Hannah Morgan

Executive Jobs Worsened in 2008?

The classic question, how long will it take me to find a job can be answered most simply with "Longer than you want".  Yet the general calculation of 1 month per $10K of your salary tends to be a good guideline.  In the 2009 ExecuNet Survey, they tracked executives time to find a new job...

 

What this points out is that it is taking longer today than it has before, so plan accordingly.  The other key factor to consider is that most Executives have really, really, really, strong networks.  73% attribute landing their next job via their well nurtured network. 

The other insight to come from this study is the prediction of emerging growth industries (based on search firm assignments).

Healthcare
Clean/Green Technology
Pharmaceutical/Medical/Biotech
Energy/Utilities
Business Services

Guess what else the study found?  Finally, there has been a small decrease in salary levels of Executives!

Executive level job search is truly no different than anyone else.  That is why this quote is so important:

"You should identify your core competencies, know who you are and sell yourself as a solution," Franzoni counsels. "Efficiency is a competency. Demonstrate to a target company how you can make money and save money and you’ll be a double threat to the competition. Tie ‘green’ into your efficiency methods and you’ll create sustainable career options."

 

Your Marketing Plan

You are a product and a service.  Despite what you may think, an employer is going to buy you or not based on your features and benefits (mostly benefits).

How you package and disseminate this information is one of the few things you CAN control in your job search. 

Your Marketing Plan lays out the following:

• Functions you excel at
• Statement of your benefits (summary of qualifications or elevator speech)
• Market preferences (industries, geographic locations, size of company)
• List of target companies

Creating this document is going to help you clarify where you want to go to prevent the "spray and pray" approach to selling.  You have targets!

However, you will need to explain to your specific audience how you want them to use your plan which you have placed in front of them.  The HOW is dependent on whom you are speaking.  Here are some different scenarios:

Past co-worker: 
Ask them for additional job titles they have seen that are similar to what you do "What else are they calling what we do out there?"

Neighbor/family/friend:  
Ask them to provide you with names of people they know in your target companies "Do you know anyone I could speak to at any of these companies?  I am looking for information on what it is like to work there?"

Someone inside a target company:
Ask to have them review your summary of qualifications/elevator speech.  "Do you think this background might be of value within your company?" and/or "Does this sound like something your company might be interested in?"

Hiring Manager or above:
Ask them where they think your background may be of value "Where do you think this background might fit within your company?"  "Do you know any other companies that might have a need for this type of experience?"

That is why your Marketing plan has to be very well crafted and thought out. It has to do a very good job of spelling out what makes you unique and specifically what skills you bring to the table.  

  

 

 FYI, if this looks like someone you would like to hire, contact me for their information!

Resiliency- Three Ways to Increase Your Range of Motion

 

How flexible are you?  Do you feel like an old rubber band or Gumby? 

Resiliency, I realize, is more than flexibility.  Webster defines it as:

tending to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

When we don't stretch the muscles in our bodies they tend to loose their range of motion.  I am pretty sure the same can be said for our minds...if we are not stretching/exercising our thinking what happens?  Think about stretching your career muscles.  Expand your range of motion.  Really, what does this mean? 

First, don't wait for a layoff to begin training for a marathon.  My neighbor is training for a triathlon in the Fall (it isn't even June yet).  She will begin swimming in the cold waters of Canandaigua lake within the next couple of weeks.  Could this be like the employed worker testing the waters of the job market?  Set a goal and figure out how you need to reach it.  Start early.

Second, Get in the pond and build relationships with the other fish.  If you are serious about your career, you'll want to be the big fish in a little pond.  In order to do that, you'll want to know who the other fish are.  Play nicely and differentiate yourself.

Third, Do something that scares you every day.  Or at least step out of your comfort zone every day.  It can be as simple as driving another route work, reading a different type of book, listening to a new radio station, trying new eye glasses.

When you are in crisis, your resiliency is lower.  It is helpful to have some existing level of resiliency prior to heading into crisis.  However, it is never too late to begin training for your next marathon.  Whatever you do, do not become comfortable. 

"One doesn't discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time"  Andre Gide

Additional thanks to Jason Alba for his inspiring post My Calf, My Career, Your Career.

It Is Going to Take More Than A Slick Resume

What else will you need to stay marketable in the future? That's fun to think about.  The resume is so static and employers don't even really like looking at them.

That's why LinkedIn is so helpful to employers.  It allows them to see who you are more fully.  Of course they only want to find people who will fit in their company and who have the talent they think they are looking for.

Once part of LinkedIn, join groups, comment, share information and get recommendations!

Don't stop there.  Have you googled yourself?  What comes up?  Anything?  What can you do to change this?  Comment on blogs- add your expertise (carefully of course).  If you want, you could start blogging.

Do you have a website?  A domain with your name?  This can also make you easier to find.  What would you put on your website?

LinkedIn profile link, resume, sample work, links to articles you've written or presentations you've made, links to articles written about your work.  Video of you in action.  There are tons of options.   Louise Fletcher at Blue Sky Resumes posted this over the top, yet funny post related to this.

As technology changes, we also need to think about how we need to change with it to maximize our self-promotion.

Hop on the Social Media Bus?

Could it be as simple as it seems?  Joining free virtual networks to share information with people you have something in common with?

A while back I read an article I saw tweeted on Twitter.  10 Ways Social Media Will Change in 2009.  It is an interesting review of what needs to change.

The author, Ravit Lichtenberg, makes a couple of observations:

"Meaning and connection -- two key anchors of all things social media -- are corroding by the day as people's ability to organize their experiences and find the relevance of their networks declines. Social media, in essence, is bumping up against its own ceiling, no longer able to serve the needs of those living within its walls; and for these reasons, social media as we know it is changing course."

