Nurture Your Network
Networking is an active process. It requires engagement, follow through and follow up. With all of the technology in the world, it still requires time for planning, thinking and responding. If I had the talent, I would draw a picture of this example, but since words are my medium, this analogy will have to be represented without visuals.
Imagine researching the web or purchasing books about putting in a lawn. You can learn about timing, the best seeds, what types of grass grow best in the region you live in, how to water and which fertilizer to use.
After all the reading and researching, eventually, the process to grow your lawn must begin. The ground has to be tilled, the seeds sown, fertilizer spread, the ground watered. And watered and watered. It requires daily attention to ensure the result of all of your careful research is actually working. It might turn out that the seeds or fertilizer used aren’t adapting to your soil or climate as anticipated. Oh, and then the weeding starts.
Another approach, of course, is to pick up a bag of unidentified seeds, throw them into your yard and wait to see what happens next. Having high expectations for even huge numbers of seeds to sprout when thrown on untilled land or clay, without any water, is probably going to lead to disappointment.
The bottom line is: without consistent and continued effort, the lawn will never sprout, it can die or it can get overgrown with weeds. And that, my friends, is what can happen with a network that is not seeded, nurtured and tended to, each and every day.
How are you growing and taking care of your network?
Tags: managing time, networking
Missed Opportunities
The thing about a missed opportunity is that you typically only figure out that it was missed in hindsight, and many times, there is no going back. The following are a few examples of what can happen from a job seeker’s perspective and from a sales perspective when assumptions are made and not investigated. I’ve co-mingled examples of both because the aspects of an employment opportunity are very much the same as with sales opportunities.
1. Know who you are dealing with. One of the easiest mistakes made by people is to rely on a title to reflect value or power, (or lack thereof) without fully investigating that assumption. An opportunity to speak with the real decision maker can be missed because the title of the person you communicating with doesn’t reflect a position of power, but may actually be a huge influence in the decision making process.
A background in sales taught me to be respectful of gatekeepers, and to never underestimate the power they hold when it comes to recommending a vendor or cutting off all access to the final decision maker. A caller can be stopped because the person on the receiving end either didn’t perceive value, or were simply put off by a sales approach. To succeed, I was also prompted to dig a little deeper to learn about a company’s needs beyond what was visible on the surface. In a similar vein, I watch as job seekers ruin their chances for getting in the door with a company because they were disrespectful of the lower level employees they had contact with. Either way, the scenario typically begins with an assumption and may end without gaining traction unless the assumption is thoroughly researched.
2. Know what you are dealing with. It is also possible to mistakenly overlook an employment opportunity because the title of the position you learn about sounds too junior. I have seen job seekers miss out on prime opportunities to get their foot in the door with a company that could lead to a great future. They thumbed their noses at lower level roles because they felt the roles were “beneath” them. Before you ask: “won’t the company perceive a candidate with a recognizably higher current/former title as being overqualified?” I’ll respond by answering “not necessarily”.
Sometimes the “fit” with the organization is so highly regarded by an employer they will follow up with a candidate based on a referral, even when they are not an exact match with a posted position. They may even adjust the role to fit the candidate’s full qualifications after meeting and discussing their needs.
Researching the culture and hiring practices of an organization through current/past employees prior to applying can give a candidate a leg up. Many companies can and will create a new role, at a different compensation level, based on a referral, the candidate’s willingness to break in at the lower role, and their enthusiasm about the organization. If the candidate is called in for an interview, you can bet the company was interested in what they saw on paper. What comes next depends on how well the candidate leverages the company’s interest and parlays the opportunity to speak to them.
Interviewing for a lesser position can lead to a referral for an impending higher level role a candidate was unaware of. Or, another outcome can be that a new position opens up in the same department because someone else moves on within a brief time of the new employee coming on board. Mind you, an immediate or quick promotion can’t be assumed or counted on, but if the candidate shows the willingness to contribute in any way the company needs them to in the beginning, you can bet they will be regarded highly when that next opportunity opens up.
