I wrote about establishing an abundance culture in an organization, emphasizing that the leader sets the tone and establishes the standard. The leader must be committed to and conscious about her or his own mentality, and is responsible for guiding the team toward developing their own abundance mentality.
The question might arise "how do I do that? How do I develop my abundance mentality?"
I just happened on a website that provides really terrific information for leaders who want to develop the abundance mentality. Visit accessabundance.com for some free information that will get you on the path.
I'll be writing much more about how a leader's abundance mentality can form the core of creating a healthy, abundant organizational culture. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Abundance-based Organizational Culture
What kind of culture does your organization have? Is it built on a sense of scarcity or abundance? Is there a feeling of love and generosity, or of withholding and punishment? Do people compete or cooperate? Can you learn from mistakes or do you fear doing something wrong?
It's very disempowering to work in a place that operates with the scarcity consciousness. Even saying "consciousness" is oxymoronic, for "scarcity" usually applies also to one's level of awareness of how people work best.
While it's true that fear and punishment motivate people to produce results, it only works for a short period of time. Everyone I know who is seeking new work is fleeing a fear-based, dictatorial, secretive, and unforgiving workplace.
And everyone seeks a place where they are respected, informed, allowed to participate and collaborate, and able to think and act somewhat independently. I call this a culture of "abundance." In such a culture, there is enough for everyone, and there will be more when people work together openly, generously and kindly.
Literally every single person I talk to wants the same thing. Sadly, almost every single person doubts that such a place exists.
One person wrote so eloquently about her current workplace, from which she longs to escape:
I am noticing here that there is an undercurrent of hunger here.
Many smart people all looking to prove themselves. Everyone
wants to comment on everything. Folks seeking attention,
acknowledgment and to prove how smart and capable they are.
At the same time as people are somewhat protective of their
own turf - it is a weird and draining mix.
Clearly, the "scarcity model" is operating in this workplace. When people perceive that there is a limited pie, they think they need to hang on to what they have; otherwise they won't be able to get any more. For that matter, it makes sense that one might denigrate others - "let me get some of their pie!"
The environment wounds everyone in some way. Obviously, it harms those who are criticized and denigrated, excluded and not respected. Those doing the denigrating also are harmed if only because they are operating from fear - fear that they will lose what they have. Also, on some level they fear the same thing happening to them. How difficult it is to maintain the defenses needed to protect oneself from possible attack! It drains one's energy from other endeavors.
If everyone is hungry and operating within scarcity, then it's so much more difficult for any one person to own her own abilities and power - especially someone who is naturally generous. It's far easier to recognize other people's abilities than one's own - feels like taking away from another person. "If I get a slice of pie, someone else won't get any."
"Abundance" cultures do exist, and perhaps are becoming more common as leaders grow in awareness of how to get the best out of their people.
I created and maintained such a culture, to the best of my ability, while at City Harvest. By definition, I did not do it alone. Everyone at the organization had to buy into the culture and do their best to support it. And it was a challenge.
For example, there was constant pressure to protect information or "package" it so it "protected" employees who "couldn't handle it." Rather than cave in to the fear that motivated such urging, I chose to welcome the input and then use the information as part of an open discussion process with my leadership team. We became more thoughtful and aware of the impact information has on people.
In the end, we shared more information in order to provide context and reasons for certain decisions. The culture of openness and abundance was partly built by exposing fear and then working with it constructively.
Fundamentally, that culture depended largely on my willingness to recognize my own fear-based behavior and use it as a sign that more openness was needed. From there, I could find information and tools to help me create a team that would help develop the abundance culture we all sought. If a leader does not want to create an abundance culture, it will not happen.
For someone working in such a place, it's difficult to escape. When seeking another job, you have to be confident in your own abilities and goals. Yet in the scarcity culture, it's extremely difficult to develop and maintain such confidence. Perhaps the way out of the conundrum is to step outside the construct, either literally (a vacation, any new job) or conceptually (recognizing the behavior of "scarcity" and ceasing to behave that way).
As Gandhi said, "be the change you wish to see." If I want to work someplace that is open, generous, fun, and abundant, I need to be those things to the best of my ability. Once I have left behind the old behavior, new opportunities will appear to me.
Is it easy to maintain "abundant" behavior and attitudes in a "scarcity" environment? No. But it is doable. Do the opportunities appear instantly. No. But they do appear.
I know, because I experienced it. It took me two years of misery at the NYC Department of Employment before I got my dream job of Executive Director at City Harvest. During those two years, I was the "boss of choice" for many people, because I no longer operated with fear as manifested by unreasonable demands on, impatience with, and criticism, disgust, and contempt for my staff.
Overnight, I had shifted my behavior after my secretary had an asthma attack that put her in a coma and eventually killed her. I came to realize that what really mattered was the quality of my relationships with other people, not getting things done. Things would get done - and done very well - if I had great relationships. The focus needed to be on people, not the work. My focus shifted to supporting people working together to get things done.
The change was so substantial that word got around that I was great to work for, and people applied. Not just any people, but the best people. This made me very unpopular with my peers. As I once heard, "the knives came out and I have the scars to prove it."
Many a night I cried wondering why this was happening and despairing of ever getting a different job. For I was looking. Nothing came to fruition.
I see now that it was part of my learning process, for me to learn how to maintain my attitude and behavior under stress and duress. That muscle had to be strong for me to succeed at City Harvest.
So while I cried at night, I focused on doing great work and having fun during the day. I learned how to withstand outside pressure, maintain my integrity, treat my staff well and protect them from attack and unreasonable demands. I became the buffer between them and the surrounding organization. When I was strong enough, the City Harvest job came along - and I was ready for it.
Building that internal strength can be done in any environment. And I know positively that when one adopts and then lives the "abundance" model, you will attract abundance-based opportunities.
It's very disempowering to work in a place that operates with the scarcity consciousness. Even saying "consciousness" is oxymoronic, for "scarcity" usually applies also to one's level of awareness of how people work best.
While it's true that fear and punishment motivate people to produce results, it only works for a short period of time. Everyone I know who is seeking new work is fleeing a fear-based, dictatorial, secretive, and unforgiving workplace.
And everyone seeks a place where they are respected, informed, allowed to participate and collaborate, and able to think and act somewhat independently. I call this a culture of "abundance." In such a culture, there is enough for everyone, and there will be more when people work together openly, generously and kindly.
Literally every single person I talk to wants the same thing. Sadly, almost every single person doubts that such a place exists.
One person wrote so eloquently about her current workplace, from which she longs to escape:
I am noticing here that there is an undercurrent of hunger here.
Many smart people all looking to prove themselves. Everyone
wants to comment on everything. Folks seeking attention,
acknowledgment and to prove how smart and capable they are.
At the same time as people are somewhat protective of their
own turf - it is a weird and draining mix.
Clearly, the "scarcity model" is operating in this workplace. When people perceive that there is a limited pie, they think they need to hang on to what they have; otherwise they won't be able to get any more. For that matter, it makes sense that one might denigrate others - "let me get some of their pie!"
The environment wounds everyone in some way. Obviously, it harms those who are criticized and denigrated, excluded and not respected. Those doing the denigrating also are harmed if only because they are operating from fear - fear that they will lose what they have. Also, on some level they fear the same thing happening to them. How difficult it is to maintain the defenses needed to protect oneself from possible attack! It drains one's energy from other endeavors.
If everyone is hungry and operating within scarcity, then it's so much more difficult for any one person to own her own abilities and power - especially someone who is naturally generous. It's far easier to recognize other people's abilities than one's own - feels like taking away from another person. "If I get a slice of pie, someone else won't get any."
"Abundance" cultures do exist, and perhaps are becoming more common as leaders grow in awareness of how to get the best out of their people.
I created and maintained such a culture, to the best of my ability, while at City Harvest. By definition, I did not do it alone. Everyone at the organization had to buy into the culture and do their best to support it. And it was a challenge.
For example, there was constant pressure to protect information or "package" it so it "protected" employees who "couldn't handle it." Rather than cave in to the fear that motivated such urging, I chose to welcome the input and then use the information as part of an open discussion process with my leadership team. We became more thoughtful and aware of the impact information has on people.
In the end, we shared more information in order to provide context and reasons for certain decisions. The culture of openness and abundance was partly built by exposing fear and then working with it constructively.
Fundamentally, that culture depended largely on my willingness to recognize my own fear-based behavior and use it as a sign that more openness was needed. From there, I could find information and tools to help me create a team that would help develop the abundance culture we all sought. If a leader does not want to create an abundance culture, it will not happen.
For someone working in such a place, it's difficult to escape. When seeking another job, you have to be confident in your own abilities and goals. Yet in the scarcity culture, it's extremely difficult to develop and maintain such confidence. Perhaps the way out of the conundrum is to step outside the construct, either literally (a vacation, any new job) or conceptually (recognizing the behavior of "scarcity" and ceasing to behave that way).
As Gandhi said, "be the change you wish to see." If I want to work someplace that is open, generous, fun, and abundant, I need to be those things to the best of my ability. Once I have left behind the old behavior, new opportunities will appear to me.
Is it easy to maintain "abundant" behavior and attitudes in a "scarcity" environment? No. But it is doable. Do the opportunities appear instantly. No. But they do appear.
I know, because I experienced it. It took me two years of misery at the NYC Department of Employment before I got my dream job of Executive Director at City Harvest. During those two years, I was the "boss of choice" for many people, because I no longer operated with fear as manifested by unreasonable demands on, impatience with, and criticism, disgust, and contempt for my staff.
Overnight, I had shifted my behavior after my secretary had an asthma attack that put her in a coma and eventually killed her. I came to realize that what really mattered was the quality of my relationships with other people, not getting things done. Things would get done - and done very well - if I had great relationships. The focus needed to be on people, not the work. My focus shifted to supporting people working together to get things done.
The change was so substantial that word got around that I was great to work for, and people applied. Not just any people, but the best people. This made me very unpopular with my peers. As I once heard, "the knives came out and I have the scars to prove it."
Many a night I cried wondering why this was happening and despairing of ever getting a different job. For I was looking. Nothing came to fruition.
I see now that it was part of my learning process, for me to learn how to maintain my attitude and behavior under stress and duress. That muscle had to be strong for me to succeed at City Harvest.
So while I cried at night, I focused on doing great work and having fun during the day. I learned how to withstand outside pressure, maintain my integrity, treat my staff well and protect them from attack and unreasonable demands. I became the buffer between them and the surrounding organization. When I was strong enough, the City Harvest job came along - and I was ready for it.
Building that internal strength can be done in any environment. And I know positively that when one adopts and then lives the "abundance" model, you will attract abundance-based opportunities.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Setting Up a National Membership Organization
I recently did some research on how to set up a membership organization that is national in scope, specifically whether it's very different than setting up a local non-profit.
