Liz Handlin's Ultimate Resumes Blog

The Cubs Fan Philosophy

2010-04-24T16:39:00.004-06:00

Baseball season has arrived! I have been a Cubs fan for more than 20 years; I lived 4 blocks east of the bleachers on Waveland Avenue for nearly 15 years and to say that Cubs season was a season of joy for me is to understate the situation. Even when I wasn't at the field (I attended anywhere from 10 -40 games per season depending on the year) I could hear the 7th inning stretch being sung from my balcony. Heaven.

I love being a Cubs fan and I love other Cubs fans. Non-Cubs fans don't really understand the state of being that Cub enthusiasts embrace but I thought I would expound on it a bit because there is something wonderful to be learned from the Cubs fan lifestyle.

Cubs fans can be found the world over but if you are a Cubs fan who lives in Chicago, part of the joy of baseball season can be found in the warm weather. Chicago is bitterly cold for 6-8 months per year and true Cubs fans love shedding their parkas in favor of Cubs gear and heading over to The Friendly Confines for a bratwurst, a beer (or 10), and a taste of the happiness that infuses Wrigley Field.

Here are a few Cubs fan attributes that can be applied to your life (whether you like the Cubs or not) and will help you to become a little closer to understanding what we Cubs fans are all about.

1. Enjoy the moment.

Part of the Cubs game experience is simply to revel in the warm weather (which only lasts 3-4 months), cold drinks, and general happiness that you see on the faces of everyone around you. I have never met a stranger or an unhappy person at a Cubs game.

2. Root for the home team but if they lose who cares? You can still love your team if they don't win.

Loving the Cubs no matter how they perform is essential to being a well adjusted Cubs fan. I liken being a Cubs fan to being the parent of a child with a learning disability - you love that child, you want him/her to do well, but if the child doesn't get straight A's you aren't going to ground them or stop loving them. Cubs fans accept the Cubs for who they are, we hope for the best, but if our beloved Cubbies don't win it doesn't mean we won't come back to the ballpark! We just cross our fingers and hope that next year will be better.

3. Shit happens but don't let that affect your attitude.

The minute Cubs fans start to expect/demand wins from the team things just fall apart. Case in point. I went to game 6 of the Cubs vs. Marlins series during the National League Championship in 2003. I will never forget that game. I went with my friends Shan Bhati, Shane Tritsch, and Andy Weil - we didn't have great seats but we were seated in the section directly above Steve Bartman's seat.

When Steve Bartman supposedly interfered with Moises Alou's catch (which I saw on the monitors) the whole stadium reacted in a very non-Cubs-fan manner. Bartman was booed, called nasty names, and eventually had to be removed from the stadium for his own safety. I remember telling my friend Shan that I was embarrassed for Cubs fans at that minute. That kind of behavior is not what true Cubs fans stand for and ultimately only hurt the feelings of a die hard fan. It wasn't Bartman's fault that the Cubs gave up about 7 runs and lost the game after that mistake.

4. Don't worry, be happy.

Happiness about baseball season and finding joy in every moment of a baseball game is a great way to relieve stress and leave your cares behind. No matter how stressful my workweek, a visit to Wrigley helped me to readjust my priorities and remind myself that stressful situations pass so I shouldn't dwell on them excessively.

5. It's fun to make new friends who share your interests.

Cubs fans have so much fun together and, often, I have found that whomever was seated near me wound up being my "best friend for the day" whether I ever saw them again or not. Cubs festivities never really end when the game is over so I often went to fun parties with new friends or invited them to my post-game parties.

I think some of these "Cubs Fanisms" can be applied to a successful career and/or job search as well. Take my thoughts for what they are worth. Oh, and Go Cubs!

Top Ten Things I Have Learned As An Entrepreneur

2010-04-20T12:49:00.004-06:00

I have been writing resumes for more than 20 years but I have only been doing it as a full time job for the past 4 years. The past 4 years as a business owner have been a huge learning experience for me. I think that working for big companies gives you a completely different view of the world, particularly if the companies are powerful and prestigious like most of my previous employers have been.

Here are a few things (good and bad) that I have learned from having my own service business:

1. If you care deeply about customer satisfaction your customers will take care of you.

I am very passionate about what I do. Nothing makes me happier than hearing a client say that he/she is excited about the job search because a resume I have written or a strategy I have helped create has made my client believe that he/she can achieve anything. I think most of my clients are excited about the outcome of our work together and, as a result, at least 75% of my business comes from client referrals. I take good care of my clients and they take care of me by generating new business for me.

2. If your clients believe you care about them and are working hard for them they will often be very flexible and forgiving.

We all make mistakes, over commit our time, or screw up in some way. If you demonstrate your passion to your clients they will be much more forgiving than if they think that what you do is "just a job" to you.

3. Some people will try to cheat you out of money or behave badly.
As a business owner I have been shocked and amazed at the way some people behave. I never thought that people could be so nasty, dishonest, and insulting before I started my own business. As an entrepreneur you see this much more clearly than if you work for a big company because individuals who have a tendency to throw their weight around or bully don't try those tricks with big companies. Or if they do, their temper tantrum has a minimal impact. If a client or business contact acts like a big jerk I almost always find out that I am not the only person they have treated that way. People are pretty consistent in their behavior.

4. I am more patient with others in service industries.

Knowing how much I hate being treated badly, "nickel-and-dimed" to death, or insulted I now go out of my way to show patience and kindness to others in services industries whether it's our lawn crew, my hairdresser, flight attendants, or waiters. I also tip waiters and waitresses better than I ever have before.

5. I am very careful about accepting new clients and sometimes I say no to potential clients.

See point #3. I have a 15-20 minute conversation with all potential clients before accepting them because I want to make sure that we can work together and that I actually will be passionate about their resume and job search. If a potential client and I do not connect well then a working relationship could be difficult and counterproductive.

6. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

If a recruiter repeatedly refers me clients who are jerks then I don't accept referrals from that recruiter anymore. Some of my recruiter friends/partners are careful to refer me resume clients who are talented professionals. A few recruiters have used me as a "dumping ground" for any job seeker that they just didn't want to talk to anymore. I have learned to sever relations with those recruiters and not accept their referrals.

7. A deal isn't a deal until its in writing.

When I first started my business I accepted verbal agreements from clients. No more - I have gotten burned a couple of times. Now every client has to agree to terms, pricing, and timing in writing. I have found that clients actually seem to appreciate having the deal in writing rather than an informal verbal agreement so it's a win-win.

8. Get your payment upfront if possible.

I don't think that very many people have ever tried to cheat me out of payment for services rendered but I do believe in "out of sight out of mind". Once the resume is done, if a client hasn't paid, it can take some time to collect. I think there are a couple of reasons for this (a) a lot of people pay bills on a set schedule - I once had a client ask me to wait for payment for a month so he could just write a check to me when he paid his electric bill, and (b) once a client has his/her new resume in hand, the job search can become all consuming and payment for the document is something forgotten. Now I ask for payment in advance and it has worked out very well.

9. Pricing transparency can lead to haggling.

I have tried to be very straightforward about my pricing but sometimes this has backfired and led to clients haggling with me about price. Generally, the more experience you have the longer it takes me to write your resume. Also, the more senior your role in an organization the more times you will come back for edits and revisions - really, you will.

So, I charge more for senior level executives and for individuals with a lot of work experience. I spend a lot of time with each client so if you pay me $400, $500, or $650 believe me when I say you are getting your money's worth. When someone tries to haggle me down $100 or $200 I find it kind of insulting because they clearly don't understand what I do. I now tell clients that if they want to pay a lower price to find another resume writer.

My website is currently being completely redone and instead of including an exact pricing/years of experience grid like I have on my current website I am going to just list a general range and I will give each client an individualized quote.

I have had a couple of clients lie to me about their years of experience just to pay a lower fee. When I found out later I was angry because, of course, these clients wound up taking a lot more of my time than they should have at the lower price range.

10. Ask for written testimonials from satisfied clients.

Written testimonials whether on your business website, Linked In, Yelp, or some other site are a great way for entrepreneurs to develop an online presence and also a great reputation. Written confirmation that you are reputable, honest, and good at your job make it easy for potential clients to validate your expertise.

Please Join Me in Austin on Saturday April 10 at 2pm

2010-03-23T15:01:00.003-06:00

Recently I was honored to have been chosen to be a featured entrepreneur in a book called "A Cup of Cappuccino for the Entrepreneur's Spirit Volume II" by Jeretta Horn Nord and Cindy Patterson Thompson. The book features the stories of 50 entrepreneurs and is intended to inspire and energize your entrepreneurial spirit. To promote the book Cindy and Jeretta have been hosting book signings and panel discussions featuring the individual entrepreneurs whose stories were featured in the book at Barnes & Noble bookstores around the U.S. The NYC signing, in particular, was a huge success!

I will be a member of the panel discussion and book signing at the upcoming event here in Austin Texas on Saturday April 10th at 2 pm at the Barnes & Noble store in the Arboretum. There are actually going to be 2 panels that day, one at 2 pm and one at 3 pm; I will be part of the 3 pm panel but will probably arrive earlier to hear the first panel. If you are an Ultimate Resumes client, potential client, or a budding entrepreneur I would love to meet you in person that day at the event so please stop by and join us!

Liz Handlin

Resume Tips for College Students - Guest Post

2010-03-02T11:25:00.003-06:00

This guest post is contributed by Katheryn Rivas, who writes on the topics of online universities . She welcomes your comments at her email Id: katherynrivas87@gmail.com .

Resume Tips for College Students

When you're in college, it can feel like the entire world is contained within the grounds of your campus. There's so much going on in your personal and academic life that it's easy to forget that, before long, you'll be dropped into the real world and forced to find gainful employment. When I was a college student, it wasn't until the end of my senior year that I really began focusing on the job hunt, and that's a bit too late to start, especially if you're unfamiliar with some of the tools you'll need after graduation. For instance, every student knows they'll need to put together a resume, but very few know how to go about it with any real clarity. With that in mind, here are a few things for undergrads to consider when it comes to building the resume that will take them into the workforce:

Start planning now

It's never too early to examine your present experiences through the lens of the future and consider how they'll look on a resume. There are a ton of college students who hit the job market with no experience to show but a couple summers clearing tables or tearing movie tickets. And while those experiences were fine in their time, you need to think about doing things that will provide opportunities down the road. Apply for internships in your field, and look for summer jobs that can teach you skills related to your major. When it comes time to graduate and look for a real job, you'll be able to present your potential employer with a resume demonstrating relevant experience in the market. Your resume is your lifeline and the best tool at your disposal when it comes to getting the attention of an employer. Make sure it counts.

Cut the double-talk

A lot of college students, wary of appearing inexperienced, trump up their accomplishments with puffy language. This is the job-hunt equivalent of using 13-point Arial typeface on a term paper with 1.5-inch margins: It's not fooling anyone. Don't say you were a "domestic distribution engineer" if you delivered the school newspaper. Be honest about your skills and experience; otherwise, you're just wasting your time. When a hiring manager wants to talk to you, they want to know about actual results and experiences, not stuff that's been dressed up to look better. The more honest you are, the better shot you have at connecting with an employer.

Just the facts

It's also a habit of college students to list things they think are relevant to the job search on their resume in order to make it appear more substantial. But you should only list things that are specifically related to your skills and the job field you're in. Employers know that fresh college graduates are going to have less experience than older workers, and that's fine. Don't try to make up for it by mentioning your place on the swim team. If you want to list skills or accolades, make them tailored to the job. For instance, if you're looking for work in the news media, mention your familiarity with the Associated Press stylebook and any editing or news production software you may have used. If you're a business student, highlight any internships with local companies or any honors you've received in the field. List your GPA (if you're proud of it), but stay away from nebulous topics like "relevant coursework." Your employer knows you took classes; they want you to go beyond that now.

That list is by no means exhaustive, but it is a great place to start. College is a wonderful time, but don't let that joy distract you from some simple techniques and preparations that will help you after you've walked the graduation stage.

Entrepreneur's Bill of Rights

2010-02-26T11:57:00.005-06:00

The following article was written by a college classmate of mine, Lara Druyan, who is now a General Partner in the Silicon Valley Venture Capital firm, Allegis Capital. Allegis invests in early stage companies developing enabling technology and software to serve emerging markets.

Ms. Druyan earned her B.A. from the University of Chicago and her M.B.A. from Harvard. For more information on Lara Druyan visit the SVASE website to view her bio or visit her company website, Allegis Capital.

Entrepreneur's Bill of Rights
Lara Druyan, General Partner, Allegis Capital

I was recently on a panel for SVASE in which I was asked what advice I had for entrepreneurs raising money. This question arises pretty regularly. So, I thought I would take a stab at memorializing some of these thoughts.

Raising money, especially in the current environment, is hard. However, entrepreneurs have power in the process. Hopefully, you have a choice from whom you raise money. Sometimes that isn't the case, and you take money from whomever is willing to invest. If you do have a choice, or even if you don't, you should know from whom you are taking money. This sounds obvious, but many entrepreneurs don't know much about either the firm (if a venture fund is involved) or the partner at that firm (often more important than the firm itself).

Entrepreneurs, you have a right to know the person and firm to which you will be wedded in your endeavor, and make no mistake, you will be getting married. You know, for better... for worse... In other words, do as much diligence on your investors as we do on you. To help you with this, I suggest the following:

1) Ask for CEO and Founder references. Call people on the list and not on the list. LinkedIn is a great resource to enable this activity.

2) Be critical about the process the investors are going through when evaluating your company. Are they asking for customer references as a "way to get started" in diligence? Or are they offering their own customer introductions as a form of diligence? Note: asking for your customer references should come late in the process - not at the beginning.

3) Do your homework about the firm. Do they typically make seed investments? Later stage? If you're raising a seed round, think carefully about pursuing a $400M fund's money.

4) Find out how many boards your prospective investor is on. Hint: more than ten means that the investor is not going to spend much, if any, time with you.

5) Figure out what matters to you in an investor. Are you seeking leads, advice, recruiting help? Assess the fit between your needs and what your investor offers (as told by references).

Remember, even if it doesn't feel like it, you do have power in the financing process.

Lessons Learned from Valentino

2010-02-18T08:42:00.005-06:00

I just watched the documentary Valentino: The Last Emperor in which a film crew followed Italian designer Valentino around for about 2 years. It was a really fascinating look at one of the most creative and influential designers of the century. As I watched the documentary, and drooled over the amazing dresses he designed, it occurred to me that entrepreneurs can learn from his career.

In my opinion he did some things really right and a few things really wrong:

Valentino's Smart Career Moves:

1. Doing the one thing he loved and was passionate about for a living.

Apparently the only thing he ever wanted to do, from the time he was a child, was design beautiful clothes for beautiful women.

I once heard multi-millionaire Ross Perot say that if you do what you love the money will follow and I think that is very true.

2. Choosing a partner who supported his career and who had complimentary skills.

Giancarlo Giammetti and Valentino have been both business and personal partners for 50 years. Giancarlo is the business mind behind their operation. He has spent 50 years running the business so that Valentino could focus on the one thing he loves doing: making beautiful clothes.

I am convinced that no entrepreneur can be successful if his/her partner/spouse isn't supportive of the endeavor.

Valentino's Possibly Poor Choices:

1. Not taking more interest in finances.

The documentary never explicitly says that Valentino didn't manage his money well but it is implied. He has numerous palatial homes, a yacht, a plane, and all the toys that we expect the uber-rich to have. However, the documentary mentions that other fashion designers have often wondered how Valentino makes so much money because, knowing the business as they do, they feel that the margins don't support that kind of lifestyle.

In 1998 Valentino sold his company (and, in reality, his name) to an Italian conglomerate HdP for $300 million. Valentino remained with the company as creative director. From 1998 - 2002 it seems that Valentino's day-to-day life wasn't impacted by his investors - they let him design what he wanted.

In 2002, HdP sold the brand to Marzotto Apparel for $210 million and that is when investors started to make demands of Valentino that he hated. They used his name to sell handbags, fragrances, and other high margin items that Valentino didn't like or support. On September 4, 2007 Valentino tearfully announced that he would retire fully from the world stage after his last Haute-Couture show in Paris.

I was sad when I watched him retire. Yes, he was more than 70 years old but he was giving up the job he loved because he could no longer control the creative direction of his own company.

If you don't control your finances someone else will and financial control equals control over every decision you make. Every entrepreneur should remember this lesson. Bill Cosby once said that the advice he gives to all young actors is to "sign your own checks" and to always control the money. Very wise.

Valentino is a recognized genius in his field and he gave the world so much beauty. I wonder if he would have continued to design beautiful clothes if he were still financially in charge of his company?

Some Facts About Women-Owned Businesses

2009-12-17T11:37:00.000-06:00

Across the nation women are starting ventures, faster than any other segment of business owners. Currently, 50% of all U.S. businesses are owned by women.

For the past two decades, women-owned firms have grown at nearly two times the rate of all firms. Women owned businesses contribute nearly $3 trillion to our national economy and create or maintain 23 million jobs according to new research.

Women-owned firms have contributed significantly to economic development, policy making as well as private investment directed towards other women-owned businesses. Studies have also shown that approximately 8% of the total work force stems from women-owned firms.

If women owned businesses were a country, they would have the 5th largest GDP in the world. They would be ranked ahead of the United Kingdom, France and Italy. They would also have a higher GDP than India, Canada, and Vietnam combined.

Job Seekers Beware: Companies Frequently Break Reference Policies

2009-11-24T17:06:00.001-06:00

With the national unemployment rate holding steady near 10 percent, it should come as no surprise there is a lot of competition for jobs across the country. What is perplexing, however, is how many people have bad professional references that can derail even the most qualified candidate, according to Heidi Allison, president of Allison & Taylor, the nation’s leading reference checking and employment verification firm.

“People spend a lot of time working on their resume, brushing up their interview skills and networking during job searches, but many fail to select their professional references carefully,” Allison said. “We check references for clients and approximately half of our calls to former employers produce an unexpected bad reference. The bottom line is that people need to select their references more carefully.”

Allison says there is a common misperception that, when contacted for a reference, former employers will only verify if a person previously worked for them and provide his or her job title.

“The fact is most people have no problem talking and, with a little prodding, one can learn quite a bit from a professional reference – some good, some bad,” Allison explained. “You’d be shocked at what some people selected to provide professional references have said about candidates.”

The following are excerpts of real professional reference checking interviews conducted by Allison & Taylor staff on behalf of clients during the past year:

Comments regarding a candidate’s skills, ranking them on a scale of 1-5:

Oral Communications: “Can I give a negative number?”

Interpersonal Relations: “He had a problem with a few of the people. I should have ended the relationship just after he started.”

Productivity: “Is there a rating less than inadequate?”

Decision Making: “He couldn’t make a decision if his life depended on it.”

Managerial Skills: “He couldn’t manage a group of children.”

Financial Skills: “That’s why our company had a major layoff – we left her in charge of the finances!”

Comments regarding a candidate’s strengths and weaknesses:

“I cannot think of any strengths, only weaknesses.”

“I’m sure there are some strengths, but nothing jumps out at me.”

“I’d rather not comment – you can take that however you want.”

Comments regarding the reason for the candidate leaving the company:

“I fired him! He and his buddy had some illegal things going.”

“It was a rather delicate and awkward situation. You should call her other past employers. I made the mistake of not doing that.”

“She was terminated in an investigation.”

Comments regarding a candidate selecting a person to be a professional reference:

“Are you certain he gave you my name?”

“I let him go and that’s all I care to say.”

“I’m surprised she even listed us on her work history.”

There are some professional references that make one simply wonder how a candidate would ever consider this person for a reference:

“No comment, he could not do anything correctly in the position he held with us.”

“Let’s save everyone some time. Basically, you could rank him inadequate in all areas.”

“Inadequate would be a positive word for him!”

“If a person is struggling to find a job, there’s a good chance a reference influenced them negatively and, once that’s happened, it’s often too late to resolve the situation,” Allison said. “We tell clients, don’t let this happen to you. We encourage them to work with us to check their references in advance and see if they’re positive. If not, there are several steps – some legal – that can be taken to rectify the situation.”

Pay Me With A Chicken - A New Bartering Website

2009-11-16T12:43:00.004-06:00

Pay Me With a Chicken has just launched. Its a 100% free website for people who “love to barter.” It allows traders the option to upload a video (like YouTube), or just a description and still photos of their items or services. And there’s a category for everything you can think of:

Here’s a member who wants to swap his condo> http://paymewithachicken.com/TradeDetails.aspx?trade=165

Here’s a band that will perform for barter> http://paymewithachicken.com/TradeDetails.aspx?trade=193

Here’s an artist who’ll swap her paintings> http://paymewithachicken.com/TradeDetails.aspx?trade=210

The site has just been activated and the founders have started spreading the word through social networking. But very soon – once they have enough postings to demonstrate its functionality – they’ll roll out a full blown media blitz online, in print and in news stories on select cable networks and TV affiliate stations nationwide. So if you join now, your listing will be seen by tens of thousands of visitors when www.paymewithachicken.com goes viral … which they predict that it will.

Since the economy isn't as strong as we would like it to be right now bartering could be a great option for getting what you want without paying a lot of cash. I think this site is a great idea...it will be interesting to see how it fares.

3 Reasons Your Resume Fails to Impress

2009-11-12T11:37:00.001-06:00

Today's post is a guest post from Donna Mitchell. Thanks Donna!

3 Reasons Your Resume Fails to Impress

A resume is much more than a simple piece of paper; in fact, it is the pivot on which your entire career revolves. In a world that is filled with cutthroat competition, it is your weapon that helps you find your place in the industry of your choice, which is why you must hone it to perfection. It is a missive that employers see even before they set eyes on you, so you must ensure that it hits your target accurately. If employers fail to call you for an interview after reading your resume, you can assume that it has failed to impress them and failed you in the process. A few reasons why this could have happened are:

· Lack of experience: I don’t mean your lack of experience in writing a resume, but your lack of anything substantial to put down in the space marked for experience. Employers are not too keen on taking on greenhorns who have to be trained for the job – this costs them time and money. So experience matters. So what do you do if you’re a college graduate who’s on the lookout for a job? You’re going to claim that it’s practically impossible for you to have gained any experience. Au contraire, if you know what you want to do with your life early on in college, you could gain experience through internships and volunteer programs in the industry of your choice. You may not get paid, but at least you gain in experience and enhance your prospects of landing a good job.

· Lack of organization: A resume that’s all over the place is going to find its way straight to the trash can. If you haven’t bothered to put some time and effort into creating your resume and making sure that prospective employers are able to gain a glimpse of your abilities by just looking at it, then your resume is not worth the paper it is written on. You must organize your information in the right order and in the right sequence so that it is easy for people reading it to grasp who you are and what your abilities are in the least possible time. Employers do not have time to waste on complicated resumes that are all frills and no substance.

· Too much information: You may have an achievement list that is a mile long, but that does not mean they should all find their way into your resume. Put down only what is relevant to the job you are applying for and don’t exaggerate your skills, talents, abilities or accomplishments. List what you have actually done rather than the positions you’ve held. And focus on the requirements and qualifications that are needed for the job you’re applying for.

When you know why your resume fails to impress and take the necessary action to correct your errors, you can rest assured that you will have better luck at finding a job that you love.

By-line:

This guest post was contributed by Donna Mitchell , who regularly writes on the topic of paralegal schools online . She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: donna.mitchell@rediffmail.com

Your Clients Will Lift You Up

2009-11-05T14:49:00.004-06:00

I have been writing resumes for a long time now (20 years in fact) and for the past 3 years I have been making my living doing this. One thing I have learned over the past 20 years is that if you treat each client like he/she is gold and if you invest in their success you won't have to spend a penny on marketing because business will come to you. That is right, your clients will do the marketing for you if you provide a great service. Presumably this principle holds mostly true for most small businesses.

I have been thinking about this lately because I am about to redo my website again and because I just put my Ultimate Book of Thank You and Sympathy Notes on Amazon.com as a Kindle download. I was thinking that I probably should have done these things long ago because a great website and book sales help to promote and support my business. But those things haven't been a priority because I have been so busy writing resumes for clients who were referred to me by former clients.

Don't get me wrong, I make some mistakes and there have been a handful of clients over the years who have gotten annoyed with me for one reason or another. For the most part, however, I believe I have been providing great service to my clients and they reward me with referrals. I am so grateful for their kindness that it makes me want to pay it forward to all the new clients who are referred to me. I feel like the luckiest woman in the world that I have such amazing clients (I am not blowing smoke) who continue to lift me up and ensure my success. Thank you to all of you.

Ten Rules of LinkedIn Etiquette for Business Professionals

2009-10-26T17:00:00.002-06:00

Following is a guest post from Adrienne Carlson who writes for ExecutiveMBAPrograms.org If you want to read the post on that site click here.

Unlike Facebook and the like, LinkedIn is strictly a social network for professionals with over 48 million members in over 200 countries. Working like a sophisticated online business card, members from those new to the workforce all they way to CEO’s of Fortune 500 companies utilize the free service. However, there is a right and wrong way to do it, and below are the top ten rules of LinkedIn Etiquette for Business professionals.

