1--2--3 strikes, you're in!

A good friend of mine has been unemployed for over seven months. Having never previously been minus a job for any extended period, he has, over the months, become appropriately concerned. He has been spending long hours at his computer each day researching companies in his industry, submitting resumes, completing applications, and driving himself crazy.

Last week, he finally found a job.  You may wonder what part of his research yielded the precious information that led to his interview and subsequent hiring.  Was it Linked In, Facebook, The Ladders, Twitter?

Actually, it was a baseball game.

Let me say that here in Chicago, going to a baseball game can be a greater punishment than wearing out your eyes and fingers on a social networking site.  Nevertheless my friend accepted an invitation to get out of the house and attend a game with a few friends.

During the course of conversation with other guests at the event, my friend mentioned his job search. One individual perked up and asked a few questions.  It turned he knew of a company with an opportunity for someone with a similar background to my friend’s.   That conversation led to a phone interview within a few days of the game, followed by a face-to-face interview resulting in a job offer the following week.

I often stress the importance of personal networking, paraphrasing Zig Ziglar’s great line, “shy salesmen have skinny kids.”   While online networking is important (and certainly better than watching Seinfeld marathons every afternoon), open conversations with friends, siblings, uncles, cousins, and former colleagues can often be more productive in a job search.  Never underestimate the importance of your sister-in-law.

Be proactive in talking about your employment status, as uncomfortable as it may make you feel, particularly when your job search has been lengthy.  Accept invitations.  Initiate lunches.  Meet someone for coffee. Go to ball games; even if it’s a Cubs or White Sox game.

Hawk-y Business

More than a few of you might know that THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS WON THE STANLEY CUP! this week.  (Finally over – and almost the 4^th of July.)

Possibly a smaller number are aware of the recent troubled history of the franchise. In a recent issue of the Chicago Tribune, John Kass discusses the issue with Blackhawks owner, Rocky Wirtz.

“In 2004, the Blackhawks were widely considered to be the worst franchise in all of sports,” says Kass.  Previous decisions by owners had resulted in few diehard fans that cared about the Hawks and left the rest of Chicago unaware of or apathetic to the team and its players.

Owner Rocky Wirtz called the situation “depressing.” 

In 2007, when Wirtz took control, “we asked ourselves, what if you could start over…what if we could think of ourselves as a clean piece of paper, what would we write down?”

With that, the ownership began to reinvent the franchise and establish a new identity. 

“We decided that for once we’d have the hockey people talking to the business people,” said Wirtz.  “I know it sounds simple, but when I grew up around the game that didn’t happen.”

Novel ideas, I know.  Starting with a clean slate.  Establishing a direction.  Talking.  Listening.  Being receptive.  Making changes.

And two Stanley Cups in 4 years.

Both individuals and companies can take lessons from Rocky Wirtz and the Blackhawks franchise about reinvention, re-direction, and communication.  There is no lost cause.  Success is possible.

Meanwhile, what do I do with my newly acquired Monday, Wednesday and Saturday free time?

"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

The question is straight from the pages of The Complete and Unabridged Manual of “Uh-Oh” Interview Questions (by Bob Ward; expected publication date: five years from today).

 “Where do you see yourself in five years?”

Or it may be phrased somewhat differently.  “What are your short term and long term career goals?”

It is a relatively common interview question, favored by highly trained HR professionals and less highly trained headhunters.  You can expect to hear some version of the query over the course of a long job search, especially at the beginning to middle levels of your career. 

For the candidate who has not anticipated the question, the answer might be similar to the seven-second “ummmmmmmm” generated by my wife during a stressful job interview situation. This is why it is helpful to anticipate and prepare for this and other difficult questions before, not during the actual interview.

While this might seem to be a trick question setting up a “gotcha” moment, most hiring managers are not trying to trip you up. Rather, they are truly interested in your short term and long term career objectives.  Your answer may help them establish whether you will be happy in a given role and/or if that role will help you or hinder you in achieving your stated goals.    For instance, an individual who really wants to advance to a creative marketing role might not want to accept a position where his/her responsibilities,  visibility and mobility are limited to the finance department.  As most of us with many years of experience know, one position can set the course for a whole career.

If, however, you are not completely committed to a specific career path and really want the job for which you are interviewing, here are some broad recommendations:  Your answer should always reflect ambition and the desire to grow within your field.  Your answer should NOT indicate a desire for a radical shift in career direction.

A very generic answer (which can be adapted to a specific situation) would be “I would like to have accomplished enough in this role to be eligible and considered for the next level.”

As you reach the highest levels of an established career, this question becomes much less relevant. For example, in a recent CFO search, if any of my candidates had been asked the question, my recommended answer would have been simply “In five years, I would like to be celebrating my fifth anniversary as your CFO.”

Burnt Bridges and Bad Blood

There are very few ways to offend a headhunter.  Over the years we recruiters develop rock-hard shells based on hearing multiple iterations of the word “no.”  Still, there are occasions when a potential candidate has behaved in such a fashion that I might choose not to work with him/her again.  And I can assure you that certain conduct during the recruiting/ interview process can cause hiring managers and human resources professionals to write off a candidate in perpetuity.  (Hiring managers and human resources professionals have long memories.)