Similarly, a salesperson that researches the needs and buying practices of an organization before calling on them, and subsequently impresses the person influencing the decision maker, can help identify an expanded need for products/services beyond what had originally been anticipated.
3. Know what is needed. After an interview, when a candidate reports “they thought I was over qualified”, I immediately wonder what was said to lessen the company’s interest. Certainly something caused them to change their minds about considering the candidate after their initial interest was piqued with the receipt of the resume. During an interview, prematurely speaking beyond the position can lead an employer to believe the candidate is not interested in the role at hand at all, and that can be a turn off. Boasting about experiences that are beyond the needs of the role is not productive, and may cause the employer to immediately lose interest. The fear is that the candidate will bail when a more interesting position pops up, or will get bored or become too impatient to wait for the right opportunity within the company. It is the candidate’s responsibility to convince the employer they really have a strong interest in the organization, not just a great job.
To do that, it is critical to satisfy the organization’s immediate need first. Once this need is clearly satisfied, then it is possible for the candidate to address questions about growth by inquiring about their business plans and future challenges. This is very different from asking straightforward questions about “growth opportunities” from an employment perspective. By understanding their current status and needs now, it is possible to segue into how you can help down the road. Show a clear understanding of the need for the current role right now, and then connect it to how it naturally relates to their future needs.
Not dealing with or resolving the immediate need is like trying to sell a fleet of cars when only one car is needed. At this point, regardless of the fact that more will be needed later, the sales opportunity will be gone with the wind if a salesperson hasn’t met and confirmed a company’s immediate need first. Talking too much about the wrong points or being too “self-assured” can also lead to a very misdirected sales effort.
4. Go in prepared to have a productive conversation. The key take away from this blog is not to make assumptions. Get your facts straight about what the company really needs, where they are headed and what level of influence your contact has before you make a decision to pursue or discard a lead, or engage in a conversation. Researching a company in advance to thoroughly understand its culture, needs and reasons for making buying decisions, whether it is for team members, products or services, will ultimately lead to a much more productive outcome.
If you have learned enough about an organization prior to applying for a position or presenting a product that changed your approach and ultimately led to a different opportunity than anticipated, please share your experience.
Tags: communication, interviewing, job hunting, networking
Following Up On Leads
How many times have you heard “information is power?” If you agree, then hopefully it will prompt you to take a new look at how you are pursuing your job search or your efforts to advance your career.
A posted job announcement is only an inkling of the information a person needs to consider before initiating their pursuit of an employment opportunity. Although many people believe that gaining access to more job boards creates more “leads”, the following differentiation is intended to show there is more information available to gain access to the right “job”.
A lead can mean more than a “job posting”. A lead can be:
1. To a connection inside of a targeted company
2. About industry projections, changes, new developments
3. Insight about a hiring manager’s personality, style, interests
4. Information about the culture or hiring practice of a company
5. An introduction to new and important technical skills
The key to whether a lead turns into something of value is in how it is heard, received, and ultimately followed up with. It’s not surprising how many people stay stuck on hearing about “jobs” and pass over very useful information that if heeded or pursued, could be integrated into their plan for “getting a job”. On a broader scale, if you are already working, then new information can help direct your path in a more satisfying direction. It can also help you prepare for changes in the market in advance.
A lead can be any additional information, that when combined with other accumulated information, can help you make good decisions and lead you to the best course of action.
Regardless of what is received, an immediate response is required to any morsel of information, whether it involves a simple acknowledgment or requires further inquiry for clarification. A response to the sender must be immediate, regardless of the actual course of action that will follow. If more thought is needed, the sender can be told the follow-up will occur at a (specific) later date. The point is to acknowledge the information and thank the sender within 24 hours.
The next step is to establish your required action in regard to the information you received. It may require immediate action, or a later action could be more beneficial. More research may be needed. Regardless of what has to happen, the acknowledgment and a plan for follow-up needs to be determined within 24 hours (sometimes less). It isn’t going to amount to anything if it is ignored, and it will get stale if put aside for days or weeks.
