Archive for Career
Tell Me Who I Have to Be to Get Some Reciprocity
Sounds a little Lauren Hill-ish doesn’t it?
Can you give me advice on how to spruce up my resume?
Can you introduce me to one of your connections?
Can you tell me how to start my business?
Can you let me take you to lunch so I can pick your brain about an idea?
OK, this is not another bitchfest about people picking my brain. Although if you haven’t already gotten my book, shame on you! But it is a reminder about networking, common courtesy and not burning what could be very valuable bridges. What goes around comes around, and the bridges you burn today could cost you bigger blessings.
While many people have applauded me for writing the initial Pick My Brain article on Forbes, it has confused others. They can’t understand how I can write a book, speak and teach courses on networking and extol the virtues of networking, while standing by my position of not letting people continuously pick my brain for free. You see, networking, real networking, is at the core of my theory of brain picking. The unfortunate part is some people still don’t understand what true networking really is. It would seem that by writing that article, I’ve launched an attack on people who want to network. But really, I haven’t. I’ve attacked people who want to always take but never give. And in a real networking relationship there is always give and take. Some people have no problem with the take, but when it comes to the give, they fall short.
How many times have you gotten a call or an email from someone, perhaps someone you barely know or haven’t heard from in a while asking for help? You get that call or an email asking for some advice or if they could just ask you a few questions. Sometimes they’ll preface it with “we haven’t spoken in a while, I hope all is well” to make it look like they give a damn about anything other than what they want. But we all know it’s a half-hearted pleasantry. They don’t really care, they just want to make sure you think they do so you’ll answer their questions. Upon looking at or hearing the questions, you immediately determine whether it’s a consult in the making or an innocent, legitimate search for help.
I’ve said over and over again that we train people how to deal with us. And if we keep giving away our all, the same people will continue to come back to the well repeatedly. They make it hard for people who legitimately want to network, especially when they don’t know the etiquette rules. So let me break it down one more time for the hard of hearing or just plain hard-headed. Asking and taking without giving back or at least offering to give back is not networking. It is a selfish, greedy act.
When you ask, always give something back in return. Whether an introduction, an in-kind service, an offer to barter or even paying it forward to someone else, you have to bring something to the table. It may be tempting to default to the I don’t think there’s anything I have that you want excuse. Everyone has something of value. It’s selfish of you to not think broader to give back. Whether they ask or not, just make sure you give something back.
Ask the other person what you can do for them or what they need. You’d be surprised at how many conversations end at just asking for a favor or making an empty platitude like if there’s anything I can ever do for you. Cut the bullshit, because you know you don’t really mean it. Your objective is to get what you came for. But it doesn’t have to be like that. Don’t wait for them to ask you for a payback. Just find out what they need then give it to them.
Make yourself accessible for favors. Stop being that person that always says whatever you need, then disappearing when they come to you for a favor. And even if you can’t give them what they’re asking, at least respond to them to let them know. I don’t ask people for many favors, so when I do, people know I really must need them. Nothing irks me more than total silence when I ask for a favor…especially if I’ve done favors for a person in the past. Go a step further and refer them to someone who really can deliver if you can’t.
Encourage others in your network to give back and help. When you have people in your network in need, make introductions amongst them. You keep the circle and the flow of information going. That way you won’t feel obligated to have to help each and every person. By opening up your network within, you allow others the opportunity to step up and offer their assistance when there is a need.
Say Thank You, and mean it. You’d be surprised at how simple yet hard this is for some people to remember. Whenever someone helps me or does a favor for me, no matter how big or small, I say thank you. People like to be acknowledged and know that you appreciate their help. Those two words go a long way and sometimes are better than actually returning a favor. I’ve had many people as guests on my radio show and never even gotten a thank you after. But you live and learn. They’ll never be making a return on my show. Saying thank you is a common courtesy. Get back in the habit of saying it.
So make sure you think beyond just your needs when asking for a favor. Networking is all about reciprocity and paying it forward. When you keep going to the well, eventually people get tired of you and are not so open to helping. Treasure each connection you make and honor them by giving back.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
You gotta give to get
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Hey Artists, Athletes & Entertainers, Don’t Be a B.A.F.
*EDITED TO ADD* I would like anyone who would be offended by this post or being mentioned in this post to please READ IT IN ITS ENTIRETY before rushing to judgement. I do not report on or talk about celebrities, nor do I make it a practice to gossip, degrade or otherwise insult anyone. This blog is about educating people and helping them live their best professional lives. If you are mentioned it’s because of publicly stated/documented information, and not from a place of malicious intent. If after all of that you still take offense then all I can do is wish you well and say a prayer for you. Thank you.
The other night I watched David Ruffin’s story on Unsung (on TVOne). Wow. All I can say is Artists, please stay centered. David Ruffin is what happens when you get so much fame, but you’re not spiritually or emotionally centered or equipped to handle it all so fast and so vast. But that’s not what I want to talk about today.
It’s not lost on me that there are many stories about entertainers and athletes ending up broke after experiencing very lucrative careers. We look at people like LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Jay-Z and believe that once you make it, that’s it, you’re set for life. Once you’re a household name, you stay rich and relevant. You’ll be rolling in the money and the “life”.
But that’s not the case. Look at Latrell Spreewell, Stephon Marbury, Evander Holyfield, and artists like New Edition, Freddie Jackson, and Melba Moore. All had very different situations, but similar in so many ways. So many artists and athletes end up broke after the spotlight because they didn’t properly handle their business or didn’t understand the fine print when they first got signed. No, I’m not saying these people stayed broke. Some of them have shared their stories publicly. Some have bounced back, some haven’t. But the fact remains that something needs to be done to educate up and coming artists, athletes and entertainers so they don’t end up broke.
There is life after being an entertainer, and in order to live it successfully, you must learn to build around your brand and learn about business so you can sustain yourself. Once the fans wane and the spotlight fades, you must be able to live and thrive. I think it’s sad that many are so blinded by the glare of fame, the fans and the glitter that when it fades, they find themselves BAF- Broke As F***. You know what I mean…don’t act shocked! I’m bringing it to you live, raw and real.
