Bill Florin

Just in Case

As the economy recovers and more news stories bubble up with messages about new jobs and opportunities – as opposed to the tales of despair to which we have become accustomed – more people are thinking about change. Rather than white-knuckled grips on their current gigs, no matter how miserable the conditions, some are allowing themselves to think that there are alternatives. Must I stay at this job because I need the benefits? I haven’t had a raise in two years, but what choice do I have? Those questions are being overshadowed by hope and dalliances to consider better choices. Green shoots, anyone?

So what happens when you get a call, text, tweet, email or invitation over lunch to send your resume? As in: “I know some people who are looking for someone with your skill set.” Do you shoot it over from your Android, ping them from your iPhone, or just mumble something like, “Yeah, so, I need to refresh it, so I will get it to you soon…”? Then you scramble, writing and editing through the night, ultimately serving up something that looks like yesterday’s leftovers.

Professionals who are serious about career growth are getting ready. They are preparing to market themselves in a way that reflects well on them and their accomplishments. They are ready just in case that next great opportunity comes their way. Are you?

Doing the Hard Work

Fair warning: this is about my wife Carin’s graduation today. It is an understatement to say that I am proud of her as she graduated from St. Vincent’s College in Bridgeport (CT) with a nursing degree. What started as a casual conversation about three years ago culminated in the walk across the stage, the handshake and the diploma.

Roll back three years.

Me: So, what kind of work do you think you might do after the kids are in school full time?

Carin: I don’t know.

Me: Have you ever thought about nursing? You are amazing with your hands, something I noticed when you have to care for the kids.

She took it from there. She inquired, applied, enrolled, got 75 pounds worth of textbooks, studied, studied and studied some more. And passed! But there is more to the story. As she was taking full time classes, she also worked in the medical center as a Student Nurse Technician, a title that really means Nurses Aid and amounts to bed pans, commodes, soiled linens and the other work that the nurses don’t want to do – or don’t have time to do – themselves.

She did that work, did it well and got noticed. She worked as if she already had the Registered Nurse job. She carried herself that way, treated her patients and coworkers well and responded in tough situations in a way that was above her title and pay grade. She was offered a Registered Nurse job.

I am amazed by what she has accomplished and by her demonstrated determination to succeed. She has worked hard and has earned the prize. Congratulations, Carin! I am proud of you and we can all learn something from what you have done. The world will be a better place with you caring for others as a Registered Nurse.

Out-Communicate the Competition

Knowing that clients, employers and the general public can spread news about you and your business in moments (think Yelp, Google Places, Kudzu, etc.), why do so many act as if the Internet does not exists? Two examples from this week make the point.

I heard from a new client this week. She had done some research to find resume writing services in the Better Business Bureau directory. I was fortunate to be one of the three businesses she called. When I spoke with her, she told me that of the other two, one never returned her call and the other was rude. To whom do you think she gave her business?

My wife and I contracted to have a big repair done on our house. The builder was recommended to us by a friend. We met with him, felt good about hiring him, and went ahead with the project. Here is where he could have done a better job: the project materials were delivered mid-week, and we never heard from him as to when the job would begin. As we went through the weekend, my wife and I were getting frustrated in that we hadn’t gotten a call about the project start day and we decided that we were going to call at 8AM Monday morning. The builder arrived and started tearing our roof off at 7:45. What was wrong? Nothing that a quick phone call wouldn’t have fixed. “Hey, I’ll be there Monday morning. See you then.”

Keep these stories in mind as you work on your professional reputation, either working for yourself or someone else. Are you hitting your deadlines, communicating effectively and thanking your prospects and clients for the opportunity to serve? Your creativity and effectiveness at keeping in touch with your people at every step is just as important as how you initially contact new employers, peers and customers. Do more to communicate and serve than your competitors and you will be rewarded with more business, a better reputation and a more successful career.

Maximize Yield

I met with a brilliant scientist last week who took time from her schedule to explain her work to me and some of her success measures. An important measure is the yield realized from the various steps in her processes. Each step needs to deliver the most usable product for the next, so there is something valuable at the end of the chain. Avoiding explosions is good, too.

