Archive for the ‘Career Transition & Outplacement’ Category

Who owns your career?

Posted on: May 18th, 2012 by Debra Magnuson

Many of our clients tell us that, other than actually losing a job, the worst part of working through the recent deep recession was the uncertainty of job insecurity. Not knowing if their jobs were safe, wondering when the other shoe might drop. This uncertainty is hard on us emotionally, and it causes us to act out of fear rather than true engagement. How likely are we to take the risks of innovation if that risk exposes us to failure? A “cover your behind” work culture doesn’t bring out the best in anyone.

The best job insurance is a mindset of taking responsibility for your own career–a commitment to staying aware of your personal value proposition and to strengthening that value, wherever you are. Ownership of your own value proposition means taking an honest, eyes-wide-open look at yourself:

What do you contribute that is unique?

What would your company lose if you weren’t there?
Who knows what you do?
How much is it valued? Are you sure?

This empowering career ownership point of view means that you take charge of your development, build networks of people who can help and support you, and act as your own best advocate.  It means that you don’t wait for a boss or HR to tap you on the shoulder to give you a raise or promotion.  Consider these 5 Best Actions to be more powerful in owning your career:
1. Do an honest evaluation of your value to the organization (see questions above).
2. Create a feedback loop with someone you trust—perceptions are reality, and each of us is accountable for the impact we make, both in the results we achieve and the quality of our relationships.

3. Think about your career in terms of where you’ve been and where you want to go.  Are you on the path you’d planned for?  Are you heading in the right direction?  If not, what are you willing to change to correct the course?

4.  Take advantage of development opportunities in your workplace.  Take relevant classes if they’re offered, and volunteer to be on a task force or project team.  Be seen as someone who takes action!

5.  Update your resumé.  Resumés aren’t just for people looking for a new job outside the company. They are a valuable tool for internal positioning, too, and you need yours to be ready when the next opportunity comes up.   For most people, the work of updating the resumé is an eye-opening, affirming experience of what they know and what they’ve accomplished.

 

Too often, an employee’s IDP, or individual development plan, is a piece of paper or a computer file that HR requires and managers and employees go through the motions to complete.  The challenge is to make our own development plans real-world, living documents that represent a meaningful, exciting course of action to take us where we want to go.  Whose career is it? That’s up to you.

Effective Executive On-Boarding Practices

Posted on: May 3rd, 2012 by Tamara Tasche

Depending on the source, 40% to 60% of executive hires fail in the first 6-12 months on the job.  It has been said that the failure and departure of a newly placed executive can cost between two and three times the executive’s annual salary.  For every leader that fails, there are many others who survive but never realize their potential.  Implementing an executive on-boarding program is critical to the successful integration, retention and performance of new leaders.

Effective executive on-boarding programs have certain common denominators.  They tend to be long-term (up to 12 months).  They provide multiple sources of support (internal and external).  They are customized to the individual and often provide coaching resources to shore up development areas that surfaced during the selection process.   Key stakeholders are identified and held accountable for creating and implementing a clear plan to integrate the newly hired executive within the organization.  During the on-boarding period, an individual plan for growth and performance is developed, deliverables are jointly defined for the first three months, and ongoing feedback is given so that course correction is possible.  New executives are also placed on cross-functional teams to gain strategic perspective.

Emphasis is placed on helping the new executive understand the history and culture of the organization, assessing the current state of things, building relationships and pursuing easy wins during the first three months versus putting a “stake in the ground” by driving major change.  Often a mentor is assigned to the new leader to support the on-boarding process and learning plan, identify or develop structured networking activities, and assist the newly hired executive in navigating the cultural and political landscape of the organization.

Hiring managers play a key role in the successful on-boarding of executives.  This includes delivering proactive communication – messages that address underlying emotions and help to create buy-in among internal employees who will be directly impacted by the hire – and minimizing surprises to eliminate potential distrust toward and avoidance of the new hire.  They should facilitate relationship-building with established team members.  They should create and articulate clear role definition for team members to avoid confusion, overlap, and turf wars.

