Making Ends Meet in a Slow Economy
A bartender/server we recently met at a new wine shop in a nearby neighborhood captured my attention. Watching him and listening to his small talk with patrons struck me as something pretty significant- enough to write this blog. This tribute is to his work ethic.
In these tough times, it is easy to get complacent. Easier still to use the bad economy as a reason to give up any efforts to reconcile what is needed to be done to take care of one’s financial obligations and what one’s expectations are. I am talking about expectations related to how someone will earn their income, how much that income will be, or how many sources might be required. Here is a great example of doing what it takes.
This server (I’ll call him Ray to maintain his anonymity) took considerable care describing the appetizers and wines currently on special, and offering tastes as he spoke. We watched as another patron turned up her nose at two offerings, and then ordered an appetizer she also promptly rejected. Ray didn’t flinch, and told her he would buy it for her. Every exchange was done politely, with a smile, with a little bit more small talk, without any hint that he was in any way put off by her reactions to his suggestions.
Ray is articulate, speaks with a smile and has a nonchalant, but matter of fact tone, without a hint of dissatisfaction with his work. We learned Ray is an artist, but also has a strong interest in food and interacting with people. He told us about his commute, the hours he worked, and his long distance girlfriend. He has a 9 to 5 day job downtown that is related to the work he does as an artist, but between that and the sale of his art work he is still missing the people facing/food element he desires and some extra money to invest in supplies. He buses from the downtown area of Seattle to this neighborhood in the southwest part of the city about 30 minutes away to fulfill his role as a part time bartender/server.
What captured my attention even more than his pleasant attitude and the positive way he described his status, was what he told us he did to secure this 2nd job. He said he personally visited upwards of 75 restaurants in about a 20 mile radius until he got “yeses” from two. (He even brought a loaf of homemade bread to the owners of this wine shop!) The other position he was offered didn’t work out with his schedule, so he is still on the hunt for a 2nd part time job, and is continuing his in person quest to find the right restaurant.
Now I am guessing that Ray is about 20 years younger than me. So, I was surprised to hear his story, based on my experience with job seekers over the past 20 years. It took me way back to the days I held five part time jobs to make sure I could cover my mortgage in the 80’s. Or, in the late 90’s when I was catching a ferry at 5:00 AM to travel across the water to earn $19 an hour delivering training that had already taken 30 (uncompensated) hours to develop. It is just what had to be done at the time to help me move forward toward my goals.
Today’s market is tough – no doubt about it. But Ray’s story took me back a bit, and made me think about the number of people today that stay unemployed altogether because they are not finding the one job that pays what they used to earn when times were good, or the one job that pays what they think they deserve. I think about how many others I know that have stayed unemployed because the currently available jobs seem beneath them, or were too much effort to look into. In my work, I hear about it or see it firsthand almost every day. I work hard to help job seekers think out of the box – To think about getting back in the game and position themselves for that time two to three years from now when the market is back to some kind of stability.
I was so impressed with Ray’s attitude and perseverance, I just had to share. I hope his story is an inspiration for others to make a little more effort to reach their goals, and to keep things from going completely into a ditch during these slow times.
What are you doing differently to make sure you stay in the game or make sure your bills get paid? How has your thinking changed?
Internet Risks, Part 1: The Problem – contributed by MyOffice Tech
There is no doubt that folks in the job market spend a lot of time on the Internet doing research, visiting many different sites to research companies, read blogs, and study articles. Every job seeker and employed individuals receive many emails with employment-related links and attachments, some of which may not be legitimate. And, let’s not forget about all those “free” tools available to us out there on the web, along with those ubiquitous “work-from-home” ads and links!
Most people know that your electronic link to the outside world can be very hazardous to your computer’s health and can spiral into nasty personal consequences if your personal and confidential information is stolen. Without a doubt, there is nothing as destructive as malware getting onto your system. In fact, instances of system downtime resulting from malware infection far exceed downtime resulting from hardware failure. The current status of online threats can be summarized as simply as this: they are dangerous, rapidly-evolving and widespread. But, many people don’t know how a computer becomes compromised, and what to do to minimize the risks.