Here are a few examples of interview/ job search misconduct that can do irreparable damage to a candidate’s future prospects with those involved.

1.     Initial rudeness.  Answer cold calls neutrally if not politely.  A recruiter or company representative may choose not to call a rude respondent again.  And the future role that you don’t hear about may be much more attractive to you than the role that you greeted with bad manners.

2.     Boredom or bad attitude during your interview.  Even if you decide early in your interview that a role is not for you, do not begin to look at your watch or yawn or otherwise demonstrate boredom.  Instead, finish out your interview with poise and graciousness and hope that the positive impression you make will benefit you in the future.  Acting bored in an interview is disrespectful to those who have spent time and effort making it happen.

3.     Dishonesty.  Lies and misrepresentations regarding your background and credentials will always be discovered and never be forgotten.

4.     Long, drawn-out indecision.  It is always hard to leave a secure position and chart a new course.  But dragging your potential employer through a lengthy hand-wringing process will lead to bad blood all around.  Vacillate all you want among your family and friends, but appear decisive among those involved in your hiring.  If you have serious reservations about a position, a quick “no” is a gift to all participants.

5.     Changing your mind after accepting a position.  When you accept a position, your employer becomes committed to you, utilizing employees and man hours to complete paperwork, make the necessary benefit arrangements, formalize your salary, prepare an office, etc.  When you renege on an offer acceptance, not only have you wasted the employer’s efforts, you have caused other interested interviewers to be released.  Plan that your name will live in infamy among all those involved in your hiring. 

When it comes to your career, a burnt bridge in your background might also require a fire extinguisher in your future.  The world can be very small sometimes.  Though you might not anticipate any future interaction with someone interviewing you today, at some point you might find that individual sitting across the desk from you at another interview with another company – or even worse, in a position as your superior.   Feel the sizzle.

Confidence Game

“Confidence is going after Moby Dick in a rowboat and taking the tartar sauce with you.”
― Zig Ziglar

You might be surprised at the number of intelligent, experienced, otherwise “perfect” candidates who could use a little dose of tartar sauce – aka confidence – as they engage in the job interview process.  As someone who prepares my recruited candidates for their interviews and generally attends their initial interviews with the client, I can assure you that it is a rare candidate who does not feel a bit insecure as the interview process begins.  This is probably because the stakes are always high and the occasions for practice rare.

Lack of confidence or the appearance of such can be a big problem in a job interview.  In fact, if I were to name an “X factor” when it comes to the odds of interview success, it would be the perceived confidence of the candidate.  The more advanced the role, the more important the confidence of the candidate becomes.  A hiring manager who may entrust the “keys to the company” to a new employee must be comfortable that that individual is comfortable driving the car.

Some words that communicate confidence in a job interview are “I can do that.”  An even better statement, in my opinion is, “I have done that.”  Not so high on the confidence list is “Well, I think  maybe…”

Confidence inspires confidence.  Consider how you might choose a doctor to treat a family member’s serious illness.  Would you want the MD who seems confident and sure as he communicates his recommendations for treatment or the one who seems just a little unsure about your future treatment and outcomes? 

I am not suggesting anyone should exhibit act false confidence.  In fact, another word for false confidence is obnoxiousness, which can be just as hazardous to a candidate’s interview chances.  But do try to be aware of opportunities during your interview where you can confidently and honestly proclaim, “I can do that” or “I have done that."

If you don't see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner.

-Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar, who died last year, was an American author, salesman, and motivational speaker-and somewhat of an icon to many in sales related professions, myself included.  He was a motivational speaker who preached goals, confidence, and the power of a positive attitude, among other things.

Keeping the "I" in Interview

What do the following statements have in common?

“Our office increased its sales by over 30% in 2012.”

“My group completed the task before deadline and completely revamped the procedures used in monthly reporting.””

“We compiled a database of all the company’s clients and sent out a mass e-mail promoting our new product.”

Answer:  Each of the claims tells a lot about what “we” did and very little about what “I” did.

Many of us possess an ingrained modesty when it comes to singing our own praises.   Hence we may use “we” in an effort to meticulously ascribe credit to the proper individuals.   But a disproportionate use of “we” instead of “I” in a job interview might lead an interviewer to conclude that you are coasting on the more impressive accomplishments of a group because your own accomplishments are unremarkable.  Remember, the interviewer is hiring you, not your office, your group, or your task force.

I am not suggesting that you misrepresent collective successes that are not rightfully yours.  Just the opposite, in fact.  As an interviewer, I would rather hear about your individual contributions, even if not so wide-ranging or seemingly impressive as those of the group.  For example, instead of citing the office’s 30% sales increase in the first statement above, talk about your own 20% annual sales increase, and how you attracted three new major customers through your persistence and determination. 

It might help to make a list of your personal accomplishments as part of your interview preparation.  This will help you to categorize the achievements that you own and help you to recollect such achievements during the course of your job interview.   If you review your contributions to various projects in the past few years and find them lacking, maybe it is time to step up your game. 

