Career Development
Now what?
Most of us at some point in our careers will have to look for a new job. A very lucky few will decide on a specific career right out of college, stay in that career for their working life and then retire. This blog post is not for them. It is for you. The hardworking, dedicated professional who was thrown under the bus by your now former boss. It is for the downsized, the pink slipped, the “R.I.F.’d”. It is for anyone who stares down the long road of unemployment and asks “now what?”
The answer addresses each word in the question:
NOW: Immediately, not in 5 minutes, not tomorrow. NOW. The wolf will be at the door. The funds will run out. It will take you 5 times longer to find a new job than you think. It doesn’t matter how much severance you got…it is never enough. (Unless you worked in Investment Banking.) What you have to do NOW is….
PLAN: That is the “what” answer. You must put together a plan, a strategy for how you will find that next job.
Stop scratching your head and realize you have already done this. You have previously promoted a service, a product. You have written a business plan. But this is different. YOU are the product. YOU are the service. The market needs YOU and YOU have to promote YOU!
The plan starts with where you want to end up…what you desire to do. That is your objective. It then segments the potential market—the industries, the sectors, the companies you want to approach. Next, you put together your PITCH…I wrote about that in one of my previous posts (hint…read it). Add to it the metrics by which you will manage yourself with. How many coffee meetings per week, calls into your network per day, referrals from associates per meeting. Set goals. Achieve goals. Build momentum.
There are a myriad of books and articles about how to build such a plan. I don’t need to reinvent that wheel. Google “Career Strategy” or better yet “ Finding A New Job”.
The how-to has already been written.
What you need to do, if you find yourself in this situation is to act NOW and develop you plan. The result will be a more efficient job search and the road down unemployment will be much shorter.
Fast Pitch
You are attending a conference or networking event and the person next to you in the drink line turns and asks, “So, what do you do”? As soon as intonation of the person’s sentence rose signaling a question, you began to sweat. At first not noticeably but quickly you felt as though someone just poured a glass of water over your head. Your left eye started to twitch and just as you frame the words in your brain to respond, you stammered out a reply that made the person’s eyes glaze over and then order a double.
Sound familiar? Well, don’t worry. You are in good company. It happens to darn near everyone when they are “in career transition”. If this is still happening to you, take heart. It won’t for long. What you need to develop is what is commonly called “your personal elevator pitch”. This is a concise, clear and powerful statement about who you are, why a company should hire you and what you can do for them.
It should be no more than 45 seconds, 30 if possible. The desired outcome of the pitch is to encourage the fortunate “catcher” to ask for your card and schedule a time for a longer discussion. Short of that, it is to cement an impression that you are laser focused, know who you are, what you want to do and are supremely confident in your abilities. The goal is to get that person engage further, question deeper about what makes you tick.
Crafting and honing a 30 second pitch literally takes hours of work before you become a master at the delivery. You should practice it in front of a mirror. Bribe a trusted friend to listen to your pitch. Rehearse it until you are dreaming about practicing! Then, practice some more.
Ready to give it a try? Then get your pitch done, email me when you are ready and we will set up a time. I would be happy to listen to it. Just don’t make my eyes glaze over.
Mike
mvanneman@thepacheragroup.com
Don’t Ask Me Again!
“What is the dress code?” If I had a dollar for every time I am asked that question by prospective candidates in advance of their first interview with a client company I would be well, a guy with heck of a lot of dollars! Truth be told, I am flummoxed by that query. No, actually I am really annoyed but it.
So, for once and for all let me set the record straight. This is the final, final answer to that question.
The answer is: You should dress in a manner that is the very best professional representation of who you are and how you will represent the company. Period.
No blue jeans. No Birkenstocks. No all black ensembles that make you look like Dieter from the Sprockets skit on S.N.L. Casual dress is for weekends and walking your dog. It isn’t for an interview. A clean, crisp conservative style always shows well. Think Brooks Brothers not True Religion. There. You now can cross off that “dress code” question from your list.