The information provided here applies predominantly to Microsoft Windows systems. Apple Macs and Linux-based systems (such as Ubuntu) are more secure at the moment, since they are less-targeted (there are fewer of them) and their architecture is different.
I. Types of Threats and Terminology: The most common threats to us currently are:
- Malware (broad classification): Viruses, worms, trojans, rootkits, bots, scareware, meanware, hidden proxies, and keyloggers.
- Scareware: A special sub-class of malware which uses fake anti-virus pop-ups to inform you that your system is infected when it really isn’t.
- Meanware: A special sub-class of malware that damages or destroys your system just for the sick amusement of whoever wrote it.
- Hidden proxies: Silently redirects all of your internet communications through a third party which watches your web browsing.
- Keyloggers: A special sub-class of malware that records your keystrokes and sends them to the criminals.
- Bots: Hidden malware which runs undetected in the background, usually hijacking your email address book and sending out spam without your knowledge.
- Phishing: Anything that tries to trick you into doing something that will cause you to reveal personal or confidential information.
- Scams: Anything that tries to get you to pay for or send money for something that doesn’t exist, is phony, or disreputable.
- Spam: Useless or unwanted information, in the form of emails, blog or forum posts, pop-ups, or text messages that tries to get you to perform an action that results in any of the above, or for the purpose of spreading website URLs for search engine ratings increases, or just to bother people.
II. Anti-virus systems can’t keep up: Today, most malware is written and deployed by organized crime. This software is smart and is getting smarter. Old-school malware had static “profiles” or “signatures” and could be easily detected by anti-virus suites. Now, new malware constantly changes its internals so that it is not detected by traditional “signature-based” anti-virus software. This is frightening.
To attempt to keep up with such insidious, shape-shifting threats, state-of-the art anti-virus software utilize what is known as “heuristics” to detect and halt suspicious activity. Some advanced anti-virus software, in addition to signatures and heuristics, send unrecognized executable files and known executables that have been altered to the “cloud” for multiple scans. However, be aware that these do make mistakes and “false positives” result, and malware still slips though undetected.
III. Methods of Infection: The primary “attack vector” today is the Internet. The old-school infection method used to be to get the computer user to open an infected email attachment. While this still happens, it is no longer the preferred attack vector. The Internet is a far more efficient means of infection.
Today, to become infected with malware, all you have to do is visit an infected (”compromised”) website. You don’t even have to click on anything in the site. It is that simple.
So, how do the bad guys utilize the web for their nefarious activities? The most common methods are:
- They understand and use human nature against us. They target popular but weak websites, hack into them, insert their malicious code, and wait for people to visit them. Or, they place infected ads, or just set up their own infected websites. They know what application and operating system vulnerabilities exist and write their malware to exploit them. High-risk website categories are: social networking, celebrity, cooking, music lyrics, adult sites, work-from-home schemes, avatar generators, free stuff – anything that draws large numbers of visitors. Anything “free”, such as free anti-virus, screensavers, toolbars, desktop themes, video player codecs/plugins, picture viewers, utility programs, drivers, etc., are extremely risky if they come from untrusted sources.
- They prey on the human errors: at some point in time you will misspell a URL or use “.com” instead of “.org” or “.gov”. There are malicious websites set up under these common errors just for these opportune moments.
- They utilize “social engineering” to get you to visit bad websites. They send you emails and messages that look legitimate or official, but have a link that will take you to a malicious website. Users of social networking sites like Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter are at particular risk. “Official” email links are usually clicked out of uncertainty or fear (i.e., the email appears to be from your bank, the IRS or Census Bureau).
- They “poison” the web infrastructure’s “DNS” servers, your “DNS” cache, or hosts file so that when you try to go one site you actually go to another.