If you are in the business to make money, you are well-served to get someone who understands the rules to teach you.I know that passion and artistic (or even athletic) gifts take center stage, and for the truly talented, it shouldn’t be about the money. I’m here to tell you, YES IT SHOULD BE…to a certain extent. I have had many conversations (let’s call them what they are…arguments) about sharing your gifts with the world for fee vs for free. I’ve often had to default to my argument about the legendary, late Michael Jackson. Let’s not focus on the alleged state of his finances at the time of his untimely death. Instead let’s focus on Michael Jackson, the business.
Michael learned the business as he went through it. From what we know (that was publicly shared) his father was instrumental in getting Michael and his family into the business and set the foundation for them to learn. Michael’s love was music but he learned the business. He learned how to maintain ownership of his publishing, how to negotiate in his own best interest and he learned how to extend his brand. Love him or not, you cannot take away from the fact that he was a business…man.
JayZ has been extremely successful in learning the business, taking control of his brand and diversifying. He wasn’t content to just remain in music as an artist. He has a sports team, restaurants, clothing lines and other business deals that have nothing to do with music. But then again, he started out as an entrepreneur so he had to learn the business from the ground up. 50 Cent is another one who has taken his brand and diversified beyond belief. He has even branched out into technology (did you see him at CES?) and has made very sound (and lucrative) outside investments. Magic Johnson and George Foreman have got to be the most successful athletes who have taken their sports brands and parlayed them into thriving multi-faceted business brands. The one thing all of these people have done is extend their brand so that they don’t have to rely on their past lives to keep revenue rolling in and food on the table.
While the NFL and NBA have some sort of programs available for athletes, it’s not mandatory or enforced. Boxing has no such program (per Sugar Ray Leonard- I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to talk to him in a live Google+ Hangout). And record labels are the worst! There are no protections for artists. Sure, there is artist development and an up and coming artist who has done their research and due diligence may be able to find a great manager and agent to help them navigate their newfound wealth. But we’ve seen this story unfold before. Young kid gets a break and gets signed. They make a lot of money. Then the public decides it’s time to move on to the next great thing or an athlete gets injured. Next thing you know, they’re left crying because they don’t know how they ended up broke.
Let me say this. Artists & athletes, please properly prepare yourself for life after the spotlight. Learn the BUSINESS side of your craft.
That spotlight & the fans won’t always be there. You’ll have to supplement your income by generating revenue. You have been fortunate enough to do what you love and use your gift. You have what so many people never get the chance to have. You get to have brand recognition and an audience dedicated to listening to or watching you. Build on that brand and carry the momentum into things that will extend that brand, or diversify (which is best) so that you don’t rely solely on your entertainment/sports brand. It would be great to be able to infuse your brand into new business ventures if you can. Don’t rely on agents or managers. Most are only in it for a paycheck and as soon as your star fizzles, they’ll be on to the next big thing. Surround yourself with smart, honest advisors who don’t mind including you in conversations and will take the time to explain things to you so you can make informed decisions.
Extending your brand. Ownership & royalty rights. Revenue streams & monetization.
In the mean time, look beyond your current celebrity to stay on top of your brand and future earnings derived from that brand. Learn how to smartly manage your money and protect your brand while you’re still popular, but don’t be afraid to start planning ahead for life after. As you’ve seen, Magic Johnson, Jay-Z and others have done it and done it well. Don’t end up broke. Entertainers, learn about things such as publishing rights and ownership. Find ways to license out your brand when and where it makes sense. It doesn’t end with you signing a seven figure contract. That’s only the beginning.
Many artists are so excited they can’t see beyond the stage and spotlight. They put their trust in labels & managers who don’t care. I especially feel bad for these young kids from poor backgrounds who’re drafted so young & aren’t ready to handle the new wealth & fame. Let me be blunt with you, especially you youngins. Ballin’ out in a new shiny Escalade is cute but saving money & letting it grow is real. Wealth beats rich any day. There’s a difference. Learn it or find someone who’ll teach that too you.
Artists and athletes don’t have to retire poor or go broke after. You’re not guaranteed fans will care or remember. Prepare for life after. Remember that music labels and sports teams are out to make money off your talent, but not concerned with your quality of life. You’re only as good as long as they can continue to collect on you. Protect yourself by educating yourself. Sports and entertainment is all about business and that’s fine. But learn how to handle YOUR business so you’re set for life after spotlight. You can still be successful. Just prepare to adjust yourself and transition properly to a new type of success that you can create. Don’t end up broke as f***.
I work with athletes, artists and entertainers to learn business and extend their brands. For more information call (866) 810-2525.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
Keeping you from going broke!
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Top 3 Reasons Your Social Media Strategy Isn’t Yielding You a Job
I have a love-hate relationship with social media. I love it because it allows me to communicate with people. I hate it when people use it wrong. Actually, I hate it when people instruct people to use it the wrong way. While each person should have their own purpose and method for using it, and there shouldn’t be a right or wrong way to use it, there are certain rules of etiquette that should be followed.
There are tons of gurus out there telling the masses that all recruiters are using social media to find new talent, but they don’t give them responsible advice on HOW they’re using it or how they (job seekers) should to use it. Sure, recruiters are using social media (and most of them get it wrong). But it is only one method to find talent (well, for smart recruiters that is). Let me share a secret with you. Social media is about branding, engagement and relationships. It’s not about begging for a job or harassing recruiters. I’m sorry if that’s offensive, but it had to be said. I see way too many articles and blog posts sugar coating it and telling people it’s OK to post your resume using social media. That’s just wrong.
As a recruiter, I do use social media as a means to get to know candidates way before I ever look at their resume. Here are three reasons why your social media strategy is probably keeping you from getting a job.