Why am I so wrapped around the axle on this issue? Because clients who retain me to find superior talent for them have an expectation of what that appears like, regardless of the position being interviewed for. You will be evaluated by how you present yourself and first impressions are a huge determinate of lasting perceptions. Oh, and in case you forgot. The interview isn’t really about YOU. It is about the COMPANY and their analysis of your fit and function. They will hire you based on your experience, track record and the value they expect you will deliver. Many a qualified candidate are not asked back to the next round of interviews because of one the key stakeholders on the interview team “didn’t like the way he or she presented themselves.” Yes. Happens all the time.
Leave nothing to chance in the interview process. This includes what you wear.
Got it?
Great!
Now, go get some slacks.
Mike’s 4 Ps of Marketing Yourself
We frequently write about the state of the job market or industry dynamics but I feel inspired to communicate with those of you who are looking for that next great thing to do. Don’t worry. I will return to writing about industry trends soon enough.
You have all heard of the “4 Ps of Marketing”. Well, I have created “Mike’s 4 Ps of Marketing Yourself!”: Pitch, Plan, Package and Presentation. Is there any secret to the order? No. Just the way the thoughts began to percolate in my mind. Much can be written about each “P” and I will return to them each periodically. The first “P” I will touch on is Presentation.
Enjoy. Learn. Let me know what you think.
Kick Off 2010
January is a busy month! Just a soon as the cobwebs clear from New Years Eve and you have had your fill of bowl games, you are running at full speed already worried about how the new quarter will turn out. Near the top of your ever expanding action item list is to prepare for the annual sales kick off meeting. If you attended a trade show like CES in Las Vegas, you may have combined the two events but most companies don’t. Most companies hold their sales kick off meeting mid to late January.
This is that one time and place event where the CEO and executive team seats the tone for the rest of the year. Usually, there is a theme wrapped around the meeting-Go For The Gold 2010 (a popular theme during an Olympic Year), Make It Happen!, To The Summit! Sprint To The Finish! Most themes have an athletic, achievement, conquering or overcome the odds slant. You never hear themes like “Plant Flowers-Make The Year” or “Strut Like A Hen in 2010″. Sales leaders and CEOs want to charge up the troops, get everyone focused and sing from the same song sheet.
If the company had a strong previous year, they might hold their meeting in Hawaii, Palm Springs or some other warm locale. Notice how cities like Anchorage, Fargo and De Moines seem to not be on the list of desired locations. Go figure. Given that 2009 was brutal for most companies, many of these meetings are being held close to headquarters or at local campground. Nothing brings the company together like really singing cum-bye-ya together around the fire!
While some people in the company (usually the ones NOT invited to attend) think these meetings are boondoggles, I challenge you to think twice about that notion. These meetings can often be key to a companies success in the upcoming year. Really? Well, all you need to do is not hold one and see how the team feels. The sales organization will be moaning about the lack of investment and attention they are getting from corporate. So, if for some reason you canceled the event I recommend you decide to hold a “mid-quarter kicker”.
If you are still planning your agenda for the Kick Off, below are some topics you might want to consider:
1) Put 2009 completely behind the company: I would like to think that the ghosts of ’09 have been completely exorcised but some still linger. Conduct a brief 2009 post mortem, highlight the positive outcomes (regardless how few) of the past year, thank your remaining employees for their fortitude and commitment-then put the year in the can. Good riddens! Don’t look back! Hey, that could be a theme for the meeting! Remember, fighter pilots don’t use rear view mirrors.
2) Speak with optimism about 2010 and beyond: Ok, the finance people can lift themselves off the floor. I know, you see the world through designer Chicken Little eye wear hear me out. The most important characteristic that your customer facing colleagues must display is confidence. Confidence that the product will do what marketing says it will do. Confidence that the call center will answer inbound calls on the second ring and treat the customer like the deserve to be treated. Confidence that your solution really does solve a problem. Sales is a much about attitude as it is about managing a pipeline. Get your team thinking positively about the upcoming year and good things can happen.
