5 Actions for Career Management

“Career Management” makes some managers nervous; they might lose key staff or have to spend precious time training and mentoring people.  It raises expectations for many people that they will be promoted sooner, or that another round of lay-offs is coming. And for others, its just another bunch of buzzwords – a “key retention tool.”

Career management is seen as both highly personal, therefore self-initiated, as well as an organization’s responsibility to provide resources for professional and technical growth.  Some companies have a formal process and resources dedicated to career management.  In others, it just happens, or not.

1) What’s your expectation for enhancing your career, besides earning more money? How much more money?  This may be a job title, a level, learning a new skill or technology. It may be doing work that is more fulfilling to you.  Put it in writing to help get clarity.

2) Can your expectations be met in your current organization?  Our emotions can get in the way of realistic look at the opportunities.  You may need to creatively look at alternative roles or projects to provide stepping stones to your goal.

3) What resources are available in your organization right now to help you? If there are no formal programs, you can still take advantage of any tuition reimbursement for courses, or look for people who are doing what you want to do next.  Ask if they would chat with you over lunch or coffee to start learning from them.  (It’s good to have 4-5 specific questions to get the conversation going).

4) Make an weekly appointment with yourself  to assess your work – your accomplishments (skills used), your struggles (skills needed)

5) Don’t wait for annual performance review. Ask your boss or team mates to informally give you 1-2 minutes on what they see as going well and what you could improve. Asking for their observations following an event is great time for feedback.

These are just five actions anyone can take.  What have other people done to successfully manage their careers?

Where the Jobs are for Mature Workers

With generous support from the MetLife Foundation, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) has worked with seven regions across to country to identify priority industries, examine the job and career opportunities in those industries, and highlight the opportunities that are most appropriate for mature workers. Based on a U.S. Department of Labor supported a three-year Aging Worker Initiative (AWI) between 2009 and 2012. a five-part series of papers have been generated: Tapping Mature Talent: Policies for a 21st Century Workforce.

 “…mature workers have very defined “soft skills”, i.e. work ethic, workplace appropriateness, that might be lacking with the younger generations. Strong customer service skills that mature workers who’ve been in the workforce for several years have developed allowed for an easy transition into the identified logistics positions where providing high levels of client and customer service is critical to the individual companies’ success.”

Here are a few examples:

Healthcare: Patient Liaison Representative  – This position’s duties include helping provide guidance to new patients, helping with scheduling patients, collecting vital insurance and other information from patients, and helping to guide patients through the medical processes they require.

Energy: Purchaser/Buyer – This position requires an employee to purchase machinery, equipment, and other parts that are necessary for a manufacturing or other unit. The main skills that are required for this include softer skills such as critical thinking, decision making, negotiation, and problem-solving.

Information Technology: Sales Positions  – There are a variety of sales positions in this sector and these are seen as mature worker appropriate because they can provide an easy transition from another sector such as pharmaceuticals or engineering and do not require much additional training. The most important requirements for a good salesperson are strong work ethic, a customer service personality, and the ability to take the initiative.

Logistics: Pricing Analyst  – A pricing analyst develops research and makes recommendations on pricing for products and services by looking at market variables, conducting financial analyses, and helping to build revenue models. Because there is no defined certification or degree for this position, many times mature workers with experience in either the logistics or marketing and finance fields can transition to this position based on their previous experience. This position is also a good fit for someone with a military background as there can be strong overlap between processes and technical information in this position and the military logistics operations. Soft skills such as work ethic, problem solving, and critical thinking are desired for this position and employers note that a customer service background and the willingness to learn are more important than previous experience in the field.

Engineering: Environmental Engineer Technician -This job requires strong project management skills and much of the work in this position is overseen by an engineer or environmental scientist.

Lots of addition information at: http://cael.org/Research-and-Publications

What other jobs are you finding that appeal to mature workers?

A Crystal Ball – Skills for Now and the Future

A research report from Apollo Research Institute gives us a crystal ball for looking towards 2020.  “Future Work Skills 2020”

I like the way this report takes the major global trends and matches them with the skills workers need to thrive now and going forward. Its very useful for  the many people needing to re-skill, re-career and generally upgrade their skills to get good jobs.   Its also useful for HR/OD professionals working on reducing the skills gaps in your organizations. It can add richness to your competencies buffet. More than technical skills, these are the abilities to think, analyze, empathize; the willingness to seek different perspectives, use logic meshed with creativity, and use a variety of means to communicate.

