Top 10 Tips To Make Your Day Action Plan The Best It Can Be!

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1 Copyright notice Jimmy P. Sweeney & CareerJimmy It is unlawful to reproduce, translate any part of this work by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying without the expressed written permission of the author. CareerJimmy W. Agoura Rd. #543 Calabasas, CA Top 10 Tips To Make Your Day Action Plan The Best It Can Be! Research The Company It's not enough to focus exclusively on the position of general manager, account executive, sales associate, or other position you're after. You'll be working with a variety of individuals all with a common purpose to make this organization successful in the marketplace. Therefore, it's essential that you know more than the name of the company and the hiring manager. The Internet is a great place to start. Check the company's web site, if available, and get to know the names and positions of the key players, as well as the kinds of activities and events the company sponsors (i.e. employee picnic, awards banquets, charity marathons, community gift programs for the needy, etc.) In other words, get to know the personality of the company as much as you can before sitting down for an interview. Personalize Your Plan If possible, put the company logo on the cover page of your plan. This is an optional step, but a classy one. It's a nice personal touch. You

2 may find the logo on the company's web site, brochure, catalogue, or letterhead. This bit of extra detail shows you are a person who will 'go the extra mile' to make a good impression to this SPECIFIC company and that your Day Action Plan is not just some generic document you present at all of your job interviews. Find out the company's mission statement Go online or call the company to receive this vital information. Then study it. Example: "ABC Computer Company is dedicated to serving all of your computer needs from purchase to tech support." OR "Creative Connections brings a world of innovative decorating ideas to your door." Look for ways that you can help live up to that mission. Refer to it in your plan, and mention it during an interview. This will show the person conducting the job interview that you are knowledgeable about the company as a whole, not just about the job you're seeking, and that you're prepared to work in sync with its mission. Be Honest It's The Best Policy Say what you mean and mean what you say. In other words, don't 'pad' or 'puff' your Action Plan with fancy words and meaningless promises. A hiring manager will see through the fog. Think about the talent and skills you'll bring to the company. What's your passion? What ideas motivate you? How do you see yourself making a difference in this company? Write down what is true for you so you can discuss it confidently.

3 Take A Calculated Risk I'm not talking about jumping off a cliff! Rather about stepping out of your comfort zone and offering to do something a bit different. For example, suppose you're seeking a job at a company that produces skin care products. You offer an idea to organize a holiday sing-along and gift-giving event for people in a nearby assisted living facility. Each person receives a sample of one of the company's products. Or perhaps you're hoping to get a job at a computer company. You mention in your plan your ability to coach seniors on how to use a computer. You offer to hold a 'free' class sponsored by the company once a month at a local community center. This would be great publicity for the company and also showcases your creativity nicely. Taking a risk means suggesting something unexpected, yet beneficial to the company. Be True To Your Personality Are you the life of the party or the leader type? Are you the organizational genius or the mediator who brings peace and sanity to chaos? Whatever your strength, remain true to it. Don't offer to do things outside of your personality type or you'll feel stress, resentment, and anxiety. In what ways do you excel? When are you most comfortable and secure? Answer these questions and then focus your plan on the tasks you can and will do that will vitalize you and benefit the company. For example, the mediator type is not the best person to organize the office holiday party. And the playful type is hardly the one to suggest taking on the responsibility for organizing the office files. Know who you are and what you can and will do, then focus on that.

4 Find Out The Job Requirements Look on the Internet for the specifics of the job you're targeting. List on paper or print out the page from the web and study it. Include some of those in your plan. Remember, they must 'ring true' with the hiring manager or person conducting the job interview. Example: Requirements for a Customer Service Assistant for a telephone company. 1. Gathers pertinent information for resolving customer troubles and follows through to completion. 2. Explains the nature of the problem to the customer using non-technical terms. 3. Assists customers with complaints and special requests. 4. Needs someone with strong skills in patience and courtesy, using a calm and pleasant voice. Study your list and incorporate into your plan the ways in which you can meet these requirements. Add One 'Playful' Item Every Friday morning, an office manager brought a smile to the faces of the employees in his department. One week he'd leave a piece of chocolate with the words 'thank you' embedded on the front. Another time he'd stamp a smiley face to a notepad on each desk and then sign his name. He dubbed one day a month, "Play Day." Employees shared

5 a potluck lunch and talked about anything and everything except work! Employees felt validated and valued. If the job you are aspiring to offers an opportunity for you to include a 'playful' item like one of these, include it in your plan. Be appropriate, however. This is not the time or place to risk making a fool of yourself! Keep In Mind It's (definitely) Not All About You! When you read your plan aloud it should sound like you are well prepared and know what the position involves. However, it's also important to show that you are ready to learn, to receive criticism without being defensive, to study at home, to ask questions from "higher ups," etc. Avoid sounding too 'self-focused' or the employer may see you as a problem waiting to happen. Be sure to demonstrate your willingness to learn and grow. Put that into the plan. Example: Meet fellow sales team and ask for help as I learn 'the ropes.' Present Your Plan In A Colored Folder! This is an optional tip. It's certainly not necessary but it's highly recommended that you take time to do this. You can pick up a single folder or a variety pack at any office supply store. Print out your plan and slip it into the folder with your business card and you'll be presenting a 'professional package' that will shoot you straight to the top of the must-hire list. Get ready to hear those three magical words, "WOW! You're Hired!"