Is George Bailey a Member of the Self-Responsible Performer Club?

Each holiday season I seem to catch the holiday classic, “It’s A Wonderful Life”, and this past weekend I watched it again. It is one of the few holiday classics that I enjoy watching during the season along with the “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”, “A Christmas Carol”, and “A Christmas Story”. I realize that “It’s A Wonderful Life” is a little corny but there are several messages that resonate with me, and getting to see this classic movie each year reminds me of those important messages.

When watching it this past weekend I saw a scene that stuck out to me this year more than it has in the past. Near the latter part of the movie George Bailey has realized how much trouble he is in with the loss of $8,000 by his uncle Billy. George and Billy search everywhere for the envelope of cash, but were not able to find the cash. In desperation, George goes to Potter’s office and asks Potter for help. George tells Potter that he has misplaced $8,000. Potter questions George to clarify what he heard, “You lost the money?” knowing full well that it was Billy who lost the money. George responses back to Potter with a yes and a nod of his head. And there it is: George takes full responsibility for the actions of his employees. That is George Bailey, who we have grown to love - Mr. Responsible.

A week earlier, I conducted an interview skills workshop for a group of hiring managers at a Hi-Tech company. I took the group through an exercise about hiring self-motivated, self-responsible employees. The exercise always seems to hit home with hiring managers because they realize that their top performers are self-motivated, self-responsible employees. The employees are goal oriented, accountable for their results, and take 100% responsibility for their actions. They always learn from their mistakes and grow from them. The exercise helps managers focus their interview questions on the candidates’ motivations and accountability.

If hiring managers are looking for self-motivated, self-responsible employees, you, as job seeker, might be asking yourself if I am one of those performers. Here is a set of questions to assess yourself.

On a scale of 1 (disagree) to 9 (agree), rate yourself on each question:

1. I take full responsibility for all my on-the-job performance.


2. I feel that I have a fair share in the successes and failures of my company. As such, I feel vested in helping my company to succeed.


3. I understand that my actions are a direct result of my thoughts and behaviors I choose.


4. I set my own clear objectives. I monitor my progress, assess my outcomes and design feedback loops into my work.


5. I admit to my mistakes and shortcomings and strive to learn from them so not to repeat them again the future.


6. I regularly examine my strengths, weaknesses and limitations and seek continuous feedback.


7. I believe that I am, at bottom line, my own boss.


8. I aim to be a high performer for my company, but never at the expense of others.


9. I use my words and actions to provide a positive influence on others.


10. I am ultimately responsible for everything that is going on in my own head. I don’t blame other persons, places, or things for the thoughts I chooses to use.

Add up the number you have marked down for each question. The following categories will give you an idea how you compare with individuals that are self-motivated, self-responsible performers.

• 70 – 90: You are a full member of the Self-Motivated, Self-Responsible Performers Club (Look out George Bailey)


• 40 – 69: You are moving towards Self-Motivated, Self-Responsible Performer Club


• 39 or less: You have a long way to go to the Self-Motivated, Self-Responsible Performer Club membership

They Want Me! Can I Negotiate?

I regularly get the call for job seekers that are in the latter stages of the hiring process and the conversation goes something like this:

Job Seeker: “I just got offered the job with ABC Company.” (excitement in their voice)
Mike: “Great job! Congratulations. Tell me about it. I want to hear all the good stuff.
Job Seeker: “It is great job. The people are great. I have great responsibilities. But (long pause) the offer isn’t quite right. The ________(fill in the word: Salary, Bonus, Title, Vacation, Benefits) isn’t what I was hoping for. In this job market, can I negotiate?”

When job seekers ask me for my thoughts on negotiating, I always say, why not? This is the time to negotiate if you want to. You won’t be able to negotiate after you start. If the offer doesn’t have some of the key things you are looking for, it can’t hurt to ask.

I typically will get the response from the job seeker that if he or she tries to negotiate, it might anger the company resulting in the company pulling the offer. One senior VP level job seeker asked me this question a few months back. After we discussed it for a while, he went home and shared my suggestions to his wife. A half hour later, he calls me. He proceeded to tell me that his wife asked him if I was nuts. Does he realize what the market is like out there right now? I am sure there were a few adjectives thrown around to describe my craziness.

It is my experience that most companies and hiring managers have spent hours upon hours sourcing you and vetting you to make sure you are the right fit for the company, their department, and their team. Once they have made the decision to offer you the job they don’t want to lose that investment in the time and money it took to find you. At that point, they have determined that you are the right candidate.

I have found that most of the concerns by job seekers really stem around a fear of how to effectively approach it. They realize that they haven’t honed that skill and aren’t comfortable trying it at the point of the offer. Here are a few things to consider if you are considering negotiating your offer.

Ask for the Offer in Writing: Always ask for the offer in writing. It is a good practice to understand all the components of the offer. If something is not in your offer letter than you don’t know if it is truly going to be a part of your total package.

Prepare and Compare: Do a comparison analysis of your offer with your prior job compensation and benefits. Divide a sheet of paper list out the components. Translate your benefits in to dollar amounts. For example a week of vacation is worth 1/52 of your annual base salary. What are the differences in the 401(k) match? What are the differences in premium contributions to the health plans? Once you have listed everything out and summed up the totals, look at what the variation is between the offer and your past comp/benefits package.