There are six categories from the report:

  • Transdisciplinarity: ability to understand concepts across multiple disciplines.
  • Virtual collaboration: ability to work productively, drive engagement, and demonstrate presence as a member of a virtual team.
  • Sense-making: ability to determine the deeper meaning or significance of what is being expressed.
  • Social intelligence: ability to connect to others in a deep and direct way, to sense and stimulate reactions and desired interactions.
  • Cross-cultural competency: ability to operate in different cultural settings.
  • Cognitive load management: ability to discriminate and filter information for importance, and to understand how to maximize cognitive functioning using a variety of tools and techniques.
  • Novel and adaptive thinking: proficiency at thinking and coming up with solutions and responses beyond that which is rote or rule-based
  • Computational thinking: ability to translate vast amounts of data into abstract concepts and to understand data-based reasoning
  • New media literacy: ability to critically assess and develop content that uses new media forms, and to leverage these media for persuasive communication
  • Design mindset: ability to represent and develop tasks and work processes for desired outcome

This is not only a great read, but full of food for thought.

“Future-Proof” Employee

In IBM’s report from interviewing over 1700 CEOs around the world three main themes emerged for the most successful organizations. At the highest level, none are news to us. But going deeper there are some critical nuggets worth exploring. I’m focusing on “Build future-proof employees.”

Because emerging capabilities are hard to define, hiring and equipping employees with the skills to close the gap becomes a guessing game. CEOs look for people  who are collaborative, communicative, creative and flexible.  They create an environment where these traits develop more naturally through:
•     Create unconventional teams.Intentionally mix specialties and expertise
•     Broaden the range of situations and experiences that employees are exposed to in their normal work. Incorporate external influences — like customers and partners — wherever possible.
•     Encourage employees to develop a diverse and extensive network of contacts as both potential
collaborators and prospective customers.

How do you demonstrate that you are collaborative, communicative, creative and flexible?  What do you do as an individual to become ‘future proof?”

Book Review: “Real World Training Design” by Jenn Labin

When the initial flip through a new book stops you on a page that makes you burst out laughing – its gonna be a good read! Incredibly engaging graphics and illustrations! This handbook takes the classic instructional design process and brings it up-to-date with examples and tips. Labin provides succinct and helpful tools through-out the ISD process to reduce costs and time while maximizing learning and meeting business objectives. QCs provide background and additional resource links.

Time and cost constraints are the norm in the learning world. Yet quality cannot be sacrificed.  She provides hints and tips for all aspects of the project including getting and staying organized.  The checklists are the takeaways, but the stories (case examples) bring home the proof that they work.  With these tips and tools, you can discuss the process without using the training jargon that makes your clients’ eyes glaze over.

Real World Training Design by Jenn Labin

New Course for Career Professionals Working with Mature Job Seekers

Marvin Adams and I have teamed up to create a professional development course for career professionals, “Winning Strategies for the Mature Job Seeker,” at CEUOnestop.  This self-paced, online course looks at the unique issues that older clients face as more and more people are looking for work. Career professionals will find information, resources and links to websites that provide insight and tips for dealing with the perceptions, myths and realities of being over 50 and looking for work today. ( 4 CEUs)

Many people feel that age is just a state of mind, so there really aren’t any new challenges for the older job seeker.  And Age discrimination is illegal. So what’s the problem?  For most people, of any age, a well-defined job search strategy is the key to finding a great job.  Yet, people who have lost jobs after 20+ years or working are quite lost when it comes to present-day job search tools and strategies.  Fold in the assumptions and biases that both older and younger workers hold about people nearing retirement and you have a recipe for conflict and angst.

Career professionals can look at these assumptions and the research that provides facts and data to create their own strategies for coaching older clients.  Remembering that “perceptions are real,” too many people operate on their own limited knowledge, experience or relationships with older people.  Several reputable organizations have published research dispelling assumptions about low energy, poor health, technology averse or out-of-date skills, to name a few. We can help our clients leverage the benefits of a long work experience by reframing them in terms that meet employer’s needs today.  We can probe for the transferable skills of unpaid activities that employers now crave.  We can coach them to counter age discriminatory beliefs by developing examples of their work ethic, dependability, problem-solving and their results-oriented focus. Through understanding this generation cohorts’ resiliency, we can help them overcome self-limiting beliefs, create tenacious job seeking strategies and become valuable assets of the workforce.                    

Adapt Your Career Following Nature’s Lead

I heard Dr. Rafe Sagarin (University of Arizona) speak last week at the CBODN conference focusing on Resiliency. His book, “Learning form the Octopus” is just released.

