You are here: Home / Archives for General

Your Skills Transfer but what about the Culture?

January 22, 2012 By

It’s easy for us to get heavily focused on our skill set as the primarily determinant as to whether we fit into a role.  We start with our resume that is summary of positions held, skills and accomplishments. For many on-line applications, we answer screening questions regarding our qualifications based upon skills, education or positions held.

When you are looking at potential role, the culture of a firm will play a major role in the level of effectiveness in using those skills.  A firm’s culture impacts every aspect of a business; how decisions are made, management style, processes, hiring practices, internal politics, tolerance for risk, and how an exceptional employee is viewed.  A great example is a publicly traded firms who is heavily tied to quarterly results and as a result will advance or delay projects based upon the most recent quarterly earnings.

I have had the opportunity to work in firms with very different cultures (family-owned, venture-backed, global firm, heavily regulated public, emerging growth and start-up) and I’ve also met numerous candidates who changed cultures, so I can offer a few observations about cultural fit to help set your expectations when considering a change.

First, for those people who came from other cultures and it did not work out, it was very clear that it was not a technical skill issue.  Expectation: Skills is what a company needs, cultural fit is what they want.

Second, the people to learn the about culture are those whom also came from a different culture and have been with the firm you are interested in for several years.  They will be able to point out the key differences within this culture.  Expectation: Long-time insiders will have difficult providing a good contrast to other cultures, but can give insight into the types of people who succeed.

Third, good ideas can trump the culture occasionally, but not every day. There is an attraction to firms where your skills can bring change, but start with its current success.    The culture of a firm is what binds together the team and makes them work as one, so you don’t want to be seen as trying to work outside of it.  I’m not saying every culture is highly efficient, but if it’s working, then it is hard to make it change because the insider’s view is that it’s okay.  Expectation: You can bring your ideas by proving you can work within the existing culture and build relationships with peers.  You must be willing to live within the culture until we’ve built those relationships.

Fourth, even if a culture needs to change, it is generally a slow shift.  Take an emerging growth firm that needs to transition from a start-up mentality. The infusion of processes, maintenance of systems, etc. will take time.  Even if the company says they want to change, it takes time.  Expectation: You might bang your head against the wall at first, but it will pay off.

Fifth, be honest with where you can work by comparing the culture to your own style and interests.  It deserves an equal level of importance as to evaluating your skills.   This is not to say you cannot adapt, but your goal after landing is to perform, you also need to be reasonable on how much you can adapt.  Expectation: You don’t want to be in search again, so make sure the culture will not limit your success.

There’s a reason that you will hear people say “_______ is a big company person”, “________ sure fits a sales culture”, because they have found both success and the comfort of fit within a given organization. If you happen to work great in a given culture, then nothing wrong playing to your strengths and continuing in a place you can succeed.

The comedian Bill Cosby said “I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.” This is very true when trying to work in a culture you do not fit.  If do your homework of both understanding yourself and a company, then you’ll find success.

Good luck today.

Mark

 

Filed Under: General Tagged With: ,

Good Question: Do Cold Letters Work

January 16, 2012 By

I answer job search questions on Proformative.com, I like to share the good questions from their members.

Original Good Question:

Given the job market we are experiencing, do you recommend sending a letter to a business that does not have an advertised position posted? Are cold letters such as this viewed as irritating to the business leaders?

If you recommend sending a letter, should it be very brief merely asking about a job or should it accompany a resume to inform the business of your skills?

My response:

Is a Cold Letter Effective?

A cold letter is generally ineffective because there is not an immediate need to fill, therefore, no reason to look at talent.  Also, without a referral or introduction, it is difficult for someone to dedicate time from their day to review the letter (e-mail, etc.)

No Advertised Position – How to get in:

To get into companies with no advertised positions, I have used two steps with success

First, I have looked for ‘events’ that could trigger need for people with my skill set (new products, funding, acquisition, etc.).  I looked at events within the last six months – it’s usually a series of small events, not a major one.  While that seems like a big window of time, a company may need an extended period to determine what it needs.

Second, I find a way to get a referral or connection to remove the ‘cold’ – just to give your letter a chance to be read.  Remember, regardless of how strong a referral, your letter may go unread.

I think the book “Take the Cold out of Cold Calling” (www.takethecold.com) by Sam Ritcher is a great tool for finding connections.

Letter versus E-mail:

Use an e-mail; you are more likely to get it read.  Letters are good for follow-up.  I like to send notes like this on Sunday night, when people begin to scan e-mails on their smartphones in prep for the week, but their Inbox is not jammed.

What’s in your e-mail:

As what to include in the e-mail it’s all about addressing a need.  In addition to using your network to get a connection, also seek insight into what’s happening in the firm and specifically for the person you want to meet.

