Take Nothing Personally in Job Search

In my professional career in software development, Lee Babbitt, my friend and mentor, once advised me that I needed to slow down and not to take things personally. I thought of Sonny and Michael Corleone in the first Godfather movie, “...it’s not personal, Sonny, it’s strictly business!” Many years later, when I began my professional career in career consulting, we were told in training, “Tell your clients that it’s not personal and don’t take things said or even things not said personally.”

I hear this from clients all the time. They had a great interview and the hiring manager said they would be making a decision by the end of the week, and now it’s ten days later and they still haven’t heard anything. They begin to doubt their experience and become fearful, saying thinks like, “I must have blown the interview.” or “Why are they doing this to me?”  Then a few days later they call the hiring manager or the HR Rep and find out that something unexpected happened and now they expect to start the next steps soon, or tomorrow.

Those times when the client missed the job opportunity and wasn’t chosen--when they learn that they didn’t get the job--they are crushed. They start going over the experience looking for something they did to “blow it” in the interview process. They must have done something wrong, or they think that the interviewer just didn’t like them from the start! Often neither is the case, they just picked someone else. The job seeker didn’t do anything wrong, nothing! But, this is hard for many job seekers to accept. It’s hard for them not to take it personally and start to move on to the next opportunity.

It makes sense. Being turned down for a job hurts... but to get past the hurt, think of it this way: Say you were out looking for new shoes and you find a pair that looks great. You ask the clerk for your size and they have a pair a half of a size smaller and a half of a size bigger, but not your exact size. You try on the shoes and they don’t fit, they don’t feel right. Would you buy them anyway? Or would you go to another store? Remember there are two outcomes to an interview...

The two outcomes to an interview are: Get the job offer or get a referral. If the shoes don’t fit it’s easy to ask the clerk if they could suggest another store that sells those shoes; then you could get them in your size. The job seeker can do the same thing in the interview process: ask if they know of anything else where they could use your skills and abilities. It’s professional, proactive and takes the focus off the negative. Often the interviewer will realize the job seeker would be great in an other department and they are happy to recommend you.

So refusing to take bad news personally help to keep you in a positive frame of mind and often find an equally good opportunity.

Networking: Following Up Just Enough

Last time I suggested being mindful of the words you use and how much you talk in a networking meeting or interview. This posting is about how to follow up with out feeling like a stalker. 

In February Steve Rosenblum spoke at the Career Stimulus Program’s monthly meeting at Harper College in Palatine, Illinois. It was a very good talk, and it excelled in delivering a means for job seekers to follow up. Steve’s talk was entitled: “Organizing Your Job Search” and he drew out his 3X3 Networking process. Steve is an HR professional and he comfortably suggest working through the a company’s HR organization.

Its basic premise is to wait three business days after the initial contact or application and follow up with someone in the company, either the hiring manager or HR staff contact. If you are leaving a voice mail or talking to the person on the phone your message is the same. It has three parts:

1. Acknowledge that they are busy and probably have a lot of responses to the open position.
2. Ask if they received your application or resume; that this is the purpose of your call.
3. Ask if there is anything that can be done to improve your chances for the opportunity.

If you have left a message and don’t hear back, Steve suggests that you wait three days from your last contact and call back. Then If you don’t hear back on the third day call again. Still if you haven’t heard back follow up one more time. If after three follow ups from your initial contact or application they haven’t connected with you, place them in a holding file because you never know when someone might contact you and you should never really give up until you get a definite “No, thank you.”

Mr. Rosenblum’s talk covered following up prior to an interview. How about after having an interview, how long should someone wait to follow up?

We teach that once you’ve had an interview, the following up process changes from three business days to a week to ten day waiting period. After an interview, either for a job opening or an informational interview, call the person the next day and thank them for their time and to reconfirm that you are interested in the opportunity if that is appropriate. (Informational or networking interviews probably don’t have a job opportunity right away, but may later.)  Then call back every week to ten days to let them know you’re still interested in the opportunity and are looking forward to moving ahead. You may keep calling until you get a definite yes or no without being considered a stalker.

In addition to a phone call after an interview go ahead and send a hand written note. You wouldn’t believe it but over 60% of people don’t follow up after an interview and even more don’t follow up after network meetings. I look at it this way... if you don’t follow up then your efforts in your job search to get the interview are wasted. Don’t waste your hard work. Network - Interview - Follow up - Land the job!

Next week we’ll talk about Xtranormal movies...