I know that we have all been taught as youth athletes that there is no “I” in “team.”  But there is an “I” in “interview.”  And there is also an “I” in “win”. 

Your Appetizing Cover Letter

Have you ever ruined your appetite for a great dinner by eating too much before the meal?

Keep this in mind when you compose a cover letter to accompany your resume.  Like a well-apportioned appetizer, the purpose of a cover letter is to stimulate interest in what comes next, not to star as the main event.  In other words, a cover letter should deliver enough information to pique the reader’s interest in your resume, and not enough to eliminate any interest in reading further.

Last week, I asked a professional currently engaged in a job search to send me a copy of his cover letter and resume.  He promptly responded, sending an acceptable resume accompanied by a rather wordy 2-page cover letter.  I immediately saw a problem.  A cover letter should always be limited to one page.  No exceptions.  In fact, anything more than four or five paragraphs will stretch the patience limit of most hiring managers, me included.

Here is a basic outline of a successful cover letter:

¾   Include all your contact information in the letterhead.

¾   Paragraph 1:  Explain why you are sending the resume.  If you are responding to an ad or specific job posting, mention it.  Otherwise, identify the type of title or position you are seeking.  If at all possible, use a “hook” such as a reference to a current employee at the company or an area of common interest between you and the letter recipient.  (“I heard you speak at the recent University of Illinois Alumni Association meeting in Chicago.”)

¾   Paragraphs 2, 3, 4:  Highlight areas of your background that might qualify you for the type of position you are seeking.  This section should be tailored to each recipient.  Areas of importance might include academic degrees, professional certifications, recent employers/titles, and a significant achievement or two.  Remember – Appetizer.  Save details and lengthy descriptions for your resume.

¾   Final Paragraph:  Thank the recipient for his/her time and consideration.

 

A cover letter is often your first communication with a potential employer or recruiter.  If you are eminently qualified for a position, a few choice morsels served up in a cover letter will whet the appetite of the recipient.  If you are unqualified, no amount of creative storytelling will get around that fact.  Be forthright, be factual, be brief. 

And don’t forget to check for grammar and spelling.

Re-inventing Your Sailboat

Fortunate are those professionals who select the perfect major in college, land with a series of great employers who provide generous amounts of mentoring and opportunity, and sail through their careers with the sun overhead, a case of beer (and a bottle of sunscreen) in the cooler, and the wind always at their backs.

I’m sure these people do exist.  Well, pretty sure. 

Most sailboats encounter a few rough waves, a storm or two, or the dreaded “getting-nowhere-fast” calm along the way. Similarly, most professionals encounter some obstacles, some slow motion, and some unanticipated setbacks over the course of a career.  The economic downturn of the last four years has definitely capsized the plans of many in the work force, leaving all kinds of formerly forward-directed individuals adrift in unfamiliar waters.

Over the holidays, I happened to encounter multiple individuals who had to re-invent their careers completely.  Allow me to mention a few:

A woman named Monica helped fill my prescription at the local pharmacy.  She lost her position in customer service during the recession and couldn’t find another.  While her peers happily accepted their unemployment checks and made half-hearted efforts to find new jobs, Monica took classes to become a pharmacist’s assistant.  She is happily employed now, and making more money than she did before.

I also met a woman named Ellen. Ellen re-invented herself several times.  Originally, a financial analyst on Wall Street, she started her own successful mortgage closing company.  After selling her business and moving to the Midwest for family reasons, she became the COO or a large mortgage lending company. When the housing meltdown led to her company’s demise, she went out on her own, finding a niche need in the financial services field.  She now is able to generate a nice income and maintain a great work-life balance.   

A friend named Tim had worked in the home building business for twenty-plus years.  When residential construction died, his job ended.  After a period of unemployment, recently he was able to secure a position as the Building Manager for a Senior Residence.  His position includes new responsibilities and a new skill set which has entailed some on-the-job learning. Tim has accomplished this with minimal difficulty.

In each of these cases, re-invention was brought on by necessity, not choice.  Job loss and/or economic slowdown forced the need for change and preparation for an unexpected future. Other re-inventions are chosen.  In my case I turned my back on the CPA track and set course on a wild ride as a headhunter.

Most of us have had or will have our boat rocked at some point – in both life and career. Sometimes, to survive and flourish means charting a completely new course.  Try to look at life-changing events as opportunities to set sail in a new direction.  Then start paddling, work smart, and enjoy life.

From Revelry to Reality: Happy New Year 2013

It’s a brand new year.  The holidays are over. You have successfully depleted your savings accounts on gifts for all those you love and some you don’t particularly like. Possibly you have embarrassed yourself at a holiday office party. You have wrapped and unwrapped, had drinks and hangovers…and started saving for next year’s gifts.  And now you must turn your focus from reindeer to career.

Or you can wait until after the National Championship Game like I am.

Meanwhile, just a few New Year’s resolutions generously written by a headhunter for you.  Consider them a late Christmas gift.