What I found is that there's not a lot of difference. Every non-profit is a corporation, and is incorporated in a specific state - just as for-profits are incorporated in a particular state even though they operate in many locations. So the incorporation process is the same as for local non-profits. The incorporation purpose will have to include reference to national activities so you have the legal ability to work on that level, just as the application for tax-exempt status will have to state clearly what the association will do and its scope.
Obviously, the IRS has a lot of information especially in its section about professional/trade associations, which is the kind of entity you want to establish under Section 501(c)(6) of the Tax Code.
Where the national vs. local issue comes in is when you get to fundraising. Any non-profit that raises funds has to register with the state's attorney general's office or whatever other entity oversees non-profit activities - most often it is the attorney general that has a Charities Registration Bureau. Registering across state lines is advisable for any non-profit that is national in scope - but only if you intend to raise money. There is a cost associated with registering that varies state by state, but usually is in the $100 to $500 range.
Here are sites that provide useful information:
* Www.associationexecs.com has information and resources about creating an association.
* The American Society of Association Executives appears to be most useful; check out the Knowledge Center.
* GuideStar has various articles on legal issues, as well as other topics of interest on non-profits.
* The Alliance for Nonprofit Management has information on financial management and many other topics.
* Charity Channel has lots of terrific resources, including this article on legal issues.
What I found is that there's not a lot of difference. Every non-profit is a corporation, and is incorporated in a specific state - just as for-profits are incorporated in a particular state even though they operate in many locations. So the incorporation process is the same as for local non-profits. The incorporation purpose will have to include reference to national activities so you have the legal ability to work on that level, just as the application for tax-exempt status will have to state clearly what the association will do and its scope.
Obviously, the IRS has a lot of information especially in its section about professional/trade associations, which is the kind of entity you want to establish under Section 501(c)(6) of the Tax Code.
Where the national vs. local issue comes in is when you get to fundraising. Any non-profit that raises funds has to register with the state's attorney general's office or whatever other entity oversees non-profit activities - most often it is the attorney general that has a Charities Registration Bureau. Registering across state lines is advisable for any non-profit that is national in scope - but only if you intend to raise money. There is a cost associated with registering that varies state by state, but usually is in the $100 to $500 range.
Here are sites that provide useful information:
* Www.associationexecs.com has information and resources about creating an association.
* The American Society of Association Executives appears to be most useful; check out the Knowledge Center.
* GuideStar has various articles on legal issues, as well as other topics of interest on non-profits.
* The Alliance for Nonprofit Management has information on financial management and many other topics.
* Charity Channel has lots of terrific resources, including this article on legal issues.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Life Lessons at Work
I always thought my teachers in life would be loving and generous. "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." I thought I'd have gurus at whose feet I could sit, soaking up wisdom and knowledge of the universe, becoming enlightened myself.
After enough rough times, however, I realized that my teachers didn't wear flowing orange or white robes and sit in the lotus position. My teachers were bad bosses, difficult work environments, and disappointments.
Sometimes bosses and work environments started out great and turned a little sour over time. The lesson there? Usually, I had changed and grown. In learning new skills and developing new maturity, I outgrew my current situation. Unfortunately, I was so deeply immersed in the change, I had little if any awareness of how much I had changed. All I knew was that my boss and some co-workers became incredibly frustrating. Did they just become stupid?
It's clear now that my expectations for my boss and co-workers had shifted, often becoming higher. That makes sense, when I realize that I was playing a bigger game with better skills. I naturally wanted to play with others who had similar skills. My frustration stemmed from two sources:
1) there were people who couldn't play the bigger game because they really didn't have the skill; and
2) there were people who had the skills, I just couldn't recognize them. Consequently, I assumed they didn't have them.
My arrogance conveyed itself to others, who then didn't really want to play with me, either. Caught up as I was in my own circumstances, I rarely spared a thought for how others were doing or what situations they were coping with well beyond my ken or awareness.
That was an important lesson for me. I needed to stop assuming I had all the answers and all the information. I discovered the power of questions - asking people about themselves and the challenges they face. I also started to look at how people, especially bosses, handled situations and thought about how I might do it differently. They were my "negative powers of example" - the "how not to do it" teachers.
Those lessons helped me own my own abilities and also understand why someone might do what they do. I learned to respect our differences and developed some compassion for people differently and perhaps less able than me. This made it possible for me to consciously choose how to handle a situation. It made me ready to lead others.
After enough rough times, however, I realized that my teachers didn't wear flowing orange or white robes and sit in the lotus position. My teachers were bad bosses, difficult work environments, and disappointments.
Sometimes bosses and work environments started out great and turned a little sour over time. The lesson there? Usually, I had changed and grown. In learning new skills and developing new maturity, I outgrew my current situation. Unfortunately, I was so deeply immersed in the change, I had little if any awareness of how much I had changed. All I knew was that my boss and some co-workers became incredibly frustrating. Did they just become stupid?
It's clear now that my expectations for my boss and co-workers had shifted, often becoming higher. That makes sense, when I realize that I was playing a bigger game with better skills. I naturally wanted to play with others who had similar skills. My frustration stemmed from two sources:
1) there were people who couldn't play the bigger game because they really didn't have the skill; and
2) there were people who had the skills, I just couldn't recognize them. Consequently, I assumed they didn't have them.
My arrogance conveyed itself to others, who then didn't really want to play with me, either. Caught up as I was in my own circumstances, I rarely spared a thought for how others were doing or what situations they were coping with well beyond my ken or awareness.
That was an important lesson for me. I needed to stop assuming I had all the answers and all the information. I discovered the power of questions - asking people about themselves and the challenges they face. I also started to look at how people, especially bosses, handled situations and thought about how I might do it differently. They were my "negative powers of example" - the "how not to do it" teachers.
Those lessons helped me own my own abilities and also understand why someone might do what they do. I learned to respect our differences and developed some compassion for people differently and perhaps less able than me. This made it possible for me to consciously choose how to handle a situation. It made me ready to lead others.
Keep the Faith!
Sometimes it seems as if you'll never reach your goal of finding the "right fit" job or work. And sometimes it's hard to see the path ahead. Am I really headed in the right direction? How do I know I'm taking the right actions?
While frustrating and perhaps even depressing, this state is a magical one. This state of "not knowing" leaves you open to new information. When you lose your sense of certainty, new possibilities can emerge and you may even recognize them as opportunities to get closer to your goal.
In fact, at this point in your search process, you're not supposed to "know" - you don't have enough information yet. Information-gathering is the key to moving ahead. Information is everywhere around you and it's within your reach. All you have to do is pay attention and ask questions.
I'm reminded of an image from the Carol Burnett Show (some of you may be old enough to remember it). At the end, she always appeared as a cleaning lady with her mop. Just a spotlight was on her, illuminating only her and her immediate surrounding space. There was only enough light to take one step at a time. She couldn't see where she was going so she trusted that spotlight would take her where she needed to go. She "kept the faith" and kept walking toward her goal while surrounded by darkness. Because there was enough light for her to confidently take the next step.
As long as we have enough light to take that next step on our path, we'll get where we want to go and reach our desired goals. Be in the now, with that spotlight. That's where faith comes in. When you started on this path, you stated your intention and began to take actions. Have faith that you are still on the path even if you can't see how you'll get to your goal from where you are now. The way may not be clear or even visible. It is there, however. Simply put one foot in front of the other, do the next thing that appears, take the next step.
Maybe there's someone you've been meaning to contact. So make that call or send that e-mail asking for 20 minutes of their time to talk about your next move.
Perhaps a job posting struck your interest. Apply for it.
Possibly someone invites you to a social gathering. RSVP "yes" and then actually go.
Maybe you always wanted to learn about a particular field, or develop a skill. Do a little research. Ask someone if they know anything about it, or if they know someone who does.
Do the next thing that occurs to you. That's where the light is shining. That's what you know.
You don't have to worry about the step after that. There will be enough light shining then for you to see what to do and where to go.
And before you know it, step by step, you'll reach your goal.
While frustrating and perhaps even depressing, this state is a magical one. This state of "not knowing" leaves you open to new information. When you lose your sense of certainty, new possibilities can emerge and you may even recognize them as opportunities to get closer to your goal.
In fact, at this point in your search process, you're not supposed to "know" - you don't have enough information yet. Information-gathering is the key to moving ahead. Information is everywhere around you and it's within your reach. All you have to do is pay attention and ask questions.
I'm reminded of an image from the Carol Burnett Show (some of you may be old enough to remember it). At the end, she always appeared as a cleaning lady with her mop. Just a spotlight was on her, illuminating only her and her immediate surrounding space. There was only enough light to take one step at a time. She couldn't see where she was going so she trusted that spotlight would take her where she needed to go. She "kept the faith" and kept walking toward her goal while surrounded by darkness. Because there was enough light for her to confidently take the next step.
As long as we have enough light to take that next step on our path, we'll get where we want to go and reach our desired goals. Be in the now, with that spotlight. That's where faith comes in. When you started on this path, you stated your intention and began to take actions. Have faith that you are still on the path even if you can't see how you'll get to your goal from where you are now. The way may not be clear or even visible. It is there, however. Simply put one foot in front of the other, do the next thing that appears, take the next step.
Maybe there's someone you've been meaning to contact. So make that call or send that e-mail asking for 20 minutes of their time to talk about your next move.
Perhaps a job posting struck your interest. Apply for it.
Possibly someone invites you to a social gathering. RSVP "yes" and then actually go.
Maybe you always wanted to learn about a particular field, or develop a skill. Do a little research. Ask someone if they know anything about it, or if they know someone who does.
Do the next thing that occurs to you. That's where the light is shining. That's what you know.
You don't have to worry about the step after that. There will be enough light shining then for you to see what to do and where to go.
And before you know it, step by step, you'll reach your goal.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Changing Jobs and Clothes : Color
What to wear for the interview?
It's important, because clothes definitely send a big message to people observing and meeting us. From the color of our clothes, people form impressions of us before we even speak.
Choose your clothing colors to convey an unspoken message, one that supports whatever verbal message you are delivering. By matching your visual and verbal messages, you are more likely to achieve your desired goal from whatever interaction you have with other people.
For job interviews, this is especially important. What do you want the employer to think of you?
I first was introduced to the idea that color could influence work by a book called The Mystic Executive (now out of print). In it, I learned that
* wearing blue is a great idea when I wanted people to know that I was listening to them, and to promote better communication.
* orange should only be worn as an accent color
* pastels make one appear weak and soft
* red is to be worn when one wants to command attention and appear authoritative.