Being Late: The Interview Killer

  This is a problem that has plagued humanity for millennia. The Romans had one solution--slightly impractical--although no one was ever late a second time. Beyond it being an ancient behavior, it is a killer in the interview process. Nothing communicates “Don’t hire me!” more clearly than showing up late for an interview. Sadly, for too many people being late is habitual. 

  What do people perceive when you arrive late to an interview or any meeting? Two things pop to mind:

First, it is rude and shows a lack of respect for everyone who arrived first. It is simply poor manners.
Second, when a positive impression is most important, you’re late! You’ll be late with deadlines, late with key information and late when the team needs you most. You’re not trustworthy!

  Tardiness is not allowed in job search, you need to be early to make a positive impression in the interview. When you’re shooting for a promotion or in a job search erase tardiness from your life. Wake up early and make sure you are early for everything you do. Create a mindset that being on time is for average people and you’re above average. Remove the things that set you up for being late; mitigate the risks before they result in a situation where you’ll be late.

  I know of accountability groups that sometimes deal with people being late...What if someone in your team or group is late, what can you do? Let everyone in the group know that this is not acceptable behavior. Point out that it is disrespectful to the members of the group who arrived on time, unprofessional and disruptive to the efforts/goals of the group. Remind the whole group that the purpose of the group is to help each other change habits and behaviors that are keeping them from achieving their goals and or a job offer.

  Beyond that what can you do: This is a good example when giving feedback in a group setting is acceptable since the whole group has been affected by the negative behavior. If people cannot change the behavior, invite them to leave the group; they may return when they can behave more professionally.

  One responsibility for an accountability group is to point out things that are hindering a member’s job search. If that member is being serious about a job search they need to be professional in all aspects of their life and actions speak louder than words.

  So be professional, be early and be prepared to do your very best in interviewing, networking and in every interaction you have during your day. You never know where that job offer will start from or end up.

Myths, Conventional Wisdom and Other Rationalizations

   In "5 Career Myths Busted" Maria Hanson of LiveCareer discusses five different myths that conventional wisdom teaches, which are absolutely false... unless you make them true by believing them. Human beings create self-fulfilling prophecies by accepting something erroneous because it speaks to our deepest fears. Here are the myths that Maria Hanson addresses:

• Myth #1: I can't get a job without experience.
• Myth #2: All that most workers care about is their salary.
• Myth #3: It's too late to change careers.
• Myth #4: Multitasking is the most efficient way to work.
• Myth #5: Without close supervision, most workers will get away with whatever they can.

   I want to comment about myths one and three. If you find yourself in transition or even just starting out from college Myth #1 is a statement that everyone feels must be true. Someone experiencing difficulty finding a job will state this myth and then say, "It's a real Catch-22" referring to the Joseph Heller novel. If you hear someone say this to you, feel free to hold them accountable by asking the question, "If that is true why isn't there 100% unemployment?" The trouble is if someone is holding on to this myth as a rationalization for not landing a job, what real reason are they missing?  Something that is in their power to change is going unnoticed.

   Myth #3 is a similar kind of rationalization that people use to stay stuck. I'm too old, or it's too late. I've changed careers three times in my life, maybe four depending how you count the career I am in now. Again if this myth is true no mother who raised her children could ever work again outside the home. It may take some additional formal education or training program, but people do it every day. Actually for my clients that are burned out from their most recent job, the prospect of changing careers is an exciting opportunity.

   Here is where attitude comes into the equation. Having a positive, enthusiastic attitude with a certain amount of patience will make all the difference. We all have "transferable skills." These are the skills that are required to be successful in various different careers. Project management is one of these skills sets. I cannot think of an occupation that does not require some level of project management. What is incumbent on the career changer is communicating how the transferable skill is the hard part and the specifics of the new field can be learned quickly.

   Not everyone will buy that argument. People want to believe that their field or industry is unique and I don't blame them: we all want to feel special. The health industry says no to many applicants because, "You don't have any health care industry experience." Yet, with a little learning and taking the time and effort to establish a relationship with people in the field you can move into a new industry. Building and growing relationships are really important. Reaching out to folks asking to meet for an "informational" or courtesy interview is key.

   As people with hiring authority get to know you and what you bring to the table you'll make the connections that will land you a job. This is true for your first job or if you are changing careers.

Networking is for Everyone

As a compound word, Networking has two words that make it up: net and work. Net as in a contrivance of cord tied into an open, meshed fabric, for catching things; or anything serving to catch or ensnare. A net could also be a connection of things like computers as in the Internet.

