Last Friday at the Riverton networking meeting, we had an inspiring and motivational speaker, Ron Baron, provide 10 points about improving your job search and revitalizing your life. I've taken some notes and will summarize his key points adding a few of my own to clarify the points.
(1) Set unreasonable expectations. Think grand. We oftentimes miss our mark because we set limitations in our thinking. For example, Ron's company was growing about 2% a year and so they budgeted for a 2% growth and made their targets yearly. Years later when he wasn't physically in the same location, micromanaging the company daily, they experienced about a 20% growth. Each year thereafter the company planned for a 25-30% growth When making 80% of a 30% target is much better than getting 100% of a 5% target. We seem to rise to the level of our dreams and expectations. In our job search we should also set dream expectations and not appear desperate in our search. A second corollary to this expectation concept is to rid ourselves of self imposed prisons (thoughts of limitation). Break out of this limiting thinking by setting unreasonable goals and having unreasonable dreams. Ron indicated it would not be wise to have an unreasonable expectation of playing for the Utah Jazz if you're not young, tall and gifted in sports. One of the steps of SMART goal setting we set "stretch" goals which inspire increased performance.
(2) Pick your best story. In life as we face challenges or obstacles, we can either think "Woe is Me." Or we can pick a more positive story which embraces our opportunities. So given that choice, why select a negative story? We can't change the hand we're dealt but we can change our outlook and what we do with these challenges. More often than not those who succeed have high expectations. These are instilled within them while growning up. I like the song about the wind and the sails - that we can't change the wind but we sure can change the set of the sails and the harbor looks much brighter when we've made it through the gale so we must keep on keeping on. A committee I've participated on where I have received much enjoyment and satisfaction was the Pueblo Disability Committee. These folks expressed high hope and desire to help others with disabilities even though each had his/her own disability. What an inspiration of positive acting on one's best story. I helped one of the presenters in a powerpoint presentation to the City Council where they outlined all their past successes, established a positive vision of future success and painted a picture of hope for others. Elected officials want to feel good about helping others and giving them credit for past accomplishments help ensure continued support.
(3) The responsible person is the one who takes control of his/her life. Ponder as you consider the following question: "If I rely on others to be happy/successful, I will never be happy/successful." You must take control of your happiness. While I generally believe in this concept, I also believe we can't take total credit for our own success. Believing that we are the masters of our destiny, diminishes the critical role that our Savior and Father play in our success and can make us prideful and not humble enough to help others and recognize where we need to improve or repent.
(4) Another principle we received was the need to "stop for gas" along life's journey. Why do we stop our progress to fill up our gas tanks? Do we not need to regenerate our physical, emotional and spiritual gas tanks? When do we get that mental break through? It's not generally when we are completing tasks, reading emails, responding to our inbasket of activities. It probably is when we are in the shower or pondering activities at the end of the day. Thank goodness for body odor and sweat, the grist for creativity if we maximize our creative juices while showering. We need to not only think creatively but to record our thoughts and aspirations.
(5) Another important principle is that "I can" always trumps "IQ". It is not so much what you've done in the past with schooling or training but how you can relate those skills and abilities to the problem at hand. Make sure you have addressed you power statements not only with successful accomplishment that drive ROI/value for your past jobs but how these relate to the current opportunity. In a consulting opportunity interview last week, I was asked not only about how my health and wellness programs added value to my employers and employees but how I could translate those skills and abilities and relationships to future opportunities to bring value to this new venture. Where does providing answers to an interview and providing free consulting overlap. After these two brainstorming meetings, I feel reluctant to share other secrets of success without being on retainer or getting a consulting fee.
(6) Probably the most important concept from the presentation is to visualize and record what you want your life to look like in 5-10 years and internalize the plan. This concept of personal visualization or as Covey indicates as your personal mission statement according to Ron should contain these 3 principles: 1. think expansively; 2. include a mental picture of what it will feel like (e.g. an emotional connection to your goal) and 3. do not share these goals with others but review them daily - morning and night and make adjustments as needed. Not sharing allows us to think expansively and not set limitations due to being perceived as proud or boastful. Ron also indicated we must thank God for our talents, skills and abilities in the process of establishing these 10-12 personal goals. When establishing our 10 -12 goal statements we should not aspire for the riches, for fancy toys, vacations or other material rewards. We should define these from an emotional/spiritual and purpose focus. You don't want to aspire to get a million dollars but rather you want to live comfortably so you can help others, provide service, or make the world a better place, etc. You don't want to think about running a marathon for the accolades of those who you know but rather you want to have the health and strength to run and not be weary, walk and not faint so you can have a more enriching life with your family and loved ones. These types of rewards are different from those typically addressed in pyramid schemes and multi-level marketing pitches.