* black and white to be "nothing" colors that conveyed no message at all and in a sense allow the other person to see in you their own self-image. That's a little dangerous if you ask me. I mean, what if they hate themselves?
Here's what Mary Giuseffi, an image consultant (Marygiuseffi.com) said in an interview with Steve Harrison (MillionDollarAuthorClub.com). It correlates nicely.
* Navy suit conveys team player, trustworthiness
* Red tie conveys power, enthusiasm, control
* Blue tie conveys clarity, teamwork, trustworthiness
* Yellow is a mentally clear color that helps you deliver a concise message. It also is a happy and entertaining color.
As for me, I stuck with a navy blue suit with a cream-colored top. And I wore the same outfit for every interview, so I would be familiar to those interviewing me. The suit was season-appropriate and somewhat stylish - not overboard with fashion-edginess, but looking current. I wore pumps and nude stockings. And I wore a simple pearl necklace, makeup, and my hair down and styled. It was a pretty classic outfit, that worked. I did get the jobs I really wanted.
It's important, because clothes definitely send a big message to people observing and meeting us. From the color of our clothes, people form impressions of us before we even speak.
Choose your clothing colors to convey an unspoken message, one that supports whatever verbal message you are delivering. By matching your visual and verbal messages, you are more likely to achieve your desired goal from whatever interaction you have with other people.
For job interviews, this is especially important. What do you want the employer to think of you?
I first was introduced to the idea that color could influence work by a book called The Mystic Executive (now out of print). In it, I learned that
* wearing blue is a great idea when I wanted people to know that I was listening to them, and to promote better communication.
* orange should only be worn as an accent color
* pastels make one appear weak and soft
* red is to be worn when one wants to command attention and appear authoritative.
* black and white to be "nothing" colors that conveyed no message at all and in a sense allow the other person to see in you their own self-image. That's a little dangerous if you ask me. I mean, what if they hate themselves?
Here's what Mary Giuseffi, an image consultant (Marygiuseffi.com) said in an interview with Steve Harrison (MillionDollarAuthorClub.com). It correlates nicely.
* Navy suit conveys team player, trustworthiness
* Red tie conveys power, enthusiasm, control
* Blue tie conveys clarity, teamwork, trustworthiness
* Yellow is a mentally clear color that helps you deliver a concise message. It also is a happy and entertaining color.
As for me, I stuck with a navy blue suit with a cream-colored top. And I wore the same outfit for every interview, so I would be familiar to those interviewing me. The suit was season-appropriate and somewhat stylish - not overboard with fashion-edginess, but looking current. I wore pumps and nude stockings. And I wore a simple pearl necklace, makeup, and my hair down and styled. It was a pretty classic outfit, that worked. I did get the jobs I really wanted.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Networking and Information Interviews, part 2
Networking is natural and easy when you start with people you know really well (your natural network) AND when you have a script!
Once you identify someone to contact, decide whether to contact them by e-mail or phone. E-mail is easiest, especially for busy people. A phone call is better for someone you know really well.
It's important that you have a clear intention that you can explain to the person. Here's a format that works:
I am looking for a job that allows me to play this role and use x skills, and where my work will contribute to this goal and impact.
When approaching someone you know fairly well, you can simply say "I'm exploring career options and wondered if you'd have 20 minutes to sit with me and give me some feedback and suggestions."
Often, the person will start the conversation right there with the question "so what are you looking for?" At that point you can say something along the lines of your intention - or shorter! Follow that by saying "I can tell you more when we meet."
If you're lucky, your first few contacts may actually know of jobs! It doesn't matter if they do, however.
Your goal should be to get referred to at least one person who might be able to help you. Ask "is there anyone you can think of who might be able to help me?" If they have to think about it, make sure you ask them about it in a follow up e-mail or letter.
The follow-up communication should thank them for taking the time to talk to you and say that their feedback [suggestions, referrals, etc.] was really valuable and you appreciate their help and support.
Here is a script for contacting the next person along the line:
“So and so recommended that I contact you regarding my job search. S/he thought you might have some great insight and advice to offer. Would it be possible for me to get 20 minutes of your time? I’m exploring the possibilities in the ________field, and would appreciate any advice and suggestions you might have. You can reach me by e-mail or at ###-###-####. I’ll contact you if I don’t hear from you. Thank you in advance! I look forward to meeting you.”
If you want to make the initial contact by phone, use the same script.
I suggest practicing the conversation before you make the call. It is incredibly helpful to rehearse so you get comfortable with what you are asking. Ask a friend to go through it with you two or three times so you role play your part and experience what it feels like to make the request.
It is rare for people to refuse to give you 20 minutes in person, and even rarer for them to refuse to give you 20 minutes over the phone. If they do refuse, it’s either because they have no time or they believe they have no advice to offer. In both cases, it’s about them – it’s definitely NOT about you. So thank them for their consideration and say good-bye. No burning of bridges is necessary. Who knows? You might run into them again in another context, and it can then be a pleasant introduction: “oh, I’m so glad to meet you! So and so has said such nice things about you.” And you might gain a new friend or colleague.
Once you identify someone to contact, decide whether to contact them by e-mail or phone. E-mail is easiest, especially for busy people. A phone call is better for someone you know really well.
It's important that you have a clear intention that you can explain to the person. Here's a format that works:
I am looking for a job that allows me to play this role and use x skills, and where my work will contribute to this goal and impact.
When approaching someone you know fairly well, you can simply say "I'm exploring career options and wondered if you'd have 20 minutes to sit with me and give me some feedback and suggestions."
Often, the person will start the conversation right there with the question "so what are you looking for?" At that point you can say something along the lines of your intention - or shorter! Follow that by saying "I can tell you more when we meet."
If you're lucky, your first few contacts may actually know of jobs! It doesn't matter if they do, however.
Your goal should be to get referred to at least one person who might be able to help you. Ask "is there anyone you can think of who might be able to help me?" If they have to think about it, make sure you ask them about it in a follow up e-mail or letter.
The follow-up communication should thank them for taking the time to talk to you and say that their feedback [suggestions, referrals, etc.] was really valuable and you appreciate their help and support.
Here is a script for contacting the next person along the line:
“So and so recommended that I contact you regarding my job search. S/he thought you might have some great insight and advice to offer. Would it be possible for me to get 20 minutes of your time? I’m exploring the possibilities in the ________field, and would appreciate any advice and suggestions you might have. You can reach me by e-mail or at ###-###-####. I’ll contact you if I don’t hear from you. Thank you in advance! I look forward to meeting you.”
If you want to make the initial contact by phone, use the same script.
I suggest practicing the conversation before you make the call. It is incredibly helpful to rehearse so you get comfortable with what you are asking. Ask a friend to go through it with you two or three times so you role play your part and experience what it feels like to make the request.
It is rare for people to refuse to give you 20 minutes in person, and even rarer for them to refuse to give you 20 minutes over the phone. If they do refuse, it’s either because they have no time or they believe they have no advice to offer. In both cases, it’s about them – it’s definitely NOT about you. So thank them for their consideration and say good-bye. No burning of bridges is necessary. Who knows? You might run into them again in another context, and it can then be a pleasant introduction: “oh, I’m so glad to meet you! So and so has said such nice things about you.” And you might gain a new friend or colleague.
The Value of Networking
Networking for job search, business development, or career growth is valuable for a few reasons.
1) You have to get clear about what you want to do and why you want help. Writing down your intention or goal is the biggest step toward actually realizing it. And asking someone else for help both forces and guides you to get very clear about your intention.
2) You'll make the connections that will lead to a job or work or customers. The vast majority of jobs are filled through referrals and networking, most consultants build their businesses through referrals from happy clients, and businesses rely on "word of mouth" to generate sales and build their brand.
3) The very act of talking about your goal will help you reach it that much faster. When you are out there talking about your intention, the universe can step up to support you.
Remember, while you are preparing to get your "right fit" job or embark on your "right fit" career, that job or career is preparing to meet you. Employers are writing job descriptions, businesses are developing consultant specifications, people are beginning to understand that they can't do something by themselves and need to hire someone.
1) You have to get clear about what you want to do and why you want help. Writing down your intention or goal is the biggest step toward actually realizing it. And asking someone else for help both forces and guides you to get very clear about your intention.
2) You'll make the connections that will lead to a job or work or customers. The vast majority of jobs are filled through referrals and networking, most consultants build their businesses through referrals from happy clients, and businesses rely on "word of mouth" to generate sales and build their brand.
3) The very act of talking about your goal will help you reach it that much faster. When you are out there talking about your intention, the universe can step up to support you.
Remember, while you are preparing to get your "right fit" job or embark on your "right fit" career, that job or career is preparing to meet you. Employers are writing job descriptions, businesses are developing consultant specifications, people are beginning to understand that they can't do something by themselves and need to hire someone.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Networking and Information Interviews, Part 1
Networking can sound intimidating. Yet you do it every day without thinking about it. Every time you ask someone to recommend a plumber, you’re networking. Every time you send your friend to another friend for advice about something, you’re networking. Every time you meet someone at a party and end up calling that person later, you’re networking.
In this phase, networking is solely for the purposes of gathering more information about the various options. Using your statement of intent, you let your “natural network” know that you want to learn more about your areas of interest and ask for their help. Your “natural network” is family, friends, neighbors, trusted colleagues and former colleagues – people with whom you feel comfortable. Ask them if they know anyone who works in your area(s) of interest to whom they’d introduce you. All you want is 20 minutes of that person’s time to learn more about what s/he does and the field in which s/he works.
It’s best if you have some idea of what you think you could do in the area of interest, so people have enough detail to grab onto. If your intention is too broad (“I want to learn more about TV”), it’s hard for people to think of people you could interview. A better statement of intent is “I want to learn more about TV production, especially what goes into making a reality show or a talk show.” This gives your contact enough information to think of people who work in TV production, on reality shows, talk shows, and even cooking, travel or home design shows.
In this phase, networking is solely for the purposes of gathering more information about the various options. Using your statement of intent, you let your “natural network” know that you want to learn more about your areas of interest and ask for their help. Your “natural network” is family, friends, neighbors, trusted colleagues and former colleagues – people with whom you feel comfortable. Ask them if they know anyone who works in your area(s) of interest to whom they’d introduce you. All you want is 20 minutes of that person’s time to learn more about what s/he does and the field in which s/he works.
It’s best if you have some idea of what you think you could do in the area of interest, so people have enough detail to grab onto. If your intention is too broad (“I want to learn more about TV”), it’s hard for people to think of people you could interview. A better statement of intent is “I want to learn more about TV production, especially what goes into making a reality show or a talk show.” This gives your contact enough information to think of people who work in TV production, on reality shows, talk shows, and even cooking, travel or home design shows.