Bad Profile Picture
Professionals who choose to post a picture of themselves on LinkedIn should keep the same frame of mind. Although everyone loves to see pictures of children, it can send the wrong image when looking for a professional online. Other mistakes, such as bad lighting, posing, misleading shots, and others can be fairly obvious, but still manage to happen. It may even be worth hiring a professional photographer to make sure it is done right.
Honesty
It may be tempting to embellish that resume or bio on LinkedIn, but it is important to remember that anyone can see it. This includes both current and former colleagues and bosses, who can shine a light on any inconsistencies. It is much easier to erase a little white lie before you post, rather than after it has been exposed.
Catch Them With a Headline
Ever passed on an article because the headline didn’t grab you? The same rules apply to LinkedIn etiquette. Taking the time to craft a catchy and memorable summary can make all the difference. This site can help with headline guides, formulas, and more.
Status Updates
Walking a fine line between too many and too few status updates on any social networking sites can be difficult, and LinkedIn is no different. A good rule to have in mind is to keep updates professional. Whether discussing a project, event, etc. these can actually be helpful and show your network that you are engaged. However, updating several times a day can be annoying and have connections dropping you in no time. If confused, try looking at a profile you like and emulating how many times they update their status.
Utilize Links
Although LinkedIn allows you to post a link to up to three websites, many users simply title them My Company or My Blog. Because neither is tantalizing, get creative when naming the sites you link back to and entice the viewer to click on them. There are also widgets such as The Profile Widget or Company Insider to help even more.
Get Recommendations
Whether from a supervisor, colleague, subordinate, or even client, positive recommendations can make a big difference. As with most things, having too much can turn off possible connections and make you seem too needy. When asking for them, be sure to include a personal note as to why and what you would like to avoid the standard, boring recommendations.
Introductions Are In Order
As a LinkedIn member, you may receive or send requests for introductions to other members. When receiving them, be sure you trust whoever is sending them or ask a follow up question before accepting to avoid spam and scams. If sending a request for an introduction, be sure you ask your connection prior so that they know why and be more inclined to accept your request.
App It Up
LinkedIn has added nine different applications, similar to those on other social networking sites, to help your profile stand out some more. When used correctly and in the right doses, they can help you with travel, blogging, workspaces, and more. There is even a Google and SlideShare presentation app to help you share your work straight from your profile.
SEO
SEO, or search engine optimization, can help others find a profile such as “sales” or “real estate.” By repeating these words, you can increase the chances that a search engine such as Google will retrieve your profile. However, using the same words over and over can be confusing once you do get the traffic you desire. Try and keep a balance when utilizing SEO.
URL
This is a little harder if your name is John Smith, but those with unique and unusual names can grab an easy and memorable URL on LinkedIn. It is very useful if the contact you are speaking with doesn’t have anything to write with or if someone wants to see your LinkedIn profile without having to paste in a long link. If your name is John Smith, try a URL such as JohnAtBlankCompany.

Useful for both a job search or building a network with a broad reach, LinkedIn can be a massively useful tool when used correctly and utilizing these top ten rules of LinkedIn etiquette for business professionals.

How to Develop Yourself as a Nonprofit Leader

2009-10-13T13:19:00.001-06:00

Bridgestar.org, one of the best websites that focuses on not for profit jobs and related issues, posted a great article about developing yourself as a not for profit leader. I cut and pasted it below but if you want to read it from the Bridgestar site just click here.

Many people who are working within the ranks of nonprofit organizations could become great senior nonprofit leaders. However, in part because of budget constraints, few organizations in the sector have formal professional development programs to prepare mid-level managers for senior roles. As a result, most mid-level nonprofit professionals must take responsibility for their own career development.

One way to begin the process is to tap the experience of senior leaders who already have worked their way up within the sector. To that end, we spoke with six senior nonprofit leaders—all of whom have spent much if not all of their careers working in the nonprofit sector—about their career paths and the lessons they learned along the way. We also asked what advice they would give to mid-level managers looking to move into senior nonprofit leadership roles.

Their reactions are synthesized in this article. These professionals’ varied paths cannot serve as precise blueprints for others to follow. Rather, their insights are meant to help others begin to craft their own individual roadmaps to the senior leadership ranks.

Volunteer, inside or outside of your organization

Helen Davis Picher, director of evaluation and research at the William Penn Foundation, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region, said one of the factors that helped her advance, after coming on board in 1983 as a program associate, was her willingness to pitch in wherever needed. “We’re pretty small, so you can get organization-wide experience just by being involved,” she said. “I was happy to be part of keeping things moving.”

Other leaders we spoke with agreed, noting that volunteering to help with an event or a special project—particularly those that cut across functional boundaries—can help provide the sort of well-rounded experience that leadership roles require.

“There’s a great opportunity in this [sector] to take on more responsibility if you want to… If someone comes to me and says, ‘I have an interest in X,’ I try to accommodate that,” said Maureen Curley, president of Campus Compact, a Boston-based national coalition dedicated to promoting community service by college students. For example, when one of her administrative assistants asked to get involved with public policy work, Curley had the assistant do research, visit legislators, and help draft legislation. Another employee, a program associate, volunteered to coordinate the organization’s 2008 move from Providence, RI, to Boston to gain administrative experience with an eye towards becoming a chief operating officer (COO). “Step forward with what you want to do,” Curley said. “[But know] that you will have to do that on top of whatever you’re supposed to do for your regular job.”

Maureen Salkin, a director on the Bridgespan Group’s executive search team in Boston suggests that people in program roles seek out volunteer opportunities that touch the entire organization, such as human resources or firm-wide-event planning committees. “Senior operations people have to have a broad knowledge of the organization,” said Salkin. Her own experience volunteering while an administrative assistant to the theater department at the State University of New York, Albany, helped Salkin take on new roles in her organization. Volunteering to help students publicize theater productions helped her land her next role as the department’s business manager and publicity director, where she oversaw staffing, booking, and scheduling operations for six buildings (including a theater). She then became performing arts director. “You’ve got to watch for opportunities and raise your hand,” Salkin said. “Don’t wait to be tapped on the shoulder.”

Gaining fundraising experience also can help mid-level executives with their career advancement. Richard Tagle, chief executive officer (CEO) of Higher Achievement, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that provides enrichment programs for underserved middle school students, got his first experience with fundraising when he worked as a program manager at Public Education Network (PEN). The organization had no centralized development function, so in addition to running their projects, all the program managers were responsible for lining up the necessary funding. “The network I created helped me open doors,” he said.

If fundraising is not part of your job description, Stephen Pratt, CEO of MY TURN, Inc., a Brockton, MA-based youth development agency, recommended joining an organization’s fundraising committee, volunteering for a black-tie gala committee or a strategic planning committee, or working on a political campaign. Such volunteer work can expose you to the mechanics of fundraising while allowing you to take on a wider range of operational duties. It may even raise your profile with the senior management team. “I’m impressed when people in my organization get involved in political campaigns—even if I don’t agree with the cause,” Pratt said. “Getting some exposure to fundraising is the biggest feather [junior executives] can put in their cap.”

Pratt said that staff roles are becoming more specialized at many nonprofits, which can make it nearly impossible for mid-level program professionals to gain organization-wide experience as part of their day jobs. In addition, it can sometimes be difficult within their own organizations for managers to be considered for volunteer roles that fall outside of their specialties. “I think moving from a programmatic role to an administrative role is getting more difficult as time goes on and roles become more specialized,” Pratt said. “There’s a view sometimes that a great teacher or a great social worker will not be a great administrator.”

However, if you are a mid-level manager who is having difficulty finding the right kinds of volunteer experiences within your own organization, Pratt said that there are still plenty of opportunities available if you cast a wider net. He recommended looking for volunteer roles at other nonprofits whose missions closely match your values, and considering opportunities as diverse as direct service, event planning, committee work, or even a position on a board of directors.

Seek out both formal and informal professional development opportunities

Mid-level professionals can utilize many diverse avenues of learning to gain the skills they need to become senior managers. For example, advanced degrees or certification programs, informal peer networking, professional networking groups, and professional associations all provide vital professional development opportunities.

On informal connections, Curley said: “Join any group that can put you in touch with people you can network with or learn from. If I were in a junior role, I’d seek out people like me at other organizations.” She noted that professionals can often gain valuable insights by talking with peers about the ways they have tackled particular challenges at their organizations and how they are building their own managerial skills. The key is to make genuine connections with people where there is real give-and-take in the relationship, rather than only contacting them when you have an ulterior motive. And once synergy is established with a set of peers, nurture it.

Doing so can be as simple as sending along news articles or reports that have helpful information or forwarding a job listing that you think might interest the person. As Tagle noted, the key is to make sure that you are bringing something valuable to the relationship. “You never know who’s going to open the next door for you,” he said.

Salkin suggested that one way to expand your network beyond your peers is through informational interviews. Sitting down with a person who is doing what you would like to do in your next job can teach you about that job’s specific responsibilities and reveal skills you may yet need to develop to earn that type of role. However, Salkin noted, it is important to prepare for an informational interview as thoroughly as you would a job interview, by deciding ahead of time exactly what you want to get out of the conversation. Before setting up any informational interviews, Salkin said, it can also be helpful to look at the resumes and biographies of a few people who hold positions that interest you to see what experiences led up to those jobs.

Several of the leaders we spoke with noted the importance of continuing education—including everything from certification classes to full degree programs. For example, when the William Penn Foundation adjusted its strategic plan to put greater emphasis on measuring the results of its programs, Picher enrolled in courses about evaluation. The additional training helped her broaden her range of skills and expand her responsibilities in the organization. And Tagle said that early in his career, he continuously took classes and workshops to hone his finance and forecasting skills. “An aspect of growing in any organization is to keep sharpening the saw,” he said. “Just keep informing yourself and maintaining avenues for growing your skills.”

Increasingly, most of the people we spoke with agreed, formal degrees provide a distinct advantage for those aspiring to leadership roles.

Pratt said he continues to use the skills he gained while earning his 1988 Master’s in Education at Harvard University. “You need to have a full quiver of arrows to run a nonprofit,” Pratt said. “I can think of several great nonprofit leaders who don’t have advanced degrees, but it’s an increasingly indispensable attribute.” He noted that there are increasing numbers of Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs that focus specifically on the nonprofit sector, which had not existed when he earned his degree. Frequently, these programs offer nonprofit leaders a chance to step back from the daily pressures of their jobs and look at the big picture, to learn new skills, and to build their professional networks.

Sandra Gutierrez, COO at Latin American Youth Center, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that serves youth and their families, said the rigor and discipline required to complete a master’s degree program give nonprofit professionals a big edge. For example, at her organization, the people responsible for launching any pilot program must develop and oversee every aspect of it, including the content, the philosophy, the budget, the duration, and the expected outcome. She said program managers who have completed—or who are enrolled in—an advanced degree program often bring to the table a deeper understanding of business management techniques and tools, the ability to juggle numerous responsibilities, plus an expanded network of peers they can tap for advice. This combination of assets often can mean better results for the pilot program and, ultimately, more growth opportunities for the manager. “You see a really big difference in people who come into a program manager role with a master’s degree compared to an undergraduate degree,” said Gutierrez, who also noted that most of the people she hires complete their master’s while working.

Curley, who earned her Master’s in Human Service Administration at Antioch College, said that the program’s experiential learning approach exposed her to peers who were also working in the sector. “That experience for me was so important,” she said. “All the students were still working while taking classes. I could pick their brains about specific issues that came up and I could learn from them.”

Think “big”

A big-picture view of one’s career is another boon to people who aspire to become nonprofit leaders. As Tagle put it, “A big part of career growth is looking at a broader landscape of where your skills can be applied… and being able to see the dotted lines that connect different fields.”

Tagle’s own career is a perfect example of someone leveraging skills learned in one field to succeed in another. In his position as a program officer at the Conference of Mayors, Tagle focused primarily on financial analysis and forecasting for HIV prevention health programs. But in 1994, he authored a report on children’s health, which concluded that health is a big factor in children’s success in school. The report came to the attention of some people at PEN, who asked Tagle to coordinate the organization’s new school reform program. He took the job, and eventually became PEN’s chief of staff. When he saw the job description for the CEO position at Higher Achievement, Tagle said he saw an opportunity to take his public education policy skills to a national stage.

“In every position I’ve taken, I didn’t limit myself to what I was bringing to the position,” Tagle said. “I said I’m interested in this position because I’m going to learn a lot. There’s this notion of not being afraid to bring the skills you have to the position, but also being very clear about what you want to learn from it.”

Gutierrez also leveraged learning to expand her leadership role. She said that when she first started out as a youth worker she had no long-term career goal other than working with children. But her first job in the field entailed extensive training in facilitation, followed by a requirement that the workers practice what they had learned. Her ability to facilitate sessions with the children in the program caught her boss’s attention. “I really enjoyed running these sessions, and he saw my potential as a leader,” Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez continued to take training classes and to conduct training sessions for other staff members while working as a senior program manager (and in other program roles) at various child-serving nonprofits. She said the nature of training, which includes constant outcomes measurement, gave her a unique perspective on her organizations and their programs. As a result, Gutierrez often led meetings with funders. “I knew how things fell together at the organization, and I knew in the greatest level of detail what was going on with a particular program,” she said.

Move up by moving on

It is possible to stay at one organization for the bulk of one’s career and rise to the top. Picher, for example, has worked in every program area at the William Penn Foundation, and that experience uniquely qualified her for the oversight role she now holds. But the leaders we spoke with said that it is also important to be willing to change organizations, or even locations, in pursuit of greater responsibility.

Curley won her first executive director position at age 26 when she moved to Vermont to join a six-month-old daycare business for adults. “Small pond, big fish—I think that’s a really good strategy,” she said. “At larger organizations, you may have more opportunities to move up, but you may be more siloed. At small organizations, it’s all hands on deck… If people show they’re enthusiastic and they’re going to go beyond their regular jobs, they’re going to go a lot farther.”

Pratt agreed, noting that his work experiences at various nonprofits have helped him in his current job. “I think I’m a stronger leader at MY TURN for having served at a number of different nonprofits,” he said. “I have all these case studies I can draw from.” However, he cautioned that switching jobs too often can be a red flag to potential employers, who may worry that their organization will be just another career stepping stone. “One does need to be careful about moving around too much—that has certainly been a danger in my own career!” said Pratt, who by age 46 had been a nonprofit CEO five times and had founded six different nonprofits. “You need to balance out the opportunities that present themselves elsewhere with a need to stick it out where you are and create a legacy that the organization is better off for your having been there.”

Ultimate Resumes Receives 2009 Best of Chicago Award

2009-10-01T08:06:00.000-06:00

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ultimate Resumes Receives 2009 Best of Chicago Award

U.S. Commerce Association’s Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., June 8, 2009 -- Ultimate Resumes has been selected for the 2009 Best of Chicago Award in the Business Consulting category by the U.S. Commerce Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Commerce Association (USCA)

U.S. Commerce Association (USCA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USCA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USCA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Commerce Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Commerce Association
Email: PublicRelations@us-ca.org
URL: http://www.us-ca.org

###

Artistic and Creative Resumes

2009-09-24T15:40:00.003-06:00

I just found a cool website with some very cool and visually pleasing resumes which are appropriate for professionals in gaming, graphics, or other creative or artistic jobs.

30 Artistic and Creative Resumes

Resume Formatting and Content - Liz Handlin's Perspective

2009-09-10T06:38:00.005-06:00

I have worked with a lot of clients over the years and most of them tend to land jobs pretty quickly after they have a completed resume. But times are tough and it tends to take longer for almost anyone to find a job and when people don't find jobs as quickly as they would like they tend to second guess nearly every aspect of their job search.

Am I wearing the right kind of interview suit? Did I offend the interviewer? Why won't the recruiter call me back? How do I make sure my resume is reviewed by a hiring manager? Does my resume need to be redone? These are just a few of the questions that job seekers have asked me. Many times a job seeker can make some changes which rapidly alter the course of their job search. Other times, however, they are over thinking the search process particularly when it comes to their resume.

There is more than one way to write a good resume. There, I said it. I would like to believe that my way of doing this is the only way or the best way but I know that there is more than one way to get the job done. The key is to format simply, include relevant content, and emphasize accomplished backed by metrics. The resume should be easy to read and should not exceed 3 pages. Beyond that there are several different ways you can create a great resume.

Following are a few questions that clients often ask me about and my rationale for doing things my way.

1. Should I include a list of core competencies at the top of my resume?

Liz's Answer: Generally no. The term "core competencies" became popular in 1990s corporate America (I think I remember when we started using the term frequently) to refer to the core skills required in any job. The problem with creating a list of "core competencies" is that you are taking a series of words out of context and expecting someone else to figure out your level of expertise.

Many clients have said to me, "but Liz, I want to list core competencies so that my resume will be selected by search engines looking for marketing people". My answer is that if you are truly a marketing expert you should be able to list enough metrics based accomplishments that include the word marketing that you don't need to include a list of words at the top of your resume.

Having said all of that, I have seen good resumes with lists of core competencies at the top and as long as it doesn't take up a lot of space that you could use for high impact accomplishments it probably won't do you any harm unless you are a senior executive. Senior executives who list core competencies or lists of skills at the top of a resume make themselves look tactical and junior level so I always advise senior clients to skip the core competencies.

2. Do I need a summary section that lists the best of my accomplishments?

Liz's Answer: No. I polled some of the top retained recruiters in the U.S. on this very topic. The top of the first page of your resume is valuable real estate so make wise use of it. Reiterating information that can be found in the body of the resume is not a good use of that space. If you include a short statement of some kind it is very likely that a recruiter will read it but if it's more than a few sentences they will probably skip it and move on to the meat of your resume. I think of that section as your "30 Second Elevator" pitch. You should list the statement you would give to the CEO of your dream employer if you were alone in an elevator with him/her for 30 seconds. If you don't have a 30 second elevator pitch and you are a job seeker you need to create one.

See the post from last year about my conversation with Austin based recruiter Marc Davis on this topic.

3. Should I include a skills section on my resume?

Liz's Answer: It depends on whether or not the skills section is relevant to your job. I can't tell you how many accountants I have met who list "proficient with Quicken, Excel, Quickbooks, and Microsoft Word" on their resumes. If you are a junior level accountant it is OK to include this but if you are a senior accounting professional or a CFO it should go without saying that you know how to use the basic tools of your trade. Especially if you are a CPA or have worked in a large public accounting firm.

If you are a technical professional, say for example, a software engineer, it can be helpful for recruiters to be able to see, at a glance, what technologies or coding languages you have expert knowledge of. I usually recommend you include that section at the end of the resume but there are cases where including it on the front page make sense. Your unique situation and job search tactics are factors in deciding how and where to list this information.

I could go on and on about why I write resumes the way I do but instead of making this the longest blog post in the world I think I will add links to other posts I have written in the past that are relevant to this topic so I am going to link to them here.

Don't Try to Be Clever On Your Resume

Leave Subjective Statements Off Your Resume

You Might Get A Rejection Letter If...

Seven Things You Need to Know About Recruiters

Prepare Your References to Give You A Glowing Recommendation

Potentially Very Cool Tool for Job Seekers

2009-08-19T15:13:00.005-06:00

I just found a new website today that is still in it's "Beta" phase called JobSpeaker. It is a site that lets job seekers rate recruiters and find out more information about recruiters, career coaches, and others in the industry. It also appears that both employers and recruiters will be able to post information for job seekers. It's still a new site but if it really takes off I think it could be really helpful to job seekers. It kind of reminds me of Yelp but limited only to the job search/recruiting universe.

Should You Distribute Your Resume At A Trade Show?

2009-08-18T15:44:00.004-06:00

A client of mine told me that he is planning to attend a big trade show in a major city in a few weeks and that he is planning to take his resume and pass it around to his contacts there. I can't help but feel that approaching a job search in that manner seems a little bit desperate. This particular client is not, in fact, desperate for a job but handing out a resume in a non-hiring environment like a trade show doesn't seem "right" to me.

I don't know if there is a right or wrong answer to the question but my advice to job seekers would be to use the trade show to make contacts but wait until after the show to follow up and send resumes. Most vendors at trade shows are very busy promoting their products or services and even if you know them well your resume probably won't get the attention you want it to at the show. And its possible the document could be lost or misplaced on the way back to the office.

Use trade shows and events as great opportunities to meet new contacts and to express an interest in their companies, products or services. Exchange business cards with your new contacts and wait until a few days after the show to follow up. Give your new contacts a chance to get settled back in the office before you approach them about what you want: a job. In fact, I would probably recommend that you exchange a couple of emails before you send your resume along unless your conversation at the trade show specifically addressed job openings at your new contact's employer. You can sell yourself without being inappropriately pushy and handing out a resume too quickly can seem pushy, desperate, or just obnoxious.

The exception to this is, obviously, if you meet a contact at a trade show and if he/she says, "Hey you are in luck, my company is looking for someone just like you right now. Do you have a resume I can show my boss? If he likes what he sees maybe we can meet for breakfast tomorrow." It wouldn't hurt to have a few copies of your resume with you at a trade show (or an electronic version) with you but don't hand it to anyone who hasn't asked for it first.

Just The Facts Please

2009-08-01T09:33:00.002-06:00

Do you want to drive a recruiter or resume writer crazy? Then be sure and give long rambling monologues as answers to simple questions. Just like in the movie, "Dragnet", resume writers and recruiters are looking for. "Just the facts, ma'am".

If you hire a resume writer you should be prepared for an interview (some use questionnaires instead of personal interviews) in which you will be asked questions like "what kind of budget did you manage", "how many employees did you manage", "what was the scope of your job", and "what did you accomplish in the job". And of course, we need metrics to demonstrate that you achieve what you say you did. Those are the facts and that is the information that we need to help you create a great resume and to prepare for job interviews.

What we don't need are diatribes about how unfairly the company treated you. We don't need to hear the entire company history and how some minor aspect of that relates to how you were hired 20 years ago. We don't need to hear excuses for why you didn't keep any records of your sales numbers or sales quotas 10 years ago.

If you hire a resume writer think about the relationship as preparation for a job interview. A great resume anticipates the questions an interviewer will ask and answers them in advance. If you work with a resume writer, like me for example, you can expect to be asked to "prove" that you are as good as you say you are at every turn. If tell me that you were the number 1 salesman at your company I will ask what metrics you have to prove that. Some clients don't like questions like that. Some of them get very frustrated and angry that I don't take it at face value that they were the best salesperson in the history of their employer.

But guess what? I don't care if you were or if you weren't the best - I just need information from you can that I can use to craft a resume that makes you look like a star. If you can't give me enough information that I can do my job then I guarantee that no recruiter worth his or her salt is going to give you the time of day. Recruiters won't waste time with people who can't answer their questions - they will just put your resume in the "round file" and move on to a candidate who is polished, professional, and who can prove their value by utilizing metrics and specific examples.

Rambling and unfocused answers to any question asked in an interview or resume writing situation are a symptom of a larger problem: disorganized thinking. Sometimes the rambling answers are also a sign that the interviewee is not a good listener - if you listen carefully to the questions you are asked you should be able to craft concise and specific answers. If you want to ace an interview with either a recruiter or hiring manager you need to present yourself as someone who is an intelligent high achiever with clearly organized thought processes.

Tips for preparing to work with a resume writer:

1. Gather facts, numbers, and information on projects related to each job you have held.
2. Think about how you plan to approach your job search once the resume is complete and discuss this with the resume writer.
3. Think about what kind of jobs you want to apply for and communicate that upfront.
4. Talk to the resume writer about how information on your resume can be used to enhance your social networking profiles since recruiters often use Facebook, LinkedIn, and other online tools to target talent.

If you hire someone who can create a great resume for you the interview process for jobs should be a breeze because you should have already been asked almost every question a good recruiter will ask. The resume writing process can be great preparation for your job search - just make sure you use the resume writer's time wisely. If too much time is spent on long rambling stories you won't get the resume you want and you won't be as prepared for interviews as you should be.

A job search is about the wise use of resources - those who remember that have much shorter searches and find great jobs quickly.

I Don't Owe You Anything.

2009-07-20T12:47:00.004-06:00

Normally I tend to write blog posts that attempt to be positive and informative. This is not one of those posts so if that is what you are looking for you should probably skip this one because it's a bit of a rant.

Do you remember that line in the movie, Pretty Woman, when Richard Gere, driving his friend's Lotus, gets lost in Hollywood and asks a prostitute, played by Julia Roberts, for directions? She told him it would cost $20 for directions. He was shocked and outraged by the high price for directions and asked Julia Roberts how she could charge him just to point him in the right direction. Her response was, "Well, I ain't the one who is lost now am I?" Sometimes that is what I feel like saying to potential clients who try to negotiate a lower resume writing fee, question what I charge to write a resume, or just plain lie about the amount of experience they have. I feel like many people just don't understand the skill and time it takes to create a great resume and, therefore, undervalue the price of a really good writer.

I have had it with clients and/or potential clients who misrepresent the amount of experience they have in order to qualify for a lower resume rewriting fee. It's ridiculous, disrespectful, and rude. Don't they realize that I am going to figure it out once I start interviewing them?

I have a current client who initially told me that he had less than 20 years of work experience and since his old resume had his work experience beginning in 1994, I believed him. The fee I currently charge for someone with less than 20 years of work experience is $375. I found out, once he had paid me and I began work on his resume, that he graduated college in 1982 but he just doesn't list his work experience prior to 1994 on his resume. Had this client been honest with me he would have paid between $500 and $650 for the resume because that is what I charge for someone with that much experience.

The problem with this particular client is that he is taking up a lot of my time as do most clients with a lot of experience. Whether a new client believes it or not at the outset of the process, the more experience you have the more there is to discuss. It doesn't matter if you include all of your work experience on your resume or not -- inevitably the past comes up in conversation and takes up more of my time. Furthermore, clients with more experience also have more revisions than clients with fewer years of work experience. I would imagine this is because the longer you have been in the workplace the more opinions you have which is why I charge more to write resumes for people with more experience.

I have many terrific clients but there are also those like the one I mention in this post who seem to think that I owe them work at no charge. Or maybe they think my time isn't valuable. I really don't know what they think but I am getting fed up with folks who attempt to take advantage of my generosity. Once I agree to work with a client I give 110% to make sure that he/she looks like a rockstar on the resume no matter how long it takes or how many conversations we need to have to clarify information. I don't think it's too much to ask that clients pay for the time I spend working on their behalf.

I go out of my way to give free advice to people whom I know cannot afford to pay for a resume and/or who are connected to individuals in my network simply because I have always felt that if you are kind to others it will come back to you in a positive way. Sometimes that is true but there are some people really seem to go out of their way to take advantage of those who are kind to them and it leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.