You use it to blast your resume to anyone who would listen. Social media is about building your brand, but even more, it’s about engaging in conversations so you can build real relationships. Think of it like this. You can’t just walk up to people on the street and hand them your resume. Well you can and it would probably generate some buzz. But it’s like shooting arrows in the dark. You don’t know who you’re giving it to or if they can even help you. You don’t know if they even care to help you. Get to know the recruiters in your field and follow them for a while. Pay attention to what they talk about, the kind of jobs they seem to share and how they respond to people. You must do your research. You shouldn’t be sending your resume to a sales recruiter if you’re looking for a nursing job. Learn their niche then engage them. Let them get to know you and let the conversation develop organically.
You don’t personalize or use the right tools. Most so-called gurus tell you that you need to be on Facebook, Linked In and Twitter in order to find a job because that’s where everyone is. NOT. These tools all work…for different people. Not everyone will find success on Linked In. Not every top quality job will be posted on Facebook. Again, do your research and pay attention to which tool your audience (recruiters) is congregating. Then vamp it to work for you. How? By building a sensible attention attracting profile an using it to share in the manner in which it is intended. For example, Linked In is touted as being the place professional profiles. I agree. But it is far more powerful and versatile than just posting a profile. If you subscribed to that build it and they will come mentality, you won’t get far. Utilize their other features such as the Answers forums, groups and job boards to do your research and to make a name for yourself. Share advice and jump into meaningful conversations. This is your chance to show people what you’ve got. It’s not a time to tell people you need a job, it’s a time to show people you’ve got the goods that make you perfect for THEIR job. Share solutions, not your problems. Then make sure you have somewhere else they can go to find out more information about you. If you’ve given kick ass advice, trust me, they’ll want to learn more about you. That’s where a Youtube channel or blog or podcast site comes in handy. You can link those to your profile. Always keep people moving through that funnel of information and proof so they’ll want to check you out and follow you.
You don’t engage. Social media is about networking and building relationships. I can just leave it at just this but I won’t. It irks me to no end to see people complain that they’re using social media but it doesn’t work for them. Upon further inspection I usually find one of three things. 1) They play the role of voyeur- They read and watch but don’t comment. 2) They switch to push message mode- They send out their resume or plea for job search assistance but share nothing else. 3) They only share or retweet other people’s stuff and article links. That shows me nothing about your talent or skills. You don’t have to become BFFs with everyone. But you need to engage. It’s called social media for a reason. It’s not supposed to be the me show and it’s not TV. TV is one way. Social media is two way and open. People hire people they know, like and trust. If I had two resumes, one from someone I’ve been in communication with and another one blindly dropped off at my office, guess which one I’m considering more seriously?
So rethink your social media strategy for finding work. You have to be all in or all out, there is no in between. You have to put in the time and effort to make it work for you and you have to get to know the players and the platforms. Otherwise you’ll just be a voice in the sea of many voices. The objective is to stand apart from the crowd. If you don’t know how, hire someone who can help you make sense of it all and create a solid strategy for you. For more information about social media branding, call (866) 810-2525.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
Putting the SOCIAL back in social media
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
4 Strategies to Turn the Job Search Odds in Your Favor
As of January, the unemployment rate in the United States was reported as 8.3%. With the economy not really making any progress and the unemployment rate still scary (double digits in some states), it’s time for people to stop waiting on a savior (or the government) to come rescue them. It’s a fact that many of the jobs of the past won’t be returning. That ship has sailed. So it’s time to dig deep and figure out what you need to do to move on with your life and bury the past. No need to stay in mourning over something you can’t bring back. It’s time to jump back into action and take control of your job search.
As I peruse the various news sites and blogs, I see an ongoing sentiment of anger and despair from a whole lot of pissed off people. I admit, people have a right to be angry and I don’t take that away from them. But you can’t wallow in anger indefinitely, blaming Republicans or Democrats. It is so much deeper than that. At some point you have pull yourself together and start seeking other options. In other words, GET OVER IT. Hey I tell it like it is. We are all responsible for our own lives. Your life is what you make it to be and no government or corporation has an obligation to help you figure it out.
Everyone needs to understand that in this age of change and ever evolving technology, you have to gain additional skills. There’s just no way around it. It’s mandatory and nothing new. Look at what happened to the steel industry, auto industry, manufacturing industry, airlines industry, and on and on. Every year or so, another industry takes a big hit. It’s inevitable. Before I understood that, I felt a deep sympathy for people who were ousted from their jobs. I would think, “wow, who’s going to hire all those people and save them?”. But as I got older and more fluent in how things work, I realized that you have to stay versatile. It’s great to have that one special skill set that is bankable. But you always have to be mindful that skills (and people) become outdated or replaceable. We can’t afford to rest on one or two skills. You are responsible for securing your future. So get up, get over it, and get strategic.
Here are four strategies for turning the job search odds to your favor.
Educate yourself continuously. So how do I propose you do this? Well for starters, make sure you educate yourself by any means necessary. Sometimes education doesn’t have to come from a college or university. A whole new industry and set of jobs were created by social media. People didn’t go to school to learn how to maximize social media. They used their current skills and learned social media as they went along. With the onset of new gadgets (iPhones, iPads, Blackberry, Android, etc) a whole segment of jobs opened up in App development. Take an inventory of the different things you like, what you’re good at, and what you would like to do. Then you need to figure out how you can gain the skills that will pave the way for you to do what you love.
There are tons of websites and books out there to help you learn just about anything. But let’s look beyond that. In the early 1900′s there were no gadgets or technology. It was survival of the fittest. If you had an idea, you could start a business or hire yourself out to proprietors. People had survival skills. So today, with all the luxuries of technology, there is no reason why people can’t switch into survival mode like our ancestors and find new things to do. Not everyone is meant to be a business owner, but you can take your skills and market them to companies who are willing to pay top dollar for your knowledge. Look to continuing education and certification programs. If you’re currently employed at a company where they will reimburse for professional training or in a state where the local Department of Labor is able to pay part of all of the expense, take advantage of it. Also look into scholarship or waiver opportunities to help with the expense.