Finding Your "Right Fit" Work
Fantasy is useful to guide us toward our “right fit.” Don’t worry so much about whether something is achievable or not. Notice what you are interested in, drawn to. What magazines do you subscribe to? When you open a newspaper, what articles do you read almost or all the way through? If you decide to take a class, what are you drawn to? Even if you decide not to take it and instead take something “practical,” what sparked your interest? And actually, pay close attention to classes you “wish” you could take but it really isn’t practical or realistic or useful or something you should spend any time on. That may be the biggest clue to what your potential passion is, to your future “right fit.” In the noticing, you can start to identify things that are meaningful to you and in which you want to invest time and energy.
In the exploring process, it’s helpful to put aside judgment. This is merely the exploration phase, the time when you get to know a little more about the topic or issue or field that sparked your interest. There’s no lifetime commitment called for, simply information gathering. When you start to explore a new field, by definition you know very little about it. In gathering more information, you will start to be affected by the new information – it may resonate with you and spur you on to learn more, or you will shy away from further exploration. A gut reaction is a fantastic guide during your “information gathering.” Scientists have found that we actually have a second brain in our stomachs.
In the exploring process, it’s helpful to put aside judgment. This is merely the exploration phase, the time when you get to know a little more about the topic or issue or field that sparked your interest. There’s no lifetime commitment called for, simply information gathering. When you start to explore a new field, by definition you know very little about it. In gathering more information, you will start to be affected by the new information – it may resonate with you and spur you on to learn more, or you will shy away from further exploration. A gut reaction is a fantastic guide during your “information gathering.” Scientists have found that we actually have a second brain in our stomachs.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
The Important Things
I have so much to do, I can't seem to make time for anything new - even if it's to follow my dreams and vision! I know it's important but I just can't get to everything.
I hear this all the time from friends and colleagues when I suggest that they set a goal for themselves, and make a plan to achieve it. "Sure," they say, "it's easy for you to say...but days just seem to go by filled with so much little stuff that I can't find the time to start my project/plan/vision."
I've said the same things to my coach and friends. Here's what worked for me to disentangle myself from the tangled web of everyday chores and obligations.
First, I give myself permission to do just a little bit - hopefully every day. If not every day, then a few times a week. If not a few times a week, then once or twice a week. The frequency doesn't matter! What matters is just doing something toward my vision.
Second, I allow myself to spend just 10 minutes on the vision. I didn't have to devote an hour, two hours, half a day - not even a half-hour. Just 10 minutes. Period. That gives me such a feeling of satisfaction, I want that feeling again. I am motivated to spend another 10 minutes another day.
Third, I accept that achieving my vision will take time AND that I will get there if I am patient with myself. Guaranteed! Gradually, I find more of my actions and attention directed toward my vision. It just takes time to refocus, and much of the refocusing happens subconsciously.
Fourth, I tell myself lots of stories to help me understand what is happening.
For example, I plant seeds and it takes a while for them to germinate. Under the soil, a lot is going on that is invisible - until one day, a shoot pops up and the plant is growing in plain sight. For it to flourish, I continue to water it and give it sunlight.
Similarly, I get an idea and commit to it. Then I stop taking action. I used to feel terrible about it. However, I now know that there is a lot going on subconsciously. One day, I find myself returning to my project with much clearer ideas of how to proceed. I continue to spend time and energy on my project so it will thrive and blossom.
Another story I like is the one about the rocks. Take a large wide-mouthed glass jar and fill it with big stones. Is it full? Well, now pour in a load of pebbles. So is it full? OK, let's pour in sand up to the top. Shake it around. Is it full now? Most people would say yes at step two or three. But...take water and fill the jar. At last it is full.
The moral of this story is to first take care of the big rocks (vision, dreams, family - your top priorities). There always will be room for the smaller ones ("have-tos").
I like to turn that around a bit. If your life is filled with water and sand and pebbles, it's going to be impossible to add some big rocks without making a mess. Yet if you are shifting priorities, you will have some big stones to add to the jar that is your life. That will mean displacing some small things.
Just as water and sand and pebbles have to spill out of the jar to make room for a big rock or two, so too may you have to let go of doing some laundry or cleaning some rooms or baking or cooking. If it doesn't get done when you don't do it, so be it. Once you've got the big rocks in place, you can add back some of the little stuff. Unless, of course, you realize that you'd rather spend that time on having fun!
I hope this piece helps you make room for the things that make you happy and fulfilled.
I hear this all the time from friends and colleagues when I suggest that they set a goal for themselves, and make a plan to achieve it. "Sure," they say, "it's easy for you to say...but days just seem to go by filled with so much little stuff that I can't find the time to start my project/plan/vision."
I've said the same things to my coach and friends. Here's what worked for me to disentangle myself from the tangled web of everyday chores and obligations.
First, I give myself permission to do just a little bit - hopefully every day. If not every day, then a few times a week. If not a few times a week, then once or twice a week. The frequency doesn't matter! What matters is just doing something toward my vision.
Second, I allow myself to spend just 10 minutes on the vision. I didn't have to devote an hour, two hours, half a day - not even a half-hour. Just 10 minutes. Period. That gives me such a feeling of satisfaction, I want that feeling again. I am motivated to spend another 10 minutes another day.
Third, I accept that achieving my vision will take time AND that I will get there if I am patient with myself. Guaranteed! Gradually, I find more of my actions and attention directed toward my vision. It just takes time to refocus, and much of the refocusing happens subconsciously.
Fourth, I tell myself lots of stories to help me understand what is happening.
For example, I plant seeds and it takes a while for them to germinate. Under the soil, a lot is going on that is invisible - until one day, a shoot pops up and the plant is growing in plain sight. For it to flourish, I continue to water it and give it sunlight.
Similarly, I get an idea and commit to it. Then I stop taking action. I used to feel terrible about it. However, I now know that there is a lot going on subconsciously. One day, I find myself returning to my project with much clearer ideas of how to proceed. I continue to spend time and energy on my project so it will thrive and blossom.
Another story I like is the one about the rocks. Take a large wide-mouthed glass jar and fill it with big stones. Is it full? Well, now pour in a load of pebbles. So is it full? OK, let's pour in sand up to the top. Shake it around. Is it full now? Most people would say yes at step two or three. But...take water and fill the jar. At last it is full.
The moral of this story is to first take care of the big rocks (vision, dreams, family - your top priorities). There always will be room for the smaller ones ("have-tos").
I like to turn that around a bit. If your life is filled with water and sand and pebbles, it's going to be impossible to add some big rocks without making a mess. Yet if you are shifting priorities, you will have some big stones to add to the jar that is your life. That will mean displacing some small things.
Just as water and sand and pebbles have to spill out of the jar to make room for a big rock or two, so too may you have to let go of doing some laundry or cleaning some rooms or baking or cooking. If it doesn't get done when you don't do it, so be it. Once you've got the big rocks in place, you can add back some of the little stuff. Unless, of course, you realize that you'd rather spend that time on having fun!
I hope this piece helps you make room for the things that make you happy and fulfilled.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Compensation Negotiations
Take the employer’s viewpoint when negotiating your compensation.
You have a "live with" number for your compensation (salary, bonus and benefits) as well as your "want to have" number. "Live with" is the amount you need to make to meet your basic expenses and feel good about yourself. "Want to have" is what you really would like to make. Your "live with" number depends on your expenses, living situation, and reason for changing jobs. If you are starting in a new field, your "live with" number may be lower than if you are continuing in the same line of work.
Similarly, most employers have a "want to pay" figure and a "stretch" number. Just as you don't want to go below your "live with" number, so too do employers not want to go above their "stretch" number. Perhaps you can negotiate fewer hours for the same pay. This strategy won't succeed, however, if it significantly changes the scope of the job.
It's a set up for failure to get an employer to negotiate away or give up on something. You may get your way temporarily but there will be resentment on the employer’s side and eventually pressure to do the very thing that was negotiated away.
Likewise, if you accept pay below your "live with" number, you will eventually resent the employer and your work load. It's far better to turn down the job, knowing that the right one will eventually come along.
Obviously, take the job if you need one NOW and the only one you can find pays you less than your "live with" number. Just go in with your eyes wide open, knowing that you made the choice to take less than you are worth and therefore there is no good reason for you to be resentful. Do a great job in order to feel good about yourself and perhaps impress the employer. Plus, be willing to keep looking.
Remember, too, that employers will know on some level that they struck a bad bargain by giving you less than you wanted. They may expect you to leave soon, they may end up letting you go so as not to have a "bad apple" in the mix, or they may try to find more money for you if you're really a good employee. What happens is largely up to you and your attitude.
You have a "live with" number for your compensation (salary, bonus and benefits) as well as your "want to have" number. "Live with" is the amount you need to make to meet your basic expenses and feel good about yourself. "Want to have" is what you really would like to make. Your "live with" number depends on your expenses, living situation, and reason for changing jobs. If you are starting in a new field, your "live with" number may be lower than if you are continuing in the same line of work.
Similarly, most employers have a "want to pay" figure and a "stretch" number. Just as you don't want to go below your "live with" number, so too do employers not want to go above their "stretch" number. Perhaps you can negotiate fewer hours for the same pay. This strategy won't succeed, however, if it significantly changes the scope of the job.
It's a set up for failure to get an employer to negotiate away or give up on something. You may get your way temporarily but there will be resentment on the employer’s side and eventually pressure to do the very thing that was negotiated away.
Likewise, if you accept pay below your "live with" number, you will eventually resent the employer and your work load. It's far better to turn down the job, knowing that the right one will eventually come along.
Obviously, take the job if you need one NOW and the only one you can find pays you less than your "live with" number. Just go in with your eyes wide open, knowing that you made the choice to take less than you are worth and therefore there is no good reason for you to be resentful. Do a great job in order to feel good about yourself and perhaps impress the employer. Plus, be willing to keep looking.
Remember, too, that employers will know on some level that they struck a bad bargain by giving you less than you wanted. They may expect you to leave soon, they may end up letting you go so as not to have a "bad apple" in the mix, or they may try to find more money for you if you're really a good employee. What happens is largely up to you and your attitude.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Resumes that Rock: Part 2
RESUME CONTENT
Your resume is a marketing document. Its job is to position you to get your "right fit" work. Thus, its content is crucial. It must convey to potential employers exactly what you have to offer them, as well as the results you are likely to produce for them based on your past record of accomplishments. Here's how to do that.
PROFILE
To begin, I advocate putting a profile at the very start of the resume, just under your name and contact information. A profile is not an objective (of course you want a job), nor is it a litany of your skills (boring!). It's a succinct description of who you are in the workplace.
