Career Acceleration Notes (CAN)

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.

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...

Where are the growth opportunities in the Executive Suite?

Talented executives are needed more than ever during difficult economic times. It is the business development and sales executives who bear the burden of generating the revenue. The "recession" represents an opportunity for those who can demonstrate their ability to understand the needs of the company and its customers - those who CAN create a clear and compelling executive brand.

Interesting predictions by employers from ExecuNet:

NEW: The Executive Job Functions Most in Demand for 2008

Executive Job Functions That Corporate Employers Expect Will Create The Most Growth In 2008 Executive Hiring
Business Development	14.8%
Sales	12.9%
Operations Management (including Quality, Supply Chain and Logistics)	12.9%
General Management	10.3%
Finance	9.1%
Engineering	9.1%
Marketing	8.7%
MIS / Information Technology	6.2%
Consulting	6.1%
Research and Development	5.7%
Human Resources	3.5%
Source: ExecuNet 2008

FREE: LinkedIn.com & Social Networking Seminar

Join us for a FREE interactive program to learn about the benefits of social networking for nonprofit organizations and staff.  This program is sponsored by The Collaborative, an affiliate of the Suburban Chamber of Commerce, located in Eastern Montgomery County, PA.    

The mission of The Collaborative is to develop and nurture partnerships between businesses and non-profit organizations. The program will be held at the Upper Moreland Free Library so that participants may bring their laptop computers and participate in the session via wireless Internet access. Everyone who attends and wants to join a social network will receive an invitation from the speakers. 

Our presenters are:
Karen Katz, M.Ed., CCM, of Career Acceleration Network, (CAN) LLC; and
Kevin Winters, MBA, Founder/Principal Consultant, All Seasons Web Solutions

The agenda will include: · What is "Social Networking?"
· Who engages in this type of networking?
· What are the principal forums for "Social Networking?"
· Who benefits from this type of networking?
· Why has this form of networking become popular?
· For whom is this networking effective?

After the presentation, a demonstration will follow to take participants through the LinkedIn.com site, and
· Show sample profiles
· Explain settings, preferences
· Discuss online and offline behavior, etiquette, and consequences

This event will be held Wednesday, March 26, 2008 from 8 to 10 AM at the The Upper Moreland Free Library,109 Park Avenue, Willow Grove, PA

Collaborative Roundtables are free and open to interested parties. To RSVP (requested, not required) call the Suburban Chamber at 215-657-2227. 

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?

IBM + Treasury Department partnership builds corporate brand

The FedExperience Transitions to Government mentioned  previously on this blog is still grabbing media attention: recently discussed on NPR's Morning Edition, and referenced in several posts from the recruiter world. While career professionals frequently discuss personal branding in reference to candidates, the topic spirals back to the origin of the branding discussion - to corporations and the "brand management."

IBM generates good will from people who start a fulfilling career in teaching or government, said Stan Litow, a former deputy chancellor for New York City schools. "It will improve people’s view of the brand," he said. "It is good business to operate this way." The way IBM operates on a daily basis—stressing collaboration internally and with suppliers in a $48 billion procurement system—makes its 350,000 employees a good source of talent for government, Litow said.

Challenges in luring people from the private sector to the government include a lack of knowledge about federal openings and a bureaucratic hiring process. Similarly, those who have dedicated many years to military or government service are frequently at a loss for translating their experience into the personal qualities and abilities that convey value to private employers. Transparency in the private and governmental processes will allow both sectors to attract talent in today's "talent war."

In the interest of our shared success, please share stories of your successes and frustrations in transition - others will benefit from your experience and ideas.  Thanks!

Network locally; Think globally...

I have so many ideas and articles saved ...so little time to organize them into a post.  So today will be the first Monday that I will look through the weekly Business Calendar published by the Philadelphia Inquirer and share upcoming events that may be of interest to local readers.  Those in other cities should be able to find comparable listings in print and online editions of their local newspapers:

Business Calendar - Philadelphia Inquirer

Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association will hold its next monthly lunch at Maggiano's Little Italy Restaurant, 205 Mall Blvd., King of Prussia; 610-642-2616 or www.the-pdma.org. Cost is $45 for PDMA members, $60 for nonmembers. 11:30 a.m-2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb 27

How to Start and Operate a Small Business presented by the Small Business Assistance Center and Kutztown University's Small Business Development Center co-sponsored by the Chester County Chapter of SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). Chester County Library, next to Exton Mall, Rt. 100 and Business Rt. 30, at 450 Exton Square Pkwy., Exton; reservations call the SBAC 610-444-1721, www.kutztownsbdc.org or www.sbacnetwork.org. $15 fee. Seating is limited. 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Mar. 4

FREE*  Orientation and Business Assessment Workshop presented by The Women's Business Development Center, 1315 Walnut St., Suite 1124; 215-790-9232 or www.womensbdc.org. Preregistration is required. 6-7:30 p.m.  Monday, March 10

How to Use Success Stories to Win More Business by Gerry Lantz, Stories That Work Inc., presented by Sales and Marketing Executives of Philadelphia. Plymouth Country Club, 846 Sandy St., Plymouth Meeting; 215-396-3310 or www.smeiphiladelphia.org. $25 first-time attendees. 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, Mar. 11

This public networking doesn't take the place of "warm" networking, but it can help to give a stalled career path new energy and connections.  Click here to assess your "Networking Quotient," a quiz developed by one of the emerging personal marketing/social networking guru's, Thom Singer. 

How can professionals and executives network authentically, without giving in to the "brand bandwagon" that it sometimes promoted in a manner that is "over the top."  Your comments and links to articles, books, etc. will be appreciated by this author and community of readers!

Go forth and network... Karen@CAN, LLC