Instead of growing, discriminate with your network. You should be networking with people who are where you want to be. Tap into your human resources to help you gain the knowledge you seek. People are more likely willing to share with you if you show a real interest. Be respectful of their time and don’t push them too much for knowledge. Many people won’t share everything, but will share as much as they can. How you approach them and how you ask will determine how much they will share. Also look for a few mentors. A lot of people will limit themselves to one mentor. But no one person can be all things to you. Diversify a bit. And also ask to shadow for a day or two so you an get the hang of the day to day aspects of their job. You pick up a lot by observing someone in their professional environment. By keeping a smaller circle or network, you can maximize the return by surrounding yourself with people who can help advance your job search and possibly your career. You can’t really do that with a big, unmanaged network. Having a big network is like trying to shoot fish in a barrel. You hope you get a good one but really anything can happen. The smaller, more personalized the network, the better your odds.
Stop looking for a JOB and start working your strategy. Or rather, stop giving off the vibe that you’ll apply for every and anything just to get work. I think many people fall short here because it becomes a matter of survival and hiring managers can sense that. A person in a desperate spot exudes just that. Hiring Managers spook easily and will think “will this person leave my position if something better comes along?”. Nobody wants their company to be a stepping stone. I agree, we are not obligated to one position or career in a lifetime. But in a scary economy, you have to do your best to assure employers that you are legitimately interested, even if it is your intention to seek greener pastures. If you approach your job search as a strategy in advancing your career as opposed to looking for a pay check, you will find yourself in the driver’s seat in interviews. This is your career. You, not your circumstances, should set the tone and the course.
What am I saying? STRATEGIZE! All positions you apply for must fit into your master career plan. Don’t just apply for a job because it’s posted, or you like the company. Make sure you can actually do the job (and have a proven track record of accomplishments) before you apply. As it is, many resumes submitted through company websites and job boards are ignored. So if you don’t have the skills or experience, not only will you be ignored, but you’ll probably be deleted. Take time to read the different job postings and get an understanding of what they are looking for. Then review your resume and cover letter to see if you address those specific needs. Then research the company. We have the power of Google, Linked In and the like to get all the information you need about your potential employer. They research you so why can’t you research them? Plus you’ll get some extra points for knowing about them before you walk in the door. Finally, tap into your network to see who knows who in your target company. Ask for introductions to key people who may have influence over who gets hired. But don’t abuse the opportunity!
Sit down and map out what you want…the go for it. Where do you want to go with your career? How do you plan to get there? Who will you need to connect with to be successful? What tools and resources do you need? What skills do you need and how will you get those skills? And what are you willing to do to create your brand and market yourself to be seen and noticed? The ball is in your court. You get what you put in. Don’t let the unemployment numbers or ratio of applicants to jobs scare you. If you do what needs to be done, you will be a survivor. But sit on your hands waiting to be rescued, and you find yourself up a creek…literally. And don’t just map it out in your head. WRITE IT DOWN. Seeing it on paper can give you clarity and make it easier for you to plan.
When all else fails, hire a career coach or strategist to help whip you into shape. Fortunately for you, I can help you do that. Call me at (866) 810-2525 for a consult. Or, you can buy my book Get Recruited if you’re a do-it-yourself type.
Til Next Time,
Adrienne Graham
Plan your work & work your plan!
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Tired of not getting interviews? Take matters into your own hands
OK it seems like I’m on a jobs tear this week. Well I am. It seems as though people still don’t get it. Let me say it loud and clear for you- YOU CAN CONROL YOUR OWN CAREER DESTINY. You just have to be willing to step outside your comfort zone to make things happen.
I realize that many people are frustrated and tired. I get it that the market looks bleak. But this is when you dig deep and try things you’ve never tried before. I mean after all, what you have been doing isn’t working, so what do you have to lose by shaking things up a little? And you really don’t have to focus solely on finding a job. There are other alternatives out there.
Entrepreneurship & Independent Contracting
Can’t find a job, let alone get interviews? Well take your skills and strike out as a consultant or start your own business. If you have been successful in your career, why not consider going solo? You don’t have to start a full out business, but start operating as if you are a business. Take those skills and turn them into your leverage. You can take on small projects or do special projects for former employers or companies who aren’t looking to hire someone full time. Get in the habit of marketing yourself because that’s the only way people will get to know who you are. Use social media, networking, volunteering and good old fashioned word of mouth to get the message out about your practice. Whether you choose to service one company or several under your own banner, it all counts as experience.
I wouldn’t try to do something that takes you out of your skill set. Stick to what you know and excel at, especially if it’s only to tide you over until you do find a job. When a recruiter scans your resume or profile and they see you moved out of your skill set, a red flag goes up. You may have had honorable intentions or may be filling the time to bring in a check until that ideal job comes. But remember, you are one of hundreds applying. Your resume has 30 seconds to wow a recruiter. Don’t sabotage your chances by trying to start a business or practice in a field where you have no experience. Now I don’t say this to discourage you. I know in these tough economic times, everyone needs to bring in a paycheck. But be careful about what you choose. You want to stay as organic to your strengths as possible. Now the only exception to this rule is if you plan on changing fields altogether. That’s for another post, though.
Your network determines your net worth
Next, boost your networking. Don’t just be connected to people, communicate with them. Get involved and make yourself known. Make sure you are building a list of ‘must know’ people and not just connecting with anyone for the sake of connecting. Sounds harsh but if you’re hanging out with customer service reps and you should be hanging around finance professionals, it’s time to make a change. While it’s true anyone can be a great networking source, you have to be laser-focused when you’re looking for a job. You have heard me say time and time again to get out and build networks and relationships. You can’t just turn to people when you need work. Cultivate those relationships so that when you are in need, people are more receptive and empathetic towards you.
