Tuesday, June 11, 2013
How To Interview Over The Telephone - by Nadia Gruzd
Telephone screening interviews are becoming more commonplace as companies seek to employ professionals from other states and countries. Given this trend, your job search may involve several telephone interviews. How you make your case over the phone will determine further interest in you as a candidate.
Phone interviewing is unique. You can't count on visual stimuli such as good looks or power suits, eye contact or body language, to aid your presentation. Neither can you rely on visual signals to interpret the interviewer's response. In this context, faceless conversation takes on an added dimension of importance. Both strengths and weaknesses, as conveyed by voice, are magnified through the phone. Your voice personifies everything about you.
The hiring authority listens for a relaxed style that communicates confidence, enthusiasm and intelligence. This is reflected in a smooth conversation flow devoid of cliches or verbal catchalls to stall for time as well as other negatives.
The following techniques will help you prepare for and handle any phone interview situations:
PREPARATION IS ESSENTIAL
The success of a telephone interview begins with mental preparation and setting the stage with the interviewer. The first order of business is to establish a clear time frame for the conversation. By mutual agreement, this should be at least thirty minutes when both parties can be free of interruptions and distractions.
If you're currently employed, arrange for a phone interview in the evening rather than during the workday. Confidentiality and discretion may be at risk if you interview during working hours; you never know who might barge in unannounced or overhear something by accident. In the privacy of your home you can be more at ease and in control of your surroundings.
Being clear on the interview format gives you an edge in preparation. Before the actual interview, it will help to know the topics to be covered, objectives to attain and the basic information regarding the position to be discussed. It also helps to rehearse. Try to think as the employer. What key information is the interviewer looking for? What questions is he likely to ask? What things do you hope he doesn't ask?
The hiring authority can often assess the candidate's personality after thirteen seconds, with no visual information. Initial voice impression tends to be reinforced by the content of continued conversation." In other words, you need to sound like a winner quickly to sustain the listener's interest in you. It's also advisable to prepare for possible scenarios that might unfold.
Hypothesize a bit; suppose the interviewer asks questions that make your feel uncomfortable. How do you handle that? Suppose he rambles, is easily sidetracked and doesn't allow you to sell yourself. How do you subtly take control of the conversation and target pertinent issues? As a worst-case scenario; suppose an interviewer doesn't call at the agreed time. If it's an evening interview and you have other engagements, how long should you wait by the phone? If it's a daytime interview, should you assume the interviewer "forgot" and call him directly? Or do you await his call at some other, unspecified time? Solution: don't panic. The employer will call to set up a new time if he had some crisis. If you are working with a recruiter, he/she will handle the problem and schedule an alternate time.
Finally, clear a work area near the phone and keep the following tools handy to aid your fact gathering and information sharing:
A copy of the version of the resume sent to the interviewer.
A note pad and pen.
Five or six carefully worded questions you'll want to ask.
Company literature with pertinent sections highlighted.
Preparation will increase your confidence level and ability to focus on the conversation during the interview as well as enabling you to make a favorable impression
PHONE PERSONALITY
The need to make a good impression on the phone cannot be overemphasized. The telephone screening interview is a make-or-break proposition, your one chance to convince the interviewer that you are worth serious consideration. The interviewer will be listening carefully to determine three factors:
your sincere interest in the job, how you verbalize your qualifications and how aggressively you pursue the position.
Voice reflects personality. A well-modulated, controlled voice communicates authority and heightens the verbal impact you want to make. The quality, pitch and tempo of your speech convey a certain attitude, energy level and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm and excitement are the biggest selling points of candidates talking on the phone. This translates directly over to your performance and work ethic. Here are some practical tips to enhance your phone "personality" and overall presentation:
Talk directly into the mouthpiece. Hold the receiver approximately three inches from the mouth, not below your chin or above your nose. Speak in a relaxed, conversational style as though the other person was in the same room, not on the other side of the planet.
Avoid sitting in a hunched position, grasping the phone in a vise-like grip. This will add a note of stress, and your voice will communicate that uneasiness. Try standing, it opens your diaphragm to a smoother airflow and imparts a feeling of liveliness. Getting up and moving around introduces an element of action, which instills a relaxed, conversational manner and reduces fatigue. A longer cord or cordless phone will allow maximum mobility.
Pay attention to the interviewer (s) voice patterns; does he speak slowly or rapidly? Try to match the cadence so that the conversion flows smoothly. Adjust your speaking rate, voice volume and phrasing to be more in rhythm with the interviewer.
Sound upbeat. If you had a lousy day and came home to find your spouse and kids arguing, put it out of your mind. Genuine enthusiasm is contagious. Smile to show a sense of humor. After all, the interviewer may have had a bad day too.
Be a conversationalist. Listen carefully to get the big picture and to avoid saying something that indicates a momentary mental distraction. Allow the interviewer to complete questions without you finishing his train of thought or blurting out answers prematurely.
Handle any trick questions in stride. The interviewer may throw in several to test your alertness or mental keenness. Showing verbal adeptness is a sign of how quickly you can "think on your feet." Be cautious: the interviewer may say something that puzzles you or that you firmly disagree with. Show enough respect to voice your thoughts in a professional manner. A defensive posture or argumentative tone is the surest way to alienate the interviewer and eliminate your candidacy.
Establishing rapport at the beginning of the phone conversation sets a favorable tone. During the first few minutes mention something that shows commonality of interest or similarity in background. This helps both parties feel more comfortable as the conversation progresses. Get to know the person behind the voice. Does he show a sense of humor? Is he direct and forthright in supplying information? Does his speech sound "canned", or does it exhibit freshness of thought and expression? Just as importantly does he actively listen to you, or merely wait for the chance to ask his next question? The interviewer may be a personnel official or a hiring manager. If the individual is someone with whom you will be working, pay all the more attention to his explanation of the job and what potential it offers.
Your prepared list of questions will indicate that you have given careful thought to the prospect of joining the facility. Even though you don't know everything about the position at this point, convey the impression that it's something you are interested in and competent at handling. Basically, what the interviewer needs to hear and conclude is that you can get the job done. Mentally, he is making the connection between the company's problems and you as a problem solver. Don't overwhelm him with facts and figures. He's only going to remember so much. You can best make your point by reciting memorable stories that document your ability to analyze a dilemma, weigh alternative responses and choose the appropriate action. By selectively highlighting turnaround situations you spearheaded, you are communicating a willingness to tackle similar problems for his company.
As you glance over your notes and keep an eye on the clock, there may be additional important points to cover in the pre-allotted time frame. Tactfully take control and introduce the subject matter that needs to be discussed or further elaborated. Example: "That's a good point. Can we come back to it a little later? I have some additional thoughts on the subject we were discussing a moment ago." As the conversation winds down, become less talkative and give more thought to what you say. Your final words will generally have greater impact and be remembered longer. Careful word choice and voice inflections will underscore the significance of your remarks. By contrast, a machinegun volley of words will likely put the listener on the defensive or turn him off altogether.
THE END OF THE INTERVIEW
After 30 minutes, both parties should know how much of a "fit" there is. Provided the job interests you, express your desire to proceed to the next step. Should the phone interview go well but end without a specific next step, state your desire to investigate the opportunity further. Example: "I'd be very interested in such a challenging position and hope to hear your decision soon". If it is offered by the facility, he/she may then mention the likelihood of an onsite interview once he confers with other officials. Your assertiveness will be remembered. If you hear nothing within 48 hours, follow up with a call.
A final concern: the interviewer may ask a salary range that you're expecting (don't introduce the issue yourself). Tell the interviewer that you are sure they have a fair salary scale and they should discuss it with your recruiter. On the phone, your job is to entice a buyer, not to close a sale. Salary negotiation will fall into place at the right time. End the conversation on a positive note. Thank the interviewer for the information shared, let him know again that you look forward hearing from them again soon. After all, if the position discussed is not the ideal job for you, something else there might be.
INTERVIEW CONCLUSION
If you are sincerely interested in the position and are satisfied with the answers given, you should ask the interviewer if he/she feels that you are qualified for the position. This gives you another chance to review points that may need clarification. Illustrate confidence in your abilities and convince the interviewer that you are capable of handling the position successfully.
Ask for the job. Make a positive statement about the position. Emphasize that this is exactly the type of opportunity you've been looking for and would like to be offered the position. Ask when you should expect an answer.
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Beyond ME, Inc.
