Have You Seen These Women?

4/27/2021

Have You Seen These Women? Their Future At Work Is Counting On Us.

by Shea Ki

News flash: Not every professional woman needs the type of holistic help and practical guidance I provide before their interview.

And thank goodness for that!

The more women who can authentically represent their best self and shine in the hot seat, the better. There is nothing I want more than for every woman to be able to speak with clarity, ease, and deep confidence about their professional value, especially when in a high stakes situation. Can you imagine how much more amazing the world of work would be?

But I know for sure we aren't there yet. Or even close. When we are, you can bet I'll close shop here at Upgrade My Interview™ and open up more of my time to teach Reiki, yoga and meditation classes.

I also know for sure that there are talented, highly skilled, and incredibly gifted women who are counting on people like me to keep doing this work. I see evidence of this through the texted thank you's from women I coach and the grateful DM's on my Instagram or LinkedIn from those who use the professional, holistic resources and interview tips that I offer.

Their satisfaction often runs deep as they know for sure they did everything that was within their control to make their interview a success. Each time this happens it opens new doors of opportunities worth celebrating!

But sometimes, possibilities of me doing other work come along. When I consider it, each time and almost instantly, the face of my young daughter flashes across my mind. I might think more about doing something else for a moment, but then I remember my mission. I want to see my girl, Autumn, enter a workforce very different than the one I have experienced.

I envision that in the future workforce she participates in, it will be the norm for women to own many more of the companies and lead most of the meetings and projects. I keep hope that she and women around her will be listened to fully as they easily express their ideas bravely, provide their opinions without apology, ask for better benefits and compensation, and share confidently in any moment about their professional value.

What if the world of work looked and felt like that consistently?

I am more clear than ever that my purpose is to help this vision be an accessible reality for her and many more. I do that by helping as many currently working women as I can learn how to communicate their message of professional value more effectively, clearly, and in a compelling way that leaves the interviewers wanting more. I then encourage each of them to teach and mentor those coming up behind them.

Over time, I know the impact will keep building and making a difference. I get so excited for women in the future world of work thinking about this Upgrade My Interview domino effect!

Lately, a friend's suggestion to me of creating a fun referral rewards program has me thinking more about who I most enjoy helping shine in the hot seat. My years of experience as a hiring manager, supervisor, and employment center developer brings a sensible, experienced perspective when I prepare and practice for an interview together with anyone. I have a long list of certifications and training in effective communication and public speaking and so much to share about how to use findings in behavioral and social science to win over others. But the part that I most enjoy is helping other women achieve an inner transformation in their personal growth that boosts their outer career journey to new heights.

I achieve this by bringing in holistic practices into my interview coaching sessions. I love it when those I interview coach are open to the benefits of how meditation, Reiki, oracle decks, and other spiritual practices help you tap into your authentic voice, build unshakable confidence, and have less stress for interviews.

"Most guidance for interview practice and prep focuses only on the external--what you are say, wear, and do in the hot seat. Much of it skips the inner work needed for interview success. This limits the chances of standing out in an authentic, positive way and feeling fully ready to go for more opportunities.

But when we embrace "woo-woo" for more win-wins at interviews, the whole game changes. We no longer find ourselves getting so stressed, making damaging mistakes, and self-sabotaging our moments in the spotlight." -Shea Ki

I enjoyed my conversation on The Afterlight Podcast with Lauren Grace where we discussed this deeper.

If you identify yourself as one of the professional women below, then we have SO much to talk about. That means you are a priority on my list of the types of female professionals that I am wired to help best.

Introverts Who Want To Lead With Divine Purpose Without Burning Out

Does one fo these women sound like you?

"I love sharing praise for other people and their achievements, but I struggle when it comes to a professional moment where I need to talk about mine."

"When the spotlight is on me, something switches inside me and I know the tension and un-ease interferes with how I present myself."

The differences between extroverts and introverts get explained incorrectly way too often. Susan Cain, author of one of my favorite books, "Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can't Stop Talking" helps us understand, introversion does not always equal shy. They can overlap, but the differences between introverts and extroverts is much more about what fuels or drains a person's energy.

As Susan Cain states in her New York Times bestselling book,
"Introverts are drawn to the inner world of thought and feeling, extroverts to the external life of people and activities. Introverts focus on the meaning the make of the events swirling around them; extroverts plunge into the events themselves. Introverts recharge their batteries by being along; extroverts need to recharge when they don't socialize enough."