Another common attack vector is exploiting insecure application programs that run on your computer:
- Unpatched Adobe Reader, or Adobe Reader with JavaScript enabled is a prime target. If you click on a web link that opens an infected PDF file, or you open one in an email attachment, and you have a vulnerability it can exploit, your system will be infected. Adobe regularly updates their software with security patches but unfortunately, on many people’s computers these updates are broken.
- Java’s run-time environment and its components are another prime culprit. Many computers are operating with old, insecure Java versions because the updating mechanism is broken or old versions co-exist with new versions. Java’s updating mechanism is truly a mess.
Many firewalls are ineffective because they are weak, faulty, or configured improperly:
- Such firewalls allow unsolicited and malicious traffic into your system.
- The firewall replies to Internet “pings” from malicious sources, revealing to them that your system “exists”. They will now try to attack your system with even more zeal.
- The firewall allows malicious processes already on your machine to communicate with their criminal “command and control centers”, sending out personal or confidential information.
Please continue to Part 2 to read about how to fight back and minimize your risks.
Ed Meadows
Manager
MyOffice Tech, LLC
http://MyOfficeTechLLC.com
Support@MyOfficeTechLLC.com
360-769-0050
Internet Risks, Part 2: Fighting Back – contributed by MyOffice Tech
How in the world can anybody be safe today? The short answer is that you cannot be completely safe. There are just too many attacks on too many fronts for you to be successful in fending off all of them. But, short of disconnecting yourself, there are specific things you can do to reduce your risk:
- Windows updates: First and foremost, keep your system updated. Apply critical updates immediately and reboot when instructed to do so.
- Backups: Make sure you have an excellent computer backup system and methodology. You need to use a backup system that automatically and regularly creates image backups of your hard drives to a USB or network drive.
- High-risk website categories: If at all possible, stay away from them. If you must browse risky sites, do so while logged on to a “limited” or “standard” Windows user account as opposed to an “administrator” account. This will limit the amount of damage that malware can do if it does get on your system.
- Links: Do not click any links in emails, instant messages, or in other communications unless you are certain of the authenticity of the message and trust the destination of the link. Never click any link in an unsolicited message. This is the primary attack vector for social networking sites, and phony messages from “friends” can appear to be quite real, so be very suspicious of any links in them. Do not click on ads or external links on high-risk websites.
- Suspicious emails: Immediately delete strange emails from unknown senders without opening them.
- Anti-virus Systems: Select and use a top-rated anti-virus program or suite. There are quite a few that cluster around the top but all of these have strong and weak points. Remember that some free anti-virus programs are quite good, while some you have to pay for are sub-standard. Visit www.av-comparatives.org for unbiased ratings and reviews.
- Secondary Anti-Virus Systems: Run several manual/”on-demand” anti-virus programs in addition to your main suite for a “second opinion”. No single anti-virus suite or program is good at finding every type of malware. I recommend that you download and install Malwarebytes (www.malwarebytes.org), Superantispyware (www.superantispyware.com), HitMan Pro (www.surfright.nl), and SpyBot (www.safer-networking.org). Update them and run them often, but be aware of false positives. Any malware found should be quarantined if possible, not deleted, to allow recovery of a file or files in the event of a false positive.
- Hardware Firewall: Use a quality appliance, one that performs “stateful packet inspection” and employs NAT (network address translation). You must keep your firewall’s firmware updated.
- Software Firewall: These are usually included with higher-rated anti-virus suites. Carefully read any messages presented to you by them, and research the processes that are requesting access before you allow it. Generally, hardware firewalls and software firewalls do not conflict with each other.