New executives should also create a plan to facilitate success during on-boarding and discuss it with hiring managers.  Plan components may include:

 1.       Assessment of Current Situation – Stakeholder meetings; team / employee meetings; business or function and team assessment; short-term and long-term objectives;  early wins

2.       Accelerated Learning Plan – Cultural dynamics; industry knowledge; technical Knowledge or skills; transition to the next level of leadership

3.       Alignment Strategy – Goals and timelines; communication plan; team member role clarification

4.       Followership – Team-building; on-going stakeholder relations

5.       Corporate Championship – Identification and relationship-building

 

Given that many executives fail in their new roles, we believe that executive on-boarding is an essential process to avoid unnecessary anxiety and cost, and to facilitate the successful integration, retention and performance of new leaders.

Preparing for an Interview

Posted on: April 19th, 2012 by Judy Galt

Here at CPI we stress adequate preparation for an interview.  That means researching the company and having a thorough understanding of who it is and what it does and where it does it, among other things.  Another part of the preparation is trying to gather some information about the person with whom you will be interviewing.  If you can find that interviewer on LinkedIn, huzzah!  You can probably use any of the information on the profile to break the ice as the interview begins.  And you would probably be safe in mentioning that you found him/her on LinkedIn.  After all, if the interviewer didn’t want you to know something, s/he wouldn’t have included it on LinkedIn!

Another approach is to search for information on the Internet.  Do you know the best way to do that?  Perhaps I can share some tips.  The best way is to use your favorite search engine such as Google, Yahoo or Bing.  Create a search using the interviewer’s name in both the “firstname lastname” and “lastname firstname” formats.  This will cover finding the name in a news article as well as on some sort of list that is alphabetized by last name.  You’ll want to put the name is quotation marks to ensure that the search engine looks for the first name in front of and next to the last name and vice versa.  Connect the two formats with the “or” Boolean operator, entered all in caps.

Sound confusing?  Here’s an example:  “John Doe” OR “Doe John.”  Enter that simple query into the search engine’s search box and see what comes up.  If there are too many results, go back to the search box and add a qualifier such as the name of the company or Minnesota to whittle the list down.

Now what?  You look through the results to see what you can learn about this person that you can use in an interview.  And here’s where you need to start being careful.  Remember, just because you find it on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true.  AND, just because the information uses the name of the interviewer, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the right person.  For example, if you search for me, you’ll find an entry on the IMDB website (Internet Movie Database) that announces to anyone who is looking that Judy Galt has had a starring role is a somewhat sleazy looking movie called “Ilsa, the Tigress of Siberia.”  Now I can guarantee you that if you come to me for an interview and try to break the ice by asking me about that movie, I’m not going to be a happy camper and you might very well slide to the bottom of my list of candidates.  Why?  Because I’ve never been in that movie or any other movie!  You got the wrong person!  And you don’t look good as a result.  So when you find an interesting tidbit that you’d like to bring up in an interview, be sure to do some additional searching to make sure you’ve got the right person.  If you can’t verify it, you shouldn’t use it.

But what if you can verify it?  Then you need to be careful how you introduce it so that you don’t freak the interviewer out with tales of your cyber-stalking skills.  You would never say, for example, “I spent all last night searching for you on the Internet and I discovered that you…” and hope for a good result.  If the positions were reversed, wouldn’t you be a little turned off by an opening gambit like that?  Instead, try to think of a non-threatening way to introduce the topic.

I’m a fan of Sam Richter and his book “Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling.”  In that book, he gives several ideas of non-threatening ways to break the ice.  An example he gave in a workshop I attended was that of an executive Sam was calling on in the early fall.  Sam’s research had turned up an announcement of the man’s son’s wedding during the summer.  So Sam hoped to use that topic to get the conversation rolling along.  Rather than ask specifically about how the wedding went, Sam instead asked the executive how his summer had been.  So if the son had stood his bride up at the altar and the executive didn’t want to talk about it, he didn’t have to AND he didn’t know Sam knew.  If the executive DID want to talk about it, he could and he STILL didn’t know Sam already knew, so he had no reason to be concerned about Sam’s research.