Here’s what I’ve included in my e-mail.

1) Should be to a specific person (e.g. CFO)

2) Reference your referral by name (I include in the title of my e-mail)

3) Identify the need that person has from the event (e.g. integration of accounting post-acquisition).  When I say need, what do they think about are those tasks they personally need to accomplish to remain successful.

4) In short, mention only background that is relevant to the addressing the need (e.g. I’ve done 4 integration projects).

5) Ask if they would like to meet, at a minimum you can share insight from your background.

Your objective is to have them take a meeting.  Give them a compelling reason why to meet – anything more simply gets in the way and diminishes your chances.

Include the URL to your LinkedIn profile instead of a resume and leave out asking for a job.  You want to avoid making someone feel like they will have to say “No” to you regarding a job (Who wants to take a meeting like that?)

There are no advertised jobs for a reason, they are not looking.  But just because they are not actively looking does not mean they do not have a need to solve.  What you want to do with your e-mail and meeting is highlight the need.

While these are generally longer-term plays, the interesting part is very few people use this method to get in – especially when it comes to stringing together several events where the cumulative effect could be significant.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , , ,

The Person Who Has The Job You Want

December 5, 2011 By

Actually, there may be several people who have the job you want.

My advice is to contact them.

Why?

As the person in the chair they can offer you advice on how they got the role, skills did they emphasized during their search and what they are using today.  The difference between the skills emphasized and what they see now is very important; as it firsthand knowledge of what’s truly important to the people that will hire you.

They are great insight into the differences in the companies within the industry (what role does each company play, who is strong, who is weak, etc.).  Since their company has the role filled, you want their insight into those other firms.   They also can offer key contacts within the industry.

More importantly, they can be a good source of job leads.  As they sit in the chair today, people are likely to contact them about similar roles (networking contacts, recruiters, etc.), assuming they are happy, then most are likely to pass the role along to others.  This is why you always want to practice the “80% Rule of Networking” to establish a good start of your relationship.

I used this technique and it produced several good leads.  When I reached out to people, I told them that I was interested in the industry and wanted to get their opinion.   Never once did I ever ask for a job – though they knew I was looking for one.

I also found out much more about the role that I did not know before, there were items that were particular to both an industry and the firm.  These included key areas of focus, trends effecting the role, etc.   In a few cases, I realized that my skills were not as strong as a fit with the role as I had anticipated.

Give it a whirl – Talk to someone who has the job you want!  May be one of the better ways to find the job you want!

Good luck today!

Mark

Filed Under: General Tagged With: ,

Pitching Your Startup Experience to an Non-Startup Audience

September 25, 2011 By

Question: Does having a start-up or early-stage experience help or hinder your resume’s appeal?

The answer: Depends on the reader.

I know that’s a crummy answer, but it’s the truth.

If the reader has a background with firms that were with startup/early-stage, entrepreneurial, fast growing or rapidly changing business  (regardless of company size), they can appreciate how the experience will impact what you can offer a potential employer.  If not, it’s more difficult.

Think of it like working outside your home country, it’s tough to truly appreciate until you cross the border.

Since you may move between established firms and start-ups, understanding how to position your experience to a non-Startup audience is important.

Having worked in and with start-up/early-stage firms for the past five years I can share some of the key upsides and downsides.  There are loads of both, but these items that come up most frequently in either discussion with colleagues or what I’ve experienced firsthand.

UPSIDES:

These are the items to emphasize in a cover letter, pitch or within body of resume.

Fine tune your view of the customer: Without all the meetings, processes, etc. this is where you focus all of your attention on understanding the need, design a product to fulfill it, understand their motivation to buy, how to find them and convince them to put money in your wallet.  There’s not a company on the planet that does not want to serve their customer better.  This is the best thing going for a start-up, that ability to get to the absolute essentials of bringing revenue into the business.

Visibility to the entire business process: This is the second best thing going for a startup; you get to see the entire delivery process to a client – from product, pricing, operations through collection of cash.  You learn both what’s truly essential to running the business and when to add functions to your company.

Expand and Understand Your Skills: Titles are given, but generally optional when it comes to getting the work done.  Those skills you were good at become great; those skills you were okay at become better. My titles have been CFO, but my tasks have including designing web pages, developing a social media plan, creating sales tools, and operating manuals.  I’d never say you’ll become an expert, but you certainly learn to use what you’ve got and how to deal with situations where you have little past experience.  In a small firm, you are pretty open about your strengths (also it’s hard to hide) and when to ask for help – which makes you a more effective member of a team to accomplish a given task.