"Social media has forever changed the way people use technology to interact with others, but it can no longer satisfy people's needs in its current form and must change course".

We will surely see some interesting changes over the next year as companies and individuals do more than just do it, but implement strategies and truly usable interfaces.

As egocentric as we are, these social networks offer learning opportunities as well. And remember, you don't know what you don't know.  It isn't too late or too early to take a ride. 

Worthwhile Work

Kenneth Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles wrote the classic "Gung Ho".  It is a business fable with an inspiring moral.

By using the characteristics associated with these three animals to serve as a model for a successful company, they have left an indelible mark in my head and heart of what is important and what an organization should strive to be. 

The Spirit of the Squirrel

The Way of the Beaver

The Gift of the Goose  

The squirrel represents worthwhile work.  Think about that industrious squirrel gathering nuts all summer long so it will have food for the winter.  The squirrel understands the importance of what he must do.  He also has to be WANT to do it. 

The beaver represents doing the job well independently. He builds those beautiful dams without anyone telling him what to do or when. The beaver is driven by a clear message.  

The goose doesn't fly alone. When flying in a "V" formation, the geese at the back of the "V" honk as if to say "Keep on flying, we're going great".  We all need a little cheering and some words of encouragement.

Each of us has the responsibility of creating a work environment that incorporates these principles.  Finding organizations with all three can be challenging however.  So when it is lacking one of the animal's characteristics, be the goose, beaver or squirrel and create a culture you'll be proud to be a part of.

Need a summary:  you can read The CEO Refresher.

Commencement

The definition of commencement is a ceremony marking the beginning of a stage.  How perfect. It has a nice ring to it.  There are about 1.31 million people graduating from college according to the BLS. (Well, that is a projected number, I guess it is as close as we can estimate.) These 1.31 million added to the 13 million laid off equal over 14 million people beginning a stage.   

14 million people are jumping into a new world of work.  A world that no one can accurately forecast.

 However, there is one definite, stable employer hiring right now.  The earth!

In Paul Hawkins' commencement address to University of Portland grads, he puts forth new challenges to these graduates.

Hawkins says:

"Basically, the earth needs a new operating system, you are the programmers, and we need it within a few decades." 

No pressure there.  We are focusing our sights on health care, educational services and technology.  We, the oblivious, self absorbed workforce.  What we are ignoring is the bigger picture.  Without a planet to live on, none of those things will matter.

Hawkins reminds us that:

"This planet came with a set of operating instructions, but we seem to have misplaced them. Important rules like don’t poison the water, soil, or air, and don’t let the earth get overcrowded, and don’t touch the thermostat, have been broken."

There are millions of people in the world working together behind the scenes.  Their mission: 

"Rather than control, it seeks connection. Rather than dominance, it strives to disperse concentrations of power."

 

The finale in Hawkins address can't be summarized, so I have quoted him directly. 

"Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would become religious overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead the stars come out every night, and we watch television.

This extraordinary time when we are globally aware of each other and the multiple dangers that threaten civilization has never happened, not in a thousand years, not in ten thousand years. Each of us is as complex and beautiful as all the stars in the universe. We have done great things and we have gone way off course in terms of honoring creation. You are graduating to the most amazing, challenging, stupefying challenge ever bequested to any generation. The generations before you failed. They didn’t stay up all night. They got distracted and lost sight of the fact that life is a miracle every moment of your existence. Nature beckons you to be on her side. You couldn’t ask for a better boss. The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hopefulness only makes sense when it doesn’t make sense to be hopeful. This is your century. Take it and run as if your life depends on it."

 

Marketing and Job Search

So why is it so hard to implement a strategy for launching a product?  Why do more than 80% of start-up businesses fail within the first year?  Why is finding a job so difficult right now?

Could it be the common thread/link is that the target audience has not been defined? 

Your needing a job doesn't equal an employer's need to hire.  They are not in business to create jobs. Therefore, you will need to identify companies that need you for your talent and that seems are difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. 

There is not a one-step solution to finding a job.  Job search has required multiple, well implemented actions.

FIRST:

• ID companies
• Research the companies
• Identify their "pain" or needs
• Spin your talents to be a solution to their needs

SECOND:

• Network and make connections 
• Develop an awareness of YOU

THIRD:

• Pitch your solution to those that buy (ie hire)
• Be prepared for rejection

Most frequently, leads for giving our pitch come from unexpected contact. It isn't the person we were speaking to but someone they talked to about us, that provides the opportunity for conversation.

The success of your self-marketing is hinged on all three steps being well thought out and expertly deployed. 

Seth Godin blogged about realizing that we are not our target audience.  When you are spinning your talents, what that means is taking what you are good at doing (successful too) and presenting it in writing so that others would see the value and want to buy it.  Don't just dump history and expect people will see the connection to their own problems.

Personal Branding Blog  blogged on educating those on the outskirts of your target audience on how to best use blogs and twitter.  Perhaps those that most need your services, don't know it yet.  By educating them, there may be the opportunity in the near future that they will see why they need you.

Keep planting seeds in fertile soil and remember to water them.

How's the Search Going?

Are you pleased with the number of phone calls and interviews you've had since your job ended?

How many resumes are you sending out?  How many new people are you meeting per week?  How many recruiters have you met with? How many target companies have you identified?  I hope you can specifically answer these questions.  All you need to do next to improve your search is increase most of those numbers.

Is there a reason you find this difficult to do?   What is getting in the way? 

By identifying your obstacles, you'll be better able to overcome them.  You can:

Ask for support and/or motivation by finding an accountability coach.  This is a valued friend who will check in with you.

Ask for ideas or advice from a past colleague or manager.

