Corea http://www.eMarv.com

Tips in Traffic (Tell the Truth!) - Feb 14, 2006

First of all, Happy Valentine's Day! So did Halmark really create Valentine's Day?

No matter... Here's the tip: Tell the truth! Be candid. I am not implying that you should be mean. In contrast, be respectful and tactful. Approach it from a constructive criticism standpoint with emphasis on the constructive part of it! Think of how you would want to be approached if someone was telling YOU that you are wrong and be more sensitive than that.

From the DC beltway....

Succeed NOW! Marvin http://www.eMarv.com