Blog [ Original ]

Would YOU Captain a Softball Team?

December 3, 2010 By Marta Goertzen

Does ‘assessing your career plan’ sound boring, or like you’re back in ninth grade? Maybe you already know exactly what it is you want in your next job, the kind of work, the kind of company, where in the world you want to be. If you are, pass on this first step.

If you really aren’t sure, though, this is not boring, and if you use the tools available today, it’s more of an adventure now than it might have been in ninth grade. One other initial consideration: you can be 16 or 60, and need a career planning assessment. I talked to a woman this week who has had a good job with a company for a few years, doesn’t like the direction of the company, wants to do ‘something different.’ She has children in their 30’s, and she’s assessing her career plan.

The ‘tools’ are experiential books that cleverly ask you questions, lots of questions. Here’s an example of a question I remember answering in the ‘What Color is Your Parachute?‘ Richard Bolles book (see Book Recommendations: https://interviewdoctor.com/2010/08/28/recommended-resources-from-amazon-com/).

‘Have you ever thought about situations where you really felt great doing a role?’

One of my favorite things was being the captain of a church league softball team. We were 15 fairly dysfunctional single guys. Most of the church teams, it seemed, were built around talent. Ours was built around inclusiveness, everybody played, supporting one another, we cheered the loudest when our worst players did something right, and camaraderie. We always finished the night, win or lose, at Tim’s Tavern where we had the best beer in town, or at least we thought so.

Now a leadership role committed to inclusiveness, supporting one another, and camaraderie? Well those are elements of Team-Building, a key competency for an HR professional, which is what I am, and which the Bolles book showed me via that one question that I would enjoy (and be good at) doing.

The Bolles book or any other experience-based assessment book is a LOT of work, yet identifying the skills involved in what you really love doing and care about is great stuff, and helps you build your story as you pursue a job search.

‘Coming Clean’ during the Holidays

November 29, 2010 By Marta Goertzen

and by Sylvia Good

It’s the holidays! And you are looking for a job! Of course you’re not happy about your circumstance, and find the whole situation a bit of a pain. ‘When will I get back to work?’ ‘When will I find another good gig?’ ‘When is this being out of work going to end?’

And in this social trap known as the holidays, you say to yourself, ‘I’d rather not talk about it. Besides, who in my circle of family and friends can help me find a job anyway?’ What is the point of sharing this circumstance with family and friends? Some may worry and fret. Some may ask questions for which you have no good answer. Do you really think there could be some benefit to doing this?

One word answer: YES!!! Every day in your search, EVERY day, you either get a little closer to that next good position, or you stagnate, at least a little bit. No one stands still, not even for a day. When you find yourself having to meet with friends (because you always do at this time of year) or visit family (it’s just expected that I be there), you are facing that Chinese symbol, (you know the one) that means two things at once: crisis AND opportunity.

Well, go right past that pain and embarrassment and mini-crisis mentality, and convert that holiday party into an opportunity.

Most job coaches (like us) will tell you to play the numbers: THE best way to get a job is through the networking process. When people who know you well, such as family, friends and previous co-workers, refer you to people they know whose companies might have job openings? That is a GREAT way to jump ahead of the competition.

Not my family! Not my friends! Trust me on this one – please? Come clean about your situation. You have SO much more to gain than to lose, and if you need a sounding board to get you through it, call us 1-866-962-0451.

695 Opinions about the BIG $$$ Question . . .

November 25, 2010 By Marta Goertzen

What do YOU do with the salary question? In today’s job market, it’s huge. Well I found a LinkedIn group discussion with nearly 700 comments. The person who posed the question does an excellent job of articulating the issues, and firing back further questions. I think this discussion addresses the issue in such detail that it will at least give you some different perspectives on the BIG question. It’s a members-only LinkedIn group called “Career Change Central – in Partnership with IvyExec.com.” It is not restrictive, though, if you explain that you are looking for career changing information and input, or show that in your LinkedIn profile.

In the Career Change Central LinkedIn group, look for the group discussion “Interview Question – What are your salary expectations?” The discussion leader is J. Paige Freeland. My perspective on this topic has evolved slightly. This was my “Comment:”

“While I agree with the common recommendation that answering the salary question without really giving specific dollars or dollar ranges is normally to the candidate’s advantage, there are times when the recruiter insists on at least a specific range, and without it, the conversation ends.

There are two solutions. Research the industry, like companies and like jobs. Inquire through your local network of contacts who might know what the local market range for this position is with competitors. Ask people who know people in those companies if they can help you. Get as much information as you possibly can about relevant salary data.

The other solution is a more traditional research visit to your local library. Reference USA is the premier business reference guides and can be accessed with a good librarian’s assistance. Hoover’s is also a great reference although on-line it may require some investment.

If the company is publicly traded, some financial information will be available on the required SEC filing, the 14-K. For a non-profit organization, the Form 990 will have key people salary information.

With nearly 700 comments already, these research references are (I’m sure) not news. My view on this is that careful preparation for a critical question puts you in the best position to move beyond that natural interviewing process hurdle.”

Lights, Camera, Action!!!

November 17, 2010 By Marta Goertzen

Today, great interview preparation includes a special extra step for people with chutzpah (Look it up: www.dictionary.com ). If you want that next great job, listen to the link I’m about to make between practice interviewing and a video camera.

I’m in a Toastmasters club where we practice giving speeches, we practice communication techniques, and we practice dialogue. Sound like practicing for an interview? It could be. For most of my Toastmasters life, all communication was delivered and evaluated verbally. Now that’s changed. Today, in our club, we add a new dimension to the evaluation. We regularly roll the tape. We have two members with flip cameras, and one of them is always there and ready. And if the speaker is willing (that’s where chutzpah comes in), the camera rolls.

Now let me tell you, the first time someone asked me ‘do you want videotaped?’ I laughed and said, ‘no thanks, that’s okay.’

Afterwards, I asked myself, ‘why did you pass on the tape?’ I had passed on an opportunity to learn how I visually portray and communicate my message. So the next time I was scheduled for a speech, I reluctantly agreed. ‘Yeah, videotape me.’

What I learned was an eye-opener.

My smile and eye contact were better than I realized. The audience was really listening. However, what was I doing with my hands? That was distracting. And was I loud enough? The video suggested I speak a little louder next time. It was quite a lesson – good things, not-so-good things, and I could SEE how I performed on tape. It is making me a better speaker – quickly!

So great interview preparation just got better, a lot better. Grab a friend’s flip camera, or use your smart phone, or go buy a $flip camera for under $120. This is a technology enhancer that will make your interview preparation AWESOME!

When Mojo Gets Monitored, It Gets Done

November 3, 2010 By Marta Goertzen

My daughter is a teacher, and as a teacher, she lives by a simple motto, ‘what gets monitored gets done.’ Something about identifying the skills, reading or writing or math or social skills, whatever it is that needs advancing, if you monitor them, they arrive. They ‘get done.’

Apply this thinking to momentum. A truism of superior job seeking skill? You must create momentum. It is a key ingredient for superior job seeking skill. So what is momentum? Marshall Goldsmith calls it “mojo: when we do something that’s purposeful, powerful, and positive and the rest of the world recognizes it.”

And how do you put yourself in a position to be ‘purposeful, powerful, and positive’ every day, in fact every hour and every minute during your job search days? You monitor it.

‘Woe!, you say, ‘can you monitor it?’ ‘Can you measure it?’ Yes you can. Check out Marshall Goldsmith’s MOJO Scorecard at mojothebook.com.

You can put yourself in momentum. Do it. It’s worth the ride.