Whatever you do, don't depend on family to be these for you.  That's a very difficult spot to put them in.  Their as scared and frustrated as you are.  It is, however, very important to keep them updated on what you are doing and how your search is going.  Don't lie.  You can let them know you are frustrated/discouraged/mad and would like their emotional support. Be careful about asking for more than that.

If you need professional advice, expect to pay for the good stuff.  Remember, you get what you pay for. Ask other people in your profession for recommendations on finding a career coach or other professional help.  If you are depressed or experiencing anxiety and it doesn't feel right, you might need to engage in some professional counseling.  Don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask.

Remember to always take care of YOU.  Positive thoughts spawn positive results. Trite but true!

3 Million Jobs Available

There are 13 million people unemployed and employers have 3 million vacancies they can't fill...what's wrong with this picture?

I've found a new favorite blog, Careerealism, by JT O'Donnell.  Please go visit.  The advice and information I have seen there so far is wonderful. She is by no means new at this, just new to me.  

In her recent post, she cites a great Business Week article, "Help Wanted:  Why that's A Bad sign".  It looks at the gaps that exists between the job seekers and the employers.  Careerealism's digest of this article is simpler to read.  She points out:

"Two things will need to occur:

1) Job seekers are going to need to take lesser-paying jobs as part of a ‘course correction’ for their career paths that will eventually lead to better pay and longer-term employability.

2) Companies are going to need to expand and improve their on-the-job training and succession planning so they can hire talent which are a 50% fit and develop them instead holding out for the 90% fit that will never knock on their door."

This isn't something either want to hear. Yet, it is most likely going to happen.

So bite the bullet, guys and gals, and start today by making the changes necessary to transition.  Not sure where to start?

Self assessment!  Then go off and do your research.  Find careers or occupations or industries that have the potential to excite you.

Anything healthcare related or green.  You don't need to be providing direct care, but somewhere supporting it.  Green jobs are emerging, and most likely will continue for awhile.  There is even a website for greenjobs.

Re-tooling Might Mean Schooling

When was the last time you sat in a classroom?  That long?  Perhaps it's time to upgrade your skills. 

The first step is to determine which skills are in-demand or that you might be lacking.  Go to indeed.com and enter your desired job title, also remove the location search criteria because you will want to read a lot of job postings for this type of job.  As you review the postings, what are the skills and technology that appear most often.  Do you have them?  Are you confident about your abilities in those areas?  If not, you are ready for the next step. 

The second step is to research which schools or education providers in your area offer classes/courses on these lacking skills.  Start by looking at the community colleges and expand from there.  On-line training providers might be an option, but look at them later and I'll explain why.  On-line training typically won't qualify for the grant money mentioned below.

The third step is to meet with someone (face to face is best) from the school and talk about their classes/courses. Remember that their motivation is to sell you the classes, so be a little wary of the information they provide.

The fourth step is to speak with people in your occupation about the importance of these skills and try and validate some of the information the school/training provider told you about.

If all is lining up and you receive confirmation that these skills are in demand, then visit you local "one-stop".  They "are designed to provide a full range of assistance to job seekers under one roof. The centers offer training referrals, career counseling, job listings, and similar employment-related services. Customers can visit a center in person or connect to the center's information through PC". 

There are training grants (free money) for people who have determined the training they will need.  There are numerous requirements and restrictions on how the money can be spent and who will qualify, but heck, it is free! 

The grant money is a one time, use it all or lose it deal.  You will want to identify ALL the training/classes/courses that would help you in re-tooling before you meet with the one-stop staff member.

In most or all cases, you will need to register with the one stop to meet with a staff member. 

The grant money is federal money and right now, in Rochester, the amount available for someone who has been laid off from their job is as high as $7,500. 

It is worth investigating!

Avoid 3 Traps of the On-line Job Application

More and more companies are requiring you to complete an on-line job application as part of the hiring process. Why, because they can.  But also because they won't have to pay someone to do data entry, you've done it for them (that can be the positive).

The application is a weeding out tool.  Perhaps employers won't admit it, but, they are looking for certain things that would result in your elimination from the pack. 

Before I list those three traps, remember that the application must also contain the right "buzz words" or "key words".  There is no dictionary or thesaurus for these words, it is easier than that.  The words the employer searches for are generally the words used in the job posting.  Simple.  Just as you are entering in key words or job titles into www.indeed.com, so are they entering in key words to find the best applicants. 

This also means you will want to type in as much quality stuff as possible.  Don't take short cuts. 

OK, so you are entering the easy stuff:  name, address, telephone, email address... and then you come to

ONE:  "What are your salary requirements?" 

You try in vain to skip to the next question, but it won't let you. Darn, you'll have to put a number in. Shoot, what number do you put?  What you really want, how much you were paid in you last job, a low-ball number?  Maybe.  There isn't an easy answer for this.  The answer depends on many things.  Industry, occupation, competition in both, company and the alignment of the moon and stars. 

The answer will require that you step back and do some research.  Talk to people in your occupation, ideally in that company, use salary calculators and talk to recruiters in that field.  Ask for advice from people.

With this information in hand, pick a mid-point.  The mid point would be a salary you would accept for this job plus some.  Sure, nice and easy.  It isn't.  The idea is to put a number in there that you would be ok with and that the employer finds within their range. 

All this is predicated on the skills and requirements of the job.  It isn't about you.  How many years of experience is the job posting requiring?  That's the biggest clue as to the level of salary the employer expects to pay.

With this question answered, you move onto the Work History section. 

Read the instructions carefully.  Employers and jobs are not the same.  If the instructions state: "List Employers"  that is what you need to do.  So list the employers you have had within the last 10-15 years.  Remember, the instructions didn't specify how far back to go. This is your choice.  If the instructions state:  "List every position", then list each job you had with each employer. Be sure to break down employment by different jobs within a large company to show adaptability and ability to change. 

