Something to Think About Today
The Power of Positive Consulting
Expedites a Job Hunters' Search
By: Mary Anne Walsh, Ed.D.

In my capacity as a Five O' Clock Club Coach, I was recently asked which Five O' Clock Club technique I think was the most powerful. Power is about control. Without a doubt, when a client assumes the role of a consultant it is the single most important moment to seize control of the meeting. The benefits from wearing this hat all favor the client and usually compels the hiring manager to make an offer. Why is that so?

I am reminded of one of my favorite clients, Joe, who had an intense search while a member of my group. The first night that he joined he considered himself (as do most job hunters I might add) a lowly job hunter at best. The key is to change that thinking. This psychological barrier was removed when Joe learned to reframe his mindset to "act like a consultant." He had a few tricks that worked best for him. Actually writing "I am a consultant to Company X" helped him feel and act like one. Another trick he shared was to wear a cap that had the word "Consultant" on it.

He said that his reframing helped him bring to the interview the skills that made him successful in his previous jobs. It removed the "intimidation factor" and gave him confidence to focus on the problems critical to each organization. With this problem solving mindset he was able to set himself apart from his competition and have four job offers.

There has been other Five O' Clock Club clients who have been coached to act like a consultant and have shared the benefits of assuming this role. One client, Phil really struggled with interview phobia complete with a nervous tick. We focused on removing these barriers to success by helping him develop a problem-solving mindset. After doing extensive research about a particular company, he was fired up to enter the meeting in a brainstorming solutions mode. With each meeting he gained confidence and forgot about being nervous. This self-assurance won him a job in another industry.

Another client described her transformation as freeing her from fear. Fear had paralyzed her. We worked together to overcome the fear and replace it with developing a problem solving mindset. As it turned out she loved to solve problems and was brilliant at it. When she got the job of her dreams her new boss told her she won the position because of her ability to think on her feet during the interview.

In summary, this mindset showcases your authentic skills and abilities. Freedom from fear allows you to be yourself to engage in a dynamic interview process not a stiff contrived situation where you wait for the next question and hope you have the answer stored in your memory bank.