Career Acceleration Notes (CAN)

Compete with the Recession: Continuing Education offers an edge

Education is a job search strategy - one that may offer you a competitive edge during gloomy economic times. Some groups who may want to consider continuing their education as a job search strategy:

• Disaffected college graduates, e.g., Liberal Arts  majors and those unhappy with vocational majors...
• Experienced employees whose jobs have become obsolete or have been off-shored...
• "Second- or Third-Act:"  those who are seeking a transition to another career, likely to be one that will offer more personal and/or societal meaning than their previous career...

If you identify with one of these groups, you should know that there is a bevy of educational administrators who want YOU to enroll in their classes. Programs are offered by vocational schools, community colleges, and 4-year institutions.  Why are these choices different from and perhaps better than traditional approaches to education?

• Admission is likely be based on "open enrollment," meaning that few programs will require transcripts or aptitude tests.  Desire to learn and participate is the only requirement.
• Courses are more likely to be taught by those who actually work in the field; students are also likely to be working in related fields.  These people can become part of your professional network.
• Student work is evaluated based on participation and results - without grades, papers, or tests.  The idea is to learn and apply your knowledge to the workplace.
• Continuing studies programs are usually offered at a fraction of the cost of credit classes - fees are determined by actual costs and profit margins, not per "credit."

Continuing education provides "cover" for periods of unemployment, and is always indicative of your willingness to learn new concepts and adapt to new technology.  These programs grease the wheels of career transition, permitting candidates to move into "demand occupations," e.g. project management.

This month, one of the candidates I have worked with for nearly nine months landed the job he prepared for over a 4-year period. Before working with me, he had leveraged his experience as a technologically-competent Distribution Manager to land an intermediate job as an IT Manager with a small organization, a job he held for 3+ years. While employed in this intermediate position, this bilingual candidate completed a Project Management Certificate Program through a Continuing Studies program offered by a local 4-year institution; this program supplemented his degree earned from a South American university.  He recently started the job he had prepared for through a series of strategic career moves and validated by continuing education preparation.  Kudos to him!

Continuing Education is a proven strategy for job seekers and career changers; take advantage of the edge...

Successful interviewing at all levels: secret weapon is P-A-R

If you're reading this article, you probably understand that job successful job seekers talk about what they have accomplished in previous positions, and present a "mini-business plan" to relate to the needs of a prospective employer. Review the following list to be sure you are prepared to interview successfully:

• You have clearly and concisely described one - two "success stories" for each of your previous employers, using the Problem (Challenge) - Action - Result model.
• You have analyzed your accomplishment stories to identify the personal qualities, skills, and areas of knowledge that made it possible for you to achieve your successes.

Going forward, you need to re-frame this data in terms of what is needed for the specific position you are applying for.

Step #1 - Study the job description and organization to identify the criteria for the job (not "requirements"). The criteria are likely to be "soft skills," e.g., flexibility, team orientation, interpersonal skills, etc. Create a grid, with the criteria on the left and your previous employers across the top.

Step #2 - Fill-in the cells with a note about each employer/accomplishment that addresses the new job criteria. (Without the ability to post a table online, I can't provide a good-looking sample - contact this author for a complimentary copy of this worksheet..)

Step #3 - Once you've completed this "homework," use your notes to prepare for questions and conversation with the interviewers. Be careful to limit your responses to three - four crisp sentences, using the Problem (Challenge) - Action - Result model.

Ironically, you'll need to rehearse these responses so you can deliver them in a style that appears to be totally spontaneous!  Rehearse wherever you are alone and won't feel silly talking out loud to yourself, e.g., while driving, drying your hair, etc.  Want to hear a supportive refrain while practicing?  Try Frank Zappa's 2005 The Classic Interviews ! 

Go hire one of Business Week's Top 50 Hot Growth Companies

Assuming that you are experimenting with the concept of proactive job search, check-out this list of preeminent small companies. They've been selected by Business Week for "showing resilience in the face of a worsening economy." 

Why should job seekers give greater consideration to smaller companies, e.g. those with fewer than 500 employees?  Because this sector of the economy has been more nimble since 2003; they are most likely to seek innovators as they navigate the current economic downturn.