Landing an opportunity is not the end of being the CEO of ME, Inc. but the beginning of your next chapter. Being the CEO of ME, Inc. doesn’t stop just because you’ve successfully navigated your way into a targeted position or landed that ideal client; this entire program is much more than simply “landing a job.”
If you’ve internalized the CEO of ME, Inc. paradigm, you now recognize its unique value as a powerful business strategy, too. Simply put, you become a business leader within your network not only because it’s the right thing to for the network, but because it’s the right thing to do for your own business. There is an obvious mutual benefit in this type of business model.
In my view, there are three levels of CEOs that emerge from applying the principles:
1. CEOs of ME, Inc.
Many people will master and implement the job search methodology and CEO mind-set that I teach and go on to find opportunities whenever they’re needed. They are winners in the race for 21st century jobs because they’ve discovered that the process really works.
2. CEOs as Networking Leaders
A smaller group will move into positions of leadership, recognizing the value of helping others while improving their branding, exposure, and ever-expanding networks, all of which nourish their own CEO of ME, Inc. business.
Networking Leaders are winners in the race for 21st century jobs because they see the long-term potential of owning their careers and establishing business rules based on reciprocity and trust. They recognize the extraordinary business value in branding themselves as someone who gives freely and without restriction.
3. CEOs as Strategic Partners
Finally, there is an elite group of entrepreneurs who combine the CEO of ME, Inc. paradigm with dynamic leadership to develop truly creative and powerful business strategies. Their unique application of the ME, Inc. paradigm is built on tapping the immense reserves of talent and opportunity within their networks to promote products and services that are in high demand. Once the profit motive is appropriately factored in to the business model — while preserving trust, integrity, and the inherent value of relationships — we now have a strategic partner, the highest level of CEO career and business management.
You can do it … I know you can!
Networking News:
• This week on Your Career Is Calling “Enhance Your Career by Marketing to the Latino Community” with Marketing Executive and Networking Guru Ali Curi this Sunday, June 3 at 8am (ET) on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, May 25, 2012
Become an "Untouchable" NOW!
In his book The World is Flat, (copyright © 2005 by Farrar, Straus, & Giroux) New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman presents a view of the future in which evolving technologies will level the playing field for business owners worldwide. Traditional corporate hierarchies will likely be replaced by highly specialized online communities sharing similar business interests.
According to Friedman, to survive in this ever-flattening world, individuals must diversify their skills so that they remain viable competitors across many different careers. Those who do, those who attain a level of specialization that cannot be outsourced are, he claims, "untouchable." So if you want job security, join their ranks. Become an “untouchable" now.
And if you don't? The fallout from such dramatic technological change may mean that those who haven't kept pace will lose the race for 21st century jobs.
We are staking out territory in this new world to keep its network members informed, educated, inspired, and prepared for sweeping change by teaching the CEO of ME, Inc. mind-set. Individuals who have learned to manage their careers as a business will be well-positioned to deal with whatever comes their way. Those who don’t may well find themselves swallowed up in the connectionless void of The Black Hole.
Key to successfully owning your career is networking. Networking is learning about the most effective ways to connect with others. It’s about building solid, trusted relationships from those connections then nurturing those relationships. In fact, networking is the insurance policy you take out to secure a place for yourself in the relationship-based global economy of the future.
Finally, networking is just good sound business. Through effective networking you build one of the greatest assets to ensure your place as a viable contender in the race for 21st century jobs: business intelligence.
As the CEO of ME, Inc., you will use that intelligence to run your career as a business and the one activity you must never stop is networking. It's the machinery that drives your CEO of ME, Inc. business. That shouldn’t come as a big surprise; after all, no effective CEO could stay in business long if he or she stopped making contacts — without them, your days as a CEO of ME, Inc. or anything else would be numbered.
You can do it … I know you can!!!
Coach Rod
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Dig Your Well Before You Need the Water
Colleagues,
This timeless axiom perfectly describes the mess you’ll be in once you’ve cycled through the 7-Step Job Search Methodology, gotten the interview, received the job offer, accepted it, and started working at the target company without nourishing, expanding, and regularly pinging your network.
For many, the problem is complacency. Once you’ve ended those horrible months of waiting for just the right position and then you get it, the tendency is to think like this:
“Well, I worked hard. Very hard. It was a long, uphill battle, but I fought my way to the top and now I’ve landed. I’m now so exhausted now that the only thing I can think of is digging into my new work assignment. I don’t have time for networking anymore; I need to refocus my priorities, and the priority right now is getting paychecks again.”
Does this sound familiar? It's all too easy to lapse into complacency. But if you do, it can have the effect of sabotaging all of your previous networking efforts or at the very least cause you to have very little to show for them.
How do you handle that?
Many professionals in my network simply schedule some periodic networking time during their new work week — even if it’s just a few minutes here and there to make some phone calls, meet someone for lunch, or reconnect via e-mail. When you're newly employed, it doesn’t take much effort to keep your network “alive”, but whatever that effort is, it must be on a regular basis — something you consistently integrate into your weekly routine.
You can do it … I know you can!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
This timeless axiom perfectly describes the mess you’ll be in once you’ve cycled through the 7-Step Job Search Methodology, gotten the interview, received the job offer, accepted it, and started working at the target company without nourishing, expanding, and regularly pinging your network.
For many, the problem is complacency. Once you’ve ended those horrible months of waiting for just the right position and then you get it, the tendency is to think like this:
“Well, I worked hard. Very hard. It was a long, uphill battle, but I fought my way to the top and now I’ve landed. I’m now so exhausted now that the only thing I can think of is digging into my new work assignment. I don’t have time for networking anymore; I need to refocus my priorities, and the priority right now is getting paychecks again.”
Does this sound familiar? It's all too easy to lapse into complacency. But if you do, it can have the effect of sabotaging all of your previous networking efforts or at the very least cause you to have very little to show for them.
How do you handle that?
Many professionals in my network simply schedule some periodic networking time during their new work week — even if it’s just a few minutes here and there to make some phone calls, meet someone for lunch, or reconnect via e-mail. When you're newly employed, it doesn’t take much effort to keep your network “alive”, but whatever that effort is, it must be on a regular basis — something you consistently integrate into your weekly routine.
You can do it … I know you can!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, March 30, 2012
You Don’t STOP being the CEO of ME, Inc. after Accepting a New Position!
We’ve had some recent successes helping professionals land positions in less than 40 days from starting our 7-Step Job Search Program. Landing is only half the battle; securing the position and preparing for next steps is equally critical.
During your first few months in a new position, you will obviously want to manage your workload carefully and make sure you have the answers from your management on these two questions:
1. What do I have to do to meet your expectations over the next 6 months?
2. What do I have to do to EXCEED your expectation over the next 6 months?
And make sure you manage your work against management’s expectations. This is the best way to secure your value to the organization.
During periods of downtime the following activities, all of which are intended to shore you up when your next job loss occurs:
• Network actively with your new fellow employees (i.e., build and expand the “safety net”).
• Manage your new relationships; nurture them with the idea that they will lead you to others and in all cases, connect with them on LinkedIn.
• Check Indeed.com regularly to see what kinds of opportunities are out there even though you are temporarily secure.
• Explore the “Hidden Job Market” to gather business intelligence, discover market conditions, spot trends in your industry, and so on.
Here is what you need to understand about the first few months in your new job. I’m presenting it as it was shared with me during a training conference call by a member who not only mastered the methodology, mind-set, networking machinery and value proposition but who also understood the extraordinary value of keeping those processes going after he landed his new position.
“The first 90 days are all about securing the first year. In any new position, it’s important, as CEOs, not just to meet expectations, but to exceed expectations.”
“But if I abandon my networking activities just because I’ve landed, I’m taking myself out of the very loop that got me here in the first place: my trusted contacts in the Warm, Trusted Network. It took me a long time to build that network; why would I want to let go of it now, especially when most business and economic trends show that a majority of people will go through a job search roughly once every three years? What if I have to re-engage my network unexpectedly?”
“Naturally no one should give their new responsibilities a lower priority than networking. But all of this has to be put in perspective: Most of us, in the course of a business day, have at least some free time, time to just rest and recharge the batteries. That free time can still be thoroughly enjoyable if you meet some people in the cafeteria and share information, ideas, and opinions. You’re still networking, it’s just that you’re assigning it a different “rotation” in your business day.”