- Applications: Keep your non-Microsoft applications, such as Adobe Reader and Java, updated. Bear in mind that Windows Updates do not update such applications, and many of their update mechanisms are broken. The best way to keep them secure is to use a fantastic piece of software called Secunia Personal Software Inspector (PSI). It identifies apps on your machine that are insecure and suggests how to fix them. This program is free to non-commercial users and can be downloaded at: http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal
- Internet Browser: Use a more secure browser. Mozilla Firefox is regarded as being more secure than Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, and is faster, too. If you can tolerate re-logging into your favorite sites every time you reopen your browser, I recommend that you set your browser to automatically delete your history and cookies every time you exit.
- Browser add-ons: For Mozilla Firefox, I emphatically recommend “Web of Trust” and “BetterPrivacy”. Web of Trust is one of best security tools you can have.
- Scan your downloads: Send any files you have download to Virus Total (www.virustotal.com) for analysis before you open, execute, or install them. The current upload limit size is 15 MB.
- JavaScript: Disable JavaScript in your Adobe Reader.
- Email Preview Pane: If you can live without it, turn it off.
- Online banking: If at all possible, avoid it. You can always use a bank’s automated telephone service for many of the tasks you perform online. There is a new class of malware in the wild called “banker trojans” that are truly scary. The usual method of operation is like this: It sits on your computer, disguised and undetected, and waits for you to visit a banking site. When you do, it redirects you to a phony, look-alike site where you “log in”. This is where your credentials are stolen. It then sends you to your bank’s real site and logs you in. From your perspective, everything appears to be normal. The malware then quietly deletes itself. Funds are then transferred out of your bank account, usually in small amounts over a period of days or weeks so as not to trigger bank alerts.
You may still become infected at some point, despite your best efforts. The malware may be able to be removed and the damage repaired. If not, your system will have to be restored from an uninfected image backup from an earlier date. If no image backups are available, your system will have to be wiped clean and the operating system reinstalled. Depending upon the extent of the damage, your data may or may not be able to be saved before the restore or wipe.
The burden of remaining secure is high, but the costs of not doing so are much higher. We cannot reduce our risks to zero, but we can certainly fight back.
MyOffice Tech is experienced in computer security and computer health issues for individuals and small businesses. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding these subjects and to assist you with implementation of enhanced security measures.
Ed Meadows
Manager
MyOffice Tech, LLC
http://MyOfficeTechLLC.com
Support@MyOfficeTechLLC.com
360-769-0050
Some Things Are Easier Than You Think
Having worked with employment issues through some of the worst economic times and some of the best, it is difficult to ignore some of the seemingly obvious reasons people stay unemployed. In tough times, the following behaviors can make the difference between saving your home and car, and in better economies, they can make the difference between securing an ok job and the job of your dreams.
As I listen to people complain about the economy, I am struck by the fact that I receive new job announcements daily, and, that many of the people that are in such desperate need for paying work may take hours or days to respond when I forward information to them. It also continues to baffle me when people that have been unemployed for more than a year (maybe even 2 or 3 years) compare their past salary with an opportunity, and won’t pursue it because it is less money than they consider themselves to be worth. (Mind you, it may 20-30% less, but that is still 100% more than making nothing.) In the mean time, what they are worth continues to decline, the longer they are out of the market.
Now, none of this is new behavior. It just seems to be more obvious when we are in severe economic times, and more people are losing their homes or filing for bankruptcy. I am not suggesting that the behaviors listed below will guarantee a change in employment status. But I can easily say, they provide a stronger likelihood something can or will change.
1. Get up and get started. This means starting a work day when others start the work day, not when you feel like getting started. Many hiring managers are rolling by 7:00 AM or earlier. If you are not getting started until 10:00 AM, (or in some cases I see, 11:00, 12:00 or 1:00!) you are missing several hours of productive time that others may capitalize on simply by being accessible if something comes up.
2. Pursue any opportunity that is in line with your skill set. If you have been unemployed for over a year, then your market value has already dropped. You are no longer considered “current” or necessarily “competitive” compared to someone that was doing the same thing yesterday or last week. You have a stronger chance of negotiating for more money if you show up and are able to illustrate your value. It isn’t always possible, but not responding pretty much ensures nothing will happen. You can’t turn down an offer that hasn’t been made.