If you expect to only hear about “jobs” and shut down when people are sharing other pieces of information, it is very likely you are missing key points and opportunities that could lead you in a more productive direction. Knowing more about what others are doing and what they know, helps you build a stronger and more competitive plan for getting what you want.
If an “it’s all about me” attitude prevails, it is likely you will not hear very important pieces of information (leads) that could have helped you alter your approach or change your direction.
If you have been successful taking a “nugget” of information and turning it into a successful lead, please share your experience.
Tags: choosing a career, job hunting, networking
Riding the Wave: Problem Solving, Coping and Staying Resilient
There are many factors beyond a bad economy that are contributing to some people’s continued unemployment. The limited number of jobs may only be a fraction of what the problem is. Let me qualify this by stating I am not a therapist or a psychologist and don’t pretend to be. As I review my clients’ circumstances, I look at some basic and obvious issues, the same way employers will: are you able to go to work and do what you are paid to do without becoming a liability? Do you appear to be a good investment? If not, then something else may be requiring more attention before someone can successfully return to work. Some people would benefit from counseling of a different nature or therapy, and others simply need to improve their problem solving skills.
Although finding work is expected to vastly improve much of what is wrong in many people’s lives today, it has been my experience that often too much weight is placed on finding the “job” as the answer. Often people fail to change their behavior, lifestyle or outlook to ensure they can get on track (and stay on track), and mistakenly believe the job will “fix” all that is wrong. The false comfort of finding work as the cure to all of life’s ailments is seductive, and can be very tricky to overcome or repair. Unfortunately, many problems don’t go away, and actually become of greater concern once someone re-enters the workplace.
There is no mystery as to why employers conduct behavioral interviews to interpret or measure candidates’ thinking processes and abilities to problem solve. If there isn’t evidence of coping effectively outside of work, why would a risk be taken by the employer in assuming they will do a better job at work?
People are prone to “glossing over” issues and not resolving root problems. Taking the easy way, looking for a quick fix, and finding fault are all coping mechanisms, but unfortunately, they are behaviors that don’t solve the real problem. People make bad choices, procrastinate, and can develop bad eating/drinking/sleeping habits while they are unemployed. All of these behaviors can continue after they are employed. Finding a job may seem like the answer to all that is wrong, but reactions to life’s events that show up as the inability to make good choices, get things done, or cope may be what are really behind prolonged unemployment. Is it the chicken and the egg dilemma? Perhaps. Is there more to it than this? Of course.
A simplistic remedy for many could simply be to take a hard look at the issues in their lives that would not be allowed to consume their time if they were working each day. Or, identifying how many more issues are allowed to become bigger and highly visible when unemployed, and not while working. If parenting, family commitments, health issues, or running into car problems becomes paralyzing now, then what would happen if that person is working? How would these problems get resolved? Aside from potential financial issues, would a different course of action be considered if the person were working?
The next part of this simplistic fix is learning how to problem solve more effectively now, before work begins and takes up another 10 hours each day. The reasons I hear for why people are unable to get to their job search commitments often baffle me. I wonder what the case would be if they were working. If solutions to life events take up hours that would ordinarily be dedicated to work, then is it possible alternative solutions need to be examined? Is having limited resources always the case, or could it also be a case of limited resourcefulness?
In addition to effectively resolving problems, let’s address the other key point to moving on. Growing thicker skins and developing flexibility are key ingredients to succeeding in the workplace. Change continues to occur at a faster clip than ever before, and it is unlikely to let up. It is the name of the game. How we respond to change, adversity, and life’s challenges is going to continue to be a test we all must pass to stay in the game.
As I previously stated , there are typically other issues contributing to a person’s unemployment, but hopefully these are some areas that a job seeker can take a hard look at on their own. If too much is getting in the way of dedicating the amount of hours required to conduct an effective job search (in the same way it would be dedicated to work), then it might be necessary to enlist the help of a professional to assist.