Writing is a skill and resume writing is a particular niche within the writing field. Just because you are a good technical writer or journalist doesn't mean you are a good resume writer. There are a lot of resume writing services in the world but very few are particularly good at it. I have a lot of respect for a very few resume writers like Barbara Safani, Louise Fletcher, and Susan Ireland.

Anyone who really knows how to write a resume knows that it takes more than a pretty format and a list of key words to create a compelling document that will be noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.

If you hire a resume writer just remember that it's hard work and nothing is for free. I don't owe you anything just because you don't feel like paying the full fee. If you want a discount or a cheap product please take your business someplace else. If you want a great resume and you are willing to pay for it I am happy to help you but please don't lie to me or take advantage of my good nature.

To paraphrase Julia Roberts: just remember, I am not the one who lost.

Interesting and Innovative Job Search Resources

2009-07-15T09:28:00.004-06:00

I have recently heard about some really interesting online job search resources and tools that I thought might be helpful to job seekers.

15 Second Pitch is a free website that guides you through the creation of a 500 word pitch for you/ your services. I think this is a great tool for any job seeker because you need to have your elevator pitch ready whenever someone asks you why they should hire you. I heard about this tool from Susan Ireland and posted my 500 word pitch in the comments section of her blog as did many other people if you want to see what others' pitches look like.

Alliance Q is a job board created by and for large corporations. Don't put your resume on Monster if you want to work for ADP, Hewitt, or Avery Denison to name a few. Post your resume on Alliance Q instead.

I recently met a CPA/VP Finance job seeker who swears by RiteSite as a job search tool. I gave it a cursory glance but don't know much about the site. One thing he liked about it was that you can create resumes without your name on it that are searchable by recruiters so if you don't want your employer to know you are looking you can get your resume posted anonymously.

Liz Ryan recently wrote a post on Yahoo! Savvy Networker and I wish I had written it myself. She listed some key phrases to NOT include on your resume. And these are:

Results-oriented professional
Cross-functional teams
More than [x] years of progressively responsible experience
Superior (or excellent) communication skills
Strong work ethic
Met or exceeded expectations
Proven track record of success
Works well with all levels of staff
Team player
Bottom-line orientation

And finally, I want to address Video Resumes which haven't really taken off but some companies pitch to job seekers. While I can appreciate the benefits of a video resume for some people I can't imagine busy recruiters taking the time to load and watch a bunch of videos when its faster to just skim resumes. Also I read an interesting article about the legal pitfalls of video resumes which makes it pretty clear that if recruiters at large corporations listen to their attorneys they wont be watching video resumes to make hiring decisions.

Who Should You Listen to for Resume Advice?

2009-06-29T17:12:00.006-06:00

Once you embark upon a job search your resume, perhaps previously gathering dust in a file drawer, will become the most important document you own. Job seekers have a tendency to show everyone they know a copy of their resume; many of them seem to weigh each opinion equally and continuously edit the resume based on the most recent "great advice" they have been given.

It seems like everyone has an opinion about what you need to do to create a good resume. In fact, if you do a quick Google search you will find that there is no shortage of resume writers in this country. If you look in your local yellow pages you will also probably find "resume writers" who a really typists who can format information for you. So, whose opinion counts when it comes to resumes? How do you know if you are getting good advice or not?

First of all if you are going to ask for advice on your resume you need to make sure you know what questions to ask. Are you asking for input on the formatting and general appearance? Do you want input on the content and appropriateness of the language used to describe your jobs? Or do you want to know if the resume does a good job of selling your unique skills and accomplishments? If you just ask someone, no matter how knowledgeable they are, "what do you think of my resume?" you aren't asking the most useful question. Make sure to ask very specific questions in order to elicit the most specific and helpful responses.

If I were going to ask for an opinion on my resume one of the most important criteria would be the knowledge, education, and qualifications of the person whom I asked to review the document. Here are a few thoughts on whom I would recommend that you ask and whom you should not ask for opinions on your resume.

Good Sources of Resume Critiques:

Hiring Manager in your field or desired employer. These can be some of the best people from whom to get feedback on your resume. These are the people who will make the final decision about whether or not they want to consider asking you to join their team. Their feedback on content is especially helpful. You will find that hiring managers are most interested in reading about your specific skills and accomplishments in areas that affect their bottom line. If that information isn't in your resume you need to do some edits.

Human Resource Professionals (in-house recruiters) in your field. These are the ultimate resume reviewers because they read, screen, and decide the fate of hundreds (sometimes thousands) of resumes every day. They want to see clearly written information about your jobs and accomplishments that is formatted in an easy-to-read but not overly fancy manner. They need to be able to rapidly assess whether or not its worthwhile to screen you for possible interviews with the hiring manager.

Elite Retained Recruiters: If I were going to ask for an opinion on my resume the first person I would ask would be one of the few really top recruiters I know. Some of the best recruiters in the country are well educated, have been in the business for years, and are trusted partners of their Fortune 500 and/or Private Equity backed clients. These recruiters are the best of the best and they know exactly what they and their clients want to see and how they want to see it presented on a resume. In my opinion these people offer some of the best resume feedback you can get.

NOT So Good Sources of Resume Feedback:

Your spouse. Unless your spouse has unique knowledge of the recruiting/hiring industry it is good to get an outside opinion on the overall content and look of the resume. On the other hand, your spouse or significant other can be very helpful in reminding you of key accomplishments or projects that you have forgotten about but should be listed on your resume. Use your spouse's knowledge and expertise wisely.

Junior Level Contingency Recruiters: "Contingency" recruiters get paid only if they fill a position within a client company. Many contingency recruiting firms will literally hire just about anyone with a pulse because they are paying them 100% commission; if they fail they get fired and if they make money for the company they can stay. These people often get no special training and are not required to have any particular level of industry knowledge, education, or background for the job other than a willingness to relentlessly cold call any company that might have a job opening they can try to fill. If you have a friend who just started a recruiting job they may not have really learned what hiring managers want to see in resumes yet. Weigh their resume feedback carefully before making changes.

Employees of your dream employer who don't know what you do and don't work in the area in which you are seeking employment. Just because you have a friend at Dell (for example) does not mean that he/she knows anything about resumes, your unique background, the department you seek to become employed by, or how to you should present yourself on paper. However, you should absolutely network with anyone you know at your dream employer - you just may not want to change your resume based on his/her feedback. Again, weigh feedback carefully before starting to edit.

Large resume writing companies that employ junior writers and who ask you to fill out comprehensive surveys. Resumes are personal. They are the ultimate marketing material for the most important product in the world: You. The experience, education, and background of the resume writer you choose to assist you is what matters most if you are going to pay someone to help you write your resume. A good resume rewrite involves in depth conversations between you and whom ever is creating the document for you. No surveys or questionnaires are needed.

Resumes should be clearly written, simply formatted, and should describe each of your jobs and accomplishments along with relevant dates. You should list your education, board memberships, volunteer positions, patents, publications, media appearances, and anything else that appropriately demonstrates that you are a star at what you do. Keep it simple and remember that this document only has to do one thing for you: market your skills in such a way that you get an interview. Once it lands you the interview the new "most important" document will become the paycheck you receive from your fabulous new job!

5 Things Humans Can Learn From Puppies

2009-06-25T14:44:00.004-06:00

Boy, its been awhile since I posted. I have been extremely busy and have really let the blog slide so I need to get back on track!

I just got a new puppy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel whom I named Oliver. He is so adorable and sweet. He spends most of his day keeping me company on a pillow that I have placed next to the computer on my desk. When he isn't sleeping he is running around the house, playing with my other dogs, exploring, sitting on laps, and generally spreading joy and fun wherever he goes. As I watch him grow and learn it occurred to me that adult humans can learn a thing or two from puppies.
1. If you fall down, get back up and keep going.

Oliver is very quick and spry; sometimes I don't even hear or see him coming until he has smashed into a door I am opening. The other day he ran head-on into a door just as I was opening it. I don't know how he didn't get a concussion. He didn't cry or whine. He just got up, wagged his tail and followed me out the door. As we get older I think most of us indulge ourselves in some time to complain or be upset about things that go wrong - maybe we should try to bounce right up and keep going instead of wasting precious time feeling sorry for ourselves. Easier said than done of course.

2. Enthusiasm is contagious.

Oliver pops out of bed every morning with an excitement and enthusiasm that makes me smile even though I am in desperate need of caffeine before I can start my day. I can't help it. He is excited about the day so I start my day with a smile. People who walk into a room with a genuine (not fake) smile and who seem happy tend to elicit the same attitude from those with whom they interact. It can be difficult sometimes but happy spreads happy.

3. Forgive and forget.

Oliver and my two other dogs, Rusty and Kodiak, are adjusting to each other. There is a lot of toy and rawhide stealing going on in the house now. Sometimes Kodiak, who weighs about 90 pounds, just walks right up to Oliver and takes a toy out of his mouth. Oliver always looks confused but he doesn't get mad and he continues to try to become friends with Kodiak. And Kodi is warming to him and is spending less time playing with Oliver's toys and more time playing with his own. I am not a believer that anyone should take a lot of crap from anyone else but in certain situations taking the high road is a really good way to go.

4. Every day brings the possibility of new adventures.

Every time we try a new activity like riding in the car, walking to the park, or meeting a new person, Oliver reacts with all the enthusiasm you would expect from a puppy. It's just good to remember that every day we are alive we have the option to enthusiastically take on new adventures, challenges, and activities with a positive attitude.

5. Showing those you love how you feel is a good thing.

What can I say? Puppy hugs and kisses are fantastic and make every day better. Make sure the people you care about realize their importance in your life every day because life is short. Oliver's obvious love for me makes me so happy every day even when I am having a crummy day.

This One Is For The Troops: Translating Your Military Experience Into Civilian Terms On Your Resume

2009-05-25T15:33:00.006-06:00

Happy Memorial Day! I hope that you were all able to have a wonderful and relaxing day and that you remembered that it was made possible by all the soldiers who, since the Revolutionary War, have been making sure that the U.S. is a safe and free country where we can live our lives in peace. I am very grateful to all the members of the U.S. Armed Services and, over the years, I have also had the opportunity to help many former soldiers to create resumes for use in the civilian world.

So, today, in honor of our soldiers I thought I would list a few tips for describing military service in terms that make sense to civilian employers.

1. Explain the military acronyms on your resume.

Instead of assuming that a civilian will know what FOB, PB, or JRTC means write out the entire word and follow it with the acronym in parentheses. Forward Operating Base (FOB), Patrol Base (PB), Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC).

2. Where possible explain your military duties in simple terms that make sense to civilians.

If in doubt, describe what you did to your grandmother; if she can't understand what you are saying you need to go back to the drawing board and simplify.

3. Be specific about results; don't just list your duties.

All resumes (military or non-military) should describe the scope of your jobs and should emphasize your accomplishments. Every job is about delivering results in one form or another but the trick is to try to describe your military results in terms that are applicable in the civilian world.

For example:

Accountable for the readiness of four highly sophisticated Bradley fighting vehicles, associated weapons systems, and experimental equipment.

Responsible for the training, discipline, health, and morale of a 36 member Brigade Combat Team

The above bullets describe a few basic duties but they have little to do with most civilian jobs. So you need think about what kind of skills might be important in the civilian world while also demonstrating that you were good at your job in the military. Everyone wants to hire superstars. If you were to expand on those bullets you could write the following which demonstrates you held a responsible job (managed a staff and expensive equipment/budget), that you have knowledge of strategy and logistics, and the ability to remain calm under pressure:

Led a 36 member Brigade Combat Team with full responsibility for the training, discipline, and morale of a team responsible for staying prepared to deploy on global missions in a wartime environment. Responsible for combat readiness for 4 Bradley fighting vehicles, weapons systems, and experimental equipment valued at more than $8 million.

Developed and led one of the most effective platoons in the Brigade as defined by senior officers observing combat training exercises at the Joint Readiness Training (JRTC) in Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Led a 36 member mechanized infantry platoon which supported the 101st Airborne Unit during combat simulation exercises at the JRTC.
Led team through an assault training mission which required team to travel long distances on foot and in combat vehicles and required numerous real-time modifications to strategy and formation.
Methodically analyzed, communicated, and accounted for multiple variables affecting mission logistics including terrain, unique skills of individual team members, weather, and enemy capabilities.

Another example:

Planned major training exercises, force modernization and transformation, and integration of a Chemical Battalion, a pipeline company, and fire fighting detachments into the Brigade’s organization.

What we don't know is what is a "major training exercise"? In other words how many soldiers are involved. What does "transformation" mean? How many people were integrated from the other battalions?

Led, planned, and executed operations for the 1,200 member Engineer Brigade. Planned training exercises, led force modernization, and merged other units into the Brigade. Merged and integrated 150 soldiers in the following units into the Brigade: a chemical battalion, a pipeline company, and a fire fighting detachment.

By enhancing the description you can demonstrate that you have managed a large number of people and that you understand how to merge and integrate other divisions into an existing team. Integrating and training new employees is a skill that all managers need.

4. Describe the reason(s) you received medals, awards, promotions, or special assignments.

Most civilians have no idea what the criteria is to be awarded a Bronze Star, Silver Star, or to be selected as an aid to a General. They all sound impressive but I have found that sometimes the underlying reason for a special award or assignment is what helps demonstrate your unique skills or attributes.

5. Use words like logistics, procurement, supply chain, and distribution to describe obtaining and moving equipment and supplies.

At times I have seen military resumes that say "planned and executed the relocation of equipment during a deployment". I don't think that really does justice to the amount of work involved with transporting large numbers of soldiers, equipment, food, and fuel either overseas to across domestic bases.

This is an example of an effective description:

Managed procurement, supply chain, distribution, and utilization of more than $20 million in building materials to support general construction and force protection in

Iraq

.

The military offers incredible training and experience that is very relevant to many jobs in the private sector. The key is to learn how to translate your military experience into meaningful phrases that those of us non-military folks can understand and that will help you to land a fantastic job.

Are You Gracious?

2009-05-11T18:17:00.004-06:00

According to Merriam Webster dictionary the word gracious means "marked by kindness and courtesy; marked by tact and delicacy; characterized by charm, good taste, generosity of spirit, and the tasteful leisure of wealth and good breeding."

At times I am shocked and appalled by the lack of graciousness that some people demonstrate and at other times I am just as surprised when someone is unexpectedly polite, kind, or generous. I hope that I am always gracious and well mannered to everyone I know but I have no doubt that I make mistakes sometimes when I am in a hurry or not just not paying attention. I think that being well mannered and kind pays dividends in every part of your life and, certainly, when you are searching for a job.

Lately I have personally witnessed and, in other cases, heard from friends some amazing stories about selfish and self centered individuals who demonstrate few, if any, manners. These clueless souls are burning bridges and destroying relationships but they are too self centered to realize it. So, I have put together a short quiz about graciousness:

Do you send thank you notes or, at a minimum, emails to a colleague, co-worker, or potential business associate when he/she pays for your lunch?

Do you remember say thank you (note, phone call or email) when someone you know professionally recommends you for an honor, award, speaking engagement, writing assignment, or something similar?

Do you follow up with colleagues of whom you have asked professional favors if/when you decide you no longer need the favors? Or do you forget about it and let them work on your behalf and then say something like, "Oh, I forgot to tell you I no longer need that."?

Do you send thank you notes and, if appropriate gifts, for professional referrals?

Do your thank-you methods reflect the size of the professional favor or courtesy you have been given?

If someone performs a random act of kindness from which you benefit do you show your appreciation in an appropriate and timely way?

Do you RSVP to both social and business events and follow through by either showing up or not showing up depending on what you said you would do?

It should be obvious that if you answered "no" to any or all of these questions that you need to work to increase your graciousness quotient. Don't be so self absorbed...do what you say you will do, say thank you frequently, and show appreciation. The person to whom you have just been rude may be angry with you or have gotten his/her feelings hurt and rudeness that results in hurt feelings is almost always avoidable.

When in doubt show more rather than less appreciation. No one has ever lost friends by being too gracious but poor manners ruin relationships every day.

Fascinating Yet Depressing Blog - Real Layoff Stories on How I Got Laid Off

2009-05-01T11:43:00.004-06:00

The guy who writes this blog, How I Got Laid Off, got in touch with me awhile back and asked if I wanted to write about his blog. I said yes and so that is what I am doing now. This blog has some personal stories that are real bummers but if you want to hear stories that will make your personal situation seem less awful this is the blog for you. I have heard some sad stories about layoffs but this blog has posts from folks all over the country and some of them will really shock you, make you sad, or make you want to boycott certain companies. Also, if you want to share your layoff story you can do so on this blog.

Crummy employers beware: How I Got Laid Off is exposing your nasty ways of laying people off. Whatever happened to treating people with dignity and respect?

It Takes More Than a Resume to Get a Great Job

2009-04-30T11:43:00.005-06:00

I write resumes for a living, so obviously, I am a big believer in the importance of job seekers having powerful and well written resumes. With that said, I have been amazed recently at some conversations I have had with folks who have strong resumes yet who aren't finding jobs. Remember that we are in a down-economy so every job seeker needs to be on his or her A-game or the job search will not be successful.

A resume isn't the only tool you need in your arsenal to get a job. In fact, I have known some uber-talented folks who have crummy resumes and who keep landing great jobs because of the strength of their networks, educations, accomplishments, interpersonal skills, and ability to market themselves. Each of these elements is important to job seekers - some more than others depending on the relative strength of some areas of your background. A great resume will help you to get noticed but it is by no means the only thing you need to prepare for a successful job search in an economic downturn.

I have a few tips/thoughts/reality checks based on some recent conversations I have had with various job seekers:

If you do not have a college education it may be harder for you to find a job than someone with an education. If you haven't started or finished your college degree I recommend that you seek out a program that will allow you to get a degree. There are many inexpensive state schools and online programs to choose from these days. Fair or not people with degrees have an advantage. Candidates with advanced degrees or diplomas from prestigious schools have an added advantage particularly when there are many candidates for a particular job.

If you have unexplained periods of unemployment on your resume you may have trouble finding a job. If you chose to take a sabbatical starting in 2007 (pre-economic downturn) and you haven't worked since then it may be difficult for you to land a job right now when competing with people who have worked consistently since then. Sorry, but that is a fact. Come up with a compelling story which explains your time off from work and it may make the search easier.

If you make it through 3 or 4 rounds of interviews and you don't land the job, guess what? It's not the resume that caused you to miss the opportunity. It could be your interview skills, fit with the culture, poor references, or maybe, they just plain liked another candidate better. Be honest and reflective when analyzing your interactions with potential employers. You may need some one-on-one interview coaching or to learn to prepare more effectively for interviews. I am always surprised when former clients call me and want to know why they aren't getting hired even though their resume is getting them interviews. A resume gets you an interview and should speak to your accomplishments when you aren't present to do so yourself. But a great resume doesn't guarantee you a job - you have to close that deal yourself.

If you have been a lifelong entrepreneur and your company has gone out of business because of the economy you may have trouble convincing an employer to hire you right now. I have run across several folks recently (most in the real estate industry) who had their own companies that have recently gone under and who are having a hard time landing a job. My theory is that employers are often skeptical of entrepreneurs because they aren't sure if they can work for someone else or they worry that as soon as the economy turns around the former-entrepreneur will quit and start another company. Create a compelling sales pitch for each employer you apply to which also addresses your ability to fit the culture. Also you might consider taking the time to create a 6 week business plan that you would use to hit the ground running in your new job. Actually I give this advice to all of my clients but it's especially true when you are a non-traditional candidate.

If you have uneven social skills or a difficult personality it may be harder for you to find a job in a difficult economy than someone gifted with smooth social graces and a reputation for workplace "niceness". I am sure we have all known odd but gifted technologists, mad scientists, nutty professors, cranky-yet-efficient secretaries, or other folks who may have been difficult to work with but were so talented that management let their quirks slide. In a tough economy employers often tend to hire people they like more than the "most talented" individuals. Play nicely with others - it will pay off. If you have already spent your career developing a reputation as an a-hole you may pay the price in a tough economy and I really have no advice to help you with your current situation. I suppose you will have to take your lumps, learn from your mistakes, and start being nicer to your co-workers when you get some.

If you have never bothered to build a network of friends and colleagues it may be more difficult for you to find a job. I am amazed at all the people who are coming out of the woodwork right now and are just starting to build a network in the hopes they will land a job quickly. Waiting until you are laid off to start building a network is bad timing. The time to begin building and maintaining a network is when you don't need anything from anyone. If, however, you weren't far sighted enough to realize this, the best way to network is to start attending events and meeting people without asking for anything right away. Start your new relationships by offering your help rather than asking for job leads; you will find that your new friends may offer assistance before you even ask. If you need networking tips check out Thom Singer's website - he has some great books, seminars, and tips that are effective for everyone. Also Keith Ferrazzi's Book's, "Never Eat Alone" and "Whose Got Your Back?" are very helpful.

Conduct a job search - don't just dump your resume online and expect to find a great job. Amazingly many people seem to think the internet is magic and that if they post their resumes on Monster.com or CareerBuilder.com and don't do anything else they will find jobs. Probably not going to happen. The internet is a great tool that you can use to research job openings or companies that would be a good fit for your skills but it's not the best way for a hiring manager to find your resume in this economy. Posting your resume online but failing to actually seek jobs is pretty much like putting a message in a bottle and throwing it in the ocean and hoping someone will rescue you from your deserted island. Research companies, write cover letters, use your social networking profiles wisely, and network - that is how you find a job. There are some great tools to help you manage your job search and the one I recommend is Jibber Jobber. Check it out at www.jibberjobber.com

If you need help with your resume or your job search strategy feel free to email me at liz@ultimate-resumes.com

Bridge ATX Fun Event on April 21, 2009 5 - 9 pm Downtown Austin

2009-04-19T12:31:00.005-06:00

If you live in Austin I hope you can join us for the first annual Bridge ATX networking event. This is not a traditional networking event - its really more of a party - so even if you don't consider yourself to be a natural "networker" you should feel comfortable and welcome at this fun outdoor event. There will be drinks, free food, and live music. Ultimate Resumes is proud to sponsor this event which is hosted by Kim Brushaber, the founder of Bridge ATX.

Since most of my work takes place via telephone I often don't get to meet my clients in person. So if you are an Ultimate Resumes client and you live in the Austin area please stop by Union Park between 5 - 9 pm on Tuesday and introduce yourself in person! (Union Park is between 6th & 7th streets and between Rio Grande & Neuces)

Look forward to meeting you and enjoying an Austin-tastic event. Click here to register for the event.

What Do Employers Really Say About Their Former Employees?

2009-04-16T15:27:00.002-06:00

Thinking about your prospects for landing that new job? You should think first about what your former boss and other references will say about you. While many employees believe that a former employer can’t, or won’t say anything negative about them, Allison & Taylor, Inc. says they might be unpleasantly surprised at the truth…

Isn’t it corporate policy that an employer will only confirm the dates and title of employment?

Allison & Taylor, Inc. has found (since their inception in 1984) – that most managers and HR representatives will ultimately offer them some information about former employees beyond the normal purview of confirming dates and titles of employment. Note that there is absolutely nothing illegal about A&T's consultants asking your references for additional input on their employment experience with you.

How common is it that past bosses will badmouth former employees?

Over 50% of the reference checks we conduct come back as negative in scope (sometimes, significantly negative). Clearly, many of our clients have lost good job offers due to bad or mediocre comments from previous employers.

I have a separation agreement with my previous employer saying that neither of us will say negative things about the other. Should I have any cause for concern?

Having such an agreement in place is no guarantee that your previous employer will necessarily honor it. Unfortunately, we have seen countless instances where prior employers did not honor their written agreement with their employees.

This information was submitted to Ultimate Resumes by Jeff Shane, Vice President of Allison & Taylor, the nation's oldest professional employment verification and reference checking firm. If you want to find out more about their services contact www.allisontaylor.com or 800-651-2470.

Don't Try to Be Clever on Your Resume

2009-04-10T15:30:00.005-06:00

Resumes are straightforward documents. They should list information that describes your education, the companies for which you have worked, what your jobs were, and what you accomplished in those jobs. In addition you can include lists of certifications, patents, affiliations, and board memberships. There are some variations on this formula but that is pretty much what a resume should contain. Do you know why?

Because that is what hiring managers, recruiters (retained or contingent), and human resources professionals want to see.

It amazes me that many people do not think about their intended audience when they put together a resume. I have had a couple of clients, both of whom had more than 20 years of work experience, who have asked me to do "clever" things to their resumes. For example, one client wanted to put her salary history at the top of her resume because she felt that it would demonstrate that she had excelled in her most recent jobs.

Salary is inappropriate information to include in a resume and if you list your salary on your resume it will appear that you don't know what information should and should not appear on this document. Not only that but this particular client wasn't making very much money compared to others in her industry. She seemed think that she was making a lot of money but she clearly didn't know what others in the industry were earning. If she were to put those numbers on her resume she would not only look out-of-touch but a good recruiter wouldn't even consider her for the type of job she was interested in pursuing. Keep your salary to yourself until its appropriate to talk about it.

Another client wanted to put together a data sheet which listed no specifics about her jobs and which just spoke in general terms about her ability to manage projects. Her goal was to change careers so she didn't want a potential employer to immediately be able to tell where she had been employed because she felt they would assume she wasn't right for the new career. She seemed to think that if she just talked in general terms about her skill set she would generate interest based on subjective statements. Wrong.

I told both of these clients the same thing: clever doesn't work on a resume. You aren't fooling anyone when you deviate from the types of information that recruiters want to see.

Recruiters get suspicious when they can't quickly look at a resume and determine what companies you worked for, what your jobs were, and when you worked there. If you want to change careers you can say so in a cover letter or summary statement. You can emphasize experiences you have had in previous jobs that are similar to the new career or job that you want. But what you cannot do is try to fool the reader into picking up the phone and calling you based on subjective generalizations or by adding information that is inappropriate on a resume.

