1. Make yourself indispensible at work. If you’re the only one who can get the copier to work, if you’re the only one who can figure out the order tracking system, the client management system – you’re indispensible. The last one out the door if the business shuts down. To make yourself indispensible on the job, learn how all systems operate. Understand the order arc, and learn to un-jam the copy machine. The more you know about your particular business the more indispensible you become.

2. Keep up with the industry. Read industry journals to keep up with the latest in technology and trends. This is especially important in high-flying, fast-moving industries like electronics or computer software. What you learned in school? Old news. Stay current, stay valuable.

3. Take courses. Again, the more you know - the more you can bring to the table - the more valuable you are to your current employer. And the more attractive a candidate you are to a potential employer. Never stop learning. It’s an important aspect of keeping your job.

4. Stay on top of the job market in your business space. Of course, websites like monster.com provide data on jobs world-wide. And the competition is fierce for any job posted. Instead, visit websites of companies that are in your business space. Often, these sites have a tab for “Employment Opportunities,” something worth a bookmark and regular check backs. If you’re a recent graduate, contact your school’s placement office – a lot. Keep on them and let the alma mater network work for you.

5. Stop borrowing money. Every time you charge a purchase to a credit card you borrow money. And we all know how easy it is to borrow money using plastic. Cut up all credit cards except one – for emergencies. Also, do NOT use one of those credit consolidation companies. They charge a fee for services rendered, i.e. you’re borrowing more money. If you can’t pay cash, you can’t have it. Simple rule to always remember: You can not borrow your way out of debt.

6. Trim your expenses. Lower the thermostat. Skip the vacation and enjoy a “stay-cation” from home. Clip coupons. A coupon clipper can easily save 10% on the food bill, no problem. That could add up to over $1,000 a year after tax dollars, so you’d have to earn $1350 to have that extra $1,000 each year. And it takes 10 minutes a week once you get it down.

7. Pay off expensive debt first. A second mortgage runs at about 4.5% interest. That’s cheap money. On the other hand, your overdue credit card payment just bumped your rate up to 29%. That’s very expensive money. Check the rates you pay on all debt and work on the most expensive debt first to make the biggest impact on your finances.

8. Start saving. The first check you write when you pay the bills should be to yourself. Forget the phone. Forget the electric. Pay yourself first, even if it’s just a few dollars a week. Put this money in a money market account. Remember your objective? Try to build up six months of living expenses – in cash! That’s money that’ll get you through a layoff without total panic setting in.

9. Keep your Rolodex up to date. Contacts are your best resource in the event you do get laid off or the business closes. Stay in touch with sub-contractors, vendors and other business associates and always keep your eye out for a better, more secure opportunity. The grapevine always has the latest industry news.

10. Supplement your income. Take a part-time job on week-ends. Work from home if you have a saleable skill or can consult. Heck, take a paper route. It’ll cover some of your current expenses and will fill in the gaps in the event of a lay-off. The key to recession-proofing yourself and your family, your home and your lifestyle, is all in preparation. Start today, even if your job is secure and you’ve got money stashed under the mattress.

Just remember, today the sun may shine. Tomorrow it may rain. Get your umbrella today.

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”  - Anonymous

Building a network of professional associates provides numerous benefits including connections that can land you a new (and better) job, move you up your current business ladder and provide invaluable advice on growing a business to profitability. And it’s FREE! So, why don’t more executives and business owners network? My experience shows that many of these well-educated men and women: (1) don’t understand the value of networking, and (2) don’t recognize networking opportunities right in their own backyards. So, to get plugged in to the local and global business community, here are some suggestions that will help you build a web of success. 1. Join the local Chamber of Commerce. These are the regional business leaders that can hook you up when looking for a new position, or drumming up new clients and customers if you’re self-employed. Your local CoC usually meets monthly for a luncheon where you can get some face time with potential employers and clients. Now, be careful here. Don’t come on too strong. The objective of any CoC is to improve the regional business climate – not to hustle work from the membership roster. 2. Join local service organizations. The Lions Club, Jaycees, The Elks Club and other service organizations are dedicated to doing good works within the community. By joining a service organization you demonstrate that you’re a good community citizen and you meet the local power brokers who can connect you with the right people to advance your professional needs, whatever they may be.     3. Teach an adult education class. One of my clients owns an independent stock brokerage. She’s a certified financial planner who owns her own business. Each semester, she teaches an adult education class on personal financial management and, invariably, each semester she picks up a new client or two. (Sometimes three or more.) The great thing about teaching a course is that it establishes your expertise within a classroom setting. It defines you as an authority well beyond the confines of the classroom walls. It’s also a terrific resume credit. 4. Build your contact file. There’s no such thing as an old client – especially if the client or customer is happy with the services or goods you provided. Maintain a list of customers and clients and keep in contact – even if it’s just an email now and then. Also, your Rolodex should contain complete contact information on vendors, outsourcers, other executives with whom you do business and even the names and addresses of your old classmates. Each adds a string to your web of success. 5. On-line networking. Websites like Facebook, Myspace, Linkedin, Twitter and other “social networking” web sites are great places to expand your network globally. When you’re plugged in to the grid, options seem to come your way without effort. You don’t have to work hard to network but you do have to be consistent in your efforts, i.e. more than just a printed card during the holidays. Networking functions best when relationships are built and maintained to the benefit of all parties. So, look around you. Are there professional organizations you could join – a state-wide association of independent business owners or a state legal or medical association?  There are lots ways to connect up with the right people. All you have to do is make the effort.  And, finally, not only will you discover business and professional connections, you may make some new friends as well. I consider that one of the most important benefits of networking. Now, what are you waiting for? Shouldn’t you begin weaving your own web of success?

