Jeff Altman: Some of My Back Story
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
I was asked to answer a few questions by WAHStory because of work I’ll be doing for an affiliated service. The original post appeared here
Building an Early Foundation:
I don’t think there was anything in my childhood that was relevant to what I do now. I was someone who played sports, went to school and graduated with a useless degree that required me to scramble and find a job after graduating from college. It wasn’t until my late 30s or early 40s that I finally decided to get out of my comfort zone, stop relentless searching and planning, and getting into the action mode. Even then, I thought of becoming a psychotherapist in private practice. I had the good fortune of meeting my wife in graduate school. We got married, adopted our son and raised him before I returned to the idea of leaving recruiting and becoming a coach.
Beyond the Barricades:
Transforming the Coaching Culture with ‘The Big Game Hunter’:
People need external allies to open up to. Too many people hold onto their fears, failures and stress of life and need someone to help release this pressure. They need someone to ask questions, learn useful strategies and provide solutions to their challenges. Yes, many can do this by themselves however; the process becomes much easier and relieving with the help of a coach. Years ago, I was working with a successful business owner in New York who described the pressure he was holding onto. “Where do you feel the pressure?” I asked. He pointed to his abdomen. “You need to find a way to release the pressure you’re holding onto before it eats you up from the inside.” That is where the cancer appeared. He died within 18 months.
Sources of Powerful Lessons:
When I think of the guidance that was most helpful, it is the awareness that there is rarely just one right way to do things and learning from polar opposites can be incredibly helpful! One of my favourites is a mentor who was a polar opposite of me in many ways; we learned from one another and that helped both of us.
Life Mantra for aspiring Leaders:
Listen more. Speak less. Nowadays, people tend to only hear their own voices and miss the beauty of hearing another’s voice and realizing the power of listening!
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 2300 episodes. He also hosts Job
Search TV on YouTube, and Amazon, as well as on BingeNetworks.tv for Apple TV and 90+ smart sets.
I do a livestream on LinkedIn, YouTube (on the JobSearchTV.com account) and on Facebook (on the Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter page) Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 PM Eastern. You can send your questions about job search, hiring better, management, leadership or to get advice about a workplace issue to me through LinkedIn’s messaging .You can also message me through chat during the approximately 30 minute show.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching? People hire me to provide No BS career advice whether that is about a job search, hiring better, leadership, management or support with a workplace issue. Please click here to see my schedule to book a free discovery call or schedule time for coaching.
My courses are available on my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us/courses The courses include ones about Informational Interviews, Interviewing, final interview preparation, salary negotiation mistakes to avoid, the top 10 questions to prepare for on any job interview, and starting a new job.
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