Don't overthink your resume - straightforward and clearly articulated information will always be more attractive to recruiters than cute, clever, or "unique" formatting or phrasing.

You Might Get A Rejection Letter If….

2009-03-23T20:08:00.004-06:00

Did you know that Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most successful comedians of all time? His album, “You Might Be a Redneck If…” has sold millions of copies and inspired all sorts of similar comedy. Including this post.

So, in honor of the very funny Jeff Foxworthy, I would like to present, You Might Get a Rejection Letter If…

If your resume is 4-pages or longer and is comprised of large paragraphs of information that require the reader to fully read each one in order to understand what you did – you might get a rejection letter.

If your job history is peppered with small companies that few people have ever heard of and you don’t bother to include some company background to help the reader – you might get a rejection letter.

If you include your photo on a resume (unless you are an actress or a model applying for acting or modeling jobs) – you might get a rejection letter.

If you include a “hobbies” section on your resume and list any of the following:
watching TV
drinkin’ beer and fishin’
smoking weed
surfing the net for porn
meeting with my parole officer
taking care of my 37 cats
cooking meth
snake handling
collecting lint
– you just might get a rejection letter.

If your resume is written in a font size that requires recruiters to use a magnifying glass to read it – you might get a rejection letter.

If your resume has inconsistent or confusing dates – you might get a rejection letter.

If you are a professional with more than 5 years of experience and your resume is mostly comprised of lists of job duties rather than meaningful accomplishments – you might get a rejection letter.

If your resume includes your personal motto, life or religious philosophy, and you aren’t applying for a job in the ministry, you might get a rejection letter.

If you spell your name incorrectly on your resume – you might get a rejection letter.

If you list a generic job title such as “analyst” or “engineer” or “project manager” and you don’t provide some kind of context about what kind of analyst/engineer/project manager you were – you just might get a rejection letter.

OK, some of the above was exaggerated in an attempt to make a point and to be humorous. With that said, if your resume is messy, hard to read, requires the reader to read closely and really try to interpret what your job was, or contains weird or inappropriate information you will get a rejection letter. If the economy were great and the U.S. was at 100% employment maybe a shoddy resume would stand a chance but in a competitive market your resume needs to be sharp and polished.

Remember that when you aren’t standing in the room to (hopefully) impress interviewers the resume is a stand-alone impression of you. Even if you got a first interview through your network and the first meeting went well you should know that most interviewers will pass your resume around the office and to their superiors before they invite you back for a second interview.

I have known senior managers to overrule junior managers/recruiters who recommend a candidate with a poorly written resume for a second interview. The higher up the food chain you go, the higher the expectations will be regarding your written communication skills. If you are a job seeker, your resume is the most important piece of written work you will ever create. Make it good or don’t be surprised when that rejection letter arrives in your email or mail box.

Is Social Media Like Reality TV for Everyman? How Much Information is Too Much?

2009-03-16T18:34:00.003-06:00

I am still trying to figure out how to make the best use of Twitter and Facebook for both my personal and business use. I am amazed at how adeptly some folks navigate these social networking tools and how oddly others use them. Have you ever heard that saying, “Better to be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt?” – that was one of my dad’s favorite things to say to us when we were kids. That and, “Don’t tell everything you know.” Dad’s not a really chatty guy but, then again, he never says stupid things in public or documents things that could put his reputation at risk.

If you think about it, social media takes those truisms and tosses them out the window. We live in a day and age where technology has made all of us voyeurs to varying degrees and social media is a way for us to express our every thought, feeling, and experience with legions of observers. If you have access to someone’s Twitter, Linked In, and Facebook pages and that person updates his/her social media pages frequently (not to mention MySpace) it can be like watching a reality TV show. You can read about their thoughts and feelings, see their personal photos and videos, know where they are going to hang out, who their friends are, who they voted for, and where they work. That is a lot of information if you ask me and sometimes too much familiarity breeds contempt - as you can see anytime you watch a reality TV show. When a camera follows reality show stars around 24 hours a day none of them look too impressive on TV.

There are clearly some individuals who use social media to adroitly advance their careers without embarrassing themselves. Guy Kawasaki is one such example.

When speaking at PubCon South 2009, Guy Kawasaki described his approach to using Twitter as the blending of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and QVC television channels. He posits that if PBS only broadcast documentaries on one channel and its fund-raising telethons on different station that no one would donate to PBS’s documentary channel and neither channel would obtain funding. By combining the two types of Twitters, Guy Kawasaki’s 80,000+ Twitter followers allow him to promote his business to them as long as he shares other interesting information.

Kawasaki seems to be able to walk the line between promoting his business, AllTop, and sharing ancillary information that isn’t too personal. On the other hand I am baffled by Penelope Trunk’s following. She has 9,700 followers on Twitter and a very successful blog, Brazen Careerist. What shocks me about Ms. Trunk is the level of personal information she is willing to share in order to draw attention to her site. She talks, at times, in graphic detail about her divorce, personal relationships, and sex life. None of which has anything to do with career advice although she does make an attempt to link those topics.

Obviously Ms. Trunk’s technique works for her but I could never get that personal on the internet. For one thing I wouldn’t want to hurt or embarrass anyone that I care about but for another, it just isn’t my personal style to share extremely intimate details of my life with anyone other than my closest friends. As I mentioned at the beginning of this article I was trained not to tell everything I know. But maybe I am not managing social media as well as I could? Maybe in order to sell your services you need to share more about yourself? I just don’t want to be uncomfortable with the level of detail I share about my personal life online nor do I want to be one of those annoying people who sends out Tweets every 5 minutes about every little thing they are doing.

The other thing I am trying to figure out is how people decide who to “follow” on Twitter. When you “follow” someone you get to see every single update he/she writes in Twitter. Every single one. So if you follow a lot of people the sheer volume of information you sort through can be unbelievable. I only follow about 50 people and I know most of them or have another compelling reason for caring about their updates. On the other hand, there are several people who follow my updates whom I have never met and have no idea why they care what I am doing. It makes me kind of “camera shy” about what I post on Twitter.

I am not sure that perfect strangers need to know my thoughts on random issues or who I am meeting for lunch. Consequently I update Twitter much less frequently than the social media experts say I should and I am probably not getting as much out of it professionally as I could be. I Twitter links to each new blog post I do but beyond that I am always careful about what I put out there. Not to be paranoid or anything but couldn’t a stalker figure out your Twitter handle and literally follow you around town to lunch or your errands or wherever you announced you would be?

Facebook is more intuitive to me because you have to request and accept friendships so, presumably, you are only connecting with actual friends. When I type status updates into Facebook I am more inclined and comfortable in writing about what I am actually doing, where I am going, and who I am socializing with because I am communicating to actual friends with whom there is some level of interest and trust. But Twitter updates are different because anyone can “follow” you and find out what you are up to and I am just not sure I see how that is beneficial to me and my business.

I would love to hear from anyone who has figured out how much information is too much to share on Twitter or Facebook. As for me, I am still trying to figure out what works best for me as I slowly wade into the social media world and try to avoid becoming a one-woman social media reality show.

Some Job Search Advice You Won't Hear Every Day

2009-03-11T15:02:00.003-06:00

I just read an outstanding article by Peter Bregman on searching for a job today. I have cut/pasted a portion of the article here but if you want to read it in its entirety (and I recommend that you do) click on the link above and check it out. Mr. Bregman provides a really interesting perspective and I couldn't have written it better myself.

The following excerpted from Peter Bregman's article, "Need to Find A Job? Stop Looking So Hard."

Nobody wants to hire someone (or a company) who needs to be hired to survive. Depressed is not attractive. People want to hire energized people who are passionate and excited about what they're doing. Jobs come from being engaged in the world and building human connections.

And an even more subtle reason. If you're passionate about what you're doing, and you're doing it with other people who are passionate about what they're doing, then chances are the work you eventually find will be more in line with the stuff you love to do. And then . . . then your life changes (not to be too dramatic but it's true). No longer are you, like my consulting friend said, "going after anything that's out there." You're using this crisis as an opportunity to do work you love, at which you excel, with people you enjoy. You can't help but succeed.

Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking: that's a fine strategy if you're independently wealthy, getting that nice fat trust fund check every week to pay for your gym membership (or mortgage or kid's tuition). But what about the rest of us? Our inability to pay the monthly bills might actually intrude on our ability to "enjoy" unemployment. I know how scary it is to be without an income.

And that fear is what you have to manage because here's the kicker. It won't take longer to find a job even though you're spending less time looking. It'll take you less time.

Pursuing things you love doing with people you enjoy will position you better to get a job; other people will notice your commitment, passion, skill, and personality and they'll want to either hire you or help you get hired.

Also, actively pursuing other activities while looking for a job will make you more qualified for a job--because you'll end up a more interesting person. When you finally get that job interview, you'll be able to recount all the many things you've been doing (and will probably have a good time relating them) instead of saying that the only thing you've been doing for the past three years is looking (unsuccessfully so far) for a job.

The same holds true if you're a company looking for business. Spend your time doing things that will make you a more interesting company to hire when the business comes back.

And even if it took the same amount of time to find a job, wouldn't you rather spend your time doing things that are interesting with people you enjoy?

I just heard the story of a woman who decided to do work she didn't enjoy for a few years in order to make a lot of money. Three years later the company went bankrupt. That could happen to anyone. Bad luck. But here's what she said that I found the most depressing: "It's as though I didn't work for the last three years--it's all gone. And what's worse, I worked like a dog and hated it. I just wasted three years of my life."

Don't waste this time. The job search. The client search. Do it. But do it in a way that excites you. That teaches you new things. That introduces you to new people who see you at your natural, most excited, most powerful best. Use and develop your strengths. The things at which you excel. The things you love.

It's well known that people have a harder time getting pregnant when they're stressed about getting pregnant. And it's unlikely you'll get into a relationship if all you think about is getting into a relationship. The same holds true for finding a job (or, for a company, finding new business). However hard it may be, force yourself to do things you love with other people. Let the work find you.

Keeping It All In Perspective

2009-03-03T16:55:00.004-06:00

I talked to a new client today who is originally from South Africa. She moved here in 1977. I was just making conversation when I asked her why she happened to move to the U.S. I had expected to hear something like, "my husband moved to the U.S." or something along those lines. Instead she told me a story that I did not expect that that shocked me to the core.

In 1976 my client was working for a her family's road construction firm in South Africa. She made a trip to a client site to deliver some papers; her only son, an infant was in the car with her. She had been told that her son was the only child she would ever be able to have. She doesn't remember exactly what happened but she was caught in a massacre and the next thing she knew her car had been bombed and her baby was thrown from the car in his car-seat which, thankfully, protected him from the blast.

She returned home and called some family in Los Angeles, California and told them she was leaving South Africa for good and only asked that they help her obtain the necessary paperwork to get a job in the U.S. Not surprisingly this client came to this country and became very successful in her chosen career - she has ascended the corporate ladder in a couple of very male dominated industries. She is a tough lady who hasn't spent a moment of her life wallowing in self-pity and has, instead, worked hard to earn a great living for herself and her son.

No matter what our current economic situation we Americans are so lucky to live in the greatest country in the world. Our country may not be perfect but, on the whole, it is a wonderful place to live. Americans don't know what true hardship is and we should all be thankful that is the case.

Looking Out for #1

2009-02-26T10:06:00.005-06:00

I know I have posted on this topic before but given our current economic situation and the tragic stories I have heard over the past couple of days I think it bears repeating. When times are tough its more important than ever to take care of your mental and physical well being.

It seems like many people worry about everything except their mental and physical health when they are stressed out about losing a job, not having enough money, or possibly losing a home. On the face of it that makes sense because those are such crucial issues. But if you aren't physically and mentally strong enough to handle devastating events then the whole situation will spiral out of control and you will be even less equipped to make sound decisions. I have also found that people who are depressed do not interview as well as those who seem happy and well adjusted. If you don't take care of your mental health you could wind up being your own worst enemy in job interviews.

I have been through some very tough times in the past and I can't say that I took the advice that I am dispensing right now - but I certainly wish I would have.

Tips for dealing with potential unemployment.

1. Find a support network. Could be friends at church, other volunteers at the soup kitchen, AA, book club, or networking groups.

2. Get one-on-one counseling of some kind. Priest, minister, life coach, or, if you still have insurance, a therapist. If you don't have insurance you might find out if you can negotiate a lower fee or barter services with a therapist. Believe me, it is worth it to have an impartial sounding board to help you find healthy ways to cope when times are hard.

3. Rely on friends/family for emotional support but don't overburden them. If you confuse your friends with therapists you may exhaust your friends and stress your relationships when you need them most.

4. Exercise. Try to get at least a little exercise every day whether its a walk around the block, a yoga class, or a 5 mile run. It will keep your body and mind in peak condition.

5. Eat healthy foods. Try to resist the urge to drown your sorrows in a carton of ice cream, a bag of chips, or a bottle of vodka. Good nutrition and exercise will keep you in peak condition to deal with trying times. I just started reading a book called the Engine 2 Diet which touts the virtues of a plant-based diet. One big benefit is that it's inexpensive so if you are looking to cut costs eating more vegetables is a good way to go. Also, a plant based diet reduces cholesterol and significantly reduces the risk of many serious diseases which, if you are unemployed, is a big deal. It's something to think about. (There is also an Engine 2 Diet website with (I think) some free recipes if you are interested.)

6. Focus on the positive. Force yourself to find one thing to be happy about every day so that you don't start seeing the world as a dark and overwhelming place. Maybe a beautiful sunrise, your spouse, your kids, your dog, good health, or whatever. Be grateful for something - it will help you stay positive.

Following are some tactical ideas for preparing for potential or current unemployment and all the tangential issues that go along with it.

Are you worried about being laid off? Have you been laid off? Are you concerned about paying your mortgage or are you facing foreclosure? Create an action plan so that you are prepared if the worst happens. Following are a few items I recommend adding to the list:

Update your resume If you need assistance with your resume contact a resume writer. If you can't afford the fee, negotiate or offer to barter services. I can't speak for all resume writers but many of us understand these difficult times and want to help as much as we can.

Learn to use the internet to search for potential jobs and companies that are hiring. Linked In, Google, Ask, Indeed, and Facebook are all great online resources that you can use to source jobs and information about companies that may be hiring. Jason Alba is expert on this topic. Check out his blog.

Activate your network - Let people know you are looking for a new job.
Think about the job you will seek if you are laid off - be specific or you may not get the help from your network that you want. People are more supportive if you help them to understand exactly what you are looking for because they have less work to do to help you.

Save money - even if you are in debt up to your eyeballs you have to find a few dollars you can stash away. Cut back on non-essentials so you have cash on hand.
Contact your creditors in advance - talk to your banker, credit card companies, and student loan companies BEFORE you are in crisis. They want to get paid and may be willing to work with you rather than have you default on loans. Resource: Ilyce Glink, the real estate expert, has many inexpensive books and ebooks available in her online store that address everything from how to save extra money, how to deal with creditors, and how to prepare for foreclosure. If you have financial problems you NEED to know Ilyce. Click here to go to her online store.

Create a list of emergency resources in case you are laid off and you can't find a job before your cash runs out - food banks, Bishop's Pantry, shelters, churches, or find out if you can move in with family or friends in an emergency. It's better to plan for the worst and have things turn out OK than the other way around.

Find creative ways to earn extra cash. Babysitting, pet sitting, dog walking, washing cars, cleaning homes, mowing lawns, or selling stuff on ebay. There are so many things people do to earn extra cash. Start getting creative and thinking about what skills you have that someone else might pay for. You can advertise by posting flyers in public locations, advertising in your HOA newsletter, word of mouth, or on your blog (see next tip).

Start a blog. You can set up a blog for free at www.blogger.com and it can be a great way to release some tension, showcase your writing skills, or to create an online brand for yourself. Many people have started blogs while unemployed and used the blog to increase their exposure and get a new job. Be careful of what you write though. No trashing your old employer or using foul language. Once you put something on the internet it's there forever for all to see and judge so blog wisely.

Plan for your Pets - Let me just say that my pets are my babies and I am a huge supporter of animal rescue organizations. If you are concerned about losing your home or apartment and you don't feel you can keep your pets please contact local rescue organizations in advance so you can plan for their temporary care or adoption if you think it might be necessary. I have listed a couple or rescue websites below but all you need to do is to go to google.com and type in your pet type, location, and the term "rescue organization" and you will find local rescue groups who can help you. People who abandon pets when they hit hard times are, in my opinion, the lowest of the low. There is no excuse for abandoning pets who love and count on you. Plan for their future if you are worried about yours.

Resources:
Emergency Animal Rescue

The Animal Rescue Site
Animal Rescue Inc.
ASPCA

Have You Spent Your Entire Career At One Employer? If So, You Need to Read This Post.

2009-02-14T14:29:00.004-06:00

I have recently written resumes for several individuals who have spent long careers (20 – 40 years) with a single employer. None of these people had a functional resume before we started working together and most of them had not kept detailed notes about past jobs and accomplishments.

When I graduated from college in 1989 most large companies had college graduate training programs and if you joined one, the company expected that you would stay with them for many years, or perhaps, your entire career. Companies invested in a multitude of training programs and development opportunities designed to groom junior employees into senior level roles. Employee loyalty was valued and was rewarded by company loyalty – if you weren’t particularly good at one job, the company would move you to a department in which your strengths could be utilized. Good employees were valued and were treated accordingly.

Jobs and workplaces certainly have changed since 1989. Generation Y employees view themselves as short-term employees wherever they go and they have a plan for navigating different employers/industries over the course of their career. There is no shame in moving from employer to employer anymore – in fact “job hopping” is a reality that stems from the fact that employers are no longer loyal to employees. Today every employee has to look out for his own best interests and always keep an eye out for great new opportunities no matter how nicely his employer is treating him today.

If you are employed by one of the few remaining companies that have employed “lifers” whether it’s a government job, not-for-profit, or private sector you need to start keeping track of your accomplishments. When the time comes for you to retire or you are laid off you need to be able to create a resume which clearly explains the unique skills and accomplishments that you bring to a potential employer.

I spent many years at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago which is an employer that invests in its employees and expects long tenure. I can remember being given very high profile special projects by the COO, successfully completing them, getting a pat on the back and then, as a reward, being assigned another high profile project. It was great. Some of the projects were unrelated to my “real” job and others were only important internally and wouldn’t necessarily seem significant to anyone outside the Fed. I have recently worked with several clients who had the same types of experiences – you are tagged as a high potential employee and given lots of cool assignments that are industry/company specific but that may be unimportant to a potential employer. How do you get that kind of information on paper? Or do you?

What I try to do is to figure out which projects might be relatable to another employer and relevant to the job my client plans to seek. Some projects or experiences just don’t make sense to include on a resume even if they were very important to your career at one point in time. The other thing I try to do is to make sure to “translate” the terminology unique to your long-term employer into terms that are universally meaningful.

If you are one of the fortunate few who have spent your entire career with one or two large employers, do yourself a favor and start keeping notes on every job you have had. Maybe you will keep your job until you retire and can live off your pension. But, should something unexpected happen, you need to have organized information that can be used to craft a resume that will help you get a job in an increasingly competitive job market.

The Best Advice I Ever Received

2009-02-09T10:40:00.003-06:00

When I was about 4 years old we moved from Houston, Texas to a little town called Cushing, Oklahoma which is where I spent the next 13 years of my life. When we arrived in Cushing my parents, of course, needed to find childcare and that is how Mae Troxell came into our lives.

Mae was born in 1902 on a cotton farm in Nacogdoches, Texas so when we moved to Oklahoma in 1972 she was 70 years old. Mae was a tough old broad who was, on a good day, cranky, and on a bad day downright cantankerous. She demanded from all of her clients that she be given authority to spank her charges because she felt that if she assumed responsibility for their safety she also needed to be able to control the kids. I never got a spanking from her but I am pretty sure that both of my brothers felt the sting of the wire handle of a fly swatter on their bare legs a couple of times.

At first Mae started coming to our house only when my parents went out but over time she started coming over every day – sort of like a nanny I guess but the truth is that she was getting old so we were keeping an eye on her as much as she was watching out for us. Despite her prickly demeanor, over time, we came to realize that she cared deeply about all of us. And as I got older she told me stories about her life and she gave me some advice that continues to influence my life to this day.

Mae’s mother died when she was young and her father remarried a woman who had several kids – I don’t recall the exact number but I think there were about 10 kids in the household. Her father had a cotton farm and the whole family worked the farm. According to Mae picking cotton is really hard and unpleasant work. Mae told me that one of her step brothers used to pick unripe pieces of cotton that were still encased in their shells and throw them at her and her sister; apparently getting hit by them hurt a lot. So one day Mae and her sisters ambushed him, held him down, rolled up his pants legs, and beat him around the legs with nettle plants. He never bothered them again. I told you she was tough.

Mae grew up poor, never went to college, and then got married to a man named Lee Troxell who left her with 2 kids whom she raised in poverty but who turned out alright. Mae was never afraid to work. She always took in washing and ironing to earn extra cash. When she was eligible for social security, she found it didn’t pay enough for her to live on which was why she became our babysitter.

Mae had a tough life and from that life she learned a few things. One of them is not to let anyone bully you (see the above story about her step brother) but that isn’t the advice that affected me so much. Here are the two pieces of wisdom that Mae shared that have affected every decision in my life:

"Hold your head high ‘cause ain’t no one else going to do it for you".
This is advice we can all use. Be proud of yourself and be confident in your abilities because if you aren’t no one else will be. This single sentence has gotten me through some of the toughest times in my life.

"Get the best education money can buy because no one can ever take it away from you".
I preach this to every one of my cousins and any students I work with. A good education is more valuable than gold because it can never be taken away and you will benefit from it every day.

Mae died in August 1985, a month before I left for the University of Chicago. I was sad that she never got to see me go to college but she knew I got accepted to a top-tier university and she was proud. I wish she were still here to see that her lessons are still alive and well and have influenced my life in such a positive way. And hopefully, now that you have read this post, her lessons will influence you too.

Hard2Hire.com - A Unique Niche Website for Non-Traditional Employees

2009-01-30T10:58:00.004-06:00

I just found out about a new website called Hard2Hire.com which is just what the name sounds like: its for people who have a hard time getting hired and for the employers who are willing to give them a chance. Right now there are more than 100,000 potential employees with profiles on Hard2Hire and more than 2.8 million job listings at tens of thousands of employers on the site. Pretty impressive numbers I think for a new website.

I talked to Kevin McMahon at H2H and he told me that the majority of jobs on the site are at smaller employers (less than 200 employees) and that they are reaching out to approximately 2,000 employers per month to find new job openings for their members. Kevin also mentioned that when they speak to employers one of their goals is to find out what kind of candidates they are really willing to consider for jobs. It's one thing to say that you don't discriminate but its another thing entirely to be truly open to hiring non-traditional workers. H2H tries to find employers who welcome applications from non-traditional employees and/or ex-offenders rather than just giving lip service to the idea of inclusiveness.

Originally, Brian Poe, Founder and CEO of Hard2Hire.com and author of A Guide to Expungements and Pardons, set up the website to help ex-offenders find jobs once they had served their time. He has expanded the site to offer jobs for other non traditional folks like the elderly, disabled workers, and laid off workers.

“Hard2Hire.com is a marketplace that benefits everyone,” said Brian Poe, founder. “What employers don’t necessarily realize is that these candidates bring more than a positive attitude and relevant skill set. In some cases, employers who hire a candidate are eligible to receive federal and state subsidies. Ex-offenders in particular are supported by federal bonding programs to provide a measure of protection to the employer. The vision behind Hard2Hire.com was to create a win-win situation for everyone involved.”

For ex-offenders, employers provide specific feedback about criminal backgrounds they will consider including the nature of the crime and how long ago it took place. Hard2Hire.com has developed similar intelligent matching processes for the other categories as well. For example, employers will provide information about the physical requirements of the job in order to help match disabled workers. This transparency results in a faster, more efficient hiring process.

I was perusing the jobs that are available in a couple of zip codes (78726 and 95954 if you are wondering) and I found a total of 6,714 jobs available within 25 miles of both of those zip codes. What I noticed is that most of the jobs on the site are what I would call "less skilled". Having said that I also saw some non-profit jobs that sounded like they could be very interesting to people with a wide range of skills. For example, ACTIVE Life (formerly Youth InterACTIVE), an Austin-based nonprofit organization, posted a job for VP of Business Development. There are also quite a few volunteer positions posted so if you are looking for a way to give back this site may be a great way to find some volunteer opportunities.

H2H is free to both employees and employers. The site is supported by advertisements and the company actively solicits companies for positions that could be filled by non-traditional employees. H2H says its committed to helping 1 million people find jobs in 2009. That sounds like a pretty big and impressive goal to me - I hope they do it!

Job Openings Are Available if You Look in the Right Places

2009-01-28T13:04:00.003-06:00

Have you ever heard the one about the woman who was walking down the street at night when she came across a man searching frantically on the ground for something in the light of a streetlamp?

She asked him, “Sir, what are you looking for?” He said, “I have lost my keys."

She said, “I will help you look. Did you lose them right here?”

The man said, “No I lost them across the street in the alley”

The woman asked, “Then why are you looking over here?”

And the man responded, “There’s no light over there.”

That joke makes me think of some job seekers I have met….they look for jobs in places they are comfortable looking but that aren’t necessarily where the jobs are. The key to finding employment in a tough economy (and make no mistake, many people, including about 70% of my clients, are finding jobs now) is to go where the jobs are. You may have to leave your comfort zone whether that means your current geographic location or your industry. Use the internet to conduct research on which companies are hiring and what industries are growing.