Speed of Decision-Making/Risk Taking: Due to a variety of constraints, you learn to move quickly with less information.  More importantly, you learn to focus on the ‘right’ information.  How you approach risk is also finely tuned, because you learn to balance the need to move quickly and the risk that a bad decision can sink the firm.  You move to try new ideas quickly, but you move to shut down rotten ideas with equal speed.

Problems = Innovation: There’s always some problem or roadblock to overcome.  Whether it’s too little capital, change in client behavior, your solution did not work exactly right, or new competitors, you learn to adapt your original vision of what you bring to market.  Because of their frequency, you become enamored with what you can deliver, less on how it’s delivered.  Innovation extends well beyond the initial idea into how to make the idea commercially viable.

DOWNSIDES:

A non-startup audience may often view the following items as less than favorable because of how they differ from their typically established company perspective.  I describe the traits and how to offset it in your pitch, etc.  When it comes to the downsides, my advice is to assassinate the assassin, by directly addressing the issues that may derail your chances.

You could not get job in big firm:  There is a common belief that established firms were not interested in you, so you went to a start-up.

Offsetting argument: The reality is that given the risk of capital, the investors, board and management tend to be very choosey as to who gets hired.  They have both capital and reputation on the line, so everyone wants a team that can bring success to this deal and for fundraising in future deals.

Failure or non-performance of start-up: It’s the nature of the beast and no one is immune.  You are defining a new product, new market or both and with this come higher risk.

Offsetting argument: It’s this risk that enables the upsides noted above, however, without a roadmap, processes or history – you are likely to make mistakes.  When you compare a start-up’s success rate against that of an establish firm’s success rate on new products (success being either on time, on budget and hitting expected returns) – it’s clear that the risk applies equally to all firms.

Nomadic lifestyle: People will see that you may have worked with a number of start-ups in a short period of time.  There are three primary reasons why this might be true.  First, it can take several tries to find the right deal and you may have to jump in to figure it out.   Second, not every start-up needs your skill full-time after launch; your work can be a project to get the business launched.  Third, the business does not succeed or grow, so it’s time to try a new one because they cannot afford you or there’s no upside.

Offsetting argument: Start-up investors lay bets on a large number of start-ups with the belief that 1 in 10 or 20 will have a significant return that more than offsets the deals that goes sideways.  They go into deals knowing that many will not succeed; the tough part is that they don’t which one up front.

CAVEATS:

Before pitching someone, learn their background and their firms.  For their firms, remember that big does not always equal stodgy, and may be very entrepreneurial for their size.

The non-startup audience is not wrong in their view of skills, simply different than your own.  It’s your responsibility to help them appreciate the startup experience.

Your experience will vary in scope and depth.  Before you head out to pitch yourself, take an inventory of your experiences – you’ll be surprised at what you’ve learned!

If your start-up hit it big, then skip the above and promote the end result, you’ve punched your ticket.

Good luck today.

Mark

 

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , ,

Interview Performance: In Transition Candidate Versus The Employed Candidate

August 30, 2011 By

Have you ever wondered if being in-transition makes you less attractive in an interview?  The answer may be “Yes”, but not for the reasons you may think.

My colleague Marcia Ballinger from Keystone Search and I were having coffee and we got on the topic of interviewing.  She shared some amazing insight into how in-transition candidates effectively derail their chances during the interview.

Marcia has submitted many in-transition candidates for her clients’ consideration because they have the right skills and experiences that make them attractive to a client – regardless of their employment status.  Also, Marcia’s firm has sat in interviews as an observer for the past five years, so she has seen both types of candidates in action.

She has observed a pattern of behavior from the in-transition candidates which lowered their chances because they made themselves an ‘outlier’ when compared other candidates – but in the wrong direction.

Much like that old joke about when you and buddy are being chased by a bear, you don’t have to run faster than the bear, just your buddy.  When it comes to hiring, the candidate selected is not the best at everything, they are simply better than the other candidates.

Here are the traits that Marcia has seen from in-transition candidates are going to get you caught by the bear.

  • They talk more and listen less.
  • They are very quickly convinced that an opportunity is “perfect” for them, even when they don’t have all the facts.   Marcia said that she frequently has in-transition candidates proclaim that they are ‘perfect’ for a position, even before they have seen a job description.  (Writer comment: For an executive position, these can be literally ‘million dollar’ decisions given the potential impact of the executive on a business.  Who makes million dollar decisions with no information?)
  • They lean forward.
  • They don’t always wait for the speaker to finish answering the question.
  • They are glib, surface, and less “thoughtful.”
  • They talk faster, as though they are trying to “squeeze” more in.
  • They seek to persuade, not to understand.

Having interviewed during my own transition, I’ll admit to being guilty of these behaviors.  At the time I felt as though I was displaying my eagerness and interest, but now I see it was my anxious feelings shining through.