Key Actionable Items for Getting Back to Work: The Job Search Process
The job search process can be a mystery for people returning to work after a long absence from the work place or for those who have found themselves in the middle of a stalled search. The following is a quick outline of steps to help guide you if you are wondering where to begin or have gotten off track.
1. Determine which skills you prefer to use, are current, you are good at, and are marketable or competitive, based on current market conditions. (Get guidance for this if you are unsure).
- Set goals with clear objectives and time lines
- Get clear about your financial commitments and develop a budget
2. Expand your network to:
- Learn more information about skills (see #1)
- Learn more about an industry
- Develop leads to learn about companies’ needs and potential new opportunities
3. Create a “Master Resume” (Get help if you need it)
- Keep your resume and LinkedIn profile updated with new training or projects, and make sure they are relevant for what you are pursuing
- Tailor a resume from your “master” to fit each/ every position you pursue
4. Prepare for interviews:
- Research to learn all that you can about a company or position (see #2)
- Write out answers to frequently asked questions (in your field.)
Completing these steps will ensure you will be competing as strongly as you are able. Omitting any of them can inhibit your ability to effectively compete, no matter what you apply for. In addition to the actionable items to pursue, the following are some basic behaviors to employ or change to make sure you can compete in a tough market market.
- Get up and be ready to work before 7:30 AM
- Work evenings or weekends as necessary
- Be flexible
- Exhibit a high level of urgency
- Be willing to face change
- Show your ability to overcome and solve problems
- Possess clear communication skills
- Maintain a positive attitude
The bad economy doesn’t have to paralyze you. Although there isn’t a magic pill that will make you instantly employed, the process isn’t rocket science. Creating a plan and managing your time and attitude are key elements to accomplishing more and succeeding in a competitive market. If you don’t try this recipe, then you won’t know, will you?
Is it Ageism or Your Attitude?
Is it Ageism or Your Attitude?
There is an ongoing debate about age discrimination in the work place that has been around for a very long time. Since we will continue to have younger workers enter the workplace, it is likely a case will continue to be made either way. My position is it doesn’t do anyone much good to simply buy into it and give up on their pursuits without, examining the situation more carefully.
It is helpful to understand why employers might be concerned about a worker’s age and what it could reflect, and at the same time, take into account what really makes sense for the worker (you) at this stage of your life/career. The following is a checklist of sorts to identify issues often associated with older workers.
1. Rigid and stuck in their ways.
2. Poor or failing health. Medical issues impact attendance and productivity.
3. Afraid of new technologies.
4. Slower to learn new concepts. Slow to change.
5. Years of highly developed opinions; unwillingness to hear new ideas.
6. Expensive. They demand higher wages.
7. Poor investment because they won’t be staying with the company for long enough to get a return on investment with their training.
8. Physically slow moving. Low energy. Unable to sustain long hours if required.
9. Risk adverse.
These are real scenarios that can be associated with older workers. As you may already have figured it out, there are people of ALL ages that may also reflect many of these concerns. Younger people often get stuck with “fads” and believe their way is the only way. They can also have health concerns, low energy levels and can be slow to learn concepts that are outside of their experience. They also may only stay with an employer a brief time to get the training they need, just to move on to something bigger or better in a very short time.
If these aren’t issues you have, then it is pragmatic to look at other reasons why you may not be achieving your employment goals. The key issue is not necessarily age, but attitude and circumstance. It is important to focus on the things you are doing that you CAN change to ensure you achieve your goals. However, if any of the attitudinal issues could be associated with you, then think about why, and make some changes.
It is important to be honest about your mind, body and spirit when pursuing anything. Be realistic about what you can do, want to do and need to do first, then find the balance for yourself. The more you identify those elements and set realistic timeframes to accomplish it, the more likely you will be to achieve rewarding goals.
How Committed Are You To Getting The Results You Seek?
