In Telling Your Story, don't Forget the People

Today's blog post will be a brief summary of my week.  I apologise for any readers who have been expecting updates daily because I was on the road without the ability to email daily.  Last Sunday, Easter, my blog post was about doing good, the true meaning of Easter.  I compared and contrasted both the religious aspects of Easter - doing good unto others with the more mundane part - an egg/bunny chirping device to help your children locate their eggs.  There is something too easy about egg finding gimics or job finding tricks that we're continuing to explore.  While some would have you believe that  it's that perfect resume, it's that branded tagline, it's that strong me in 30 seconds or power statements, it may include these but more importantly it's knowing your hiring manager and offering a solution to his/her problems.

I spent a week in KC visiting family while on a job interview.  I had a medical concern with a family member that needed my attention so the visit had a two fold purpose.  The interview was what I would call an application of all my key messages about job finding: e.g. business research, the right dress, marketing portfolio, posture, enthusiasm, solutions to problems, thank you notes, etc.  So why wasn't I offered the position?  Maybe it was due to my age, maybe my lack of experience with ATT, maybe my lack of rapport during the interview, maybe not having the internal connections (2 inside candidates typically trump an external candidate).  I could list another dozen maybes.  While it is important to do the post mortem to prepare for the next interview, it isn't wise to kick yourself and give up depressed but to move on. 
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When contacting one of my potential connections from Sprint-about a reference, he asked which Black & Veatch position I was pursuing because he knew of some others that might be in the pipeline.  So instead of licking my wounds, I'll respond to the recruiter with the lead that maybe I wasn't right for the job I interviewed for but maybe I could bring to the company extra leads or work due to my prior job connections. I feel getting a job may also include follow up after the sale with other business intelligence and leads.

My return flight to Salt Lake City from KC had a connection in Portland.  It was the cheapest one way flight with short notice so the extra miles were a consequence.  To prepare for this longer trip, I picked up a novel to read on the flight to pass the time.  From KC to Portland, almost a 4 hour flight, I was engaged in conversation with an interesting person who has run more than 100 marathons since age 55.  She indicated her $50K marathon jacket had nothing to do with the number of marathons, more than one per state, but the money she has invested in this hobby/sport.  It's her passion but also her obsession.  She's 67 and already looking forward to running more than 1 marathon a week.  I've never run a marathon, experienced a skydive or been involved on the narrow path of mountain biking.  I doubt that these thrilling events would be on my bucket list.  I somewhat envy those with the passion to explore these ventures, especially later in their life.  Their experiences are the fodder for a screenplay or book I'm someday going to write.  But contemplating the thrill of the sport, I told the lady she should blog her activities not so much from the perspective of missing flights, not finding hotels, not about finding interesting locations or enjoying the beauties nature or the long boring streches of life (I've done my share of long boring drives through Nevada and Wyoming), rather she should talk about the interesting people she's meeting along the way.  She was surely an interesting person I'll never forget. 

However, as I was exploring other interests I wonder if sometimes we take up these time consuming passions and hobbies to block out other aspects of our lives that we should be enjoying or enriching.  When talking about children, grandchildren and family reasons for my moving to Utah she couldn't relate.  She has few fond memories of children or grandchildren.  So is she really running for enjoyment or running away from life?  What are we running toward or away from in our life?  Are we closing or opening doors?  Are we looking for opportunities to enrich the lives of others?  In your 50K marathon of life, is it filled with events or people?  During your job search or interviews, do you recite events or accomplishments managing people or working with them and enjoying their successes along the way?  How do you tell your stories and do they engage your audience?

Happy Easter Wish to my Followers - Don't Coddle - Lead by Example

This is the first year in many that I've not colored eggs, hidden Easter baskets or been able to celebrate an Easter dinner with family in many years being on the road.  I've read little this season of the real meaning of Easter from the media but did come across a funny article from MSNBC about 10 slightly crazy Easter gadgets for 2011.  Who even thinks about an Easter gadget?  One of the less outragious items is included below for the parent who doesn't want to abandon Easter egg hunts altogether but doesn't want to find that old egg month later in the house or yard.

JoJo Easter eggsIt used to be that you had to work to find those hidden eggs. Why, I remember stumbling upon the remnants of an undiscovered Easter egg well into May one year. It was quite a mess by that point, but that's the price of failure. Today's parents can coddle their children by getting the JoJo and Friends electronic Easter eggs. The eggs call out to the hunters to give them hints. Once discovered, the children can open up the eggs to reveal a character surprise inside. $29.99 — Amazon

To lead by example not only on this special Easter Sunday but all year, emulate the example of the person for whom this special day is to remember - our Elder brother and exemplar.  One such person who practiced this Christian service daily was Jack McConnell, MD.  He grew up in humble circumstances in southwest Virginia.  He recounts that each day as the family sat for dinner, his father would ask each of the seven children "what they did that day to help someone in need."  The children were determined not to disappoint their father and looked for opportunities to serve others.  Dr. McConnell relates that this was his father's most important legacy - inspiring the family to have the inner desire to serve others.

Dr. McConnell had a distinguished medical career where he directed the development of the TB tine test, participated in the early development of the polio vaccine, supervised the development of Tylenol, was instrumental in developing the MRI; but most importantly in his retirement established the Volunteers in Medicine with now over 70 clinics across the US.  While we can't all be Dr. McConnells, establishing medical clinics to help the poor, each of us can do something to lighten the load and help those in need.

King Benjamin provides a wonderful sermon on service - what we do for others, we do for God.  He also talks about each of us being a beggar, owing all to God for our existence and our hope for redemption.  His lesson of the beggar not extending to others his substance or service because he has little to share is appropriate for those now in job search.  While we don't have extra cash, we do have time.  While we may be heavily involved in our own struggles to find employment, we should not ignore those with less means and who have greater needs.  The Savior taught his disciples:  "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." 

Isn't that the lesson Dr. McConnell exemplified - losing his life for the service of others?  In Matthew 25 the Savior teaches us:  "For I was an hungred and ye gave me meat; I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in, naked and ye clothed me, sick and ye visited me ..."  The righteous shall answer, when saw thee hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked or sick?  And the King shall answer ... "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of my brethern, ye have done it unto me."

While we all try and help those that have helped us, look for ways to partner with those that can help us in the future, the true sign of discipleship and service is doing it for the least of your fellowman who cannot return the favor or reward you for your efforts.  When you discover that gift of giving as did Dr. McConnell, you will discover that feeling of peace and assurance that you've done it unto the Savior.  He is why we celebrate this special day - not to coddle our kids with chocolate eggs or marshmallow bunnies.

Is Social Media a Fad? Why Use or Not Use it!

This tongue in cheek post reinforces the need for social media for even the businesses that typically aren't into websites.  I know that having your own blog and website can drive traffic to your product if done right.

3 Reasons to NOT Use Social Media

What’s with all this talk about social media?  I’m sure it’s just a passing fad like carrier pigeons and the telegraph.  Here are three reasons why you should NOT use social media.

1. I Believe in Traditional Values
   I’m a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy.  I don’t run with a fast crowd that’s always fiddling with their electronic do-dads in public.  I mean business: I supply my shop with the latest diagnostic equipment, repair databases, sophisticated shop management systems and online parts procurement processes.  My work stands for itself – if people use my lame website to judge my ability to keep up with the ever increasing sophistication of automotive repair and service – well a pox on them.  If you want to communicate with me, just drop by – I’m usually here.  Or send me a fax.
2. I Value My Privacy
   The best thing about my Yellow Pages ad is that fewer and fewer people use phone books.  I know people who haven’t “let their fingers do the walking” for years.  They hardly ever bother me.  And all those “hip” punks out there glued to their computer machines will never find me.  Oh, the bliss.
3. Free Stuff is EvilGranddaddy told me that there’s no such thing as a free lunch and that you get what you pay for.  How good can free social media marketing be?  I’d much rather pay for newspaper ads (I know they say newspapers are having trouble, but as long as there are birdcages that need to be lined, people will buy papers).  I know the experts tell me that most of my customers come from within a three mile radius of my shop – but when I hear my radio ad playing anywhere I drive in the tri-county area I know I’m getting my money’s worth.