Your profile presents your unique value proposition – what you love to do and are good at doing, the skills you want to use in the future, and the attributes you want to highlight. Your profile also will capture your personality through a judicious use of adjectives. In sum, your profile conveys the substance and flavor of who you are in the workplace.
In some ways, the process of creating the profile is more important than the final product. Developing it gives you the chance to think carefully about your "unique value proposition." In fact, the reader will usually catch the first five or six words of the profile and then move on to Experience. They might come back to it but even if they don't, the profile will make an impression. It says that you've thought about and know who you are.
Everything you say in your profile must be backed up by your accomplishments, which are listed under each employer and job. Essentially, the profile is the thesis that you then go on to prove with concrete examples. It also is useful as a way to ensure that your resume is internally consistent in terms of the message you intend to convey.
BODY OF RESUME
The first thing read by a prospective employer is the name of the company for which you worked. Then they usually will glance at the title and years worked - some will read title first while others read years worked first.
Here's the order of information that I recommend for the basic information:
* Employer's name first, in bold, followed by its location, not in bold. Use the city in which employer is/was located. Only include the state if the city is not immediately recognizable e.g. Wareham, MA, or is easily confused with something else, e.g. Springfield, MO vs. Springfield, IL vs. Springfield, MA. Otherwise, New York or Boston or Chicago or Los Angeles is sufficient.
* Dates of employment, not in bold, on the same text line as the employer's name and location. The dates should be tabbed over so they are on the far right of the page, preferably lined up with the right side of your address block.
If you worked at the company in more than one position, put the complete block of time over the far right. Next to each position title you can put in parentheses the dates you held that position. For example, Vice President, Sales (3/02 to 7/05).
Job titles can either be grouped together if your job responsibilities were substantially the same with the most recent encompassing the previous responsibilities plus more. If the jobs were substantially different, I treat each one as a separate job under the same employer.
* Title of your position, in bold and italics, directly underneath the employer name and location.
My experience is that most readers go through the entire resume once just glancing at employer, years and title. If all seems to be complete and consistent, then they glance at education to see if you have any degrees. So make sure you have no holes in time, and no major typos!
Only after that first quick read will they go back to look at individual jobs, starting with your most recent one first. After rereading your employer's name and title, usually readers will move to the body of the entry. Here's what it should contain:
* a brief paragraph describing your job
* bullet points that highlight your accomplishments
JOB DESCRIPTION
In a four to six line paragraph that starts on the line directly underneath the title of your position, briefly describe the company you work for and your job responsibilities. Say "Led all communications and marketing efforts for Fortune 1000 technology firm (STOCK SYMBOL)" or "Oversaw day to day operations for 45 year old non-profit teaching literacy to adult New Yorkers" or "Managed entire recruiting and on-boarding process for 300 person homeless services agency."
Use as many numbers as possible to give readers a good idea of the scope and depth of your responsibilities. For example, say "oversaw $3.5 million advertising budget" or "supervised team of 12, with four direct reports."
Readers' eyes are drawn first to numbers, then to CAPS, then to bold. Italics are rarely an eye-catcher, so use them only to indicate the title of an article or project, not for anything substantive.
BULLETS
Bullets are for accomplishments. I recommend limiting yourself to 5-7 bullets for your most recent job, 4-5 for your next most recent, maximum 2 for the next most recent and none for the oldest ones. Quantifying these bullets is important. Those are the things that will get you the interview. The interview allows you to fill in more detail and also to talk about accomplishments that weren't listed.
Here are my tips for great accomplishment bullets:
* Lead with the results and impact of your work, when writing accomplishments. Use active, directionally positive words like "increased," "improved," "advanced," "optimized," "enhanced" and "expanded."
* Use numbers as much as possible, especially with dollar signs and percentage signs; they are real eye-catchers and speak to many employers' focus on the bottom line.
* Split the accomplishment into "what" and "how": the impact or result, and how you achieved that result. For example, "Increased revenue year over year by 80%, through redeploying sales team."
* Ask “so what” to get to the impact of whatever activity you want to include. If you want to include it, it’s probably important but only if you can somehow tie it to an impact that is somehow measurable – as in “increased” and “improved” and “enhanced” and “expanded” – or gives clear evidence of major responsibility, as in “directed,” “led,” “managed,” “launched,” and “created.”
* Brevity is best. Limit each bullet to one, maximum two lines.
* Give leading information to cause the reader to ask a follow up question. Remember, the point of a resume is to get you an interview. The interview is where the reader can ask you to explain how you redeployed the sales team and why that resulted in 80% revenue increase.
* Only include things you really want to do again – similar or greater scope of responsibility, the type of work or project, specific skills you really want to use again, or attributes you want people to notice.
The next post will address the remaining parts of a resume: Education, Affiliations, Recognition, and other sections that might be relevant to you.
Your resume is a marketing document. Its job is to position you to get your "right fit" work. Thus, its content is crucial. It must convey to potential employers exactly what you have to offer them, as well as the results you are likely to produce for them based on your past record of accomplishments. Here's how to do that.
PROFILE
To begin, I advocate putting a profile at the very start of the resume, just under your name and contact information. A profile is not an objective (of course you want a job), nor is it a litany of your skills (boring!). It's a succinct description of who you are in the workplace.
Your profile presents your unique value proposition – what you love to do and are good at doing, the skills you want to use in the future, and the attributes you want to highlight. Your profile also will capture your personality through a judicious use of adjectives. In sum, your profile conveys the substance and flavor of who you are in the workplace.
In some ways, the process of creating the profile is more important than the final product. Developing it gives you the chance to think carefully about your "unique value proposition." In fact, the reader will usually catch the first five or six words of the profile and then move on to Experience. They might come back to it but even if they don't, the profile will make an impression. It says that you've thought about and know who you are.
Everything you say in your profile must be backed up by your accomplishments, which are listed under each employer and job. Essentially, the profile is the thesis that you then go on to prove with concrete examples. It also is useful as a way to ensure that your resume is internally consistent in terms of the message you intend to convey.
BODY OF RESUME
The first thing read by a prospective employer is the name of the company for which you worked. Then they usually will glance at the title and years worked - some will read title first while others read years worked first.
Here's the order of information that I recommend for the basic information:
* Employer's name first, in bold, followed by its location, not in bold. Use the city in which employer is/was located. Only include the state if the city is not immediately recognizable e.g. Wareham, MA, or is easily confused with something else, e.g. Springfield, MO vs. Springfield, IL vs. Springfield, MA. Otherwise, New York or Boston or Chicago or Los Angeles is sufficient.
* Dates of employment, not in bold, on the same text line as the employer's name and location. The dates should be tabbed over so they are on the far right of the page, preferably lined up with the right side of your address block.
If you worked at the company in more than one position, put the complete block of time over the far right. Next to each position title you can put in parentheses the dates you held that position. For example, Vice President, Sales (3/02 to 7/05).
Job titles can either be grouped together if your job responsibilities were substantially the same with the most recent encompassing the previous responsibilities plus more. If the jobs were substantially different, I treat each one as a separate job under the same employer.
* Title of your position, in bold and italics, directly underneath the employer name and location.
My experience is that most readers go through the entire resume once just glancing at employer, years and title. If all seems to be complete and consistent, then they glance at education to see if you have any degrees. So make sure you have no holes in time, and no major typos!
Only after that first quick read will they go back to look at individual jobs, starting with your most recent one first. After rereading your employer's name and title, usually readers will move to the body of the entry. Here's what it should contain:
* a brief paragraph describing your job
* bullet points that highlight your accomplishments
JOB DESCRIPTION
In a four to six line paragraph that starts on the line directly underneath the title of your position, briefly describe the company you work for and your job responsibilities. Say "Led all communications and marketing efforts for Fortune 1000 technology firm (STOCK SYMBOL)" or "Oversaw day to day operations for 45 year old non-profit teaching literacy to adult New Yorkers" or "Managed entire recruiting and on-boarding process for 300 person homeless services agency."
Use as many numbers as possible to give readers a good idea of the scope and depth of your responsibilities. For example, say "oversaw $3.5 million advertising budget" or "supervised team of 12, with four direct reports."
Readers' eyes are drawn first to numbers, then to CAPS, then to bold. Italics are rarely an eye-catcher, so use them only to indicate the title of an article or project, not for anything substantive.
BULLETS
Bullets are for accomplishments. I recommend limiting yourself to 5-7 bullets for your most recent job, 4-5 for your next most recent, maximum 2 for the next most recent and none for the oldest ones. Quantifying these bullets is important. Those are the things that will get you the interview. The interview allows you to fill in more detail and also to talk about accomplishments that weren't listed.
Here are my tips for great accomplishment bullets:
* Lead with the results and impact of your work, when writing accomplishments. Use active, directionally positive words like "increased," "improved," "advanced," "optimized," "enhanced" and "expanded."
* Use numbers as much as possible, especially with dollar signs and percentage signs; they are real eye-catchers and speak to many employers' focus on the bottom line.
* Split the accomplishment into "what" and "how": the impact or result, and how you achieved that result. For example, "Increased revenue year over year by 80%, through redeploying sales team."
* Ask “so what” to get to the impact of whatever activity you want to include. If you want to include it, it’s probably important but only if you can somehow tie it to an impact that is somehow measurable – as in “increased” and “improved” and “enhanced” and “expanded” – or gives clear evidence of major responsibility, as in “directed,” “led,” “managed,” “launched,” and “created.”
* Brevity is best. Limit each bullet to one, maximum two lines.
* Give leading information to cause the reader to ask a follow up question. Remember, the point of a resume is to get you an interview. The interview is where the reader can ask you to explain how you redeployed the sales team and why that resulted in 80% revenue increase.
* Only include things you really want to do again – similar or greater scope of responsibility, the type of work or project, specific skills you really want to use again, or attributes you want people to notice.
The next post will address the remaining parts of a resume: Education, Affiliations, Recognition, and other sections that might be relevant to you.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Change ingrained habits
"Sally" is very unhappy in her current job. She has little autonomy and lots of people looking over her shoulder, eager to criticize what she's doing and how she's doing it. The last straw was getting a reprimand for not appearing "concerned about getting things done" despite the fact that she always gets everything done. So Sally wants to leave and get a job where she has more independence and is more valued.
Right now, Sally doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do. She has some ideas but is still pretty vague about what she might investigate. Thus, she needs to gather more information. For instance, she needs to look at different jobs and industries to get more familiar with what is possible and what kinds of jobs are out there. In addition, Sally is in the habit of deferring to other people's wishes for her and has little experience pursuing her own dreams and wishes.
I came up with an assignment to help Sally begin to get more specific about things instead of vague, and to identify some things she can actually do something about NOW - thus beginning to act on her own behalf. The assignment is to:
Get very specific about all the things she is tolerating in her life - the things, people, situations she allows in her life that bug her, that are not optimal for her happiness and fulfillment.