3. Follow up! Many of my clients complain that hiring managers or networking contacts don’t follow through with promises to return calls or provide information. Ok, that might be true. Since when is your priority supposed to be theirs? If it is important to you to know something, then set yourself up to get what you want by defining touch back times when the promise is made, to ensure you get what you need when you expect/need it. Own the process. Don’t rely on others to keep track. Waiting days to follow up after something was a hot topic will most likely kill any possibility of something coming through.
4. Ask for clarity. If someone says something that is left to interpretation, then ask then to clarify or specify their intent. So many times I watch people drop the ball because they “thought” someone meant something other than what they intended. The result was that nothing was done because the party that was expecting to follow through believed the person requesting the information or action was no longer interested, since they didn’t follow up or answer a question that had been posed.
5. Be available. You don’t need the most advanced electronics to do that; you just need to be responsible. Check email frequently. (Can be done at the library or WorkSource). Get a voicemail box you can access from anywhere. Oddly, the people that seem to be most delinquent in responding are people with the latest technologies – palm pilots, iPhones, etc, yet their responses might come hours after the opportunity was already lost. And, I also find many entries on Facebook or Twitter during a time I have tried to reach someone, yet emails and phone calls about immediate opportunities may have gone unheeded.
6. Improve your communication skills. Communication is vital to moving opportunities forward. Answer requests from others in a timely way. If a question has been posed, then answer it. Reading an email and thinking through a possible answer is only half way there. A reply is still required. If you need more time to think about something, then say so! Ignoring a request or question is simply rude. Is that how you wish to be treated when you need something?
7. Stop pretending. Get real about your situation and what you are really doing about it. Be honest with yourself before you tell someone you have “done everything you can”. Is that really true?
Harsh you think? Perhaps not. Minutes before posting this blog I received this email from a client:
“Wow, you sure are keeping me busy! I am looking forward to you going on vacation.”
Perhaps this will spur some people into changing behaviors that have been creating self defeating circumstances. Please share where you can make (or have already made) some simple changes in behavior that could lead (or have led) to different results.
Networking: Career Fitness vs. Physical Fitness
When networking is recommended as a way of maintaining career fitness, I hear many excuses for why it is not possible, or at the very least, very difficult. January is a good time to take a long hard look at what is really in the way for most people when it comes to making a change in their personal and professional lives. Perhaps examining common responses will make it easier for many people to identify the excuses they are using, kick away the barriers and make a new plan for the New Year.
One observation I have made over the past ten years is that the words “commitment” and “planning” seem to be foreign words to many people. In an age of instant gratification, it seems evident that some things just don’t happen immediately, yet there are scores of people who want things to be different, right now, without exerting any effort to make a change.
You think not? Let’s take a look at a couple of pretty comparable situations. Let’s compare physical fitness to career fitness. We’ll start with the obvious of the two: physical fitness.
People want to lose weight, so they take pills, buy pre-measured food, go to spas, and try diets that clearly jeopardize their health. They take the pills, drink the liquid diets, and may work out for a while, but slowly lose interest. After a while, they resort back to their old eating patterns and gain more weight than they had lost. What are their excuses for not creating a change in their eating habits that can be sustained, or for continuing with a work out regimen or before they resort to the next fad?
“ I don’t have time because I work full time.”
“ I have children with after school activities that take precedence.”
“ I am working full time and I am tired at night.”
“ I can’t this month. ”I have to plan a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party.”
“ I don’t have time to cook. I am studying for my Masters degree”.
“ It’s a holiday. I can’t work out on a holiday.”
“ I can’t afford a gym membership” (as they sit in their leather recliner and watch their 72” plasma television screen, before they get in their Land Rover to drive to their $75 manicure appointment or their 4-hour golf game where they will ride around in a $5,000 cart.)