Here is a list of a few of the companies that are recruiting for job openings right now:

Edward Jones is hiring financial advisors and branch office administrators in St. Louis, MO and Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, AZ

Google is hiring engineers, marketing professionals, product managers, and sales professionals in Mountain View, CA, New York City, and San Francisco, CA

Cisco is hiring engineers and customer advocates in San Jose, CA, Research Triangle Park, NC, and Boxborough, MA

Genentech is hiring product development professionals, manufacturing employees, and legal professionals in San Francisco and Oceanside, CA

Methodist Hospital System is hiring management, nurses, clinical professionals, IT and HR professionals, entry level support services and administrative jobs in Baytown and Houston, TX locations.

Whole Foods Market needs to hire a wide range of people in Austin, TX, Chicago, IL, and New York City. Supposedly they have around 800 job openings.

Microsoft is hiring despite their recently announced layoffs. They are recruiting software design engineers, financial analysts, HR professionals, marketing and sales professionals in Redmond and Issaquah, WA and Mountain View, CA

Ernst & Young, Accenture, KPMG, and Price Waterhouse Coopers plan to hire thousands of employees in 2009. E&Y alone plans to hire approximately 2,400 experienced professionals and nearly 5,000 students from campus into Assurance, Tax, and Advisory practices. Openings are in New York, Chicago, IL, and Dallas, TX.

Booz Allen Hamilton, one of the most prestigious consulting firms in the world is hiring software and systems engineers, information assurance and security engineers and intelligence analysts in McLean, Herndon, and Arlington, VA

If you are concerned about your job security or have been laid off you should put your resume together and find a company that is hiring people like you - jobs are out there but you may have to do a little research to find the jobs.

Run Your Own Race

2009-01-23T16:17:00.003-06:00

I am honored to have been nominated for the Austin Statesman's Texas Social Media Awards. It's really incredible to me that I even made the cut for nominations. Now what happens is that anyone who wants to has the opportunity to comment online on nominations for each of the nominees. I have been reading through some of the comments that other nominees have gotten. I know and respect many of the nominees and I am sometimes overwhelmed by their accomplishments. I have been thinking a lot today about the fact that we can be amazed by the achievements of people we admire but it's not a good idea to beat ourselves up because we don't feel as amazing as we think our friends are.

I am fortunate that some great people have left some fantastic comments about my blog and general use of social media. On the other hand there are other folks who have even more comments on their nominations than I do and who, realistically, stand a much better chance of winning than I do. I guess it's natural to sort of second guess yourself and say, "Why didn't I think of what ___ is doing?" I have learned a lot from some of the really outstanding bloggers and social media users like Scott Ingram, Jason Alba, Thom Singer, Connie Reece, Bryan Person, Joe Fusco, Pete Johnson, Scott Allen, Penelope Trunk, Ilyce Glink, and Seth Godin. I hope that, over time, I have started incorporating some of what I have learned from how these folks use internet applications like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and their blogs to reach out and connect with friends and potential clients. Wait, what am I saying? Of course I have been applying what I have learned from the masters or I wouldn't have a blog and I wouldn't have been nominated.

I have to remind myself sometimes to just run my own race and not worry about what everyone else is doing. It is so easy to feel intimidated by the great ideas you see your colleagues implement and, if you are me, say to yourself, "What are you doing with your time? You aren't working hard enough. You aren't being clever enough." But I guess that is pretty harsh. I am trying, instead, to learn from my friends without comparing myself to them. I write great resumes. In fact, I think I write some of the best resumes in the U.S. and I have a long list of satisfied clients who might agree. My primary focus isn't on blogging or twittering or networking. Those are all tools I use so that I can do what I really love which is writing resumes so that my fabulous clients can land their dream jobs.

The point of this post is that we all have to run our own races and focus on our own strengths. Don't beat yourself up when you run across someone who is smarter, better educated, or who has better ideas or a longer list of accomplishments. It's just self defeating. Learn from the successes and good/bad decisions that you see others make but don't compare yourself to anyone else. Everyone has strengths, weaknesses, worries, and insecurities but it is easy to look at someone else's professional achievements and forget that, like everyone, he/she is not a one dimensional achievement machine.

If you can run your own race and just focus on working your hardest to be the best that you can be at whatever it is you do your life will be happy, peaceful, and full of achievements for which you will be recognized. At least that is what I tell myself.

Congratulations to all the nominees for the Texas Social Media Awards!

Special Offer for Austin Job Seekers from Coach Donna Fox

2009-01-20T14:30:00.003-06:00

Donna has an offer for Austin-based clients who may want to take the next steps (once they have that awesome resume in hand), but aren’t sure what to do next.

Build Your Personal Career Exploration Action Plan

She is offering her super-effective career investigation process as a workshop. Price is $99 – for a 2.5 hour workshop, plus a 30-minute private coaching session.

Invest just 3 hours and $99…Get your job search INTO ACTION FAST

One-Day Career Exploration Workshop
Saturday, January 24, 2009

Group session 9:30-Noon
+ personal coaching session after noon

ATTENDANCE LIMITED TO 12 ATTENDEES RESERVE NOW

Facilitated by Austin business coaches Donna Fox & Stan Tyler

To register, email: Donna@FoxCareerMentors.com

Focus Upward to Understand Corporate Desicion Making

2009-01-19T10:25:00.003-06:00

The challenges faced by businesses and their employees these days has got me thinking about the tough decisions that are being made in companies all around the world. It is hard to be in a non-leadership role in the volatile economic environment in which we find ourselves because non-leaders are often limited in the information they can access. In other words, employees in some companies are just playing a waiting game to see what happens next.

A wise person once told me that "When faced with decisions try to look at them as if you were one level up in the organization. Your perspective will change quickly". There is another saying that "Incompetence always begins one level above you". The point of both of these quotes is that you need to learn to think like your boss. What are his/her goals? What pressure is senior management placing on your boss? When you change your perspective from simply focusing on your own issues at work to learning what is driving your boss's behavior and decision making process you will find that you are able to be a stronger contributor. You will also become much more understanding of decisions that can be difficult to deal with from an employee-perspective.

Many senior leaders learn this experience as they rise into higher and higher positions of responsibility. It is very illuminating to step out of one's own role and to look at the world from the perspective of your own manager or your managers boss. As you see the world from a higher perch you take in more of the landscape and from this vantage point your role within the organization as a whole becomes clearer. You should be able to see how you can contribute more effectively to the goals of your organization.

In troubled times I think it essential for good employees to understand the big picture so that they can (a) contribute at the highest level possible so the company performs its very best, and (b) get a realistic picture of the potential for job security or, alternatively, possible layoffs. The more you know about what is going on in your organization the less likely you are to be blindsided if layoffs or restructuring changes become a reality.

Will Your Resume Make it Past a Spam Filter?

2009-01-06T14:12:00.002-06:00

Happy New Year...long time no post. For the first time in several years I took some actual time away from work, writing, and blogging for the holidays. It was a little difficult to stay away from the computer but I know my husband, family, and friends appreciated it. It felt great to take a break but it also feels good to get back to work.

I found a website, Sparklist, that is really for reviewing newsletters for words that will trip up the spam blocker feature on most email programs but it occurred to me that it could be used for resumes too. Try cutting and pasting your resume into the review section of this site to see if there are any words in the document that might cause it to be tagged by spam blocker when you email it to a recruiter or hiring manager. I have never heard of a resume being blocked but you never know and this website is easy to use and free so it couldn't hurt to check.

Holiday Happiness

2008-12-15T04:13:00.005-06:00

A year ago I wrote the following post which I think is just as appropriate today as it was last year. Sadly the subject of this post, Art Kaminshine, passed away on December 6, 2008 which means that the world just became a little less fun and interesting. I thought that as a tribute to Art I would re-run the post from December 4, 2007. Rest in peace Art, we will will miss you. And thank you for making life fun, happy, and inclusive for those in your orbit.

Why I Love The Holidays

Yesterday (Dec 3, 2007) I read a post by Penelope Trunk at Brazen Careerist that got me thinking about the holidays. Penelope's post, which got more than 100 comments, is about not being Christian and living in a country (the U.S.) which openly celebrates Christmas. Her post was pretty curmudgeonly but I see her point...if you don't celebrate Christmas (for whatever reason) the holidays can probably be a little annoying. However, I think that if you adjust your attitude you can find joy in the holiday season. Let me explain.

I know a man named Art Kaminshine who lives in a small town in central Oklahoma. He is Jewish and the CEO of a company called ESECO. Art is a jovial and welcoming person who, seemingly, has never met a stranger. He also has a unique company policy to celebrate any and all holidays. Yep, you heard right...they celebrate any and every holiday they can think of at ESECO but not necessarily with days off of work. Anyone who wants to arrange a celebration just organizes a potluck lunch in the break room and all are welcome. It's really fun and doesn't take time away from work since everyone breaks for lunch anyway. I attended one for (I think) Chinese New Year but it could have been Thanksgiving...I just don't recall. It was festive and fun and they had chili with Fritos which isn't a traditional meal for any known holiday except football season in the south. Art sees the value in getting his team together to have fun and holidays provide an opportunity to do just that.

I love the holidays because it gives me an opportunity (an excuse if you will) to reach out to my clients, recruiters with whom I partner, and people I would like to work with. The holidays are a built-in reason to send nice notes either via email or paper cards that say, "Hello, I am thinking of you." It's true that people get a lot of cards during the season and that maybe yours will get lost in the shuffle. But I don't think of it that way. I write nice personalized notes in my cards and I often include an Ultimate Resumes notepad as a gift. Based on the number of relationships I have built and maintained for many years, I have no reason to think that holiday cards aren't part of an effective marketing communications strategy.

I also love the holidays because almost everyone takes the time to break for a drink or dinner or to meet up at a party which presents great networking opportunities. During the rest of the year we all get so busy that sometimes it's hard to find the time to socialize just for fun. But things slow down during the end of November all the way through December so I find that people are willing to take a longer lunch or make time to have a few laughs. It has been my experience that people like to do business with people they like so if you can get to know potential clients you have an advantage over your competition.

If you have some problem with the holiday season either because you don't celebrate Christmas or because you object to the blatant and overzealous consumer marketing that retailers engage in this time of year -- don't waste your time being irritated because it won't change anything. Go with the flow and make the season work for you. Enjoy the day off for Christmas and spend that day doing something meaningful to you. Take advantage of the fact that others have some free time on their hands and make a new friend or business contact. Or spend the time getting ahead on your own work.

Take the opportunity to find joy any way you can during the holiday season and remember that every country has some version of our holiday season built into their culture. We all need time to rest, recharge, reconnect with our colleagues, be generous with our neighbors, and to be thankful for all that we have.

Seven Things You Need to Know About Recruiters

2008-12-07T20:20:00.004-06:00

I am always amazed at the animosity that many job seekers have toward recruiters. In some cases it’s justified because there are some slimy recruiters out there simply because there are no certifications or specialized education required to become a recruiter. Anyone can call themselves a recruiter and some of the folks who do are not particularly talented or professional.

With that said there are some amazing recruiters out there who are great at sourcing and placing top talent in great jobs. In order to work with recruiters and not get frustrated when they don’t behave as you, the job seeker, think they should it’s important to understand a few things about the role recruiters play in the hiring process.

Seven things you need to know:

1. Recruiters have tough jobs.

Most recruiters are contracted by, and nominally report to, an HR representative within whatever company they are recruiting for. Sometimes elite recruiters who are hired by a Board of Directors or a CEO to find a senior leader for the company report directly to the hiring authority. But most of the time HR is the liaison between the recruiter and hiring manager. Most companies give recruiters a very big “wish list” for their candidates because they figure that if they have to pay a fee to find a new employee the recruiter had better find them the perfect candidate. Also understand that HR people are, for the most part, overworked and under appreciated by their employers simply because they are overhead and, as such, do not generate revenue. So, HR people can be very hard on the recruiters they have contracted because, lets face it, crap rolls downhill.

Recruiters spend their days trying to find the absolute perfect candidates for their client while managing sometimes impossible client expectations. If you are a candidate who has been frustrated that a recruiter won’t present you to his/her client for a job for which you are not a perfect fit you should try to look at it from the recruiter’s point of view. He/she may have marching orders from the client that just don’t allow him/her to take chances on candidates who don’t match the exact specifications set forth by the client.

2. Recruiters don’t work for you – they work for client companies who pay their retainer/commission.

If you have every wondered why recruiters don’t call you back or don’t seem particularly interested in your career interests this is why. Recruiters get paid to find people for companies, not the other way around.

3. Recruiters aren’t babysitters or therapists.

Recruiters don’t want to hear a sob story about your mean boss or your personal problems. They want to hear carefully crafted and well-prepared answers to interview questions that are appropriate for a job interview. Share too much information and you will be labeled a basket case and loose cannon. Recruiters can’t take the chance that you will show up for an interview and act like an idiot so if you seem overly emotional and/or share inappropriate information you may not get to interview at all.

4. Recruiters aren’t resume writers.

If you have a poorly written resume a recruiter will probably just pass over you but a few of them might be willing to give you tips or feedback on the document. But you can’t expect them do more than that. Get your resume in order before sending it to a recruiter even if that means asking for extra time before you send it along. It could mean the difference between getting a great job and being an also-ran.

5. Recruiters aren’t career coaches.

See point #2. Recruiters are paid to find talent not coach it. If you have run into some career roadblocks and you aren’t sure why, don’t ask a recruiter, hire a career coach instead. Jason Alba has a great list of career coaches on his blog and I have a list of coaches whom I partner with and vouch for on my website if you need assistance in finding a coach.

6. Recruiters, like everyone else, understand quid pro quo.

Don’t wait until the economy has gone sour or you are about to be fired to try to build a relationship with a recruiter. Any networking guru will tell you to build your network before you need it and that applies to recruiters too. If you aren’t looking for a job and you get a call from a recruiter, listen and do your best to connect him/her with any of your contacts who might be appropriate for the job he/she is trying to fill. You won’t be forgotten, especially if you are sincere in your efforts and you facilitate a personalized introduction between the recruiter and your contact.

7. The time to meet and get to know a recruiter is BEFORE you need a job.

See point #6. Build relationships and do good deeds before you ever need to ask for help and you will find that when you do ask for assistance that it will be given to you happily.

Leave Subjective Statements off Your Resume

2008-11-23T15:48:00.002-06:00

Are you someone who includes subjective descriptions of your skills, personal attributes or competencies on your resume? If so this post is for you.

How many people do you think would describe themselves as any one of the following?

Great team player
Strong communicator
Great leader
High integrity

The answer is pretty much everyone. The funny thing is that I have met very few actual team players in my professional life so when someone lists “great team player” on a resume I automatically skip over that statement and look for something that is backed up by verifiable metrics.

When you look at as many resumes as recruiters (both in-house and headhunters) do every day you tend to discount the subjective statements that you see on most resumes. So, even though you may have high integrity and you might be a strong team player there is just no point in listing that information on your resume unless you can back it up with some kind of meaningful description or, better yet, metrics.

For example, if you want to demonstrate that you are a team player or a strong team leader you could write something like this:

Led a team of 10 engineers to develop a software product (better to name the product) from concept to launch in 7 months; project completed 2 months ahead of schedule. The product has generated $5 million in revenue to date.

When I read that statement I think to myself, “OK, this person might be a legitimate team player because he/she was able to lead a successful collaborative and complex development project. How do I know it was successful? Because the project was completed ahead of schedule and has generated revenue for the company. You could make this even stronger if you included ROI or indicate that revenue exceeded projections.

More examples, these related to communication skills:

Increased employee morale by 10% within 6 months by leading fully integrated internal communications efforts utilizing a newly launched employee web portal, newsletters, and town hall meetings.

Managed a media relations campaign to launch a new community development program and which garnered media coverage in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Economist.

A lot of resumes also contain lists of “core competencies”. An example of a list of core competencies that I have seen on a resume:

Marketing, Public Relations, Brand Management, Business Development, Sales.

What does this list mean? Are you good at marketing or did you take a class one time? Are you an expert at public relations? If so, give me an example of a campaign you led. Are you a good brand manager who can generate revenue through the sale of B2C products in major retail stores? If so, I want to talk to you. But just dropping a few words on a resume without putting them in context is useless because it doesn’t tell the reader anything about your level of skill or depth of experience. And that is what recruiters and hiring managers want to know about you.

Most recruiters have the same reaction to list of competencies as they do all other subjective information….they skip it. If you want a hiring manager to know that you are a skilled marketer you need to demonstrate that with clearly articulated accomplishments, not by just listing marketing at the top of your resume.

Other things to leave off your resume:

Personal statements/life philosophy
Religious beliefs
Information about your family
Hobbies

If you want your resume to be taken seriously you should only include work related information that you can back up with specific examples, preferably with metrics. Also, keep personal information to a minimum – you may think that if you mention that you are an avid quilter, a collector of model trains, or that you enjoy reading that you will personalize yourself for interviewers. However, that information just takes up space that would be better used to describe your accomplishments.

Having said that, if you have accomplished something that is truly world class it might be worth mentioning because everyone wants to hire a superstar. Some examples include: climbed Mount Everest, completed 10 Ironman Triathlons, or spent 6 months in Namibia volunteering with Doctors without Borders. However, I would recommend only including hobbies or activities you worked hard to accomplish and that demonstrate tenacity, intelligence, or perseverance.

Stay Engaged, Maintain Your Sanity, and Ensure Employability

2008-11-15T10:11:00.005-06:00

It‘s not news that many people around the U.S. have been laid off and many more are concerned about job security. I was talking to my friend Scott Ingram about this situation the other day and Scott mentioned a great piece of advice that he gives to folks who have lost jobs: when you aren’t actively job searching use the time you used to spend working to volunteer for a cause that is meaningful to you. Keeping busy while meeting new people is a great way to keep your spirits up while also networking and showcasing some of your skills in a non-aggressive way.

I know someone who was fired from a job about 6 or 7 years ago. I don’t really know the circumstances of the job loss but I know it was emotional for this person whom I will refer to as “Z”. Z was/is single and had saved a lot of money so he was able to live for about 2 years off savings and by selling stock. He said he was looking for a job and I even redid his resume in such a way that it wasn’t obvious that he was unemployed. For some reason he was never able to find a job; I don’t know if he was even searching for a job but he says he was. He claimed to have even submitted applications at places like Loews and Home Depot but he still had no luck finding a job.

Over the past few years Z has become increasingly isolated, has given up things he used to enjoy (like going to movies), has gained a lot of weight, is probably an alcoholic, and has become bitter, angry, and is, frankly, no fun to be around. As far as I can tell he is no longer looking for a job and is just living off his father; of course he has no money of his own after being unemployed for so long. Z spends all his time alone with his dog. At age 36 it seems like a ridiculous (and preventable) situation for Z to find himself in.

I am relating this story because I think that what happened to Z could happen to almost anyone who lets him or herself get depressed about a job loss (or any traumatic incident). Z’s depression has happened in increments. When he left his job he was sad but he was excited about taking a little time off from what had been a tiring and demanding job. But he spent too much time alone, was not engaged in his community, did not have a group of friends to turn to for support, did not have any particular hobbies or interests, and he stopped taking care of himself.

Eventually, like a snowball rolling down a hill, circumstances and behaviors have culminated in Z becoming an isolated, angry individual who’s technical and social skills have atrophied to the point that he is probably unemployable.

Don’t let this happen to you. Take Scott’s advice and, if you are laid off, get out of the house and volunteer at any nonprofit you can find. Soup kitchens, churches, food banks, meals-on-wheels, animal rescue, or women’s shelters – pick the worthy cause of your choice. Extroverts will find this easier and more fun than many introverts will but whether you are a "people person" or not you have to force yourself to get yourself engaged with other people when you are unemployed. If you don't you could easily slide into a depression which will make it impossible for you to find a job.

Don’t be embarrassed that you lost a job – it happens to everyone at some point. Spend some time each day engaged in a job search and networking but also try to step away from your worries for a little while and offer help to others. You will distract yourself from your situation and you will also find that whatever your troubles there is someone else in the world worse off than you are. You will be able to practice acts of kindness while meeting other people who may wind up becoming friends or who might know of job leads for you.

Resist the temptation to isolate yourself and wallow in self pity. When times are tough you need a support group of some sort to help you keep your sanity. Volunteering is a great way to build a network and support system while helping others.

Be Generous With Your Network When Times Are Tough

2008-11-03T09:37:00.003-06:00

I graduated college nearly 20 years ago and since then I have witnessed many ups and downs in our economy. It has been my observation that when times are good some people are more willing to extend themselves to others than they are when the economy is not so strong. I have noticed this particularly when it comes to networking because I make it a practice to try to connect my clients and friends with any of my contacts who might be able to help them in their job searches. And by "contacts" I mean recruiters, professional colleagues, former co-workers, personal friends, acquaintances, and individuals for whom I have done favors in the past.

When the economy is strong it seems that my contacts are more willing to engage in phone conversations or even meet with job seekers whom I refer to them. [I should mention that I don't make random referrals - referrals are always well thought out are are appropriately introduced once permission is obtained.] On the other hand when people start to fear for their jobs or when the economy heads downhill it seems that they become reluctant to take any time to talk to people who are in the job market. My theory is that when people don't know of any job openings they can feel uncomfortable about talking to someone who is looking for a job. I am not sure why this is but it's a trend I have noticed and I don't like it.

From personal experience I have found that when you extend yourself, even in a small way, to someone who needs a job you have made a friend for life. When I was a recruiter at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago back in 1990, many years before I started my resume writing business, I used to rewrite resumes for good candidates who walked in the door with badly written resumes. To this day, many of those people are still my friends and colleagues. I also returned all candidate phone calls including the dreaded rejection phone calls that I hated making. You know what? I found that while no one likes to hear that they won't be getting a job offer they would rather have a definitive answer than to be ignored.

I also used to refer good candidates who didn't receive offers from my company to contacts in other companies - you can't imagine how appreciative candidates were for a 2 minute phone call that I made on their behalf. A couple of those candidates have become very rich, successful, and powerful in their respective industries and guess what? They still remember a small kindness in stark contrast to other folks who ignored them or treated them disrespectfully when they were in need of a little help. Now that I have my own business, those people who had nothing to offer me back in 1990 but whom I treated with respect and kindness, send me many referrals.

These days a lot of people are nervous about the economy in general and their jobs in particular so they are starting to get their resumes together. Some people are also just starting to network which, of course, they should have been doing when times were good. But since they didn't I guess they have to start somewhere.

I have recently tried to connect a couple of my clients with some of my connections and my emails have either been ignored or I have gotten a reply that says something like this, "No, I don't want to talk to your client because I don't really know of any jobs in accounting right now. I think I was just lucky when I got my job recently. Sorry." This really annoys me because the contacts to whom I am referring are people whom I have connected with members of my network when they needed it. Quid pro quo my friends.

That is really what is driving this post. When times are tough you have to make the time to help others if you can. If you don't who do think will help you when you are in need? What comes around really does go around.

Yes, its tough to talk to someone who wants to work for your company when there are no job openings. But so what? You aren't responsible for creating jobs...all you have to do is listen and spend few minutes sharing whatever you know about your company or the job market or whatever it is the job seeker is asking about. You are just one link in the chain of contacts and information that a job seeker is gathering on his/her way to finding a new job.

Take the time (even if you think you don't have information to share) to be as helpful as you can to job seekers referred to you. Most of the time you will find that your 15 minute investment was time well spent. People in need are very grateful for the help they get and they often have very long memories.

Who Do You Think You Are Fooling?

2008-10-30T17:06:00.011-06:00

Every once in awhile someone tells me what they want done with their resume and I just shake my head in wonder. I am referring to folks who think that with a little sleight of hand they can fool recruiters into thinking that their work experience, employers, or education are something other than what their resume says it is. The truth? You are nuts if you think you can really fool recruiters.

Here are some examples:

Example A
One client who had never worked in "Green Energy" in her life wanted her resume to include a list 10 or 15 seminars she attended (she wasn't a speaker, mind you, just an attendee) that were related to green energy. Her rationale? She figured that if she kept the seminars on the resume that recruiters would consider her qualified for positions in green energy. Her real problem? Her job is in sales but she couldn't tell me any of her sales goals/quotas over the past few years -- but she wanted her resume to claim that she exceeded quota every year.

It seemed to me that she was trying to perform a magical illusion and try to focus recruiters away from the fact that there was no substance to her resume. She didn't want readers to focus on the fact that she had no numbers to back up her claims of sales excellence -- she wanted them to focus on her supposed expertise in green energy. What she didn't realize is that recruiters have seen every magic trick in the book and are very alert to a resume that lacks substance.

I pointed out that (a) if you are a sales person and you list "exceeded quota" on your resume you can bet that any recruiter will ask the obvious question, "What was your quota and by how much did you exceed it?" and (b) No recruiter will think that a list of seminars you attended in a field other than your own makes you qualified for a career change.

Example B
Another client started her career in technology and worked her way up to a position of responsibility within a large and reputable tech firm. About 5 years ago this client decided to get out of tech and sell residential real estate because she figured that was the way to get really rich. She was very good at real estate sales and made a lot of money...until our recent mortgage crash. Now she wants to get back into technology. After we created her resume she wanted to leave off the names of the real estate firms she had worked for and replace the firm names with SALES AND MARKETING PROFESSIONAL. But, of course, she couldn't leave off the name of the reputable technology company at which she started her career so, therefore, the formatting/information placement on the resume would have been confusing and weird.

This client wanted her resume to be inconsistent in its formatting to try to hide the fact that she had been selling real estate for the past 5 years. I pointed out that simply by reading her job description and sales accomplishments any recruiter would see that she had worked in real estate...a smoke screen won't work. Ultimately, for the resume, we created the name of a sales/marketing consulting company for which my client is listed as "Owner" (she can create an official corporation if she wants) and listed the real estate jobs as sales consulting gigs. This isn't overtly lying because generally real estate sales is a commission job and she could, in fact, have created a corporation through which she was paid for her work. However, a smart recruiter is going to see that this client has been selling real estate for the past 5 years. Maybe my client will get calls for tech jobs or maybe she won't...but she needs to understand that her new resume won't fool anyone even though she is happier with the way her background is presented.