This effort is very similar to the work the people do when they are looking for new jobs. The seeker’s mission is to increase the probability that she will make it through the long and painstaking hiring process by maximizing the yield of everything she does. This means taking nothing for granted and working harder than everyone else to secure a job offer. Here are a few reminders on how to do this.

Customize your Communication. Every job opportunity needs communication that is tailored to the message’s recipient. If you will not take the time to customize your cover letter, resume and all other correspondence, someone else who is willing to do the hard work will get the offer while you stare at your not-ringing telephone.

Network in Person. LinkedIn is great, but it doesn’t replace face-to-face relationships. If you can’t meet in person, make a quick phone call. Have a pre-written message to deliver to voice mail.

Thank You. Mom taught you to say it. Do it every time someone is generous enough to give you some time. Did a contact take your call? Follow up with a thank you email. Did you get an interview? Send a well written thank you note or letter by snail mail. Don’t overlook this step. It shows that you follow through and pay attention to the details. Many of your competitors will not do this.

Ask for Feedback. Should you be fortunate enough to get an interview but not the job, and you talk with a person about the decision, ask for feedback about your interview and what the hiring decision makers thought were your strengths and weaknesses. You may learn something that will help you next time.

Just as my scientist friend works to maximize yield at every step of the way, think about how you can maximize the yield of the work that you are doing. Are you doing everything possible to increase your chances of success? Or are you taking shortcuts and inviting a potential job search blow-up?

Impressive Leadership

By now we have all seen the videos and the pictures and the countless talking heads that have yammered on about the events in Pakistan and President Obama’s leadership in taking down Bin Laden. There are at least two points that we should all learn from these events.

First, sometimes as leaders we have to make hard decisions in which everything is at risk. The decision to send the SEAL team to Pakistan to complete their mission could have been the end of the Obama presidency. Had the mission failed, this event would be spoken about in the same way that President Carter’s mission that ended in crashed helicopters and dead soldiers in the desert was discussed: A poorly conceived and executed plot that ended badly. Obama’s stature as a leader and the US’s reputation in the world would have been badly damaged. The Pakistanis would have been able to say, “If you had been good partners and told us about this ahead of time, we could have helped you.” Obama would be running out the clock to January 2013.

The second point is that when you make a decision, you have to stick with it and be there to see it through to the end. This is not to say that we cannot change and adapt to changing environments, but we do have to be committed, and lead others through the initiative. Obama’s riveted focus on the mission in the now famous situation room photo – with his staff gathered around, fixated on the unfolding events – gives us a taste of his commitment. Are you as committed and focused on your initiatives?

This is not about politics, nor is it about the ethics of the decision to pursue this action. It is about leadership and being fully vested in your decisions. We saw history this past week, and it will serve us all well to learn from it.

Leadership: Royals & The Rest of Us

Friday, April 29, 2011 was an important day in the United Kingdom and provided some escapism for over two billion people around the world who watched some or all of the coverage of the royal wedding. William and Kate fulfilled their roles perfectly, giving the world an opportunity to share fleetingly in their lives, courtesy of high definition television and world wide media coverage. It was fun.

William and Kate and the rest of “The Firm,” as the royal family is sometimes called, clearly live a life much different than us commoners. For one, we don’t have an army of aides ready to fluff our dress or hold our gloves. Though they have a leadership role in their country, and have a vested interest in keeping the monarchy alive and well, that lifestyle is not one that we should expect in any leadership position to which any of us might aspire. Quite the contrary.

Leadership in our world, as we carry out our activities at work, in our homes, in civic and religious life, or in any other pursuit you might mention is better defined by our service to those we lead, rather than the servitude we might mistakenly expect from our followers. If you are a leader who expects curtseys and bows as you walk down the hall, I’ll bet that your list of followers is small.

The most successful leaders, leaders that we want to follow, are those whom help us reach our potentials by challenging us, encouraging us and helping us secure the resources we need to be successful. The body of work on servant leadership is enormous, and it doesn’t describe anything that we see as “Royal Watchers.” Enjoy the fairy tale, but leave it as that: a fun story that someone else gets to live. Now get back to leading your followers by helping them succeed.