Now, let’s swap objectives and identify the reasons people give for not committing to networking activities that may increase the effectiveness of their job search or career development:
“I don’t have time because I am working a temp job (or working full time).”
“I have children with after school activities that take precedence.”
“ I am working full time and I am tired at night.”
“I can’t this month. ”I have to plan a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party.”
“I don’t have time. I am studying for my Masters degree”.
“It’s a holiday. I can’t work out on a holiday.”
And let’s not omit:
“ I can’t afford the costs of meetings or memberships” (as they sit in their leather recliner and watch their 72” plasma television screen, before they get in their Land Rover to drive to their $75 manicure appointment…)
The reality is, any new outcome requires a change in thinking, a change in behavior, commitment to the end result, planning, and consistency. Networking requires a change in how you are looking at your current circumstances and the roadblocks in front of you. It requires a commitment to your goal of broadening your contacts and maintaining relationships, planning so that you are able to fit networking activities in with all of life’s other events, and consistency. There is no magic pill. Building and sustaining a network doesn’t happen over night, any more than physical fitness can.
What will you be doing differently in regard to networking this year?
Attitude: Do You Have a Service-Driven Mind Set?
This week I had an ah-hah moment, although it had actually been incubating for a long time.
Although we are in a recession, there are business owners, contractors, and consultants I know who are crazy busy. Most of my clients are working, and they are crazy busy. If generally speaking, it is believed that there are few jobs and business is down, how can that be?
After considering the commonalities between the people I know who are busy, and those who are not, I was able to identify connections between apparent mind sets and observable results. The people I know who are truly service-driven, customer focused, attentive, responsive, willing to try something new and ready to solve problems, all seem to be busy. In contrast, the people I know (from personal experience) who are slow to respond, unwilling to think out of the box, unwilling to get uncomfortable and have a ‘what’s in it for me’ attitude, all seem to be idle.
Now, this is just my observation of the people I know or come in contact with, but perhaps something to consider if you are not getting the results you desire. Are you willing to change your mind set enough to see if you are able to produce different results?
Finding Work in a Slow Economy
Every week I get inquires from people regarding their job search. And, no matter how much I emphasize the need to invest in building relationships and targeting companies that are a fit, many resort to reviewing job boards as their only means for conducting a search. The end result is that they stay unemployed and continue to bemoan the “lack of jobs””.
Being unemployed is really not a fun condition when you have bills or overhead not being met, or rapidly depleting savings. It makes me wonder why then, people will continue a fruitless pursuit of employment, doing the same things over and over with no result, and refuse to change methods. I have heard “I make ten contacts a week, and I am not getting any response.” Ok, then, maybe you need to make 20, or maybe the method of contact you choose or what you say needs to change. (You think?). Or, “There aren’t any jobs posted.” (No kidding?).
Contrary to what some people would want you to believe, there ARE jobs out there. Promises for deliverables have been made and work is carrying on. Perhaps at a lower rate of production and perhaps each role is being scrutinized more carefully for ROI, but work is still getting done. Food is being delivered to grocery stores; people are still wearing clothes and driving cars that require tires, and using computers or phones to communicate. They are still getting sick and being treated. In every instance, there are support systems behind every deliverable. So, perhaps the needs are not heavily ADVERTISED, but work is getting done and somebody is doing it. If there aren’t any jobs posted, but people are still accepting offers for employment, then there is probably another way of learning about the opportunities that you haven’t tried.
In the past month, six of my clients have accepted offers for roles that were on target with their goals. (Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that in order to know what to look for, goals need to be established. ) Each had done due diligence to know where they would like to work, what they wanted to do, where they are likely to find work and what they could do. Knowing what you can do, how competitive you are, and what is available are all critical to getting started. When a connection isn’t built between where a person is, what is available and where they want to be, it is impossible to move forward. The result is that a person can stay stuck on the thing that isn’t likely to happen in this market, and they get nowhere.