3) Make the CUSTOMER everyone’s top priority – company wide! From the loading dock to the receptionist. From the server room to the person who answers the exterior door phone to buzz someone in. Everyone in the company has a role in making your customers feel appreciated and valued. It starts with a product or service that delivers as promised. it is reinforced with every customer interaction. I am often amazed at how infrequently customers are visited by the management team or by people in functional areas other than sales. Don’t hide behind email or voice mail. Get on a plane, hop in the car and make a call on a customer. Get to know their business by asking questions. Listen more that you talk. You will be amazed at what you will learn from them.
Hopefully, you can use some or all of these ideas in your upcoming meeting-be it the 2010 Kick Off or a quarterly review. Get everyone, I mean everyone in the company thinking positively and focused on the customer. If you do, Kick Off 2010 regardless of the theme will be well worth the time and expense.
Improved Visibility In 3-D
Last week I shot out to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas for a few days. Sorry, I don’t have any “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” stories. I didn’t wake up with a tiger in my bathroom or a baby in the closet. Nor was I knocked out by Mike Tyson ala The Hangover. I didn’t even have a hangover! Guess I am getting wiser as I get older. I value my early morning workouts more than staying out late the night before.
A show like CES gives me the opportunity to meet with clients, prospective clients and reconnect with industry colleagues I have known for years. It is actually a very cost effective way to see a number of people in a short amount of time so long as you stay away from the tables….and I do. Yea, boring!
As I walked around the show and in the course of my many conversations, people consistently told me what was the “talk of the show”. Number 1: e-Readers. In under 3 years, Amazon spawned a major product category (dare I say industry) and now has over 10 competitors nipping at their heels. PC World boldly proclaimed 2010 to be The Year of the E-Reader! Coming to a retailer near you, there are all sorts of e-readers to choose from. There will also be multi-function “Slates” and “Tablets” to consider! This is indeed an exciting product category and fortunately The Pachera Group has been a part of it. I am proud to say that Vikki and Paula from The Pachera Group have done a significant amount of search work for one of the major new players in this category. It has been and continues to be a great project for us and we have significant search experience in this product segment (shameless plug).
Number 2: 3-D TV. I know, you just bought a new plasma/OLED/LED/LCD for the family room and wouldn’t you know it….had you waited you could not only have picked up the same size screen but in 3-D! It’s not good enough to have a 240mhz refresh rate offered on many LCD models that allow you to see every minor detail (yes, blemish) on an actor’s face…you get to see it all really up close and personal like never before. I didn’t sit through the demo at the Samsung booth but based on what I heard from show attendees who did, football in 3-D is just like being on the field except you are wearing those funky ‘Flava Flav” glasses. When asked “how much does your 3-D TV cost”, the company rep said “ prices have yet to be established in this category”. Translation: Be prepared to ask for a larger credit line with your bank. All of a sudden that new big screen you just purchased is looking pretty darn good!
Number 3: Business is getting better! CES attendance was way up from last year. There seems be a collective positive buzz about the prospects for 2010 and beyond. If TV manufacturers are announcing and showing 3-D TVs without conveying how much models will definitively cost, they must be wearing rose colored glasses! The people in chips and semi-conductors consistently reflected a positive perspective about their forecasts. Many companies are scrambling to find talent as they made deep cuts in 2009 and now need to replenish key positions in order to hit their 2010 and 2011 targets. From our perspective all good news.
Now, I am not saying the recession is over and we are completely out of the woods—far from it. What is evident is that our economy and industry is gaining positive momentum and we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel—in 3-D no less!
Lists That Really Mean Something
We live in a list obsessed culture. We make lists for everything. This is especially true at the end of a year and even more so, at the turn of a decade. There are top lists for all sorts of topics. Top news stories of the decade, top fashion trends of the year, top celebrity break ups and hook ups. We have top lists for technology gadgets, top business deals, worse dressed and top sports quotes. There is probably a top list for top lists! The one trait these top lists have in common is that they are principally a retrospective. They give us an opportunity to reflect back on what occurred, what impacted our planet, our city and even our lives. Candidly, the vast majority of the Top “take a look back” Lists written and published might be temporarily interesting but have a very short shelf life.