Understand What Is Important To You: Think about what it will take for you to say “yes.” What would the offer look like for you to feel completely excited? You need to determine what is minimally acceptable to you. What will you compromise on? Will you tradeoff a lower salary with a higher bonus? Do you want four weeks of vacation but will take three weeks if that is what is offered? Sometime companies are able to tradeoff in one area to compensate for another area.

Show Excitement: Start your discussion with by reminding them of how interested you are in the role and your excitement about starting. Thank them for the offer and the opportunity. Reinforce this message throughout the discussion. Set up the meeting to be in person if possible. It is easier to read the body language, face expressions, and general tone of the discussion.

Use Questions: Share with them that you have questions about the offer and the total compensation package (the compensation and benefits). Express to them that you have reviewed their offer (remember to reinforce your excitement) in comparison to your prior company and that you what to know if there is some room for movement in a few areas. For example: Is it possible to move the base salary by $200 per month? That would bring me closer to the total compensation package that I am accustomed to and I would be willing to start next Monday. You are not trying to corner them.

Follow up: If you get changes to the offer, ask for the revisions in a revised offer letter. Remember to thank them for their time and interest in you.

The Networking Light Switch

It was an interesting and exciting week in the job search front. Three people that I have gotten to know while helping out with job search groups landed new jobs this week. Also, I met a new person who is just launching her job search. All four have something in common: their networking efforts.

The first three individuals were well into their job search when I first met them a few months. They were making new connections through networking. As I met them individually I asked them all the same question: “Who are you networking with? Be specific with the names, levels and companies.” I was looking to see if they were networking in the right levels based on the types of jobs they were looking for. With these three, they all seemed to be penetrating the right networking circles. In fact, based on how aggressive they were with their networking efforts, I felt it was just a matter of time before opportunities presented themselves to them, and they would be getting interviews and eventually a job offer. They had flipped on the networking light switch. They got it. They understood that focused, structured networking was going to be the key to them landing their next job. Sure enough, just like the fall weather in Western Oregon, when it rains it pours. All three moved into the interview process with not only the company they got offers with, but were also in serious interview discussions with other companies as well.

The fourth individual was just starting her job search. She had been out for about a month and had networked with a few people. As we talked I began to ask her questions about her job search process and networking efforts. Okay, I am sure my probing questions probably felt more like an inquisition than a casual coffee chat. I was asking questions like:

• Who are you networking with?
• What are your networking goals?
• How many networking meetings do you have lined up for next week?
• What trade or professional associations meetings and events are you attending?
• Are you following up with the people you meet at the professional association meetings to set up face-to-face meetings?
• Are you networking with mostly people who are currently working or with others that are seeking work as well?
• Are moving past your first generation of networking connections?
  

After my rapid fire round of 20 questions, I turned the spotlight off, took off the bad cop hat and put on the good cop hat and we discussed her job search plans. I shared my ideas and suggestions about setting networking goals of have at least five face-to-face meetings a week and one professional association event a week. We talked about how most people will be glad to meet with you if you ask. I shared that most people will connect you to others if you ask. As she tried to soak it all in she finally paused for a moment and then said to me: “This isn’t going to be easy is it.” At that point, I knew that she had seen that networking light switch on the wall. The question that she will have to ask herself now is, will she choose to flip it on.

Pitching Practice

People are landing regularly now, and one in particular is worth mentioning. John Kingery started with Outside In, a non-profit medical service provider for homeless youth on August 31, 2009 in their IT organization. Why single out John and share his story?

John was one of the founding members of the job search group that I facilitate on a weekly basis. John had a long career in the IT field, but when we first met he was clear about doing something different and a desire to work in a mission-based organization such as a non-profit organization. Unfortunately, he was difficulty clearly articulating how he could bridge that desire with his years of IT experience.

At the weekly job search group meeting we would begin the meeting with each member giving their job search elevator pitch. John was faithful about attending each week and rarely missed the opportunity to deliver his pitch. But John will be the first to admit that he struggled with his messaging in trying to bridge the worlds of IT and his passion to work in some new capacity in a mission-based organization. It just wasn’t coming together for him. At the meetings, he would share his experience interviewing for IT positions with for-profit companies and you could hear in his voice that they weren’t peaking his real interest. John stated to seek out volunteer opportunities with non-profit organizations and eventually he was able to get on two different boards.

These volunteer opportunities began to give John the excitement and passion he was striving for. He was able to serve and provide leadership utilizing his skills that he developed as an IT professional. And something happened through these volunteer experiences. John started to make the connection between the two worlds. John’s elevator pitch began to flow and gel. He was able to effectively articulate the bridge between his interests to serve in a mission-based organization by utilizing his IT leadership skills. You knew if we were seeing the well articulated pitch in the weekly job search group, then it was also occurring in his networking meetings and interviews. A few weeks later, John announced that Outside In had offered him a position.