Truth is whatever you think of social media or whether you understand it or not; it’s the biggest freaking fad planet earth has ever known.  Is it perfect?  No.  Is it hard to get a handle on?  Yes.  Will it be replaced by something else?  I’m sure it will.  This is no reason to ignore it.  Social media is the playground where business plays – from the largest corporations in the world to the smallest mom-and-pop.  Don’t take your ball and go home.
Does it work for a local automotive service center?  I know it does.  Here’s a case in point: Greg Buckley of Buckley’s Auto Care in Wilmington, Delaware.  Greg has an amazing shop.  They do awesome work, are very efficient and do well financially.  Buckley’s has a state of the art website full of very useful content that informs and motivates his customers to take better care of their vehicles.  Buckley’s drives traffic to their website and blog with Facebook and Twitter.  (Links for all three follow)
Here’s what Greg reports:   He’s averaging 22 new visitors to his website a day, generating 2,500 pageviews a month with each visitor averaging over 5 minutes on his site per visit.  This translates into an average of 1.5 calls from new customers every day.  This activity has pushed his website to the top of the Google search listings for his area.
What would 9 NEW customers a week do for your bottom-line? 
Now I think Greg Buckley is one of the best shop owners at using social media, but he’s certainly not the only one.  AutoNetTV provides social media content to hundreds and hundreds of shops across the country so I know it’s catching on.  Starting with a basic library of videos and articles customized for the individual location, new content is automatically added weekly.  New content can be instantly posted to Facebook and Twitter.
Whether or not you get your content from AutoNetTV, here are several things you can easily do right away using social media, blogs and your website:

• Post  regularly – at least once a week
• Take advantage of news, weather, etc. to make topical posts
  • Cold front expected this weekend – post an article or video about battery testing and replacement Battery Video 
  • Link to your content in e-mails
    • “It’s time for your factory scheduled transmission service – here’s a link to a short video on transmission service.”  Transmission Video  
    • “Your son brought his car in for service today.  Ford recommends the timing belt be replaced at his mileage.  He asked me to send you this video so you can advise him on what to do.” Timing Belt Video
    •   “When you had your truck in for an oil change last month, we mentioned the factory recommendation to service your differential.  This is a friendly reminder to schedule this important service.”  Differential Video
• Link to your content in your electronic newsletter
• Use your online content at point-of-sale to educate and motive your customers to take care of recommended work

Social media is all about building a community for your business within your service area.  Your friends, fans and followers are a group of people that considers you to be useful.  By that I mean that the content you publish on your website, Facebook, and Twitter helps them save money and prevent costly breakdowns and repairs, helps their vehicle to be safer, or maybe even increase its performance.  Using social media, they can in turn share this trusted information with their friends with the click of a button.  You do this for people and why wouldn’t they come to you for their service and repair needs?
Here are links to Buckley’s Auto Care sites: Note how much interaction they have with their Facebook fans.
Website
Facebook PageTwitter Page
A final word from Greg Buckley: “Content is king as they say, and no one is better at supplying content on-line than AutoNetTV. That’s the truth.”

Payback: Cash and Non Cash Rewards

While this is not a post about networking and finding jobs per se, knowing how a business thinks helps in preparing your resume, your marketing portfolio and your interview responses.  You have to both have the skills, talents and abilities to make the company money or reduce costs plus fit into the team with your special personality.  If you're a leader or manager, you'll have to be able to lead a team effectively through change. Your resume and marketing portfolio addresses the first, your interview the second.  Do they feel you can address their pain points and make them money while being fun to be with?

A book I've read and just reread in the past few weeks (see my LI portfolio for reading list) addresses the cash curve and how to plan for, analyze and evaluate certain products and processes using the cash curve; and how to eliminate cash cows or projects that no longer are bringing in the needed revenue or customers.  It also explained that certain initiatives are started for non-cash return reasons - to enhance the company's brand, to increae the employees' learning, and to build ecosystems (trusted partners).  When analyzing the benefits of a proposal, the parties should determine the cash/non cash purpose at the outset and to not only consider cash proposals.  In addition, the authors suggested that a review of the company's customers and whether they are high paying/profitable customers is important.  Finally a point worth including is that most organizations are not lacking creative and innovative ideas, in fact, they may have too many.  What they are lacking is Senior leadership's ability to pick those few ideas that will have the greatest payoff and scalability.  With so much competition to get the product to launch first, having a yearly strategic planning process may not be often enough.  Quarterly adjustment and the ability to be nimble is critical.  Weighing market launch timing with the perfect product to launch is critical.

I attended an interesting Society of Human Resouces Management (SHRM) meeting this past week. The presenter was an expert in HR metrics that when properly implemented helps HR leaders get a seat at the table with other senior leaders.  Since workforce costs and benefits are so critical, being able to measure effectively the cost of turnover, the cost of talent management, the cost of total rewards is critical in capacity and capability planning and organizational development.  SHRM also provides data to compare the company's metrics with the industry so you can track progress against best practices.  Another blog I read this past week talked about both the ethics and business case of withdrawing an employment offer once given and the employee quits, moves and relocates family only to be told by the boss that he/she is rescinding the offer.  Whiile the attorneys on the blog talked about the issues from a risk, lawsuit exposure perspective, a senior and more credible HR leader talked about it from a brand and employee morale perspective.  In an example mentioned, the HR VP was able to rescind the decision to cancel the offer convincing the CEO to look at the bigger picture of brand and morale decremental effects. 

So while the finance professionals cringe at offering increased benefits or maybe at wellness programs that don't offer a substantial ROI, the HR professional must consider not only costs but improvements in presenteeism and productivity due to health and wellness issues. Having credible data is crucial to be trusted. But most importantly in wellness, Senior Leadership must walk the talk and participate. 

I never feel that offering 100% (womb to tomb) benefits without employee involvement is beneficial to either the company or employee.  It's because the employee must have "skin in the game" to feel a sense of accountability.  Why do employees get more committed to weight loss when they have to pay a small fee to participate?  Why do employees look out for their own health when they have copayments and deductibles? And finally they shop around better for medical treatments and options and maybe exercise programs when they know they can put the wellness/heatlth savings back into their pockets via a Health Savings Program.  When we rolled such a program out in my prior organization, we saved 5% immediately in insurance premiums; more than 90% of the participants had money in the Health Savings Accounts at the end of the year and 20%, 30% and 50% of the employees participated in years one, two and three respectively.

How does your job provide either payback or the opportunity for improved branding or employee knowledge?  How do you communicate that in your resume, marketing material or interviews?  How do you work with your team and organization to implement positive change?  How do your track and measure success?  These are all things you must consider in your job search.

Getting Business Intelligence prior to your call/meeting

Sam Richter, a LI connection who provides valuable business intelligence supportm has a new post on how to search on Google using its full potential.  See his know more blog: http://www.knowmoreblog.com/more-google/

Thanks Sam for your wonderful advice.  We all need this in doing our business intelligence.

More Google

Posted on April 14, 2011 by admin

You already recognize the value of information. My guess is prior to a prospect or client meeting, you probably already do a little Google searching. But are you really getting the full power of Google?

When I deliver my training/keynote speaking, if there are 1,000 people in the room and I ask how many have ever clicked on the “More” button, at best, maybe a dozen hands go up. Yet it’s this simple exercise that can take your Google searching from hundreds of thousands of results to the few dozen that really matter.
When you conduct a Google search, on the left side of the results page, your results can actually be sorted by type. If Google recognizes that it has many different types of information related to your search, it will offer you those types, (e.g., news, blog posting, videos, images, etc.). For the most part, Google does a nice job of showing you only the relevant types of information it has gathered. Note that Google limits the options it immediately shows you to only the most popular ones related to your search. To see all of the different types of results, you’ll need to click the “More” link.