But then the application asks for

TWO:  salary information for previous jobs. 

Why, because they can.  Truly, it is none of their business how much you were paid before.  That is between you and the IRS.  But being a good "instruction follower" you'll provide a number for them if it doesn't hurt your chances.  If the number is too high, you could be out.  How can you downplay this number?  You could put your starting salary in that position/job assuming that you received raises and made more at the end.  Whatever you do, do NOT lie.  That will not work. 

Phew, now it is on to the question

Three: "Reason for leaving". 

Sometimes you'll have pull down options.  Sometimes you'll type it in.  Keep it positive and short.  Always use the most positive response, not the absolute truth.  If you were fired, but it was due to a difference of opinion when new management took over, would you choose:

a) Fired
b) Personal
c) Position eliminated
d) Change in management

The answer could be... c) Position eliminated or d) Change in management.

Applications will ask if you know someone in the company.  Make sure this person knows you are applying before you include their name.  Also make sure they are in good standing with the company.  Name dropping can be a real plus. 

As always, if you can find someone inside the company to send your resume to or who is willing to be a "champion" for you, use them too!  Filling out application after application will tend to result in a lack-luster response.  Take the extra step and get the resume to the right person. Better yet, you should have identified this employer as a target and been in contact BEFORE the job was posted.

Staying Ahead of the Curve

 Think about the top Fortune 500 companies for a second.  Well, maybe not all of them, but the automakers, IBM, Xerox, Kodak, those guys.  They were running profitable businesses for long time.  They were utilizing lean principles, six sigma, and other quality initiatives.  They probably also were committed to implementing and sharing "best practices". 

In this rapidly changing world, what these mammoths were unable to to was implement really new ideas.  To do this would require innovation and risk taking beyond what they were capable of.  Katie Konrath wrote a post on Personal Branding Blog citing CK Pralahad's opinion on the topic of innovation.

"Unfortunately, when a company gives all their focus to “best practices”, they actually set themselves up for failure in the future. Why?  Because the very thing that makes them improve (intense internal focus) is what hurts them in the long run".

Pralahad calls the innovation "next practices". We have to be able to see the forest through the trees.  Looking ahead and outside instead of intense internal focus. Not just as a business but as individuals also. 

Continuous improvement and best practices are important. However, mixing in some innovation is also necessary. 

Manage your career as if you were an innovative business.  Strive to create excellent customer service, push the boundaries of what that means.  Be passionate about the work you do.  Manage spending and budgets like it was your own money.  CareerSuccess! has a helpful post on thinking like a business which is truly worth the read.  It talks about the nine elements of successful business:

Demonstrate passion
Provide outstanding customer service
Take caring of your people
Exceed expectations
Go the extra mile
Create systems
Look for opportunities to improve
Be frugal
Look to the future

We are all now responsible for managing our careers.  Develop the tools required to take your business to the next level!

Having a Role in Your Community

Well, it took about 15 years for me to get here, but I made it.  Where?  To a place where I am connected to my community.  I was raised in a family who played active roles in their community so I knew how it should feel.  It is just hard to do when you are a transplant.  It takes time to develop relationships and trust and a feeling of belonging.  It also requires a focused commitment.  You have to want it.  Where was I focused for the first 15 years?  Me, my work, my co-workers.  Was I satisfied, well, I thought I was. And I felt like I was on the right track.  It was very one dimensional.

Feeling connected for me is walking in to a store or a church and knowing people by their names and having them know mine.  It means talking with someone you see once a week like they were a long lost cousin, with something to catch up on and never a loss of words.  That is very difficult for me, being a self diagnosed introvert.

Having a role in your community can be as simple as feeling connected.  It doesn't mean you are leading, it just means you are present. 

There was a horrific tragedy in the high school in my town almost two weeks ago and I had been observing from the outside; watching the media, reading the paper, talking to parents.  It wasn't until yesterday, I felt the true magnitude of what had happened.  With tears streaming down my face, I listened to the man who was active in managing the aftermath of the event.  It wasn't a press conference so he had let down his guard.  He spoke eloquently and with emotion.  He was supported and congratulated by the others in the room and was further humbled by our recognition.

It shouldn't take an extreme event to bring a community together, but we've seen it happen before.  Remember the feelings after 9/11?  The re-prioritizing of life towards family and friends?  

Being part of a community, in good times and in bad, is the "back to basics" kind of living that is fulfilling, or dare I say, that we were all meant to be a part of.  Imagine what differences we could all make by having a role. 

Large, Small or Both

Choosing target companies seems to be more difficult than it should be.  This might partly be due to the fact that people don't know how to find listings of companies in their area.

The other factor is that people tend to gravitate towards what they know or are comfortable with. 

I was reviewing a list of target companies on someone's marketing plan the other day and only saw Fortune 1000 companies.  When I asked her why this was, she said she preferred larger companies.  When I asked why, she said that's what was most comfortable for her.   When I asked her what it was about the culture of a larger company that appealed to her, she was stumped.

• What is it about your previous employers culture that you liked and disliked?

• What did you like most about your manager and what do you like least?

• Who was your greatest manager and what made them great?

• How do you like to be recognized for the work you do?

• How important is professional development to you in your work?

• Besides a paycheck, what is most important in the work you do?

Sure these are difficult questions to ask yourself. Answering them will help you find fulfilling work and the right fit.  Otherwise, you'll be shooting in a barrel, hoping that you'll find a fit or stumble upon it.

Is it possible that the cultural fit could be found in almost any size company?  I believe the answer is yes.  That is why it is so important to begin to investigate all sizes of companies.  Small, medium and large. 

The search process is also a learning opportunity.  Learn about other cultures, industries, businesses that are available, beyond those that just post ads on job boards.