John’s patience and perseverance paid off. His regular practice of his pitch and his exploration through networking and volunteering gave him opportunity to make that connection within himself between the two worlds and then to articulate it to others. While this maturation process is not that uncommon with job seekers, John’s journey is noteworthy to share. We now have another successful alumnus to the job search university. Congratulations, John Kingery!

Is the Traditional Resume Dead?

Is the paper resume and its MS Word version dead? That is the question I am asking myself after being introduced to the site VisualCV.com.

This past week Joshua Waldman, a social media expert with Career Enlightenment, made a presentation to the job search group I facilitate regarding leveraging social media sites to find a job faster. In Joshua’s presentation, he introduced the group to the site VisualCV.com and explained how to capitalize on this new technology with other sites like LinkedIn or Twitter. VisualCV is a dynamic site that allows you to post documents, videos, links and logos to reinforce your experience and skills that are found on your resume. For example, you could post the PowerPoint marketing presentation to VisualCV to reinforce your marketing project accomplishment that you have listed in the resume.

You can create customized versions of your VisualCV to send to particular companies or positions and make them private so that only the appropriate people can view their respective customized version. You can link your VisualCV to your LinkedIn profile. You can respond to a Twitter job posting instantly with your VisualCV. Imagine having a conversation with a networking connection and passing your VisualCV via your iPhone to him or her right there.

Since a picture is a thousand words, I encourage you to check out Joshua's VisualCV site as an example.

While the old MS Word version may not be dead just yet, in the near future it will be time to consider listing it on the Federal Endangered Species Act.

A Recruiter's Story of the Job Search Process

Sometimes it is interesting to hear the experiences of others who are moving through the job search process, through their own words. I came across this story by an agency recruiter that was laid off. Here is a guy who helps other companies find their talent every day, and now he is on the side trying to convince companies that he is the right talent for them.

Check out his story A Story From The Job-Search Trenches. He covers all the elements of his job search process. His words speak for themselves.

The Golden Bullet in the Job Search

I previously wrote about silver bullets in the job search process (see May 31, 2009 “Job Search Silver Bullets”). These are networking connections that become advocates for you and lead you to connections and jobs that you might not otherwise have had accessed without them.

Recently I had a networking lunch meeting with my former HR colleague and I observed that she was truly disengaged with her current company. She has a long history with her company of steady growth in responsibilities over the years. However, the company was recently acquired by a bigger company headquartered in a different city and the new company has a different set of values and decision making authority for employees. She no longer felt empowered to make decisions. As we talked she finally revealed that she was thinking about initiating a job search. She hadn’t yet pulled together her resume and she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do next in her career. She indicated that she might look at changing industries or even moving to a different type of role in human resources. Then she said something even more significant. She thought about immediately reaching out to her former CEO to get a reference and network with him.

As we discussed things regarding this CEO connection I thought about the silver bullet concept. This was a huge and powerful connection for her. He was someone that in just one phone call could swing wide open doors for her that she normally wouldn’t have been able to crack open. That is when I shared with her that the CEO was not a silver bullet but really a golden bullet. On a few occasions we may meet a person that may be an even more significant and powerful connection than any other one.

I suggested to my friend that she take some time thinking and preparing herself first before she ever approaches the CEO. Knowing this CEO, I would fully expect him to pepper her with questions and she would want to be ready. Being unprepared could diminish the impression she was trying to make and lose some of the potential impact of the opportunities that might come from the meeting. He would be such a tremendous asset for her as a reference and advocate that she would want to do everything to make sure she was prepared. I asked her to think about the differences between the successful meetings and unsuccessful meetings she had with him when they worked together. She quickly indicated that the successful ones were where she had done her homework.

After we parted from lunch I received an email from her that evening indicating that she thought about our conversation and she was going to begin preparing for a job search. She also indicated that she wouldn’t reach out to the CEO until she answered the questions to herself that she would expect the CEO and others would ask.

While a lot of us may not have a golden bullet like my friend has, we are likely to encounter people that will provide us tremendous value and even advocacy in our job search. You may not even recognize it in that first meeting. You want to prepare yourself for each of the connections. Do the homework.

A Good Chuckle in the Dog Days of Summer

We are coming into those dog days of summer and every now and then we need a good laugh to lighten things up during these long hot days. This article from CNN.com/CareerBuilder.com titled: 43 Weird Things Said In Job Interviews came across my computer at the right time and made me chuckle.

The article reminded me about my own experiences as an HR professional. In my 20+ years in human resources and thousands of interviews that I have conducted over that span, I have heard some pretty bizarre responses to some very ordinary questions. Just when I thought I had heard everything over the countless number of interviews, a new interviewee will throw a response out that will make me think, did I just hear him correctly? Did he really say that out loud in this interview? I look back on them now and get a little chuckle thinking about the off-the-wall answers I have heard.

As an interviewee, I am sure I have made my fair share of dumb remarks along the way but fortunately I don’t recognize any of my responses in the answers shared in this CNN article.

Pour yourself a tall glass of lemonade and enjoy the CNN/CareerBuilder article. It will be a good little break during these long dog days of summer.