To see how this can benefit your sales efforts, prior to meeting with a company, conduct a Google search, click on “More” link and then the “News” link, and read up on recent press releases and articles about the company. Use that information during your meeting to show your understanding of what’s going on at the company, with the industry, etc.

When you click on some of the links, you can do further sorting by date range. Choose one of the provided options and limit your results to only information that Google has indexed in that specific time period.
The various types Google offers are intuitive. When you click on “Books” you get information on books related to your chosen topic. Click on images and you get pictures. Especially as it relates to business searching and locating information on companies, industries, and people, three types that deserve further mention are Blogs, Discussions, and Updates.

Blogs, or online logs or diaries, often contain a great deal of information that can be very beneficial when searching for business information. There are industry blogs on just about any topic. Do a Google search on “medical devices” and then click the “Blog” link and you’ll find more than 250,000 blogs that mention or are about medical devices. Many companies have a blog (some have multiple blogs) where you can read about what’s going on inside an organization. Other people such as employees, shareholders, partners, or other interested individuals also may write about a company, or even a person, in their blog.

Clicking on the “Discussions” link delivers results where people are engaged in online forums, or discussions, where your search terms appear. For example, a search on “3M jobs” delivers more than 100,000 unique discussions related to finding a job at 3M, the company culture, etc.

Google’s “Realtime” link is one that I find very cool. When you click on “Realtime,” you’ll see the real-time online messages related to your specific topic. Google is searching sites like Twitter  and others to find its real-time information (meaning be careful what you post because it is searchable and archived theoretically forever). Enter a popular term like “President Obama” and watch the messages scroll in as they’re posted online. For business searches, enter a person’s name to see if he or she Tweets, or a company name and see what people are saying about the organization.

Once you select a type, you’ll notice that Google expands its left-side menu to include additional options related to each type. For example, on a “News” search, you’ll see that Google expands to include date options, news from blogs, and even the ability to sort by date or relevancy.

Also try clicking on the “More Search Tools” link. This expands the left-side options bar even further and you’ll notice a variety of very cool Google result tools.

If you’re searching for a company or person, by clicking on the “Nearby” link, you’ll find people or companies that are physically located near where your person or company’s address is. You’ll note that the “Nearby” tool also provides additional tools that allow you to further narrow the geographic location.

Clicking on “Related Searches” is a little like shopping at Amazon. When you shop at Amazon, after you select a book for purchase, you’re usually presented with an up-sell stating something like “people who have bought this book, have also bought these books.” You are then presented with a list of other books for you to buy. When you click “Related Searches” the Google result list expands showing other suggested terms related to your original search. Click on a suggestion and you’ll see new results related to that search. This can be a very helpful tool when you’re not necessarily sure what you’re searching for, and/or it helps you reframe your search and provide you with additional search ideas.

Google Wonder Wheel is another helpful resource that provides additional search options and again, helps you reframe your search criteria. When you click the “Wonder Wheel” link, Google provides a graphical representation of searches that are related to your original search. For example, if you search for a company and then click “Wonder Wheel,” you’ll find suggestions like company divisions, competitors, industry information, etc. Click on any of the Wonder Wheel suggestions and expand the Wheel to include even more related results.

Google Timeline tool is one of my favorite Google search tools. Click on the “Timeline” link and you’ll see a graphical representation of a timeline showing the date ranges where information has been published related to your search. For example, enter a company name and you’ll see news items and the date when the item was published. Enter a person’s name and you’ll see articles about that person. Click on any of the decade-based bar graphs and the chart expands to the years within that decade.

Click on any of the bars themselves and you’ll see the news related to that year and month. The taller the bar, the more news during that particular time period. Google Timeline is a very easy way to quickly find information about people, companies, and industries and how things have changed over the years. Prior to a meeting, you can conduct a Timeline search, and with a few clicks have a good understanding of how things have evolved within a company, an industry, and/or even a person’s life and career.

Once you get used to Google’s “More” resources and how they work, you’ll start finding better business information to help you turn your “cold” business meetings (where you don’t know anything about the other person and what they care about) into valuable “warm” interactions where you’re focused on items that the other person cares about. Because you Know More!

You are the CEO of yourself (Be that Yellow Bear revisited)

Personal branding is the first thing you need to focus on in your job search.  Here is another post that reinforces that message.

You Can Be A CEO.

That’s right. I’m not kidding.
Today . . . this minute . . . this second . . . you can be a CEO. In fact, you always have been a CEO and always will be a CEO.
You never realized it.
You are the CEO of YOU, Inc.
And if you don’t start regarding yourself that way, you’ll never attain the success you deserve.
Here’s the skinny — Even if you work in corporate or own your own business, you need to shift your thinking towards a more centric state of mind when it comes to work. If you are the CEO of YOU, Inc.:

• How’s your stock doing? Up, down, flat? What are you doing to get it to rise?
• Who knows about your company? Do you frequently market YOU internally and externally to key movers and shakers?
• What’s your message? How is it being interpreted? Is there any misinformation out there?
• Who are your competitors? How are you mitigating their threats? What are they saying about you?
• Who are your customers? What are they saying about you?
• Who are your partners? Are you educating them regularly on how they can help your company?
• How is the marketplace for YOU, Inc.? Is there a high demand for your services? Is it waning? Is it dying?
• How can you clone YOU? Delegate non-essential duties to subordinates?

The minute you make a mental shift from dutiful employee/entrepreneur to CEO status, you’ll find you will focus on different areas left fallow for months/years beforehand.
And you’ll start to see your new company do better and better and better. Try it. I promise you, you’ll like it.
This has been another installment in my ongoing series, “Are You A Catalyst?” — today’s focus is how to “Be A CEO”.

Learning from our Mistakes

In a previous blog I commented on the need to quickly accept our situation if in job transition and move on after trying to understand if we had anything to do with it so we can avoid the same problem prospectively.  Don't dwell on trying to fix blame or hold angry thoughts.  However, if you're on a team trying to roll out a new product or process, you shouldn't wait until the project is complete to do your post mortems/after action reviews.  It should be a part of the project manager's action steps during the project.  However the team should analyze the team's successes and key learnings for improvement at the end so as to learn from the process.  While the blog thread suggests the need to do after action reviews when there is a problem, I'd suggest that every time we rollout a major initiative or even an annual event or training program, a plus/delta or review of what we can do better the next year be part of the process and documented for future events. 

Blog Post:
Can mistakes become a competitive advantage?.
I suggest that mistakes, which are bound to occur, give you and edge when they are:
- accepted as a fact of life
- expected to occur
- unique, revealing something innovative
- learned from.

Richard Blakemore responded:
Years ago, I learned a lesson from a mistake that my boss knew would happen, but decided to let me make it anyway. I found it really frustrating, humiliating, and completely avoidable, and was thoroughly ticked off that my boss let me blunder into it when he could have alerted me to it. So my view is somewhat jaded on this front.

Suffice to say, if my team are trying things within the boundaries, and they make what I'll call "discovery" mistakes (as opposed to dumb mistakes), then I am all for it, because we all learn from them. If they want to play outside the boundaries, then they need to let me know first so that I can run a risk assessment of the proposed course of action, because the boundaries have been set for a reason, and sometimes, staying within them is critical to the development of the team.

Otherwise, if my team are likely to blunder into mistakes because of a lack of knowledge that I have and can give them, then I would rather not waste the time of recovering from the mistake, and let them in on the secret ahead of time. That way, no-one feels betrayed, and we can all move forward together.

Frank Feather, host of the blog writes:
To learn from a failure, we must do so intentionally and methodologically.