Do you know someone who readily adapts to changing circumstances without planning, predicting the future, or striving for perfection? Plants, animals and humans face the same problem, which is that risk in the world is inevitable and unpredictable. Whether we are dealing with a hurricane, a stock market crash, a war or job loss we can learn from the way nature deals with uncertainty. Here are just a few points from what he’s learned:

1) Focus on the immediate problem.  First, don’t get eaten or die. Then we can figure out the next step.  This means its ok to just get a job to pay the bills. But let’s not get stuck there.

2) Like an octopus, seek out information from many sources and decentralize to respond immediately. When the octopus ‘feels’ danger on one tentacle, that tentacle changes color or shape right then. It doesn’t send a text to the home office and wait for permission to do something to survive.  Career-wise we need to always stay attuned to trends that can affect our work and be ready to learn new skills.

3) Look at the problem from a wide variety of perspectives, especially the “crazy” ones that others tend to disregard. There are thousands of different types of beetles because they have adapted their appendages into claws, wings, hooks, or whatever they need to survive. Not every career-move is going to make sense to others; but it may be exactly what you need to do to learn and position yourself for your perfect work.

4) Use unlikely partnerships to serve the mutual need. Look at the instances where predators are serviced by their prey, such the wasp fish which clean the teach of their predator.  Too many people look at teammates as competitors for the next promotion.  Look at what others bring to the table that qualifies them for the promotion and see what you can learn from them. Use it to add your own value!

5) Learn from and build stories of success by providing the right incentives.  Beach-born turtles, or sea lions find their way to the sea despite tremendous odds. Issue fewer orders and offer challenges for people to develop what they need to succeed.  What is your innate, driving incentive in your career?  Is there a need or problem you want to address?  Making money to support our selves and families is a huge incentive, but not the only one.

If you can, go hear him speak. It will keep you thinking for weeks afterwards…maybe a lifetime.

Keep that Phone ON during our Session

The first ground rule in meetings these days seems to be to turn off your cell/smart phones.  Its really annoying to be trying to present a concept and someone’s phone is ringing; or they are texting away, not really paying attention to the speaker.  Generally its the speaker that gets annoyed. Sometimes its annoying to others around to hear the clicking on the pad.

What if you used their technology to actually augment the meeting? If someone is updating their FB, ask them to check a fact for you, or help answer a question by doing a search or using an app.  Are you stuck on an idea or definition? Do a real-time Search for the answer you need.  Are you in heated argument? Check the facts, right now.  Need to poll a group, or check with a SME? Ask them now. (even if they don’t respond immediately, its still keeps the momentum going). Use the smart phone app to record the ideas and action steps and send it to others without delay.  It’s not about the Smartphone or Ipad, it’s about how you can use the technology to enhance the concept, or problem-solving.  People can work in groups and share with those who don’t have smartphones, or other technology.

Think of the chart paper (trees) we can save! Think of the fumes we won’t inhale from acetone white board or scented markers! Think of the powerpoint we can avoid! And most importantly, think of the time saved by not having to have another meeting after the research is completed!

Incoming calls are a different matter.  Most of us set the ring on “silent” or “vibrate” to avoid annoying others with the interruption. In my meetings I like to respect people’s judgment to handle the truly time sensitive things, not just FB breakfast updates.

How else can we use the technology to engage and reinforce learning?

Its Not Your Old Job Search Now

Social media is eclipsing many of the standard job search methods, but not the underlying foundation. Joshua Waldman writes on CareerRocketeer.com of 10 aspects of job search that social media has changed.

We no longer need to worry about the type of paper to print resumes and cover letters; they are digital now.  Tailoring each of these documents to the specific employer requirements remains the same.

Establishing an online presence so we can be found via Google and other search engines is surpassing listing resumes on job boards.  Yet having the keywords (professional and industry relevant) has always been the way to rise to the top of the competition.

Most jobs have been found by word-of-mouth, or  by making online connections.  So the greater use of time has always been and continues to be building and, most importantly, maintaining relationships.  Concentrate on finding out who you need to connect with and why, rather than tweaking the resume or searching job boards.

Showing your value to a potential employer continues to be a differentiating point. Its not about you, it’s about them… what you bring to the table that meets their needs. Nothing else matters. Hiring Managers are pressed for time and don’t want to have to translate how your skills and expertise fit their job requirements.  Connect those dots for them by talking with people in similar roles and industries. Talk with others in the organization to get a sense of your ‘fit’ with that organization’s culture.  Put that information in your cover letter and create your resume to reflect those values and competencies.

Make your job search easier by managing your career – daily!