We'll see what she comes up with, and how willing she is to do something different in order to get different results.
*name changed
Right now, Sally doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do. She has some ideas but is still pretty vague about what she might investigate. Thus, she needs to gather more information. For instance, she needs to look at different jobs and industries to get more familiar with what is possible and what kinds of jobs are out there. In addition, Sally is in the habit of deferring to other people's wishes for her and has little experience pursuing her own dreams and wishes.
I came up with an assignment to help Sally begin to get more specific about things instead of vague, and to identify some things she can actually do something about NOW - thus beginning to act on her own behalf. The assignment is to:
Get very specific about all the things she is tolerating in her life - the things, people, situations she allows in her life that bug her, that are not optimal for her happiness and fulfillment.
We'll see what she comes up with, and how willing she is to do something different in order to get different results.
*name changed
Monday, July 28, 2008
August is the Perfect Time to Prepare
Use this coming month to prepare for job searches this fall. Marc Cenedella, Founder & CEO of TheLadders.com wrote this on his e-mail this morning:
The next 5 weeks are the perfect time to take advantage of the slow summer months and get your resume, your pitch, your interview, and your job hunt plans in order.
He's absolutely right - because while you're working on your resume, employers are finalizing job descriptions and postings that will start to appear right before and right after Labor Day. Many employers want to hire people right away to handle the expected heavy work load from late September to early December. If you're ready with your resume and cover letter, you'll be one of the first applicants to reach the employer.
It does help to be one of the first to cross the transom, especially in this economy. Employers are always looking for people who really want to work for their specific company, in their specific industry. Applying early in the search process indicates that you are motivated, even eager, to do this job.
Early application means that you stand a better chance of getting an interview if employers use a rolling search process - interviewing candidates until they get the right person. My experience is that very few employers actually wait to review resumes and start interviews until the advertised "final date for application." Thus, it's not to your advantage to wait until the very end of the process.
Don't despair, however, if you happen to see a posting that is close to its "end date" and you think the job is perfect for you. If you are really passionate about the work and the company, you can still put together a compelling cover letter. The cover letter should emphasize two things up front:
1) you just began your search process; and
2) you are so glad to have found this posting because it is absolutely the perfect position for you.
Stating this in the first paragraph of your cover letter can cause someone in HR to give your resume a look. And if they haven't already found the perfect person (or the "good enough" person), you may be in luck.
Remember the old saying that "luck favors the prepared" and have that resume ready to go. August is the perfect time to prepare to land your "right fit" job!
The next 5 weeks are the perfect time to take advantage of the slow summer months and get your resume, your pitch, your interview, and your job hunt plans in order.
He's absolutely right - because while you're working on your resume, employers are finalizing job descriptions and postings that will start to appear right before and right after Labor Day. Many employers want to hire people right away to handle the expected heavy work load from late September to early December. If you're ready with your resume and cover letter, you'll be one of the first applicants to reach the employer.
It does help to be one of the first to cross the transom, especially in this economy. Employers are always looking for people who really want to work for their specific company, in their specific industry. Applying early in the search process indicates that you are motivated, even eager, to do this job.
Early application means that you stand a better chance of getting an interview if employers use a rolling search process - interviewing candidates until they get the right person. My experience is that very few employers actually wait to review resumes and start interviews until the advertised "final date for application." Thus, it's not to your advantage to wait until the very end of the process.
Don't despair, however, if you happen to see a posting that is close to its "end date" and you think the job is perfect for you. If you are really passionate about the work and the company, you can still put together a compelling cover letter. The cover letter should emphasize two things up front:
1) you just began your search process; and
2) you are so glad to have found this posting because it is absolutely the perfect position for you.
Stating this in the first paragraph of your cover letter can cause someone in HR to give your resume a look. And if they haven't already found the perfect person (or the "good enough" person), you may be in luck.
Remember the old saying that "luck favors the prepared" and have that resume ready to go. August is the perfect time to prepare to land your "right fit" job!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Non-Profit Executive Directors and COOs or Deputies
Recently, I learned that a former colleague is hiring a Deputy Executive Director. It seems he's been there a long time, and either wants or needs to let go of the management reins a bit. Whether it's "wants" or "needs" will have some impact on the level of difficulty he has in following through on this intention.
"Wants to" implies that he's thought long and hard about his responsibilities and realizes that his time is better spent doing more high level things. He already has an agenda and things he wants to concentrate on, opportunities he wants to pursue, expansion he wants to lead. So while letting go will be difficult (simply because he's been doing it one way for a long time), he has a goal toward which he is headed. He is moving toward something. The person hired has a good chance of succeeding.
"Needs to" implies that he is overwhelmed with his responsibilities and needs someone to take over the day-to-day management. It may be that people on his Board of Directors are urging this step. It could be that he hired a management consultant who recommended creating that position. In this case, he is moving away from something and still needs to find what he is moving toward. The transition will be very painful if this is the case, and the person hired may be the "guinea pig" or "sacrificial lamb" who helps the ED figure out what he needs and then is gone (by choice or force).
In either case, the Executive Director in question will really need good chemistry with the person he hires. Giving up some control is difficult for even the best-intentioned ED. The most successful COOs or Deputies are the ones who can put aside their own ego gratification needs and need for control, and concentrate on keeping the ED happy.
There's a delicate balance of keeping them informed and involved at the right level, and doing things they don't need to concern themselves with. Erring toward more information and involvement is better in the beginning, making sure you are aligned re goals and expectations, and what he needs to know about. Even as the COO or Deputy takes on more responsibility, it is incumbent on him/her to continually ensure that s/he is aligned with the ED's goals and thinking. That means "regularly," "consistently," "constantly," and "often." Better safe than sorry, really.
I had a COO who did not do that and it ended badly for her - and was not great for the organization, either. She seemed to want to be co-Executive Director. Unfortunately, I fed that delusion at the beginning and then it was too late to rein her in. There ended up being two competing camps at work - those loyal to me and those to her. When I finally eliminated her position and her, it was really demoralizing to the organization as a whole. Plus I had acquiesced in some misguided decisions in order for her to feel more powerful, decisions that placed the organization in some jeopardy. I had a LOT of fence-mending and organization-building to do to recover from that situation. Today, I'd be clearer at the start that I was not sharing my power; I was delegating some of my power to her. And I'd be willing to let her leave if she didn't like it.
The COO/Deputy is there to be the ED's right hand, meaning that they do things the ED cannot or does not want to do. If the ED wants to be involved in something, the COO/Deputy needs to understand that it's their right to be involved. Certainly, the COO/Deputy can discuss it and try to make sure the ED is involved at a strategic or conceptual level, rather than the level of execution or implementation. That is part of the job, in a way - making sure that the ED is focused on the proper things so as to get the most benefit for the organization. If the ED insists on doing something, however, it's really wisest not to fight with them about it and get on one's high horse about "but that's my job!" It just sounds like whining and annoys the ED, not to mention making him/her think you are trying to shunt them out of the way. Anytime an ED or CEO hears "oh, we'll take care of that for you," a little alarm bell goes off that warns of a power struggle or behind the scenes politicking and positioning. Depending on how often it happens, the ED may get rid of the parties involved.
Would it be nice if the ED was spiritually evolved and not threatened by someone else claiming some power? Sure, and that's a sign that the ED is not long for his or her job. Honestly, it's great to think well of people and curb one's suspicions. However, I've learned through bitter experience that there are just enough people who are not worthy of my trust. Better for me to be on guard just in case. And the people closest to the ED are the biggest threats to the ED's position. So COOs and Deputies who wish to succeed will make darn sure that they never overtly threaten the ED's position, and will seek an ED job elsewhere if they want to move into that position. Because smart EDs sniff out covert power plays and eliminate the threat. I was not smart, that's how I know.
"Wants to" implies that he's thought long and hard about his responsibilities and realizes that his time is better spent doing more high level things. He already has an agenda and things he wants to concentrate on, opportunities he wants to pursue, expansion he wants to lead. So while letting go will be difficult (simply because he's been doing it one way for a long time), he has a goal toward which he is headed. He is moving toward something. The person hired has a good chance of succeeding.
"Needs to" implies that he is overwhelmed with his responsibilities and needs someone to take over the day-to-day management. It may be that people on his Board of Directors are urging this step. It could be that he hired a management consultant who recommended creating that position. In this case, he is moving away from something and still needs to find what he is moving toward. The transition will be very painful if this is the case, and the person hired may be the "guinea pig" or "sacrificial lamb" who helps the ED figure out what he needs and then is gone (by choice or force).
In either case, the Executive Director in question will really need good chemistry with the person he hires. Giving up some control is difficult for even the best-intentioned ED. The most successful COOs or Deputies are the ones who can put aside their own ego gratification needs and need for control, and concentrate on keeping the ED happy.
There's a delicate balance of keeping them informed and involved at the right level, and doing things they don't need to concern themselves with. Erring toward more information and involvement is better in the beginning, making sure you are aligned re goals and expectations, and what he needs to know about. Even as the COO or Deputy takes on more responsibility, it is incumbent on him/her to continually ensure that s/he is aligned with the ED's goals and thinking. That means "regularly," "consistently," "constantly," and "often." Better safe than sorry, really.
I had a COO who did not do that and it ended badly for her - and was not great for the organization, either. She seemed to want to be co-Executive Director. Unfortunately, I fed that delusion at the beginning and then it was too late to rein her in. There ended up being two competing camps at work - those loyal to me and those to her. When I finally eliminated her position and her, it was really demoralizing to the organization as a whole. Plus I had acquiesced in some misguided decisions in order for her to feel more powerful, decisions that placed the organization in some jeopardy. I had a LOT of fence-mending and organization-building to do to recover from that situation. Today, I'd be clearer at the start that I was not sharing my power; I was delegating some of my power to her. And I'd be willing to let her leave if she didn't like it.
The COO/Deputy is there to be the ED's right hand, meaning that they do things the ED cannot or does not want to do. If the ED wants to be involved in something, the COO/Deputy needs to understand that it's their right to be involved. Certainly, the COO/Deputy can discuss it and try to make sure the ED is involved at a strategic or conceptual level, rather than the level of execution or implementation. That is part of the job, in a way - making sure that the ED is focused on the proper things so as to get the most benefit for the organization. If the ED insists on doing something, however, it's really wisest not to fight with them about it and get on one's high horse about "but that's my job!" It just sounds like whining and annoys the ED, not to mention making him/her think you are trying to shunt them out of the way. Anytime an ED or CEO hears "oh, we'll take care of that for you," a little alarm bell goes off that warns of a power struggle or behind the scenes politicking and positioning. Depending on how often it happens, the ED may get rid of the parties involved.