Use Every Resource Available to Find Your Next Job

The next time you poo-poo technology (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or others), think about how they may actually be able to help you instead of waste your time.

I read a great post about using Twitter to find jobs, Twittering for Jobs (which I found on Twitter, by-the-way).

There were a couple of good take aways for me:

One, use all media forms for your search: print, web, radio, TV, mobile, RSS, newsletters, podcasts (both in searching for jobs and promoting YOU). You will want to cover all the bases, because, you just never know. 

Two, leaving out technology-based resources would be like omitting recruiters from your search options.  So if you aren't using all the available technology, you are missing jobs.  It is about balancing ROI (your return on investment).

Just because you can diversify what you are doing in your search, doesn't mean you are ready. I met with a woman yesterday who understood the logic of diversifying her search.  She believed she was doing a good job networking and applying via the job boards.   Her next goal was to leverage recruiters.  After discussing this for awhile, we went back to discussing her use of technology.  She had just started using LinkedIn last week. Good start.  But she has a long way to go. Then we reviewed her resume.  It needed a lot of work.  It just didn't convey her message.  It wasn't focused and there weren't any accomplishments.  

Before anyone diversifies their search, make sure you have a clear message to send.  Send this message consistently with everyone you are communicating with. Don't confuse people or leave them wondering.   

Portfolio Careers- Are You Ready?

I have written about Portfolio careers before and I was asked the other day how to go about starting a portfolio. 

Before we go there, let me say, it may not be for everyone.  Here are some characteristics of people who might do well pursuing this type of option.  The list comes from Portfolio Careers

• Self-starters
  
• Excellent time managers who organize their lives very well Live with ambiguity and often find little difference between their work and free time
• They are largely in control of their own destiny
• Do not like to be bossed ie. have a need for independence
• High energy
• Prepared to market themselves and actually enjoy networking
• Like change and variety
• Not afraid to take risks
• Cope well with stress and pressure
• Feel positive about themselves
• Enjoy deadlines
• Love to learn
• Not driven purely by money & not over anxious if they have insufficient amounts at some times
• Like to be in control generally
• Assertive
• Multi-taskers

If many of these describe you, start thinking about what you love doing.  Then ask if you can do it on a part time basis? Per gig basis?  Contract basis?  Is there a book in it?  Could you blog about it?  Could you sell it on-line?

If you are really great at helping coordinate events (volunteer or paid), who might need you on a part time or per event basis?  Colleges, non-profits, corporate?  All of them. 

JibberJobber has Friday posts dedicated to describing the multiple income streams of Jason Alba.  It can also provide ideas on how you can find opportunities.

The next step is to do your research and find out why they need to purchase your services. Talk to people in the industry.  Ask what their challenges are around this area you are interested in. 

Construct a list of company names who would be likely to benefit.  Think more than one company...greater odds of success. 

Then develop a convincing proposal and followup persistently.  The proposal might contain:

• Introduction/Summary of Skills
• Supporting research/data for the use of your services
• Proposed Scope of Work
• Cost

There is another source who discusses the topic frequently over at Employment Digest.  Take a look!

Do It the Hard Way

Usually, the questions job seekers have regarding their searches can be answered with "what is the hardest/most difficult way to do this?" And in most cases, it involves picking up the phone or specifically addressing the issue.

How long should I wait before I followup (on anything)?
How do I nurture my network to let them know about the status of my search?
How do I find more companies to add to my target list?
Why isn't the recruiter calling me back?
Why didn't I get the interview or job?

If you needed to find a good mechanic for your car, how would you be sure you found the right one?  Would you ask friends/family?  How would you ask?  By picking up the phone?

If you called the new mechanic and left a message stating you wanted to make an appointment and the mechanic doesn't call you back for days, what would you do?

Let's say you decide to bring your car to this new mechanic, would you just wait for them to do the work without asking how long it will take- just sitting in the waiting room reading outdated News Week? 

So, the new mechanic is done with your repairs, hours later, and you are standing at the counter ready to pay.  The mechanic tells you it will be $800, without providing you with an invoice or written description of services provided.  What do you do?

Your ability to provide good customer service in job search is important.  It is hard work, but worthwhile.  Expecting good customer service in job search can be frustrating.  You have choices.  What else can you do get the customer service you feel you deserve? 

Who Are the "Right" People to Meet?

 "I don't want to waste my time networking with a bunch of other unemployed people"  I can't tell you how often I have heard this.  I also hear "I don't have time to network, I am too busy with my job". 

The reality is, you don't have time NOT to do these kinds of things. 

Anyone can be the "right" person.  The key to networking is to develop and nurture relationships. 

The facts are that the majority of jobs are filled through internal hires.  If you can't be an internal candidate, then your next best bet is to be a referral.  How can you be a referred by someone within the company if you don't network? 

If you have developed a friendship with the wife of a business owner, do you think she might say something to her husband about this interesting new person she's met?  And when that business owner announces that he needs a new Accountant, Product Developer, IT guru, who do you think he will talk to first?  His wife. He'll probably complain that he can't find any good talent in his company or that he dreads the interview process or whatever.  That is when she'll remind him of you.  At least that's the theory. Sound simplistic, I hope so.

We never know how our next opportunity will show itself and therefore, we'll balance our time and network with as many people as possible, because you just never know! 

Read around the blogosphere.  There are tons of people who are writing about networking and how to do it better.  Liz Lynch is one such person who writes and talks about it. 

If you know of others, please share!

Blogging Isn't Just Onesided

I've been reading read Punk Rock HR's blog for awhile and yesterday's post grabbed my attention.  First, I love her edge and the fact she doesn't hold anything back.  It is real.  Second, her blog provides beyond-the-obvious HR insights.  And third, she has a following of commenters.