How does someone with a job behave during an interview?  Here’s what Marcia has observed:

  • These people are picky.  They are choosey.
  • Instead of trying to convince, they are waiting to be convinced.
  • They are genuinely interested in learning more and investigating whether the opportunity could be a fit.  But, they do not come in convinced that it IS a fit.
  • There tends to be more mutuality in the discussions with employed candidates.  Employed candidates see themselves as ‘peers’, so the interview is more like two business people having a meeting.
  • For the hiring executive, it feels more like a regular meeting between a boss and a staff member, and less like an outsider, or a “salesperson.”

For you and me, these types of ‘insider’ insights are pure gold since its behavior from fellow candidates – both what’s working and what’s not.  However, Marcia made another point which I think is more relevant: The in-transition candidates’ behaviors arise from their circumstances and build over time; therefore, they need to work harder to suppress these behaviors.

The employed candidate comes into the interview with the ability to walk away, which gives them a position of strength.  They feel less overall risk and certainty no reason to push or persuade.  This is why the discussion is more relaxed and interactive.

Can an in-transition candidate give themselves the walk away power?  While perhaps not at the same level of the employed candidate, you can get close if you go into an interview with this mindset: I don’t want to be interviewing a year from now; therefore, I need to be sure this is a job where I can truly succeed and will be retained.

If this approach helps you avoid being back in-transition in the near term, it’s a powerful motivation to help you make sure this is the right position.  (If you are at the point, either financially or emotionally, that you to just get into a role please see: The Art of Settling for Less).

My thanks to Marcia for sharing this amazing insight that will help all of us get the most out of our interviews.

Good luck today!

Mark

Filed Under: Calming pre-interview nerves, General, Interview Mistakes, Interview Prep, Interviewing, Interviewing Preparation, Interviewing Tips & Techniques Tagged With: , ,

Great Resume Tip: Words for Database Only

August 24, 2011 By

The first place your resume gets ‘read’ within either an external or internal recruiting department is their database.

The only time a recruiter/HR reads your resume is when it’s relevant to a search, which is no different than you and I only reading what’s relevant for our work.   Also, with the ease of resume submission, a smaller shop of 4-5 partners may have 20,000+ resumes in their database – and we would rather have them finding roles to fill than reading resumes all day!  For companies, the pool of potential resumes can be much greater.

The trick is to be included in the results of a resume search, which will lead to your resume being read by the recruiter.  For purposes of this post, I’ll use the term ‘recruiter’ to represent both external and internal resources.

No different than using keywords in Google, the recruiter will use a series of key terms (position name, title, companies, division names, skills, etc.) to filter in those resumes that match a client’s requirements.  There’s not much you can do with the position titles and companies, they are what they are.  That leaves the ‘skills’ to help get you into the search.

The question is how to tilt the ‘skill’ field in your favor by including all the keywords and still have a resume that reads well?

If you jam your resume full keywords, then the effectiveness of your content is greatly diminished and you look like a rotten communicator.  The net result is you win the battle, but lose the war.  You get into the pool of possible candidates (win the battle), but when the recruiter reads your resume, better yet tries to read it, you provide them with little incentive to pursue you further (lose the war).

Here’s a tip from my colleague, Bill Wolff, that very cleverly solves this issue.

At the bottom of his resume, in 2 point font in white (so not visible in either on screen or in print  see it really works), Bill included all the relevant keywords to his skills (strategic planning, publicly-traded, etc.).   As long as it did cause an extra page break, then he could put in as many additional terms as needed.

My two tips for this idea.

First, the important word in the prior paragraph: relevant.  Make sure the terms used can be backed up with your resume, so that you remain in the pool of possible candidates once your resume is reviewed.

Second, use terms that cover everything about you:  Technical terms relevant to your position/industry (e.g. petrochemical), Personality (e.g. collaborative, etc.), Skills (e.g. public speaking, etc) and Work Experience (e.g. international joint ventures).

A great tip – candidate to candidate.

Good luck today.

Mark

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , ,

Good Question: How to Avoid Networking Burnout

August 15, 2011 By

I blog on Proformative.com (on-line community for finance executives), this is one of the questions that I was recently asked.

Good question:

I have been in interview mode for about 8 months. How do I refresh from this process so that I don’t start to sound like a “canned speech”. I am networking and in interviews, phone and in person probably about 25 hours per week. Selling yourself starts to become tedious.

My answer:

Before I begin, if you are feeling burned out – take a break. Cancel your networking meetings. You only have one chance to impress and no matter how you try, if you feel burned out – it comes through to whomever you are meeting. Trust me, I’ve been on both sides of this equation. No one buys from a sales person who lacks confidence – and you are your number 1 sales person!