(7) While the need to think and dream expansively in #6 is to keep others from limiting your goals by keeping them to yourself, when we are focused on tactical implementation of short term objectives like finding a job, we need a job coach to hold us accountable. The successful coach is one who knows your goals and then can kick you in the backside when you fail to meet these. A wife or spouse might be too easy on you or prone to get you side-tracked. Some of the best coaches are people who you hardly know but who are willing to be brutally honest. You need their nudge or kick in the pants and not just their cheer leading and encouragement. You can receive that by meeting and exceding your goals.
(8) Another principle is taking charge of our destiny. Tailor you search with various resumes and power statements. Make sure you do your business intelligence before submitting your cover letter and doing your interviews. Read books and listen to music and tapes that keep you motivated. Record your progress and recall how you are improving your networking and marketing skills. Take time to be a good connector where you're able to work with 10-15 close connections who you care as much about as they you. Maintain and enhance 3-5 close friends; 10-15 close connections; and everyone else as a distant connection who most likely will be connected to someone you know. Tell everyone you meet when you are in job search your elevator speech and the companies that you're pursuing.
(9) When in job search or when starting up your own self employment venture, recognize that there are 3 roles you must play: The technician in job search is the role you play when developing your branded message and communication strategy; the manager is when you build and enhance your network of connections; the entrepreneur is when your establish your dream job, your stretch goals and your unreasonable expectations. To be successful in your new venture, you must apply each of these roles effectively.
(10) The last point was to recognize your present abundance and give credit to your savior. While your past successes are good predictors of future sucesses, giving credit to team members, to other mentors/coaches or to your savior helps you keep a good perspective; helps those who might be your future hiring manager or team appreciate your willingness to share credit and participate with them to accomplish goals. And most importantly unselfishly thinking of others is a valuable attribute that engenders a willingness to allow you to be part of their team.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Explaining your Transferable Skills - what you can bring to the job
One of the things experts say is that you need consistency when writing a blog so your followers don't lose interest. While my blog is somewhat personal, it generally captures interesting networking tips I find on the internet or from my friends searching the internet. I've been a little remiss in writing these past few weeks spending a week in New York and another 10 days out of the country - in Roatan, Hondurus.
But I'm getting back to writing soon and today received this information from David Halladay, a good friend and previous networker.
But I'm getting back to writing soon and today received this information from David Halladay, a good friend and previous networker.
How to Explain Transferable Skills
The question isn't where were you working, it's what can you do that an employer needs.
June 20, 2011
As a successful commercial banker, he had expertise in a wide variety of financial instruments. When the economy began to shift, he knew he'd be better suited in a different niche of financial services. To get there took an aggressive personal branding campaign on his part as he emphasized his skills with a specific financial instrument key to the market segment he wanted.
Although he wished not to be identified, his success story contains valuable insights into the job search and promoting transferable skills.
Lydia Whitney is the director of curriculum and instruction at Winning STEP, a company that mentors people through difficult life transitions: everything from going to college to getting a divorce. Lately, there's been a lot of mentorship required for those in high-end careers.
Because the economy is changing so rapidly, she said, people are looking to make moves now more than they used to, and they're banking on their transferable skills — whether they realize it or not.
"The first thing you should do before you look for a new job is assess yourself," Whitney said. "People need to say, 'This is what I did, but what else could I do?' "
Too often, job seekers get hung up on their work history and limit their prospects for the future. Like the banker, Whitney agrees that job seekers should customize their resumes and cover letters to each particular job with a heavy emphasis on the particular skills set that is being sought.
"In this economy, nobody cares about where you were working," she said. "They care about 'What can you do that I need?' "
That question should be answered directly through the cover letter, your very first communications with a company, said Lisa Panarello, founder and CEO of Careers Advance, a professional training and coaching agency. "That cover letter is a big piece that people don't utilize well," Panarello said.
In sales, it could be a matter of promoting the deals you've closed that pertain to telecommunications — even if you were selling broader business solutions. In communications, you might have experience with public relations — even if you were a journalist.
Employers "have to understand how it transfers," Panarello said. "People don't look to the past. They look to the future … but your past is the track record that proves your future." She said the key is to cite examples from your career that show not only the ability to perform a certain niche but also how you can learn new skills. "My job was X, and they threw Y at me; and I had to learn it quickly. Here's how I did it," Panarello offered as an example. "Tactical behavior and situational examples would do the trick."
Even in the advanced and specialized world of financial services, the approach is the same.
"If a job involves derivatives plus X, Y and Z, show how you know X, Y and Z, and explain how you can learn derivatives," she said. "If you're 100 percent qualified, you're overqualified."
Although he wished not to be identified, his success story contains valuable insights into the job search and promoting transferable skills.
Lydia Whitney is the director of curriculum and instruction at Winning STEP, a company that mentors people through difficult life transitions: everything from going to college to getting a divorce. Lately, there's been a lot of mentorship required for those in high-end careers.
Because the economy is changing so rapidly, she said, people are looking to make moves now more than they used to, and they're banking on their transferable skills — whether they realize it or not.