Hey, you got that call-back you’ve been waiting for. HR wants an interview based on your stunning resume. Your one step closer to getting that job.

Of course, no one gets hired on a resume alone. It’s the interview that closes the deal and shows a potential employer that you’re the perfect fit. So, what can you do to nail that interview and nail down a new job? Take a look.

1. Use the web. Even small companies have web sites today so visit the business web site. What do they make or sell? How does your experience make you the perfect candidate? Learn all you can about the company.

This does two things: (1) it prepares you for the “out-of-left-field” question from the interviewer, a common tactic to see how you think on your feet and, (2) it shows you’re ambitious. You did your homework! You get a gold star!

2. Conduct a web search. Google the company name and the names of company principals. Who knows, maybe you went to the same school as the CEO! Couldn’t hurt.

3. Use your network. If you’ve been in “the biz” for a while, chances are you know someone who knows someone who knows something about this company. Make a few calls to learn the inside story – the story that doesn’t appear on the web.

4. Rehearse. Prepare a list of questions you expect to be asked:

• How can you help our company?

• What was your biggest accomplishment at your last job?

• How would you handle network down time?

• Who are your personal heroes?

A good interviewer works from a script of questions so s/he can compare apples to apples when reviewing interview results. So, practice your answers. Say them out loud in front of a mirror until you have your patter down pat.

5. Dress for success. Even if the interview is scheduled for casual Friday, wear your finest. Look the part. And carry an attaché – even if you have to borrow one.

6. Don’t wear cologne, perfume or after-shave. Something as simple as this can sabotage an otherwise great interview.

7. Drive by the office. By familiarizing yourself with the route, parking, the look and feel of the place, you eliminate some of the unknowns that often create interview stress.

8. View an interview as a give and take. It’s not you being interrogated under the glare of the spotlight. A good interview involves give and take so prepare a list of questions about job responsibilities, chances for advancement and so on. Do not ask what the job pays! You’ll find out soon enough.

9. Be attentive, but relaxed. Don’t slouch but don’t be a robot, either. Make eye contact and call the interviewer by name – the name used during introductions. If the interviewer is introduced as Ms. Smith, call her Ms. Smith. If he introduces himself as Bob Smith, Bob is cool.

10. Follow up with a thank you. You want to stand out and for all you know, that interviewer saw 20 people that day. A simple, hand-written thank you jogs the interviewer’s memory – especially if your note references something that took place during your chat.

It comes down to this: good preparation creates confidence in everything you do. So, prepare yourself to give the interview of a lifetime.

Then WOW ‘em.

• Spend a bit of time with each coach you are pursuing, whether you are talking with them on the telephone or meeting them in person. It is important to determine whether you feel comfortable with them and whether they have a personality that you can mesh well with. You will not be successful in a coaching relationship if you are uncomfortable with your wellness coach.

• Find out a bit about their methods. You want to be sure that you’re going to be in agreement with their tactics and methods and that you will feel comfortable with these methods. In order for you to be successful with personal coaching, you will need to feel fine with every part of their coaching methods.

• You may want to check references. Without giving away specific details of the coaching, someone can tell you whether they have had success with the coach or if they were dissatisfied. When you check references, you can get an idea of the personal success that the wellness coach has had with other clients, and that may give you some personal insight as to whether or not this is the right coach for you.