I found that burnout is a combination of three factors: low psyche (from not getting a role or being treated poorly in process), repetition of process (different people, same pitch) and too many similar meetings (all hat, no cattle).

  1. For the low psyche – two ideas:
  • Define ‘success’ as those actions that got you an interview or moved the hiring process ahead. If you only define success as getting a new role, then it’s tough to feel like you accomplished anything. Keep a running list of accomplishments for each week – 2 or 3. It’s these little accomplishments that will add up over time. (Also see my post on Redefining Success)
  • Pick a project that you can accomplish in short-time. Whether as volunteer, contractor or at home – I had a list of projects I could knock out. Gave me the rhythm of being at work, where I had the sense of moving things ahead.

I know both of these two may sound like parlor tricks, but the first is about what to expect from yourself and the second reminds you that bring value to a firm. I’ve given this advice several times and had good feedback – I’ve also used it for myself.

  1. Repetition:

What varied this for me was practicing the “80% Rule”, where 80% of my networking was focused on the other person. This strategy is a long-term investment in building a relationship because you are focusing on what you can do for that person – but I can guarantee it never gets boring.

You will get your chance to pitch, but it’s usually not the same – because most people return the favor and start to ask different questions and the networking becomes more collaborative. (See the resource “Networking Checklist” and blog post “Making Networking Effective – Your Timing is Everything“.)

  1. Too many meetings:

One of my mistakes in search was too much networking. I was taking too many of the same meetings or not making the most of my meetings.

For taking too many of the ‘same meetings’, try the “Daily Point System“. This tool will help you allocate your time to those meetings which make a difference.

For not make the most of my meetings, see the blog post “Roadmap to the Hiring Manager“, this was my discovery of aligning my request for help with the networking contact’s level of relationship with the hiring manager.  In short, asking for help that they can truly deliver.

This is just a starter – if you have other specific questions, please ask via the “Connect” tab – send me an e-mail.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Five Ways to help a fellow Candidate

July 7, 2011 By

When it comes to keeping your psyche strong during job search, another way to help your psyche is by helping others.

Here are five ways to help a colleague in job search – you can pick as many as you like.  Anything you provide will be appreciated as insight from fellow candidates is often the most valuable.

  1. Listen to their story – Do their documents match their story? Are they underselling themselves?
  2. Listen to their pitch – Is it clear and crisp? Do you know what role they want?  What are the 2-3 skills that make them unique?   If not, help them rework their pitch.
  3. State of networking – Are they effectively using all the tools available to locate opportunities or networking?
  4. 2-3 Contacts – Start them off with 2-3 contacts to see how they perform.  Call your contacts to see how it went.  You can give them valuable feedback.
  5. Follow-up – Drop them an e-mail or call every 45 days or so.  A friendly call can go a long way (for both of you)!

Many people may not feel comfortable in asking for help – so reach out and offer!

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

Filed Under: General

Networking – The Art of the Data Dump

May 30, 2011 By

To data dump or not to data dump – that is the question.  My answer is ‘Not until it’s asked for’.

There is always a temptation to pack as much information into an e-mail, resume, biography, or answer so the person on the other end gets the ‘full picture’ of who you are.   You are also worried about time – it always seems best to jam in what you can.

You’ve also confirmed it yourself.  Just think back to the last time a salesperson carried on about the features of a product.  You sought the product because it generally fit a couple criteria (size, price, etc.).  Once the salesperson covered your key points, the rest was less interesting or sort of annoying when they kept carrying on.

So how does one data dump artfully?

First, let the information build by starting with a small pitch.  Think of your e-mails, resume, marketing plan, etc. as a commercial.  Give them enough to get interested to ask for more detail.

A decent commercial gives you what need the product fulfills and a couple unique points – that’s it.  Do the same for yourself.

Second, let them seek it out.  Your networking contact will guide where they want more information.  Let them seek it out, because they will remember what they seek and you will be amazed at how much information you will give out.

Go back to the salesperson example; you will remember the 2-3 key features that interest you.  The interesting part is the amount of recall you will have on details shared as part of an answer to your questions.

What if the person does not ask for anything more information?  Then they either do not want it or need it.  So do not give them anymore.  Stick with repeating key points you want them to remember without any depth beyond.

Three, tell a story.  Telling stories of events are useful, because it gives something tangible (an acquisition, a new client, etc.) that the person can attach each of your abstract feature (strategic thinking, communication, etc.).  Begin with the tangible event, this you can give a bit of depth since it’s probably something they are familiar (if not, you’ll know by the look in their eyes), then tie your key point (communication skill).  I find they I get more great questions and discussions following a story.