LinkedIn: Don’t Beg

If you are not using LinkedIn, you probably have heard about it and considered how it can help you. There are many great resources available on this growing site, and you should be on it even if you are not looking for a job. One thing you shouldn’t do, though, is beg for a job. I have seen many postings in different groups that are nothing more than people pleading for jobs. The postings sound desperate and the writers seem worthy of sympathy, but are those qualities that attract potential employers? No.

Here are ideas on how you can start using LinkedIn in meaningful ways that will bolster your reputation. If you optimize your profile with great, truthful content, recruiters will find you.

Groups: Start with natural groups that complement your experiences, careers and interests. Think about college alumni groups, trade associations and other broad interests and pursuits. Participate in the groups you join.

Skills: Use this section to detail the skills you have to sell that employers want to buy. Are you skilled in financial auditing? List it.

Answers: Actively participate in Answers, a tool for you to help others by sharing your expertise. You will develop a reputation and keep your skills sharp.

Reading List: Another fun tool! Tell the world what you are reading and write a review. This can illustrate your commitment to life-long learning and my spark a conversation.

Remember: Don’t beg. Maintain your professionalism and participate with confidence. Good luck!

What Papa John Says

You’ve seen the ads. Papa John’s Pizza advertises with the tagline telling us that better ingredients make better pizza. The same idea applies to our careers and the reputations we earn as we live our professional lives. Better accomplishments and results lead to a stronger history, a potentially superior résumé and a more valuable professional reputation.

How can you be sure that you are doing everything possible to create this scenario of outstanding accomplishments that go into a sterling résumé? Begin with the end in mind. If you want a résumé that will open doors, you have to do the hard work to have the accomplishments and results you will need. Here are a few thoughts on how you can make it happen:

Working with Others: Are you respectful and demonstrate a willingness to work hard to advance the goals of the organization, or is it all about you? People will appreciate your partnership and support. They will also see through phoniness and self-centeredness. For which attributes do you want to be known? Who is going to give you a reference? What will they say?

Own Your Results: Every organization has a scorecard. For-profit or non-profit, there are key metrics that measure and define success. If you are in charge, you own the numbers. Do they tell the story of a high-achiever? Do they say something less?

Lifelong Learning: Our economy is knowledge based. Think about the work that you and your friends and relatives do every day. How many of them work as laborers? How many work in jobs that require thinking, planning and cutting-edge knowledge? Are your skills fresh and valuable?

Professional Affiliations: Almost every field has an associated professional group. Seek out the best one in your industry and get involved. This relationship can also help you stay on course to achieve your learning goals.

Think about the quality of the ingredients in your career history. If you want them to be more significant, make changes. Unlike a bad meal that goes in the trash, you can make changes today to change the mix, the story and your career success. But it’s up to you to make it happen.

Social Media: You Never Know

When new business comes my way, I always want to understand where it came from. How did someone I don’t know in another state come to find me, contact me and trust me enough to work on his or her career marketing materials? A new potential client who contacted me this week illustrates why knowing this and having an online strategy are so important.

My marketing efforts include Resu-mazing Services Company’s website, memberships in the PARW/CC and the Better Business Bureau, activity on LinkedIn, placement on search engines like Google Places, my blog (that you are reading now), and some other local efforts. I also rely on referrals, something that only happens when I do quality work for my clients. Of course, people can review my work and tell the world on Kudzu and Google Places. This new client found Resu-mazing by doing a Google search, checking me out on LinkedIn, and reading the blog article that included the Uncle Rico picture.

The lesson is clear: You never know how people will find you and your company. You never know what material they will find and read, and if that person doesn’t select you as a potential vendor, business partner or employee, you will not know. There will be an abundance of silence.

Know this: Everything you do online is connected, searchable and subject to the closest scrutiny. Others will make decisions about you and decide to contact you – or not – based on what they find. Consider this as you make your next entry on the various social media sites. Will it help or hinder your reputation? As we all become more aware of the value of these tools, they will continue to gain importance. Develop the skills to be effective in this environment or get help. It’s not going away!

Author: Bill Florin