Although this is a re-post from a couple of years back, I think it is a still good reminder for taking effective steps to get started on the right foot in the New Year:
Many people start off the New Year with good intentions for fulfilling resolutions, but their interest and enthusiasm often wanes away by the end of February. This year, make a difference in your life. Review your habits and past behaviors that have previously not produced the results you desire. Be honest with yourself. Examine your circumstances carefully to determine what part you have played in the outcomes you have experienced. Don’t rely on your employer, market conditions, or your family obligations to dictate what happens to you (or doesn’t) this year. Make a commitment to reach your goals by outlining specific actions to accomplish them.
It seems the elements I observe that contribute more frequently than not to a stalled job search or poor results are associated with three elements: lack of commitment, failure to plan and unwillingness to change. The following questions might help you to determine if you are setting yourself up for success, or more of the same this year.
Commitment
- Are you truly committed to making a change this year?
- Have you written down your goals? Are they specific? Are they measurable?
- How many times in the past have you held off planning a course of action to “wait and see” the results of someone/something else’s actions before you make a decision to do something? Why? What would happen if you simply made a decision to take action, make a commitment, and in the worst-case scenario, had to change your plans later?
- Are you able/willing to stay focused? If you are not what are the barriers? What can you do about them?
- Are you willing to work long hours, weekends and holidays for a limited time to accomplish what you desire?
Planning
- Do you know what you need to get done each day?
- How far ahead do you plan your schedule? Are you looking ahead at least 90 days?
- How many hours per day have you worked on your employment (or other) goals in the past?
- How much time do you plan to dedicate to working on your employment (or other) goals every day, every week, every month for the next year?
- How many times have you allowed distractions to prevent you from completing what you have set out to do because you don’t have a plan?
Change Your Behavior – Develop New Habits
- Have you continued to do the same things over and over expecting to get different results? (uh, oh. You know what that means!)
- On a scale of one to ten, with ten being excruciatingly uncomfortable, how uncomfortable are you with your present circumstances?
- Are you willing to sustain that degree of discomfort for 30 days? 60 days?
- Have you made a conscious decision to consistently establish and practice new behavior on a daily basis? In the past, have you stuck with it for more than 30 days?
What is the biggest change you will make this year?
Tags: goals, job hunting
Make a Commitment to Reach Your Career Goals
Although this blog has been previously published, I think the message is always helpful at the beginning of a new year.
Too often, people establish career goals the same way they make New Year’s resolutions. The problem with resolutions is that they fade away, are forgotten, and are only a distant memory by February. To actualize your desire for a change, exchange your resolution for a COMMITMENT to action.
Why a commitment and not just a wish?
Achievement of a goal doesn’t happen overnight. Job seekers are confronted with many issues beyond their control—economic conditions, competition, HR, and internal politics for a start. These issues can be very daunting and discouraging. The fact is you can’t reach your goal until you choose to face these challenges head on, with a plan of attack. Making the COMMITMENT to do so is within your control. Your goal becomes more than a “wish”.
Take charge – stay committed!
Don’t rely on your employer, market conditions, or your family obligations to dictate what happens to you (or doesn’t). Make a decision about what you need to do, commit to it, then adjust as events occur. Commitment to your goal and acting on it is more likely to produce the results you want than sitting idly as you wait for things to change.
Make a commitment to reach your goals by first being committed to the process, no matter what.
- Keep yourself in check for things you can control. Recognize that you can make a choice each and every time something comes up that presents itself as a challenge.
- Write out your goals. Make them specific and measurable.
- Proceed through your outline of specific actions that lead to your specific goals.
What kind of resolutions are you planning for the New Year that could more effectively be treated as a goal?
Tags: choosing a career, goals
When Networking Goes Bad
For 15+ years, networking has been my first and foremost prescribed method for an effective job search. Most people understand that people want to work with those they already know and like. Employers would typically rather hire a candidate that comes recommended by a valued employee, with the expectation their employee would never recommend someone that was not a good fit with the organization. All that is well and good, except when it all goes very wrong. Problems can occur when:
- People think connecting to someone on Linked in now means they “know” someone.