Lastly, go back to the beginning.  Remember that the sharing of information has to achieve an end goal.   Therefore, always start with what commitment you seek from the person with whom you network (provide a referral, etc.).  Give them enough to be interested, through their questions they will decide if they make the commitment.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

Filed Under: General Tagged With: ,

Making Networking Effective – Your Timing is Everything

May 8, 2011 By

Your timing of when you deliver your story makes all the difference of whether or not a meeting is successful or not.  A story or pitch is only effective once you’ve fully engaged the other person.

WHY THEY WANT TO BE THERE

“Interested, but need to be engaged” is what I call people who have agreed to network with you.  They agreed to network because of a mutual connection or desire to help, so they are interested.

You want them engaged from the start; therefore you must begin the meeting by showing them why they want to be there.  We all have self-interest and desire to be appreciated.  We also know when those two elements are fulfilled; we are far more likely to engage in whatever activity lies ahead of us.

While not scientific, the chart below will illustrate where to put your attention to get the most of a meeting.

HOW TO GET THEM ENGAGED

Let’s slice up the meeting into four sections and your objective for each section.

Initial Impression: It starts with simple professional courtesy, being on time, etc., but it continues with setting the stage by establishing why you wanted to meet, expected outcome and that you are looking to network with them.

Selling Phase: The initial impression you want to set is that there is a good meeting ahead, which gets their interest.  Now you want to stoke that interest by beginning with them.  The best way to do this is use the 80% rule (80% of networking should be focused on other person – click on the link for tool).  By doing homework beforehand and asking question during the meeting, you will likely be able to offer them help through connections or insight.  During this time you do not focus on yourself at all.

Telling Phase: The help you offer has opened the door for you to make a very simple pitch.  The pitch should be the 2-3 important messages that want your connection to remember after the meeting.   To make a message about a skill or experience memorable is to accompany it with an outcome or important lesson.  If someone would like to learn more about any of the 2-3 message, they will ask.

It’s your pitch, but you still need to keep focused on your contact and watch their eyes and body language for signs of disinterest or lack of understanding.  I learned that just because I thought a point was compelling it did not mean everyone did  (even if I repeated it).  I also learned to what how my questions where answered, which gave me a sense of how the other person likes to communicate – whether it was telling stories, humor and sketching on paper – I would use the same methods to explain my message.  Remember if the loss of interest continues, regardless of where you are in the pitch, it’s time to move to the close.

Close: To send your contact with motivation to help, close the meeting with your follow-up actions.  Most people will respond with their own actions, if they do not, it’s not a cause for worry.  Once a meeting starts to finish most people begin to think about the rest of their day.  You will get those thoughts to them in your follow-up e-mail.

Changing your contact from ‘interested’ to ‘engaged’ will make the world of difference in a meeting’s effectiveness.  Not just during, but more importantly after the meeting when most of the follow-up work really happens.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , , , , ,

Letting People Know How It Went

April 5, 2011 By

You love to know how a story ends and your networking contacts are the same.

When you keep those who provided you with leads, networking referrals, contacts, etc. with an update on the outcome, it gives people a sense of self-satisfaction in two ways.  You give affirmation that their networking provided value (1X) and that you appreciated their efforts (2X). 

The sense of satisfaction and ability to help is a great motivator for all of us when it comes to networking.  It’s this sense that you want to build into your networking relationship, as it almost ensures you will network in the future.

This is not a step that not everyone takes and by doing so, you set apart your relationship from their others, because those with great satisfaction have greater meaning and depth. 

I can share from my own experience to demonstrate the power of the follow-up.  I’ve made over 500 introductions to my network and have received 15 follow-up notes.  I can tell who each person who sent me those notes and will share with them again and again.

Like any follow-up note, you have another opportunity to offer to share your network and also remind them of what you are seeking, thus keeping the spirit of mutual networking going.  However, these notes are much more powerful than general update e-mail, so they are more likely to get a response.  

One big question is how do you follow-up to situations that do not go as expected?  You always send a follow-up note.  Here are some ideas you can use to respond to different situations.

What if the meeting was a clunker?    I was honest and said as much as it’s what they probably heard already.   You can be professional, prepared, etc., but a networking meeting may not go well as you don’t connect with the other person.  It’s just a matter of when, not if, so take it as part of the journey.

What if the other person was a not a fit?   If someone makes a referrals for a specific purpose (connect into company, etc.) that was not a fit, then it’s best to let them know.  My follow-up note shared thoughts on where the person would be a good referral.  For example, I got someone who was great in an industry, but not for the specific company I sought.    

What if the other person was a dud?   I’ve had referrals of people who were simply poor networkers (lack of interest, incredibly busy, etc.) or where the connection was not strong.  My follow-up note acknowledged that I met with the person and that there were no immediate areas to assist one another.

What if the person was no-show/no-response?  My note stated that I had reached out and we had been unable to connect.