We have “Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling” in our library, so feel free to look it over for additional tips and strategies for researching people on the web.  And be sure to add this step to your other interview preparations.

A Tribute to the Movies

Posted on: April 5th, 2012 by Irene Rossman

One of my great passions in life is going to the movies. I don’t mind renting movies but I truly love seeing movies in the theater. This is a spiritual experience for me—the darkened theater, the hushed anticipation of the audience, the aroma of fresh popcorn, the glory of cinematography, watching great actors transcend their art into reality. I find it all thrilling. I read all of the movie reviews, and carefully evaluate movies based on the credibility of the reviewer. Academy Awards season is as important to me as any holiday and I give it my full attention. So with all of that said, you can understand my interest in W Magazine paying tribute to the movies in its spring publication. The article discusses how movies this year mirror the mood of the culture—and that we are living in a cautious, alienated, and uncertain time.

This article greatly intrigued me as I thought back on my favorite movies of the year: Moneyball, The Help, The Descendants, The Artist, Young Adult, Bridesmaids, and A Separation.  The article mentions that 2011 was not full of happy endings in movies.   The author describes the main character in Moneyball (wonderfully portrayed by Brad Pitt as Billy Beane, the real-life manager of the Oakland Athletics) “as evoking the pain of men everywhere: the startling realization that, after a lifetime of believing otherwise, your best may no longer be good enough.” Rather than the typical happy Hollywood ending, the main character successfully initiates change but comes up short in the big win. He’s faced with choices regarding his values, not necessarily popular and accepted choices. The Academy Award winner for Best Picture this year went to The Artist, a throwback to the era of black and white cinema. Jean Dujardin, who also won the Best Actor award, played George Valentin, a silent movie star who is unwilling to adjust to talkies.  “Like individuals everywhere who feel replaced by the innovations of the modern world, he fights the system. He loses. George’s happy ending is not perfect. He makes certain adjustments that allow him to return to the spotlight. It might not be what he imagined, but it is the reality he has to accept.”

We are all faced with these dilemmas in our lives. Dealing with change, adjusting to innovation, living with uncertainty, realizing the world we grew up in is a different place than what we knew, the complexity of relationships, doing our best while maintaining our values.  The world of work is a microcosm of the larger culture. Where do I fit in? If I do my best, is it good enough?  Am I keeping up, and am I adapting quickly enough to change?  And, many times, things don’t work out the way we had hoped. But we plug on.

Albert Einstein said that “imagination is more important than knowledge.” Despite uncertainty and disappointment, our imaginations allow us to persevere in finding a great job or career and never giving up on our dreams.

Going to the movies will continue to exhilarate me. It is my time to escape into magnificent story telling. Like other great art forms, movies convey the essence of our culture and the dilemmas of individuals. We can learn a great deal by reflecting and integrating some of these lessons into our own lives.

Achieve Superior Results — The Extra Degree

Posted on: March 6th, 2012 by Kari Berg No Comments

Today I was looking at the bookshelf in our CEO’s office, a small red book seam with 212° printed on the side caught my eye. What I found was 212°: The Extra Degree by S.L. Parker. I skimmed through the book in a few minutes, but discovered a very motivational analogy for how to achieve superior results:

 “At 211 degrees, water is hot.

 At 212 degrees, it boils.

 And with boiling water, comes steam.

 And with steam, you can power a train.”

“Applying one extra degree of temperature to water means the difference between something that is simply very hot and something that generates enough force to power a machine” (Parker, 2005). One extra degree. One extra degree can make such a significant change and contribution. When water is at 211°, there is no reason not to add the extra degree to achieve results. The same analogy can be used in thinking about career transitions. What is the extra degree that you need to achieve your goal? One more job applied for each week? One more networking conversation?

 “The line between failure and success is so fine that we… are often on the line and do not know it. How many a man has thrown up his hands at a time when a little more effort, a little more patience, would have achieved success?”

– Elbert Hubbard, American Writer

Check out this video, which is based on 212°: The Extra Degree: http://www.212movie.com/.

What can you do this week to add the extra degree?