- When an introduction is made by a trusted friend or colleague, and the person requesting the introduction is ill-prepared for the conversation.
- Introductions have been made, and the requesting party takes weeks to follow up.
- Once the introduction was made, the requesting party fails to follow up with their original contact to show their appreciation or advise them of the outcome.
- People without previous inside connections or insight about a company wait until a position has been posted to try to connect with anyone and everyone they can, just to get through to the hiring manager.
- A resume gets forwarded by a virtual stranger, with no introduction.
- The person introducing a candidate is asked by the hiring manager (or HR) what they can tell them about the person’s work experience, and it is discovered they hardly know them.
- People misrepresent their relationships with others when speaking with contacts currently at their targeted companies.
Networking can be very fun, and very productive when all parties are clear about their intentions, have taken the time to prepare and understand the expected outcomes. Both the requesting party and the person making a referral can take some fairly simple precautions to ensure things don’t go off in a ditch.
If you are the requesting party, then preparation is a mandatory prerequisite. Research the company and the person you wish to meet as thoroughly as you can in advance. Be clear about your expectations. Prepare thoughtful questions that will exhibit your sincere interest. If you are requesting an introduction to a hiring manager, be aware of your true value and marketability for the role you are pursuing. Using someone else’s reputation for a long shot can only turn out badly if it ends up wasting the hiring manager’s time.
If you are the referring party, you have every right to ask questions about the person’s preparation prior to sticking your neck out. Make sure to ask about their goal in speaking with/meeting your contact. Ask what questions they are prepared to ask and how they anticipate following up. If their request is in regard to a job opening, make an effort to be clear about their qualifications and understanding of the position prior to referring them.
If you can add some examples of good or bad referrals, please share your story.
Behavior Changes Can Help a Stalled Job Search
For people re-entering the job market after 10 or 20 years of continued employment, and those having been out of the market for three years or more, the changes that have taken place may seem overwhelming. Responses to those changes can be anything from fear, trepidation, denial, or avoidance to spending hours and hours reading everything possible about the current depressed state of the job market, justifying why employment is so difficult. The behaviors that manifest as a result of these responses are only going to make matters worse if they are not dealt with and changed.
The following are some key points for getting out of your own way if you are currently experiencing a stalled search.
It isn’t about you. If you want to find work, then it is necessary to stop obsessing about your own circumstances, and turn your focus to what is needed in the workplace. What business still needs to be transacted and what work needs to be done, no matter what? What skills are required to make that happen? How can you be part of the solution? How can you contribute value to an employer that is also tightening the belt?
Use strategy and stop knee jerking. This is a time when creative and strategic thinking is not just a plus, it is a requirement. It is very likely what you really want to do is not going to be immediately available to you. Have you crafted a strategic plan to get there, or are you still simply reacting to the immediate situation without thinking beyond the moment? Stop looking for a “job” and start listening for an opportunity to “work and get paid”.
Pay attention to details. People are wonderful sources of information. Once you get past thinking “it is all about me”, you will be better able to hear clues about work conditions, retain helpful information to share with others, and gain insight from others that could help you get unstuck. Stop asking for job leads and ask questions to learn about opportunities. This may sound cliché, but many people still don’t get it. Listening for problems, patterns, and trends can help you stay on track with the companies you are targeting and the solutions you are presenting. Things in today’s workplace change quickly. Problems arise and solutions are found through people that are astute enough to capture the opportunity, long before there is time to design and post a “job”.
Listen. Pay attention to details about someone’s background, interests, likes, and dislikes. Using the information and responding with sincerity and interest will help you develop relationships that could lead to information about those unpublished opportunities. If you currently only treat people as vehicles to get you to the hiring manager, you are on the wrong track.
If you are currently guilty of spending more time justifying why you can’t find a job, than the time you could take to work on a new angle, perhaps you need some help getting unstuck.
It would be great to hear from people that have found non-traditional means for finding their current employment, and have developed alternative strategies for achieving their career goals.
Tags: email