There are also top lists that are penned with a leaning toward the future. Just as we are bombarded with the Top 10 “whatevers” of 2009 prior to the New Year, we will be flooded with the top forward looking predictions covering darn near every topic imaginable…much of it unpleasant. Top 5 cities most likely to be targeted by terrorists, Top 10 investment banking executives to make a killing at taxpayer expense in 2010…well, you get the point.
But what about the present?
I can’t recall a Top 10 list specifically influencing what will happen now! Why, because it isn’t either, a) previous outcome or event we can write or talk about or b) a topic someone will pontificate on with a hope or probability of being accurate.
So, if the present is what we can impact, then I recommend we start making results based lists for the here and now! What do you mean? How about:
- · Seven customers I will call today to thank them for their business and loyalty – in the next hour.
- · Top three people I can encourage spontaneously or positively influence – today.
- · Five ways I can be a better parent, spouse, co-worker or friend — now.
- · Four steps I can take toward building my network – immediately.
By putting more of our focus on the present, not as much on the future and certainly much less on the past we call all be more productive and available to what is truly important — now.
The Fashion Crisis
Coming off a few days interviewing in NYC, can I say, those guys know how to dress. And I’m not talking about unlimited access to the world’s best in fashion–though who can resist a trip to Barneys?–I’m talking about common sense.
A friend of mine was in the job market recently and he sent me a hilarious note questioning what to wear in his upcoming interviews. He’s a senior, technical guy in Silicon Valley and ultimately did the right thing—guessing what the interview team might be wearing and dressing slightly better than that. He landed a great job at a great company.
What to wear during interviews, or for that matter in business in general, is an important question. I don’t like to see it cast as ‘to tie or not to tie’ as the conversation often is, because that leaves unaddressed the space where 80% of the mis-steps take place. More on that shortly.
The rules of engagement as I see it, may be simpler than you think. Technical or not, no matter what your gender, if the role requires face time with customers or is outbound facing in general, wear a jacket and slacks. Guys, error on the side of a tie. Lose the three piece suit look. Gals, error on the side of conservative. Never wear a skirt. Everybody: wear great shoes.
If the job is inbound facing, your best bet is business casual, jacket, trousers, pressed shirt.
The more outstanding your technical chops and the more inward facing, the more you can get away with casual attire and, ‘personalization’ in Silicon Valley. And only in Silicon Valley or LA. Recently, I had a candidate wear shorts to an interview. Like my ‘Brown’ delivery guy, he apparently wears shorts every day. My view on that is, be yourself. Just keep in mind that you may be limiting your options. Life is all about choices.
But here’s the deal– 80% of the fashion disasters are in the details of choices made and ability to execute. Next time you are getting a haircut, take a look at the back page of Glamour Magazine. You don’t want to show up in the ‘dos and don’ts page’. And yes, we have seen it all on interviews—from tie dyed jeans to capri pants, everything from sky high stilettos to clogs better suited for the garden than the office. Think you could get by without getting a haircut? Think again. Think we didn’t notice you desperately needed a fresh polish? Think again.
Every professional should be intimately familiar with the iron and the dry cleaner. My guy in shorts? They were nicely pressed.
Back To School
For weeks now, particularly as our friends haul their kids and their stuff off to colleges, I’ve been wanting to blog about the increasing value of an education. Now I find myself talking about this in the midst of an apparently heated conversation about whether our President should evangelize the topic to schoolchildren next week–he absolutely should.
Early on in my career, I was asked to speak to troubled high school kids and try to get them to understand that their earning potential was much higher if they got a high school diploma. The fact that I was an appealing recruit as a successful female engineer wasn’t lost on me then and it isn’t lost on me now. When people identify with someone, they are far more likely to be an influence.