• Beginning in 2004, Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job creation moved from larger to smaller companies.  A few of the simple reasons:
  
  • Smaller companies need to hire to fuel and sustain their growth
  • Larger companies may be under the spell of "slash and burn" CEO's

Read the full article referenced above (by Richard Kirby) to think about small versus large employers. For our purposes, consider the following criteria when evaluating the Business Week Hot Growth Companies or performing a SWOT analysis on any potential employer.

•  Is the company focused on organic growth from the inside . . . or growth through external M&A?

•  Does the company reward and promote high achievers?

•  Do they truly value their employees?

Perform your due diligence using the strategies suggested in 5 clues to your next big thing and answer these (and other) questions before you decide to sign up with a new employer. 

5 clues to your "next big thing" (Hint: look next to your morning coffee)

I'm using this post to demonstrate how you can use your morning newspaper as a guide toward your "next big thing."  Your newspaper doesn't have to be delivered to your door or purchased from a street-corner;  online news will also help you accomplish the goal. 

It is fair to say that we accept the need to demonstrate that we are current in our field, that we understand how events in the world affect our industry, and that we offer a unique value to a prospective employer.  While the thought process that I'm going to suggest isn't new, it seems that job seekers have abandoned the news and therefore, removed themselves from current information that can inform their unique value proposition and brand...  An example:

Many of my current clients are looking for B2B,  marketing, or communications opportunities in industries with staying power in the Greater Philadelphia area, including Allentown, Princeton, and Wilmington.  So, to become familiar with the major industries in the area and keep abreast with what's happening with innovative ideas, products, services, and key people, these clients check-out:

• The Philadelphia Inquirer Business section, published daily, (best for job seekers is Monday)
• The Philadelphia Business Journal - published weekly

Monday's Inquirer featured an article about competition between regional health insurers, principally Capital and Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Sheild, as well as their non-Blue competitors, Aetna and Valley Preferred.  Public regulators are holding hearings to evaluate the wisdom of a Blue merger, and the writer offers a very informative history of the business of health insurance in the corporate arena.  This is a very large and profitable industry; opportunities exist in a multitude of roles, including executive management, sales, IT, finance, marketing communications, etc.  To paraphrase JFK's 1960 inaugural address:  think not about what Blue can do for you; think of what you can do for Blue, or any other company of interest...

1. Take a few moments to look at the About Us page of the company web site; this page will lead you to think of the possibilities you might create or fulfill based on what you offer. The Jobs or Careers page reveals what is available now; while it is possible that you might find the perfect job, it is unlikely.
2. Once you determine your genuine interest, dare I say, "passion," then start looking for connections - people who can help you gain access and information about the company to better determine what you can do for them. These connections can be found in the weekly "People In the News," in the body of news articles, through company web sites, through online networking sites, and in the office next-door to yours...
3. Perform a SWOT analysis on the company; learn about the company's competition; develop a few proposals.
4. Practice listening to understand how you can meet their needs, both those that are stated and those you'll intuit based on your research.
5. Prepare targeted marketing materials - resume or profile, letters, e-mails, 30-60-second commercial, exit summary, etc.  The operative word is "targeted;" the operative perspective is WIIFTHM - What's in it for them...

A client meeting last evening led me to the March 21-27 issue of the Business Journal that featured Gamesa, a Spanish wind turbine maker whose US manufacturing facility has filled a large part of the space once occupied by the US Steel Fairless Works. This firm will employ 115 at its Center City headquarters office, and has leased 3x more office space than it previously held. So why should job seekers care?  The alternative energy industry offers an excellent opportunity for those who are good communicators and also comfortable with science and technology. Moreover, it may be an excellent alternative to industries that are more likely to be adversely affected by the economy, e.g. housing, construction, pharmaceutical.

While sipping your coffee, try these 5 clues to discover what you'll be when you grow up, or where you'll find your next big gig...

For 2000 years, we've known that hiring is not a science...

What follows is a guest post written by Ed Zenzola, a colleague and President of The Zenzola Group, a boutique executive search consulting firm specializing in the development of hiring strategies and performance profiles.  The principals of this group offer senior-level HR experience with global organizations; their executive recruiting expertise allows Zenzola Group to match opportunities with exceptional individuals who will quickly become high-performing talent.

This post was originally written for client companies who are frustrated by the challenge of identifying and retaining top talent.  The readers of Career Acceleration Notes will gain valuable insight by considering the perspective of those on the other side of the desk.