What I enjoyed so much about reading her blog was the fact that she engaged the reader.  They, in turn, provided their feedback and comments, some quite funny. 

Check our her blog to see an example of some of the comments.

GL Hoffman's What Would Dad Say, Jason Alba's JibberJobber and the other great blogs all get great comments and that, in my opinion, makes them worth reading.  Not only do I get the blogger's side, I also learn from what the readers have written. I have a pulse on the issue being discussed.

Onesided blogging is pundit-like.  Good blogs provide a forum for sharing.

The topic of Punk Rock HR's post was about the validity of career advice experts.  Is there really such a thing?    

Blogs could just become the next newspaper, with instant Editorials.  The news is current and the comments are too.

Please help make this a rich and rewarding blog by providing your comments and I pledge to respond in kind!

Happy reading and remember, it is nice to share.

Tips for writing an email that generates a response

Sending email has made our lives easier and more difficult.  We are deluged with junk email consisting of those chain emails or funny jokes, all well intended and of which I am guilty of forwarding myself. 

Email is passive. You send it and HOPE the receiver replies or just reads it. There is nothing quite as annoying as not getting a response back from an email. 

I came across a post this morning "Mastering Email Overload - Improve Your Productivity" from CareerSuccess! and it reminded me of how we all break the rules or expect miracles from email.  I've taken some of the key points and put a job seeking spin on them:

• Use the Subject Line to Summarize the Message

. 
When responding to a job posting, clearly state the posting information in the subject line

• Make Action Requests Very Clear. 
  Early in your brief email content, state what action you expect the reader to take.  No, I don't mean tell them you want to know if they got it.  However, if this is NOT your first email to the person and followup on their behalf is expected, clearly let them know.
• Pick up the Phone if a Dialog is Required.
  Too often we are lured into email dialog.  This is dangerous. The tone of your email is interpreted by the reader and may not be what you intended.  They might read between the lines or infer something other than you intended.
• Describe Attachments. 
  Let the reader know that there are attachments and what they contain.
• Include Your Full Signature
  If you want someone to be able to contact you, you need to include your name and contact information.  You may also want to include relevantprofessional links (LinkedIn profile, VisualCV, website/on-line portfolio and/or Twitter profile).

Here are some of my own thoughts on email:

• Use a professional font type, size and color.
  Make it look professional, not casual.  The size has to be readable- at least 11, depending on the font type.  Avoid colors that are quirky and use the same color throughout. 
• What doe your Email address say about you
  I still see cute, funny, or too personal email addresses on resumes.  You want to use an email that links professionally to you.  In job search mode, that would mean first name and last name- period.
• Using Quotes in the signature line
  While this can be a nice touch, just make sure the quote you use is appropriate.

While email has made corresponding with others easier, it isn't a replacement for face to face interaction or phone conversations.  Think carefully before hitting the send button.

Casting a Wide Net

You've heard people say you should cast a wide net to improve your job search.  So what does that mean exactly and how do you do it?

Increasing the possibilities of finding a fit and getting an offer is what drives this thought.  How would you answer this question: 

I am doing a thorough and diversified search which includes:

A) Searching for multiple job titles, some very different from what I did
B) Looking for jobs outside of the region
C) Pursuing opportunities in a different industry
D) All of the above

The correct answer is...D) All of the above.

SEARCHING FOR DIFFERENT JOB TITLES

This may require a little research first.  If you haven't taken the skills assessment on O*Net, it is free and good.  It will help you find and research occupations that might be of interest. 

Ask people you know what they think you would be good at and what they do.

Go to indeed.com and enter in your favorite or greatest skill in the keyword search. (Take out the city, state search criteria) Spend some time readingwhat job titles come up and look for reoccurring patterns or repeating titles.

SEARCHING OUTSIDE THE REGION

Whatever your commutable preference is, enlarge it. 

Ask recruiters if they have contacts in other cities they can connect you with.

Identify cities you think would have the greatest offerings or would be enjoyable to work in.  Read survey results at Glassdoor.com Best Places to Work 2009; and Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For.
And take this fun survey at Find Your Spot and become exhilarated at the prospect of working and perhaps relocating to another great city.

Find connections on LinkedIn in these cities too. 

Use your college alumni center to find other alumni in this area.

PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES

The trick is to find industries that hire similar occupations or functions AND to clearly link what you've done that is similar, whenever possible using their language/terminology.

O*Net can be of help here too. 

What industries are ramping up their hiring or at least maintaining their growth?  This can be regional, however, nationally, hiring in Health care, IT/Technology and Professional Services has been identified as having potential.

Once new industries have been identified, you will have to do some fact finding to learn about this new-to-you industry.  Find industry publications, attend professional association meetings, find people to talk to who work in this industry. 

Now you will need to re-vamp your resume to show the transferable skills and competencies.  Omit jargon used in your old industry. 

You may even want/need to sign up for some professional development in the areas you are weak or missing.  Think about who might be in these classes you could connect with too!

The wider the net, the clearer the connection of skills, the greater the passion/interest, the greater your chances will be!

Greed does not equal success

Greed, otherwise known as one of the seven deadly sins, impedes upon our ability to be fulfilled.

In other words, those people you know who have spent their lives accumulating wealth are happier, why?  Their lives are better, why?  Life isn't about money, winning, having it all. I believe it is about balance, love, and doing the right thing.

As a Gen X'er, I have frequently found myself looking at the older generation (The Boomers), and saying, what are they doing and how short sighted.  They shipped the jobs oversees to make extra money.  They are draining social security without thinking about the next generation.  They've taken CEO salary levels to insane levels.  They ignored Mother Earth.  Everything they have done seems to have been focused on putting more money in their pockets.