Get out and get known online and offline. Do something to showcase your expertise (podcasts, blogs, guest articles, etc) so people become familiar with you in advance of meeting you. Recruiters are looking at those things more than you know. Social media is very powerful and it levels the playing field not just for building your brand, but also for connecting you with the right people. Show them what you’ve got and don’t be shy about it. You want recruiters coming to you, not to chase after jobs and recruiters. Getting known and networked can increase your odds of getting in front of recruiters.
Make a way out of no way
Create a job opportunity. Yes, that’s what I said. Research companies you want to work with and identify their sore points where you know you could provide the solution. Speak to the hiring manager, department manager, etc (not HR) and ask to meet with them to network. During the conversation mention their problem and ask for clarification on what ails them. Then offer some (generic) solutions by giving them the what and the why of what they need, but not the how…that’s where you come into play. If they seem interested in hearing more, ask for an interview.
I have a feeling many of you are going to job boards and applying for everything you are interested in. Some (not all, but some) companies have no intention of filling the jobs, only building a database of candidates. It does you no good because the jobs some times don’t really exist. So here’s what you can do to circumvent that. If you choose to apply any way, find out who you need to get in front of that matters and go through them first to let them know you’re interested. Then apply online per protocol. Once you’ve followed procedure, then take matters into your own hands. Make sure you back that application up with some roll up your sleeves, investigative work to connect with the true hiring manager. Express your interest in the position, let them know you’ve applied per protocol and make sure it gets to the right people. You just never know in this day of technology and applicant tracking so it’s up to YOU to do the due diligence if you really want the job. Focus your energy on the departments you have an interest in. Find out where they are deficient and need real help. In other words, use your application for one position as a bridge to finding out about other positions that may or may not yet be available, but you are well qualified for.
Don’t take that to mean if you’re a receptionist you should apply for an engineering position (unless you have those skills). But figure out where you could fit in, then make your case to the hiring manager why they need you. This can include preparing a proposal, pitching ideas (not the full idea, just an outline to wet their whistle), and even writing a letter of intent to let them know you are interested. Don’t ever leave it at just applying for a job.
What are you doing wrong?
If you’re getting interviews but no offers, ask someone to do mock interviews with you so you can identify the problem(s) and correct where necessary. Don’t be afraid to connect with agency recruiters who specialize in your field. I have to also mention if you are applying online the hiring manager will not see that application in most cases. The recruiter will be screening out candidates and most times will not send the cover letter. You still need to include one, but don’t assume they will see it. That’s why I suggested finding out who the hiring manager or department head is and contact them directly.
And what’s coming up when you Google yourself? Make sure you’re building a strong professional brand for yourself. You want to be sure nothing negative is coming up. You don’t want NOTHING coming up about you (zilch, zero), so make sure to document your professional achievements and expertise online. Make it easy for recruiters to find you.
If you want a job you have to go above and beyond the norm. Tactics of yesterday (apply and pray) won’t work today. Make sure you are giving yourself every advantage to land that job you want.
Til next time.
Adrienne Graham
It’s a jungle out there
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Get Your Butt in Gear- You Have a Career to Plan
Career Management is serious stuff. I would love to live in a world where people plan their careers, work their plans and find fulfillment as opposed to just taking a job to make ends meet. The sad reality is that many people will only allow themselves to take job after job just to pay the bills. And that may be OK for some, but don’t complain if you’re intent on making that your life’s purpose. You’ve chosen your path. But if you want to have a real career, you can’t do this. I understand that times are tough and for some industries, jobs are scarce. But you shouldn’t just resign yourself to a daily grind. I fully believe that everyone should do what they love or at least enjoy to move them along their career path until they reach that ultimate goal. It’s my opinion that you can’t have a real career if you don’t have a career plan, and remain content with just getting a job just to pay the bills. That’s not living, it’s existing. And for many, it’s barely existing.
I have a lot to say about this so if you offend easily or have no inclination to move your mind set from job to career, you might want to leave this blog and never come back. It’s OK, my feelings won’t be hurt at all. There is nothing I can do for you because you have already made up your mind that cashing a paycheck and paying bills is what motivates you.
When I look at the articles and comments on the unemployment rates, lack of jobs and sheer frustration that candidates express, it irritates me. I don’t want to say the comments border on whining and anger, but they do! Big time. Listen, for some sectors the fact is the jobs are not coming back. Period, end of story. Until the administration can reign in companies from outsourcing jobs overseas, there’s nothing bringing those outsourced jobs back either. So that means you the individual have to take responsibility for your survival. That means diversifying your skills, learning new skills and being open to new industries. You cannot sit around waiting and hoping that your job or skill set will come back into fashion. It doesn’t work that way. Ask the people who said computers were just a fad.
Let me ask you this. If you have a car accident, you get a new car (or get the damaged on repaired), correct? If you lose something, you replace it, right? Well why is it that most people choose to lament and cuss and remain perpetually angry about things they cannot change? Losing a job follows the same premise. For the many people who stubbornly hold out waiting on certain jobs to come back is like returning to a burned out house expecting your things to be as they were before the fire. WAKE UP! it’s time to get strategic and make some changes in your life. That is, if you want a true career and not just a job.
This is a fast moving society. Technology has changed…no, disrupted the game dramatically across many industries and sectors. I feel sorry for those who remain comfortable in their skills without contingency planning. You must keep your skills current, learn new skills and embrace new technology in order to remain competitive regardless of your industry. There are no two ways about it. Technology in some cases make certain jobs obsolete and you have to be prepared for that. And another thing, stop blaming the administration, the President, your neighbor, the local bag lady, or whomever for you not having a job. Anger is justified. Nobody wants to lose a job or be replaced. But we are all ultimately responsible for our own selves.
From some of the angry comments and venomous posts I’ve seen, I’d wager a bet that many people are not looking at where the blame belongs. Look in the mirror. Who made you not return to (or in some cases finish) school? Who made you not continue your education or seek certification or training to help advance your skills? Who made you not gather the required experience to be successful or move up within your career? Who made you keep a stand offish attitude and not learn how to communicate and “play nice” so you could gain mentors and advocates that can help with your career? Who made you not connect and network with people who could help with your career? Who made you not make a career strategy? Sorry, the onus is on YOU.