It is a good idea to carry out an objective post-mortem. This is not to be a witch hunt to point fingers, but a collective effort to understand all possible contributors (human and other factors) to the failure or the less-than-successful result/outcome.

If a project, innovation, or change initiative failed or fell short of expectations, we need to know why, with comprehensive answers and analysis. A failure is not a matter of merely falling short on an ROI or other target. Maybe the target setting was faulty or overly-ambitious.

We need to learn what elements of the strategy design and implementation execution fell short, and why. Plus we need to discern the lessons that will help the organization perform better next time.

Then you need to document these findings to create a knowledge base that can be drawn upon when planning future projects.

In addition, you should develop a set of criteria under which the failed project might be revived, should the underlying internal/external conditions change in your favor. Then, with any needed modifications, the failure might become the success it was intended to be.
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Let me know if you have experienced any benefit from a mistake you've made on the job.

Leadership - Willingness to Sacrifice your Life

This story came out right before Easter.  And of course the greatest leader of all times is Jesus Christ who gave us the greatest example of self sacrifice.  While many didn't appreciate his message and mission at the time, millions now revere his great love and sacrifice.  A second person that comes to mind is Joseph Smith, a martyr and exemplar of leadership and sacrifice for his followers.  However, I feel the message applies to anyone willing to sacrifice his life and give of him/herself for others.  A parent will always do this for a child.  A friend will do likewise.  True sacrifice is the willingness to do this for a stranger.  May we all this Easter season remember to emulate the Savior and even love those that are strangers.

 

A Leadership Story that will Move and Inspire You

I heard a remarkable story yesterday that I surprisingly had never heard before, and one that reminds me of the reason I blog. The mark of the greatest leader, in my opinion, is one who is willing to give his life for another.

The Civil War was a bloody and vicious war. At least 618,000 Americans died and some say the toll reached 700,000. Casualties exceeded all of America's other wars from the Revolution through Vietnam.

In the winter of 1862 General Robert E. Lee's forces had claimed several key battlefields in the Eastern Campaign. One of those key battles was as one-sided a victory as a battle could be. It was the Battle of Fredericksburg. On December 13, 1862, Union forces began what was termed a desperate and eventual doomed assault on a heavily fortified position known as the "stone wall at the sunken road."


After crossing a river the Union confidentally took the town of Frederisksburg with little resistance. The confederate army had voluntarily given up the town so that they might fortify themselves along a stone wall at the base of a sloping hill. As the union army begin to approach the wall they were attacked and by the morning of December 14th over 8,000 Union soldiers had been shot in front of the stone wall. Many of those remaining on the battlefield were still alive, but suffering from their wounds, the cold and thirst.

During that night both sides were forced to listen to the cries and moans of those soldiers for hours. A Confederate soldier stationed near the wall later stated that it was "weird, unearthly, terrible to hear and bear the cries of dying soldiers filling the air - lying crippled on a hillside so many miles from home - breaking the hearts of soldiers on both sides of the battlefield."

Richard Rowland Kirkland, an infantry sergeant for the Confederacy could not rest or sleep due to the suffering of the Union soldiers and that morning asked his commanding officer if he could scale the wall and provide water for the suffering Union troops. The commanding officer was reluctant at first because of the danger to Richard, but later allowed him to. As Richard climbed the wall several shots were instantly fired thinking that Kirkland's motives were to wound more, but after realizing what was happening shooting ceased. Richard Rowland Kirkland made his way to each soldier comforting them the best he could by laying his jacket over one and providing water to the thirsty lips of all. For the next hour and a half he would scale the wall a number of times with his canteen to get more water for his enemy. It was a moment that temporarily stopped the Civil War.

This story deeply touched me. To me this exemplifies the highest calling of leadership. And it embodies the purpose of leadership. That purpose is to care and to serve. Is there one man on that battlefield that wouldn't have been willing to follow such a servant if asked to? He was the enemy of course, but how much more powerful the example.

What are your thoughts? Are there leaders like this you have admired in your life? Who are they? Please comment below.

Some Project Management Humor for a dreary Wednesday

Follow up to the Riverton IT Networking meeting

There were almost 40 persons in attendance at the Riverton IT networking event.  While the attendance at prior meetings started to wane, Clifford Harmon tried to jumpstart attendance and enthusiasm by inviting 3 recruiters from the church to present how one can be more successful in their search and application process.  The 3 recruiters at the event were Jeff Holmes from the IT department, Brad Baker from Family History and Justin from ICS.  Some of the concerns they addressed included timing out during the application process and having to start all over.  This was a common complaint about 6 months ago but they feel it's been resolved.  Another complaint was that often they submit a resume and may even have a screening interview but don't hear from the recruiter.  They indicated that instead of rejecting the person outright, they try and find a hiring manager who might need these skills even if not an open position.  They did indicate you must apply for every opening.  They also indicated that these inside and outside recruiters use LinkedIn to source candidates so make sure your profile is key word rich (they use the PeopleSoft applicant tracking system). 

These recruiters felt that a form rejection letter, legally prepared was all that would be provided so they don't get the church into trouble for discrimination issues.  This is typical of most HR departments.  However, I've generally received a rejection/non qualifying letter for jobs I've applied for with the church.    While I've been disappointed at some of the reasons for being not considered, I indicated disappointment with the recruiter who indicated they already had 2 good applicants for an opening and weren't open to interviewing anyone else.  To me this seems like someone had an inside shot at the job or did a great job of networking.  They tried to dispel the notion that these jobs only go to returning mission presidents or eclesiatical leaders.  However, why can't the church provide these folks with preferential treatment for their service?  So if you want to be considered, do your networking.  It was good to meet several of the recruiters in case I'm interested in another opening.  I need to follow up with these folks to thank them for their interest. 

These recruiters also described some of the open positions in the IT field and how to prepare for these.  They indicated that working for the church requires a greater commitment to service without receiving the same remuneration of similar positions in the private sector, albeit the benefits are good.  I led one of the networking group discussions and we provided them opportunities to give their me in 30 seconds and which companies they are pursuing.  It was good having Jeff Holmes in our group with Brad Baker visiting us at the end.  They made some interesting suggestions and now I feel a LinkedIn connection will be easier to remember me.  Thank you Cliff for your work to organize this event.  It was good for IT and non IT people having interests in church employment.

A lot of advice to get into a 15 second resume review - get to ++ quickly

By Eve Tahmincioglu

msnbc.com contributor msnbc.com contributor

updated 4/18/2011 8:53:36 AM ET 2011-04-18T12:53:36

You have about 15 seconds to make an impression with your resume. That’s about the amount of time recruiters and hiring managers say they spend with each job seeker’s resume, given the tidal wave of applicants for open positions these days.

As a result, any glaring mistakes can land your resume in the trash bin.

“The wow factor isn’t as important as being precise,” said Ryan Carfley, President and CEO of recruiting firm MRINetwork Personify. But, he added, “even though hiring managers are inundated, you have to stand out, and the only way to do that is with precise examples of achievements, and do it quickly.”

1. Here’s a rundown of six resume mistakes you’ll want to avoid:

1. Being too vague One big resume no-no is not getting to the meat of the matter, notes Pennell Locey, a senior consultant at career management and consulting firm Keystone Associates.

This includes focusing only on job responsibilities in your resume and not including specific accomplishments. You’ll get extra minus points for actually using the phrase “responsibilities included,” said Locey.

“A recruiter once told me that [the] phrase immediately raises suspicion, since it can be used as a dodge when you were supposed to deliver something [and] actually didn’t.”

 

Locey suggests asking yourself what your major accomplishments were, and what you did that made a different for your employer.  She offers some alternative phrases, such as “streamlined/ initiated a process,” or “maintained compliance at 100%,” or “participated in a fund-raising campaign that delivered X% over plan,” or perhaps “increased website traffic by X%.”