Effective Goal Setting in the Job Search Process

We just crossed the halfway point of 2009 and it made me think, what would I be doing if I was an HR leader with a company? It would be midyear goal review time. I would be sending out that reminder (okay, I am sure it was perceived more like a nag) to business leaders, managers, and my own staff that is it time to review the status of your goals and objectives for the year. Are employees on track? Do they have any issues or barriers? What help is needed to accomplish them? I would stress to managers the importance of discussing the progress of the goals with their employees, and having their employees share their progress with the rest of their team. Just like in business, goal setting in the job search process is critical for a successful job search. Setting targets and proper alignment will keep you focused and help you achieve the end goal: landing that right job.

I recently met with a friend that is seeking employment. She had been testing the waters for about three months in the freelance world, but has found that she wasn’t as happy working outside the structure of a traditional workplace. She likes getting up each day with the purpose of going to a company and being around a team of other creative professionals. While she said she was going to continue to do freelance work as a source of income, she had determined that she was going to seek a regular job in her creative field with a company. She shared with me that she was struggling with setting a consistent daily schedule for herself but was taking the necessary steps to become more focused in her job search. She explained that she has recently aligned herself with another friend who is out looking as well. They now meet every other Monday at 8 AM to review their progress. Since they know each other very well and are in the similar creative field they know that they can’t bluff each other on what they did or didn’t do the prior two weeks. She had decided to expand her networking efforts and joined some groups in her field to attend their networking functions. She also was contacting some creative agencies that place professionals like her on temporary assignments. It is very common in her field for temporary assignments to become permanent. And lastly, she had determined that she would go to the coast for a couple of days with her friends and recharge herself for her new focus of finding a job with a company.

Whether she had realized it or not my friend had just completed a goal setting session for her job search plan. She had all the elements needed for effective goal setting.

• Set the goal with the end target in mind. She had decided to seek regular full time work instead trying to stay as a freelancer.

• Establish tactics or actions to enable you to achieve the main goal. My friend set plans to join groups and meet with creative agencies.

• Align your goals in step with your life goals, annual goals, monthly goals, and weekly goals. My friend wanted to set a firm schedule to give herself the permission to do other things during the summer besides just looking for a job. She was also reading a book titled 10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea, by Suzy Welch, about making priorities and balancing your life.

• Keep your goals manageable. Don’t over commit yourself. She knew that she needed to set a regular daily schedule with regular tasks and appropriate blocks of time just like she would in a typical workplace.

• Write your goals down and post them in a place where you can see them! I didn’t see her goals and plans but knowing the type of person she is, I am confident she has them written down and posted near her computer. Share your goals with someone else. Ask for their support. My friend found a search buddy to share and help hold her accountable.

• Regularly review your goals, adjust and update. She adjusted her goals along the way with the decision to switch from freelancing to a regular position.

• Celebrate achievements and completions. Going to the beach for a couple of days was a celebration for her. She had accomplished several action steps over the past couple of weeks and was rewarding herself with some needed R&R.

Use goal setting in your job search process just like you did at work. It will have the same positive effects in your search as it does at work. It will have the added benefit of keeping your goal setting skills sharp for when you get back into the workplace.

The Balancing Act. The Job Search/Life Balance

Summer break is well under way with most of our kids out of school and the 4th of July just around the corner. My two teen age boys are bouncing in and out of the house all day, and working out of the home often can be distracting. As when you are working, the work/life balance can be an issue with a lot of people. The competing demands of the job frequently and unfortunately seem to win out more times than not over the home needs. The same can be true during the job search process. The job seeker will struggle with the job search/life balance.

Some people will say that you are lucky to be free during the summer and you should try to enjoy the time off with your family. However, the pressure to find a new job to support your financial needs weighs heavily on you. You may feel guilty while spending time with the family, thinking you should be spending that time job searching. Or the opposite, you feel guilty because you passed up an opportunity to do something fun with family or friends because you felt like you needed to do something related to your job search.

These breaks in your employment history can be sometimes a very rewarding time for many job seekers. You may get to focus on family more, help out with a non-profit, get that house project done, or coach a youth sports team. Sometimes, with your children, they look back on these times with fond memories because dad or mom had more time to do fun stuff with them.

Several years ago, I was out looking for a new job during the summer months. My boys were elementary school aged and our neighborhood has a community pool. Nearly every afternoon I blocked time out of my job search schedule to take them up to the pool in the afternoon. I was able to read some professional books lounging by the pool, and even did some networking while hanging out. Later in the summer my son’s fourth grade soccer team needed a coach. I know as much about soccer as I do about building a rocket. World Cup? Is that the same as a travel cup? I had coached youth basketball, and since they were 4th graders I figured I couldn’t do too much damage, so I went ahead and said yes. It turned out be a fun experience and some of those boys have now moved on to play on their high school soccer teams despite having me as their coach earlier in their development. The other positive outcome of that coaching experience was that I got to know one of the parents better and he lead me to a job opportunity that I eventually landed. It proved to me again that you will never know where those connections may come from.

Frequently job seekers will put their life on hold when they get laid off. While you may not have the financial means to do all the things you used to do, there are still several fun things that can and should be done that are free or inexpensive. Instead of going out to dinner as you used to, pack a picnic and attend one of the free concerts in the park. You will want to take breaks from the daily job search grind, just like you took breaks from work.