Example C
This is my favorite example and many people do this:

Just because you attended a continuing education class or executive education seminar at Harvard University doesn't mean you are a Harvard Grad. You aren't. And just because you list a Harvard University Executive Education class as the first of your educational credentials doesn't mean that anyone will think you were accepted at that school.

The fact is this: All of the top tier universities offer executive seminars and continuing education classes as a way to generate extra revenue and to give their professors additional exposure. These classes generally aren't highly selective, if your company wants to pay to send you to the class, Harvard will be happy to welcome you to campus. If your employer pays for you to attend one of these classes that is fantastic and you can certainly include it as "Continuing Education" or "Training" on your resume. But don't place the executive ed course above the actual university you attended and from which you earned your actual Bachelors, Masters, or other graduate degree. There is a difference between the degree you earned and any continuing education classes you may have taken - you won't fool anyone by combining them. And, in truth, after you have been in the workforce a few years no one really cares which school you earned your degree from - its your performance that counts.

So here are a few tips:

1. Think before you take the next step in your career. If you want to switch careers and sell widgets that is just fine but think about how you will explain that decision if and when you decide to return to your original career/industry. Recruiters are always open to rational and well-thought-out explanations for gaps on your resume or for non traditional career choices. But, don't try to pull one over on a recruiter because you run the risk that they will see through your "tricky" ways of presenting things on your resume and assume that you are a liar. If a recruiter sees something on your resume that raises a red flag the chances are excellent that the only communication you will receive is a rejection letter.

2. If you want to switch careers, create a resume that emphasizes any skills, responsibilities, and accomplishments in your previous jobs that are relevant to the new industry or job you are seeking. Don't do hokey things like list a bunch of books you read or seminars you attended that seem relevant to the new industry. That isn't to say that you can't discuss those things in an interview because you can and your attempts to learn about the new industry will be viewed positively. But the key is to make sure you look like a star in your current industry and to show the recruiter that you know which of your skills are transferable.

3. Be careful of presenting education or other academic credentials in such a way that it seems that you are pretending to be something other than you are.

Prepare Your References To Give You a Glowing Recommendation

2008-10-15T09:44:00.000-06:00

A good friend and former co-worker of mine recently asked me to be one of his references for a CEO position for which he is being considered. Naturally I said yes. I know him well and can extol his virtues with ease so I didn’t give a second thought to what kinds of things I might say about him when asked. But then my friend amazed me. He sent me detailed notes about his potential employer, the position, short and long term goals for the company and the position, and the specific reasons that he is being considered for the job. Wow, was I impressed.

I think that anyone who asks a former boss or colleague to be a reference should do just what my friend did and outline talking points for referrers. For one thing, it makes it easier for your referrers to target their comments. Second, it gives you a little bit of control over the direction the conversation might take.

I have found that when recruiters ask for references they usually only ask a few questions and that they ask at least one behavioral interview question (give me an example of a time when Suzie….). However, for C-level jobs the questions can be quite in-depth and it’s always best to be prepared.

Following is a template you can use when preparing your references to answer questions about you from recruiters/potential employers.

1. Background about the company you are applying to. Include company name, what they do, website, ticker symbol, and information about their current financial situation (profitable, turnaround situation, start-up).
a. If relevant include information about company founders or the current management team.
b. Describe how the company got to where they are today – for example, did they create the market for their product?
c. Is the company subject to regulations and if so, by what entity?
d. If the company is owned by a private equity or venture firm you should provide the name of the firm and, if possible, the partner responsible for oversight of the company.

2. What are the key objectives for the incumbent to the job for which you are being considered? List your strengths or specific examples in your background that link to these objectives.

3. What are the key drivers for the hiring manager (CEO, executive team, venture firm etc.) in determining which candidate they will hire? List any attributes you have that link to these drivers.

4. Why are you being considered for this role? Communicate which of your strengths, skills, and experience attracted the recruiters to you so your referrers can emphasize your strengths.

5. Make sure your referrers understand why you are interested in the job. Give specific details about why you are interested in the specific industry, specific company, and specific challenges you are being hired to address.

6. Give your referrer a heads-up about any concerns that have been communicated to you by the recruiter or hiring executives about skill gaps or perceived weaknesses in your background. If you know of any concerns the company has about your candidacy give your referrers rebuttal talking points they can use to counter concerns and to emphasize your fit for the role.

The End of the World is NOT Near. Tips for Understanding and Navigating Our Current Economic Situation.

2008-10-08T09:29:00.011-06:00

It seems like everyone is talking about the economy these days and I think that is a good thing. Unfortunately when things are going well in the markets the average American can't be bothered to care about banking regulations or the intricacies of corporate finance. Which is really too bad. Economics and finance are fascinating and are the building blocks for everything we have, do, and see in this great country. The worst part is that most journalists don’t fully understand how we got into this situation or how we might get out so reporting on the issues is far from comprehensive. Far be it from me to suggest that I have all the answers but I do have some educated insights based upon research and knowledgeable resources.

I have reached the point that I don’t watch very much of the TV reporting about the current economic situation. Why? They don’t really understand what they are reporting and drama sells news. So the news reads like a press release for Armageddon. I don’t believe that we are nearing a depression nor do I believe that capitalism is dying.

In order to understand our current economic situation you need look at more than one indicator; most media outlets seem to find one statistic that supports the story they are reporting at the moment. For example, I have heard some experts say that the U.S. could be on the verge of another depression. Statements like this one strike me as capricious and irresponsible because the average American could take that statement for granted and panic. Here is what Nobel Laureate Gary Becker had to say about that in the October 7, 2008 issue of the Wall Street Journal:

“First of all, the magnitude of this financial disturbance should be placed in perspective. Although it is the most severe financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s, it is a far smaller crisis, especially in terms of the effects on output and employment. The United States had about 25% unemployment during most of the decade from 1931 until 1941, and sharp falls in GDP. Other countries experienced economic difficulties of a similar magnitude. So far, American GDP has not yet fallen, and unemployment has reached only a little over 6%. Both figures are likely to get quite a bit worse, but they will nowhere approach those of the 1930s”. – Gary Becker

One of the other annoying things that the media and almost everyone involved in the U.S. Presidential race says is that President George Bush is responsible for the financial crisis. The fact is that the financial meltdown has little to do with Bush. This has been a long time coming for a variety of reasons and I will list a few here.

1. Again, from the Gary Becker, WSJ, op-ed: “The main problem with the modern financial system based on widespread use of derivatives and securitization is that while financial specialists understand how individual assets function, even they have limited understanding of the aggregate risks created by the system. That is, insufficient appreciation of how the whole incredibly complex financial system operates when exposed to various types of stress. In light of such limitations, it is difficult to propose long-term reforms. Still, a few reforms seem reasonably likely to reduce the probability of future financial crises.”

2. As early as 1992, there were signs that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could pose a threat to the U.S financial system and our economy. Then-President Clinton was quoted as saying that Democrats in Congress have been “resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me….to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” Freddie and Fannie, backed by an “implicit” taxpayer guarantee bought hundreds of billions of dollars of sub prime loans. As the housing market continued to fall in 2007, sub prime loan portfolios suffered major losses and the crisis that was 15 years in the making began.

3. In 1977, during the Carter Presidency, well meaning members of Congress created the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The idea behind CRA was to eliminate redlining (the practice held by some bankers of drawing lines on maps and refusing to lend to individuals who lived in certain neighborhoods or towns). Initially, CRA stated that banks didn’t have to just make loans to individuals living in poor areas but that they should do so, “consistent with safe and sound lending practices.” Banks were required to keep extensive records of minority lending and practices and those that didn’t measure up could be denied the right to expand their branches, merge with other banks, or to lend in new markets. Community groups like ACORN and NACA, vocal proponents of CRA and self-appointed bank watchdogs, siphoned billions of dollars from banks and lent the money in poor communities. Bankers went along with it because no bank CEO wanted to be considered an enemy of the poor. The community groups then booked thousands of dollars in fees themselves. This well intended housing law led to a housing boom based upon poorly conceived loan practices and a subsequent bust that contributes to the financial situation today.

4. In 1994, Congress passed an updated version of CRA. For the first time homeowners who didn’t qualify either because they couldn’t put any money down or had bad credit were made eligible for government backed loans. And the housing boom began in earnest. According to one Federal Reserve study, during the 1990s Fannie and Freddie enjoyed a subsidy of as much as $182 billion with most of that going to shareholders and not to poor borrowers as supporters of the government sponsored enterprises have often claimed. President Clinton had HUD rewrite the rules for Fannie and Freddie to let them get involved in the sub prime market for the first time. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin reworked Treasury’s rules to crack down on banks that didn’t make enough loans to distressed neighborhoods. That year, Fannie Mae brought in an estimated $18.6 billion in sub prime loans from banks. By 2004 that amount increased to$175 billion. At the end of Clinton’s administration, Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers became alarmed by Fannie and Freddie’s excesses and went to Congress in 2000 to seek an end to the companies’ special status, especially the implicit Federal guarantee of their $5.4 trillion loan portfolio and more power for regulators to increase the companies’ capital requirements. Democrats and the politically well connected CEOs of Fannie and Freddie pitched a fit and, in fact, Freddie Mac spokeswoman Sharon McHale said, “we think that the statements evidence a contempt for the nations housing and mortgage markets.”

5. Incentives for everyone involved in housing sales to sell bigger mortgages. Mortgage brokers get a bigger commission on bigger loans. Banks make more money off big loans. Investors make more money on larger portfolios of mortgage backed securities. All along the way incentives were based upon selling bigger mortgages.

What can the average American do at a time like this? Here a few tips:

1. Don’t Panic. Really.

2. Don’t believe everything you see and hear on TV. As far as I can tell most journalists aren’t doing much research about what is going on. And why should they? Panic sells papers and increases ratings. Why do actual work to find out the facts when you can spew fear and increase your ratings?

3. Research the facts yourself and learn what is really happening. The term “government bailout” is a perfect example. The term “bailout” that the media uses to scare taxpayers into thinking that financial institutions are getting free money handed to them on a silver platter is a misnomer. This “bailout” is a loan made to financial institutions at a high interest rate. I can tell you from personal experience that the Federal Reserve and the Treasury do not believe in “free lunches” for bankers. The high interest rates that these firms will pay back to the Fed and Treasury should make money for taxpayers and, hopefully, send a strong message to bankers.

4. Understand your investments and NEVER invest in anything you don’t understand. I am a huge fan of Ariel Capital Management, for example, because their management team can explain in very simple terms how and why they chose each and every stock in their portfolios. And it makes sense.

5. Don’t over-use your credit cards. Yeah, yeah, you have heard this before. I think that credit card companies sometimes behave like drug dealers: want some candy little girl?...the first taste is free. Low interest rates that skyrocket if you make a payment late. Before the mortgage crisis American credit card debt was the most tangible sign of our propensity for living beyond our means. Stop doing it.

6.Don’t take on more debt, mortgage or otherwise, than you can handle. When my husband and I were approved for a mortgage a few years ago we were shocked by how much money we could have gotten. Had we taken the highest loan amount we were approved for and bought the biggest house that money would buy we would have lost the home by now. Why? The cost of a house is more than just your house payment. It’s the taxes, the repairs, utilities, maintenance, HOA fees, and cost of maintaining your yard. It’s expensive to buy a house and it seems like many people didn’t factor in all the costs before signing on the dotted line.

7. Make sure you understand the difference between Fixed Rate and Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARM) before you obtain one. This is what got many homeowners in trouble. ARMS fluctuate based upon interest rates which means that your mortgage payment can increase significantly overnight. A great resource for understanding mortgages and everything to do with buying a home is Ilyce Glink's bestselling book, "100 Questions Every First Time Homebuyer Should Ask"

8. Don’t pull your money from your 401k or pension and bury it your yard. Seriously leave the money alone. If you don’t you will have essentially “bought high and sold low” which is ridiculous.

9. If you aren’t investing right now, keep your money in cash (in a bank) but shop for a good financial advisor who can tell you when it’s a good time to get back in the market.

10. If you are having difficulty paying your bills talk to your creditors and work out new payment plans. If you aren’t comfortable doing this on your own hire an attorney or contact an organization like Money Management International which offers credit counseling and can negotiate with creditors on your behalf.

11. Understand that each and every one of us bears some of the blame for our current financial problems. We voted for the politicians who created the platform for a disaster to happen. Some of us live beyond our means which means that when we hit a rough patch we have no safety net. We don’t take the time to educate ourselves about issues and facts because we want things spoon fed to us by a vacuous media that seems to think that Britney Spears lack of undergarments or Paris Hilton’s latest antics that don’t impact any of us deserve equal airtime with financial and economic matters that affect all of us.

It seems to me that people often vote for politicians based upon their personal opinions on abortion, gay rights, and/or their religious beliefs. I am not saying those issues aren’t important because they are. But the only reason we have the luxury of being able to consider those issues is because our economy has always been strong enough that we don’t seriously worry about our basic physical security and whether or not we will have shelter, food, or clothing. People are starting to worry about the basics and while I think some of the worry may be exaggerated I wonder how it will affect voting in the upcoming Presidential election?

Given that this blog is generally focused on career issues, let me make clear that resume writing is something that I began full-time after spending my career doing many things. I have an undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago. While at Chicago, pursuing an economics degree, I interned for two economists for more than a year at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. One of those economists, the late Robert D. Laurent, received his PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago. His thesis advisor and mentor: the great Nobel Laureate, Milton Friedman. I also earned an MBA at the University of Chicago and I spent 11 years working at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. At the Fed, I conceived of and created, Money Smart Week, an annual week-long campaign designed to help consumers learn more about all aspects of personal finance. Money Smart Week has become a huge campaign with events in cities all around the U.S. The point is: I understand economics and finance but am not an expert. I do, however, know how to find the real experts.

Are Superstars at a Disadvantage?

2008-09-29T20:10:00.003-06:00

I have been really busy recently but not necessarily because of all the dire news the media is reporting about the economy. Certainly some of my clients are in the financial and mortgage industries and have, therefore, been affected by current events but most of my clients are what I call “superstars”. Superstars, for the purposes of this article, are those individuals who for most of their careers don’t need to write a great resume because their accomplishments are so notable that they get recruited from job to job based on word-of-mouth. Then, one day, for whatever reason, the phone stops ringing as frequently. Or the superstar gets laid off. Or the superstar realizes that the career path that he/she has been on isn’t the one he/she wants to continue on. And then the superstar calls me or any one of the top notch career coaches or recruiters I partner with to try to figure out, for the first, time: what’s the next step in my career?

I love working with superstars. I hear the best stories. I especially love it when my superstar clients have been involved in high profile projects/businesses that I have heard about on the news – its fun to get the scoop from an insider. But I have started thinking that being a super-achiever can be a disadvantage when it comes to learning to adapt and be flexible within a corporate environment. Superstars don’t have to put up with a lot of B.S. because whenever they are unhappy or even annoyed they can pick up the phone and accept any one of the standing offers they keep in their back pockets. Superstars don’t have to learn to resolve problems or interpersonal conflict because as soon as they don’t like their work environment they get up and leave for greener pastures.

In a way, being a superstar in a corporate environment is a lot like being a movie star: everyone wants you and you can get away with an awful lot as long as you show up and do whatever it is that has made you a star. But, usually, you don’t remain a star for your entire career because either you get tired of what you are doing or someone younger, faster, or smarter comes along and steals your “superstar” crown. I think that if you are lucky enough to be a superstar you should go out of your way to learn to be flexible and to get along with others rather than just bailing when you see a few clouds on the horizon. If you don’t learn to play nicely with others and to weather corporate storms early in your career you may find it’s much more difficult to learn those things later on when you really need patience and flexibility.

To Meet or Not To Meet? - That is the Question

2008-09-17T09:39:00.003-06:00

Recently I have been pondering the question of whether or not it’s really necessary to get together in-person just to chat (no urgent agenda) with known business contacts/partners? My networking-expert-friends who just read that first sentence are probably cringing right at this very moment. Let me explain my question a little better and then maybe some of you will have answers for me:

I understand that in order to build relationships with people you usually need to meet them face-to-face at least once if possible. Since we live in a world in which technology allows us to meet and communicate with people all over the world via the internet I think it is possible to build relationships with people you never see face-to-face. In fact I have business contacts in far-flung places whom I will probably never meet in person yet we collaborate closely and have built great relationships.

When possible I always try to meet new business contacts in person because I understand that most people like to connect names and faces and that in-person meetings often have a more lasting impact on the participants. Most of the time, once I meet a new contact once or twice in person and get to know him/her a bit, I don’t necessarily feel the need to leave my office to meet them for breakfast or lunch just to catch up unless I am not particularly busy. Does that make me a curmudgeon? Is my perspective out of line with the expectations of society at large?

Most people I know get up early in the morning, shower, get dressed, get the kids to school, and rush to a day in an office filled with meetings, business lunches, bosses, co-workers, and presentations. I, on the other hand, work out of a home-based office and get paid by individual clients only for the coaching and written materials I deliver for them. My day begins with walking the dogs, running to the gym, taking a quick shower and hurrying upstairs to my office to write resumes, bios, marketing documents (for corporate clients), and to spend time on the phone with clients all around the U.S. and sometimes internationally.

If I were working in an office I would spend some time early in the morning doing my hair, putting on makeup, and making myself look professionally presentable. In fact, when I used to work in an office environment I had lunch with friends, co-workers, or partners/clients nearly every day. Of course, in those days, someone else was paying my salary so lunch was just another hour for which I was being paid.

Since I work at home, I wear shorts and flip flops every day which means that if I need to meet someone for a business lunch I need to spend at least an hour “professionalizing” my look. Then I need to spend about an hour round trip in traffic to drive to the meeting itself.

Recently, a relatively new business contact of mine with whom I have had breakfast a couple of times, gave me a hard time about not having time to meet her for breakfast. She even went so far as to ask if the reason I couldn’t go to breakfast was that I was angry with her. That is the event that precipitated this post.

I explained to her, in great detail, the amount of work I have right now (staggering) and the amount of time that getting ready for, driving to/from, and the meeting itself takes away from the time I have to spend on work. I offered to catch up via phone which, in my mind, would take less time and serve the same purpose as an in-person meeting.

In response she said that she wanted to see me in person (there was no hot topic on our agenda, by the way, I think she just prefers to meet people in person rather than talk on the phone) so she would be willing to drop by my house and bring coffee so we could catch up. She told me that she isn’t as busy as I am and that her job necessitates that she is “out and about” all day long. In other words, her job is all about in-person meetings.

I have been starting work at 6 or 7 am and sometimes not stopping until 9 or 10 pm almost every day recently so I have not taken this particular contact up on her offer to bring coffee to my home. It is very important to me to deliver high quality work to my clients within our agreed timeframe and with the economy the way it is, well, I guess the clients take precedence over meetings with people I already know.

I don’t know if my unwillingness to meet in-person right now has upset this particular person to the point that she won’t have anything else to do with me. I really hope not. It just makes me wonder if my perspective is out of whack so I thought I would ask what you think?

Discount from Ultimate Resumes for Any Lehman Brothers Employee Affected by Bankruptcy Filing

2008-09-16T05:23:00.006-06:00

Yesterday was a sad day for many on Wall Street but especially employees of Lehman Brothers Holdings which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company was founded in 1850 by Bavarian immigrant brothers Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer Lehman. Lehman brothers was family-run for more than 100 years until Robert Lehman passed away in 1969. The scrappy company weathered many difficult times including the Great Depression during which the firm focused on venture capital investments.

Did you know that in the 1930s, Lehman underwrote the initial public offering of the first television manufacturer, DuMont, and helped fund the Radio Corporation of America (RCA)? It also helped finance the rapidly growing oil industry, including the companies Halliburton and Kerr-McGee. Lehman Brothers has been an integral part of financing this country's growth and innovation. Something tells me that Henry, Emanuel, and Mayer are rolling over in their graves right now.

In New York, on September 15, 2008, shortly before 1 a.m., Lehman Brothers Holdings announced it would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, although its subsidiaries will continue to operate as normal. Many news reports have reported about the mass exodus of employees from the company's headquarters in New York yesterday (see photo above). 23,200 Lehman Brothers employees could lose their jobs as a result of the bankruptcy.

Ultimate Resumes is offering a 10% discount on any one service to any Lehman Brothers employee affected by the bankruptcy between now and December 31, 2008.

Liz Handlin Named One of WE Magazine's 101 Women Bloggers to Watch

2008-09-13T16:38:00.004-06:00

I am very flattered and honored to have been included in such an impressive list of bloggers. Thank you to Heidi at WE Magazine for selecting this blog for inclusion.

WE Magazine List of 101 Women Bloggers to Watch, Fall 2008

FREE Teleseminar, "Interview Tips That Every Pro Should Know"

2008-09-06T10:26:00.003-06:00

You’ve created the ultimate resume and you have an interview scheduled for your dream job. Now you need to make the right first impression so you can land the job.

On September 25 at 12:00pm CST call in to a teleseminar hosted by Victoria Cook, the Guilt Free Coach, when Liz Handlin, CEO of Ultimate Resumes, will give you the “Interview Tips That Every Pro Should Know.”

This 45 minute Teleseminar will help you prepare for the interview, sell yourself, ask the right questions of the interviewer, and successfully close the sale (that's right, an interview is similar to a sales call).

Each participant will get a FREE copy of Liz’s e-book, “Interviewing Made Easy!” which includes sample questions that real interviewers use every day.

To register for this event click here.

Does Your Resume Make You Feel As Fabulous As Your Interview Suit?

2008-09-03T14:43:00.002-06:00

I was recently talking with a friend of mine who spent 2 weeks shopping for the perfect interview suit. She was scheduled to interview at a very white shoe investment bank for a senior position so she wound up purchasing a Chanel suit for the big day. And of course she had to find the perfect new shoes (Prada) and bag (Prada) to round out the look. She spent thousands of dollars on her outfit over the course of two weeks in preparation for this huge and lucrative opportunity. She even scheduled her hairdresser and a makeup artist to make sure she looked her best on the day of the interview. Yet she waited until 2 days before the interview to call me to talk about updating her resume.

I should mention that she wasn’t actively looking for a job and she got the interview through a partner at the firm who set up the meeting based on knowledge of her past work and reputation. At the moment she walked through the bank’s gilded doors to meet some very senior bankers all they knew about her was based upon reputation. She was, of course, asked to bring a resume with her.

Her resume, at a minimum, needed updating but I did a complete overhaul to make sure the resume made her look like the rock star that she is. In fact when she saw the finished product she told me that she was almost as excited to show them her resume as she was to wear her fancy new perfectly-fitting outfit.

And that got me to thinking about my other friends and clients….does your resume make you feel as fabulous at your outfit?

If it doesn’t then you need to get that document updated and keep it current. Remember that after the interview, when you leave the office, your resume will be passed around to others who didn’t meet you and your candidacy will be discussed. Your resume needs to be able to stand on its own and represent you as well as you could represent yourself if you were present. Does your resume do that?

If not, you had better get busy and update your resume. Even if you aren’t presently looking for a job you never know when your hard earned reputation will land you an interview for a fantastic new opportunity. I am sure you will make time to shop for a new interview suit but will you have time to create a resume of the same caliber?

Summaries, Objectives, and Profiles Oh My!

2008-08-28T13:20:00.003-06:00

If you are a client of mine or read this blog with any frequency you probably know that I am not a fan of summaries/objectives/executive profiles or any of the other lengthy chunks of information that some people use to fill the first ½ page or so of their resumes. My reasons are simple: recruiters aren’t interested in subjective statements that represent your opinion of yourself and that are what most folks (and many resume writers) include at the top of the resume. In my opinion those sections are mostly a waste of space. I started my career as a recruiter and spent many years in all kinds of recruiting and HR roles and never once did I spend a lot of time reading those sections. I just jumped right to the “Experience” section to see if a candidate had the right experience and impressive accomplishments.

Having said all of that, I recently had a great conversation about this very topic with the CEO of a top technology recruiting firm, HireStarter, named Marc Davis. Marc is one of the most highly respected recruiters in the technology industry in Central Texas so when he told me his perspective on summaries I really sat up and took notice.

The following is what Marc has to say about summaries:

Basically, most summaries are terrible - they are filled with useless subjective statements that most recruiters and hiring managers just simply skip over and completely ignore as they go straight for the “Experience” section. With that said, there is a down-side to writing a resume that cuts to the “Experience” section without setting the context: recruiters may make a snap judgment about what you want to do and what you are capable of doing simply because of the most recent job you have held.

If the job you are looking for is a linear progression from the job you currently have, then you can either eliminate the summary section altogether or keep that section very short (1 – 2 sentences). But, for someone whose most recent job was, for example, as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), the resume-skimming recruiter will see "CTO" as their most recent job title and may say "I don't need a CTO right now and this candidate won't be happy in the other technology jobs we have available." or the reader may think, "This candidate probably makes too much money and wouldn't want to do X." A short summary that is very tight and very objectively written can *sometimes* get a person to perceive you a little differently because you can position things a little bit before they dive into the experience section.

What I'm saying is to take no more than the top 1/4 of the page to share this information. Start off with a statement that gives some rationale for the types of roles you'll be applying for but make sure that this statement isn’t too restrictive. Continuing with our CTO example, you could create a statement that, in a nice way, says, "Don't worry, I don't want your CTO's job, and I'd be OK with a lesser role - I'd actually like to make a contribution to your organization in a role such as X or Y." Then a short-but-sweet summary that is purely an objective statement about the main areas you feel you can make contributions in. Don’t say something like, "great people skills" because that is an absolutely horrible and useless statement but if someone wrote something like the following, I'd read it and probably look down into the rest of the resume for more detail:

Management and Leadership: 8 years of experience in building and leading software development organizations that range in size from 5 - 20 people. Consistently recognized for my ability to retain, motivate, and develop employees.