I know that sending these notes adds another layer of work, but well working the investment into the long-term relationship building and will pay dividends both today and in the future. The good thing about these notes is you can fit them in when you have time, so I usually did loads of these while watching a football game, etc.

Good luck today!

Mark

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , , , ,

When Anyplace, Anytime, Anywhere Yields Lower Results

March 27, 2011 By

Your objective in networking is to build a relationship that mutually benefits each party.

The first step in building in defining how you can help one another, as once this is defined the networking can really get underway.

You’ll do research and listen during your first meeting to get ideas for where you can help one another.  Now what?

You will be tempted (like all of us) to use the approach called “Anyplace, Anytime, Anywhere” where you keep the networking very general to keep all the options for helping one another open.

However, while it may appear counterintuitive, the more focused you become on a single area for each of you to begin, the greater the result.   Because this gives you something to act upon and it is action that truly builds a relationship.

I’ll use a live example from my job search to show how ‘keeping all options open’ does not work.  Here’s how I answered questions during a networking meeting.

Q: What size company are you targeting?

A: My experience could work at any size company.

Q: What industry are you interested in?

A: I have service industry experience, but I’m open to all industries.

Q: Public or Private firm…

You know where my meeting was going: Nowhere. I came across as either uncertain of my skills or interests.   I gave my networking contact nothing to work on to make connections or help identify possible jobs (I have also sat through countless meetings where I received similar answers). 

One of my favorite examples of where taking a very specific focus is very effective, the 37Signals team’s (www.37signals.com) approach for building software.  They intentionally design less features and scope in order to deliver a specific need of high importance to their clients.  Their philosophy is to establish a very clear relationship with the buyer as to what they should expect to receive.  The smaller focus also enables them to deliver.  (Writer note: I’m totally underselling the 37Signals story, recommend you visit their site or better yet read one of their books to get the full spirit of the firm and their accomplishments).  

What is interesting is that once I narrowed my search focus (very narrow), I was finding myself interviewing more often based upon leads from my networking contacts.  On the flipside, I also found myself delivering more networking referrals.  Mutual benefit = Mission Accomplished.

The lesson here is to start small by picking a specific topic or 3-4 tangible actions where the two of you can help one another.  You will get immediate results and a nice momentum to start this professional relationship.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

www.candidateschair.com

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , ,

Winston Churchill and My Resume – A Lesson in Differentiation

March 18, 2011 By

OUTSTANDING IN YOUR FIELD VERUS STANDING OUT IN THE FIELD

Your resume is probably efficient in conveying all the pertinent data on yourself.  When a prospective employer or networking contact reads it independently it most likely works well.

How does it do among a large field of candidates?

The challenge comes when your resume is one of several dozen that the person is using to screen candidates or deciding which networking request to accept.  What is in your resume to help you stand out in the field so that it gets pulled from the pile?

THE CURSE OF THE SAME-OLD, SAME-OLD

Having run a job transition group since early 2007 I’ve probably read 200 resumes.  More often than not the point of differences between documents is very little.  This is true both within and across professions, the resumes read and sound alike.

I wondered if my resume was any better. Nope. The source of the problem was easy to see; I used the same blogs, websites, books, terms and expressions as everyone else.   I would only stand out in a crowd of one.

PLAN A: THE SUPERSTAR APPROACH

My next mistake was to try to make myself sound like a superstar.  After reading my updated version, one would not be shocked if I’d been asked to consider being the Pope.  Despite the attraction of Italian food, I decided version of my resume was not much of an improvement.

A MARKETER’S LESSON: DIFFERENT, NOT BETTER

Next, I posed my challenge to a marketing colleague.  His response was simple: You do NOT have to be better than the other candidates.  You MUST be different.  You must create a contrast between yourself and other candidates, it what gets you noticed.

He compared cars and job candidates.  Cars all have the same functions; much like candidates applying for a role will have similar backgrounds (degrees, positions, etc.).  Cars are sold by showing their point of difference versus others, so do the same with my background.

In the case of an open position, whether from a database search or scan of roles held, the first pass of candidates who qualify.  The next step will be figuring who to invite, it’s the points of differentiation that will get you the invite.

WORDS STILL MATTER

Providing differentiation is a combination of both substance (highlighting unique combination of skills and experience) and form (how you deliver the message).  Each of us will know the 3-4 key skills we repeatedly rely upon to be successful in our role, so let’s focus on the form.

The form is two parts.  The first is format, the cleaner the better. The second is the message.    

The second is more challenging because it’s what is written that matters to both capture the attention and engage the reader to want to learn more.

PLAN B: ENTER WINSTON CHURCHHILL

I decided to find a source of inspiration to help me use a different method to describe myself and experiences.  To use language that would interest the reader.   After browsing in the library, I found a book of speeches by Winston Churchill.  (So I guess it was Plan C).