AVOIDING JOB SEARCH PITFALLS

Posted on: February 28th, 2012 by Judy Galt No Comments

The Monday Morning Kickoff topic at CPI this week was “Job Search Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them.”  Here’s a summary of a few of the points I made:

Job searching can seem daunting.  Don’t just jump right in without doing some initial thinking and planning.  Career consultant Ford R. Myers says, “Most people spend more time planning a vacation than planning a job search.”  And Julie Bauke, author of “Stop Peeing on Your Shoes,” advises not to start your search “without a plan or much thought as to where you want to go and how you plan to get there.”  You can use the resources at CPI (networking opportunities, consultant, library, research support, etc.) to help you move your search in the right direction.  No need to go it alone.  However, you do need to accept responsibility for doing the work – don’t expect others to do it for you.  It is YOUR search and is unique to you, after all.

There are lots of tools in the job seeker’s tool chest.  Use more than one of them.  You can’t rely totally on your network or on job boards or the want ads or LinkedIn or cold calling or….  You need to find the combination of tools that works for you.  And it’s best to work at your search every day.  Those who make their job search their new full time job seem to fare better than others who use a more haphazard approach.

Find an organization strategy that works for you and use it!  Job searching generates a lot of information:  company research files, networking meetings, appointments with your consultant, workshops, and job applications and interviews.  You’ll need to keep track of it all.  The Positively Minnesota site has some worksheets you can download at: http://positivelyminnesota.com/JobSeekers/Recently_Unemployed/Preparing_for_a_Job_Search/Getting_Organized.aspx.  So does About.com:  http://jobsearch.about.com/od/findajob/tp/jobsearchchecklists.htm.  There are also some online sites to help you organize your search, such as www.jibberjobber.com.

When looking at job opportunities, try to focus on what will be right for you.  Don’t take just anything simply because it’s available.  You don’t want to be out doing a job search again in a few months because you made the wrong choice.  Likewise, don’t apply for a multitude of jobs that you aren’t qualified for.  If HR reps notice your repeated inappropriate applications, they may automatically discount you when a job you really do qualify for comes along.

At the Oscar ceremonies last weekend, one recipient said he only wanted to thank three people, “Billy Wilder, Billy Wilder, and Billy Wilder.”  In a similar spirit, don’t forget the advice of most career consultants to “Network, Network, Network.”  Much of your job search time should be invested in your networking.  Focus on building relationships, asking for advice and information rather than jobs.  Demonstrate a generous attitude, listening more than talking.

When using job boards, be sure to use the Advanced Search functionality when it’s available and search for your keywords in the job title field for increased search precision.  Use the alerts feature to save your searches and have the job boards execute them every day (while you are out networking?).  Use aggregators like www.Indeed.com  and www.SimplyHIred.com to get broad search coverage.  Choose some specialty or niche job boards, check out the career pages of all your target companies, and don’t overlook your professional association job boards.  Try to apply for jobs directly on the career page of the hiring company and FOLLOW DIRECTIONS!

When interviewing, be sure to dress appropriately and check your appearance before going in.  You don’t want part of your lunch stuck in your teeth.  Be sure to avoid bad-mouthing a previous employer or boss.  Avoid misrepresenting your skills, education, and experience, too.  Practice your answers to the “gimme” questions such as “Tell me about yourself,” or “Why should we hire you?”

Be sure to develop a positive online presence by creating profiles on multiple sites.  Suggested sites include LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, BusinessCard 2.0, Visible.me, Flickr.   Studies have shown an increase in the number of companies exploring these sites for information about candidates and potential employees.  If the social media sites aren’t right for you, consider creating a blog or a personal website.  You can also create a positive online presence by simply writing your opinion of a recently read book on Amazon.com or starting or responding to discussions in online groups such as our own Career Partners International, Twin Cities LinkedIn group.

This was an interesting and interactive session.  If you haven’t been attending the Monday Morning Kickoffs, maybe you should give them a try.  You never know what tips you might pick up to make your search process run a little more smoothly.