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The best way to catch a hiring manager’s attention, he said, is to provide something measurable. Don’t say “led the organization in sales.” Instead, say, “Grew revenues from $500,000 to $1 million,” or “reduced project cycle time by two months, saving the company roughly $200,000.”

2. Ignoring the Cyber Age Many people still look at resumes the same way they did 20 years ago, but with so much communication taking place online these days you have to make your resume tech savvy, experts say.

“Nowadays, since everything is electronic, and electronic ‘contact’ is the first contact you have with HR, headhunters or a corporation, one of the biggest mistakes a person can make is not to include the right keywords for the position you’re applying for, or want,” said Kiki Weingarten, cofounder of career consulting company Atypical Coaching.

She suggests scanning the ads for industries and positions you’re looking into and find the words that are repeated. Those words are a good bet because you can be sure a hiring manager is looking out for them, Weingarten said.

You don’t want to go cyber crazy, though, and go for cyber gimmicks, added Holly Paul, national recruiting leader for Pricewaterhousecoopers. She advises job applicants not to use “emoticons [smiley faces], text message abbreviations or excessive exclamation points.”

Another faux pas is not thinking of what you name your resume document file. If it’s just called “resume,” rename the file to include your name if possible so that a hiring manager can find it easily.

3. Every job but the kitchen sink In this economy, there’s a good chance a long-term job seeker has a part-time job (or jobs) under his or her belt just to make ends meet. But that doesn’t mean you should include every burger flipping, or retail-selling job you’ve had. Putting too many of those jobs on your resume, especially if they have nothing to do with the job you want, can hurt your chances of landing a new position.

“Resumes are a summary of the most important data,” said Debra Feldman, a job search expert known as the JobWhiz. “In my opinion, a part-time job just to pay the bills would not fall into that category.

“I think if the skills or accomplishments are relevant, then by all means if there is space and it enhances the content, include these achievements,” she added.

 

However, if you can connect your experience on the sales floor of a home-improvement store to the job you want, then great. I’ve known many high level executives who felt their time on the retail floor, or working behind a counter, helped them better understand how a company worked.

4. Not being your own cheerleader One of the biggest resume mistakes is “underselling your role or accomplishments,” said Keystone’s Locey.

Job applicants, she continued, “are often worried about appearing to inflate their experiences, or taking credit for something that others also participated in; they often actually under-represent their accomplishments.”

While you don’t want to lay claim to more than you did, “you do want to claim your accomplishments, and make it clear what you actually did,” Locey explained.

So, she advises taking out terms such as “co-led”, “co-created” or similar phrases used multiple times just to show others worked on the same projects as you. And don’t use “assisted”, “supported” or “participated in,” she added. Say what your role on the team actually involved.

Locey said you should ask yourself the following questions:

• Did I design and deliver a new project in partnership with line managers? What did I do, what was my role?
• Was my role on the team to track team milestones and ensure the project was on budget/schedule? “Reflect that in what you write in the resume,” she stressed. “It’s more memorable and brings you to life for the reviewer.”

5. Being “cookie-cutter” I know it’s a pain to tailor every resume to every new job, but if you really want a gig it may be worth the extra work.

Nick Vaidya, managing partner of The 8020Strategy Group, a consulting firm, is sick of seeing the same old, same old.

“I get exasperated looking at resume after resume that talks about what [an applicant] does, or has done,” Vaidya said. “After a while all of the candidates start looking like white penguins on snow. I want the [person] who understands what I need and tailors his or her resume accordingly. I want the yellow penguin.”

And Vaidya downright hates career objectives on resumes, especially if they are “banal and devoid of all ingenuity, integrity and meaning.”

(The best way to provide these three objectives is to simply read the job description and write a resume directed to that, he said.)

 

6. Forgetting the basics “Resume mistakes have become smaller and more important with the level of competition out there,” said Steve Langerud, director of professional opportunities at DePauw University and workplace consultant. That’s why you can’t forget the basics when it comes to resume writing.

Life on the Narrow Path - Finding your Passion/Value

Last Friday at the Univesity of Utah Job Club, Clark Burbidge gave an overview of his book, Life on the Narrow Path, which compared various chapters on mountain biking with life's challenges.  I listened to his presentation and took copious notes. I read the book in two days, and communicated to the author that I'd like to include a blog on the principles at it applies to job search skills and networking.  I also provided a status update of this book on LinkedIn and included it as a book I'm reading.  While Clark holds an important "C" level position in his company and has had an interesting and challenging career, he also had 10 months of unemployment, during which he wrote this book.  Each reader will find different applications based on his/her own needs and paradigms.  For me it resonated as a rider who is seeking meaning in his/her life while confronting new challenges of finding employment in a terrible economy.  I'm not a mountain biker but could sense the excitement and passion of the author in his vivid explanation of the sport.  This post is the first of six posts to reinforce the fact that we all have skills, talents and abilities and should develop our own passion portfolio.

This passion for riding was not something Clark learned when young, a double sport athlete in College, but occured in the last 20 years when diagnosed with degenerative hip concerns that required cycling or swimming as an alternative to running, soccer, basketball or more hip-stressful exercises.  To remain active while enjoying exercising, Clark took up the sport of mountain biking.  And it has become a passion for him.  Many of us need to develop this same passion about finding employment.  I've included many other blogs about branding, about not looking desperate while seeking your dream job, about recording your journey via a journal or blog and about developing a marketing portfolio of your strengths.  I was sent an interesting YouTube video clip by a LI connection that you will enjoy often,   I'm forwarding to you my friends (See link below). 

Your marketing collateral is typically starts with your resume.  However, that really doesn't do a good job in explaining who you are as a person and where you're going, only a brief profile of your past accomplishments.  Your power statements and lessons learned in your career workshop class should give you a better idea of who you are and what value you bring to any situation.  If you have not spent the time analyzing your value proposition, your brand, and your strengths and weaknesses, this should be done early on in your search.  For those who are still working but underemployed, don't wait until you're unemployed to develop your value proposition.  Find your purpose, your personal best stories and passions, and your key relationship connections and build upon them.  Continue to look for opportunities to succeed and recognize those who have helped you in the process.  And at all times give thanks to your God who gave you the potential for greatness and for the various gifts and talents you've been blessed with or have developed.  Discover those characteristics and build upon them.  If I can share only some principles besides finding your passions and value, in this blog it is to maintain hope and the sense of being responsible for your successes and failures (don't dwell too long on the failures after you've learned the lessons).   While it is important to express your frustrations and disappointments, you must get over these quickly,  If you don't learn the lessons from the past (and most of us have some blame in the outcome), you may continue to repeat the lesson.

The next blog will cover map reading, having a guide and focusing on the path ahead of you. 

Steps to Do with Finding your Passion/Value:

1. Get a professionalresume, cover letter (template) and a branded, keyword rich LinkedIn profile
2. Attend the Career Workshop an complete exercises in the booklet
3. Develop your "me in 30" seconds, your tagline, and your power statements (accomplishments)
4. Complete a marketing portfolio for your interviews and for your LI profile (see blogs)

Do you have Passion?  See this Juice video from You Tube.  It expresses how we need to confront life's challenges be they mountain biking, the loss of a job or loved one, or the stressors of life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZ2mbvaADeg&feature=related

Life on the Narrow Path - Finding your Map, Coach and Path

This is the 2nd blog in the job search series that follows the principles found in Clark Burbidge's short book on Life on the Narrow Path from a mountain biker's perspective.  The first blog was about finding your value and passion.  I feel this is the first thing all job searchers need to get started.  If you have mastered this step it's time to move forward.

Finding your map (GPS reading of where you currently are) so you can then discover where you want to be is critical in your journey.  Whether this is a new path or one already traveled at a different time and season, it is important to prepare for the journey. The job searcher's map tells us various things:

• What is the current hiring environment in your area for someone with your skills and abilities>
• Who are your potential hiring managers in your desired locale?
• What are the companies or industries you need to pursue?
• Who are the people who can help you get introduced to these people or companies?