Besides being a fascinating read, Mr. Churchill’s speeches took my writing style in a new direction. I did not use exact lines from the speeches, but it was just the spark needed.  I kept all of the required points of interest for a potential employer and their database search, but how I described them was completely different from before.

Saying re-writing my resume was fun might be a stretch (it’s like saying getting dental work is fun), but I sure felt more productive in how I expressed myself.  More important was the result: People picked up on the key points I want them to remember and I was surprised at how much more of my resume they had reviewed.

For my own blog, I found loads of inspiration from the writing style of author Jeffrey Fox and Guy Kawasaki’s, which write to the point and tongue in cheek, respectively. 

Look around and find what inspires you – and then set yourself apart in the field.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

Filed Under: General Tagged With: , ,

The Dreaded Question: How Long Have You Been Out of Work?

March 3, 2011 By

You may get this question.  The longer you’ve been out the greater the dread to answer it, because we all know there can be a stigma to being in transition.

Fear not, here are two approaches to this question and help get past any stigma of being in transition.  The first is before the interview and the second is for use during the interview.

#1: RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations will show that you did good work in prior roles, getting these in the hands of the interviewer in advance is a great way to get them focused on your work. 

Having recommendations from former colleagues publicly displayed on your LinkedIn profile, personal blog or as files on your BusinessCard2.com account is a powerful tool.   Saying that you have relationships is good; having immediate proof for an interviewer makes it stick.

Quick tip: When you make the request include the key points you want your contact to highlight.  This will make it easier for them to write a recommendation.

When reaching out to the HR contact or hiring manager, you can send them a link to your references in advance.  Mention the references in the body of your e-mail and beneath your signature include the following format to describe your references that provide 4 points of information for each one: Name, Title, relationship, and length of relationship.

YYY Corporation:

John Smith, CEO, I reported to him for 5 years.

Jane Smith, Project manager, member of my team for 6 years.

Dave Smith, Field manager, primary contact for on working on new construction for 3 years.

ZZZ Corporation:

Bill Smith, COO, I reported to him for 4 years.

#2: OPPORTUNITY TO GET REEMPLOYED

This is not an economic lesson, but simply sharing your potential opportunity to get reemployed.  If the opportunity has been low, then you again deflect the concern from your performance. The person asking the question may not understand the situation at your prior firm and the industry, the size of the pool of individuals competing for roles you seek, and number of openings available.  You will not use all these points, but getting the facts will help craft a good answer.

  1. Explain the business you were in and situation that required layoffs
  2. The state of business’s recovery and if there has been an opportunity to be rehired
  3. Was the decline across your industry and were other firms laying off people?  If so, then there was a limited ability to move to a competing firm.
  4. What is the fate of people in similar roles from both your prior firm and others? If loads of people in similar positions are still in transition, it’s not just you.
  5. Where does your role fall in the ‘rehire’ cycle.  For example, my own role is in finance and we are often the last to get rehired – simply because we are in overhead.  Despite a company doing better, there is a lag effect before people in my position get rehired.

 Having the facts will help you state the situation without emotion.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Filed Under: General Tagged With:

The Question That Ends a Meeting Quickly

February 21, 2011 By

“So tell me what your company does?”

When I get this question, I start thinking about what else I need to do today.  Why?  Despite having LinkedIn, Company websites, databases available via public library, etc., it tells me that this person across the table has not even taken 5 minutes to do a simple search.

Your willingness to invest into the meeting has a direct correlation with how much you will get out.  The more research you do the more likely you’ll understand the type of connections they will have, how you can help them, etc.  It’s also the first indication to the person with whom you meet whether or not you are taking the meeting seriously.

See the tool “10 Questions to Understand a Company” – whether your contact is a CEO, CFO, lawyer or banker – you can use these questions to understand what they do.

If you are meeting a service provider (lawyer, banker, etc.) most of them have extensive websites with explanation of services, biographies, etc. 

Always look beyond the work experience to their participation in professional associations, college/grad-school alumni, etc. – this gives you another area for networking and indicates where they invest their time. 

The reason you get more out of the networking meeting is because you leap past discovery into greater discussion about their background, issues about their business and how you can help one another.   Both of you will walk away from the meeting with a greater satisfaction and you’ve just made yourself more memorable to that person.

Also, see “Practicing the 80 Percent Rule of Networking” , “Anatomy of a Networking Meeting” and “Networking Meeting Checklist” to help your preparation.

Remember that this person will be likely networking/meeting with a dozen more people – so being memorable is important.

Good luck today!

Mark Richards

Filed Under: General Tagged With: ,
« Older Posts