Filed under: General
Now that the economy has shifted, look for interesting work inside the company you’re already in instead of going outside for a new gig.
To a careerist, getting a promotion is less important than getting knowledge. Knowledge is portable – you’ll always have it. A promotion locks you into a position within a company.
While there are still lots of entry level jobs available, people at all levels may want to weather the storm inside if their company is financially sound. Think about it. The advantages of new turf become less enticing when you think about leaving behind a mentor and friends. Throw in processes, procedures and methodologies you’ve memorized that help you work faster. Sprinkle on a commute. And, in this market, the potential for a flat salary.
Maybe you want more new responsibilities – knowledge you’ll get by doing work that actually makes you more marketable. More money is nice, but the average raise probably gives you enough for dinner out, your favorite pinot noir and a movie. Because the average annual raise after taxes and benefits is likely to be less than $1,000 a year. Maybe you should be looking for something else.
The ability to learn. New skills, new situations, interaction with a new team on a big project. That’s worth a lot more than a raise. And you can take it with you. Approach that executive whose work you’ve admired for the past year and ask to work on the big project she was just assigned. You’ll learn how she approaches things and pick up additional skills from the team.
Find a mentor. This is something an HR person should be able to help you with. Allow them time. It could take a month or two. What you want is the opportunity to shadow the mentor and get into meetings a level higher than what you’re used to. Or the ability to cross-train by being exposed to finance if you’ve spent your career in marketing. This provides you with a broader background and helps you understand the executive mind-set within the company.
Time. It’s all we have. Could you do a better job by ditching the commute and working from home? Or would you ideally like to do your thinking sitting next to the espresso machine in a coffee house. The goal here is flexibility. A different work environment, less time in your car – if you’re a high performer, there’s a possibility it could work out. Make sure you keep enough face time so that you don’t become a lone wolf – they’re the first to go in this kind of economic environment.
Filed under: General
A great resume and preparation for the interview can be torpedoed. What do hiring managers hate? Here you have it…avoid these situations like the plague.
No confirmation call / email the day before. Schedules change. People call in sick. Plan to touch base with your contact early in the morning the day before the interview. Find out if it’s still on. Make sure you have the address correct. Check to be certain the person at reception will know you’re there to see Jake Mace. Ask if there are any changes.
Late to the interview. This is more than critical. If you’re late to a job interview, chances are you’re done before you begin. It’s likely people will go through the motions and do a courtesy interview. Plan to show up at least five or ten minutes early. There’s no way to come back from this – just don’t do it. Ever.
No interview materials. Don’t just assume the people you’ll be speaking with will have a copy of your resume. Print extra copies on good quality paper. Carry writing paper, at least two pens you’ve tested, copies of any emails you may have exchanged with the company, and whatever notes you may refer to in the interview. If you’ve made up personal job search cards, take them. Don’t be like the CEO candidate my friend interviewed who showed up with nothing in hand.
Don’t be prepared to wait. Take materials that will refresh your memory regarding your industry or the company. This isn’t the time to whip out a romance novel and become engrossed in it. Refer to your notes. If you’re waiting between interviews, make a few notes about the last interview, what you learned and further questions it may have prompted regarding the company, the business unit or the team.
Disrespect the gatekeeper. Drop the ego. Be friendly, professional and respectful to the gatekeeper. View them as an extended set of eyes and ears for the person you’ll be speaking with. Yes – whatever you say will be repeated to people with the power to hire you.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Gatekeepers are expected to keep people away from an executive with hiring authority. How do you get them on your side?
Get an executive referral. If you get a referral from someone higher up in an organization, the individual you want to speak with will usually take your call. In some settings, they’ll be required to take it. The social situation requires the exec receiving the referral to take it. After all, she’s sent her friends to the person now being asked to speak to you. One hand washes the others.
Ask for what you want. Many people are hesitant to make a cold call to get in contact with a hiring authority. You’re trying to do something for that person. You want to solve problems for them. That merits a 5-minute listen. Give it a shot and keep in mind that it’s business – social rules regarding unreturned calls don’t apply. If you don’t get a response, call again. Don’t abandon your attempts until you’ve called daily for seven days. Be pleasant and tenacious.
Quote your referral. This works well when your name doesn’t ring any bells. If your source is Steve Jobs, the statement is something like this: “Steve Jobs and I were speaking at Guy’s tech brunch last weekend and Steve asked that I get in touch with Susan Jones.” The gatekeeper may not even know the referral source, but you’ll automatically be treated more seriously. If you’ve got the person’s title at hand, add it. Gatekeepers who hear ‘CEO’ during a conversation listen more intently.
Make sure you’re unfailingly polite to gatekeepers. The last thing you need is an admin making an offhand comment to their boss such as, “That Jack Amalya – he’s called every day since Monday and he’s consistently rude and demeaning.” Instead, make their day by demonstrating respect and empathy.
Seriously, read it here. And happy Thanksgiving to one and all!