Work is exertion or effort directed to produce or accomplish something; or the result of exertion, labor, or activity. Author Lillian Bjorseth defines Networking as an active, dynamic process that links people into mutually beneficial relationships to create social capital.

It's important to realize that it is work, but it doesn't have to be toil. It requires talking to people and establishing relationships and this is sometimes difficult or scary for people. But if you are in sales, especially in today's marketplace, you'd better get good at networking.

The work comes in two forms: first, calling people on the phone; the second comes in meeting people face to face. Regardless of everything written, it comes down to phone calls and meeting people face to face. Without these two aspects you cannot build mutually beneficial relationships.

It's funny, the other day I heard someone call a "network marketing" business "relationship marketing."  Boy, they created a new terminology that hits the nail on the head. Building relationships is not easy: just ask anyone who is married or in a family. It's work and that's okay, it can be fun and invigorating building your network if you remember you will need to give before before you will receive.

It is exciting when you meet people to whom you can give something, something of value. In sales it might be the information associated with your product or service which will benefit the other people's life or business. In a job search it might be another connection or even the promise to pay the benefit forward. There is a Tao in networking where you only receive when you give freely. This requires being open and giving of yourself. This may be the scariest part of networking for some people.

I saw an interesting blog the other day that asked this question, among others: "do you have to be born with the ability to network?" Link The short answer is no, just a willingness to get to know people. The blog quotes Dale Carnegie, "You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you."

 

So realize that everyday you are faced with countless opportunities to network with people and it could lead to something fantastic. Happy Networking.

"It's all about doing the things others are unwilling to do."

   I was watching the movie "Rudy" the other night with my wife and kids. "Rudy" is the story of a person with a dream that is seemingly so impossible that everyone dismisses it except for the dreamer himself. Rudy wants to go to Notre Dame and to play football for the Irish. Rudy's grades aren't very good, he is a little guy and playing collegiate football is hard on the body if not downright dangerous. But, Rudy sticks with it despite every challenge and in the end is carried off the field a hero and achieves a degree from Notre Dame University.

   How many times in life are we tired, beat up and bloodied and still we get up and go at it again? That is the message of the "Rudy" story. Keeping your eye on the goal and if you lose sight of the goal, refocus and keep going. This happens everyday and some people pick themselves up and continue and others quit and give up the goal.

   Todd Smith, of "Little Things Matter" once commented to me, "It's all about doing the things that others are unwilling to do." Think about that for a minute...

   So what are you willing to do to move your career along? Will you humbly promote yourself? I hear people say... "I don't like blowing my own horn!" So who will if you won't? Not the competition, I've never heard the Ford Motor Company say, "Gee aren't those GM cars and trucks the best!" Blow your horn; write down and keep track of your accomplishments and develop them into success stories! It take work to stop and think and log in the experience and then hone it down to a story people will want to hear. But it's worth it, because the other guy is likely unwilling to do it--because they don't want to blow their own horn!

   I heard a stat once that 60% of all interviews are never acknowledged with a thank-you! Seriously, 60% of the time people don't say thank you to the interviewer for taking time to meet with them. Not a note or email or phone call... because??? Who knows why?... Does it matter? If you send a thank-you you've moved into the 40% who do. And maybe only 4%, four out of a hundred, will make a phone call to thank the interviewer. If the interviewer only interviews five or six people you'll probably be the only one who will make the call. That's one way to distinguish yourself among the crowd.

   If it's about doing what others are unwilling to do... what are you willing to do?

Relationship + Success Story = Job Offer

A month or so ago I met with a fellow who asked me for some coaching regarding his job search.  This past week Jim sent me an email saying that he landed a job. I asked him what made the difference in getting the job offer. He said that he was very relaxed and built rapport during the interview . He also said that he and the interviewer talked at great length about one of his professional success stories . I asked Jim if I could share his email. He said that I could as long as I fixed his typos. Here's Jim's email with minor editing.

Hello Thomas…

   My knowledge of the job, combined with a degree, is what got me the interview, but I believe it was my rapport with the people interviewing me that actually got me the offer. I can definitely say, your advice helped a lot…

   First thing, as you mentioned, they offered me something to drink, and as you suggested, I accepted. From there we discussed the companies origins and how the people interviewing me helped to get the company where it was today. We then discussed where they were trying to go and what part the position I was interviewing for played in the company plans. During that time I talked about what I could do to assist the company with reaching their goals and targets making sure I kept the conversation more in the atmosphere that I was already part of their team. They really seemed to like the fact that I used the We/team concept rather than the I/me concept. 