There’s another point to consider, and it’s important. Even after being hired by your target company, you are still (and will remain) the CEO of ME, Inc. In that lifelong position, you must not relinquish the duties of managing your career. You don’t STOP being the CEO of ME, Inc. just because you’ve accepted a position and now have a new title. Your real title remains — the CEO of ME, Inc. The only real difference will be how well you strike a balance between managing your new client’s responsibilities and the overarching responsibilities for your CEO of ME, Inc. enterprise.
You can do it … I know you can!
Coach Rod
During your first few months in a new position, you will obviously want to manage your workload carefully and make sure you have the answers from your management on these two questions:
1. What do I have to do to meet your expectations over the next 6 months?
2. What do I have to do to EXCEED your expectation over the next 6 months?
And make sure you manage your work against management’s expectations. This is the best way to secure your value to the organization.
During periods of downtime the following activities, all of which are intended to shore you up when your next job loss occurs:
• Network actively with your new fellow employees (i.e., build and expand the “safety net”).
• Manage your new relationships; nurture them with the idea that they will lead you to others and in all cases, connect with them on LinkedIn.
• Check Indeed.com regularly to see what kinds of opportunities are out there even though you are temporarily secure.
• Explore the “Hidden Job Market” to gather business intelligence, discover market conditions, spot trends in your industry, and so on.
Here is what you need to understand about the first few months in your new job. I’m presenting it as it was shared with me during a training conference call by a member who not only mastered the methodology, mind-set, networking machinery and value proposition but who also understood the extraordinary value of keeping those processes going after he landed his new position.
“The first 90 days are all about securing the first year. In any new position, it’s important, as CEOs, not just to meet expectations, but to exceed expectations.”
“But if I abandon my networking activities just because I’ve landed, I’m taking myself out of the very loop that got me here in the first place: my trusted contacts in the Warm, Trusted Network. It took me a long time to build that network; why would I want to let go of it now, especially when most business and economic trends show that a majority of people will go through a job search roughly once every three years? What if I have to re-engage my network unexpectedly?”
“Naturally no one should give their new responsibilities a lower priority than networking. But all of this has to be put in perspective: Most of us, in the course of a business day, have at least some free time, time to just rest and recharge the batteries. That free time can still be thoroughly enjoyable if you meet some people in the cafeteria and share information, ideas, and opinions. You’re still networking, it’s just that you’re assigning it a different “rotation” in your business day.”
There’s another point to consider, and it’s important. Even after being hired by your target company, you are still (and will remain) the CEO of ME, Inc. In that lifelong position, you must not relinquish the duties of managing your career. You don’t STOP being the CEO of ME, Inc. just because you’ve accepted a position and now have a new title. Your real title remains — the CEO of ME, Inc. The only real difference will be how well you strike a balance between managing your new client’s responsibilities and the overarching responsibilities for your CEO of ME, Inc. enterprise.
You can do it … I know you can!
Coach Rod
Friday, March 23, 2012
Your CEO of ME, Inc. Checklist
Most of you have already figured out that there is no such thing as a “finish line” in the race for 21st century jobs and career management. How can there be? What is there that can ever possibly be “finished”? The work involved to position yourself as a uniquely qualified candidate never ends, not even after you’ve landed a targeted position.
It’s safer to think of the race for 21st century jobs and career management as a race with an unlimited number of competitors and no discernible end, no finish line. As you’ve seen, the real work of keeping yourself competitive never ends.
Below is a checklist of making sure you are staying focused on being the best CEO of ME, Inc.:
1. Think, speak, and act like a business owner because you are one … you own your career.
2. As the CEO of your career, you are in control, it’s your move. You assume full responsibility.
3. Take charge of your career not just for yourself, but for your Personal Board of Directors.
4. Adopt mental toughness and a “positive mental attitude” in everything you do as a CEO of ME, Inc. Don’t just think it – do it! Do not outsource or delegate your career management to another entity.
5. Master the art of small talk and start making connections.
6. Never forget that solid, effective networking is always built on trust and reciprocity. If you understand and value both, there’s no end to the growth of your network and career.
7. Vigorously build and track your network.
8. Networking is smart business – build your network before you need it.
9. Protect your networking connectors and appreciate your networking advocates.
10. Be completely familiar with your own skills and talents (Build Your Brand).
11. Remember: Benefits Always Trump Features … You need to give people motivation if you want them to help you. You need to sell the benefit.
12. The combination of a top-notch value proposition and extraordinary networking will get you to your desired career goals.
You can do it … I know you can!
Coach Rod
It’s safer to think of the race for 21st century jobs and career management as a race with an unlimited number of competitors and no discernible end, no finish line. As you’ve seen, the real work of keeping yourself competitive never ends.
Below is a checklist of making sure you are staying focused on being the best CEO of ME, Inc.:
1. Think, speak, and act like a business owner because you are one … you own your career.
2. As the CEO of your career, you are in control, it’s your move. You assume full responsibility.
3. Take charge of your career not just for yourself, but for your Personal Board of Directors.
4. Adopt mental toughness and a “positive mental attitude” in everything you do as a CEO of ME, Inc. Don’t just think it – do it! Do not outsource or delegate your career management to another entity.
5. Master the art of small talk and start making connections.
6. Never forget that solid, effective networking is always built on trust and reciprocity. If you understand and value both, there’s no end to the growth of your network and career.
7. Vigorously build and track your network.
8. Networking is smart business – build your network before you need it.
9. Protect your networking connectors and appreciate your networking advocates.
10. Be completely familiar with your own skills and talents (Build Your Brand).
11. Remember: Benefits Always Trump Features … You need to give people motivation if you want them to help you. You need to sell the benefit.
12. The combination of a top-notch value proposition and extraordinary networking will get you to your desired career goals.
You can do it … I know you can!
Coach Rod
Friday, March 16, 2012
How to Analyze the Job Description as the CEO of ME Inc.
Use www.Indeed.com to find as many “real” positions within a 50-mile radius of your home. Make sure you use the Advanced Search feature on Indeed to specify things like:
— Specific words or phrases to be included
— Exact phrases to be included
— Exclusionary or Inclusionary use of search terms
— Words to be included in the title of the job description
— From which company
— Type of jobs and from which source
— Salary estimate
— Where and When (Location and Age of Post)
Review the list of available positions and begin ruling out the ones that fail your own personal “eligibility rules”; from the list that remains, select the top three (3). Print out these job descriptions.
Take a yellow highlighter and highlight those areas that specify the need for “core skills”, i.e., those skills that are critical to executing the job’s requirements (e.g., programming, database management, server administration, LAN diagnostics, etc…). Make sure you OMIT the “soft skills” such as typing, telephone, fax, office software, written communications, etc.
The CORE SKILLS in each of these three positions are what will be used to build your targeted resumes (note plural: resumes). If you have these skills at a level of 70% or better, you are ready to begin building your targeted resume.
You can do it … I know you can!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
— Specific words or phrases to be included
— Exact phrases to be included
— Exclusionary or Inclusionary use of search terms
— Words to be included in the title of the job description
— From which company
— Type of jobs and from which source
— Salary estimate
— Where and When (Location and Age of Post)
Review the list of available positions and begin ruling out the ones that fail your own personal “eligibility rules”; from the list that remains, select the top three (3). Print out these job descriptions.
Take a yellow highlighter and highlight those areas that specify the need for “core skills”, i.e., those skills that are critical to executing the job’s requirements (e.g., programming, database management, server administration, LAN diagnostics, etc…). Make sure you OMIT the “soft skills” such as typing, telephone, fax, office software, written communications, etc.
The CORE SKILLS in each of these three positions are what will be used to build your targeted resumes (note plural: resumes). If you have these skills at a level of 70% or better, you are ready to begin building your targeted resume.
You can do it … I know you can!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, March 9, 2012
Managing Your Networking Phone Calls as the CEO of ME, Inc.
Greetings from Chennai, India…
Ah, the phone call! This is where the rubber meets the road. Many professionals admit that placing phone calls, particularly to unfamiliar parties, is like trying to carry a 10-ton elephant up the north face of Mt. Everest in a raging snowstorm.
What makes calling a network contact so difficult is that you don't want to sound like a solicitor begging for a sale. The key is the philosophy behind your call. If you fall into immediate sales mode and tell the contact what you want, you'll fail. Why? Because it's all about you. You are not thinking in “reciprocity mode.” Until you can think that way, your calls won't be productive.