1.     Take a test.  The dreary, sports-starved months of winter (for those of who live in the frozen north half of the U.S.) are a great time to evaluate your career yet again.  Have you experienced any upward mobility over the past year?  Has a position that you regarded as a brief stop become a long term residence?  How did your company fare financially in 2012? How did you fare financially in 2012? Are you happy where you are?  What would make you happier? Take time to do an honest assessment of your status and your level of contentment vs. your goals.

2.     Make a plan.  If Question 1 indicates some adjustment is needed, figure out how to go about making that change.  Note: A plan is not a fantasy. Make your plan real.  Include actual, do-able steps you can take to accomplish your plan.

3.     Compose a resume.  Even if you are as happy as a witch in a broom factory (thank you, Geico), you might become aware of a position that offers you more money, more responsibility, or more satisfaction than your current role.  After you check the battery on your smoke alarm, work on a resume. 

4.     Network, network, network – within you company, within your industry, outside your industry, among family, friends, and colleagues.  If you haven’t been an active networker up to this point, 2013 is the time. A large personal network can serve as a springboard to better opportunities within or outside of your company; and can help to soften the impact of an unforeseen layoff, demotion, or other career disaster.

5.     Learn to read…the handwriting on the wall, that is. If you sense something is just “not right” where you work; if you are routinely idle; if you are aware that new regulations will begin to negatively affect your company; if your boss seems to have taken an active dislike to you; take active steps to correct the situation or find a new situation.  Don’t wait for the writing to move from the wall to a pink slip.

6.     Bet on yourself.  Do not let lethargy or pessimism or lack of confidence keep you from pursuing a new path.

7.     Bet on the Irish next week.

When taking a step backward isn't a bad thing

First, let me be perfectly honest.  I almost never advise any professional to take a backward step during the course of his career.  If I may use a football analogy, advancing toward one’s career goal line is hard enough these days without imposing a 15-yard penalty on yourself at any time in the game.

Certainly, from a recruitment standpoint, I would neither encourage nor expect any candidate to accept a lesser position than what he or she has in terms of salary, job content, title, or any other standard measure of progress.  And truthfully, most of my clients would be less than completely receptive to an individual who is considering leaving a higher position for an apparent demotion.  A big “Why?” would become a large, gray, perhaps immovable elephant in the room.

However, as usual, there are exceptions to any rule.  So when is taking a backward step in your career okay or even a good thing?

Answer:  It is okay to step backward….

1.     …when you are standing on a cliff.

Occasionally an individual who has been an outstanding performer in previous roles gets rewarded with a promotion to a role in which she cannot perform at the same level of excellence.  For instance, a person with superior technical ability is promoted to a managerial role although she has no aptitude for nor interest in assigning and delegating work and disciplining subordinates.  If you have been promoted to a position at which you believe you cannot succeed, it is a good move to find a way, within or outside of your current company, to return to a role at which you can excel.

2.     …when you are heading in the wrong direction.

Have you somehow ended up in an accounting/finance role when what you enjoyed most in your career was your entry level position in the marketing department?  If, after serious consideration of all relevant factors, you have decided that you are on the wrong career path, it may be necessary to take a step backward in order to start moving forward in the right direction. This will require less financial sacrifice if done earlier in your career rather than later.

3.     …when a step backward really isn’t.

It is sometimes rational to accept what might initially appear to be a demotion, but really isn’t.  Perhaps you have been offered a position that is one level beneath your current title, but offers you valuable exposure to areas which are necessary to your long-term advancement.  Keep in mind that an identical title may have very different responsibilities from one company to another, particularly when company size is dissimilar.  In certain cases, a lesser title may actually give you more responsibility.

4.     …when you lack a paycheck.

When you are unemployed, only you can determine how long to hold out for a position that is bigger or better than your previous position.  This will depend on your level of self-confidence, your financial needs, and your view of the job market.   In today’s job market, many professionals have come to realize that a step backward is the only step available.

A step backward does not signify the end of your career. So if you find yourself banging your career into a brick wall for a period of time and getting no further ahead, consider stepping back a few feet and perhaps you will see the open door a few feet to your right. 

Holiday Networking

If you are in the midst of a challenging job search, it may be tempting to regard the holiday season as a welcome break from your efforts and your anxiety – a time to relax, eat leftover pecan pie, and watch old movies on TV. After all, everyone knows no one is hiring over the holidays anyway.

Humbug to that.

I can assure you that companies hire 12 months a year, come hell or high water or Thanksgiving.  If a vital employee resigns, is terminated, moves away, retires or dies, the effort to replace that employee does not wait until after the management person has fully recovered from her New Year’s festivities; it begins now.  If you are on a networking hiatus when the recruiting mission begins, you might miss a great opportunity.

Instead of regarding the holiday season as a time of imposed inactivity, try looking at the season as one of increased opportunities for personal networking.

·       What might have been an awkward “tell-all” networking phone call to a former colleague or associate can now wear the cheerful garb of a holiday greeting.

·       Your former employer, your college alumni association, your professional association may invite you to holiday cocktail parties and/or dinner events.  These events may not be as fun as watching Christmas with the Kranks again – but what better chance will you have to tell a group of interconnected professionals about your job status?