About two thousand years ago, the officials of the Han dynasty tried to make a science of the hiring process by creating a long and detailed job description and rigorous tests for civil servants. Archaeological records show that those same officials were frustrated by the results of their efforts; few new hires worked out as well as expected. Experience and studies have shown what the Han officials discovered in 200 BC: it is impossible to turn hiring into a science.

Hiring and retaining talent is improved by how we approach interviews. Here are five steps that should be part of every interview.

1. The key is structure. A structured interview is the most reliable technique for predicting performance and for communicating expected performance. This requires having well prepared questions developed from the Performance Profile we discussed in a previous email.
2. The interviewer must be extremely familiar with the performances and measurements that are required in the position. From these required performances and measurements, questions can then be posed to the candidate regarding relevant prior experiences. The questions should be posed to truly understand the candidate’s actual role and the significance of the performance. A rule of thumb for preparation is 2 to 1; if you expect a structured interview to last 2 hours you will need to spend 4 hours preparing for the interview.
3. Determine competencies. Listen closely to the candidate’s descriptions of prior performances. You should be listening to the candidate 80% of the time and only interjecting to pose additional questions. Your questions should be structured around a SOAR format; the Situation or Opportunity, the Action taken, and the Results. To determine problem solving competency, ask questions such as, “what were the 2 or 3 biggest challenges you faced on the project, tell me step-by-step how you handled the biggest one.” Questioning like this will reveal if the candidate has exhibited all the critical competencies.
4. Determining a cultural fit. Beyond the tangible performances and competencies are the intangible issues of cultural fit and emotional intelligence. Cultural fit is even more critical to an employee’s success within an organization than education, experience, skills or intellect. There is an old saying: You hire for experience and skill and fire for personality and attitude.
5. During the candidate’s SOAR (a.k.a., P-A-R or C-A-R) description of prior performances, interject with questions; “how did your boss manage you on this project?” “Is this how you like to be managed?” Or, “describe the recognition you received.” Avoid asking direct questions; “describe the environment and culture of your previous employer” and “what did you like best and least?”  More often than not the response will be a rehearsed answer.
6. Consistency. The entire interview team must be on the same page. Whether a group interview or single interviews, everyone, regardless of position, must know and agree to the relevant factors in ranking candidates. Of course everyone should have the Performance Profile and an understanding of the position’s required competencies. Assign interviewers a sub-set of the competency model and require them to provide detailed evidence to support their assessment. Review the interview results in a group setting with the hiring manager and senior people, making their comments last. Also start off with the positives rather than the negatives to increase group objectivity.
7. Don’t sell; at this point, be a buyer. You can’t convince a top quality candidate that your position is the best among competing offers if the interviewers oversell and under-listen. The key to recruiting top quality talent is to over-buy and under-talk. This means you need to get candidates to talk more by asking in-depth, tough, and challenging questions. Describe the challenges in the position and get the candidate to describe relevant performances. The more you put the candidate in the selling position the more the candidate will describe prior performances in detail.

To Get to Yes, each party must move away from positions toward an understanding of the needs of the other party.  This post offers a valuable glimpse into the needs of organizations who are recruiting talent.  Sharing this post illustrates the synergy that can exist between career professionals who support organizations and individuals.

Outside the Generational Box - Strategies for Transition

In my head, I've been re-playing our Mind the Gap:Connecting the Generations presentation in Minneapolis; let's continue the conversation about the 4 generations in the workforce. I'd like to propose a new approach to career transition, one that promotes strategies to understand and transcend generation, and accepts challenges toward achievement of career success in this multi-generational workplace. 

The first strategy:  A-b-C:  Accept but Challenge

• Accept differences - We cannot adopt homogeneous personal qualities or value propositions. It is important to identify and fine-tune the presentation of our brand or unique selling point in conversation, via resume, online, etc.  Accepting differences was one of the contributions of Generation X, e.g. those who now fall roughly between the ages of 30-45. Remember the rock musical, Hair, the first Broadway show that celebrated different thinking about politics, sexuality, and race?
  
• but - As interpersonally aware people, we prefer to use the connecting word, "and." I submit that the word "but" allows all those involved in career transition to engage in a process that may include discomfort and chaos, hopefully leading to equilibrium.  (More on this adaptation of Chaos Theory in another post...)
• Challenge - This is our raison d'etre: the challenge to "be all that we can be" is what makes life exciting.  To achieve our work/life goals and succeed in a work environment in which 4+ generations work side-by-side, we must challenge ourselves to transcend the limitations of our own generational box.  Ellen Sautter, whom I met at the Career Management Alliance Conference, suggested that she is the embodiment of the trans-generation: she is a Traditionalist by birth, who recently co-authored a book that is likely to appeal to all generations, Seven Days to Online Networking.
  