Each of the clients I referenced has a strong awareness of the steps they will take in these new roles to move toward their long term goals. Nobody ‘settled’ for something untenable. They developed their networks, asked questions, researched, made choices and have plans for moving forward. We’re ecstatic. To be on track with what you want to do and what is important to you is a huge accomplishment in any market. In our current economy, this is simply thrilling. Kudos goes out to those of you that rolled up your sleeves, did the research, started the conversations, and carried through on clues and leads. Well done!!
If you want to claim your fame, please add a comment and let people know it really can be done.
Having or Setting Realistic Expectations
Networking is typically the best way to learn about new opportunities, whether it is work related or otherwise. Being open and available to meet new contacts is a large part of what it takes to ensure those opportunities occur, although they may be unplanned or unexpected. In order to capitalize on every encounter, it is important to map out a plan, be clear about your expectations in advance, and prepare questions that will actually produce helpful and appropriate information. If you are not getting the results you had hoped for by attending events or “hanging out” with friends, then perhaps your preparation for those meetings needs a little attention. The following are some basic elements that are likely to result in more fruitful encounters.
Have a clear goal. If you are going into conversation or meetings with people with the idea that they will hit on a solution for you or read your mind, you are probably not coming away with much. Setting clear goals, then indentifying the objectives needed to achieve those goals, will provide you with much clearer information to help you determine what you actually need to know or learn from someone. Along those same lines, using Linked in or other social networking sites with intent beyond connecting to as many people as possible, is much more likely to produce favorable results. The connection alone won’t make things happen for you. Know what you need to learn and be clear about why you request an introduction to a new contact.
Know what you don’t know. While that sounds like a contradiction, it isn’t really. If you set out to identify a solution without thinking through what it might require, then you will be all over the map. You can pot shot potential options or perhaps miss the mark entirely. By developing target companies (or customers or projects, for that matter) and identifying what you would need to know to be able to have a successful exchange with them, (i.e, receive an offer of employment, or to sell a product or service), then it is easier to craft questions that will actually help you develop a strategy for approaching them.
Strategize. Developing a strategy and working a carefully thought out plan typically produces a better outcome than wishing and hoping. Sure, miracles can happen. Great timing can look like a miracle. But if you haven’t had your miracle happen yet, then maybe it is time to develop a plan to get where you want to be, before too much more time goes by. Information is power, and the more you know about your target, the more you will know about how to position yourself to get where you want to be. Just ‘knowing’ someone or ‘being acquainted with’ someone isn’t likely to turn into something. What do they need to know about you? What do you need to know about them or the target to ensure that what they know about you is appropriate and relevant to further your efforts?
Set the stage. Introduce yourself with a prepared statement that gives them enough information to act on without putting them to sleep. Memorize it. Know what you need to say, in words that exactly relate what you would want someone to remember. Too much info will result in them forgetting most of what you said. Funny, cute and clever may get someone’s attention, but unless they have more time to learn the rest, they won’t know what they need to remember about you that can help you.
Prepare thoughtful questions. Take the time to prepare thoughtful questions of the people you encounter. Practice them enough to ensure they are on the tip of your tongue, so that you are not blurting out “do you know of any openings” or “can you refer a customer to me” before the person even knows anything about you.
Follow up. Meeting new people, but dropping the ball by failing to follow up can end up wasting everyone’s time and energy. Make sure you take the time to follow up after every meeting or conversation in a professional and timely way, even if it was a casual or social event. Leaving a lasting impression through genuine interest and responsiveness is a good way to develop productive relationships.
What successes have you had with new contacts?
Getting A Head Start: Planning Your First Year in a New Job
There is a tendency for people to get very complacent once they have landed their new job. After months (sometimes, years) of searching, many people think their work is over once they land their new job. Or, that once they have nailed the offer, it is time to let down their guard and relax. After all, the pressure is over, isn’t it? And, strong performance will ensure positive recognition, and surely, promotion opportunities, right? The short answer: No. That isn’t the full picture and sitting back at this juncture might lead to outcomes that are far less than a person hoped for in a new employment situation. Although the road to where you are today might have felt like the biggest challenge you will face, it isn’t over yet.
