Recommendations, Referrals and Introductions

I’m real funny about asking people for recommendations, referrals and introductions. I reserve the request for when I really need it and only when I think the person being asked to comment on me knows me well enough to make one of the three types of commentaries –and they are all different – comfortably, honestly and knowledgeably. You can imagine I get downright prickly when people I barely know ask me for introductions, much less recommendations directly or on LinkedIn. Let’s define what each approach is so we are clear and you don’t offend others or embarrass yourself: • Recommendation – This is an endorsement of someone, their skills, character, etc. The recommending person has firsthand experience with the person in question (you). This is the stuff references are made of and the recommender’s comments should speak to specific competencies, not a recitation of your résumé. He or she has Learn more...

Seeking Job Hunting Stories

As I put the finishing touches on my book, Career Mapping: Don’t Waste Another Minute, Find Your Dream Job Now!, I’m looking for anecdotes about successes and roadblocks that people have encountered from people who are in transition – you might have been out of the market for a year or more, could be returning from a sabbatical, family business or military service. You might also be starting a business after having had a more traditional “job,” or vice versa, looking for a traditional “job” after having been self-employed for some time. I welcome your stories and appreciate your assistance.

Listen to me on Oprah Radio..

..on Derrick Ashong’s show last Saturday talking about job hunting tips. I’m about 25 minutes into the segment. Click Here or go to: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/7308444

Survey: Where Are You In Your Career?

Take a second to answer two quick questions and receive a preview chapter from my upcoming book, Career Mapping: Finding Your Dream Job When who you are, what you do, and what you believe are integrated into the kind of work you do, feelings of satisfaction, contentment, and fulfillment will abound. But you have to take responsibility for your career.

Are You Embarrassed by Your Job?

While many people are wringing their hands over needing to find a job, there are some who have landed them, but are embarrassed by their job. It’s not even that they don’t like the job (although that will likely follow without a change in thinking), they just didn’t see themselves in this industry, company or role. I can appreciate needing to take “anything that pays” to cover student loans family medical bills or rent, but don’t overlook what the employer might see in you – namely your ability to get the job done based on your past work experience and/or personal qualities. • Avoid “group think,” especially if you are coming out of school where you’ve been living in an arguably artificial environment. Have your own mind and confidence in your choices. As an example, consumer packaged goods and advertising are NOT “the only” industries within which to earn your Learn more...

Press the “Restart” Button

Many of us are having to pursue job opportunities in areas we hadn’t considered or are being pushed out of jobs we are no longer skilled in or can’t stand any longer. How do you effectively transition into a whole new field? • Entry Level: Review early jobs and coursework that appealed to you. Determine the characteristics that might align with job functions and industries that currently have the highest demand for jobs. • Mid-Level: This is the ideal time to transition. You have a history of performance to talk about. You need not have performed the specific function, but are able to demonstrate a deep understanding of the function and/or industries and link those to your earlier exposure and experience to create a compelling case for transitioning. • Executive Level: You might be feeling locked into a certain track and expected to “go the distance.” Resist the temptation to Learn more...

Recovery & Reinvestment Act

The government is seeking to put the pieces back together of a damaged economy with its American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“ARRA”). Certainly job losses of 3.6 million in this current recession dwarf the recessions of 1990-91 and 2001. Regardless of your political views on whose fault it is or how the government and/or the private sector should get us out of this, the fact remains you need a plan to secure employment if you’ve lost your job or to keep your job if you are employed. I vote for creating your Personal Recovery and Reinvestment Act (“PRRA”). Unlike the government’s plan, the PRRA does not necessarily involve spending money. It does require recovering the skills, education and other currency you might have left on the table and reinvesting those assets to build your value as an employee or consultant. You can jump-start your career and job opportunities Learn more...

Perfecting the Elevator Pitch

One of the most important parts of managing relationships and effective networking is being able to tell someone about yourself in only a couple of minutes – the length of an elevator ride. What exactly would you say if you found yourself on an elevator or at a cocktail party with the hiring manager for a job you really want and you had 2-3 minutes? Here are some do’s and don’ts to help perfect your pitch: • Don’t try to cram your entire career into 60 seconds. • Do give highlights of most prestigious and recent roles, including company name and title. • Don’t assume people know or understand your space. • Do describe and quantify – industry segment, budget, revenues, employees, etc. • Don’t oversell or ask favors – you are meeting for the first time. • Do be clear about what you think your strengths are. • Don’t Learn more...

How do you know your reputation?

• How might you determine what is said behind your back? You ask trusted sources, first friends and co-workers who care about you and can be honest. Ask colleagues for “in the moment” assessments after a meeting or presentation. When you are asked, provide constructive, thoughtful and objective feedback to others; this paves the way for them to do the same for you. • Leverage formal performance review processes to dig deeper than what might be offered. In addition to your direct supervisor, seek input from sponsors, mentors and advisors, both internal and external to your company or group. • Consider the source. There are “haters” out there who will be ultra-critical because they don’t like you or secretly want to see you fail. There are also those who just won’t get you. Go with the law of averages and take the prevailing commentary to heart – good or bad.

Personal Branding

Personal branding … “is the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands. The personal branding concept suggests instead that success comes from self-packaging. Further defined as the creation of an asset that pertains to a particular person or individual; this includes but is not limited to the body, clothing, appearance and knowledge contained within, leading to an indelible impression that is uniquely distinguishable. The term is thought to have been first used and discussed in a 1997 article by Tom Peters.” Source: Wikipedia I don’t necessarily agree with everything in the description for personal branding stated above, but it is the irrefutable truth is that having a “brand” in the business world is critical whether you want to call it a brand or not. I take issue with the notion that it is all about packaging. I’d like to think that business professionals won’t be duped by Learn more...

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