The philosophy behind every call is simply to reconnect and exchange information. It's a networking call, not a sales call. If you feel your heart racing and the phone seems heavy, you are making the wrong call. STOP! Make the call but remember the goal is to simply reconnect and exchange information.
You can do it … I know you can!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Ah, the phone call! This is where the rubber meets the road. Many professionals admit that placing phone calls, particularly to unfamiliar parties, is like trying to carry a 10-ton elephant up the north face of Mt. Everest in a raging snowstorm.
What makes calling a network contact so difficult is that you don't want to sound like a solicitor begging for a sale. The key is the philosophy behind your call. If you fall into immediate sales mode and tell the contact what you want, you'll fail. Why? Because it's all about you. You are not thinking in “reciprocity mode.” Until you can think that way, your calls won't be productive.
The philosophy behind every call is simply to reconnect and exchange information. It's a networking call, not a sales call. If you feel your heart racing and the phone seems heavy, you are making the wrong call. STOP! Make the call but remember the goal is to simply reconnect and exchange information.
You can do it … I know you can!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, March 2, 2012
The "T-Letter" - The Secret Weapon for the CEO of ME, Inc.
What is a T-Letter?
It’s a type of cover letter that allows job applicants to provide direct and visual evidence of their suitability for a particular position.
Why do I put so much emphasis on including a T-Letter in an individual’s job submission paperwork?
T-Letters provide qualified applicants a unique opportunity to make a strong and compelling case for their qualifications by matching specific qualifications against specific requirements taken directly from the job description. If an applicant makes an exceptionally good case for his or her own suitability for the position, a hiring manager will feel obliged to advance the applicant further (e.g., toward an interview). Without the T-Letter, the hiring manager may or may not be able to assemble an individual’s case from a resume alone.
What is meant by a “Value Proposition” and what is the T-Letter’s role in it?
A complete Value Proposition consists of three parts:
1. The original job description (included in the Value Proposition so that Networking Connectors and Networking Angels can assist you in determining if the T-Letter and Targeted Resume are “on target” or not);
2. T-Letter (point-by-point comparison of position requirements vs. candidate’s qualifications);
3. The Targeted Resume (written specifically for a specific position and “in synch” with the T-Letter).
The T-Letter (#2, above) is the cover letter which provides a visual comparison of a position’s requirements and a candidate’s qualifications, intentionally set up as a point-by-point comparison. Since the comparison “block” of this letter resembles the letter “T”, a common term for this type of cover letter is a “T-Letter.”
What are the steps involved in creating an effective T-Letter?
1. Based on search results you’ve obtained from using indeed.com (or other search engines), find a job posting for which you are a good fit. You need to be a 70% or better match for the job in order to have a better-than-even chance of getting to the interview stage.
2. Using the job description, highlight the most important requirements. Try to think like the hiring manager when selecting the top 4 – 7 requirements for this position. Make sure you are highlighting requirements that involve specific skills, not general “soft skills.”
3. Using the templates provided in this job aid, list the top 4 – 7 requirements going down the left-hand side of the “T-display block”. Each requirement gets its own bullet.
4. Now, for each requirement bullet you’ve listed, carefully write a “response” bullet showing how you have that particular qualification. Write short but powerful phrases and be sure your response bullets clearly demonstrate three things:
• what have you done that demonstrates mastery of this skill?
• where (i.e., what company) did you do it? and
• what was the impact? (e.g., “saved company $45 million in admin. costs”).
Remember: Those three questions must be answered WITHIN EACH AND EVERY QUALIFICATION BULLET you write.
5. Make sure you are “answering” each of the company’s “requirement bullets” with each of your “qualification bullets.” IMPORTANT: This is a one-for-one match-up strategy, not an attempt to “pad” lots of qualification bullets for each requirement bullet.
You can do it … I know you can.
Coach Rod
It’s a type of cover letter that allows job applicants to provide direct and visual evidence of their suitability for a particular position.
Why do I put so much emphasis on including a T-Letter in an individual’s job submission paperwork?
T-Letters provide qualified applicants a unique opportunity to make a strong and compelling case for their qualifications by matching specific qualifications against specific requirements taken directly from the job description. If an applicant makes an exceptionally good case for his or her own suitability for the position, a hiring manager will feel obliged to advance the applicant further (e.g., toward an interview). Without the T-Letter, the hiring manager may or may not be able to assemble an individual’s case from a resume alone.
What is meant by a “Value Proposition” and what is the T-Letter’s role in it?
A complete Value Proposition consists of three parts:
1. The original job description (included in the Value Proposition so that Networking Connectors and Networking Angels can assist you in determining if the T-Letter and Targeted Resume are “on target” or not);
2. T-Letter (point-by-point comparison of position requirements vs. candidate’s qualifications);
3. The Targeted Resume (written specifically for a specific position and “in synch” with the T-Letter).
The T-Letter (#2, above) is the cover letter which provides a visual comparison of a position’s requirements and a candidate’s qualifications, intentionally set up as a point-by-point comparison. Since the comparison “block” of this letter resembles the letter “T”, a common term for this type of cover letter is a “T-Letter.”
What are the steps involved in creating an effective T-Letter?
1. Based on search results you’ve obtained from using indeed.com (or other search engines), find a job posting for which you are a good fit. You need to be a 70% or better match for the job in order to have a better-than-even chance of getting to the interview stage.
2. Using the job description, highlight the most important requirements. Try to think like the hiring manager when selecting the top 4 – 7 requirements for this position. Make sure you are highlighting requirements that involve specific skills, not general “soft skills.”
3. Using the templates provided in this job aid, list the top 4 – 7 requirements going down the left-hand side of the “T-display block”. Each requirement gets its own bullet.
4. Now, for each requirement bullet you’ve listed, carefully write a “response” bullet showing how you have that particular qualification. Write short but powerful phrases and be sure your response bullets clearly demonstrate three things:
• what have you done that demonstrates mastery of this skill?
• where (i.e., what company) did you do it? and
• what was the impact? (e.g., “saved company $45 million in admin. costs”).
Remember: Those three questions must be answered WITHIN EACH AND EVERY QUALIFICATION BULLET you write.
5. Make sure you are “answering” each of the company’s “requirement bullets” with each of your “qualification bullets.” IMPORTANT: This is a one-for-one match-up strategy, not an attempt to “pad” lots of qualification bullets for each requirement bullet.
You can do it … I know you can.
Coach Rod
Friday, February 24, 2012
Negotiate as the CEO of ME, Inc.
Negotiations are unique to each individual and to each individual client engagement. For every negotiation you undertake, maintain a CEO's mindset with clarity and purpose as your goals.
Ask yourself if this is a short-term gig or a long-term engagement. The answer is directly tied to the financial status of ME, Inc. Remember that this is a critical matter to your Personal Board of Directors. Depending on the situation (if you're currently unemployed your compensation is zero) you may have to settle for a client on a short-term basis while you continue to look for better, mid-and long-term opportunities.
Other points to remember about negotiations:
• This is a business to business discussion. You are a CEO so act accordingly.
• You are on equal footing with the client — provided you have a service the client is looking to engage.
• It's all about negotiating the details.
• Depending on the level of mutual interest, every offer has some wiggle room.
• Always ask “Is this your best offer?”
• Never say "no". Instead, offer a counterproposal that you are prepared to accept.
You can do it … I know you can!!!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Ask yourself if this is a short-term gig or a long-term engagement. The answer is directly tied to the financial status of ME, Inc. Remember that this is a critical matter to your Personal Board of Directors. Depending on the situation (if you're currently unemployed your compensation is zero) you may have to settle for a client on a short-term basis while you continue to look for better, mid-and long-term opportunities.
Other points to remember about negotiations:
• This is a business to business discussion. You are a CEO so act accordingly.
• You are on equal footing with the client — provided you have a service the client is looking to engage.
• It's all about negotiating the details.
• Depending on the level of mutual interest, every offer has some wiggle room.
• Always ask “Is this your best offer?”
• Never say "no". Instead, offer a counterproposal that you are prepared to accept.
You can do it … I know you can!!!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Objective of the Interview
In every interview, try to give the interviewer a picture of your personal attributes as well as your experience, skills, and other job qualifications. Make your verbal and nonverbal messages positive, incorporating posture, facial expressions, and voice qualities that convey competence, friendliness, energy, and enthusiasm. This helps the interviewer feel comfortable and creates an open tone, which improves the chance for a successful interview. An open tone helps both you are the interviewer relax and improves the natural flow of conversation. When under less tension, you can better communicate the information necessary for a good interview.
