Ahull Unfurled

The Black Hole of Job Boards

The odds of getting a job by simply applying to online boards are slim. It does happen happen occasionally. But the biggest complaint I hear is, “I’ve submitted hundreds of applications and never heard a thing.” Well, maybe not” hundreds.”

Job boards or Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are designed to screen out, not in. Now that a job posting receives hundreds of applications, hiring managers need a way to find the most qualified candidates to interview. Too many people apply for jobs for which they are not qualified.

Based on these facts, here is what you can do:

(1) Research your targeted organizations to learn about their recent developments. This could be a success in their market, new leaders, or how they handled something difficult.

(2) Make contact. Do you know someone who works in the organization that would present you as an employee referral? Good employees tend to know other good potential employees. Use your social media and references to help you find people to talk with in your targeted organizations.

(3) Send a letter or call them. Don’t ask if they have job openings, ask about organization and big problems they are working on. Briefly describe how you have successfully handled similar problems or can contribute to finding solutions and ask if they would like to talk further. Make your resume a leave behind after a conversation or attach it with your email thank you.

(4) Ask for one or two others you could talk with and if they would introduce you to them. That way when you call, they are more likely to recognize your name. Be sure to let them know who made the referral.

(5) If there is not a job opening, you are creating the potential for a new role that only you possess the skills to fill. And now you have plenty of new information to make your application rise to the top.

Two Key Questions for Your Next Job

“Why are you interested in this job?” This is a standard interviewer’s question, or should be. The hiring manager is wise to ask about your motivations to determine if you’ll be a good fit with the team and organization.

In looking for your next job, your first step is having a good idea of why we want a new job. It generally falls into categories of more money, better schedule or commute, and meaningful tasks. To ensure your next job is a “better” one, think through what a “ideal” job will be for yourself:

1) What salary and benefits address your work-life balance needs?

2) What experiences and skills do you want to use and develop?

3) You also need to be able to describe the type of work environment where you will be most productive and happy. This could be to work on a larger scale, supervise a larger team, or master a new skill. Maybe you want the prestige of working for a particular organization, or in a consulting role, or the pleasure of being having a larger role and responsibilities in a smaller organization.

Knowing these things helps answer the interview question, “Why are you interested in this job?”

But don’t leave the conversation one-sided. Balance the table by turning the question back to the interviewer, “Why would a top performer want to work in this job?” You’ll learn so much by asking that question. Is this a role that will meet your desires? You can probe deeper into the organization’s culture and values by asking the hiring manager, “What do you need in an ideal candidate that we haven’t talked about?”

You may not be the exact skill match right now, but with this information you can demonstrate your abilities to be successful in the position. Be ready to talk about how you took a similar risk and had a successful result.

I’ve made better decisions based on knowing the potential of meeting both my needs and the hiring manager’s needs by asking questions like these.

What questions have gotten you deeper understanding and greater satisfaction in career decisions?

Accomplishments: Meaning in the Mundane

The key to every self-performance appraisal, resume,and interview is capturing our accomplishments. Many of us don’t feel we have any because we just come in and do our jobs. Others of us believe that our good work will get noticed by others and we don’t have to remind them. We are carefully taught not to brag or boast.

Over the year, does your boss remember your contributions to the team or organization? With 5 or more other peoples’ reviews to write, probably not. Your boss needs a gentle reminder of what you do and how it helps to meet the goals of the unit.

For job applications and interviews, people don’t know if you don’t tell them. We will not get the job if we don’t distinguish how and, more importantly, why we do certain tasks better than our competition.

Too often we just list the activities or duties that can be found on a job description. We also to include the context or challenge, and the results. The context supplies the scope – why the activity is needed, how often, how many, etc. Our actions need to call out the expertise, knowledge and skills we have to do this well. The result answers the question, “So what?”

This week I was helping a team of people identify and write their accomplishments. This was not just for self-appraisals, but to jump-start thinking about what actions the team could be doing to improve and further their goal. Too often we only view our jobs as the mundane tasks to satisfy boring metrics, such as weekly reports. We have to step back and remember what happens with the work we produce: What decisions are made based on the things we produce? What would happen if we didn’t do these tasks? [This could also be an exercise to streamline work processes.]