Scheduling the time into my day was the key for me to manage the balancing act. I build my job search and networking schedule around the time I planned to spend with my family. I tried to hold that time on my schedule. Sometimes I had to adjust and shift the time around to get on the calendar of someone with whom I was trying to meet. For the most part, I was able to maintain the balance.

This job search/life balance is different for everyone just like it is with work/life balance. I would encourage you look at how you are spending your time and try to build some quality fun time into your schedule. You don’t want to look back and feel guilty about missing out on something.

How Did You Find Your Past Jobs? It Probably Wasn’t Through The Front Door

This past week I facilitated a two-day job search techniques workshop that focused on penetrating the so-called “hidden job market”. We had 30 very active participants in the workshop that on average have been out looking for about five months.

I opened the workshop with an exercise asking the participants to review how they learned about their past five jobs, starting with their most recent position and then working backwards. The worksheet asked them to tally their responses by the following categories: Friends/Family, Co-workers, Managers, Staffing Agencies, Others, and Online Posting/Advertising. The participants consolidated their data together with the others at their respective table and then each table recorded their data on the master flipchart to reveal the entire class’s results. Drum roll please: 73% of the jobs were found through friends/family, co-workers, managers, staffing agencies, or some other connection. Only 27% of the jobs were found through advertised postings– the front door.

We have all heard that roughly about 10 to 15% of all jobs are ever advertised. That means that the other 85% to 90% of the jobs are filled through other methods, the hidden job market. The hidden job market is the jobs that are found through friends, family, co-workers, managers, connections, and networking and to a smaller percentage, through recruiters. The Department of Labor provided results that revealed that only 5% of jobs were filled through advertised posting. 48% were found through referrals, 24% were found the direct networking, and 23% were through agencies.

When I happen to get into a job search discussion about job postings and networking with people that I meet, I regularly ask them the same question that I asked the workshop participants, how did they learned about their past jobs? Inevitably, they pause and say that it was a friend, co-worker or some other type of connection that introduced them to the job opportunity. Typically they will say that 4 out 5 of their past positions were found that way. It surprises them after they say that, because they never really have thought about it from that perspective. One job seeker that I recently spoke with indicated that she hadn’t really searched for a job in the past because she always just put the word out to her friends and they always connected her to her next job. I pointed out that she was actually job searching, and that she was leveraging her network of friends as connections.

I asked the workshop participants a follow up question: Where are you currently spending the majority of your job search time looking for work? Is it searching job boards and responding to ads or is it out networking and trying to make new connections? Most participants nodded and raised their hands to the first option, searching job boards and responding to ads. They were spending a disproportionate, and typically the vast majority, of their time on the smallest slice of the pie.

As I shared with the workshop participants, I recommend that you spend less time trying to get through the front door of the company (applying for jobs that are advertised) and focus the majority of your time on getting through the back door, side door, patio door, hidden door, trap door, cellar door or any other crack or opening that you might find. That is how they found their past jobs and will likely be how they find their next job. The same will be true for you as well.

Small World? Networking Reveals How Interconnect We Really Are

I have been reading about job search experts saying that summertime is a good time to make connections at social functions. You know; the barbeques, family reunions, backyard picnics, and even Fourth of July celebrations. I say, why wait for summer to make and provide connections in social settings? These situations happen all year round; not just in the summer.

The other night I was waiting for a friend in a local pub and I saw a couple of former co-workers from my prior company. I hadn’t run into either one of them in several months, so I went over and said hello. We ordered a round of beverages and, as we talked, one of my former colleagues shared with me that his new company was actually doing well and he was even hiring for his department. My ears perked up? “Hiring, oh really, what for?” I asked. Within about five minutes of striking up the conversation I learned that he had not just one position, but two different positions that he was looking to fill. I shared with him that I am part of job search group and I might know some people that might fit his needs. Shortly after that my friend showed up and I expressed my appreciation for the beverage and told my former colleague that I would pass along the openings to a couple of people that might be a match for the positions.

Another day I was having lunch with a technical recruiter that I stay in touch with. This time he invited along a fellow finance and accounting recruiting associate. I always ask recruiters when I meet with them if they have any tough jobs they are currently working on. They typically give me some job with obscure skill requirements that usually only five people in the entire U.S possess. Well this day I asked him again, and as usual the recruiter threw out a job with some unique requirements figuring I wouldn’t know anyone. The requirements included being fluent in Japanese and a controller. Bingo! I whipped out my phone and started to give him a contact. He looked stunned and in disbelief, like you have got to be kidding me. I said no kidding; here is name and number of a friend that is a controller, an SAP expert and fluent in Japanese. After lunch was over, I called my friend and passed along the lead.

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to strike up a conversation with another parent on my son’s lacrosse team while we waited for the game to start. Our sons are friends at school but I hadn’t met the friend’s mother before. I don’t even remember how we got to the point in the conversation, but along the way I learned that she was battling with her former employer and the situation was moving in a litigious direction. I asked her if she had connected with an employment attorney. She said she had a referral to an attorney from a family friend. I suggested that she really needed an employment attorney instead of a general business attorney and sent her a couple of names that evening after the game. I later heard from her about the unique set of circumstances that followed. She had first met with her original family friend referral but it wasn’t a match, and then she met with one of my referrals. That attorney happened to be tied to the same school that her young children attend, and his firm had also resolved a similar case for another client against the same employer that she was dealing with. She was so surprised that she sent me an email with the subject: Small, Small World. Here is how she closed out the message: “Small world? Fate? Being in the right place at the right time? Call it what you will but know this...you played a significant part in this, whether you realize it or not, so thank you for being at the game on that day, at that time, and for stopping to chat with me!”