Now that you are where you want to be (or perhaps, you only think this is where you want to be), whether it is in a “foot in the door “ role, or your “A” job, it is necessary to ensure you start your new job on the right foot. Showing up on time, being enthusiastic, and showing willingness to learn are basic, good beginnings, but there is much, much more involved. Securing the job is only the beginning. Keeping it and growing within it, or positioning oneself to grow to places beyond the initial role, requires thoughtful planning and the establishment of time lines.
Key elements to an auspicious beginning involve a thorough understanding of your role in the organization and your value to the company. It involves the development of allies and planning ahead, using specific time lines to ensure you make the most out of this opportunity. Keep in mind, in the company’s eyes, this “new beginning” is about what you can do for the company, not what they can do for you. You will be scrutinized closely, and someone will record even the smallest behavioral aberration. What happens next is based on the company’s needs, not necessarily yours.
Keep in mind, the company doesn’t need to know all aspects of your plans for your future. They only need to know/see what is relevant to them. Whatever your agenda is for your time with them, or for after your employment with them, it needs to be managed by you. It is important to take responsibility for your growth and development from the beginning. Take charge – do not assume they have your best interests in mind, or frankly, that you are even on their minds at all.
Assuming your professional growth and recognition for your accomplishments are your supervisor’s or the company’s responsibility is an old school notion that went by the wayside decades ago. It is important that YOU have a sound plan and time lines for growing professionally, and for maintaining or increasing your value. It is important to know what your value is not only to the company, but also in the industry as a whole, just in case the company faces lay offs, or becomes involved with a merger or acquisition. Careful planning in the beginning is far more likely to set you up for success in the long run. Don’t wait until you are midstream.
If you have recently accepted a new position, please share how you will be approaching your first year.
Interviewing: What Employers Really Want
Trying to second-guess the answers to potential interview questions can be frustrating and time wasting. There are some basic concepts, when understood completely by the job seeker that can contribute to the success or failure of an interview.
There are three basic concerns employers look for when making a hiring decision:
Can you? … Do you have the required skills to do the work?
Will you? … Do you indicate you want (attitude) to do your work the way we want you to do it?
Do you fit? … Does your personality and style fit with our company?
If the job seeker is very clear about what the position encompasses, i.e. what skills are needed and how they will be required to perform the work, and they are happy to do it, then there is a strong case for pursuing the position. Surprisingly, many job seekers apply for positions because they sound good, not because they have a thorough understanding of what is expected. Doing research on the company will shed some light on the third condition. Is this a good fit in regard to the culture of the organization?
Do you completely understand what the employer needs?
An organization is interested in what can you do for them. A thorough understanding of the organization’s needs will allow you to sell the benefits of hiring you, rather than simply presenting features about your experience that you believe are interesting. Quantify your accomplishments. Make them real and tangible. Sell solutions.
Employers don’t care what you think, they care about what you will do.
An interview is only a 30-60 minute snap shot of you. Many questions are too obvious or may even be inappropriate. It is important to understand that many of your answers will be left to interpretation. If you understand the point of each question (can you? will you? do you fit?), and you understand the employer’s intention, it is far more effective to respond with an action statement indicating what you have done, than what you think. They will view past performance as an indicator of what you are likely to do for them.
The economy and the job market are changing every minute. Can you ?
Traits employers look for to determine if you will continue to be valuable to them in the future are a positive attitude, self-motivation, flexibility and the ability to perform as a team player. Will you be able to roll with the punches when change is needed?
You need to ask for the position!!
People are often not offered a position because they may appear to be unprepared, seem disinterested, sloppy, vague, and discourteous. One of the most common reasons for not getting the offer is pretty simple. They fail to ask for the position!!
What have you changed that contributed to a more successful interview?