   I must say the one thing the interviewers were really impressed by, was a quality award I had received from a company I did not work at….   We probably talked for 20 or 30 minutes about how, when, and why I won the award, the customer and team focus it represented.  Anyway, Michael, the owner, got back to my old boss and told him he really enjoyed our meeting and he was looking forward to seeing me again. 

   The only other comment I think I have is that…  for some reason I was extremely comfortable when we sat down to talk and I think that comfort might show as confidence. Like myself, the owner was a Southsider, and as you know, when I get excited about an issue I tend to develop somewhat of a Chicago accent. Well Michael, caught on to that pretty early in the interview and talked with me about where I grew up and how the neighborhoods had changed since we were kids…  Thinking about my childhood got me to think about my own kids and it just made me feel comfortable…

Jim

What Jim's letter reminds us is that being qualified gets you the interview. What gets you the job offer is how well they like you and believe that you can help them succeed. I imagine that the more Jim relaxed, the more confident he appeared and the more relaxed the interviewers were. That made it easier for them to envision Jim working for them. Additionally, when Jim cited the success story about the quality award he won from a customer he hit on an important value to the interviewer. Jim went into the interview prepared and he didn't try to be something he wasn't... and that won him the job offer. Now you know that it's not magic, anyone can do it, so "Do it, Make it Happen!" 

Congratulations, Jim. Thanks for sharing your story.

If you have a story about an interview that went well, send me an email or post a comment here.  It really is important to realize that interviewing is all about establishing a relationship with the interviewer(s) and building on that with relevant success stories. 

Later this week I'll be speaking at Harper College at the Career Stimulus Program. My topic is, "Would you hire yourself?" I'll be discussing what interviewers are looking for in candidates. Interviewing is an ability that everyone can build into a skill.

Branding, On-line Resumes & Volunteering

Three Valid Points for everyone to consider

In beautiful Palatine, Illinois, at Harper College's monthly Career Stimulus Program, I heard a speaker talking on the subject of marketing and branding. This is a key area of interest for many in job transition. With so many millions of people out of work, how do you stand out from the rest? This speaker challenged the audience with three ideas to consider.

Jonathan Salem Baskin, author of the books Branding Only Works on Cattle, and Bright Lights and Dim Bulbs, made a point that went something like this... applying to jobs posted on the internet is like writing & mailing a letter to Santa. His point deserves serious consideration. 

What is the return on investment (ROI) from applying to jobs on line? How many applications are even acknowledged even in an electronic automatic email response? Now compare this with the response rate of a letter to Santa? How often does Santa actually respond to the letters sent around Christmas time? 

I would say that you cannot ignore internet job postings, but you really need to consider the ROI question. Think about the about of time you put into this effort and the likelihood of actually landing an interview from this source. If you are spending an hour or two per week that is probably appropriate. Remember that your highest ROI is networking with people, people currently working in an organization. So it makes sense to pursue internet job applications off hours when you really cannot be meeting with or talking to people. I suggest later in the day or earlier in the morning depending on your schedule.

Jonathan made another point that really hit home. He said that resumes are all alike. They are all about what has been done in a career. Resumes do not tell the hiring manager what you're going to do for them. Now, it is true that we cannot abandon resumes, but we need to do more. I help my clients understand that the resume is a calling card; it's the interview where the magic happens. I explain that the job seeker needs to bring past successes into the interviewer's experience by telling a story that paints a picture of solving the company's problems, or doing what the organization needs done.

Jonathan also stated that everyone is looking for a job today. Not just the "so called" unemployed but everyone. Some are working at a company collecting a paycheck and others are working to find a job, but not collecting a paycheck. But, everyone is looking! The competition is huge! So the job seeker needs to be even more creative and forward thinking. He suggested to look for ways to find out what a company needs and ask for the chance to do it; he challenged the audience to consider volunteering to work without pay to prove your value. I had to admit that the suggestion is intriguing. It would be prudent to put a time limit on the offer though. 

Harper College in Palatine, Illinois is a A++, two year, Community College that offers a unique opportunity for job seekers. Their Career Stimulus Program is an excellent experience for those who have never received outplacement services.

Interviewing: Two Questions to Answer

The two most common interview questions asked candidates are:

1. Tell me about yourself?

2. What are you looking for?

   Its really important to have answers to these questions. But don't make the mistakes that most people make. What is the first mistake most people make? These are easy questions and can be answered off the top of your head. They are not simple questions and you need to be prepared. The other mistake people make is akin to throwing spaghetti on the wall hoping something sticks. The candidate who keeps talking until they get a reaction is losing the interview.