Own the Job Description
If you can truly claim “ownership” of the job description, you're in an unbeatable position to navigate the interview. In fact it’s a sure thing since you're already intimately familiar with every detail that could possibly emerge as a talking point.
Think of it as curveball insurance: If the interviewer attempts to throw you a curveball with some obscure reference to responsibilities or skills, you can respond with confidence and poise to demonstrate your unbelievable mastery of the position’s unique requirements. Believe me, this makes a powerful impression!
Happy Valentine’s Day and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Own the Job Description
If you can truly claim “ownership” of the job description, you're in an unbeatable position to navigate the interview. In fact it’s a sure thing since you're already intimately familiar with every detail that could possibly emerge as a talking point.
Think of it as curveball insurance: If the interviewer attempts to throw you a curveball with some obscure reference to responsibilities or skills, you can respond with confidence and poise to demonstrate your unbelievable mastery of the position’s unique requirements. Believe me, this makes a powerful impression!
Happy Valentine’s Day and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, January 27, 2012
If You Choose To Do It; Observe The Protocols!
While there are very few hard and fast rules on social networking sites, there are guidelines and protocols you should follow to ensure a positive experience and avoid problems, conflicts, and confrontations:
• If you're going to participate in social networking, do it properly: Participate frequently, respond to questions, and portray your brand in a positive way.
• Don't sell: People want to know about you as a person first and that takes some time.
• The best strategy: Spend time watching and learning to get a "feel" for the dialog; then, gradually start participating.
• Always try to determine how you can add value to the comment stream.
• It's not about making impressions, it's about making friends! Friends will share the truth with you.
• Always begin by seeking advice or asking some questions.
Make it happen … I know you can!
Next Week:
• I will see you on the radio this Sunday, January 29th at 8am (EST) with “Careers in STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math” with HISPA Founder, Dr. Ivonne Diaz-Claisse on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
• If you're going to participate in social networking, do it properly: Participate frequently, respond to questions, and portray your brand in a positive way.
• Don't sell: People want to know about you as a person first and that takes some time.
• The best strategy: Spend time watching and learning to get a "feel" for the dialog; then, gradually start participating.
• Always try to determine how you can add value to the comment stream.
• It's not about making impressions, it's about making friends! Friends will share the truth with you.
• Always begin by seeking advice or asking some questions.
Make it happen … I know you can!
Next Week:
• I will see you on the radio this Sunday, January 29th at 8am (EST) with “Careers in STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math” with HISPA Founder, Dr. Ivonne Diaz-Claisse on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, January 20, 2012
How To Work The Hidden Job Market as the CEO of ME, Inc.
The Hidden Job Market is the name given to all the opportunities out there that are unadvertised, either because a company wants to find candidates through its employees' networks or because no such position currently exists. In the last case, you must depend on your own ingenuity to identify potential opportunities at an intriguing company, do your homework to determine what that company truly needs, then figure out how to create an attractive, value-added position. Finally, you need to “sell the concept.”
How Do You Access It?
Due to the sheer volume of applicants competing for a fixed number of positions, many employers don’t even bother registering their openings on big-name job boards like Monster, Dice, and CareerBuilder.
Instead, they turn to their existing employee network to help recruit qualified candidates. This means there may be great opportunities at a company of interest, but you’ll never find out about them via the traditional approach of querying Internet job boards.
Why would an employer do this?
There are two immediate advantages. First, hiring managers can avoid the torrent of paperwork from job seekers who aren’t even remotely qualified for a position. Second, they can bypass the registration process with the job boards and confine interview time to a bare minimum.
There's something else you need to know about The Hidden Job Market. Step 2 of the 7-Step Job Search Methodology is based on the spot market. In other words, it uses today's market conditions to determine what positions are currently available. By contrast, The Hidden Job Market is based on the futures market, that is, the potential for positions that might exist or that could be created in the future — your future.
The Role of Networking in The Hidden Job Market
You’ve built a network of trusted relationships. But why bother to network if you never plan to leverage it? It’s now time to do some asking because you’ve earned the right to do so. You’ve followed the rules and observed the connection protocols. It’s time to tap your network’s connection horsepower to help you find a position.
In order to set you up with the proper mind-set for exploring the Hidden Job Market, I’d like you to consider the following somewhat offbeat illustrative scenario:
Let’s say you’re a surgeon who has been assigned the task of finding and removing a dangerous tumor somewhere in the lower abdomen of a 52-year-old man. Theoretically, you could start performing exploratory surgery right away, reaching in through various incisions to feel for any lumps or masses that don’t belong there.
But is that really a medically sound practice? Before performing surgery, wouldn’t it be better to gather as much information about the soft tissue in the patient with a CT-Scan or an MRI? Wouldn’t these diagnostic procedures give you far greater intelligence about the size, shape, and precise location of the tumor? And wouldn’t it make much more sense to have all of the diagnostic work completed before the first incision is ever made?
The point is this: While investigating the Hidden Job Market, your primary function will be networking, not selling, and your aim is to gather intelligence from those individuals you’ve identified as being reliable but only in the specific area in which your skills are a precise match. Your job is to connect with individuals who can truly help you because they’re in the same industry, not going on some fishing expedition inside industries that have no relevance to yours.
To put it in slightly different terms, it’s not going to do you any good to tap into a pipeline of business intelligence for the pharmaceutical industry if you’re seeking a position as a tax accountant. You need to refine and refine again the “filtering” of your contacts to make sure you’re picking up intelligence for the industry — and, if possible, even the precise niche — in which you want to work.
Your ultimate goal is to answer two very specific questions:
1. Who does what you do?
2. Who hires people who do what you do?
Once you’ve mastered this “precision targeting” technique, the flow of your conversation will be along these lines:
“Where do you see the industry heading? What’s going on? What’s hot? What’s not? What groups should I belong to? This is what I’m hearing; what are you hearing?”
Finally, when you judge it to be the correct time to do some asking, you must do it as an assertive CEO, not a spineless wimp. It must be a direct request for a specific action to achieve a targeted goal. Don’t worry, you’ve earned the right to ask because of your golden reciprocity track record. Furthermore, most business owners appreciate direct, straightforward requests.
Make it happen … I know you can!
• I will see you on the radio this Sunday, January 22th at 8am (EST) with “Managing the Financial Side of ME, INC.” with CPA and Business Owner, Surekha Vaidya on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
• HPNG is having their monthly meeting on January 26 at 6pm in New York City. See you there!
• I am giving my next speech “The Brand Called U” on Tuesday January 24 at 7:30pm in Lakewood, NJ. For details visit Lakewood Piners.
• Go Giants!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
How Do You Access It?
Due to the sheer volume of applicants competing for a fixed number of positions, many employers don’t even bother registering their openings on big-name job boards like Monster, Dice, and CareerBuilder.
Instead, they turn to their existing employee network to help recruit qualified candidates. This means there may be great opportunities at a company of interest, but you’ll never find out about them via the traditional approach of querying Internet job boards.
Why would an employer do this?
There are two immediate advantages. First, hiring managers can avoid the torrent of paperwork from job seekers who aren’t even remotely qualified for a position. Second, they can bypass the registration process with the job boards and confine interview time to a bare minimum.
There's something else you need to know about The Hidden Job Market. Step 2 of the 7-Step Job Search Methodology is based on the spot market. In other words, it uses today's market conditions to determine what positions are currently available. By contrast, The Hidden Job Market is based on the futures market, that is, the potential for positions that might exist or that could be created in the future — your future.
The Role of Networking in The Hidden Job Market
You’ve built a network of trusted relationships. But why bother to network if you never plan to leverage it? It’s now time to do some asking because you’ve earned the right to do so. You’ve followed the rules and observed the connection protocols. It’s time to tap your network’s connection horsepower to help you find a position.
In order to set you up with the proper mind-set for exploring the Hidden Job Market, I’d like you to consider the following somewhat offbeat illustrative scenario:
Let’s say you’re a surgeon who has been assigned the task of finding and removing a dangerous tumor somewhere in the lower abdomen of a 52-year-old man. Theoretically, you could start performing exploratory surgery right away, reaching in through various incisions to feel for any lumps or masses that don’t belong there.