·       Additionally, your family, friends, church, and neighbors may host holiday events – look at these as another chance to put your face and your story out there.  Uncle Joe’s friend Jane may work at your target company and be able to provide you an intro.

·       Ask an old friend to lunch.  Even if it’s someone you don’t ordinarily socialize with, people tend to touch base with old friends around the holidays, so you won’t feel too odd extending the invitation.

Becoming reclusive and lethargic for the six weeks of the holiday season will not only darken your mood and sap the joy from the season; it may be a waste of valuable opportunities to network yourself into a new job just in time for the new year.

Suddenly unemployed? A to-do-today list

This past Friday an acquaintance phoned me in a state of stunned disbelief.  Her employer of over 15 years had terminated her suddenly and without warning.  She was completely taken by surprise, rightfully panicked, and somewhat grief-stricken.
 

Most people who go to work each day are not worrying about the possibility of a job loss, just as most people dining in a restaurant are not worried about the possibility of salmonella in the salad. This is good.   If we all agonized today about everything that might happen tomorrow, we could not enjoy our work or our meals.  But, as when unexpected digestive problems occur it is nice to have some Pepto Bismol in the house, so when an unexpected job loss occurs, it is nice to have a plan.

So, for all those who find themselves faced with sudden unemployment, I have compiled a short list of my suggestions for the days/week(s) immediately following a job loss:

1.      Immediately assess your termination agreement with your current employer.  Determine the length and amount of any severance package you might have.  Take special heed of your health insurance needs.  You and your family should not be without health insurance for even one day.  If your company provides outplacement services, use them. 

2.     Apply for unemployment benefits without delay.

3.     Discuss your unemployment with your immediate family.  Do not try to spare your spouse and children from anxiety and shoulder the burden alone.  You need the support of your family, and your family needs to understand that a lifestyle change might be forthcoming. 

4.     Assess your financial situation including savings, income, and expenses.  Figure out which expenses can be cut and which can’t. If possible, postpone any dramatic life changes such as a change of housing for at least several months.

5.     Take a personal inventory of your skills, your perceived market value, and your employment goals for the immediate future.  If available, review your skill set with a career advisor or a trusted mentor within your field or a career-oriented field.

6.     Prepare a resume that highlights your most marketable skills.  Have a trusted friend or advisor review your document. 

7.     Post your resume and/or professional profile on every professional and social networking site you are aware of, including LinkedIn and  Facebook profiles, as well as job posting sites. 

8.     Prepare a brief verbal statement about your background and your goals to use for face-to-face and/or phone networking.  Rehearse your statement so you can deliver it to friends and contacts without nervousness.  Be prepared to expand on your brief statement to an interested party.

9.     NOW…you are ready to start the networking process via phone and e-mail, using the above verbal statement of background and career goals.  Start with your closest friends, family members, colleagues and acquaintances and work outward.  Look for meaningful job clubs or organizations in your vicinity

10.  Be prepared to approach your job search as your job.  You do not have to work eight hours a day – that would be kidding yourself - but do something every day. Consistent effort is imperative.

11.  Refresh your job search/interviewing skills.  You may be required to interview on a few days’ notice.  I’ve heard there’s a very good book available….

 

12. And then there's week 2.

Decide and Conquer

The following is a sentence from our book, From Interview Disaster To Interview Master.

It has always been my philosophy that if a candidate is going to walk away from an opportunity, the sooner he or she takes the first step on that walk, the better for all involved.

The invitation to a first job interview can be alluring for many reasons.  A recruiter’s call serves to reassure you that you a desirable commodity when your terrible boss doesn’t.  A chance to improve your salary or your title may be attractive.  And, of course, there’s the chance of escaping the hell hole.

So you can be excused from accepting a first interview for the wrong reasons. But after the first interview… not so much.

During a typical first interview, if all goes well, a huge amount of information is exchanged.  As a candidate, you are responsible for asking questions and collecting information about job content, work expectations, corporate direction, and company goals, then using the information to determine whether your interest in a position is real and reasonable.  If it is not, it is up to you to make a swift decision to terminate the process unilaterally, even if you are invited back for Round 2.

Human nature being what it is, occasionally a candidate will shape reality to make a position seem more desirable than it is in order to justify continuing the interview process and keeping the dream alive.  It is critical to man up and see what is there not what you want it to be.  If the commute is going to be crushing or your potential boss keeps her broom in the corner of her office, take the hint.  Kill the interview process.

A second or even third interview leading toward a hire that will never happen is a waste of time and energy on the part of each person involved.   Coordinating the calendars of two or more busy professionals to schedule job interviews is a task that may involve using valuable vacation time or hours from a participant’s overloaded work schedule.  When a lengthy interview process is destined for failure, it can leave all participants in the process (recruiter, employer, and candidate) alienated and unhappy.  Believe me, when the reason for turning a job down after four interviews is the commute, homicide is on the radar screen.

I urge candidates to be as analytical and rational as possible when assessing a job opportunity.  And did I mention QUICK?  The earlier you make your decision, the better for all involved.