In the case of this team, their work not only raises awareness of diversity and inclusiveness, but illustrates and recognizes the success of others. This team supplies data and trends (aka weekly reports) which drive the ability of highly talented people to have the opportunity to contribute to answering the most important questions of our lives. Where would we be without Stephen Hawkings, Richard Pimentel, Percy Lavon Julian, Bath, Patricia and so many others? Suddenly they remembered that this job wasn’t just about the money.

Do your tasks align with and further the accomplishments of the goal of your department? What would happen if you didn’t do them? If you don’t care, find a new job or encourage your team to create meaningful goals so you can contribute to something you care about.

I have the honor of helping people discover why their work matters. That’s enough to keep me going every day. And you won’t find it in the job description.

How do I Become an Expert?

Organizations depend on people who have “deep smarts”—business-critical expertise, built up through years of experience, which helps them make wise, swift decisions about both strategy and tactics. These mavens may be technical wizards, risk managers, top salespeople or operations troubleshooters, but they are all the “go-to” people for a given type of knowledge in their organizations.

Most Experts don’t even recognize that they are the experts. Because they’ve built their expertise on years of experience, research and sometimes just plain repetitiveness, it now is just part of “who I am” and “what I do.” Its second nature to them and they may be surprised that others don’t have the same level of knowledge. This makes them a bit testy at times. Yet Experts are usually generous in giving advice.

Their knowledge isn’t easy to pass on. Several professions build apprenticeships into their training systems: Doctors, for instance, learn on the job as interns and residents, under the close guidance of attending physicians, before practicing on their own. But many other professions have no such path. You’re responsible for your own development. You must acquire the knowledge in a different way to become the “go to” person.

Pay attention to what your organization and profession value. What are the trends that are impacting your organization and profession?
Hone your questions. Are you asking good diagnostic questions to understand complex problems?
Ask about and take steps to find out what you don’t know. Don’t wait for a training program; Create your own unique advisors and resources rather than the standard curriculum.
Listen more than you speak. Keep a log; don’t just rely on your memory.
Recognized patterns from experience of both successful and failed applied solutions.
Create your reputation by your willingness to share what you are learning. Speak up at meetings. Engage others in the conversations. Ask for others’ perspectives to understand and deepen your own knowledge.

And most importantly, observe how experts present themselves, not as know-it-alls, but as perpetual learners.

Key Job Search Strategy – Volunteer!

The Corporation for National and Community Service has released new research,“Volunteering as a Pathway to Employment,” which provides the most compelling empirical research to date establishing an association between volunteering and employment in the United States. The results of this study suggest a statistically significant and highly stable association between volunteering and employment. Volunteers have a 22% higher odds of finding employment after being out of work than non-volunteers.

What are the benefits of Volunteering?

– Learning and doing things that you wouldn’t have an opportunity without higher level authority

– Getting experience and po0lishing up your skills – technical and people skills

– Seeing new ways of getting things done

– Getting to know people you wouldn’t otherwise meet.

– People get to know you and your contributions and can serve as a reference for you

– Helps your own morale and energy to be doing something for others

– Shows you have initiative and self-motivation

When choosing a volunteer opportunity, look for a a cause that you really care about. Think about and then seek opportunities to develop the skills or expertise that are relevant to your next career step. Not all volunteerism belongs on your resume.

Update Your References This Week

The first week of May is a great time to re-connect with people and enhance your career. You don’t need to be in a job search at the moment to touch base with key people in your work-life. A key element of effective career management is that we don’t wait until we’re in job hunt mode to reach out to people. We move around so much its easy to lose touch with people who can speak highly of you and your reputation.

If you are in job search mode, check your list of professional references to make sure you have selected appropriate individuals to maximize your candidacy and that all contacts are up-to-date. This will ensure they will be easy to locate, should you find yourself in need of an employment reference. Be sure you let your references know what type of work you would like to do next. Let them know the companies or location you are targeting so they can assist with your networking.

Generally this includes former bosses. It also includes former professors, other managers, team members, customers/clients or vendors with whom you had a good work relationship. You know other people who know you and can speak for your good reputation from your community activities.

Check in with them to learn what they are doing and let them know what projects and initiatives are keeping you engaged. Who knows? You might discover there is a new opportunity in your future!