   Consider this: in the interview you cannot pass along negative info, a negative vibe or answers that would create a poor perception. So you need to be prepared to answer these questions. However, your responses in the interview need to come across in a confident, positive and natural way. If your replies sound like canned answers they will be discounted. So you really need to have the answers down pat.

   Another thing to consider is who is your audience? What does the interviewer want to hear? When they ask you about yourself, do they want to hear your life story from when you were born up to today? No! They want to know what you bring to the table that will benefit them and their organization. When they ask you about your ideal position they don't what to hear about how you would like to cure world hunger, unless of course you are interviewing with the World Health Organization or UNICEF. They want to hear what roles you could fulfill that would make them look good to their bosses. I have some examples on my website check them out.

   It is important to keep in mind what the interviewer is looking for. People hire people to solve problems and they ask questions to ascertain who can do that for them. Question one is really asking about your skills and abilities. Question two is slanted toward learning about the roles and responsibilities you would be willing to cover. If they are a fit to what is needed on the team, you're moving forward.

   You also want to keep the answers brief, between 50 and 100 words. My examples in the website average 66 words per response. A good answer is general enough to capture the interviewer's attention to envision you in their team. But maybe the most important thing about answering any interview question is to be positive!

"Why Me?" Just isn't Important in Getting a Job

There seems to be a common frame of mind in my clients who are going through a prolonged time in transition between jobs. If fact, this actually affects the vast majority of people going through any kind of transition from being let go from a job to retirement.

Over and over people in transition find them selves stuck and growing depressed because they have lost confidence in their ability to achieve a goal. Whether it is finding the next job or learning new role in life, their confidence is shaken and their thinking becomes filled with doubts.

Face it, transitions are difficult. If you were let go from a job, the natural question is, "Why me?" Many of my clients would tell me that they couldn’t understand why they got canned when someone else is still there. I can think of a story from one person who brought in and closed a $4.5 million deal and a week and a half later got the ax. In another client’s story their whole group was released while there was all this work that remained to be done. It doesn't make sense to the person in transition.

It is common for humans to see the world in terms of ourselves. Why me? Add to this the condition that self doubt is a natural element in transition or any kind of change. This becomes a problem when self doubt becomes stagnation especially when coupled with depression.

The sad truth is that most people are laid off for reasons they’ll never know. They lost their job because there number was picked or they were in a department that was believed to be expendable. After talking to thousands of people over the years, I come to the conclusion that nothing you did or could have done would have changed the outcome. Often a person can cite a series of corporate decisions that led cutbacks and layoffs. "Why me," if it was someone else's fault.

I have often told my clients that they were probably right, but that doesn’t matter… it’s in the past and you need to focus on the future. Do not focus on what happened, but focus on what you are going to do to be successful in your transition. Simply, "Why me" thinking leads to anger and/or depression. This leads to all kinds of negative behaviors which will negatively impact your job search.

Dropping "Why me" from your thinking will make a difference. Be positive and let go of the negative thinking that will hold you back. Do the things that will help you have a positive frame of mind which people will see and take note. Focus on your goal and leave the past behind.

Positive Attitude in Job Search (part 1)

Is Life Better With Feathered Underwear?

I like Zig Ziggler when he says, “Anything you can do; you can do better with a positive attitude.” If you are doing a job search this is a very important point. Years ago when I was in job transition a fellow asked me how I kept a positive attitude. I replied, “I wear feathered underwear.” He became upset by what he considered a flippant answer and said, “Fine if you don’t want to tell me, fine!”

The easy answer is I choose to. What’s the alternative? I have more energy with a positive attitude than I do with a “stinkin’ thinking’ attitude.” I remember something a QA Manager who I worked with once told her team: “We interview for our jobs everyday, in the work we do, the results we produce and the attitude we bring to the job.”

How can I top that?

A friend of mine, Joy Maguire-Dooley has a voicemail greeting that says positive attitudes are infectious. I realize that I may be influencing a future job lead with my positive attitude today.

There is an old sales adage that goes something like; people do business with people they like. I think this is even truer with job search. People hire people they like. So much has been written on the importance in making a good first impression.

Ask yourself: if a hiring manager has three people to choose from, who are they going to hire? The person they like best… the person they feel will be the best fit for their team. This is why I suggest to my clients to wear feathered underwear and always have a smile on your face.

Smile, have a positive attitude and help people like you. The feathered underwear is really optional.