Other Gen X'ers I know have thrown in the towel.  They are looking for balance in their lives.  They want to make sure that the work they are doing is more than putting money in their pockets, it is also fulfilling.  Whether this mentality is grown out of necessity or different values or something else is an interesting study.

The United States has outsourced most major manufacturing, which has left us to be a nation of service providing businesses.  The predicted growth can happen in industries that provide a direct service, one that cannot easily be shipped off-shore to cheaper nations. 

Services provided both to business and services supplied to people might be seen as somewhat recession-proof.  

So rather than chase after the almighty dollar, perhaps more of us will be seeing an opportunity that will allow for a balanced life, the ability to pursue doing the right thing and opportunity to love and care for one another. 

What Sets You Apart?

These are the workplace competencies employers say they are looking for:

• Teamwork

• Adaptability/flexibility
• Customer focus
• Planning & organizing
• Creative thinking
• Problem solving & decision making
• Working with tools & technology
• Workplace computer applications
• Scheduling & coordinating
• Checking, examining & recording
• Business fundamentals

How many of these do you excel at?  I know you were just performing your job and that problem solving was a regular part of that.  Can you ask yourself whether you did it better than others?  Did you ever save the day?

Employers, I believe, want to hire a candidate who minimally possesses and DEMONSTRATES all of these.  So it isn't enough to say you are a "strong teamplayer" or have "strengths in problem solving, scheduling and customer service".  You will need to prove you have successfully used these skills- in a way that they can appreciate.

What can you do to outshine the competition?  You can develop your skill level in talking and writing about yourself. 

This job search is truly a marketing campaign. Remember the Coke vs. Pepsi rivalry?  What do they do to win over customers?  What I do know is that they each spent a ton of money on their campaigns to win new customers. So besides re-tooling a product that would directly compete, they let customers know about it.

You don't want to be a "best kept secret".

All the News that's Fit to Print

The New York Times tag line rings in my head without having to think.  Quite the branding they've done.  It is just too bad that so many quality papers are struggling or stopping their presses.  I guess they didn't have innovative teams guiding them and looking toward the future or at least watching the trends.

From a personal standpoint, do you have the innovation to re-invent yourself to compete in the market?  Have you been watching the trends within your occupation and industry?  It is quite easy to fall into a comfort zone of complacency and turn our radar off.

So what can you do to stay current?  Read.  Read about your industry through trade publications, read about the cutting edge trends across the country in Fast Company.  Read about national and international topics in The Week.  Sit down on Friday's with the Rochester Business Journal and subscribe for free for their daily digests.

SmartBrief compiles stories and events by industry and you can subscribe for free.

It is also a good idea to read about things going on outside of your industry/occupation.  Ask other people you respect what they are reading.

Let's not forget about blogs.  Either company blogs or blogs written by great minds/thinkers.  I enjoy reading blogs and seeing who they are siting and have listed on their blogroll.  Dig a little and find new sources to stimulate your thinking.

Do you have a favorite news source?  Please share it in a comment.

Job Seekers Say the Darndest Things

In my daily interaction with hundreds of job seekers a week I hear some amazing things.  So this post is about common themes in what job seekers say and some of the unique confessions they make. 

Emotionally, job search puts you in a vulnerable place.  This is the wrong time to be lacking confidence as you know, but in most cases it just comes with the territory of being without a job. It is normal. 

Here are some of the things people have said that either made me want to scream or cry:

"I don't know anyone"
"I don't have any interests outside of work"
"I've worked in the same job for over 30 years"
"I don't know Microsoft Word"
"I've been taking care of my _________ (fill in the blank with mom, dad, kids) for the past 5 years and don't have any experience to talk about" 
"I've been on disability and my doctor told me not to work"
"People are too busy to want to talk to me"
"I don't have a computer at home, so I can't check email"
"I lost my job, my wife left me and now I am filing for bankruptcy"
"I'm really not better than any other machinist, we all do it the same"
"I've applied to that company three times already, I guess they don't want to hire me"
"I'm not sure what I want to do, but if someone would just give me a chance, I know I could do the job"
"I plan on retiring in 3 years, so what do I tell the employer"
"I am retired"

I could go on.  Actually, I might make this a weekly theme.  My point in sharing these is that your emotional state oozes out of what you say.  The greatest hope you have of hiding your lack of confidence or emotional state, is to fix it.  These statements are examples of the limiting beliefs that interfere with job seekers' abilities to be successful.  Granted, they weren't confessing these things to an employer, it was just little ol' me in a workshop, but one can only guess what might come out during an interview...

Technology Changes Everything

We don't do many things the way we did 10 years ago.  Did you pay your bills on-line?  Didyou have Tevo or DVR?  How often did you use your cell phone?  Were you still using a digital camera? Were you on Facebook or LinkedIn?  I know I wasn't using/doing any. In fact, most weren't even around. 

I am not really an early adapter of new technology, but I do find it fascinating to keep up with the fads.  

As a job seeker, there is so much new technology out there that can really make a job search different and sometimes easier.  I keep reading about VisualCV. It is slick and may increase your search-ability/find-ability.

What we do know is that a huge number of employers are googling candidates.  Make sure your web presence is clean. Also make sure you can be found. 

LinkedIn is probably the best investment of your time.  Not just for search, but once in a new job too.  This leads to the whole "social media" thing, which seems a bit exaggerated, but that might be just my take.  I've said it before, there is no magic bullet that will ensure getting a job.  Using a diversified approach is best.

If tracking your search efforts is overwhelming and you are looking for a solution, try jibberjobber.  It's an integrated contact management system for job search.

Years ago, your only choices for job boards were the big 4, now there are search engines that search hundreds of boards and company websites for you.  My recommendation would be to practically ditch the big 4 and use www.indeed.com.  However, there are tons of aggregate boards now.  I recently tweeted a listing of the top 20 boards from PC magazine and many of them are like indeed. 