Don’t Fret a Furlough – 5 Ways To Take Advantage of It

The main thing we don’t like about looming sequestration furloughs is that it is unpaid time off. While many of us will just enjoy sleeping late and relaxing, you can also use that day(s) to your advantage. Here are 5 things for your to-do list:

1) If you’ve been putting off learning how to do something better, here’s your bonus day to tackle it. Take an online course to enhance any computer skills, or other technical expertise.

2) Make a coffee or lunch appointment to catch up with others in your profession.

3) Volunteer to work with a local group, school or community agency.

4) Update your resume.

5) Think about where your career is right now, and where it needs to go. What steps do you need to take? Who do you need to talk with?

When you go back to work, you can be sure that conversations will include, “What did you do with your time off?”

Getting the Most from a Professional Conference

By R. Anne Hull, President, Hull Strategies, LLC

I love going to conferences! I’ve added two certifications, gotten a job, provided valuable knowledge and expertise to projects and made some life-long professional colleagues and mentors from attending professional conferences. I’ve also wasted time, money and energy at a few. So now I look at these events as a two-way opportunity.

Professional conferences are opportunities to develop your own professional reputation as well as gain knowledge and ideas to do your work. Conferences are ideal places to find out what’s hot (and not so hot) in your field, observe the various debates and controversies under way, meet interesting people, make contacts for the future, and, in general, interact with professionals in your field. Some people find ideas and people to help them make changes in their careers. From an employment perspective, some conferences are designed to support job contacts and preliminary job interviews.

Most of us have to jump through hoops to justify the time and expense of a professional conference. Good conference planners and promoters go to great lengths to illustrate the benefits of attending in addition to attracting high profile speakers. Yet, these benefits may not be enough for you to get the greatest return on your conference investment of time and money. Here are some tips for before, during and after attending a conference:

BEFORE:

1. What do you need from the conference? This could be some, or all of the following:

Up-to-date information – New ideas, skills or models

New job – New clients

Reality checks with others – Mentors

Potential employees – Swag for your kids/co-workers

Be clear on your reasons and goals for attending the conference to help keep you focused. It is easy to get drawn into conversations or vendor demos that won’t support your reason for being at the conference.

2. What do your boss or others need you to bring back from the conference? Stephen Covey taught us to “Begin with the end in mind.” In addition to clarifying your reasons for attending the conference, visualize what you will do with the information you bring back. How will you implement new ideas? Block time after the conference to share ideas with others.

3. Who do you need to meet at the conference? Why? Strategically think about this before you get to the conference to have more meaningful conversations. Send an email to speakers, vendors and others who you know will be attending the conference to express your interest in talking with them.

4. What can you give to others? Think “law of reciprocity.” Polish your “elevator introduction” and create some interesting, attention grabbing, through provoking conversation-starting questions to help you learn what others are doing. You can be a connector or share a resource.

5. Do your homework on the speakers. Will their presentation offer insights that are not available via the web or in their latest publication? What would you like to take away from their presentation?

6. Plan your time with the conference schedule, but don’t over-schedule yourself. Mark not only your first choice sessions, but also second and third choices. Schedules change at the last minute for many different reasons. If a colleague is also attending, maximize your coverage by splitting up and take notes to share with each other.

7. Dress for comfort as well as professional appearance. You’ll need your energy to talk with people, not deal with ill-fitting shoes.

8. Take plenty of business cards and a way to organize and keep the cards you receive from others. Some speakers collect business cards to distribute e-handouts. Vendors may collect cards for giveaways.

9. Decide the best note-taking strategy to produce the reports or other items you’ll need afterwards to accomplish your reason for going to the conference.

DURING:

1. During the morning networking, find a colleague and agree to share session handouts or information. You may want to focus on one track while your colleague selects another track.

2. Check for changes in the sessions and locations and make adjustments to your schedule. Coordinate these changes with your colleague.

3. Minimize what you have to carry to reduce clutter and save your energy. I often off-load swag from the conference tote (and sometimes the tote itself) keeping just what’s important for my strategy.

4. Get to sessions early to get a seat, the handouts and introduce yourself to the speaker if you can. Tell him/her why you are interested in the session and remind her if you previously sent her an e-mail. While you are waiting, engage other participants about their experience on the session topic, or their current interests. If you aren’t sure about the session, sit in the back of the room, so if you leave you are less disruptive to others.

