What do you think it means to live a healthy and productive life?
I think this means different things to different people. To me, living a healthy and productive life is about looking after my physical, mental, emotional and spiritual self as well as contributing to the world in a positive way. Productive contribution, may be as simple as raising a well-adjusted child who also goes on to be a productive member of society, and I believe it also involves contributing to the lives of who you meet in a positive way.
I feel I can be productive through my work, in helping others and through friendships and relationships. Being there for other people, helping others, setting good standards, modelling good behaviour. Through this, accomplishments and other material things can be manifested – though I feel that at the heart of being productive is having positive connections with others. This may not necessarily be aligned with conventional ideas of ‘success’ or material wealth.
As we live longer, what do you imagine the next 20 years of your life could look like?
I imagine, that I will continue to create a satisfactory work/life balance, I see myself using my wisdom more to help influence others around me in a positive way. I see myself continuing to contribute to society, whether I remain in in paid employment and/or have a presence on committees or networks that are aligned to my ideology. I see myself having a strong bond with my daughter and having the time to spend with her as she matures and attends high school, university, has relationships of her own.
I aim to be continuously learning, growing and responding to the changing world around me, by keeping abreast of technology and remaining in touch with the wider perspectives and shifts in the global community.
As part of the WiserLife network, what area do you specialise in?
I specialise in Resume Writing for WiserLife.
How do you incorporate ideas of living a healthy and productive life when you work with clients?
In my business, I use the opportunities I have to broaden my clients’ perspectives on job seeking. If they are at the interview stage, I ensure we discuss a range of external factors that may affect their performance. I ask them what they may do to relax in order to perform at their best. We talk a bit about lifestyle, and getting enough rest, being prepared in every aspect so that when they come to the interview they are focused. One thing I get my clients to do, is to use creative visualisation. I advise them to start seeing themselves doing really well in the interview. I also ask them why they are applying for the job, how it fits in with their values and broader life expectations, in order to get them in touch with this aspect themselves. When clients are acutely aware of how this job is aligned with their values, they perform much better and are more likely to succeed.
What are some of the challenges clients face trying to achieve their goals?
Clients are usually challenged by their mindset or skillset.
They may have fixed ideas of how things should be, or how they will get to their end goal. They may not be willing to explore other options, or just be completely unaware of different ways to approach their jobsearch. This can be worked through by having discussions with the client and trying to see where a change in mindset may be required that will allow for some movement in the right direction.
On the other hand, they may be just applying for work that is highly competitive and they do not have the required experience, or enough to match the other applicants who are also applying for the same position. This can be more challenging for clients, as they may not be able to ‘get that break’ they need to gain the experience and skills. Further training may not necessarily be the answer. Usually I work with them to find other ways to gain experience, or perhaps to seek an interim role while they
look to establish broadening their networks.
What common traits do you see in people that are living a healthy and productive life?
I think people who are really successful at living a healthy and productive life are in harmony with their values and their actions. They tend to look after themselves physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. They know their limits but they are also prepared to work hard for what they believe in.
They tend to be very consistent in their actions and usually hard working and resilient to life’s challenges.
They know themselves well, are not afraid to take risks or to fail and if they do fail – they learn from their mistakes. Healthy and productive people are serious about what they believe in but do not take themselves seriously. They work to their strengths and usually have a positive influence on those around them. They are usually good at finding the support they need from others where they may not necessarily have the skills.
What nugget of advice do you give your clients?
I give many pearls of wisdom to clients! It depends on who I am working with and their needs. Yesterday, I was discussing with a client how to get some clarification from her interview, in a way that would meet her needs so that she could move on and learn from the situation. I was advising her to identify ‘what did you learn from this experience?’ and ‘what will your next step be in order to get you to your goal?’.
I often tell clients to ‘always be looking for work’. Even if they are happy in their job. It is important to be aware of what is happening in the job market, and it is always better to be looking for work out of pure interest rather than desperation. That is probably one of the most important pieces of advice I give. In that, I also recommend them to perform at their best, as they never know who is watching, ‘who knows who’, who may be a potential resource in the future, and I always recommended they
utilise their networks and contacts as this is the most successful way of finding work.
Ginetta Papaluca is owner of Resumes That Work, With over 20 years experience in the industry, she has built a successful nationwide tailored resume and Linkedin service. www.resumesthatwork.net.au