But is that really a medically sound practice? Before performing surgery, wouldn’t it be better to gather as much information about the soft tissue in the patient with a CT-Scan or an MRI? Wouldn’t these diagnostic procedures give you far greater intelligence about the size, shape, and precise location of the tumor? And wouldn’t it make much more sense to have all of the diagnostic work completed before the first incision is ever made?
The point is this: While investigating the Hidden Job Market, your primary function will be networking, not selling, and your aim is to gather intelligence from those individuals you’ve identified as being reliable but only in the specific area in which your skills are a precise match. Your job is to connect with individuals who can truly help you because they’re in the same industry, not going on some fishing expedition inside industries that have no relevance to yours.
To put it in slightly different terms, it’s not going to do you any good to tap into a pipeline of business intelligence for the pharmaceutical industry if you’re seeking a position as a tax accountant. You need to refine and refine again the “filtering” of your contacts to make sure you’re picking up intelligence for the industry — and, if possible, even the precise niche — in which you want to work.
Your ultimate goal is to answer two very specific questions:
1. Who does what you do?
2. Who hires people who do what you do?
Once you’ve mastered this “precision targeting” technique, the flow of your conversation will be along these lines:
“Where do you see the industry heading? What’s going on? What’s hot? What’s not? What groups should I belong to? This is what I’m hearing; what are you hearing?”
Finally, when you judge it to be the correct time to do some asking, you must do it as an assertive CEO, not a spineless wimp. It must be a direct request for a specific action to achieve a targeted goal. Don’t worry, you’ve earned the right to ask because of your golden reciprocity track record. Furthermore, most business owners appreciate direct, straightforward requests.
Make it happen … I know you can!
• I will see you on the radio this Sunday, January 22th at 8am (EST) with “Managing the Financial Side of ME, INC.” with CPA and Business Owner, Surekha Vaidya on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
• HPNG is having their monthly meeting on January 26 at 6pm in New York City. See you there!
• I am giving my next speech “The Brand Called U” on Tuesday January 24 at 7:30pm in Lakewood, NJ. For details visit Lakewood Piners.
• Go Giants!
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Monday, January 9, 2012
Plan Before You Brand
For generations, cattle ranchers “branded” their stock to prevent theft and to provide a measure of security for their business ventures. It was the only way to ensure that the “inventory” remained safe and quantifiable.
For many of us, the old-time “TV westerns” included a scene in which a cowhand heated up a branding iron then applied it to the animal in one quick motion.
The action of applying that hot brand (remember the logo for the “Lazy S Ranch”?) meant putting a unique mark on an animal that represented part of the rancher’s assets. It was both necessary and permanent.
Your personal brand carries the same impact. Once established, it’s permanent. Whatever else happens after you brand yourself becomes either a reinforcement of your brand (a good thing) or a contradiction of your brand (a very, very bad thing). Because of its ability to form permanent impressions in the minds of consumers, branding must be preceded by the development of a brand strategy.
Simply put, a brand strategy will involve items such as the following:
• Determine your brand expectations (what do you want it to achieve?)
• Evaluate any existing brand-related assets or collateral
• Determine the costs for developing a brand
• Understand how branding affect the development of a business plan
Your specific branding goals will probably include answers to these questions: How will your personal brand:
• build awareness?
• create an emotional connection with the business community?
• accurately deliver your true distinguishing characteristics?
• establish credibility, trust, and confidence?
• generate buyer preference?
For many of us, the old-time “TV westerns” included a scene in which a cowhand heated up a branding iron then applied it to the animal in one quick motion.
The action of applying that hot brand (remember the logo for the “Lazy S Ranch”?) meant putting a unique mark on an animal that represented part of the rancher’s assets. It was both necessary and permanent.
Your personal brand carries the same impact. Once established, it’s permanent. Whatever else happens after you brand yourself becomes either a reinforcement of your brand (a good thing) or a contradiction of your brand (a very, very bad thing). Because of its ability to form permanent impressions in the minds of consumers, branding must be preceded by the development of a brand strategy.
Simply put, a brand strategy will involve items such as the following:
• Determine your brand expectations (what do you want it to achieve?)
• Evaluate any existing brand-related assets or collateral
• Determine the costs for developing a brand
• Understand how branding affect the development of a business plan
Your specific branding goals will probably include answers to these questions: How will your personal brand:
• build awareness?
• create an emotional connection with the business community?
• accurately deliver your true distinguishing characteristics?
• establish credibility, trust, and confidence?
• generate buyer preference?
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The 7-Steps to Career Empowerment
Happy New Year! I wish you all the best in 2012 and that you resolve to take control over your career and become the CEO of ME, Inc. Enterprises – managing your career as a business. You can do it!
Second, incorporate my 7-Step Job Search Methodology into your core competencies in 2012. It can be used for internal or external positions and by students and professionals. It doesn’t matter if you live in New York City or Beijing. It works! The process is tweaked to near-perfection over the past seven years but will undoubtedly be tweaked many more times whenever improvements are discovered, tested, and evaluated.
7-Step Job Search Methodology
Step 1
First, you will determine what your core skills are. Everyone is good at something; so what are your skills, talents, and abilities? What would be a suitable title for someone who does your kind of work?
Step 2
You call your work by a particular name; now it’s time to find out what the marketplace calls it. Are you a Java Developer? A Financial Analyst? You’ll make good use of a web site called Indeed.com to perform this task. You’ll also get a first look at opportunities that may be a good fit for you. The importance of this step is that it helps you determine the market demand for your skills (i.e., the spot market; a snapshot of what the prevailing market conditions look like).
Step 3
Now, using LinkedIn and your networking skills, try to identify advocates; these are people either in your network or in the networks of friends, business contacts, etc… who can “connect the dots” for you within a targeted company to get your name circulated among key decision-makers. At this step, you are performing “networking research”, that is, you are not actually reaching out to these advocates yet, just identifying who they are.
Step 4
You will then develop your value proposition consisting of: 1) a targeted resume; 2) a cover letter (or T-Letter), and 3) the job description itself. In this step you are building your case for the job. Since these documents will either make or break you, you will want to have them as close to perfection as possible.
Note: Although the value proposition consists of 1) the job description, 2) the targeted resume, and 3) the T-Letter, you will only actually submit the resume and cover letter. Decision-makers don’t need to see the job description. We include it as part of the value proposition to make sure that we keep ourselves properly tracked with its requirements while engaging advocates.
Step 5
Once you’re SURE you understand the position for which you’ve identified suitable advocates, prepare to connect with them. For advocates who are in a decision-making role, you'll place a call to them and sell, i.e., your “Sales & Marketing Team” swings into gear. With advocates who are friends, or friends of friends, you'll network to establish a communications chain to the decision makers (your “Research & Development Team” manages this). In all cases, you will document all contact with advocates to ensure timely and appropriate follow-up.
Step 6
After that, you will submit your value proposition as instructed and set up a specific follow-up schedule. You will track your contact with all advocates to ensure that no follow-up calls or e-mails are forgotten.
Step 7
Finally, you will repeat the process. As the CEO of a business, you never settle for having just one client. When you’re in transition and actively looking for work, your goal should be to find at least one new client a day.
Here are a few questions to determine your current work satisfaction:
1. How satisfied are you with your current work?
2. To what degree do you have the skills necessary to flourish? What skills are needed?
3. How long do you believe to stay in your current line of work?
4. How do you define “success”? To what extent are you achieving your version of success?
5. What is the biggest problem you have in your career?
6. What are you doing about question #5?
7. What decision are you trying to make about your career?
Make it happen … I know you can!
I will see you on the radio this Sunday, January 8th at 8am (EST) with Networking Expert, Boxer and Author, Michael Goldberg on “Knock-Out Networking” on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Second, incorporate my 7-Step Job Search Methodology into your core competencies in 2012. It can be used for internal or external positions and by students and professionals. It doesn’t matter if you live in New York City or Beijing. It works! The process is tweaked to near-perfection over the past seven years but will undoubtedly be tweaked many more times whenever improvements are discovered, tested, and evaluated.
7-Step Job Search Methodology
Step 1
First, you will determine what your core skills are. Everyone is good at something; so what are your skills, talents, and abilities? What would be a suitable title for someone who does your kind of work?
Step 2
You call your work by a particular name; now it’s time to find out what the marketplace calls it. Are you a Java Developer? A Financial Analyst? You’ll make good use of a web site called Indeed.com to perform this task. You’ll also get a first look at opportunities that may be a good fit for you. The importance of this step is that it helps you determine the market demand for your skills (i.e., the spot market; a snapshot of what the prevailing market conditions look like).