LinkedIn has more than 100 million participants with profile positions and companies which can expedite your search.  It's like the professional GPS with many applications not only of people, jobs, and business intelligence, but it also provides information about those people to prepare you for your interviews.

LinkedIn doesn't tell you who's hiring, whether the company is growing, or whether the connections will be willing to work with you without better introductions, but it does provide a great map of where your journey might take you.  Be familiar with the map and it's components.  Take a class or read my other networking tips using LinkedIn contained within my blog.  Advanced people search by your next hiring manager and search for these people in your groups is a key mapping principle.  Another slower way is to ask your friends and neighbors or business contacts who they know in a particular industry that maybe they can introduce you to.

Finding your coach or mentor is critical in mountain biking for the beginner or newby on a new ride just as it is in starting up a new business or job search adventure.  The coach helps you in your conditioning, in the bike performance and acquainting you on the mountain path/trip you're planning.  Unlike the biking coach, the job coach may not have to be from your industry or even someone in job search.  He/she should be available to go over your weekly goals and your accomplishments; go over your strategies and determine whether they have been successful, and then be there to not only be your cheerleader when you've been successful but also make suggestions where you might need to make corrective action.  Your coach should not be a spouse or significant other, because you need someone who will hold your feet to the fire.  Making a chart of activities and successes might help you in your goal attainments plus help you report you progress.

Finding your Path  is different than making and following your map both in biking and job search.  The map will tell you your routes, distances and other concerns while the path is more precise.  It tells you at the time you're on the trip  how to avoid obstacles and other conditions that you will encounter.  You cannot map the falling branch, the unexpected biker, animal or rut in the path but your trip must anticipate this and correct your direction accordingly.  Likewise, your original (map) list of people and companies you're pursuing might change during your search and networking interviews.  Always be on the lookout to change direction when the path so directs this.  I compare the map in my other blogs to searching for your dream job, while the path may lead you to and opportunity that might be as good but not anticipated.  In your mapping, allow for course correction. Generally you will be hired not by those who are your primary contacts on LinkedIn but by their contacts.  So develop those networking partnerships that allow you to find your path.

Life on the Narrow Path - Power of Positive Thinking & Preparation

Almost as important as personal branding/value propositioning and mapping/pathing your job search strategies is having a positive attitude, preparing for your interviews and networking activities.  Most people I've met on job search are still bitter or angry about their last job or the hand they were dealt.  While there is something to be said for venting and getting certain negative feelings out of your system, you must quickly move on.  Don't dwell on the past, you cannot change it.  No one wants to hear about your problem boss or team, or how you were not appreciated.  This is a sure-fire way of blowing an interview. 

Questions such as:  tell me about why you were laid off or find yourself in job search, should be responded with a quick response such as:  the company laid off 500 employees, 20% of the workforce or the entire unit and I am now looking for my next opportunity.  Another problematic question you'll hear is:  tell about a problem you had with a prior supervisor.  A good response is to say you've had all types of supervisors who have taught you valuable lessons on how to treat your employees better.  These could include: 

• listening and responding to your team members with respect and empathy
• looking for opportunities to share credit and mentor your direct reports
• in making assignments asking for their suggestions in getting to a positive resolution
• finding ways to have them explore personal best stories and feelings of "flow" in other situations

Another difficult question:  Tell me a time when you disagreed with your supervisor and what did you do.
Remember - never bad mouth a prior boss.  A better response would be one where you had a boss that wasn't a good communicator.  Everytime you asked for clarification, he/she would give you little direction but indicated they would know what they wanted when they saw it.  So your response is to show how you helped the supervisor better define the deliverables and possibly provide some suggestions on business intelligence or best practices you could employ to resolve the concern.  Clarification of the scope, time and budget are important to resolve upfront whenever possible to be successful.  The important lesson is how you helped the boss communicate expectations and establish deliverables.

You cannot change the past so move on.  You can only change how you're going to respond to the present and future.  Be positive about your responses and opportunities to grow and provide value to your new opportunities.  Generally one can learn the organization's processes but they must feel comfortable that you will fit into the new culture and team and be a valuable contributor.  Think "fitting" in while contributing instead of fixing a broken team or process.  This may be difficult if your focusing on their "pain points."  So talk more about process than solution.  You were able to resolve a similar concern by inviting others to help in the resolution, engaging their talents and passions, and recognizing and celebrating success.  Whenever, I hire a manager or leader, I want to see how the direct reports will work with him/her and how they feel they are being heard and engaged.  Most of us will be working with a team so we have to function as a team player and a collaborative contributer.  The action part of your SPAR response (Situation/Problem, Action and Result) should show how you engaged people, sought and obtained synergies in the process and encourage people to be active contributers and accountable partners. 

Tell me a time you had a project that backfired or failed to get your boss's or team's support and why?  This is a specific and tough weakness question, that cannot be glossed over by a prepared answer about why you are so busy or successful inspite of others.  Prepare for these type questions with your own power examples.  The situation/problem is the failure to get approval or acceptance.  The response they are seeking is how you engaged the team to overcome resistance to change and to embrace a more positive resolution.  You should indicate this is a lesson you learned several years/jobs ago and state the concern.  You must then show how with good mentoring or training you've found a better way and indicate the result of that training.  You might also indicate you look forward to opportunities that challenge you and the team to work together because the rewards are so fullfilling and rewarding for all in the end.

One final question that will tackle or challenge our positive thinking muscles:  What if your boss told you that you have to make a command and control decision with your group due to time constraints and then get their buy-in later on.  How would you handle this challenge as a new supervisor?  Here is how I would respond.  If you are new and haven't developed the type of team support where they can trust you to be collaborative in the future, you have to be frank.  Explain to the group the need for quick response and the reasons.  Get their general concurrence on the need to act with little collaboration even though that is how you generally operate.  Bounce off a suggestion with your more senior or experienced subject matter experts and then act judiciously.  Explain later that it might not be the best approach in getting consensus and allow the group to do a post mortem on how it could be handled in the future with more time and more input.  A good and loyal team will work with you under such circumstances.  I have found that even when I thought I had the best reponse, listening to others helped solidify that decision, clarify alternative avenues that are better, but in the end, get better commitment to action from your team.

Unlike mountain biking that is a thrill for it's advocates, job hunting can sometimes be challenging.  Always have a positive image going into every interview.  If asked why you are the best candidate in the group, don't hesitate by saying you don't know the others.  You are the best because you've prepared for the interview via LinkedIn, your business intelligence and you marketing portfolio.  You are the best because you are passionate about your work accomplishments and how they can help the company.  You are the best because you have a positive vision of what success looks and feels like even before the interview.

Life on the Narrow Path - Power of Networking and Making Friends on the Journey

One of the most important skills we learn in job search is the ability to network.  A good networker does his/her homework before the meetings so he/she can share more than just the me in 30 seconds and the questions to the interviewee about the industry challenges, the reasons they enjoy their job and what keeps them up at night.  While the purpose of networking isn't to ask about any open positions, it is to get closer to someone who might be a hiring manager.  Some of your LI research might be to identify the hiring manager in that company or competitors that the interviewee might know and if the interview goes well might be willing to introduce you to.  Another thing the interviewee might be asked after hearing about your background is whether you're pursuing the right people and companies.  You should respect the interviewee's time and get back with any further business intelligence or feedback from their suggestions.

My suggestion is that you need to nourish those key connectors who might continue to provide leads only after you build stronger relationships.  While you continue to network, maintain closer relationships to your key connecting partners (generally 10-20).  Some of those partners might be people in job search like yourself but may be in other industries or jobs.  They have their key connections which might help you when you help them.