As crass as this may sound, when I read those venomous comments, I want to ask them if venting on an forum (most times anonymously) gets them any closer to finding a job. I understand needing to vent, but some of them spend all day every day making snarky comments. Shoot, if they got paid per comment, some of them would be rich! But last time I checked, there are no jobs that pay you to complain. At some point you step away from the keyboard and start strategizing and making plans. It’s easy to sit there and comment on all the wrongs of everyone else and the economy. But it takes a greater strength to work on self improvement. And if you can’t figure a way to repackage yourself, find a career strategist who can help you. Or perhaps entrepreneurship is a viable option. But more on that in another post.
Some of you might get a little pissed off at me and that’s OK. My blog, my observations. I have to be blunt. The only way to help you is not through feel good, touchy feely articles. It’s by giving you a hard shake and a swift kick in the butt to get you back in gear. So if you are looking to build a career, keep reading my blog. If you’re looking for someone to commiserate with you and chant hateful comments blaming everyone else for your job woes, well, keep it moving. You have to take responsibility and move on. If your skills are outdated, update them or get some new ones. If your industry is in a sharp decline, find a new one where your skills can transfer. But the last thing you want to do is sit and stew about it. You have to get proactive, strategic and in some cases creative. Finding a job can be as hard or easy as you allow it to be. How badly do you want it? Now is the time to man/woman up and take control of your destiny.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
I’m only here to help; here’s a mirror, you’ll thank me later!
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Am I a Person or a Brand?
The basic rules apply across the board whether your a business, a career person or a celebrity. People place a heavy emphasis on your overall brand because that is how they relate to you. And usually, whenever something doesn’t match up, people – the public – get antsy about it. I have always been in favor of having your brand represent you and your business, product or career, but not to the point where you couldn’t still be a person outside of the brand.
For the career person, their brand, which includes their performance on the job, their skills, and expertise, ties heavily into them as a person. There usually isn’t a specific product or service that is separate from them. Maintaining their brand is quite easy provided they maintain a level of respect, caution and common sense in everything they do. People at entry level jobs may not believe they have an actual brand, but they do. How they carry themselves is reflective of their brand. For example, my son is a hard, dedicated worker. Every employer he’s worked for has been quick to notice this and praise him for it. It’s not a bad attribute to have, but unfortunately it can backfire. Whenever there were extra shifts or extra work was available, they’d call him first because they knew he wouldn’t say no. He ended up putting in a whole lot of extra hours and that almost affected his health at one point. He has since learned how to manage his time better and when to say no. His work ethic shaped his brand.
The higher up the corporate ladder you go, the more focused your brand becomes. And at that point, you really do have all eyes on you. So it’s important to understand that if you plan to move up the corporate ladder, you have to carefully cultivate and manage your brand reputation. The greater your role, the more you stand to lose if you make just one mistake. Recovery and forgiveness is harder the more powerful you become.
Celebrities are also heavily tied into their brands. Right now, Lady Gaga is the best example of a growing brand. Known for her music, she was not content to leave it there. She had been working steadily to build a brand that goes far beyond music, and into business. She has recently launched a new web startup and has her hand in various endorsement deals and business ventures. One could say her music opened the door for her to do what she loved, then she used the rewards from that to build her own empire. I’ll admit, when I first learned about the business side of Gaga, I was shocked. I’m not a fan (no disrespect to her) but I was quite impressed that she wasn’t allowing herself to get pigeon-holed by her music, like some artists do. Think of the late Whitney Houston. Her brand was completely opposite of her true identity and she suffered for it because instead of differentiating or even diversifying, she went with it. It’s a smart move to come out the gate letting people know not to confuse your talent with your brand. Artists and athletes especially have to be careful. Otherwise they can find themselves typecast and unable to capitalize on their success into other opportunities.
Entrepreneurs have to be very careful about their brands. I’ll use myself as an example. For years I was known for my recruiting skills. When I decided I had enough and wanted to move on and try other things, I got a lot of push back from people. They thought I was insane for wanting to start a publishing and media company. When I decided to launch my training institute, they thought I once again lost my mind. I worked so hard to get people to see me as something other than a recruiter, that I painted myself into a corner. All of a sudden, I became the advice lady. Never mind that my brand message was to wake people up to understand that they have the power to grow in any economy, under any circumstance. It became more about what advice I’d be giving each day. I had to step back and tinker with my formula over the last few years. The problem I had was instead of getting people to believe in the brand, the company, I worked hard at getting people to believe in me as a person. Some would say that’s where I messed up. While people started trusting in me, they started to want to only work with me. So it became harder to build a team and have them build a rapport with clients.
Call it an execution error on my end, but I had gotten people so used to brand Adrienne, that they didn’t look at brand Empower Me. I had the same problem with my recruiting firm. Because I had done so well with recruiting in the past, people knew my reputation and only wanted to work with me. So as I built my team, I would have to practically beg clients to let my people handle things. You can’t build a company successfully while you’re still doing all the work you did when you started the company. Clients confuse you with the brand and things can get sticky. Be careful how you introduce clients and the public to your business. You are the face of the company, but don’t end up the essence of the company. Otherwise when you step back or out of the picture, clients may choose to go somewhere else. It’s important to get your whole team involved in building the brand. It’s not about just one person, it’s about the experience clients walk away with after working with or buying from your company. That’s what determines how well your brand does.
Whether you’re a corporate climber, entrepreneur or on your way to celebrity status, be mindful of how you build your brand. Train people from the beginning what to expect, and make it a team effort.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
I’ve got people for that.