Step 3
Now, using LinkedIn and your networking skills, try to identify advocates; these are people either in your network or in the networks of friends, business contacts, etc… who can “connect the dots” for you within a targeted company to get your name circulated among key decision-makers. At this step, you are performing “networking research”, that is, you are not actually reaching out to these advocates yet, just identifying who they are.
Step 4
You will then develop your value proposition consisting of: 1) a targeted resume; 2) a cover letter (or T-Letter), and 3) the job description itself. In this step you are building your case for the job. Since these documents will either make or break you, you will want to have them as close to perfection as possible.
Note: Although the value proposition consists of 1) the job description, 2) the targeted resume, and 3) the T-Letter, you will only actually submit the resume and cover letter. Decision-makers don’t need to see the job description. We include it as part of the value proposition to make sure that we keep ourselves properly tracked with its requirements while engaging advocates.
Step 5
Once you’re SURE you understand the position for which you’ve identified suitable advocates, prepare to connect with them. For advocates who are in a decision-making role, you'll place a call to them and sell, i.e., your “Sales & Marketing Team” swings into gear. With advocates who are friends, or friends of friends, you'll network to establish a communications chain to the decision makers (your “Research & Development Team” manages this). In all cases, you will document all contact with advocates to ensure timely and appropriate follow-up.
Step 6
After that, you will submit your value proposition as instructed and set up a specific follow-up schedule. You will track your contact with all advocates to ensure that no follow-up calls or e-mails are forgotten.
Step 7
Finally, you will repeat the process. As the CEO of a business, you never settle for having just one client. When you’re in transition and actively looking for work, your goal should be to find at least one new client a day.
Here are a few questions to determine your current work satisfaction:
1. How satisfied are you with your current work?
2. To what degree do you have the skills necessary to flourish? What skills are needed?
3. How long do you believe to stay in your current line of work?
4. How do you define “success”? To what extent are you achieving your version of success?
5. What is the biggest problem you have in your career?
6. What are you doing about question #5?
7. What decision are you trying to make about your career?
Make it happen … I know you can!
I will see you on the radio this Sunday, January 8th at 8am (EST) with Networking Expert, Boxer and Author, Michael Goldberg on “Knock-Out Networking” on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, December 23, 2011
Positive Attitudes Blend with the CEO of ME, Inc.
Anyone can willfully adopt the right attitude. No matter where you’re from or how much innate talent you have, the right attitude can make a difference in your career. Try adopting these 10 attitudes as the CEO of ME, Inc. (from an article by Kate Lorenz, Editor, CareerBuilder.com):
1. I am in charge of my destiny.
If you want something bad enough, you must “make it happen.” Don’t expect good fortune to fall out of the sky and into your lap. There’s a huge difference between wanting something and executing a well-planned strategy for obtaining it.
2. Anything is possible.
Many of us blindly accept the notion that some things are just “impossible.” As a result, we often make no attempt to reach for them. The reality is that people around the world achieve what they previously considered impossible by being relentless in their pursuit of it.
3. No task is too small to do well.
Those who are serious about getting ahead in life assign importance to all tasks, regardless of their size. They realize that others are watching and evaluating their performance — even on the small stuff.
4. Everyone is a potential key contact.
None of us ever know ahead of time who will become a key contact or perhaps an important business ally. That means it’s essential to treat everyone with dignity and respect at all times.
5. I was made to do this job ... and the one above me.
Enthusiasm is contagious. When you bring enthusiasm to the table, you get noticed … and you never know when someone noticing could turn out to be a key decision-maker.
6. It's not just what I know, but who I know.
It’s unwise to entrust your personal success to your intellect alone, smart as you may be. In the 21st century jobscape, you must become a masterful connector and networker. It’s more important now than ever before to understand the economic power contained within relationships.
7. What else can I do?
We’re all busy and we only get 24 hours in a day. But taking on extra work, volunteering, and offering time without getting paid for it is a sign of someone who is committed to success. This is the kind of energy and commitment that gets noticed — and rewarded!
8. Failure helps pave the way to success.
It sounds odd, but failure is often the best thing that can happen to us. Why? It highlights weaknesses and imperfections, providing a perfect starting point for new growth.
9. I am my own biggest fan.
When does exuding self-confidence cross the line into bragging? Most CEOs know how to display a healthy self-image without letting it get out of control. And it’s important to understand this: Having a healthy self-image is part of what makes you attractive to the business community.
10. My opportunity monitor is never turned off.
Opportunities are all around us all the time; it’s just that many of us “tune them out” when we get extra busy or pressed for time. The opportunity monitor must be left in the “on” position so that the truly great ones don’t slip by unnoticed.
Make it happen … I know you can!
I will see you on the radio on Sunday, January 8th at 8am (EST) with Networking Expert, Boxer and Author, Michael Goldberg on “Knock-Out Networking” on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
PS: May the New Year grant all of us the grace to live in love for one another!
1. I am in charge of my destiny.
If you want something bad enough, you must “make it happen.” Don’t expect good fortune to fall out of the sky and into your lap. There’s a huge difference between wanting something and executing a well-planned strategy for obtaining it.
2. Anything is possible.
Many of us blindly accept the notion that some things are just “impossible.” As a result, we often make no attempt to reach for them. The reality is that people around the world achieve what they previously considered impossible by being relentless in their pursuit of it.
3. No task is too small to do well.
Those who are serious about getting ahead in life assign importance to all tasks, regardless of their size. They realize that others are watching and evaluating their performance — even on the small stuff.
4. Everyone is a potential key contact.
None of us ever know ahead of time who will become a key contact or perhaps an important business ally. That means it’s essential to treat everyone with dignity and respect at all times.
5. I was made to do this job ... and the one above me.
Enthusiasm is contagious. When you bring enthusiasm to the table, you get noticed … and you never know when someone noticing could turn out to be a key decision-maker.
6. It's not just what I know, but who I know.
It’s unwise to entrust your personal success to your intellect alone, smart as you may be. In the 21st century jobscape, you must become a masterful connector and networker. It’s more important now than ever before to understand the economic power contained within relationships.
7. What else can I do?
We’re all busy and we only get 24 hours in a day. But taking on extra work, volunteering, and offering time without getting paid for it is a sign of someone who is committed to success. This is the kind of energy and commitment that gets noticed — and rewarded!
8. Failure helps pave the way to success.
It sounds odd, but failure is often the best thing that can happen to us. Why? It highlights weaknesses and imperfections, providing a perfect starting point for new growth.
9. I am my own biggest fan.
When does exuding self-confidence cross the line into bragging? Most CEOs know how to display a healthy self-image without letting it get out of control. And it’s important to understand this: Having a healthy self-image is part of what makes you attractive to the business community.
10. My opportunity monitor is never turned off.
Opportunities are all around us all the time; it’s just that many of us “tune them out” when we get extra busy or pressed for time. The opportunity monitor must be left in the “on” position so that the truly great ones don’t slip by unnoticed.
Make it happen … I know you can!
I will see you on the radio on Sunday, January 8th at 8am (EST) with Networking Expert, Boxer and Author, Michael Goldberg on “Knock-Out Networking” on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
PS: May the New Year grant all of us the grace to live in love for one another!
Friday, December 16, 2011
Just Do It ... You Are Ready!
As student pilots approach the end of their formal training, they take one last trip with their instructors before going up for that first nerve-wracking solo flight. Instructors report that some students become so obsessed with dials, gauges, and basic maneuvers that they forget one of the most important rules: Sometimes you just have to sit back and fly the plane! The preliminaries are over. You know the cockpit controls inside out. You know how the emergency procedures work. You could probably fly the plane blindfolded and still land safely.
At this point, you’re ready to own your career as a business and test your skills for that first solo flight. You’ve fine-tuned the necessary connection and networking skills, fully embraced the CEO of ME, Inc. mind-set, tested your skill at crafting powerful, persuasive value propositions and mastered the 7-Step Job Search Methodology that will enable you to find the job best suited to your unique skills and abilities.
Don’t worry if you hit occasional turbulence such as neglecting to make a key follow-up call or perhaps misreading some core skills in a job description because those types of errors will occur. But by the time you’ve gone through a few complete cycles of the methodology, you will have acquired enough experience to claim that you “know where all the rough spots are.” Having successfully navigated those rough spots, you now become someone who can lead others — and make no mistake, others will want to follow you to learn from your successes and your failures.