Small world? It is amazing how interconnected we really are. Sometimes it becomes apparent just by asking that one additional question during those casual conversations at social settings. So, strike up those conversations this summer at the barbeque or at the pool. But don’t stop there. Look for other situations as well. You never know if it will lead to another connection for you or someone that you know.

Job Search Silver Bullets

We have all heard and likely used the term silver bullet. I have always related the silver bullet term to the old Lon Chaney Jr. werewolf movies. You know the situation where they had to use the special bullets to bring down the werewolf. We refer to silver bullets in business when we have an important situation and the circumstances require us to use special actions to address it. In the job search process, job seekers may come across a few silver bullets as well. Job search silver bullets are some networking connections that become advocates for you and can lead you to connections and jobs that you might not otherwise have had accessed. Some silver bullet connections may be individuals you already know or some other individuals that you meet while out networking.

I have met a few of these people over the years and they have opened doors for me that I likely wouldn’t have opened otherwise. What is amazing to me about this is that sometimes they are strangers to me before the introduction but for one reason or other the relationship grows and they become an advocate for me. I remain close to these individuals and consider them good friends. I know other job seekers who have experienced similar relationships.

One such advocate, a strategic leadership consultant, led me to my prior job as VP of HR. I didn’t know this individual before being introduced to him six years ago and I didn’t really realize how well connected he was. Even today I am still encountering the depth of this individual’s connections. I was fortunate to get to work with him at my last company and we were able see each other’s styles, methods and strengths in the workplace. We stay in regular touch and I keep him updated on what is happening with my current exploration. I have sought his advice and he has continued to connect me to others. He was and still is one of my silver bullets.

Another individual that I got to know through my prior company has become a silver bullet as well. He connected me to the CFO of a company that was looking for a VP of HR. The job was never posted anywhere. Although I didn’t get the job after going all the way to the end of the selection process, I would have never heard of the job if it hadn’t been for him. Another time he called the CEO of one of his clients to get my resume pulled past the piles of other resumes that had come through the posting. He also introduced me to another connection that led me to winning a consulting project.

Recently I met a new connection for lunch, a fellow HR professional high up in the HR food chain of a local company. He has been helping others in the job search process and I thought it would be good to meet to compare notes. After the lunch was over, I began to reflect on the conversation. I realized that he had given out some cues that I missed during the conversation. He was giving me prompts and openings to share key elements of my professional background and I missed them. Darn, a missed opportunity. I thought more about the conversation and how I missed those cues. I realized I hadn’t prepared for the meeting as I normally would. I didn’t do my homework before the meeting. He was introduced to me through a friend and I treated it more as a casual meeting than an opportunity. During our meeting I learned that he is well connected and someone that could open doors, possibly high up doors. Maybe he could have even become a silver bullet for me. We agreed to stay connected but I felt I left him with a first impression that may not have been as strong as it could have been had I prepared.

The lesson I learned in the meeting was that you never know when you might meet someone that may become an advocate for you. Prepare for each new network connection as if you are meeting your next silver bullet.

If You Were a Font, What Would You Be? Wildcard Interview Questions

WHAT! “If you were a font, what would you be?” What kind of question is this? I look at these questions and sometimes just scratch my head. Have you been hit with one of these goof ball questions during an interview? Well I have. In fact, the above question was asked to applicants wanting to response to a job recently posted by a local company for an HR Director position.

These types of interview questions are sometimes called Wildcard questions or Off-The-Wall questions. The use of these oddball questions are even growing in popularity. As an HR professional, I never have been a subscriber to using these types of questions in the interview process. However, I have used them as icebreaker questions during workshops, staff offsites, and at parties when the conversation has stalled.

Over the years I have personally encountered some of these parlor-trick types of interview questions. Some were humorous or bizarre and others were just downright obnoxious. One time, right after I graduated from college, I interviewed with a company that asked a question in a written personality assessment that still ranks up there as one of the most bizarre questions ever. I kid you not, the question was: “Do you urinate in the shower when you are showering?” Obviously I didn’t work for that company.

The question that really comes to mind in asking one of these questions is: What is the interviewer going to learn from the answer? There has to be a value from the answer you receive from the candidate. What is that value? These types of questions are frequently used to break the rhythm of a well rehearsed candidate. Good candidates will prepare themselves before the interview by reviewing answers to possible questions. They also are supposed to give an insight into your reasoning skills and/or creativity. It is more about how you came about your answer than the answer itself. While it is said that there is no right or wrong answer to these types of questions, there are definitely better ways to answer these types of questions over other ways. If you get asked a wild card question, stay calm, think through your answer and reveal your reasons for the answer or the process you used to come to that conclusion.