Daniel Pink, well-known author of ‘A Whole New Mind,’ also wrote this keen career guide manga style. ‘Johnny Bunko’ may well be the only career guide you’ll ever need, as the cover states.
It’s not often that a book is published in manga style on careers, but Pink’s ‘Johnny Bunko’ fits the bill nicely, and, as Corey Doctorow says, does it clearly and without BS. Just what I like.
Often we need reminders that doing what we love is more rewarding than trying to fit into a box of someone else’s making.
This is important for younger people in school who are trying to figure out what the heck they want to do and where they might comfortably fit in terms of making a living.
For those of us in mid-career, it’s a touchstone that helps us remember we’ve got to stay close to what we need and want. Doing good work is about what rings true within each of us.
Those in the arts will particularly enjoy this book and Doctorow’s comments about the lack of support available for those who choose to work in fields that others just don’t grok.
Check out Doctorow’s full Boing-Boing piece on ‘Johnny Bunko’ here.
Over at All Things Workplace, Steve Roesler has made a great point – we often don’t value our highest skills because they relate to things we love doing.
Think about it for a minute – how long have you had the idea that you had to feel like your were breaking your back at the salt mines to be doing valuable work? Isn’t this just part of our Puritan heritage that somehow got stuck in that place in our brains between work and pleasure?
Our highest talents are often related to doing what we love. This makes sense. If you really love something, you probably spend a lot of time doing it. More time spent working with numbers and you become a skilled accountant. More time spent chopping, mixing and frying – suddenly it all adds up and you’re a chef. After years of consulting, you become a sought-after strategic consultant for major corporations.
It’s critical that we recognize that what we do well has intrinsic value. Take a look at Steve’s terrific post.
Sometimes CEOs get dramatic to make a point. Should you? It depends.
AIG, the global conglomerate that’s received billions in bailout dollars from American taxpayers, just announced its CEO will now slash his annual salary to $1.00.
You read that right – a dollar.
He’s making a point. While his company goes through tremendous turmoil, he’s guiding it for virtually nothing.
Is there a way to make that point to an employer and increase your value? Think about whether it’s the right time to offer a 10% discount on your salary – or to have the team join you in the offer. Dramatic? Yes. Smart? Could be.
It’s easier to hold on to the job you have at this time. While no one’s recommending a claw-back, employees who help cut payroll expense may be seen as wise. It’s definitely time for employers and employees to talk turkey about salaries.
Setting a search goal is counter-intuitive. Don’t present yourself as a ‘jack-of-all-trades.’ Narrow your search and more jobs will appear.
Companies don’t hire ‘jack-of-all-trades’ people. They want a tax specialist, an internal auditor, a ballerina, a chef or a business writer.
Saying you can do anything just makes a hiring manager think, ‘Next!’
To be the person they want to hire, determine which skills you have lead you to a specific function. For example, you’re fascinated by the IRS code, you do all your friends taxes, you’ve gotten a degree in accounting with an emphasis in taxation. Guess what? You’re a tax specialist.
Once you determine the function, place it within specific industries. You could be a tax specialist in the hospitality industry and focus on hotels. You might instead provide tax advice for healthcare organizations. Or you might give tax advice to a city and be involved in government.
The function always fits within specific industries, not the other way around.
Get clear on your goals and you’ll be worlds closer to a hiring authority who wants to meet you.
Networking sometimes has a bad name because practitioners fail to realize it’s important to give as well as get.
Too often networking is more about taking. Reciprocity – the hallmark of a healthy relationship – often gets kicked to the curb.
Including people in your job search is critical. People help people get jobs.
But no one wants to look at an incoming call or email and feel that they’re just going to get hit on again.
Make sure you’re giving as much as you’re getting. Whether it’s news, a link to an interesting story, an article you just wrote or offering to give away tickets you can’t use – give.
Keep people tuned in to your latest news, but don’t make every call about your search.
Surprise people with something new and make sure there’s an exchange.
People help people get jobs. Find the right people to connect you with others until your search is complete.
1. Family. Mom, dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, stepparents and stepsiblings. Whether they live near you or 3,000 miles away, contact them and bring them into your search. Involve even those you’re not particularly close to.
2. Friends. People you know now, those you’ve known, even people from years ago. They might live across the state or across the country. Be sure to include their family members to broaden your search possibilities.
3. Employers and coworkers. This includes current and former supervisors, peers and subordinates.
4. Clients and customers. This group, like the others, will include those you’ve known via current and previous employers.
5. Vendors. That print supplier you didn’t purchase from, your PR agency, or your DHL man are all fair game in this category. This group could include anyone you’ve come in contact with in a business setting.
6. Academic contacts. Schoolmates, teachers, professors from all the schools you ever attended.
7. Organization members. You’ve belonged to a couple or several business, fraternal or political organizations – perhaps even a social club.
8. Neighbors. Always include current and former neighbors.