An honest “thank you but no thank you” after the initial interview will serve you very well.  You never know when the person you turn down will show up at a company that you really wish to join.  It is better not to be remembered in a negative way. 

 

And finally, there are better and much more enjoyable ways of wasting time (many involving alcohol consumption) than participating in job interviews for a job that you will never take. 

The Devil You Know

Do you plan to stay at your current job because your window provides a magnificent view of the city skyline? Or because your boss has repeatedly told you how valuable you are?  Do you have a great group of co-workers with whom you have shared daily lunch and office gossip for the last three years? Is your office is only a block from the train station?  Are you proud when you say your company name?

All of the above reasons, plus countless others (great cafeteria in the building, four personal days, summer scheduling, a Keurig down the hall) are acceptable justifications for staying where you are now – if where you are now is really where you want to be.

But I suspect that many of the reasons people choose to remain in their jobs are rooted in something other than real job satisfaction. 

I’d call it comfort, but the word “comfort” is often an overstatement.  Sometimes even workers who should be downright miserable seem emotionally trapped within their cuticle walls.  In these cases, the resistance to change may be more akin to cowardice or complacency than to actual comfort.

You may have heard the saying, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

But if the devil you know has a crimson complexion, a sharp tail, makes nasty demands, and keeps the thermostat at 90 degrees, I wonder.

On one of my recent recruiting calls, I spoke to a young professional who should have been extremely dissatisfied with his current situation.  His work content was unrewarding, his workday harrowing, his manager erratic, and any promotion would almost definitely be later rather than sooner. Still this young man was reluctant to leave the prestigious firm in which he had started his career for a different type of opportunity. 

Wrong?  Right?  Why?  Why not?  I don’t know.

Everyone has a different baseline when it comes to comfort, security, and tolerance of change.  Everyone has unique ambitions, hopes, and priorities.  So no one, least of all this headhunter, can tell an individual whether his/her life will be better or worse because of a job change. 

But I can suggest that you periodically evaluate your current circumstances with respect to your happiness, your fulfillment, your career goals, and your personal goals.  Do not let complacency or an unwarranted sense of “comfort” keep you from pursuing a better path.

In some cases, the devil you don’t know might not be all that bad.

From Unemployed to Employed: Negotiating Your Job Offer

Out here in the real world, as opposed to the artificial world of “adjusted” statistics and unfounded optimism, there is a significant amount of long-term unemployment and under-employment.  I know this because I encounter discouraged job seekers in so many places: during research for my recruiting assignments; in the job networking groups which I occasionally address; and, unfortunately, among my inner circle of family and friends.  

From the perspective of a job candidate, negotiating a job offer after an extended period of unemployment presents a unique set of challenges, primarily because it is virtually impossible to have a true negotiation when one side seemingly holds all the power. For example, if you have been unemployed for nine months or more, it may be hard to demand a salary increase or an extra week of vacation based on what you earned in a previous position.

That said, I can give you a few pieces of advice on negotiating a job offer to your best advantage, even after a lengthy period of unemployment.

1.      Be enthusiastic about the opportunity. Start your offer negotiation with an affirmative declaration of your interest in the company and the position.  After this, you can broach the subject of any reservations you have regarding job content, salary, benefits, sales targets, etc.  Expect minor concessions from the employer, not a major overhaul of the position.

2.      Be positive about your capabilities.  In the current economy, many job seekers have had to leave their comfort zones in order to re-enter the ranks of the employed.  You may have to enter a new industry, learn something you don’t know, or develop a talent that has been allowed to lie dormant until now.  Speak and act confidently.  An employer will not knowingly offer you a job you cannot do.  Do not let self-doubt prevent you from earning and accepting a good job offer.

3.      Ask questions.  Even though you are unemployed, you are allowed to – and should- ask questions during job offer negotiations.  While you want to make a job work for you, it is possible that it just won’t.  If you sense overwhelming obstacles to your success going forward, whether related to the financial situation of the company, the attitudes of management, or unrealistic expectations about your performance, it is better to walk away now than to walk off the plank.

4.      Remember as you negotiate that your ultimate goal is to accept the job.  This is different from a situation in which you are currently employed and have a viable choice of remaining with your current employer if your desires are not met.  I am presuming the position is a reasonable fit – as you would not have interviewed multiple times for a job which you had no intention of accepting.  In a stagnant economy, any good job offer is not to be turned down lightly. It is a job, not an end of a career. 

5.      Your abilities, your accomplishments, your talents and successes are part of who you are, regardless of your recent unemployment.  Accepting a job offer that is different than you might have expected in the past is a result of a poor economy, not indicative of any failure on your part.  Once you accept a position, move forward with anticipation and optimism, as you begin to create a new path for yourself.

Smile but not too much; Laugh, but not too much.

I am prepping for a Skype interview later today (Note to my interviewee: this is not about you.).  I am not a big fan of Skype for interviews as the technology is still not where it needs to be for an accurate evaluation of a candidate.  Variables are injected that should not be part of the evaluation process, such as equipment quality, internet connections, and thunderstorms.