I was discussing this title question about fonts to an HR colleague. We joked around about writing the whole cover letter in MT Extra, the symbols font (unfortunately this blog site does have it as a font option). It shows a little creativity, humor and problem solving. Problem solving on the part of the screener as he or she would need to figure out the in-joke. Basically, it is a little of the back at you mister/miss screener. However, I would suspect it likely might be viewed as a damaged or corrupted file when opened and just thrown out.

I did an internet search on these questions and found a couple of good articles that I thought I would share them with you. The first article has a laundry list of all the various oddball questions, the reasoning behind each question and suggested ways to answers them. It includes a good video clip on the “do’s and don’ts” to answering “Guestimation” questions. It also includes a Monty Python clip on interviews, which in my book, is worth the price of admission. http://hubpages.com/hub/Off-The-Wall The second article gives more rationalization behind these questions. In the article they share the response of a candidate that was faced with this question: “If aliens landed in front of you and, in exchange for anything you desire, offered you any position on their planet, what would you want?" The candidate’s first response was clever and just downright perfect. At the end of the article you can go and answer 20 wildcard questions and submit them for evaluation. http://www.quintcareers.com/wild_card_interview_questions.html

So, what was the most off-the-wall question you have ever faced in an interview? I would love to hear what it was and how you responded.

Working the Network Event

I attended a professional evening network event for a trade association this past week. You know the kind where there are drinks, appetizers, and 100 people crammed into a backroom somewhere. I have to admit I am a bit out of my element at these types of functions especially when it has been a while since I have attended one.

Those of you that know me well know that I am a bit more reserved and normally on the quiet side. I am in awe of those that do these events well and make it look easy. That is not me. I have to work hard at it. I psych myself up for these settings and prepare to do some schmoozing. Just like when I play sports, I take a deep breath before stepping on to the playing field.

This event happened to be on the mezzanine level of the Bridgeport Brewery. As I entered the room I immediately saw an HR acquaintance that I hadn’t seen in a few months. Bingo, a friendly face to start the evening. As got into the conversation, I had to remind myself of a few key principles for these networking events.

#1 – Remember the end goal: You are there to make quality connections with as many new people as possible and reconnect with acquaintances that you see infrequently. It is a networking event. Not a social time between you and just one other person.

#2 –Get a lay of the land: Check out the flow of the room. Where are the drinks and food? Look and see where people are clustered. Do you recognize anyone? Are people mostly sitting or standing?

#3 – Don’t get caught up with just one person: Getting stalled with one person can be easy to do. It can be with someone you know or even someone you just met. Sometimes it is comfortable to hang around that one person but you need to remember the #1 end goal. Keep moving to meet new people.

#4 – Look to exchange business cards: Have your cards handy and easy to give out. One time I ran out of cards because I didn’t grab a new supply before heading out for an event. You have a few minutes with one or two people and you want to leave that conversation with the ability to follow up later. If you don’t offer your card and ask for theirs, you won’t be able to reconnect with them later.

#5 - Keep one hand free at all times: If you have a drink in one hand and a plate of appetizers in the other it is hard to shake someone else’s hand or exchange business cards. I remember spilling my plate or drink more than once trying to free my hand to greet someone. Keeping one hand free also takes care of the issue of feeding your face and getting crumbs or more all over your face or clothes.

#6 – Look like you are approachable: Are you smiling? Do you have arms folded? Are you standing back away from the groups? Your body posture, position in the room and whether you are smiling can make a significant difference on whether other people will approach you.

#7 - Follow up with the connections you made: Don’t waste what you have just gained. Be sure to follow up in the next day or two after the event and try to meet them one-on-one.

The Bridgeport Brewery event wrapped up and I took a deep breath as I exited the room. I made it through and was still charged up on adrenalin when I got home. My mouth was still in networking mode and my wife got more of an earful than normal. She just smiled and listened knowing that I am still burning down the nervous energy. I made some good connections at the event and I already have set up meetings this coming week with them.

I admit that I frequently read articles on how to work the room to become more skilled and comfortable doing it. I would like to hear from others that have some good tips. What do you do that works for you when you attend one of these events?

The Human Factor in the Recruiting Process

I have had frequent discussions with job seekers who are frustrated with the impersonal feeling they are experiencing in the early stages of recruiting process. They apply online, may get an automated thank you and then never hear anything again. The proverbial black hole. As an HR insider, I have tried to share with job seekers that companies get buried with resumes when they post jobs online. A few months back I posted a part-time reception job for my company on Craig’s List and received 200 resumes in the first four hours. If I had spent just one minute to open and review each of those 200 resumes I would have spent over 3 1/3 hours. Forget about the total number of resumes I received in the first 24 hours!

Believe it or not, a majority of companies don’t have applicant tracking system (ATS) database software to handle this workload. Most companies have the resumes dropping into an email folder. It is the worst nightmare for the candidate and the company’s recruiting/HR professional. But those are the cold hard facts. As both an HR professional and a job candidate I came to terms with this fact several years ago. I am not going to get any personal or human touch when applying online. Get over it. I don’t expect and neither should you. Besides, as a candidate, you should be looking to get that human connection through the backdoor with your networking efforts into the company.