Right now, however, it’s time for you to integrate all that you’ve learned into a single, seamless, and logical plan to manage your career as a business. To put it another way, it’s now time for you to just fly the plane!
Make it happen … I know you can!
I will see you on the radio this Sunday morning at 8am (EST) with Roche Executive, Luis Alberto Colón on “The 4 “E’s” to Career Management – Just Do It” on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Happy Holidays and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
At this point, you’re ready to own your career as a business and test your skills for that first solo flight. You’ve fine-tuned the necessary connection and networking skills, fully embraced the CEO of ME, Inc. mind-set, tested your skill at crafting powerful, persuasive value propositions and mastered the 7-Step Job Search Methodology that will enable you to find the job best suited to your unique skills and abilities.
Don’t worry if you hit occasional turbulence such as neglecting to make a key follow-up call or perhaps misreading some core skills in a job description because those types of errors will occur. But by the time you’ve gone through a few complete cycles of the methodology, you will have acquired enough experience to claim that you “know where all the rough spots are.” Having successfully navigated those rough spots, you now become someone who can lead others — and make no mistake, others will want to follow you to learn from your successes and your failures.
Right now, however, it’s time for you to integrate all that you’ve learned into a single, seamless, and logical plan to manage your career as a business. To put it another way, it’s now time for you to just fly the plane!
Make it happen … I know you can!
I will see you on the radio this Sunday morning at 8am (EST) with Roche Executive, Luis Alberto Colón on “The 4 “E’s” to Career Management – Just Do It” on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Happy Holidays and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, December 9, 2011
Beyond ME, Inc.
The race for 21st century jobs doesn’t stop just because you’ve successfully navigated your way into a targeted position or landed that ideal client; this entire program is much more than simply “landing a job.” The story is just beginning.
If you’ve internalized the CEO of ME, Inc. paradigm, you now recognize its unique value as a powerful business strategy, too. Simply put, you become a business leader within your network not only because it’s the right thing to for the network, but because it’s the right thing to do for your own business. There is an obvious mutual benefit in this type of business model.
In my view, there are three levels of CEOs that emerge from applying my principles of owning your career and becoming the CEO of ME, Inc.:
1. CEOs of ME, Inc.
Many people will master and implement the job search methodology and CEO mind-set described in my book and go on to find opportunities whenever they’re needed. They are winners in the race for 21st century jobs because they’ve discovered that the process — the 7-Step Job Search Process — really works.
2. CEOs as Networking Leaders
A smaller group will move into positions of leadership, recognizing the value of helping others while improving their branding, exposure, and ever-expanding networks, all of which nourish their own CEO of ME, Inc. business.
Networking Leaders are winners in the race for 21st century jobs because they see the long-term potential of owning their careers and establishing business rules based on reciprocity and trust. They recognize the extraordinary business value in branding themselves as someone who gives freely and without restriction.
3. CEOs as Strategic Partners
Finally, there is a select group of entrepreneurs who combine the CEO of ME, Inc. paradigm with dynamic leadership to develop truly creative and powerful business strategies. Their unique application of the ME, Inc. paradigm is built on tapping the immense reserves of talent and opportunity within their networks to promote products and services that are in high demand. Once the profit motive is appropriately factored in to the business model — while preserving trust, integrity, and the inherent value of relationships — we now have a strategic partner, the highest level of CEO career and business management.
I will see you on the radio this Sunday morning at 8am (EST) with TARGET Executive, David Neiman on “The Retail Industry Is Hot and Here to Stay – Engage the New World of Retail” on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Coach Rod
Friday, December 2, 2011
Job Search: Success of Failure is a Matter of Choice
I designed the Extreme Job Search program so that individuals with the highest level of commitment will achieve the greatest success. This is precisely what The Black Hole does not offer.
That said, not everyone is comfortable with my system. I've seen this situation many times in the past. Students of my program with all best intentions, step themselves through some orientation material, get off to a reasonably good start - then pull back when they realize that the full burden of "working the program" rests on their shoulders alone.
But most students find the experience challenging, energizing, and inspirational. They like the idea that their next job (or client) is right around the corner. They like the feeling of being in control of all decisions and actively managing different aspects of their career "enterprise" to achieve success. And they especially like the freedom that comes from knowing they are no longer shackled to The Black Hole.
One message I want to be especially clear about is this: In the late 20th century (generally the early 1990s), the employer/employee model under which most of us labored convinced us that we would always have a position as long as we worked hard and performed at or above expectations.
That model no longer exists. Now it's up to individual "CEO" to direct the business functions of their own careers, e.g., "R & D" (networking and market intelligence), "Sales & Marketing" (resume and interviewing), etc... in order to secure a viable niche in the business landscape of the 21st century.
For better or worse, you are and will be engaged in an uncomfortably tight race for employment survival in the decades to come. My program lays out the rules for that race and asserts that your only real chance of winning is to boldly leave old-style job search thinking in the dust. I firmly believe that my Extreme Job Search System "the 7- Steps" is the best single defense against any extended periods of transition and the needless suffering endured by you and your family as a result.
I will see you on the radio this Sunday morning at 8am (EST) with Motivational Speaker and Author, Abby Kohut on “101 Job Search Secrets” on Your Career Is Calling on 107.7 FM and online on www.1077TheBronc.com. I look forward to taking your calls at 877.900.1077.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Rod Colon
Friday, September 30, 2011
Buzz on the Extreme Job Search Program: Seven Steps That Could Change Your Life
Do you really want to know how I help professionals land during these difficult times? Are you sure?
Pour yourself a cup of coffee and let’s get to work on my Extreme Job Search program. It is a procedure that’s been tweaked to near-perfection over the past six years but will undoubtedly be tweaked many more times whenever improvements are discovered, tested, and evaluated.
As you step yourself through this process, we'll take the networking skills you learned, the powerful CEO mind set, and the magnetic attraction of your value proposition and weld them together for maximum impact.
To do this, your CEO business brain must think in four dimensions, i.e., remember that each component (networking, CEO mind-set, value proposition, and methodology) becomes supercharged when combined with the other three but has ample horsepower to stand on its own when the situation calls for it.
This will be challenging work and at times you may become frustrated. But the payoff is substantial: You will cut yourself free from the grip of The Black Hole. Instead of being dependent on people who don’t know you to advance your career goals, you will learn to network your way to an interview, job or contract by leveraging the power of advocates — people who not only know you, but like you, trust you and will gladly help you to “connect the dots.”
The Seven Steps: High Level Overview
Step 1
As the CEO of ME, Inc, you will determine what your core skills are. Everyone is good at something; so what are your skills, talents, and abilities? What would be a suitable title for someone who does your kind of work?
Step 2
You call your work by a particular name; now it’s time to find out what the marketplace calls it. Are you a Java Developer? A Financial Analyst? You’ll make good use of a web site called Indeed.com to perform this task. You’ll also get a first look at opportunities that may be a good fit for you. The importance of this step is that it helps you determine the market demand for your skills (i.e., the spot market; a snapshot of what the prevailing market conditions look like).
Step 3
Now, using LinkedIn and your networking skills, try to identify advocates; these are people either in your network or in the networks of friends, business contacts, etc… who can “connect the dots” for you within a targeted company to get your name circulated among key decision-makers. At this step, you are performing “networking research”, that is, you are not actually reaching out to these advocates yet, just identifying who they are.
Step 4
You will then develop your value proposition consisting of: 1) a targeted resume; 2) a cover letter (or T-Letter), and 3) the job description itself. In this step you are building your case for the job. Since these documents will either make or break you, you will want to have them as close to perfection as possible.
Step 5
Once you’re SURE you understand the position for which you’ve identified suitable advocates, prepare to connect with them. With advocates who are friends, or friends of friends, you'll network to establish a communications chain to the decision makers (your “Research & Development Team” manages this). In all cases, you will document all contact with advocates to ensure timely and appropriate follow-up.
Step 6
After that, you will submit your value proposition as instructed and set up a specific follow-up schedule. You will track your contact with all advocates to ensure that no follow-up calls or e-mails are forgotten.
Step 7
Finally, you will repeat the process. As the CEO of a business, you never settle for having just one client prospect. When you’re in transition and actively looking for work, your goal should be to find at least one new client opportunity per day.
Best wishes and keep networking alive,
Rod Colon
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