If you include 3 or 4 of these short statements about the areas of expertise you want to emphasize, I don't think it's going to do any harm and it might just get someone to look at you in a different way.

In a perfect world, I think this kind of stuff would not be necessary... but I've often watched recruiters do stupid things. I once asked a recruiter, "Why did you not consider this guy?" and the recruiter responded, "Well, it said he was the Vice President in his last job and I figured he'd be too senior for this Director role and wouldn't be interested in the job." I'm not saying that a summary is going to stop that from happening, but you might get a chance to interest a recruiter who might otherwise jump to the wrong conclusion about you with a summary that is very well written.

One other point about writing summary statements – if you have had multiple jobs across a variety of industries, a well written summary can draw the reader's attention to other parts of the resume - kind of like a table of contents. For example, if you spent the first half of your career in the Automotive industry but made a switch in your last job to the Healthcare industry, you run the risk that the reader may just see all the healthcare stuff on the first page and jump to the conclusion that you aren't a good fit for a job in their Automotive Sales Group. In that case, you could potentially write a summary statement like this:

Industry Expertise - 4 years of deep healthcare industry experience working as a General Manager at Blue Cross Blue Shield and 12 years of in-depth automotive industry experience as Director of Manufacturing for GM and Delco Electronics.

Someone just skimming experience might not get to the second or third page, but if you can grab their attention in the summary and direct them to the pertinent parts of your resume, there's a chance they'll go digging for more info.

A lot of candidates say to me "Well, that's the kind of thing I write in a cover letter." In all of my time interviewing candidates, no one has ever asked me to interview someone and handed me their resume AND their cover letter. Cover letters are deleted by the front-line recruiter/HR people and never stay with the resume... I feel like the resume needs to stand alone.

- Thank you Marc for these valuable insights!

Does Putting Your Resume Online Make You Look Desperate?

2008-08-26T14:47:00.004-06:00

The vast majority of my clients are senior level executives at companies that range from high tech start ups to Fortune 50 companies. Most of them have top tier graduate degrees and all are bright and talented. It surprises me that a great many of my clients plan to put their resumes on big job boards like Monster.com and CareerBuilder.com. Not that there is anything wrong with those sites but for a senior level exec they probably aren't the best places to be seen by the recruiters and executives you want to be seen by.

There is an excellent post at Empowered Career Woman that every job seeker should read called "My Resume Online = I'm Low Hanging Fruit?". Despite the blog name this post is not just for women. It's written from the perspective of an experienced recruiter so read what she says and take her comments seriously.

Chutzpah

2008-08-25T11:39:00.007-06:00

Networking is a very important part of nearly any business and mine is no different. Just to clarify: when I use the term “networking” I am not talking about the shallow and contrived kind of networking that you often find in “networking groups” where everyone in the group just tries to foist as many business cards as they can on everyone else in the room without making a meaningful connection with anyone. No, when I refer to networking I am talking about what I call “value added networking” which is when you build meaningful relationships with other people, build credibility by providing great service in whatever business you are in, and are always looking for ways to help the people you know.

Given the fact that I try very hard to be a valued friend, partner, and business associate I am often shocked when I run across people who don’t really understand how to network properly. I can’t decide if it’s just because some people are clueless and/or selfish or if they just haven’t bothered to read great networking books and blogs like those authored by Thom Singer or Scott Ingram.

I recently had 2 encounters that, once again, reminded me that some people just don’t understand how to use their network of acquaintances properly.

About a year and a half ago I got an email from a guy who had recently moved to Austin without a job. He found my profile on LinkedIn and was interested in talking to me about one of my previous employers. He happened to contact me at a time that I wasn’t particularly busy so I wound up spending about an hour on the phone with him. This guy kept calling me and asking for help in finding a job; he was very concerned about finding a new job because his wife had just had a baby so I did as much as I could to help him even though I didn't know him.

I referred him to some of my contacts and my husband even submitted this guy’s resume to the HR department at his office for consideration for any job openings. One night he showed up on my front porch at about 8pm. He and his wife only live a couple of miles away and he was out biking and just showed up in sweaty lycra to see if I had any more contacts I could give him since he hadn’t yet found a job. (I still have no idea how he knew where I live since I never told him and our phone is in my husband’s name.) I told him that I had given him all I could. I was pretty surprised and a little creeped out that he would just show up at my home.

I didn’t hear from him for awhile after that but eventually he got in touch to let me know he had found a job. And then, nothing. Not a word from him. No thank you note for my help. No referrals to my resume business. Nothing at all. Until a few weeks ago when he called to let me know that he had been laid off. He mentioned in passing during our brief conversation that he had been working 80+ hour weeks over the past year in this job so he hadn’t had time to stay in touch with people. I guess he thought that was a suitable explanation for his lack of communication. Naturally the reason he called was to find out if I had any contacts for him so he could find another job. Can you believe that?! I was shocked that he would have the nerve to come back for more after his behavior the last time I helped him. I referred him to a career coach I know in Austin and I wished him luck and haven’t spoken to him again.

Of course I did not nor will I go out of my way to introduce this guy to my contacts because, based upon my experience with him, I don’t know how he will treat my friends/business associates. But here is the amazing thing – this guy called the coach I referred him to and represented himself to her as a close friend and neighbor of mine. She got the impression that he was trying to get her to help him for free. Now that takes some chutzpah.

The second thing that happened recently was that a woman sent me an email in which she asked me to critique her resume for her. Not an unusual request so I called her and spent about 15 minutes talking her through some things she could do to strengthen her resume. Toward the end of the conversation she made it clear to me that she didn’t want to pay me to redo her resume. Then she mentioned that a coach/business contact of mine referred her to me. This particular coach has referred me a few clients so I thought to myself, “Oh, if this coach referred her, I will go out of my way to help her even though she isn’t going to hire me”. The woman mentioned that the reason she wanted to get my input on her resume was because she was going to submit it through a friend of hers for a position at a wind energy company.

So, in an effort to offer her some “above and beyond” help, I asked if she knew anyone in the wind business. She said that she didn’t so I offered to introduce her to a former co-worker of mine who is now the CEO of a large wind energy company. She jumped at the chance to meet my contact. So, about 5 minutes later, I did an email introduction to introduce her to my contact in the wind business. My contact emailed me right back that he would be happy to talk to her. So, I emailed her and told her this – she responded with a “thanks” that was all I heard from her. Apparently he talked to her for nearly an hour that very afternoon. I say “apparently” because she didn’t bother to follow up with me and let me know how helpful he had been or to thank me for the introduction. Maybe she didn’t understand that I had called in a favor for her and that it was a pretty big deal that the CEO was willing talk to a perfect stranger about her job search on a moment’s notice.

The next day this woman emailed me and said she had decided that she wanted to hire me to rewrite her resume. I said that I would be happy to work with her but that I couldn’t start on her resume until the following week. She was fine with that and we agreed to connect the following Monday. The following Monday morning I received an email from the coach who had referred the woman to me in the first place. The coach didn’t mention the favor I had already done for this woman but, instead, asked me if I would give this woman, a client of hers, a discount since her husband had lost his job a couple of months ago.

Anyone who knows me knows that I do pro-bono work for college students all the time. Sometimes I barter with clients who can offer me a service that is worth as much or more to me than the cash value of the resumes I sell. I have also offered discounts to folks whom I know don’t have much money but whom I really like or connect with. But the key is that the person who wants the discount needs to ask me directly and not ask a third party to approach me about it; that is just inappropriate. I felt like she was trying to use my relationship with this coach to force a discount out of me. I also felt that the coach was acting inappropriately by asking for a discount for this woman, in part, because I had already done her a pretty significant favor by introducing her to a heavy hitter in the industry she seeks to join.

I called the coach and told her that I was uncomfortable with the situation and that she needed to tell this woman that she needs to call me to discuss the financial situation rather than have someone else ask for a discount on her behalf. The coach said, “OK” but apparently she just sent this woman an email that said that I would be happy to barter with her for a resume (not exactly my words) and that she should contact me to discuss it. The reason I know about this email is that the woman’s approach, rather than call me directly, was to forward me that email with a note that she would love to barter with me but that she was busy with a sick child. Give me a break.

If you want to be a valued friend and networker don’t make mistakes like the ones I described in this post. Approach people directly for what you want, say thank you, and offer some value in return. Spend a little time thinking about what the person you are networking with might find valuable and do what you can to offer them value. Otherwise you will be labeled as a taker, a user, or just a bad networker. People who aren’t good at building relationships often find that its difficult to get help when they really need it.

If building relationships isn’t a strength of yours I would encourage you to read a book on networking, work with a coach, and/or go to seminars on the topic.

Networking resources:

Keith Ferrazzi

Thom Singer

Scott Ingram

Jason Alba

Steve Harper

So You Want to Join A Sorority (or land a great job) - Here are Some Tips To Help You

2008-08-17T12:18:00.003-06:00

Last year I wrote a couple of posts about how the sorority recruitment (which used to be called rush) can be a great preparation for post-college job interviews. Well it's that time of year again. Later this week more than 800 freshmen girls will go through the recruitment process with the 13 sororities at the University of Texas. Some of the girls will be relaxed and confident, others will be nervous, and still others will have family history and expectations to contend with. I know of a woman, for example, who is the third generation of women in her family to have been a member of a particular sorority and she hopes that one day her daughter will join the same house. Her particular situation reminds me of families I know who pressure children into particular careers because parents and grandparents were doctors, lawyers, career military or whatever. No matter how you look at it, there is much that can be learned from the recruitment process.

Generally speaking, the interview process for most jobs is pretty competitive. You will probably be meeting a lot of people who don't know anything about you other than what you included in your resume, what they found out about you by searching the internet, and by the way you present yourself in person. Sorority recruitment is just as competitive if not more so because of a combination of factors including the number of young women who go through rush in any given year (2,500 girls went through sorority recruitment at The University of Alabama in 2007)and the number of legacies (girls whose mothers or sisters were in a particular sorority).

Following are a few tips that should be helpful to young ladies who are going to go through the sorority recruitment process at any college and should be helpful to anyone embarking on a job search.

1. Do Your Homework
Before you interview for a job or go through sorority recruitment make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. Meet with alumnae or current members of different sororities in the summer prior to rush at the school you plan to attend. Each sorority has different rules, GPA requirements, service requirements, and overall culture/values. You will probably find that you gravitate toward sororities whose members share your interests and values. No matter what reputation you think a particular house has on campus and no matter what house your friends and relatives encourage you to join you should be fair to yourself and join the one that will be the best fit for you. Four years is a long time to be a member of an organization that you don't really love. Sorority membership is a big commitment: there are a lot of rules to follow, GPA requirements, volunteer requirements, and a lot of time spent with the other members. Find a house that best fits your needs, personality, and values.

The same principal applies to a job search. Research company culture so that you can be prepared for interviews and to make sure it's actually a company you want to work for. Make sure you understand the culture of companies you are planning to interview with. For example, both Disney and Proctor & Gamble have reputations for having very conformist corporate cultures and both have a lot of rules that employees must follow. Are you OK with that? Wal Mart requires that all employees (even senior management) attend 2 Saturday morning (7 am) meetings per month - kind of rah rah sessions. Do you want to do that? If not, then don't even apply for a job there. Maybe you are conservative and need a lot of corporate structure - if that's the case do your homework before applying for a job at a Silicon Valley or Austin start-up because you may not be happy once you land the job.

2. Appearance Matters.
Dress conservatively but fashionably and make sure you are well groomed when you interview for a new job or when you are going through sorority recruitment. I know it seems superficial but the reality is that your appearance and image matter. I am not suggesting that you have to buy a Chanel suit for a job interview but if the last time you bought a new interview suit/outfit was 1990 it's time to upgrade your wardrobe. Make sure your hairstyle, makeup, and accessories are conservative, understated, and modern.

For example, if your hair is cut in a "mullet" it's time to update your "do" (mullets went out of style in the 1980s). If you have tatoos or piercings (other than one hole in each ear for earrings) make sure to cover them. On the other hand, if you only want to join a sorority or get a job at a company that welcomes individuals who have tatoos, piercings, or dress non-conservatively, by all means be yourself. But don't be surprised if you are passed over for jobs at conservative companies (investment banks, accounting firms) or if you don't get accepted to most sororities.

3. Smile.
Here is a little secret: everyone gets nervous when they meet new people. Certainly some people make it seem easy and many people are practiced at walking into a room full of strangers and walking out with new friends but it's not an easy thing to do. So if you are shy or not comfortable in groups just put on a smile, stick out your hand, and say "Hello" to everyone you meet. In other words, smile and fake the confidence. There is a saying "Fake it 'till you make it" and that is never more true than when you are interviewing. The more you smile and act confident when meeting new people the more confident you will become in such situations. Smile, look happy to be where you are, and before you know it you will be having a good time.

4. Charm counts.
After you have done your homework, dressed appropriately, and smiled your way your way into the first stage of the interview or recruitment process you have to have some actual conversations with people whom you need to impress. Turn on the charm. That's right, be engaging and fun to talk to. If this is difficult for you then practice with someone you trust. Role play conversations on a variety of topics and think of pleasant comments and reactions to any/all potential questions you might be asked. Charming people aren't negative. They are fun to talk to and other people gravitate toward them. Some folks have natural charm (think George Clooney) and others have to work at it a bit. But charm counts and it can help you to be a memorable and highly sought after candidate.

5. Sell yourself but don't brag.
There is a fine line between selling yourself in a positive way and being obnoxious. You have to figure out how to sell your unique skills and attributes while not obviously bragging. The best way I know to do this is to wait for your interviewer to bring up a topic that you have knowledge or experience of and to give an understated example.

For example:

Interviewer: Our sorority (or replace "sorority" with "company") really values public service and we have a long history of donating both time and money to the Chicagoland Food Depository.

Interviewee response: That is wonderful, I have been involved with Meals on Wheels for many years. I think it is so important to ensure that everyone in the community has access to healthy and nutritious meals.

What the Interviewee should NOT add to this response: "I was named volunteer of the year for the past 3 years by Meals on Wheels", or "My parents gave $2 million to the Chicagoland Food Depository and my grandfather is on the board of directors".
Why? Because there is plenty of time for other people to find out that you are a superstar volunteer. Early in an interview process or early in a new relationship you don't have to tell everything you know. Later when your new sorority sisters or your new employer find out about your awards or your families' financial contributions to charity you will seem more impressive in the eyes of your new friends because you didn't try overly hard to impress.

6. Make sure your social networking sites are conservative.
I have written several posts about this so I won't belabor the topic again. No racy, suggestive, or drunken photos of you should appear on any website. If you think its OK to post racy photos or photos of you shotgunning a beer just because you only allow your designated 'friends' access to your webpage then you are crazy. Photos can be cut and pasted elsewhere as can blog posts or comments on your site. Your 'friends' can give their password/username to other people who aren't on your friend list and who can then access your "private" information. People will judge you based upon what you post on your webpages and those of your friends. I know of specific examples of girls who were not accepted into sororities and individuals who were not hired for jobs because of what recruiters/sorority members found on social networking sites. It's a fact, it's not going to change, so clean up your pages and keep them clean.

7. Maintain your energy.
Sorority recruitment lasts 6 days from open house to the extension of bids. It is an exhausting process for all concerned. The most successful candidates are the ones that don't get overly emotional and who don't appear tired, stressed, and worn out by the process. The same can be said of interviews at many companies. Some companies require numerous interviews and a battery of tests before making hiring decisions. This can be stressful and tiring for candidates but successful candidates take it all in stride. Drink a lot of caffeine if you have to but never let your interviewers see you wilt because of exhaustion or stress.

I hope these tips are helpful and that those of you who are going through sorority recruitment find the perfect house for you! And once you join your new sorority make sure you remember these tips for a time in the very near future when you will be applying for a job. I will bet you find that when you do apply for a job that the interview process is a piece of cake because you mastered it when going through recruitment.

Live Up to Your Potential

2008-08-12T19:01:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I read a post by a well-known blogger who writes ostensibly career-related articles. The content of her articles ranges from moderately insightful at times to completely ridiculous/offensive at other times. I think she tries to be controversial. That’s pretty much the only explanation I can come up with for her recent article which was entitled, “Living Up to Your Potential is B.S.”. In her article she posits that all we are really put on this earth to do is to be kind to others and that those of us who put pressure on ourselves to achieve are delusional and out of touch. She even says that all we really need to do to be successful is to be kind to others, be engaged in life, demonstrate optimism, and to stay connected.

Where do I start? If everyone on earth agreed with her touchy-feely perspective we would all still be wearing loin cloths, hunting with arrows, and dying of diseases like the common cold and smallpox. This idea that we shouldn’t put pressure on ourselves to achieve better and greater things sounds like the kind of new-age “I’m OK you’re OK” thinking that is always present when you come in contact with the members of a perennially losing team . Anyone who thinks that the world is just about kindness is deluding themselves. We live in a competitive world in which the strongest competitors and highest achievers have the capacity to change the world.

I have been watching the Olympics and I am in awe of the athletes who have dedicated their lives to living up to their potential as the best at their designated sports. Do you think for a minute that Michael Phelps’s coach tells him that all he really needs to do is to be kind? C’mon. What if Michael Phelps had felt that he had lived up to his potential just by making the Olympic team and he didn't go the extra mile to win 9 gold medals (so far)? He would have really sold himself short if he hadn't continuously worked at improving his performance. It would have been a shame for the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team too. The team is going to make history because he (and the other athletes as well - Phelps is just the one I am using as an example) is constantly pushing himself to be a better athlete and to live up to the innate athletic ability he has been blessed with.

Being kind and achieving great things are not mutually exclusive. Why can’t we strive to be great at whatever it is that we do and also be kind to others? Why is putting pressure on ourselves to continuously improve a bad thing? The answer is that it’s not.

I don’t know what other people mean when they use the phrase, “living up to your potential”. But when I use it in reference to myself what I am saying is that I need to take better care of myself, work harder, be more innovative in my work, push myself harder to add more value in my professional life, be a better listener, and to be a more patient and compassionate human. I feel like I have been blessed with certain gifts (no need to list them here) and when I don’t use them properly or when I get lazy I know I am not living up to my potential. I want to be the best that I can be and whenever I fall short of the kind of behavior or performance that I know I should deliver I become angry with myself. I vow to do better next time. As a result I believe that I am becoming a better person, a better wife, better at my chosen profession, and an overall better citizen of planet earth. In short, I am doing my best to contribute to my world in the best way that I can.

Being kind should be the minimum that we offer the world, not the excuse we use to justify our lack of tangible achievements. Be as kind as you can to other people (and animals) be but don’t forget that you owe yourself and society more than just a token effort at participation. If math comes naturally to you then owe it to yourself to push yourself to study hard and to be the best mathematician you can be. If you are a great runner then you owe it to yourself to train as hard as you can because you just might become a champion - who cares if you lose a few races along the way? What if Einstein had decided to just “be kind” instead of striving to be great at what he did? What advances in sciences and medicine wouldn’t have happened if he were satisfied with mediocrity? What if General Patton (did you know that he competed for the U.S. in the 1912 Olympics?) had believed that being kind and optimistic was all he needed to achieve in this world? Would WWII have ended in the same way or, without his participation, would the outcome have been detrimental to the U.S.?

If we don’t use the gifts that we have been given and if we don’t push ourselves to be the best at whatever we do - no matter how seemingly big or small our talents may be and, instead, we cop out with “well at least I was kind” then we aren’t really being kind at all. Slacking with a smile is still slacking and that isn’t fair to anyone – least of all you.

Real World Social Media

2008-08-06T15:26:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, I found out about something called "real world social media" and I have to say it's pretty interesting. Have you heard of Dropcard? glinxcard? Pensieve? or 211me? Neither had I until I talked with Tal Raviv, one of the 3 founders of Dropcard. Tal and his two co-founders are all students at the University of Pennsylvania and 3 weeks ago they launched Dropcard which is a technology that allows you to email, from your cellphone, a virtual business card (called a Dropcard) as soon as you meet someone. Its a great idea, particularly for students who probably don't even have business cards and it also provides a useful option for professionals who run out of business cards when networking.

I asked Tal how Dropcard is different or better than emailing a vcard. He explained that in many ways it's the same thing except that you can do it from your cell phone. And if the recipient has email on their phone they receive it immediately. We talked about some of similar technologies that exist like glinxcard which requires that the person to whom you want to give your contact information text you with a request and then glinxcard sends your information to them. I think that's too many steps and it offloads the work onto a person you have just met. What if they don't text you to get your contact information? I guess you are just out of luck then.

IBM Research's Personal Memory Organizer, codenamed, Pensieve, is a good idea but actual implementation in a networking situation could be a little creepy. The Pensieve is supposed to help you remember people whom you met once and want to contact but you can't remember their name/contact information. You are supposed to take a photo of the person when you meet them and they give you their business card. When you get back to your office you load the photos of the people you met along with images of the corresponding business cards. Pensieve catalogs all of this information and can even recognize if you have multiple entries for one person and combine them. Great idea but I can't picture myself meeting some heavy-hitting finance executive and within 5 minutes asking for a photo. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that nor would I feel comfortable if someone I just met wanted to snap a photo with his cell phone. How would I know where that picture was going to end up?

211me is a stylish site that seems to be targeted to a younger crowd. You can upload photos and put them on fancy backgrounds and text that information along with a profile to friends. In some ways it's similar to Dropcard but probably not as useful for professionals as something with fewer graphics. That said, if design and graphics are your business this application might work for you assuming that the person you are sending it to is proficient with his/her cellphone texting application.

I couldn't cut and paste the actual drop card but on the screen it looks just like plain white business card. The information you can include is as follows and you can see what I have and haven't chosen to add on mine (italics indicates prompts from Dropcard on my actual Dropcard page):

Liz Handlin
Your title is empty. Fill it out!
Ultimate Resumes LLC
Enter a personal message. You can leave this blank.
Contact: lizhandlin@yahoo.com (Primary)
+ add new email
XXX-XXX-XXXX (Cell)
+ add new phone
+ add new address
Chat
+ add new messenger

Networks
Twitter
http://twitter.com/LizH
+ add new network

Sites

www.ultimateresumes.com
+ add new site

You can include all of your social network addresses if you like but I would caution anyone who uses MySpace or Facebook for less-than-professional activities to not include them on your Dropcard. Tal sent me his Dropcard and it appeared in my inbox immediately and it looked just like a plain white business card in an email message. He said it is supposed to download directly to my Palm address book just like vcards do but I got an error message when I tried to download. I don't know if the error was on my end or Dropcard's but I don't care because I don't mind cutting and pasting into my address book.

I think that Dropcard is a great idea for professionals and I may even try using it the next time I am networking at an event. Although, I am pretty attached to my business cards so transitioning to paperless networking may be a big jump for me!

Don't Ask Don't Tell - Tips for Answering Uncomfortable Questions

2008-07-30T19:34:00.003-06:00

I am heading to Chicago tomorrow to celebrate my husband's birthday and to spend some quality time at Wrigley Field. Since I am packing and preparing for our trip I am feeling a little lazy blog-wise so I thought I would share some words of wisdom on etiquette from my friend Jodi Smith of Mannersmith. Enjoy!

Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Newsletter #83
July 2008

A close friend recently asked me a loaded and very dangerous question.

If you interact with other humans, at some point, you too have been the recipient in some shape or form of a precarious query. As they ask, time seems to slow and fast forward all at once. The asker peers into your eyes as your mind races for the "right" answer. Instinctively you know how you respond can impact not only this interaction, but your entire relationship. You must quickly assess the situation taking into consideration the rapport, location, timing, ability to fix the situation and asker's ability to accept honesty.

When my friend asked me my opinion on her attire, she had me in the hot seat; I needed to do some fast thinking before I opened my mouth. Here are some Don't Ask Questions and respective responses.

Does this make me look fat?

Of course, when you are in the department store's dressing room, you can be absolutely honest. After all, the asker need not purchase the offending item. You can offer to have the salesperson bring in another size or suggest a completely different style that would better suit the asker. If at home prior to embarkation, there is still time to change. A delicately put "Oh, I was hoping you would wear your navy ensemble" solves the issue without directly answering the question. However, if you are halfway through dinner at a charity gala when asked, discretion is the better part of valor -- even if you are hoping for the asker's dessert!

Do I have bad breath?

A better-safe-than-sorry approach should be employed. When someone asks, immediately pull out a mint to share. And do be sure to pop a mint yourself! They may be politely trying to send you a message. Yes, you should always carry mints just in case.

Other personal grooming questions can be handled in a similar manner. "Do I need a haircut/manicure/shower" can all be answered with a tactful, "You are fine for now, but might want to schedule one soon" if there is no time to fix the issue. Or "You always look, feel, smell fine to me, but not everyone loves you as much as I do" when there is time to resolve the issue.

Is my spouse cheating?

This is a no-win question. The easiest tactic is deferral. "Why do you ask?" Often, the person is asking because they already know the answer. Do not attempt to guess which answer they were hoping for; instead solicit their opinion. Then, based upon their response, you can decide how to best respond... If, you have proof-positive of an adulterous affair, you must carefully consider your options. Romantic relationships are mysterious entities that often defy the expectations or reasoning of others. The closer you are to the betrayed individual, the more likely it is that you should reveal the information you have learned. A best case scenario is for you to approach the betrayer with your information and compel them to confess to the friend. For mere acquaintances, it is best not to become involved. It could be that the spouse is already aware of the situation and does not need to know you know too. Or, the acquaintance could resent and blame you as the bearer of bad news.

Should I quit my job?

Unless you have a new position at the ready to immediately offer the asker, the answer is "no." If the individual despises his/her job, the best course is to take action. Lend an ear, and possibly a shoulder to cry on, as you help the asker to brainstorm potential solutions. From working to improve the current position; to seeking challenges and fulfillment outside the office; to updating the resume and interviewing while still employed, there are many ways the asker can work to improve his/her situation while still earning money to pay the bills.