Although unintentionally, many interviews by nature are usually set up to play more towards an extroverts tendencies and not an introvert's strengths. This unfortunately isn't changing anytime soon, so I make sure to equip introverts with as much tips, support, and strategies as I can. I often rely on my being a nerd in communications research, social psychology principles, and science-based stress reduction techniques to help introverts feel true to themselves during an interview while also giving a memorable, engaging impression.

Are you signed up to receive free Upgrade My Interview resources yet?

Empaths Or Highly Sensitive Souls Who Desire To Serve Their Highest Good

Does one fo these women sound like you?

"I am not sure if I'd do that again. That interview drained me so much. I didn't feel fully myself again for a few days."

"I want to be of more service professionally, but moving forward or making a change seems so scary and overwhelming to me. I know I hold myself back."

Being an empath can be an amazing blessing and sometimes an obstacle. Not sure this is you? I like this free, fast questionnaire by Dr. Judith Orloff you can do to find out. Many people I provide interview coaching for do not realize how this is holding them back in the hot seat until we do my Interview Fitness Assessment.

Those who identify they are HSP (highly sensitive person) also deal with a superpower that can also often get in their way to success, especially in work life. This post can help you confirm if this describes you: 21 Signs You Are A Highly Sensitive Person.

When we have knowledge and understanding like this about ourselves AND get the right support, it becomes SO much easier to make progress on achieving better interview experiences.

What doors would open if you felt more clarity and genuine confidence during interviews?

Conscious Creatives Who Want Support To Share Their Story With More Ease

Does one fo these women sound like you?

"I'm not comfortable being the face for what I do, but I think I could get better at with guidance. It would open up doors if I enjoyed being in the hot seat and looked forward to the spotlight."

"I'm starting out or making a pivot in the work I provide. It is a less traditional path. It would help to learn and practice what types of stories about myself are best to share for gaining traction in it and rebuilding my network."

"I am not one for scheduling things consistently and tend to follow the flow more. I know I would show up better for interviews if I knew the right steps to prepare and structure to bring to it."

As a recent article I read notes, creatives are the "superpower of the workforce". Creativity plays a much needed role in fueling critical thinking and problem solving skills. But many of those pursuing creative roles or self-employment in untraditional fields have NOT had training and support to be able to craft their story and present it in a way that fuels their work with demand.

It will be amazing what happens when you know which engagement strategies are right for your temperment to build up an audience or client base.

Anxiety Sufferers Who Realize They Have A Higher Mission

Anxiety is often a sneaky, slippery beast that hides so very well. Over time, it is like a shape-shifter and we might not even know how much damage and toxic energy it is making us waste.

The inner struggle that anxiety builds up within is one of the leading causes of:

imposter syndrome that blocks our best self from being put forward
procrastination that holds us back from preparing for big moments properly
analysis paralysis where we want so much to change our work situation but find reasons to not go for it

Not all types of anxiety need therapeutic support, but as someone with a Masters in Counseling I will always be an advocate for getting that extra help. I have found when a client's momentum in their career has been stuck for awhile, partnering with their mental health therapist, counselor, or other support that is part of their team for well-being moves things along with upgrading interview skills so much faster.

Below are the types of anxious thoughts I am often uncovering or addressing as a holistic Interview Fitness Coach.

Does one of these women sound like you?

You worry often about failure or success
"Can I really handle going for this career move?"

"What if they find out I don't feel like I deserve it?"

"So much is riding on this. If I mess it up, it's over."

You overthinking and usually talk yourself out of making a change
"There are so many others who will share about the same skills or solutions that I offer."

"What if preparing for this interview is a waste of my time? I'm spread pretty thin already."

You are high-achieving on the outside but paying an intense cost on the inside
"My friends, family, and co-workers see me as a high-achiever, someone who has so much going for them. They don't know that I often feel like a mess and not good enough under the surface."

"I haven't had to talk about my qualifications and success stories in awhile. I think that is why I keep putting off going for new opportunities."

Spiritually Guided Women Who Desire Their Career Dreams To Manifest

I agree that if you ask your higher source, it is given, as the beloved Abraham Hicks teaches. But often the roadblock in the way of shining in the hot seat is ourselves, no matter how much yoga, vision boarding, or energy work we do. It takes being open to the support of cooperative components around us to clear the path and allow our desires in.