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Must Have Apps for Job Seekers
Usually I don’t do product reviews in my blog. But lately I’ve been asked by job seekers for my recommendations for apps they could use to help in their job search. Honestly, I never gave it much thought. I have an iPad and I use an Android phone. Just about all of the 100 apps (yes, I said 100…don’t judge me!) I have are on both devices. Many of them fall into one of three categories: business, social media or personal (ie: banking, reading, etc). Remember, I’m a business owner and come from a recruiting background. I’ll share my must have/can’t live without business apps in another post. But if I had to select apps that I actually have on my devices that would work for job seekers, I would recommend the following five:
- Dropbox- By now everyone should know of this service. The beautiful thing is I get to keep my important documents in Dropbox to use from any device at any time. I have a free account but you can opt for a paid account. My basic account has 2GB of storage. But if you’re a job seeker, you can use it to store resumes, samples of your work, references, etc. Imagine being able to instantly send a resume right from your smart phone or tablet after an impromptu meeting with a recruiter or hiring manager. It’s a must have for easy access and quick retrieval.
- CardMunch (powered by Linked In)- Now this one might not seem very exciting, but it really is a handy little tool. Currently it’s only available on iPhone and iPad. But they’re allegedly working on other platforms. You take business cards, use your phone or iPad to capture a picture of the card, and their “team” transcribes the data. Now, I don’t know why this is appealing, but it is what it is. The cool thing is once the contact information is in your system, you can pull a person’s Linked In profile information and connect. Like I said, not exciting but eh. People do still hand out business cards and it’s a free app.
- OnLive Desktop (powered by Microsoft)- OK I know I said five apps, but OnLive and QuickOffice are tied in my book. I like that both allow you to edit and work on Word, Excel, and PowerPoint documents. OnLive opens up to look just like your Windows desktop with the icons for each program on the desktop. And you can open documents you’ve stored in the system in any of the programs to edit in real time just like you would on your PC. Don’t believe me? Check it out. It also allows you to store documents, so Dropbox may be repetitive. Now QuickOffice allows you to edit too, but it also allows you to view PDF documents as well. It’s not as fancy as OnLive, but it does the trick. I opted for the HD Pro version of QuickOffice for $14.99 and it was well worth it. Plus it was before OnLive came out. But both programs are great if you need to edit your resume or documents on the fly to present to a recruiter or hiring manager. Both can be synced with your Dropbox account.
- LunchMeet (powered by Linked In)- It’s rumored that this app was inspired by the book Never Eat Alone. This is actually a pretty cool app that I stumbled across while trying to find apps to optimize my boring Linked In app. So here’s the deal. You create your profile by signing in with your Linked In account. Then you tell the app when and where you will be available to meet. Then you search for other professionals who are in your area who are available around the same time, and invite them to meet you for lunch. OK on the surface, this can be a little creepy. But it’s actual pretty useful. It’s a planner meets calendar meets networking tool. So check it out.
- Taleo Radar (powered by Taleo)- I saved the best for last. Mostly because this app is more for recruiters than job seekers, but you can still use it as a branding tool. Taleo is a company that makes applicant tracking systems. You’ve probably seen them when you applied online for a job with a major company. Radar is location based so you have to leave your location setting open. But the gist is the app is supposed to allow job seekers to be matched to positions. Allegedly it can be used to apply for jobs at thousands of employers, nearly 50% of the Fortune 100 and nearly 80% of the Fortune 500. You set up a brief profile and recruiters can search you out based on your skills. As the job seeker, you can create a great profile using precise keywords so that you can get on the radar (no pun intended) of recruiters. Don’t take my word for it. Explore the app for yourself and see how you like it.
In my opinion, these are all great apps that job seekers can find helpful. I purposely left out job board apps because I preferred to focus on actual tools. If you come across some other ones that I need to know about, let me know.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
Trying to make it easier for job seekers!
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Hire Me, Not My Ideas- Curbing Brain Picking on Interviews
How many times have you gone on an interview only to have it turn into an inquisition or an unintentional unpaid workday? You go into an interview full of promise, and hopeful that you can wow the interviewer into giving you the job because you’re the best candidate. All is going well until the moment when the interviewer asks you to map out a strategy, soup to nuts, for a project. You know, just so that he knows that you know your stuff. I mean after all, you are this extraordinarily talented individual and in order for him to really know this, he needs to do his best to get you to spill everything you know. Just for proof and his peace of mind, right?
This happens far more often than you might think. The problem is most people don’t know how to steer the conversation back to an actual interview. Instinctively you want to show your stuff so that they know that you are the best candidate, so you map out a plan or strategy that has just given them cause not to hire you. You’ve given them the milk (an implementable strategy) for free, so now they don’t have to buy the cow (you). You can’t just say no because there’s a chance that they won’t want to hire you. But there’s also a chance that they weren’t going to hire you any way even if you do give them the information. So what should you do?
Here are three ways to keep the interview on course.
- Don’t get offended, get strategic. Being asked to prove your worth by actually coming up with a real strategy for a real problem is offensive. But this is not the time to get an attitude, storm out, or express your outrage by telling them how much you’re knowledge is worth. I once had a woman so outraged about being asked to work a simulated project that she said she charged $50 an hour for her work. Needless to say, she was not hired and as a matter of fact, the hiring manager blacklisted her because of her attitude. There may be any number of reasons why a hiring manager is asking you this. They could be checking to see if you really know your stuff. They could legitimately not know how to interview or ask questions that would appropriately gauge your talent. Or they could simply be using it as a way to screen you out of the position. The good news is you actually can maintain the control of this situation. Ask questions that will get you to the heart of why they are asking you to do this. Once you understand why they’re asking, you can tailor your answer accordingly.
- Give them just the facts. Now contrary to what I said above, some interviewers just want to see what you know so they can glean ideas that they can implement without having to actually hire someone to do the work. To counter this, share with them a similar situation at a previous job and how you were able to successfully navigate the issue. Share the end results (increase in sales, reduced turn around, etc) as a result of your process or strategy, but don’t go into specific details of the process that led you there. Then tell them that you can’t reveal each step of the process because you owe confidentiality to your former boss. Then sit back and wait for their next move. If they choose to end the interview, so be it. But if they really want you, they’ll come back with greater interest.