Would it be nice if the ED was spiritually evolved and not threatened by someone else claiming some power? Sure, and that's a sign that the ED is not long for his or her job. Honestly, it's great to think well of people and curb one's suspicions. However, I've learned through bitter experience that there are just enough people who are not worthy of my trust. Better for me to be on guard just in case. And the people closest to the ED are the biggest threats to the ED's position. So COOs and Deputies who wish to succeed will make darn sure that they never overtly threaten the ED's position, and will seek an ED job elsewhere if they want to move into that position. Because smart EDs sniff out covert power plays and eliminate the threat. I was not smart, that's how I know.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Job Interviews are Information-Gathering Opportunities
I am such a believer in getting interviews no matter whether you're 100% sure you want the job. Interviews go two ways, for you are learning as much about the prospective employer as they are learning about you.
A job posting only gives you a hint about a job, and can tell you that there are some aspects that interest you - just as a resume only gives a two-dimensional, very brief picture of you, the applicant. So if you see jobs that might be sort of interesting, I encourage you to apply and see if you get an interview. My blog (www.growhappycoach.blogger.com) has a few posts that list search sites.
I also encourage you to keep an open mind and think about an interview simply as an information-gathering opportunity. Getting an interview doesn't mean you will be offered or will accept the job. It's just one more step along your path to the "right fit."
One person I know just went on an interview and was quite pleasantly surprised to find that, contrary to the horror stories she'd heard about the place, there was a new spirit and new people who want to create a healthy culture and bring in great people (hopefully like her...). Luckily, she had an open mind and went to the interview. Now the job is a serious contender in her search.
Remember, too, that a great cover letter is the way to get an interview. The best cover letters match your "value proposition" to the stated "market need" in the posting and job description. Of course, your resume has to be in top shape. But for people trying to transition into new sectors, or jump up a level, a carefully written cover letter is key. While it may take several hours and drafts to craft a tailored and targeted cover letter, think about it as an investment in your finding the "right fit" job.
A job posting only gives you a hint about a job, and can tell you that there are some aspects that interest you - just as a resume only gives a two-dimensional, very brief picture of you, the applicant. So if you see jobs that might be sort of interesting, I encourage you to apply and see if you get an interview. My blog (www.growhappycoach.blogger.com) has a few posts that list search sites.
I also encourage you to keep an open mind and think about an interview simply as an information-gathering opportunity. Getting an interview doesn't mean you will be offered or will accept the job. It's just one more step along your path to the "right fit."
One person I know just went on an interview and was quite pleasantly surprised to find that, contrary to the horror stories she'd heard about the place, there was a new spirit and new people who want to create a healthy culture and bring in great people (hopefully like her...). Luckily, she had an open mind and went to the interview. Now the job is a serious contender in her search.
Remember, too, that a great cover letter is the way to get an interview. The best cover letters match your "value proposition" to the stated "market need" in the posting and job description. Of course, your resume has to be in top shape. But for people trying to transition into new sectors, or jump up a level, a carefully written cover letter is key. While it may take several hours and drafts to craft a tailored and targeted cover letter, think about it as an investment in your finding the "right fit" job.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Resumes that Rock: Part 2
RESUME CONTENT
Your resume is a marketing document. Its job is to position you to get your "right fit" work. Thus, its content is crucial. It must convey to potential employers exactly what you have to offer them, as well as the results you are likely to produce for them based on your past record of accomplishments. Here's how to do that.
PROFILE
To begin, I advocate putting a profile at the very start of the resume, just under your name and contact information. A profile is not an objective (of course you want a job), nor is it a litany of your skills (boring!). It's a succinct description of who you are in the workplace.
Your profile presents your unique value proposition – what you love to do and are good at doing, the skills you want to use in the future, and the attributes you want to highlight. Your profile also will capture your personality through a judicious use of adjectives. In sum, your profile conveys the substance and flavor of who you are in the workplace.
In some ways, the process of creating the profile is more important than the final product. Developing it gives you the chance to think carefully about your "unique value proposition." In fact, the reader will usually catch the first five or six words of the profile and then move on to Experience. They might come back to it but even if they don't, the profile will make an impression. It says that you've thought about and know who you are.
Everything you say in your profile must be backed up by your accomplishments, which are listed under each employer and job. Essentially, the profile is the thesis that you then go on to prove with concrete examples. It also is useful as a way to ensure that your resume is internally consistent in terms of the message you intend to convey.
BODY OF RESUME
The first thing read by a prospective employer is the name of the company for which you worked. Then they usually will glance at the title and years worked - some will read title first while others read years worked first.
Here's the order of information that I recommend for the basic information:
* Employer's name first, in bold, followed by its location, not in bold. Use the city in which employer is/was located. Only include the state if the city is not immediately recognizable e.g. Wareham, MA, or is easily confused with something else, e.g. Springfield, MO vs. Springfield, IL vs. Springfield, MA. Otherwise, New York or Boston or Chicago or Los Angeles is sufficient.
* Dates of employment, not in bold, on the same text line as the employer's name and location. The dates should be tabbed over so they are on the far right of the page, preferably lined up with the right side of your address block.
If you worked at the company in more than one position, put the complete block of time over the far right. Next to each position title you can put in parentheses the dates you held that position. For example, Vice President, Sales (3/02 to 7/05).
Job titles can either be grouped together if your job responsibilities were substantially the same with the most recent encompassing the previous responsibilities plus more. If the jobs were substantially different, I treat each one as a separate job under the same employer.
* Title of your position, in bold and italics, directly underneath the employer name and location.
My experience is that most readers go through the entire resume once just glancing at employer, years and title. If all seems to be complete and consistent, then they glance at education to see if you have any degrees. So make sure you have no holes in time, and no major typos!
Only after that first quick read will they go back to look at individual jobs, starting with your most recent one first. After rereading your employer's name and title, usually readers will move to the body of the entry. Here's what it should contain:
* a brief paragraph describing your job
* bullet points that highlight your accomplishments
JOB DESCRIPTION
In a four to six line paragraph that starts on the line directly underneath the title of your position, briefly describe the company you work for and your job responsibilities. Say "Led all communications and marketing efforts for Fortune 1000 technology firm (STOCK SYMBOL)" or "Oversaw day to day operations for 45 year old non-profit teaching literacy to adult New Yorkers" or "Managed entire recruiting and on-boarding process for 300 person homeless services agency."
Use as many numbers as possible to give readers a good idea of the scope and depth of your responsibilities. For example, say "oversaw $3.5 million advertising budget" or "supervised team of 12, with four direct reports."
Readers' eyes are drawn first to numbers, then to CAPS, then to bold. Italics are rarely an eye-catcher, so use them only to indicate the title of an article or project, not for anything substantive.
BULLETS
Bullets are for accomplishments. I recommend limiting yourself to 5-7 bullets for your most recent job, 4-5 for your next most recent, maximum 2 for the next most recent and none for the oldest ones.
Here are my tips for great accomplishment bullets:
* Lead with the results and impact of your work, when writing accomplishments. Use active, directionally positive words like "increased," "improved," "advanced," "optimized," "enhanced" and "expanded."
* Use numbers as much as possible, especially with dollar signs and percentage signs; they are real eye-catchers and speak to many employers' focus on the bottom line.
* Split the accomplishment into "what" and "how": the impact or result, and how you achieved that result. For example, "Increased revenue year over year by 80%, through redeploying sales team."
* Ask “so what” to get to the impact of whatever activity you want to include. If you want to include it, it’s probably important but only if you can somehow tie it to an impact that is somehow measurable – as in “increased” and “improved” and “enhanced” and “expanded” – or gives clear evidence of major responsibility, as in “directed,” “led,” “managed,” “launched,” and “created.”
* Brevity is best. Limit each bullet to one, maximum two lines.
* Give leading information to cause the reader to ask a follow up question. Remember, the point of a resume is to get you an interview. The interview is where the reader can ask you to explain how you redeployed the sales team and why that resulted in 80% revenue increase.
* Only include things you really want to do again – similar or greater scope of responsibility, the type of work or project, specific skills you really want to use again, or attributes you want people to notice.
The next post will address the remaining parts of a resume: Education, Affiliations, Recognition, and other sections that might be relevant to you.
Your resume is a marketing document. Its job is to position you to get your "right fit" work. Thus, its content is crucial. It must convey to potential employers exactly what you have to offer them, as well as the results you are likely to produce for them based on your past record of accomplishments. Here's how to do that.
PROFILE
To begin, I advocate putting a profile at the very start of the resume, just under your name and contact information. A profile is not an objective (of course you want a job), nor is it a litany of your skills (boring!). It's a succinct description of who you are in the workplace.
Your profile presents your unique value proposition – what you love to do and are good at doing, the skills you want to use in the future, and the attributes you want to highlight. Your profile also will capture your personality through a judicious use of adjectives. In sum, your profile conveys the substance and flavor of who you are in the workplace.
In some ways, the process of creating the profile is more important than the final product. Developing it gives you the chance to think carefully about your "unique value proposition." In fact, the reader will usually catch the first five or six words of the profile and then move on to Experience. They might come back to it but even if they don't, the profile will make an impression. It says that you've thought about and know who you are.
Everything you say in your profile must be backed up by your accomplishments, which are listed under each employer and job. Essentially, the profile is the thesis that you then go on to prove with concrete examples. It also is useful as a way to ensure that your resume is internally consistent in terms of the message you intend to convey.
BODY OF RESUME
The first thing read by a prospective employer is the name of the company for which you worked. Then they usually will glance at the title and years worked - some will read title first while others read years worked first.
Here's the order of information that I recommend for the basic information:
* Employer's name first, in bold, followed by its location, not in bold. Use the city in which employer is/was located. Only include the state if the city is not immediately recognizable e.g. Wareham, MA, or is easily confused with something else, e.g. Springfield, MO vs. Springfield, IL vs. Springfield, MA. Otherwise, New York or Boston or Chicago or Los Angeles is sufficient.
* Dates of employment, not in bold, on the same text line as the employer's name and location. The dates should be tabbed over so they are on the far right of the page, preferably lined up with the right side of your address block.
If you worked at the company in more than one position, put the complete block of time over the far right. Next to each position title you can put in parentheses the dates you held that position. For example, Vice President, Sales (3/02 to 7/05).
Job titles can either be grouped together if your job responsibilities were substantially the same with the most recent encompassing the previous responsibilities plus more. If the jobs were substantially different, I treat each one as a separate job under the same employer.
* Title of your position, in bold and italics, directly underneath the employer name and location.
My experience is that most readers go through the entire resume once just glancing at employer, years and title. If all seems to be complete and consistent, then they glance at education to see if you have any degrees. So make sure you have no holes in time, and no major typos!