You reading this is beautiful evidence that you are getting allowing more of what you need to make your dream career vision a reality.

You know things come to you easier when the work to bring them to fruition is joyful and fun. Interview prep is very rarely on the top of anybody's list of what brings joy and fun. But I love helping to change that.

Partnering with women like you, who I often see as light workers, is such a privilege that I don't take for granted.

I love that you GET it.

You understand right away that it's me + you + a higher source in each interview coaching session. This trio is also such a powerful force for amping up the power of the holistic interview coaching I provide. I customize the resources and support based on your needs. I make sure we start off each coaching session together from a place of being "tuned in and tapped on". edit.

Does one of these women sound like you?

"I love how in alignment I feel during yoga or my morning meditation. I wish I could carry more of that into interviews, but something often blocks it."

"I realize it is time I added on to my team of support so I can allow in more of the career triumphs I envision for myself. I can see the right interview coach would help begin this beautiful unfolding in wonderful ways. "

"I desire to learn how to talk about my professional with more ease, clarity, and confidence. I know it will help me make more income and impact so I can best serve others."

It is an honor when you chose to work with me. Preparing and practicing by yourself for interviews is not a bad first step, but it doesn't unlock your potential like coaching does. I provide you with constructive, actionable feedback so you improve fast. Besides helping you craft your message and success stories, I quickly detect if you are speaking from a natural place of alignment and ease or forcing it and losing your powerful connection. The later happens to all of us, no matter how many years of experience in the hot seat we have. But the more you strengthen your interview muscle, the sooner you can recover and get back to joyfully and confidently talking about your strengths, skills, and other valuable offerings.

THAT type of energy we build together is positively contagious and attracts opportunity like no other!

I help you take what can be learned on the yoga mat, in guided meditations, during Reiki, with acupressure, and other mind-body-spirit tools and teach you how to apply it to upgrade your interview. This ensures you will transform interview stress to success because you will represent your best, authentic self in the hot seat every time.

Learn how to be the difference you wish to see. Other women are counting on it.

If you are one of these women mentioned above or you know one of them, you can help make a positive impact in the workforce of tomorrow by sharing this blog post with them.

And if YOU are one of these women, I know first hand how stressful and overwhelming it feels when you are going about interview prep without support.

I help best women mentioned in this post best because at one time or another, I have been each of these types of professionals myself. I also know how easy it is to get lost in internet's endless load of content about getting ready for an interview. Some of it is helpful, but deep down you know that career or self-employment success doesn't have to be such a hard struggle. A better way begins with YOU choosing to make your interview prep easier and enjoyable.

I wish I had the help of someone years ago who had a high level education in communications, certified trainings in guiding others in their career journey, and a behind the scenes perspective of how the hiring, promoting, and self-employed/small business growth systems work.

But even more than that, I would have benefitted greatly from a holistic method to upgrade my interview skills. If I had been more aware and supported on how best to apply spiritual practices to tap into my inner guide before, during, and after an interview, it would have helped so much. I could have saved time, attracted enjoyable opportunities, boosted my earnings, and been a healthier leader in the workforce much sooner.

Most of all, a holistic interview coach would have prevented so much of the taxing burn-out before and after interviews that I experienced before I knew how to do better.

This is why I am so passionate about:

teaching you natural, quickly accessible ways to deal with the stress of interviews instead of taking on the burden alone and holding back on your potential

boosting your courage to explore opportunities, go on more interviews, and reframe failure

expanding your ability to trust more deeply that you will know what to say and when/how to say it

objectively assessing your values, strengths and experience so you can concretely and powerfully describe what problems you solve and why

making sure you know the latest science-backed techniques on how to influence the energy, conversation and decisions of the room

building your inventory of compelling stories that leave the interviewers wanting more of what assets you bring to the table

helping you clearly see and take full ownership of your unique value proposition while providing an action plan of what next best steps to take to have an incredible interview

equipping you with what works to maintain your well-being and drive to keep going no matter the outcome of an interview

If these benefits of working with me sound like your cup of herbal tea/wine/coffee, be sure you are subscribed to receive my monthly emails. That is the best way to stay updated on opportunities I have coming up to work with me, including a free 5 Day Upgrade My Interview Adventure. Plus, subscribing lets me send you right away a one page document that has a bunch of my most popular, holistic resources. That way you have holistic tools to boost your interview success on hand whenever you need them.