From the employer side of the process there are also new advances.  Many are using on-line applications from their own website now, in place of the big 4 and sometimes along with using the big 4.  Additionally, big box retail stores have mostly eliminated paper applications. You have to complete them on-line.

The newest use of technology by employers is IMing (instant messaging).  I spoke with a job seeker this week who received an IM while he was completing the application on-line. The position he was applying for required data entry skills. What better way for the employer to test and assess typing speed and accuracy.  It also evaluates candidates "thinking on their feet". 

I am sure we will continue to see more innovative uses of technology too as we move forward in this fast paced world.  Make sure you are keeping up and have an understanding and working knowledge of the technology being used!

Salary Discussions, another point of view

Talking about salary is always a tricky subject.  One of my first questions as I write about this is why did employers stop listing their salary ranges in the job posting?  Is the answer something other than they want to get the best deal they can? 

Nick Corcodolis writes Ask the Headhunter and in a recent post he sites a study done by Accountemps which asked managers when they think candidates should talk about money.  The study states that 56% of executives consider it OK for candidates to bring up the topic of money in the first or second interview. 

It is critical not to make the interview all about money the study experts go on to say and yes, that makes sense!  But, what the survey doesn't ask is "of the people you have recently hired, how many brought up the topic of money first?"  In theory, managers say they think it is OK for candidates to discuss money early in the process, however, what are their real feelings about it when it happens?  My hunch is that the majority of them, no matter how much the candidate has spoken about their qualifications and value, will still be somewhat turned off by talking about money.

Certainly there is no way to prove this theory.  The moral of the story, do your research on company salary bands, industry salary trends and city/regional salary so you know what you are worth when the topic is addressed!

You only need one

In a networking group of job seekers this week, someone said "you only need one job offer"...

Doesn't hearing that make it sound so simple?  So manageable. So do-able. 

What is it going to take to get the one, single job offer?  It is a numbers game.  Think about it, if you wanted to win the lottery, how many tickets would you need to buy?  If you were playing roulette, how many numbers would you cover in order to win? Answers...a lot.

I've heard people aren't finding a lot of jobs advertised.  The reality is, there are jobs out there, youprobably aren't seeing them because they aren't being advertised publicly. 

What I am recommending is that you increase the number of everything you are doing. 

Apply for more jobs on-line. 
Use www.indeed.com, www.simplyhired.com and/or www.jobcentral.com. These aggregate websites will allow you to find more advertised jobs.  Also try www.craigslist.com.

Meet more people.
You can volunteer, join a professional organization, attend networking events, get in touch with past co-workers through LinkedIn, catch up with old friends and schoolmates on Facebook or try Twitter. 

Nurture relationships with more recruiters.
You never know who they know or what they know. Remember, some companies only hire through recruiters. 

Target more companies.
Either expand your search beyond your preferred geographic/commutable preference and/or expand the types of companies you are looking at.

It may also be time for you to analyze what you are doing and modify what doesn't seem to be working.  In other words, if you say you are applying to 50+ jobs per week and no one is calling you, you'll probably want to look at what is on your resume and in your cover letter. 

If you say you have met over 50+ people in a week and no one is calling you back, then think about what you talked about with them and what kind of impression you left.

If you have had over 5in-person interviews and no offers, perhaps your interviewing techniques need to be tweaked.

If you have had pre-screening calls from companies and not been called in for an interview, you'll probably want to fix what you are saying over the phone.

It only takes one!  However, a lot of work goes into getting it.  Don't lose the fish on the line.

...Speak No Evil

Employers will ask candidates for references.  This formal request is probably not the only digging they will do.  Much has been said about your web-presence, but it is also important to know that besides googling your name and using the references you provide, they will probably do some informal reference checking of their own.

There is one company I know of that had offered someone a job.  Upon discussing the new hire candidate with company colleagues, a lot of less than positive information was revealed.  Actually, I am not sure how this didn't come up prior to the offer being made, but it didn't.  At least the manager was forewarned of potential issues. 

Your professional reputation spills out further than your supervisors and "references".  Any one who has previously worked with you can be used as a source of information.  In most cases, there is no need for past co-workers to be anything other than candid. 

The take-away from this is that we must be "like-able" and have a reputation for being easy to get along with as well as getting the job done. 

On the formal reference checking side, there are some questions that are typically asked and answered in checking references.  To learn more about the reference checking process, you can read this article in CIO Magazine by Jeffery Shane.

Job Postings- Truth or Fiction?

Writing job descriptions and job postings is both a science and an art.  There are training courses, research and studies that define necessary steps and elements of writing an effective job description. Then there is the marketing spin that is incorporated in writing the posting to make the company and position sound attractive. 

The critical element in writing the posting is based on the employer knowing what they are really looking for.  Do they? 

Do they say, "I want to hire someone just like the last person who was in this job, only better".   
Perhaps the employer says "If we could get someone who can do all this, we would be lucky". 
Or maybe they say "Why don't we create a wish list of what we would like and see what we get".

When writing your resume, I recommend using the job posting as a guide for what to say and the key words to use.  I still do.  But it is important to remember that the employer might not always know what they are looking for exactly.  You may not have all the key words or skills they are asking for, apply anyway.  If you have 50+% of what the job is asking for- apply. 

Also bear in mind, that the employer may not have listed skills in the posting that are important to the job.  We can't know this unless we have inside information about the company.  This is why networking with company insiders is valuable.  You may be able to uncover skills or a problem that wasn't addressed in the job posting. 

The process of hiring is extremely risky and extremely personal.  The resume needs to present you both as a sure-fire solution to their problems (skills and accomplishments) as well as someone who is easy to like and get along with (traits).