Meet Catherine Johns, successfully reinventing herself and creating rewarding professional opportunities.

“People reinvent themselves because their jobs, company or industry are evaporating or collapsing. Or, some people reach an age or level of experience when their current situations are not satisfying any longer. What was a good fit 20 years ago might not be working today.”

After 25 years as a radio personality – 18 years with WLS-AM in Chicago – working as a news anchor, reporter, talk show host and “side-chick” to other prominent radio personalities, Catherine had to find a new job. Since “I couldn’t imagine what I would do, I sought outside perspectives,” which led to the “chunking up and chunking down process.”

“Look at what you do. It’s a subset of what? In my case,” Catherine says, “radio personality is a subset of performer. Chunking up led me to consider: what other sort of performer could I be?” 

In chunking down, Catherine more specifically identified and cultivated her strengths and skills. For example, her communications experience includes reporting news, gathering information, finding the focus, interviewing and engaging guests and colleagues, being a team player, and always learning about presentation by observing others.

“Each of us has a set of qualities and we must put them in the context of ‘strengths’, applying them in new ways. You may not realize or appreciate that the things you do naturally or don’t think of as a big deal are actually skills that offer potential opportunities.”

More than 10 years later, Catherine has become a dynamic presentation skills trainer, coach and speaker. Her workshops and training sessions include Transition to What? Getting Over Getting Fired, Create a Compelling Presence, Make Your Elevator Speech Sparkle, and Create Rapport with Anyone Anytime. Catherine’s coaching sessions help individuals build their confidence and better present themselves “so that your intentions match the messages you send” whether researching new fields, networking, interviewing or starting a new position or company.

Today every job could be considered temporary, and we’re always in transition. However, reinvention or reinvesting in ourselves leads to new insights and possibilities.

•  Consider your professional and personal qualities and how they are or can become “strengths.”
• What other fields would value these strengths?
• Encourage feedback from friends, family members and colleagues…and learn from it.
• What activities motivate and totally engage you?

Start thinking, and for more information about how Catherine Johns helps professionals “build their businesses face-to-face,” head to: http://catherinejohns.com.  By the way, Catherine is currently involved in a temporary gig, co-hosting a blogtalkradio show?!

Ready for reinvention?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 21st, 2012 at 10:33 am and is filed under Communicating, First Person PR -- Yours. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.