"The first thing you should do before you look for a new job is assess yourself," Whitney said. "People need to say, 'This is what I did, but what else could I do?' "
Too often, job seekers get hung up on their work history and limit their prospects for the future. Like the banker, Whitney agrees that job seekers should customize their resumes and cover letters to each particular job with a heavy emphasis on the particular skills set that is being sought.
"In this economy, nobody cares about where you were working," she said. "They care about 'What can you do that I need?' "
That question should be answered directly through the cover letter, your very first communications with a company, said Lisa Panarello, founder and CEO of Careers Advance, a professional training and coaching agency. "That cover letter is a big piece that people don't utilize well," Panarello said.
In sales, it could be a matter of promoting the deals you've closed that pertain to telecommunications — even if you were selling broader business solutions. In communications, you might have experience with public relations — even if you were a journalist.
Employers "have to understand how it transfers," Panarello said. "People don't look to the past. They look to the future … but your past is the track record that proves your future." She said the key is to cite examples from your career that show not only the ability to perform a certain niche but also how you can learn new skills. "My job was X, and they threw Y at me; and I had to learn it quickly. Here's how I did it," Panarello offered as an example. "Tactical behavior and situational examples would do the trick."
Even in the advanced and specialized world of financial services, the approach is the same.
"If a job involves derivatives plus X, Y and Z, show how you know X, Y and Z, and explain how you can learn derivatives," she said. "If you're 100 percent qualified, you're overqualified."
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Questions You Should be Asking your Hiring manager
Job interview questions that you get to ask may be just as important as those they ask you
Review the following You Tube video for some suggested questions you should be considering in addition to those gleaned from your business intelligence
For a job seeker to do well in an interview, they must answer the interview questions well, but also must have some of their own questions prepared. This tells the company that you are interested in the position and you are prepared for the job interview overall. Make sure you ask these three interview questions and make yourself stand out from the crowd!
Why Using LinkedIn for Job Seekers is now More Important
LinkedIn is About to Put Job Boards (and Resumes) Out of Business
Job boards are becoming more irrelevant to the corporate recruitment process every single year. They are ineffective because of the sheer amount of competition on them and how they’re perceived by recruiters. Only lazy recruiters source candidates from them. The best recruiters build a strong network that they grow, nurture and tap into. Most companies hire based on referrals, and through their corporate websites, not job boards. They only use job boards in a last ditch effort to hire a candidate because the best people for the job are the one’s that aren’t looking (sometimes called “passive candidates”).
A study by Jobs2web Inc. shows that companies look through about 219 applications per job through a major job board before finding someone to hire. They only look at 33 applications per hire on their own corporate career site! Just as I said in my book Me 2.0, job boards are black holes. Stop submitting your resume to them and praying that a machine finds it and delivers it to a hiring manager. You should spend more time meeting people at companies you want to work for at networking events and through social networks.
Your traditional Microsoft Word resume is obsolete so create a LinkedIn profile and use their “Resume Builder” to turn your profile into your new digital resume.
LinkedIn’s big announcement today
LinkedIn just announced that they will be launching a button for employer career sites called “Apply With LinkedIn,” which will allow candidates to submit their LinkedIn profiles as resumes through their HR management systems. Companies will be able to take the LinkedIn API and integrate the button into their entire database of open jobs. The plugin uses applicants’ data to automatically sort candidates for the employer. In the submission process, companies can request a cover letter as well as additional fields. By launching this button, LinkedIn is training HR professionals and independent recruiters to use their technology and network grid instead of job boards. They are also making a bold statement saying that you don’t need a paper resume anymore; all you need a link to your LinkedIn profile.
[Update: LinkedIn just confirmed that they have not announced or confirmed such a plugin or product at this time.]
What this means for job seekers
I see more and more companies using this button on their career sites, while divesting in job board advertising. This is yet another step in the internet becoming the new global talent pool. HR databases are isolated in the confines of companies and can’t update fast enough to remain relevant in this fast paced world we live in. Now, more than ever before, job seekers have to create their own LinkedIn profiles and take them very seriously. You have to constantly managing your profile, revise it as you advance in your career, and use it to network as much as possible. Companies will expect you to be on LinkedIn and if you’re not, then you can’t apply for jobs! There are over one hundred million LinkedIn users and you will suffer if you keep submitting your Microsoft Word resume to job boards.
Job boards and traditional resumes are going to fade faster than I even predicted! I predicted ten years, but it might be much sooner than we all thought! Build your online presence now if you want to be able to compete in this ever growing marketplace.
Disclaimer: I own shares in LinkedIn stock, but I’ve been preaching about it’s effectiveness as a job search tool since 2006/7.
Dan Schawbel, recognized as a “personal branding guru” by The New York Times, is the Managing Partner of Millennial Branding, LLC, a full-service personal branding agency. Dan is the author of Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future, the founder of the Personal Branding Blog, and publisher of Personal Branding Magazine. He has worked with companies such as Time Warner, Symantec, IBM, EMC, and CitiGroup.
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