But for an initial one-hour interview, Skype is a great alternative to a cross-country flight, providing time and expense savings for the candidate, the client and me.  It provides that “face-to-face” contact many clients and candidates want, without the accompanying bill. Reading facial expressions during an interview is a critical component.  A poorly structured question will be immediately apparent when the candidate silently expresses “what the heck” with a facial expression.  And it works in the candidate’s favor when an answer is off the mark.  A simple phone call does not provide this instant feedback.

So, how do we make the best of a Skype interview?  A few key elements come to mind.

Hardware problems are the number one issue when it comes to a smooth meeting.  In advance of an upcoming meeting, verify that you are properly registered with a video conferencing service and that your account is active.  Skype is used in our office but there are several other options.  Test your camera and the microphone by calling a friend.  In testing the equipment, make sure the camera is in focus.  You do not want the angle of the sun to transform you into a celestial creature.

Take a look at your own background in your video feed.  If you are interviewing from home and have posters of rock stars or football players on the wall behind you, think about taking them down or relocating your computer.  The background should not in any way attract the attention of the interviewer.  Keep it neutral and, if possible, professional.

Turn all phones off so you are not tempted to answer an incoming call or a text.

Your appearance may be slightly more casual in a video interview as it would be in an office meeting.  My usual suggestion is to wear a suit for personal interviews.  On a video call, wearing a collared shirt with a tie should be sufficient.  For women, any type of blouse/sweater that would be appropriate in an office environment will work.  The good news is that you only have to concern yourself with the upper half of your body.  (If you decide to wear jeans, remember NOT to stand up during the interview.)

 Be prepared to work the camera.  Just like a TV reporter must focus on the camera when speaking, you must also.  When you are talking, look directly into the camera at the top of your monitor, not at the picture on your monitor.  To look at the monitor is the equivalent of looking off into space when you are directly addressing the interviewer.  Eye contact with the interviewer in this case means eye contact with the camera.

It is critical to be yourself, but a controlled version of yourself.  Excessive looking around, fidgeting with your hair, nervous smiling or outbursts of laughter will be extremely noticeable on your “computer face” and may be perceived negatively.  Once you have begun the video interview, the normal rules of interviewing engagement are in play.  Focus on the task on hand and not the toys on your desk.

In some cases, the internet gods intervene and destroy the connection.  Don’t panic as this never reflects on the candidate.  Everyone knows the technology is imperfect.

If you cannot understand the interviewer because of poor sound quality, mention it immediately so the problem can be rectified if possible, before important misunderstandings occur.  If the picture is not clear enough to easily see facial expression, it is not worth being tied to the camera.  Simply tell the interviewer of the issue.  At this point, arrange a phone call and make the best of the forced alternative.

A video interview is a convenient, but less than ideal alternative to a personal meeting when pursuing an opportunity.  In the case of a geographically distant candidate, it may be the only avenue into a process that might normally not be afforded. 

And now I am off to have my make-up retouched for my video session.

The One-Page Resume Rule: “There is no one-page resume rule.”

Trying to describe a lengthy career in a one-page resume is like trying to fit an XL physique into an L piece of clothing.  No amount of squeezing/ adjusting/ twisting/ contorting is going to make it fit.  Trust me.

Back in the day when paper cost more than a one-fourth-of-one-cent per sheet, and e-mail was just a gleam in Bill Gates’ eye, professors at colleges and career counselors emphasized confining one’s resume to a single page.  In the interest of brevity, simplicity, tree longevity?  Who knows?

What I do know as a long-time headhunter is this.  There is no reason to confine your resume to one page unless you have only one page of information to share with a potential employer.  This might be true in the case of an entry level professional or an individual who has had a very short career or a single employer.  If you have more than 10 years of experience or more than two job titles or employers, it is likely that it will require more than a single page to describe your experience in adequate detail.

And that’s okay.  There is no one-page resume rule.

When someone tries to fit two or more pages of information into a single page, the sacrifices in terms of resume readability and content can be glaring:  adequate margins; readable font size; white space between paragraphs and sections; and bulleted details/ examples of important achievements.  The final product may be overcrowded and difficult to read, and in many cases, it will not be read.  If I cannot find your college degree and your most recent employers and titles without use of a magnifying glass (or a 200% zoom on the computer) I give up.  And so will other recruiters and employers.

And so, a few points to guide you as you compose your resume:

·         You MUST include relevant details and examples that will differentiate your background and experience from other similar backgrounds. 

·         Your resume MUST be readable and attractive, including white space and separations of content.

·         There is no One-Page Resume Rule.

Of course, not all arbitrary limitations on resume length are unreasonable…which brings me to The Three-Page Resume Rule.  My advice - unless you have been working continuously since 1947, follow it.

The Second First Interview

When I contact a candidate with the happy news that he/she has been invited for a second interview with a company, I can almost hear the figurative champagne cork popping. I know that mere minutes may pass between the end of my phone call and an exuberant phone call or text sharing the good news of a potential new job with a friend or family member. 