• Be completely honest with the coach as to what you are experiencing. If you’re not sure yet whether you want to hire them, give them a good description without giving away all of your problems. This will help them determine whether they are able to help you or if you should seek other help.

There are many benefits to a wellness coach and the right one can really help you feel better, happier and more complete in life. The point is to find the right one, and with these tips you can!

A wellness coach uses his or her personal coaching skills to work together with you. It is more like a friend who has tons of good advice rather than a ‘coach,’ and many times there is a genuine friendship that develops from a coaching relationship. Within this comfortable relationship, you are able to determine exactly what would make you happier and what your level of success would be defined as. A coach doesn’t tell you what you need to do. You determine that, but a coach can help you take a deeper look at yourself and your feelings in order to determine what you need to do. These personal coaching techniques have helped many people who thought they were destined to be unhappy in life.

A wellness coach will not only help you determine what would make you happy, but he or she will then help you create a plan in order to achieve your desired success. Your success could mean creating a better relationship with your spouse, create a better career for yourself or even to just feel better within your spiritual life. There are a number of things that a coach can help you with, and it all depends upon what kind of person you are and on your unique feelings and thoughts. Regardless of who you are or where you come from, sometimes you just need a little extra support in order to find that glowing, happy person inside of you! This is exactly what you can find when you speak with a wellness coach!

Help with Career –

If you’re feeling stuck in your career, like you’re not getting where you want to be, or like things aren’t turning out the way you had planned them, you are certainly not alone. Many different people feel these things about their careers and life skills coaching can truly help you. A coach can work with you in order to assess the issues that you are having and help you determine what would make you feel better or what might help you establish the kind of career that you want to have.

Help with Family –

You may feel as if your family life is not as great as it should or could be. Someone who has personal coaching skills can help you find out where that discontent within your family is coming from. Through strategic methods such as goals, a coach can help you be happier within the relationships that you have and your family. He or she will not tell you what to do, rather they will help you decide the things that would make you happier within your family.

Help with Spiritual Self –

You also may need help within your spiritual life, and life coaching skills can really help you with this. Quite simply, when you invest in this kind of coaching, you are investing in your own happiness. That is not something we can afford to neglect!

A coach that specializes in this kind of situation can also help you with career and family issues that may be caused by your spiritual issues. In fact, feeling disconnected and alone can make you feel as if you are unable to achieve success in many different areas of your life. Working with a coach to come up with the answers to your problems as well as the actions and goals that should be made will help you get started on a journey to a new life and a new happiness. This is something that no one should be denied, and you don’t have to either. The relationship between a personal coach and his or her client is simply like a friendship or a team. A spiritual coach is not like a therapist or even like a religious coach.

Quite simply, the two of you work together in order to create effective goals and strategies which will help you overcome the issues that you are struggling with. Personal coaching has benefited many, many individuals and if you are feeling disconnected, sluggish within your life, or discontent, you may benefit from the help of a personal coach.

Typically, a spiritual coach will work with you, using different methods and techniques that have been proven reliable in order to address the issues that are bothering you. The whole point of having someone with these types of skills is to help you feel better within your spiritual life. This is a very sensitive issue to many people and some people become depressed or feel like something is just missing from their lives when they don’t have an active spiritual life. A spiritual coach can help you rediscover those things within yourself and help you find the unique strategies and methods that you can use to work on these feelings that you have. Someone with personal coaching experience is the best kind of person to work together with you in order to address these issues.

Spiritual coaches are very helpful to those who feel as if they are lacking in a spiritual way, or even that this may be affecting their career lives or their personal lives. In fact, it is enough to make you feel as if you can’t fight the waves of frustration, depression and insecurity. If you have considered a spiritual coach but haven’t been sure just what you might find in that person, don’t worry. The truth is you just might be able to find yourself.

• You have someone that you can trust to help you with very serious issues within your life.  You may be suffering from career problems, or you don’t think you’re achieving the level of success that you desire.  You may have problems within your marriage or family life that you feel you need to work on.  Someone with life skills coaching can help you work on each of these issues in many different ways.

• You co-create goals and have someone that can help you follow through with the goals that you make.  Someone who specializes in personal coaching can help you be accountable for those goals and eventually achieve success with these goals and the actions you take to accomplish these goals.

• You have someone that you can confide in and understand that the things you say or confess will go no further.  They can help you realize different truths within yourself and within your personal life and career that can really help you get moving to create your desired level of success.  A person with life skills coaching can help you in more ways than you probably think.

There are many different benefits to having a personal coach and working together with them to achieve success, accomplish goals and have a better life.