If you can get past the impersonal first stage of the process, you can gain tremendous insight into the company based on how you are handled as a candidate through the rest of their recruiting selection process. These later stages of the hiring process are where the personal and human factor should be obvious and very apparent. Is the process rigid and impersonal? Is it friendly but disorganized? Do you get to meet with your potential co-workers? How transparent do they seem? These signs can be early indicators on how they may treat their employees and how you may be treated if you are hired.

A friend of mine who is an expert in employee engagement and candidate assessment recently co-wrote an article about companies disengaging the employee even before they become an employee. The article is oriented towards companies, but it is also very applicable to job seekers as well.
http://www.recruitingtrends.com/online/thoughtleadership/1349-1.html .

As a candidate I have been through some hiring processes that have left me scratching my head. Others have completely turned me off as a candidate and I chose to excuse myself from the process. I recently completed a hiring process for a VP of HR with a company that had me take a personality assessment. I asked the recruiter how my assessment profile compared with the leadership’s team. The recruiter didn’t even know because team hadn’t taken it. Not only was it useless, but the assessment is not even validated for the hiring process. This means they should never have been using it as part of their hiring process. It definitely gave me some pause about that company.

The human factor should and needs to be there in the recruiting process. Just don’t expect it at the online stage. Like I said at the start, you should be networking into the company through the backdoor to get that human connection. Basically, take control and stop playing the victim card.

Are You Really Plugged-in to Your Network?

Man-oh-man did I get schooled on networking this week. Wednesday I had three networking meetings scheduled consecutively throughout the morning. While it was a bit of a scramble to get to the different networking meetings, it is not what I got schooled on. It was what I heard from one of the people I met with. Jobs that never hit the public street are out there and are being filled every day even in this economy.

The first networking meeting of the morning was with a senior Hi-Tech HR colleague that I have been acquainted with for a few years now. We occasionally run into each other at HR events. During our meeting we covered several topics and had a really good discussion. In our conversation I learned that she was considering hiring a friend and former co-worker of mine to help with a recruiting project. I gave an endorsement of my friend for the project. It was project work, which was no big deal to me. I frequently hear about project opportunities. Near the end of our meeting the conversation turned in a different direction. She shared with me that she had been quietly looking for someone to fill a particular HR specialist role in her organization. She had already identified her candidate. I was surprised that I hadn’t heard that she was looking to fill the role. It was never advertised or posted anywhere. I tried to keep my facial expression the same, but inside I was feeling shock at what I had just learned. We talked about what precipitated the search and what connections she used to find her candidate. I learned quite a bit about the opportunity with just a few probing questions. I finished up our meeting and went on to the other two networking meetings for the morning.

Wow, I could not believe what I had learned in that networking meeting. A job in my space had circulated in the community that I thought I was well plugged-in to. Well come to find out, I am not quite as plugged-in to it as I thought. While the role would not have been a match for me, it was the fact that it was in my backyard and I should have known about it that surprised me so much. I sat back and thought about what I had missed and how I could plug the holes to insure that I would be connected for the next time. I reexamined my industry connections, the frequency of my following up with my connections, and what I need to do to open new connections.

That evening I received an email on a similar situation through the metro area HR Network group that I belong to. The HR Network is a Yahoo group for area HR professionals to post questions to the HR community. This particular HR practitioner was looking for suggestions and tips on how to quietly search for candidates for a position. I don’t know what the position was that she was looking for but I passed along some suggestions to her on how to recruit for a position on the QT. What do you think was my number one suggestion? You got it, put out the word through her and the hiring manager’s network.

So ask yourself, how plugged-in to your network are you?

Getting Your Resume to the Top of the Pile

Last week I heard from an HR colleague that she had landed a new job. She had been looking for about four months and landed it with a company leveraging her network. We had met for coffee shortly after the position had been posted about a month and half ago and she indicated that she submitted her resume for the position.

I know what you are thinking; I thought you said she got the job through her networking not from applying online. When we met for coffee she had already applied online and had researched some information about the company but wasn’t having much luck getting a connection into the company. My colleague is very active and connected in the HR community and sat on the HR special interest group (SIG) for one of the area trade associations. Well, her luck changed as she found that one of her colleagues from the HR SIG had a connection into the company’s HR organization. After some calls, she was able to get her resume moved to the top of the pile. While the connections didn’t land her the job (she still had to interview and sell herself through the selection process) they did get her the attention of the hiring manager and past the noise of the hundreds of other applicants that came through the internet posting.

Over the past couple of months we have been talking about the power of networking. We review our networking efforts every week to keep us focused on this important element of job search. I have visited other search groups and reinforced the same message of networking. Networking is the path for finding the jobs that are never advertised. They represent approximately 85% of all open positions. Job seekers regularly question why they should network with people who don’t have open positions, or why they should meeting with people who don’t seem to be directly related to the jobs or companies they are targeting. I always respond that you never know who might be the one that becomes the connection to the next job opportunity. In some cases they may be the one who can get your resume moved to the top of the pile. For the 15% of jobs that do get posted, you want to network your way through the back door to that one connection that will help move your resume to the top of the stack.

Keep networking. It is the power to your job search.