5. As in Congress, much of the work gets done in the hallways and during the informal times and at meals. This is the time to put your energies into talking with people, not checking emails. Arrange to meet the people for that cup of coffee or to share a meal. Some conferences help attendees coordinate dinners with like-minded people and provide restaurant listings and meet-up boards. Notice who is talking with whom and what alliances are being established. Create some of your own.

AFTER:

There are two things to do after the conference: Report back and follow-up. Most people don’t follow-up with people they’ve met. Be sure you keep any promises you made for information or connections. Let conference planners know your appreciation or suggestions.

1. Clean up your notes (in my case, translate my hieroglyphic abbreviations) to send with handouts to your conference buddy. Suggest a follow-up conversation date and time for action items.

2. Many of us need to create a report for our boss. Use your notes to help build a business case, or action items to put your learning to work. Again, suggest a follow-up conversation for action items.

3. Contact speakers and let them know your appreciation, thoughts or questions. Thank them for sending handouts to you.

4. Most importantly, contact the people you met and arrange to continue the conversations you started.

These tips can be used for small or large events. Conferences are a two-way opportunity to develop your career: Not only can you gain knowledge of your field, but you can gain visibility with a well-planned strategy. You may not be looking for a new job, but you can always bring back new insights, resources and generally add value to your work. As a speaker for some of the professional conferences I’ve attended, I use my earlier experiences to plan my presentations.

I’d like to hear what you do to make the most the professional conferences you attend!

A Short List of Resources:

“The Fine Art of Small Talk,” by Debra Fine.
“Never Eat Alone,” by Keith Ferrazzi
“Make Your Contacts Count,” “Great Connections,” “52 Ways to Reconnect, Follow-up and Stay in Touch When You Don’t Have the Time to Network, “ all by Anne Baber and Lynn Waymon
“The Heart & Art of Netweaving,” by Bob Littrell

Adaptability & Flexibilty are Top Workplace Skills

The international staffing agency Randstad issued a report in August detailing the results of their ongoing surveys that are part of the Randstad Engagement Index.

In this report, respondents show increased optimism and security in their jobs. Among the many data points I’m intrigued by the skills needed for continued success. Respondents rated “flexibility” and “adaptability” as top skills needed to succeed in the workplace, followed by “knowledge of technology” and “teamwork” respectively.

How have you demonstrated “adaptability” in the past few weeks? Consider your responses to proposed changes in your work. Has there been a situation where you stepped up to help someone else in addition to your own work? Have you relinquished control over something? Perhaps you shared your knowledge or a cultivated resource to further a project. Being adaptable is not just about being compliant; it includes the sincere desire to make or do things better. Often it means being in a very uncomfortable stage – consider adaptations in nature when plants and animals must adapt to changes in their environment or to keep from becoming a delectable food source.

If you are in job search mode, how have you adapted this new environment? Consider the work habits you’ve transferred to your job search. You have likely stretched outside your comfort zone to make new contacts and to learn new skills – social networking, preparing for interviews, writing and delivering accomplishments, job search strategies, etc.

What does “flexibility” look like? Often its just the willingness to re-schedule time commitments. It is also the willing to consider and try a different solution that isn’t comfortable to you. Could it be reserving “right” or ‘wrong” judgements to consider another viewpoint? Thank about the creative approaches you have taken…or could take.

I’d like to hear your examples of these.

Thankful For Work?

Work conversations often fall into two categories – people complain about their job or complain that they don’t have a job. I suppose we get more sympathy when we complain. I wonder why we don’t talk more about the things that go well for us. Not boasting, just being thankful.

As we approach the Thanksgiving Holiday, my colleague, Annabelle Reitman offers some wisdom in her column on The Transition Network newsletter, Work: What Are You Thankful For?

She describes how we can go beyond just being thankful to have a job, to looking at the specific things about our work that we appreciate. Yes, the money is important. Most of us realize the relationships we’ve built are also important to us. What resources do you have that make your job easier? What is it about your work that energizes you? How do these things, and others impact your overall life? Do they enable you to do other things?

If you are looking for work, you already have an inventory of the things you want from your next job. Have you inventoried what this transition period currently offers that is helping you get through it? (A pop song lyric just popped into my head, “What doesn’t make you stronger…”). Recognize your ability to be creative and to persist in your search. What new talents and relationships have you developed through both your job search and any volunteer activities? Even a jobless period gives us things to be grateful for that we often miss when working full-time.

I don’t need a holiday to remind me what I’m thankful for. Do you?