We can Accept differences and search for commonalities, but we must poke ourselves, our clients, and our colleagues to accept the Challenge of a trans-generational workforce - one that takes a "so what" approach to the issue of age. 

So with AbC in mind, here's a challenge for you to chew on; your comments are encouraged:

 

How should we distinguish between personal and professional networking? Is online networking similar to meeting associates and friends at the 9th Hole? Are these online networking tools superficial and self-promotional?

• Is LinkedIn an electronic Roladex? Can it promote real relationships?
  
• Is posting to Facebook superficial or does it promote connectedness? Should "friends" be expected to cleanse their page for evaluation by employers?

Please respond to this blog, or directly to my e-mail address:  Karen@CareerAcceleration.net

WSJ view of Second Act served-up like cold mashed potatoes

A well-meaning friend sent me today's Wall Street Journal.com article, Second Acts: Career Paths For Worn-Out Executives.  Not only does this article present an elitist view of the type of career transition available to older workers, the vignettes offered are not even newsworthy.

The article profiles senior executives who can afford to follow their avocation, like Mr. Orner (Bank Vice President to Executive Chef at a Yacht Club).  It is true that many Traditionalists and Boomers want to have another chance to give back to their communities; many are willing to sacrifice compensation to do so: this is yesterday's news.  But the profile of the Traditionalist who sacrifices by making her own copies and travel plans is demeaning.  An older worker who transitions from corporate to nonprofit must surely understand and respect the non-hierarchical and self-sufficient culture of nonprofit organizations. Indeed, the personal assistance "sacrificed" by Ms. Shillings has gone the way of the electric typewriter, even in the corporate world. It is these profiles, not the executives, who are "worn-out."

I'm disappointed that the esteemed WSJ does not look into the more urgent generational issues of the day. I'd like to read about middle-managers, professionals, technicians, and working people who have successfully transitioned from their long-standing careers. Regardless of their status on the rungs of the ladder, Boomers and Traditionalists share membership in the "Sandwich Generation." They are likely to shoulder tremendous financial and emotional responsibilities for their parents and children. Financially, they cannot afford to leave or lose their "First Act," much less take on a lower-paying "Second Act." 

The issues are vital to our economic well-being: the discussion needs to go beyond "worn-out" profiles of well-heeled people. Among other things, we need to discuss effective cross-training, an acceptance of digital natives and digital immigrants, and a campaign to promote family-friendly corporate policies.  It would be fascinating to examine the synergy that exists between the values of Milliennials, Gen X'ers and Boomers, and harness that synergy to achieve a change in social policy.

The dynamic between generations in the workplace will be discussed at the upcoming Kennedy Conference: The Annual Gathering of Career Management Professionals, in Minneapolis, MN on May 2.  Two Boomers and One Millennial will present, "Mind the Gap: Connecting the Generations."  We hope to generate some buzz about this topic among our colleagues in the careers profession.  To weigh-in before the presentation, please comment here...  Look for blog posts from the Conference...

Are you related to Barack Obama? Hillary Clinton? Dick Cheney? Social Networking and Genomics...

Sharing this interesting post from a loyal reader of Technology Review, the Institute's magazine about innovation that is mailed to alumni.

Emily Singer, a well-respected science & technology writer, reported on a number of start-up companies that have generated debate centered on medical applications. Apart from learning whether you are related to a Democrat or a Republican, consumers can learn about their genetic risk compared to the general population for diseases such as: Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cancer.

Feel free to contact this MIT alum/guest blogger via his e-mail address (dkatz9@alum.mit.edu) or via this blog.  Furthermore, "since you don't need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows," see what a brilliant weatherman can do for Climatronics Corp.
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Are you related to Barack Obama?  Well, a new social networking web site offers you the possibility of finding out!  The new web site, 23andMe, offers genome-wide DNA testing directly to consumers. People who order the $999 kit send in a sample of spit and, in return, receive an analysis of nearly 600,000 genetic variations linked to disease and other factors, such as ancestry, height, and eye color.