As the person whose role it is to lower expectations, may I say that getting a second interview is as close to getting a job as the U.S. having a 4 point lead going in to Sunday’s final round of the Ryder Cup.  You are ahead of where you were when you started, but you can still lose it.  (And they did.)

PREPARE FOR YOUR SECOND INTERVIEW AS YOU DID FOR THE FIRST.

In general, the second round of interviews is similar to the first in that it is still very much a part of the screening process.  In rare cases, when only a few people have interviewed in the first round, you may be the only one left going forward.  More often though, you will be among several who are proceeding to the next interview phase.  Based on performance in the first interview, you or someone else may have an advantage at this point.  The competition continues.

During the first interview, you have probably survived a general examination of your background and credentials.  The second interview will be similar in nature, but be prepared for the interviewer to dig a little deeper.  If you have made mistakes in your first interview, this is your chance to correct them.  If you omitted experiences or achievements you wanted to emphasize, this is the time to work them in to the conversation.   

You may meet one or several people you did not meet in your first interview.  With each of these individuals, remember that this IS your first interview.

LAST CALL FOR QUESTIONS

Are you wondering why this position is open for the third time in as many years?  Do you have some doubts about the financial health of this company?  Have you seen the office in which you will be spending your days?   Do you have questions regarding working hours or travel or overtime requirements?  The second interview may be your best shot at asking the questions that will help you determine whether or not you really want this job.   

This is because the third step in the interview phase may well be a job offer.  It is best to enter this phase armed with most of the information you need to make a decision.  Asking more than a few questions about the company and/or the position at the point of the job offer may cause your hiring manager to wonder where you were during the previous sessions.

AND THE GOOD PART

Many candidates perform better at the second interview than the first because of increased levels of confidence and comfort.  This is all good.  They liked you – they were impressed with you – they asked you back.  But don’t pop the champagne just yet.

The Big Buck Theory

Being rich doesn’t solve every problem in life.  But it does solve a big one: being poor.

Throughout my career, having interacted with many individuals in all walks of life and all phases of their careers, I cannot think of a single person who set an upper limit on his/her desired earnings.  On the other hand, by their choices and their actions, many individuals do set upper limits on the earnings they can actually achieve.

If your career objective is to make a lot of money, as opposed to work/life balance, wearing jeans to the office, or family time, how do you accomplish that objective?   Here are some factors I’ve observed.

Choosing your path:

1.      Examine your hard wiring. There is a whole chapter devoted to this in my book. You will not excel at something you do not do well. 

2.      Pick a path that utilizes your talents.  There are choices.  If you are good at math, you could be a math teacher, an engineer or an accountant.  If you are good at science, you could be a teacher, a researcher, a doctor.  If you are a good writer, advertising, editing, marketing or journalism might be areas of interest.  If you are good looking and charismatic, modeling might be an option, but so would sales.

3.      Pick a path that offers a realistic chance of success based on your level of ability.  I was a great high school hockey player with thoughts of playing professionally. I got a reality check when I played for Notre Dame – and ended up majoring in accounting. 

4.      Pick a path that offers the highest financial reward potential.  If you decide to be a biology teacher and not a doctor, you will always make a teacher’s salary, not a doctor’s salary. 

Once you have established a path:

5.      Work hard.  Duh.

6.      Work very, very hard.  Contrary to popular belief, success and wealth are usually a result of hard work, long hours, and extreme commitment.  You may have to sacrifice some evenings and weekends, and possibly some family life and/or social life to the cause

7.     Work smart.  You can work 15 hours a day, but if you fail to notice and solve problems, your upward mobility will plateau at your current level.

8.      Set short-term, achievable goals.  Not “I will be a millionaire in 20 years,” but “I will get a promotion in three years or seek a position elsewhere.”  Aggressively target these goals.

9.      Be confident.  If you doubt your abilities, others will too.

10.  Claim credit for your achievements.  Or someone else will. 

11.  Differentiate yourself.  Never forget that you are competing with your co-workers and your peers outside the firm for your next promotion. What are your peers doing to get ahead?

12.  Educate yourself.  If you need a degree, a certification, or a course in XOOO to increase your salary, sign up now.

13.  Cultivate relationships in your company.  Your achievements must be noticed by someone in management before you are rewarded for them.

14.  Cultivate relationships in your industry. Your first employer may not provide the financial upside you are seeking over the long haul.  Knowing professionals at other firms may provide entry into more lucrative positions.

15.  Be open to change.  Do not marry your employer.  If a higher paying opportunity or an opportunity with greater upward mobility comes along, forget your BFF co-workers and go.

16.  Be open to risk.  Sometimes a commission-based position or an entrepreneurial position can offer huge financial rewards.  Does your station in life allow you to take a chance?  Do you have the self-confidence to take a chance?

Notice that the term “good luck” did not appear in the above list.  Notice that the ideas of hard work and sacrifice, in varying terminologies, were consistent throughout. 

Keep in mind that not everyone wants or needs to be wealthy and that being rich is not synonymous with living a great life.  At some point sooner or later in your career, you might make the choice that the rewards of being very rich are not worth the price that you will pay in other areas of your life.  Be happy and confident with whatever choices you make and live your life accordingly.