When I invite someone to my LinkedIn connections I always try and give them a reason for joining my network.  The more you can offer them, the more likely they'll want to join you.  Be willing to look at their profile, their interests, blogs and websites to comment.  Everyone wants to feel you care about them.  So get back with positive comments.  Show how you can help them or offer assistance.  Then for those in the network that can be nourished and made partners, follow up with face to face meetings and warmer connections.   These connections shouldn't be forgotten when you've found your job.  Keep them close.  While I manage the Salt Lake Metro Transitionition Professionals and write a networking blog, I still want to maintain close relationships to those same 10-20 networking partners.

When I go to the monthly SHRM meetings, about 80% of the people sit with people they know and never network.  The person in transition is always looking to meet new people and making warmer connections.  The meetings should be where you exchange business cards, exchange information about your passions and how you can help one another.  If I had to pick between a SHRM meeting or a Job Club or BYU professional meeting with many people from other backgrounds than mine, the second is more rewarding.  I treat networking among those with the same skills and aspirations to be sometimes problematic.  The people generally less inclined to connect to me are people in my profession in the same area.  It's because they feel they are competing with you and not networking.

For the timid person who only associates with their friends, networking forces you to be more gregarious and you lose some of this temerity.  So don't break out the headphones or novel while traveling.  Don't look for the most popular person in the party or group.  Look for someone willing to share information and friendship like yourself.  You generally can't make strong connections in several minutes, but you can find interesting people you'd like to get to know later on.

Last week I met an interesting person who wrote an inspiring book about mountain biking and life on the narrow path.  I plan to make that connection one that is more warming and mutual for both of us in the future.  I read his book, am applying the principles to these blogs and have passed his message forward in my LinkedIn profile and meeting with other networking groups.  I loaned his book to an associate to read for a week and will make a friend with that person based on similar concepts from the book. Sharing stories we have in common that are fostered by a common experience or book is a great way to make friends.  And doesn't help us better work with new team members when hired?

So don't forget to mention the power of networking as one of your skills or strengths when interviewing.

Life on the Narrow Path - Focusing on the Goal and Avoiding Obstacles

In mountain biking, one has to focus on the path ahead and avoid the rocks, branches, and other impediments in the pathway.  In addition there are various strategies of maintaining speed and control both during the climbs and descents (e.g. emotional ups and downs of job search).  Similar parallels can be found in job search.  The last part of the blog is to answer the question "Why Me?" 

It is obvious to anyone in job search that we have good and bad days.  The good days or weeks are full of great networking interviews, connecting to hiring managers via LinkedIn or via introductions, and having successful job interviews.  The bad days occur when we do not hear back for weeks or months to applications or submitted resumes, when we do not hear back after a telephone interview and/or when we receive news that someone else was selected.  Sometimes hearing bad news early on is better than not hearing anything for weeks/months and still having hope that something will occur.  If you have had a telephone interview or an in person interview, one of your closing questions should be whether it is ok to email or communicate within a week to find out any progress.  Make sure you have sent the thank-you note immediately after the interview.  A handwritten note is best but an email will suffice if you don't have an address.  Remember one thing that you need to communicate to them that came up in the interview.  This might be done the next day if you need to do some more business  intelligence.

Your focus in job search as soon as possible is to get to a hiring manager and provide them answers to their problems.  Be a solution to their pain points.  Continue to communicate with these key hiring managers as frequently as is feasible with new suggestions, with news items, white papers, or other business intelligence.  If they're looking for someone with different skills, see if you can find that candidate referral from your networking contacts.  Remember during the good days/weeks to continue to build your job search pipeline because you'll need this during the slower or down weeks.  In mountain biking there is an art to both climbing and descending but also a requirement to show consideration for other bikers by calling out on blind curves.  If you know a preference of a hiring manager for someone you're introducing, let that person know before the interview.  The more considerate you are of those in your network, the more likely they are to help you.

Some of the obstacles you might face in your job search is being too broad in your search or even too narrow.  Let you networking contacts help in defining your search strategies.  Don't appear too desperate but also not too cavalier.  You need to show passion with those jobs that are not your dream job because they might lead into that dream opportunity once hired.

Now answering the question, "Why me?  If growth comes via challenges and overcoming obstacles, shouldn't we be asking "Why not me?"  Since we know that we are not given challenges or trials too tough for us to handle, then we just need to look at them as opportunities.  In my final blog post in this series, I'm going to address the beauties of the trip and how to journal these experiences.

Life on the Narrow Path - My Worst day of Fishing is better than my Best day of ...

Anybody in job search would not indicate that their worst day of fishing or mountain biking is better than their best day of working.  However, there is some truth to finding a passion and pursuing it.  I've previously blogged on finding personal best stories in life or personal best experiences that put you in the "flow".  I have been passionate about basketball and fast pitchl softball as a youth.  I've been passionate about my kids' school and church activities and my spouse's talks and lessons.  I've been passionate about a volunteer dental clinic we sponsor in Roatan, Hondurus.  I'm now passionate about networking with those on LinkedIn, in making new friends and helping others in their job search.

A good friend gave me a smooth stone and asked me to rub it at night until I could remember a person that I've helped during the day.  I did this for several weeks with the goal of helping 3 people daily.  Some days I have more, others only one or two I've helped.  I don't need the stone anymore because it's a habit to think each morning how I plan on helping people and at night I recollect on the day's activities.  Part of the reason I write this networking blog is to help myself, but I also write it to help others in their job search.  I never intend to monetize this blog or to have others pay me for helping them with their networking skills. 

As I reread the posts within this blog, I can see some of the events or experiences that have helped me grow in my job search journey.  As I reflect on the changes to my LinkedIn profile, the size of my network and the quality of contacts I'm making, I also feel a sense of gratitude and growth from this experience.  While we would never pray for challenges, I'm a better person for going through this experience and sharing it with those I love and appreciate.

So record or journal your experiences.  Blog if you feel so inclined.  I might even collaborate with the author of the narrow path, Clark Burbidge, to write a movie script if he's so inclined. I am currently preparing the outline of the characters.

Effective Leadership Qualities that make a Difference

In a group I belong to, Developing the Leader within You, one of the posts I'm following is what leadership quality has made a big difference in your life.  I'll include some of the comments from that blog below my additional comments.  Notice how the initiator of the post, Trudy Metzer, listens to and comments about other's comments.  This skill to listen, show empathy, show humility and caring are all ingredients of leadership.  I would add a few comments.  I think the leader engages the heart through his/her vision only when the message or vision has purpose that resonates with the followers.  The message is as important as the leader.  I also think the leader is someone who models the way, establishes and measure progress and celebrates victories and successes sharing the glory with the followers:

So here is what others commented on leadership:
Jonathan McDowell:
GREAT question. This answer will probably be different for everyone, with variations along the same lines for many. But with everyone having a different set of experiences and different personalities.

I'm still developing, but a few that I have purposely worked on, and have grown in are the following:

Active Listening: I used to never really ask questions to the person I was conversing with. After I answered their questions I was done. I read a book by Hugh Hewitt. In it he discusses following the "Five Questions Rule" in which he advises the reader to ask at least five questions in every conversation. The questions should come from the speaker's content. Once I started doing this I realized that people WANT to tell their story, and when they do they think YOU really like them. When they think YOU really like them (which you normally will because of the connection) they really like you. At that point, you're influence in their life exponentially grows.

Teachability: I don't know what I don't know. But I want to know. So I decided to take criticism as gently and non-personally as I can. There is ALWAYS someone that knows more than I do. Most the time, there are many people that know more than me. Realizing that released me to begin listening to experts and those with experience without filtering them through a "that's not right" perspective. There are times when skepticism is needed, but I was using it too much. Once I started really listening to others and I decided to LEARN what they had to offer, I became more effective with those around me. (1) I had more ideas that could help in more situations, and (2) I had more valuable information that people wanted to hear.