More recently, my husband and I tag team nearly every year on the same mission. I have to admit that I dread these sessions–it’s really hard to know if you are getting through to these kids. And, while I fully realize that studies beyond the high school level are not for everyone and out of reach for too many, I’m even more of an advocate for getting the best and most marketable college education you possibly can.
It used to be that when you had no experience, your educational credentials, including your GPA, were of top consideration for a job. And as you progressed in your career, it mattered increasingly less.
As an executive recruiter, I’ve noticed a new trend over the past year, tied to the economic slowdown. Companies are putting more weight on where a candidate when to school–even those who graduated 20 years ago. As the job market tightened up over the past year, the professional openings that do exist have a far higher bar than in years past. It’s not uncommon today for a CEO to weigh in on a hiring decision several tiers down in their organization. I was discussing this with a hiring exec recently–his belief is that if someone earned a degree from Berkeley or Stanford, that’s a good proxy for an assessment on their IQ and their drive.
Of course this isn’t the only indicator; that’s why we conduct a minimum of six references, value work experience, and do in depth interviewing. And yes, being well rounded, able to string together a coherent sentence, being energetic, confident, well presented, etc. are all important. But those attributes have become the floor, not the bar.
The competition on the educational front is astounding. As we continue to compete for talent globally, I find that there’s no shortage of people who were born and raised abroad, who earned an engineering degree in their home country who came to the US, earned another technical undergraduate degree here, one with a perceived better brand, went on to earn a technical masters and more often than not an MBA on top of it all.
If you want to maximize the chances that you’ll stay employed the majority of your adult life, you need a highly marketable degree. There’s a lot of passion around the liberal arts program but I thought a colleague of mine said it best a couple of weeks ago, “Yes, I got a liberal arts education but then I went to trade school.” He’s a lawyer and CEO.
Earning the best education you can and making sacrifices to do so, whether it’s a night program that eats into your personal time, or a loan to pay for that big brand school, will pay off. I’m delighted that the President choose to speak on the topic and I hope that we put an increased focus and emphasis on education.
The Driving Force of Purpose
I recently had the opportunity provide input and guidance to several executives concerning which direction they will take in their careers. These conversations are always rewarding and I think I gained as much from them as they did. While we touched on many topics there is one theme which resonated with every single individual-PURPOSE
The foundational purpose behind what you do is an essential ingredient in your formula for success-regardless of how you define it. Yes, we are all in our respective businesses to make money (hopefully lots of it), consistent exceed plan, provide for our families, advance our careers, put the kids through college and live long enough to be a burden to them! But what is the “why” underneath those objectives? We often hear successful executives and entreprenuers say “it was never about the money” and in most cases, I don’t believe them. However, a few executives are unique. Their demonstrated integrity, character and values was the motivating force behind them. It was the profound purpose behind their actions. They were indeed motivated to make the world a better place, contribute to their community or build a company that “did good while doing well”.
At The Pachera Group we are aligned behind a common purpose-to match the very best talent we can find with a client that has a need for that executives capabilities. We are in the “fit” business and we do it very well. That said, there is deeper sense of purpose behind what we do. Each of us have experienced the significant upside of hiring superior talent into a company then stepping back and watching that person superbly execute their craft. As an executive, it is extremely rewarding to observe.
Our purpose is to bring the very best talent into our client companies that will change lives, create momentum, build lasting value and indeed make a difference. When the hired executive performs and the company benefits in measurable ways, part of our purpose is fulfilled. When that executive builds a great team, manages with integrity, mentors and inspires people, demands and gets the very best from his or her charges…then the circle of purpose is completed. When this happens, the individual managers who the executive hired, mentored and challenged will go off and do the same for others. The company wins, the executive wins and the team members win. A legacy is created from a shared purpose.
So, what is the driving purpose behind what you need to accomplish as you face the rest of the calendar year? Think about what Robert Louis Stevenson meant when he wrote “To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.” If we take that to heart, then doing what we have or need to do will be far more meaningful.