Guild of Health

Most people in Human Resources deal with job seekers everyday, and it seems reasonable to expect that they would have an edge when conducting their own job search. They spend their days sourcing candidates, screening resumes, determining (and negotiating) salary, and interviewing.  Considering their profession, they should know all of the tricks and be able to get a new position more quickly than people in other industries. Yet, as many people in HR know from personal experience, this is often not the case. Working with a job coach, specifically one experienced in the Human Resources field, can ensure that edge. First let’s look at a few different reasons for the disconnect from the two sides of the hiring desk.

People in HR have so much experience making the employment decisions that they completely forget what it is like to be on the other side. Here is where the inside tricks backfire. Anyone who has conducted interviews had certain answers that they were looking for. When HR people are in an interview they feel like they need to give that “right” answer rather than the honest answer that best describes them. A perfect example is the topic of compensation. Having presented compensation offers, they may know how much the limit is for most positions, but not know the negotiating tactics to obtain it for themselves.

Another weakness can come from a lack of objectivity. While people in all industries can struggle to articulate their accomplishments, it can happen to HR people more easily. People in human resources are very familiar with the process of hiring and the steps, but that is not that same as being able to nail an interview by clearly describing their talents and qualifications for a new position. Because of the illusion that they know exactly what to do in the job search, they often fail to recognize areas for improvement in the process.

Finally HR positions can be very competitive. Human resources positions are among the first to be eliminated during layoffs. After all, how much work can there be to do when a company has a hiring freeze? Even non-recruiting positions can be at risk when training budgets are slashed and benefits are reduced. This reality leads to an oversaturation of the market. Regardless of the state of the economy though, there are always jobs and you just need to know where to find them. As a coach, I recently worked with a client in HR that received interviews at eight companies. This many interviews is an accomplishment at any time, but especially in this time of layoffs. It is proof that the jobs are out there and a well conducted job search can yield results.

A career coach can let you know what the “rules of the game” are, and how you can use them for your own unique situation. While people in HR are experts in posting the jobs, they don’t always know where to find their own. A coach can target your search while also adding some tricks that rarely come up in a human resource job, like personal branding. Possibly most valuable, a career coach can serve as your accountability partner and cheerleader. He or she can keep you motivated and on track, identify and overcome obstacles, and guide you to develop a personally targeted plan. Some resources are available through career books and internet research, but if your job search isn’t going anywhere, or you need to get a new position fairly quickly, a career coach could be the solution for you.

Workouts at gym facilities should be fun! You are not required to perform every possible exercise available at your health club or gym. Plan to focus on completing one well-executed exercise for each muscle group.

Let’s take a look at each of the major muscle groups and one of the workouts. Gym equipment is different at each facility. But certainly you can find appropriate equipment at your gym to perform at least one appropriate exercise for each group. NOTE: If your gym does not have at least one machine to exercise each of the following muscle groups, you probably need to a find a better-equipped gym.

::: Abdominals ::: Practice your best posture when using an ab machine. Keep your abs tight, your neck straight, and your chest up. Focus on your abs as you crunch up and forward. Do not use your arms. The motion is not a sit up … it’s an ab crunch. Keep your lower back flat on the machine. Slowly lower the weight almost to the end, then reverse and slowly return to your beginning position.

::: Triceps ::: When you use the tricep machine (excellent for non gym workouts), you will again need to use correct posture while keeping your back pressed against the machine. Keep your abs tight, your chest up, and elbows in. Slowly lower the weight, making sure to keep your elbows in. Right before you straighten your elbows, gently stop and move the weight back up. When your elbows reach a 90 degree position, gently stop and move the weight back down.

::: Biceps ::: Sit upright on the biceps machine and keep your back pressed against the back pad. Keep your abs tight, your chest up, and elbows in. Anchor your elbows in one position on the pad. Focus on your biceps as you lift the weight straight up. Slowly lift the weight to a 90 degree angle then carefully lower it back down and stop when your elbows are straight, then lift the weight back up to a 90 degree angle.

::: Forearms :: You can use a resistance band hammer curl to work your forearms even in home gym workouts. Your feet and your grip should both be approximately the width of your shoulders. Keep your abs tight, your chest up, and knees bent. Keep your elbows in a stable position next to your sides. Your thumbs should be pointed forward as you lift the weight straight up. Slowly lift the weight to a 90 degree angle then carefully lower it back down and stop when your elbows are straight, then lift the weight back up to a 90 degree angle.

::: Shoulders ::: While sitting on a shoulder press, press your back against the back pad. Always try to keep your abs tight while bending your knees and relaxing your chest. Focus on your shoulders as you push the weight up. Slowly push up until your elbows are almost straight, then slowly reverse the motion. As soon as your elbows are in line with your shoulders, slowly reverse the motion and push the weight back up.

::: Chest ::: Using a chest press machine, press your back against the back pad. Always keep your abs tight and keep your shoulders down while keeping your chest up. Focus on bringing your elbows together while you push the weight out. Push out until your elbows are almost straight, then slowly reverse. When your elbows are in line with your shoulders, slowly reverse the motion and push the weight back up.

::: Legs ::: While sitting on a leg press machine, press your back against the back pad. . Always try to keep your abs tight while bending your knees and relaxing your chest. As you lower the weight, make sure your knees do not move above your toes. You will need to keep your hips back in order to accomplish this. Done properly, you should feel the weight between your hips and your knees. After you become comfortable, push the weight up. Right before your knees are straight, slowly reverse the motion.

::: Back ::: The latest workouts in gyms feature rowing machines. Try to focus on maintaining the natural arch in your back while you are seated on the rowing machine. Keep your abs tight, your chest up, and shoulders back. Bring your shoulder blades together as you pull the weight back. Pull until your elbows are in a straight line with your shoulders, then slowly reverse. Right before your elbows are straight, slowly reverse the motion.

Simply focus on completing one well-executed exercise for each muscle group ….. and keep your abs tight! Sometimes it helps to watch people performing an exercise so you can visualize the correct way to perform it. Take a look at these workouts gym videos …..