This costs a fortune, should I buy it?

When your friend has disposable income to spare, by all means, offer your opinion. However, if your friend has been on a strict shopping diet, do your best to support this thrifty endeavor.

Isn't this the cutest baby ever?

Two sayings immediately leap to mind. The first is "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and the second "every mother thinks her baby is the most beautiful." If the baby is gorgeous, by all means, concur. However, if the newborn resembles a Muppet -- and not in a good way -- then you need to be specific in your response. Choose something you can compliment and make your statement as sincere as possible. "That outfit is adorable." Or, "look at those tiny, perfect, rosebud lips." Or, "What a snuggly baby!" All are positive utterances without having to fib to the parents.

Etiquette rarely allows for a bold faced lie. So when my friend asked about the fashionability of (or rather, the lack there of) her attire, for many reasons, I had to be honest. First, she asked the question because she already knew the answer. The shorts were awful! If I had told her that the shorts were fine, she would have known I was lying. Second, I also happened to know there were shops around the corner having a fabulous summer sale. When I concurred with her assessment that her shorts were a bit out of date, she laughed knowingly as we headed for the nearest shop. When we reconnected with our group an hour later, she looked quite stylish in her new Capri's. Etiquette asks that we are honest. And that when we do decide to share news that has the possibility of not being well received, we must do so with kindness and respect.

The Funniest Resumes Ever

2008-07-24T18:23:00.003-06:00

This morning I happened upon a blog called JobMob which has a couple of posts about funny resumes. I started reading and within about 15 minutes I was doubled over with laughter. I cut and pasted a few of the ones that I thought were the funniest (I divided them by category) but you should go over to JobMob and check them out. If you are a job seeker please review your resume and make sure that you don't include anything you see in this post in your resume. If you have any funny resume stories please email them to me and if I get enough I will create another post with the ones you send. Enjoy!

Hobbies/Activities:
“Getting drunk everynight down by the water, playing my guitar and smoking pot”

“Drugs and girls”.

"Sitting on the levee at night watching alligators".

“Gossiping.”

“Playing trivia games. I am a repository of worthless knowledge.”

Why Interested in Position:
“To keep my parole officer from putting back me in jail”

Miscellaneous:
“I am great with the pubic.”

A candidate listed her e-mail address as pornstardelight@*****.com

One candidate’s electronic resume included links to her homepage, where the pictures were of her in the nude.

One applicant for a nursing position noted that she didn’t like dealing with blood or needles.

Candidate included family medical history.

"It’s best for employers that I not work with people.”

“I have become completely paranoid, trusting completely no one and absolutely nothing.”

Achievements:
“Nominated for prom queen”

One resume that came across my desk stated that the individual had won a contest for building toothpick bridges in middle school.

Arrests:
Candidate explained an arrest by stating, “We stole a pig, but it was a really small pig.”

Personal interests:
Donating blood. Fourteen gallons so far.

Marital status:
Often. Children: various.”

Reason for leaving last job:
“I thought the world was coming to an end.”

“Bounty hunting was outlawed in my state.”

Salary desired:
“Starting over due to recent bankruptcies. Need large bonus when starting job.”

Bad traits:
“I am very bad about time and don’t mind admitting it. Having to arrive at a certain hour doesn’t make sense to me. What does make sense is that I do the job. Any company that insists upon rigid time schedules will find me a nightmare.”

References:
“Bill, Tom, Eric. But I don’t know their phone numbers.”

Objective:
“My dream job would be as a professional baseball player, but since I can’t do that, I’ll settle on being an accountant.”

To obtain a position within an organization in which both my fashion and administrative experience can be of great detriment.”

Personal:
“My family is willing to relocate. However not to New England (too cold) and not to Southern California (earthquakes). Indianapolis or Chicago would be fine. My youngest prefers Orlando’s proximity to Disney World.”

Predicting Greatness

2008-07-21T14:03:00.002-06:00

I recently found a new hairdresser whom I adore and who I think is going to become a huge success in the beauty industry. His name is Darrel and he started a new career as a hairdresser only a few years ago. Prior to that he was in the U.S. Army and then he spent time as a computer programmer. When he decided to switch careers and get into the "hair business" he graduated from beauty school and got a job at Jackson Ruiz Salon and Spa which is widely considered to be one of the best salons in Austin.

After spending a couple of years honing his skills at Jackson Ruiz he moved on to the Aveda salon where he now works and where I am a client. He is still working his way up the ladder (so to speak) and is rapidly building a loyal clientele. Darrel's dream is to have his own salon and I think that not only will he achieve this goal but that, if he desires, that he could create his own franchise complete with branded products. Why do I think this and why I am blogging about it? Because Darrel has some personal attributes that spell success for anyone in any career.

1. He has set specific goals.
Darrel knows what he wants - his own salon - and he has a plan for how to make that happen.

2. He is conservative with money.
Darrel saves his money so that he can make his dreams a reality.

3. He is disciplined and focused.
Darrel shows up at work on time and stays on schedule. I am not sure I have ever had a hairdresser who is as efficient and effective at getting clients in and out on time while not appearing to rush and without sacrificing quality.

4. He is grounded and centered.
Darrel is the father of a teenage son whom he coaches in baseball. They attend church regularly. He takes care of himself physically (works out), spiritually (church), and he has an interest in the world around him (current events, sports, entertainment).

5. He continuously updates his skills by paying for ongoing training classes.
Darrel told me that he is one of few hairdressers who pays for ongoing training. Vendors routinely visit salons and demonstrate new products which, for many hair professionals, represents to majority of their ongoing training. He attends all kinds of continuing education classes for beauty professionals simply because he loves what he is doing and wants to be the best.

6. He understands his customers.
The salon in which he is currently working is relatively small and is not conducive to relaxation and quiet. With that said, Darrel, always starts hair sessions by placing an eye mask over his clients' eyes and giving them scalp and temple massages so that the time they spend with him is a relaxing reprieve from the "real world". Most women absolutely love to be pampered (and a lot of men too) and the fact that he understands this tells me that when he opens his salon he will create a place where "the experience" is a part of every client's visit.

While this post is about my hairdresser the fact is that almost every successful professional exhibits these traits. Most successful executives or entrepreneurs started out behaving this way as well. Maybe the most important piece of advice to take from Darrel is to love what you do. He had several careers before he was finally honest with himself about what he really wanted to do with his life. And now he is doing it and he is excelling. I wonder what the world would be like if we could all find the perfect job and commit ourselves to it with such passion and discipline?

Social Networking for Professionals

2008-07-14T10:05:00.003-06:00

Are you a college student with a MySpace or Facebook page? Are you an adult with a blog? Do you Twitter? If so you need to understand how a hiring manager could view your online brand based upon the information you post on the Internet. It has become commonplace for recruiters and HR professionals alike to Google the names of individuals they plan to interview. Also many companies (example: Big Four Accounting/Consulting firms) have set up pages on Facebook or MySpace for recruiting purposes – that means they can invite you to be a “friend” and gain access to your pages. With this in mind it makes sense to err on the side of conservatism when posting pictures, blog posts, and comments on the Internet.

Vault.com conducted a Social Networking Web Site Survey which revealed that 44% of employers surveyed make it a practice to look up potential employees on social networking sites. 82% of those employers say they would think twice about hiring candidates who posted information that could be perceived as negative on their on-line profiles. And it doesn’t stop with potential employees: 39% of employers have searched the online profiles of current employees.

How do smart professionals manage their online brands? Here are a few tips:

1. Before posting a photo or a comment ask yourself, “Would I show this to my grandmother?” If the answer is no then you shouldn’t post it. Period.

2. Ask yourself if the information you are about to post could be hurtful or embarrassing to anyone else. If you post photos of your friends in compromising or embarrassing situations you don’t make yourself or your friends look good. Don’t post stories or gossip that could be misinterpreted or be hurtful to anyone either.

3. Remember that there is no such thing as privacy on the Internet. You post it and its public – there are no secrets on the Internet. Anyone who reads or sees what you have posted can cut it and paste it elsewhere. Hackers can get access to just about anything. So why take a chance? If you don’t want your employer or potential employers to know that you like to party in your spare time or see racy photos then don’t post them anywhere. Ever.

4. If you are a student you need to research employers at which you plan to interview to find out how conservative they are and make sure that your Internet posts are in-line with their expectations. When I worked for Deloitte I learned that the Big 4 are VERY conservative. Students who post photos of themselves at parties drinking beer should understand that some Big 4 recruiters might interpret those photos negatively. Err on the side of caution and don’t post anything that any reasonable person could misinterpret.

5. Keep your Facebook Wall clean and sanitize the comments that your friends leave on your MySpace page. I know a college student, a very popular young man, who has about 400 friends on Facebook – about half of them are beautiful young women. Many of these young women write suggestive or, in some cases, downright filthy things on his facebook Wall. He has been very wise to delete any of these comments as quickly as he can because he is interning with a very conservative bank this summer. If his summer employer were to see his Wall, I am sure they wouldn’t be too impressed with some of the comments his female admirers have to say even though he can’t control what others write. He can, and does, control what stays on his page though.

6.Think before you Twitter. Twitter, as you may know, is a real-time online service which allows you to post 140 character messages that anyone who wants to “follow you” can see. Keep it professional and think about what your Twitter messages say about you. If you are interviewing with a competitor don’t mention that on Twitter…your current employer could be following you. Don’t Twitter about things that are risqué or disturbing – remember that ANYONE can see your Twitter posts.

Keep your online profile but remember that the Internet makes each of us a unique brand. Manage your brand carefully by monitoring the information available about you on the Internet and making sure that whatever you post is squeaky clean.

Jason Alba has written a couple of great books that you might check out:

I'm on Facebook, Now What?

I'm on LinkedIn, Now What?

Don’t Be a Conversation Killer

2008-07-12T11:27:00.004-06:00

The other night I met some friends for drinks after work. One of the friends-of-friends who showed up announced that she had been laid off from her job and was in the midst of a job search. We were all very supportive, of course, and my first impression of her was, “Wow, she is sharp and is sure to land a great job soon”. However, the more she talked the less impressed with her I became. She is certainly a bright young lady but the endless stream (from my perspective) of pretentious and obnoxious comments that came out of her mouth diminished her overall impressiveness quotient. As I observed her behavior I wondered if she is able to conceal this side of her personality when she interviews for jobs or if her attitude will be a turn off to potential employers?

Let me be clear, this woman didn’t make racist comments, tell dirty jokes, or pick her nose – nothing that obviously uncouth. At every opportunity she inserted mini-stories about her family that were designed to let us know how wealthy and well connected her family is. At one point she spewed a story about how her grandfather had “earned his first $ million by the time he was 20”. The story had nothing to do with anything we were talking about and it seemed kind of jarring and inappropriate – I didn’t know what to say so I just smiled. There was no response I could make to that story except maybe, “Oh that’s nice” or some other meaningless platitude. We weren’t talking about the oil business, grandparents, inherited wealth, or anything remotely relevant to the story she told. I wondered what kind of reaction she thought she was going to get when she shared that information? Her story effectively dead-ended our conversation because she left us in a situation where there was no natural response to what she said so the conversation ground to an uncomfortable halt until someone started the table on a new topic.

That is what got me thinking about how uneven social graces could negatively impact an interview. I hope, for her sake, that she is smoother in interviews than she is in social situations. But even if she has the good sense not to tell stories that emphasize how wealthy her family is I wonder if she knows that in an interview it makes sense to think one step ahead of the game and to always leave the interviewer with a place to take the conversation. Whenever you make a statement think about the kind of reaction a reasonable person might have to what you just said. Think before you speak. Before you tell a story or answer a question think about how you would respond if someone told you whatever you are planning to tell them.

Example (This is not a fictitious example, by the way, this is an actual conversation I had once with someone I interviewed)

Interviewer: Good morning, how are you?

Interviewee: Well I am OK but I have a rash that’s really bothering me.

Interviewer: Oh, I am sorry to hear that. I hope things are going well with you otherwise.

Interviewee: I am sure I will be fine I think I got this rash from my laundry detergent. I need to put more calamine lotion on soon.

Interviewer: Oh, OK. Well here’s my office. Let’s talk about your background and experience…….

This example may seem silly but it really happened and it was not an isolated incident. I have met many other people who have said weird or unprofessional things in interview situations. Both of the examples in this post demonstrate how uncomfortable you can make someone if you don’t think about how your statements will be received and how your statement will change the course of the conversation.

Don’t be a conversational cul de sac - that’s the term I use for people who are dead-ends in any conversation – whenever they have the floor in a conversation they say things to which there are no easy or comfortable responses. If you make it easy for others to converse with you your chances of interviewing well and landing a great job increase dramatically.

Organizational Changes Can Offer Great Opportunities for Advancement

2008-07-08T12:44:00.001-06:00

Practically every time I turn on the news these days I hear about how “bad” the economy is. I am not sure if the economy is officially “bad” unless you are in the mortgage business but it is most certainly a time of change. There have been lots of notable mergers and acquisitions recently which are good for my business because as soon as employees get a whiff of major changes in management they hurry to update their resumes. Keeping your resume updated is a smart move of course and when changes are imminent it’s a good idea to reach out to your network to find out what the job market is like for someone with your skills. But, don’t jump to a new company too quickly. It’s a good idea to wait and see what the new regime’s goals, vision, and culture look like before making a career move.

While it’s often true that when a company is acquired the acquiring entity often combines jobs and/or replaces employees from the old company with new talent. However it is also true that the cream usually rises to the top and if you are a talented, hardworking individual, who is also willing to accept a new culture and new management style you might be able to thrive in a changing organization. The key to figuring out if you should stay or find a new job is to listen carefully while not panicking.

Listen to what the new management team has to say while (if you can) reading between the lines. Do whatever you are asked even if it is different than the kinds of things your old boss asked you to do. Don’t argue or resist the changes because, at least initially, the new management team is going to be watching and listening to you as carefully as you are to them. They are trying to figure out if the old employees can and will adapt to the new culture that they are bringing with them. Unless you find some aspect of the new culture or new management repellent to you it makes sense to do what you can to stay in your job until the dust settles and you can figure out if you can succeed in the new environment.

If you decide to stay in your job you have to embrace the new culture and work environment even if it is very different from what you are used to. The most common and immediate changes that affect employees in an acquisition are changes to benefits including vacation time/usage, flexible work arrangements, and healthcare. If new management reduces or modifies your benefits but you still want to keep your job you will just have to get used to the reduction. Sometimes, however, new management eventually changes its mind and re-instates benefits after a period of time so if you are otherwise happy with your new job situation it’s worth waiting to see if things change for the better.

You may even find that your new boss offers you better opportunities for challenging work and advancement than your old boss did. But you won’t know until you spend some time getting to know your new boss and figuring out if you can work well together.

The point of this post is to remind you to exercise patience if your company is merged or acquired by another. Don’t rush to quit and find a new job until you are certain that you don’t want to adapt to the new environment. Change can be a little scary but it’s not always a bad thing.

Special Offer for American Airlines Employees Affected by Layoff

2008-07-03T11:10:00.004-06:00

I just read the news that American Airlines is going to lay off 7,000 employees between now and the end of the year. I am very sad to hear that for a variety of reasons. First of all I hate to hear about hard working people losing jobs through no fault of their own. Second, American has been my airline of choice for many years; I have flown about 500,000 miles on American and have generally been happy with the service.

If you are an American Airlines employee and you want to go ahead and get your resume ready in case you are laid off please give me a call. If you contact me between now and August 31, 2008 I will give you a 10% discount on any one Ultimate Resumes service. Check out the Ultimate Resumes website at www.ultimate-resumes.com for information on services and email me at liz@ultimate-resumes.com if you have any questions.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend.

Great Advice from J.K. Rowling's Commencement Address at Harvard University

2008-06-26T10:27:00.002-06:00

Normally I don't post exceptionally long articles but this one is special so I thought I would include the entire speech. JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, gave the commencement address at Harvard University earlier this month and it was really extraordinary. Her advice and insights are relevant to recent college grads and not-so-recent grads as well. So if you have a few minutes to read her entire address please do so...I think you will enjoy it.

The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination JUNE 5, 2008

Copyright of JK Rowling, June 2008

President Faust, members of the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers, members of the faculty, proud parents, and, above all, graduates.

The first thing I would like to say is ‘thank you.’ Not only has Harvard given me an
extraordinary honour, but the weeks of fear and nausea I’ve experienced at the thought of giving this commencement address have made me lose weight. A win-win situation! Now all I have to do is take deep breaths, squint at the red banners and fool myself into believing I am at the world’s best-educated Harry Potter convention.
Delivering a commencement address is a great responsibility; or so I thought until I cast my mind back to my own graduation. The commencement speaker that day was the distinguished British philosopher Baroness Mary Warnock. Reflecting on her speech has helped me enormously in writing this one, because it turns out that I can’t remember a single word she said. This liberating discovery enables me to proceed without any fear that I might inadvertently influence you to abandon promising careers in business, law or politics for the giddy delights of becoming a gay wizard.

You see? If all you remember in years to come is the ‘gay wizard’ joke, I’ve still come out ahead of Baroness Mary Warnock. Achievable goals: the first step towards personal improvement.

Actually, I have wracked my mind and heart for what I ought to say to you today. I have asked myself what I wish I had known at my own graduation, and what important lessons I have learned in the 21 years that has expired between that day and this.
I have come up with two answers. On this wonderful day when we are gathered together to celebrate your academic success, I have decided to talk to you about the benefits of failure. And as you stand on the threshold of what is sometimes called ‘real life’, I want to extol the crucial importance of imagination.

These might seem quixotic or paradoxical choices, but please bear with me.
Looking back at the 21-year-old that I was at graduation, is a slightly uncomfortable experience for the 42-year-old that she has become. Half my lifetime ago, I was striking an uneasy balance between the ambition I had for myself, and what those closest to me expected of me.

I was convinced that the only thing I wanted to do, ever, was to write novels. However, my parents, both of whom came from impoverished backgrounds and neither of whom had been to college, took the view that my overactive imagination was an amusing personal quirk that could never pay a mortgage, or secure a pension.

They had hoped that I would take a vocational degree; I wanted to study English Literature. A compromise was reached that in retrospect satisfied nobody, and I went up to study Modern Languages. Hardly had my parents’ car rounded the corner at the end of the road than I ditched German and scuttled off down the Classics corridor.

I cannot remember telling my parents that I was studying Classics; they might well have found out for the first time on graduation day. Of all subjects on this planet, I think they would have been hard put to name one less useful than Greek mythology when it came to securing the keys to an executive bathroom.

I would like to make it clear, in parenthesis, that I do not blame my parents for their point of view. There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you. What is more, I cannot criticise my parents for hoping that I would never experience poverty. They had been poor themselves, and I have since been poor, and I quite agree with them that it is not an ennobling experience. Poverty entails fear, and stress, and sometimes depression; it means a thousand petty humiliations and hardships. Climbing out of poverty by your own efforts, that is indeed something on which to pride yourself, but poverty itself is romanticised only by fools.

What I feared most for myself at your age was not poverty, but failure.
At your age, in spite of a distinct lack of motivation at university, where I had spent far too long in the coffee bar writing stories, and far too little time at lectures, I had a knack for passing examinations, and that, for years, had been the measure of success in my life and that of my peers.

I am not dull enough to suppose that because you are young, gifted and well-educated, you have never known hardship or heartbreak. Talent and intelligence never yet inoculated anyone against the caprice of the Fates, and I do not for a moment suppose that everyone here has enjoyed an existence of unruffled privilege and contentment.
However, the fact that you are graduating from Harvard suggests that you are not very well-acquainted with failure. You might be driven by a fear of failure quite as much as a desire for success. Indeed, your conception of failure might not be too far from the average person’s idea of success, so high have you already flown academically.

Ultimately, we all have to decide for ourselves what constitutes failure, but the world is quite eager to give you a set of criteria if you let it. So I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless. The fears my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had both come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.

Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.

So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had already been realised, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.
Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above rubies.

The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more to me than any qualification I ever earned.

Given a time machine or a Time Turner, I would tell my 21-year-old self that personal happiness lies in knowing that life is not a check-list of acquisition or achievement. Your qualifications, your CV, are not your life, though you will meet many people of my age and older who confuse the two. Life is difficult, and complicated, and beyond anyone’s total control, and the humility to know that will enable you to survive its vicissitudes.

You might think that I chose my second theme, the importance of imagination, because of the part it played in rebuilding my life, but that is not wholly so. Though I will defend the value of bedtime stories to my last gasp, I have learned to value imagination in a much broader sense. Imagination is not only the uniquely human capacity to envision that which is not, and therefore the fount of all invention and innovation. In its arguably most transformative and revelatory capacity, it is the power that enables us to empathise with humans whose experiences we have never shared.

One of the greatest formative experiences of my life preceded Harry Potter, though it informed much of what I subsequently wrote in those books. This revelation came in the form of one of my earliest day jobs. Though I was sloping off to write stories during my lunch hours, I paid the rent in my early 20s by working in the research department at Amnesty International’s headquarters in London.

There in my little office I read hastily scribbled letters smuggled out of totalitarian regimes by men and women who were risking imprisonment to inform the outside world of what was happening to them. I saw photographs of those who had disappeared without trace, sent to Amnesty by their desperate families and friends. I read the testimony of torture victims and saw pictures of their injuries. I opened handwritten, eye-witness accounts of summary trials and executions, of kidnappings and rapes.

Many of my co-workers were ex-political prisoners, people who had been displaced from their homes, or fled into exile, because they had the temerity to think independently of their government. Visitors to our office included those who had come to give information, or to try and find out what had happened to those they had been forced to leave behind.

I shall never forget the African torture victim, a young man no older than I was at the time, who had become mentally ill after all he had endured in his homeland. He trembled uncontrollably as he spoke into a video camera about the brutality inflicted upon him. He was a foot taller than I was, and seemed as fragile as a child. I was given the job of escorting him to the Underground Station afterwards, and this man whose life had been shattered by cruelty took my hand with exquisite courtesy, and wished me future happiness.

And as long as I live I shall remember walking along an empty corridor and suddenly hearing, from behind a closed door, a scream of pain and horror such as I have never heard since. The door opened, and the researcher poked out her head and told me to run and make a hot drink for the young man sitting with her. She had just given him the news that in retaliation for his own outspokenness against his country’s regime, his mother had been seized and executed.

Every day of my working week in my early 20s I was reminded how incredibly fortunate I was, to live in a country with a democratically elected government, where legal representation and a public trial were the rights of everyone.

Every day, I saw more evidence about the evils humankind will inflict on their fellow humans, to gain or maintain power. I began to have nightmares, literal nightmares, about some of the things I saw, heard and read.

And yet I also learned more about human goodness at Amnesty International than I had ever known before.

Amnesty mobilises thousands of people who have never been tortured or imprisoned for their beliefs to act on behalf of those who have. The power of human empathy, leading to collective action, saves lives, and frees prisoners. Ordinary people, whose personal well-being and security are assured, join together in huge numbers to save people they do not know, and will never meet. My small participation in that process was one of the most humbling and inspiring experiences of my life.

Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people’s minds, imagine themselves into other people’s places.

Of course, this is a power, like my brand of fictional magic, that is morally neutral. One might use such an ability to manipulate, or control, just as much as to understand or sympathise.

And many prefer not to exercise their imaginations at all. They choose to remain comfortably within the bounds of their own experience, never troubling to wonder how it would feel to have been born other than they are. They can refuse to hear screams or to peer inside cages; they can close their minds and hearts to any suffering that does not touch them personally; they can refuse to know.

I might be tempted to envy people who can live that way, except that I do not think they have any fewer nightmares than I do. Choosing to live in narrow spaces can lead to a form of mental agoraphobia, and that brings its own terrors. I think the wilfully unimaginative see more monsters. They are often more afraid.
What is more, those who choose not to empathise may enable real monsters. For without ever committing an act of outright evil ourselves, we collude with it, through our own apathy.

One of the many things I learned at the end of that Classics corridor down which I ventured at the age of 18, in search of something I could not then define, was this, written by the Greek author Plutarch: What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.

That is an astonishing statement and yet proven a thousand times every day of our lives. It expresses, in part, our inescapable connection with the outside world, the fact that we touch other people’s lives simply by existing.

But how much more are you, Harvard graduates of 2008, likely to touch other people’s lives? Your intelligence, your capacity for hard work, the education you have earned and received, give you unique status, and unique responsibilities. Even your nationality sets you apart. The great majority of you belong to the world’s only remaining superpower. The way you vote, the way you live, the way you protest, the pressure you bring to bear on your government, has an impact way beyond your borders. That is your privilege, and your burden.

If you choose to use your status and influence to raise your voice on behalf of those who have no voice; if you choose to identify not only with the powerful, but with the powerless; if you retain the ability to imagine yourself into the lives of those who do not have your advantages, then it will not only be your proud families who celebrate your existence, but thousands and millions of people whose reality you have helped transform for the better. We do not need magic to change the world, we carry all the power we need inside ourselves already: we have the power to imagine better.

I am nearly finished. I have one last hope for you, which is something that I already had at 21. The friends with whom I sat on graduation day have been my friends for life. They are my children’s godparents, the people to whom I’ve been able to turn in times of trouble, friends who have been kind enough not to sue me when I’ve used their names for Death Eaters. At our graduation we were bound by enormous affection, by our shared experience of a time that could never come again, and, of course, by the knowledge that we held certain photographic evidence that would be exceptionally valuable if any of us ran for Prime Minister.

So today, I can wish you nothing better than similar friendships. And tomorrow, I hope that even if you remember not a single word of mine, you remember those of Seneca, another of those old Romans I met when I fled down the Classics corridor, in retreat from career ladders, in search of ancient wisdom:

As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.
I wish you all very good lives.

Thank you very much.