Frank Feather wrote:
Yes, we need all the basic principles of leadership such as ethics and integrity, but true leaders have the ability to "see" and articulate a future vision, "map" how to go there, and then lead the way.
Without vision, there is no leadership. They are just chair-holders, going through the motions -- pretend leaders -- going nowhere, because they have no clue where they are heading.

Everything else follows.

For me, this was easy to learn, when I realized that only the future is manageable. You cannot manage the past (it is over), nor the present (it is but a fleeting nano-second). Therefore every decision needs to be made within a future-relevant context. Otherwise, you are spinning wheels.
Jonathan responds to Danny's comment:

Danny brings up a good point. Relationship is the glue that holds organizations together (Read Maxwell's discussion on "Why does understanding people make the difference?"). Without making a connection with those around you (both above and below) the leader is nothing but a sitting duck. Idea guys can't get anywhere without others to aid them in the implementation.

And is also why adding value to others is so important. Adding value to others starts to solidify the relationship. I'm always available to people that consistently add value to me.

The host of the blog, Trudy Metzer opines:

Thank you for sharing all those wonderful thoughts, challenges and inspirations. I intended to post mine and then was away all day so here goes...

My biggest struggle, which I noticed is Rob's strength, was the confidence issue. And that spilled into so many other areas! I'm super outgoing and sensitive, so people usually like me but for some reason I always feared it wouldn't last so I held back 'the real me'. For many years I tried to play it safe and be what people wanted and that was very debilitating because so much energy went to the wrong place! It also played into my listening abilities because I was constantly preparing my next line or response in a way that would please the listener. It's not possible to plan a response and listen well at the same time. (Add ADHD to that and... well, no need to explain!)

I have had to learn to love myself the way God made me, believe that His purposes for me are wonderful and draw confidence from that awareness. It has changed my life! I have learned to be an active listener, caring listener. I'm comfortable with moments of silence because I don't have a response or an answer ready and because of this have developed countless new relationships and strengthened the long-standing ones. To my amazement it made me a better, more influential leader. Contrary to what I had always believed, people don't want 'perfect' answers, they want to be cared about at a heart level.

Allowing other people to speak into my life was also key in this process. It takes humility to be teachable and admit weakness or a need for help. That's what I love about these discussions--we learn so much from each other!

Richard, honesty, character and integrity, not pretense is the key. Interestingly enough, there was a time when the walk and talk impressed me if presented with flawless perfection. Now, the humility to admit imperfection both in the walk and talk is what will draw me in and keep me dedicated to a person/cause.

(In response to Denise's comment), that is a great asset! I have managed mid-sized events and loved it! In the process of finding people to work with me, I have learned that it is a relatively unique ability and even more rare to find someone who is excellent at it *and* loves it. I've been connecting with pastors in your area in the last few weeks to see about doing a conference for women... I may need to track you down to see if you'd like to manage the event details.

Mark: I think most of us rise and fall in the struggle of trusting, giving grace and living selflessly. Seems to me that, while we get better at it with time, our humanity always resurfaces. At the end of the day that is a good thing because it is not likely something new, just something hidden brought to light so that we can grow to the next level!

Richard: It takes great character and humility to take ownership and bring healing to relationships by offering sincere apologies rather than excuses!

Have you had your own leadership experience and if so share it with others:

Successful Recruiter Strategy in sourcing candidates

While this blog post is several years old, it is still applicable today.  The author, recruiter and consultant is Howard Adamsky.

Interviewing candidates and gauging their fit for a culture and position is one of the most indispensable tasks a recruiter performs. The more a recruiter knows about a candidate, the better equipped they are to add value to the hiring process. That’s why getting to know the candidate and understand what they are looking for, along with overall qualifications, is so critical. But there is more about candidates you should uncover if you want to do the best possible job of providing information (read: value) to hiring managers. Below are ten points in key areas that all recruiters should investigate for each candidate they interview ó before they present the candidate to the hiring manager.

1. Complete compensation details. Understand exactly how the candidate’s current compensation program is structured. This means more than the candidate’s base salary; the base salary is just part of the overall package. Be sure that you ask about bonuses; if, how and when they are paid out, stock options or grants that have been awarded. Compile a complete list of benefits and how they are structured (e.g. PPO vs. HMO; there is a difference) and know when the candidate is up for his or her next review, because this can alter cash compensation.
2. Type of commute. Commute is a quality-of-life issue and discussing it is important. A ten-minute commute against traffic is very different than taking the car to a train and having to walk five blocks to the new organization. If the commute to your organization is worse for the candidate than it is in his or her existing job, bring it up and see how the candidate responds. If the commute is better, use it as a selling point. By all means, be sure that you understand the candidate’s current commute and how they feel about the new one.
3. The “what they want vs. what they have” differential. Most candidates do not change jobs just for the sake of changing jobs. They change jobs because there are certain things missing in their current position that they believe can be satisfied by the position your organization is offering. This disparity is called the “position differential” and it is the fundamental reason a person changes jobs. Know what this position differential is and you will be able to know if you have what the candidate is looking for. If so, you will be able to develop an intelligent capture strategy when it comes time to close.
4. How they work best. Some candidates work best if left alone, while others work best as part of a team. It is your job to know enough about the organization’s philosophy and the way the hiring manager works to see if the candidate will either mesh or grind. Beware of recommending hiring a candidate who does not fit into the current scheme, because, at times, style can be just as important as substance.
5. Overall strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to get some understanding of the candidate’s strong points and the candidate’s limitations. All of us have strengths and weaknesses (even John Sullivan has weaknesses, but he won’t tell me what they are). Our role is to identify them and be able to present them to the hiring manager. Hint: Ask what functions the candidate does not enjoy performing. We are seldom good at things we don’t like.
6. What they want in a new position. Everyone wants something. Find out what the candidate wants in a new position. Be sure to do whatever is necessary to get this information. Feel free to pick away during the interviewing process with open-ended questions until you have all of your questions answered. It is difficult to determine whether a given hiring situation has a good chance of working out if you do not know what the candidate is looking for in a new position.
7. Is the candidate interviewing elsewhere? This is big; I don’t like surprises and neither do hiring managers. I always ask the candidate what else they have for activity. If the candidate has three other companies they are considering and two offers are arriving in the mail tomorrow, this is absolute need-to-know information. If the hiring manager wants to make an offer, it’s time to advise them as to what the competition looks like and move this deal onto the express lane, fast.
8. What it will take to close the deal. This is a first cousin of #6 above but it is more specific and flavored with a “closing the deal” mentality. #6 relates to what the candidate wants in a new position, but this one quantifies that want. For example, if the candidate wants more money, this is where you will assess how much it will take to close the deal. As another example, while #6 will let you know that the candidate wants to work on different types of projects, this one will tell you exactly what types of projects those are.
9. Can the candidate do the job? Even though, as the recruiter, you might not be able to determine if this is the perfect candidate, you should exit the interview with an opinion as to whether or not the candidate can perform the functions of the position. Furthermore, that opinion must be based upon information that was unveiled during the interviewing process and not just a gut feeling. It has to be based upon what the candidate has successfully accomplished and how that aligns with the needs of the current position. If you can’t offer a solid opinion on this one, you need to dig deeper until you have a solid case for why the candidate can or cannot do the job.
10. Will the candidate fit into the culture? Predicting the future is tricky business, but someone has to take a shot at evaluating a candidate’s chance for success. Not everyone that is capable of doing the job will have a successful run at the company, because culture does play a role in candidate success. For example, the culture of a buttoned-down insurance company in Boston is very different than the garage culture of a software startup in the valley. If you have a reason to believe that the person is the wrong DNA for an organization, it is imperative that you raise the issue.

There are few things hiring managers value more than solid candidate feedback based upon a well-executed interview. Convey this information to the hiring manager and take one more step towards becoming a world-class recruiter.