IMPROVE YOUR LINKEDIN FINDABILITY BY 12X

Posted on: February 22nd, 2012 by Anne Pryor No Comments

LinkedIn makes improvements to the site based on feedback from members. Two changes have been introduced to the Profile that may have an impact on your profile completeness score.

First, the Profile now puts more emphasis on Skills and Expertise. This means you can showcase your areas of expertise to easily connect with people that have similar skills, or with companies looking for subject matter experts. This can be found on the Company Profile,  click on the bar chart on the right side of the profile, and you’ll see a listing of the most popular skills of employees at that company.

Secondly, LinkedIn changed how profile completeness is calculated. The new calculation gives you more control of your score by emphasizing things you have direct control over, like skills, and putting less weight on recommendations. The score also takes profile freshness into consideration, so I recommend adding a new key word, or a new book to the Amazon reading list each week.

From LinkedIn, here are tips for completing your profile based on the new calculation.

Complete your profile: Adding a profile photo makes your profile 7x more likely to be found in searches.  Also, having your two most recent positions makes your profile 12x more likely to be found. Simple updates like these make a difference.

Here are quick steps to create a complete profile and ensure you’re putting your best foot forward:

1)    Add a profile photo

2)    List all the jobs or positions you’ve held, along with descriptions of your roles

3)    Have 5 or more skills on your profile

4)    Write a summary about yourself

5)    Fill out your industry and postal code

6)    Add where you went to school

7)    Have 50 or more connections – it’s easier than you think to get connected! (I like to see clients get to 100 connections.  I opens up more possibilities for you to find that great job – remember to keep in mind: people you know, like and trust)

Interview with Patricia Berg, CEO

Posted on: February 16th, 2012 by Irene Rossman No Comments

Patricia Berg, the CEO of Career Partners International Twin Cities and Recipient of the MCDA 2011 Jules Kerlan Outstanding Achievement Award, was interviewed for the Winter Newsletter of the Minnesota Career Development Association and the complete interview follows:

___________________________________________

Patricia Berg was the 2011 recipient of the MCDA Jules Kerlan Award. During her impressive 25-year career, Pat has been a business owner, coach, and career counselor. She is the Chief Executive Officer of Career Partners International, a Career and Executive Coaching organization. Patricia is active in numerous professional and community endeavors and serves on the board of SHIFT as Board Chairman.

 Tell us about your background and what led you into the field of career development.

For a number of years I worked in Human Resources – as an administrator, recruiter, and ultimately as a Director of HR.  I found that much of the employee relations and coaching I was engaged in focused on careers – how to engage a workforce, how to provide career feedback, how to build skills, how to coach and mentor a staff, etc.  While on sabbatical with young children, my former employer was acquired and a major downsizing occurred.  They asked me to come in and work with the employees on developing their resumes and helping them prepare for the job search process.  That ultimately led me to the field of career development and shortly after I joined Personnel Decisions International as a Career Coach.

 What do you feel are your greatest accomplishments and why?

The first accomplishment is seeing clients succeed.  Navigating through a career transition can be challenging for all kinds of reasons.  When clients successfully land in a position that’s a good fit, it’s our reward as career coaches.  I love to hear clients tell their stories and listen to what was important to them in the process.   Secondly would be putting together a business model and strategy that recognizes the individuality of the process.  It isn’t a one size fits all business, and our clients regularly remind us that what we do and how we do it makes a difference to them. Finally, having the pleasure to work with an outstanding team, people who are committed to helping clients, and who share my values of individualization, innovation, and relationship based delivery.

 You are a business owner, career consultant/counselor, executive and entrepreneurial coach….so many roles in your career! What do you enjoy the most about your job/career?

Most of all I enjoy working with people on a 1×1 basis to help them figure out what’s next in their career and then create a strategic plan to help them reach their goal.  When you work with people during a period of transition, you often establish deep and on-going relationships.  These people call for years to get advice, touch base, and refer friends or colleagues.  It is these relationships that mean the most to me.

What advice would you give a young person starting out in our profession?

I would advise them to really understand their underpinnings.  My values have driven all of my career choices.  What do they believe in, what’s most important to them, how do they want to be perceived in the marketplace, and what kind of a reputation do they want to build.  Secondly, professional development is important for everyone.  Joining in and participating in MCDA and other professional development groups keep you learning.