- Steer the conversation back to them. Learn to ask great questions because it helps with mental leverage. For instance, when an interviewer wants to know how you would handle a certain issue, ask them if it is something they currently are having problems with and why they think this is the case. Ask them what they’ve done so far to find resolution and what hasn’t worked for them. Some interviewers may get annoyed, but trust me, there’s a reason for this. You are getting them to tell you exactly what problems they’ve been experiencing and it gives you a frame of reference of how to respond. You don’t want to just start giving them textbook answers. You want to be able to draw on your previous experience so you can show them how you’ve handled similar situations and how it could translate to helping them with theirs.
Now that the book is out, I’d love to hear your experiences. Go over to my Amazon page and join the conversation. You might be selected to appear on my radio show.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
Interviewers, candidates, can we meet in the middle?
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle! While you’re at it, order your paperback copy of No, You Can’t Pick My Brain. Or if you can’t wait, get it on Amazon Kindle.
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
Skilled vs Hireability- How Do You Measure Up?
“I have three degrees and over 10 years of experience. So why won’t they hire me?”
As a recruiter, I hear this question quite often, or at least some variation of it. The answer varies, but it always leaves the person doing the asking very frustrated. You see, people don’t want to hear the truth, they want appeasing answers.
Having a degree doesn’t entitle you to the job.
The truth is, in some cases, having a degree, certification, etc. doesn’t automatically mean you are the most qualified. Speaking only for myself, if I had a chance to hire a marketing whiz who has 3 years (hell, even 1 year) of proven success versus someone who studied marketing for 6 years in school (bachelors and masters) who has never once implemented a strategy, idea or campaign, I’m hiring the person without the degrees. In my years of recruiting, I have run into many candidates who come to me degreed up ready to spout how they’re the best for the job because they spent years studying at this name brand school, getting a name brand degree so they could conquer the world. But there was so little substance, and their arrogance prevented them from being teachable. That’s the key.
Be clear on your true skills and focus on finding a job where those skills can shine.
Let’s break this down a little further. You can have ten years of “work experience” but may not have necessarily done the actual duties the hiring manager is looking for. For example, you can be an Accountant and have been doing an excellent job at it for the last several years. But if you are applying for a Tax Manager position, your accounting background will not automatically make you a shoe in for the position. Unless you’ve done some recent work in tax and can show an aptitude for it, you’ll likely be passed over. A lot of times candidates will argue “well I can learn“. NO, it doesn’t work that way. When a company is looking for a seasoned person to hire, they expect that the person will hit the ground running on the basics and learn company process along the way. They’re not investing extra time and money to train someone from the ground up when they have critical work that needs to be done out the gate. So stop with the insanity and stop wasting your and other people’s time.
Your attitude sucks, making you a potential liability.
Another reason you could be getting passed over is your attitude. Remember a few sentences back when I said you have to be teachable? Well when you come in the door with a know-it-all attitude, you turn people off. A politically correct term my career advice counterparts would use is abrasive. I’m going to just come out and say you’re a pain in the ass know it all and nobody will want to work with you. Listen, people don’t want to have a negative vibe in their workspace. And some arrogant blowhard is not going to do anything for morale. Yeah sure, you’re not there to make friends and you just want to do your job. But atmosphere is an important element in building a great company culture. There are so many stories out there about the nasty boss or the overly aggressive team mates who make their peers work lives miserable. Life is too short to be stuck with a jackass on your team. Don’t be that jackass. It’s not a good look. You can have the best credentials in the world, but if your attitude sucks, not many people are going to take a gamble on you.
You’re just not that into interviewing.
The way you interview could also be a culprit in your not getting the job. Many people, on paper, look great. But when you get them in that hot seat, look out. The interview generally goes from bad to worse…quickly.I have had my fair share of interview where they were so painful I had no choice but to show mercy and end it quickly. Some people just don’t know how or don’t do well in interviews. An interview is a chance for you and the interviewer to get to know one another (professionally) and figure out how you fit for one another. I’m going to go against the grain and tell you NOT to practice for interviews. OK, I can hear the *sighs* and *gasps* now. Researching and practicing for an interview are two different things. Everyone should be researching and preparing for interviews. But to rehearse down to the letter and having a prepared answer for every question won’t make you look any better. Be prepared but don’t go in there sounding like a memorex recording. Relax and make it conversational. Be knowledgable and make sure you are asking the right questions. Keep the flow going.
There was someone better than you.
Yup. That’s a bitter pill to swallow. As good as you are, there is always someone better. I know that sound incredibly harsh, but it’s true. That doesn’t mean that you lament in that theory, but you do have to acknowledge it. Instead of being upset by that comment, let it fuel you to excel. Focus on building your skills and being the very best you can. Keep on top of new developments in your industry and get certifications and training that will put you on the radar. Get out and grow your network and connect with the right people who can make beneficial introductions for you. Keep current and previous bosses apprised of new skills you learn. Who knows, maybe they can put you on a new project or at least keep you front of mind.
It’s a tough job market out there and the term survival of the fittest definitely applies these days. Focus on the total package that is you and make sure you are presenting a whole, hireable candidate to recruiters. Getting a job is so much more than where you went to school. Recruiters (well at least I do) look at the entire package. Make sure it’s worth exploring….and hiring.
Til next time,
Adrienne Graham
Check out my new book Get Recruited: Secrets from a Top Recruiter on Using Unconventional Tactics to Get Noticed in an Inconvenient Economy in paperback or on Kindle!
Do you like this article and want to reprint or share? You can, as long as you include this in its entirety:
Adrienne Graham is the Founder & CEO of Empower Me! Corporation (www.empowerme.org). She is a strategist that helps people grow their career, business or network in any economy. She is the voice behind Views from the Top Radio Show, and the creative visionary behind Empower Me! Institute and Empower Me! Magazine. Her writing and shows focus on Career Management, Networking Strategies, Entrepreneurial Success and Small Business Management. You can also find her causing a ruckus on Forbes.com.