23andMe is one of the many dynamic companies located in Mountain View, CA. This start-up is also launching a genome-sharing tool that allows people to compare their genome with those of family members, friends, and even strangers who have offered up their DNA data.  While mostly for fun right now, the company hopes to be able to collect enough data to allow statistical studies using the genetic information.

While the sharing aspect is optional, Greg Feero (chief of genomic health care at the National Human Genome Research Center in MD) has raised the bar by suggesting that this work will be more successful if we create "...a space for public participation in developing science."  Of course there are many caveats and limits involved in the analysis, gathering, and labeling of genetic data.

Perhaps you should learn more about this new application of social networking, and be careful where you spit!

Contributed by David I. Katz

Network locally; Think globally, installment 2

Again I'm posting FREE or inexpensive networking opportunities in the Greater Philadelphia-area; you'll find similar calendar options throughout the country.  This calendar was extrapolated from the Philadelphia Business Journal, one of the Biz Journal regional online or print resources that belongs in the tool bag of professionals and executives.  Building personal reciprocal relationships and establishing an online identity takes precedence over attending events like these; the idea is to find authentic ways to network locally and think globally.

Business Calendar - Philadelphia Business Journal

Monday, March 10

The Consultants Guide to LinkedIn Success. 7:30-9am, Merrill Lynch, 724 W. Lancaster Ave., Wane, PA. FREE. For information & registration, call 610-993-0894

Tuesday, March 11

How to Use Success Stories to Win More Business. 7:30am, Plymouth Country Club, 846 Sandy St., Plymouth Meeting.  Sales & Marketing Executives of Philadelphia.  Cost = $25. For registration & information, call 215-396-3310

Wednesday, March 12

Your Customers have Changed...Have you? 11:30am-1pm,  PineCrest Country Club, 101 Country  Club Drive, Lansdale. North Penn Chamber of Commerce.  Cost = $20 for members; $30 for nonmembers. For information & registration, e-mail to:  info@northpenn.org

Thursday, March 13

Bouncing Back in 2008. 8-9:15am.  Lower Bucks Family YWCA, 601 S. Oxford Valley Rd., Fairless Hills. Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce.  FREE with advance registration.  For information & registration, send e-mail to:  chamber@lbccc.org

Career Fair. 2-7pm, Holiday Inn in West Chester, 943 S. High St., West Chester. Exton Region Chamber of Commerce. FREE.  For information & registration, call 610-363-7746

Pricing it Perfect. 11:30am-1:30pm, AstraZeneca, 690 Lee Road, Suite 100, Wayne, PA.  NAWBO (National Assoc. of Women Business Owners), Philadelphia Chapter.  Cost = $15 members; $25 nonmembers.  For information, visit www.gonawbophilly.org

Friday, March 14

Market Research 101: Focus Groups, Taste Tests and More. Noon - 1:30pm, North Penn Chamber of Commerce Board Room, 229 S. Broad St., Lansdale, PA.  FREE.  For information & registration, e-mail to: info@northpenn.org

To review the Business Calendar posted by the Philadelphia Inquirer every Monday, visit my web site:  , or go directly to the Inquirer Business section. 

Is it necessary to run a campaign to achieve career change?

My two favorite indoor "sports" are careers and politics; a recent book written by Chris Matthews makes some interesting observations about the intersection of these endeavors.

Life's A Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success is the latest book written by this journalist and TV pundit;  it is already 2 days overdue at the library, so I need to share some thoughts with you now...

Matthews, (who later pledges to work on his listening skills!), suggests that:

    "The whole trick of life is therefore to (a) find people who like you on first meeting, (b) put effort into winning over those people you can, and (c) recognize those whom, to use Donald Trump's phrase, you need to 'work around.'  This is what politicians call campaigning.  It's something you'll find you have to do in life even if you never run in a single election."

What about it - do successful candidates employ similar strategies when seeking career change or transition?  Are we correct to refer to the job search process as a campaign? 

• Clearly, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are candidates for the same job?  Have you ever competed with a "friendly foe" for the same job?  What happened to the relationship after the position was filled?  While it is not likely that the outcome of such a contest will result in a "win-win," must the outcome produce a winner and a loser?
  
• How are the voters and/or the press doing in fulfilling the role of "hiring managers?"
  
• What role will the Super Delegates play?  Are they the Senior Management team or CEO?

What can career changers and job seekers learn from the experience of these political candidates?