 Final Comments:

I would like to extend my thanks to MCDA and the career community. It is an honor to be recognized with this award and I am deeply appreciative. When I reflect on the importance of the work we do, and how next to family, careers are a central part of people’s lives, the impact of the career profession cannot be emphasized enough.

Job Search Tip: Resumes and Keywords

Posted on: January 17th, 2012 by Kari Berg No Comments

We have heard over and over that keywords are an important part of resumes. At first glance, a hiring manager may only spend 30 seconds looking at your resume. If your resume contains keywords that match the job you are applying for, the hiring manager may take a closer look.

If you are writing your resume from scratch, go find postings for jobs that you are interested in. What are the keywords in those postings? Make a list of keywords that are specific to your target industry. Keywords include things like job titles, skills and requirements, education and certifications, and acronyms and industry terminology.  Don’t forget to customize your resume for each job you are applying for.  Look at the keywords in the job posting, and include those in your resume.

An interesting tool that will highlight what your resume communicates is a word cloud. Making a word cloud of your resume, using websites such as  Wordle or Tagxedo, will show you what words are emphasized in your resume. As an example, I am including a Tagxedo word cloud of CPI Twin Cities’ home page. As you can see, our emphasis is on CAREER, COACHING, DEVELOPMENT, and TRANSITION.

What words are emphasized in your resume?

Changing Careers or Targeting a Company Informational Interviews Are a Must Strategy

Posted on: January 5th, 2012 by Anne Pryor No Comments

If you are looking to change careers, target a company or seek information about getting additional education, an informational interview is a perfect strategy.  The technique is a conversation with a professional in the area that you’re considering changing to or a company that you may be targeting to gather career information.  The biggest tip is that this interview is all about them; it’s not about you.

The purpose of the conversation is to increase your knowledge and to development meaningful contacts.  The insights can help you develop self-confidence and to see if you may be a “fit” based on the culture and values of the company.  The interviewee is providing you with their insights and advice about their experiences.

I’ve used this technique many times in my career and most recently when I choose to explore my Portfolio Career.  I began contacting people who already had Portfolio Careers and I found them through the LinkedIn Groups.  In addition, Patricia Berg provided me with valuable connections and I tapped into professional organizations and associations for contacts.  I met with 11 people who provided invaluable insights as I moved from a traditional career to my ‘Freedom Plan’ Portfolio Career; I have a variety of jobs with different employers, none of them as a traditional full time employee.

The steps:

  •  Identify your needs – a new career, a targeted company or maybe if you would like to pursue a degree.
  •  Get organized; create a Interview Guide sheet to ensure that you can track when you’ve communicated and followed up with contacts and to measure the outcomes.
  • Create a list of possible contacts, names, addresses, phone numbers – use the CPI Alumni database, LinkedIn, check with your career coach, Association Executive Directors, Alumni Career Centers, and friends
  • Create a communicates strategy – start contact by leaving a voice message, follow up with an email, follow up again with another email to confirm the time and location
  • When scheduling a meeting, it’s important to be considerate of the location.  I like to meet at the interviewee’s office or a local close to their office, which is convenient for them.

Be prepared:

  • Do your research. Research to contact, Google them, look them up on LinkedIn. Research the company, the jobs that they have open and the latest news or Twitter Tweets.
  • Prepare a list of questions (see list of examples below).
  • Take notes on the Interview Guide (It is okay to take notes during the meeting.)

Follow up:

  • Send a THANK YOU note.  I suggest both an email thank you and a more formal, hand written note.  Your email may be blocked by their spam blocker and never get through. With the hand written note you can include your business card again and perhaps an article that would be helpful to them.
  • Ask how you can help the interviewee.

Lastly, stay in touch with you new contact.  Invite them to LinkedIn and touch base with them when you’ve landed or made your changes.  People love success stories.

Sample interview questions and interview guide:

http://www.quintcareers.com/information_interview.html

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/infointerviews/a/infointervquest.htm