Only after that first quick read will they go back to look at individual jobs, starting with your most recent one first. After rereading your employer's name and title, usually readers will move to the body of the entry. Here's what it should contain:
* a brief paragraph describing your job
* bullet points that highlight your accomplishments
JOB DESCRIPTION
In a four to six line paragraph that starts on the line directly underneath the title of your position, briefly describe the company you work for and your job responsibilities. Say "Led all communications and marketing efforts for Fortune 1000 technology firm (STOCK SYMBOL)" or "Oversaw day to day operations for 45 year old non-profit teaching literacy to adult New Yorkers" or "Managed entire recruiting and on-boarding process for 300 person homeless services agency."
Use as many numbers as possible to give readers a good idea of the scope and depth of your responsibilities. For example, say "oversaw $3.5 million advertising budget" or "supervised team of 12, with four direct reports."
Readers' eyes are drawn first to numbers, then to CAPS, then to bold. Italics are rarely an eye-catcher, so use them only to indicate the title of an article or project, not for anything substantive.
BULLETS
Bullets are for accomplishments. I recommend limiting yourself to 5-7 bullets for your most recent job, 4-5 for your next most recent, maximum 2 for the next most recent and none for the oldest ones.
Here are my tips for great accomplishment bullets:
* Lead with the results and impact of your work, when writing accomplishments. Use active, directionally positive words like "increased," "improved," "advanced," "optimized," "enhanced" and "expanded."
* Use numbers as much as possible, especially with dollar signs and percentage signs; they are real eye-catchers and speak to many employers' focus on the bottom line.
* Split the accomplishment into "what" and "how": the impact or result, and how you achieved that result. For example, "Increased revenue year over year by 80%, through redeploying sales team."
* Ask “so what” to get to the impact of whatever activity you want to include. If you want to include it, it’s probably important but only if you can somehow tie it to an impact that is somehow measurable – as in “increased” and “improved” and “enhanced” and “expanded” – or gives clear evidence of major responsibility, as in “directed,” “led,” “managed,” “launched,” and “created.”
* Brevity is best. Limit each bullet to one, maximum two lines.
* Give leading information to cause the reader to ask a follow up question. Remember, the point of a resume is to get you an interview. The interview is where the reader can ask you to explain how you redeployed the sales team and why that resulted in 80% revenue increase.
* Only include things you really want to do again – similar or greater scope of responsibility, the type of work or project, specific skills you really want to use again, or attributes you want people to notice.
The next post will address the remaining parts of a resume: Education, Affiliations, Recognition, and other sections that might be relevant to you.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Some thoughts on the for-profit invasion of the non-profit world
The influx of for-profit people into the non-profit field - as Board members, funders, "venture philanthropists," "social entrepreneurs," and staff - can be very a difficult for non-profit staff leaders who have spent a lot of time learning their field and craft. Perhaps it's less frustrating for younger leaders who grew up with the Robin Hood Foundation as part of the landscape that defines philanthropy and non-profit performance these days.
It's not pleasant, however, to be told that one's knowledge, expertise and experience counts for less than squat in the face of dollars and measurements. Nor is it pleasant to see newer folks be brought up short by the unexpected complexities of solving pervasive, long-standing, and seemingly universal problems - problems like poverty, child abuse, hunger, school drop outs, crime, infectious disease, and mental illness.
It gives me no pleasure to see people find out that their neat, slogan-worthy approach doesn't work with everyone or for very long. Because we've now wasted a lot of time on yet another band-aid approach to a problem - that accomplishes basically what the older approaches did because they all engaged in "creaming" - working with the most likely to succeed. We could have been using that time and those immense financial resources to implement social change based on the lessons learned after the cream was skimmed.
There's such an immense amount of information that tells us that poverty will not be eradicated unless there are major structural changes in our economy. That women will not be able to leave welfare and optimally care for their children unless they have satisfying family-friendly jobs paying at least $40,000 a year, subsidized high-quality child care, safe neighborhoods, and easily accessible shopping - especially for healthy, affordable food. That kids will drop out of school unless they perceive it as worth their while instead of simply a time-wasting, boring treadmill designed to make adults feel good about themselves and to keep kids in line and quiet. The list goes on.
Smart people work in the non-profit field and have done so for years. That there have been not-so-smart and not-so-ethical people also in the field has been used as a reason for the new "venture philanthropists" to disrespect those who've worked hard for so many years.
We in the non-profit field are the original "do more for less" people. Give us more money and we can do so much more. Give us the money to run our organizations like you run your businesses and see what we can do. Chances are we'll decide to spend the money on services instead of car service and client lunches. And even more likely is that our for-profit Board members will resist spending any of that money on the infrastructure that would really help us run like a business and increase our effectiveness - like computers and evaluation and planning and conferences and periodicals.
It's not pleasant, however, to be told that one's knowledge, expertise and experience counts for less than squat in the face of dollars and measurements. Nor is it pleasant to see newer folks be brought up short by the unexpected complexities of solving pervasive, long-standing, and seemingly universal problems - problems like poverty, child abuse, hunger, school drop outs, crime, infectious disease, and mental illness.
It gives me no pleasure to see people find out that their neat, slogan-worthy approach doesn't work with everyone or for very long. Because we've now wasted a lot of time on yet another band-aid approach to a problem - that accomplishes basically what the older approaches did because they all engaged in "creaming" - working with the most likely to succeed. We could have been using that time and those immense financial resources to implement social change based on the lessons learned after the cream was skimmed.
There's such an immense amount of information that tells us that poverty will not be eradicated unless there are major structural changes in our economy. That women will not be able to leave welfare and optimally care for their children unless they have satisfying family-friendly jobs paying at least $40,000 a year, subsidized high-quality child care, safe neighborhoods, and easily accessible shopping - especially for healthy, affordable food. That kids will drop out of school unless they perceive it as worth their while instead of simply a time-wasting, boring treadmill designed to make adults feel good about themselves and to keep kids in line and quiet. The list goes on.
Smart people work in the non-profit field and have done so for years. That there have been not-so-smart and not-so-ethical people also in the field has been used as a reason for the new "venture philanthropists" to disrespect those who've worked hard for so many years.
We in the non-profit field are the original "do more for less" people. Give us more money and we can do so much more. Give us the money to run our organizations like you run your businesses and see what we can do. Chances are we'll decide to spend the money on services instead of car service and client lunches. And even more likely is that our for-profit Board members will resist spending any of that money on the infrastructure that would really help us run like a business and increase our effectiveness - like computers and evaluation and planning and conferences and periodicals.
Resumes that Rock: Part 1
You're looking for a job, so you put together a resume. Do you know what your job is when you put together that resume? Sure, a resume summarizes all your work experience, education, and related facts and activities (the word resume comes from the French for "summary"). More important, a resume's job is to make it really, really easy for a reviewer to read and understand that information. So your job is to do all the work for the reviewer. That is critical!! I'll explain how to do that.
Rocking resumes have two essential components: content and format. Both are vital to an applicant's chances of getting an interview. This section deals with format.
Resume Format
You can have the greatest content in the world and still not get interviewed - if you have a bad resume format. The resume format I use is very effective because it's simple, direct, easily sent electronically, and logical to read. It showcases all the wonderful aspects of your experience.
Use an ordinary font, one that comes standard on Word software. My favorite to use is Garamond, sometimes referred to as the "more elegant version" of Times Roman. Serif typefaces, like Times Roman or Garamond, are normally easier for people to read, as well as very familiar and sort of expected. For Times Roman, use at least size 11 font; Garamond is smaller, so size 12 is better. If you really want to use a sans serif typeface, go with one that is elegant while commonplace. While many people use Arial, I think it's boring because of its ubiquity. Tahoma and Verdana are good alternatives, and Trebuchet MS is my favorite because its spacing makes for an easy read. For these typefaces, use at least a size 11 and preferably a size 12 font for Arial and Trebuchet.
One woman I knew sent me her resume for review. A previous version used a very fancy but totally undecipherable type face, so I was quite pleased (though surprised) when the next version used Times Roman. I made comments, sent it back, and was very surprised when she asked me why I changed her type face. Apparently, the type face she chose was so uncommon that Word simply switched to the default typeface. That's why I'm so cautious about formatting, because it can often get garbled.
Avoid fancy formatting, including any lines, text boxes, macros and offbeat tabs. The goal is to make it easy for the reader to read EXACTLY what you want them to read. Fancy formatting often gets garbled, such as bullets on your screen turning into question marks on someone else's. The last thing anyone should see is a question mark before one of your accomplishments. While they may understand that it's a formatting error, it is likely to raise a question about your competence, even subliminally.
It's best to avoid lines for the simple reason that a prospective employer needs to see you as a whole package, not as separate pieces. Lines are visual cues to compartmentalize things, separate you from your accomplishments, skip something or cut something out. You've probably put in a line because you want to look like you understand design or want to stand out. If you're really a designer, you understand that lines are usually intended to create clear distinctions between things. For example, a box within a larger article generally is for a complementary yet unnecessary piece of information - or for an ad, or some other extraneous item. NOTHING in your resume is unnecessary, so keep it visually one whole document, all of which is vital.
Be consistent and predictable throughout your resume. Use a single typeface. Use the same format for each job experience. Skip the same number of lines between jobs and sections. Whatever you decide, stick to it. Otherwise it comes across as sloppy - not creative.
Put your employer's name first, followed by the city and then the date on the same line. Bold the employer's name, but not the city or the date. Tab over for the date. On the next line, put your job title in bold and italics.
Line up your dates on the right side of the page. All should be aligned with each other, and all should have the same format. It's up to you whether you use 10/02-10/04 or October 2002-October 2004. I prefer the former simply because it takes up less space and leaves a fair amount of white space between the name of the employer and the dates worked.
Describe your basic responsibilities in a short paragraph immediately under your job title. Make sure to convey the kind of employer you work for, the scope of your job, and range of responsibilities. Sometimes you will need to skip a space before you list your accomplishments, depending on how text heavy this paragraph is. Try to stick to 4-5 lines, with very short, compact sentences.
Under that paragraph, use bullets to list your accomplishments. I generally prefer 5 or 6 bullets, and never more than 7. With fewer bullets, people are far more able to focus in on what you believe is really important.
Skip one line between each job.
Skip two lines between each section.
Have a few commonly expected sections. First is EXPERIENCE, second is EDUCATION, and third is PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS. If applicable, fourth is AWARDS & RECOGNITION, fifth is PUBLICATIONS and sixth is PUBLIC SPEAKING & MEDIA APPEARANCES. Headings are always all caps and bold.
The only time EDUCATION is first is when you have just graduated from college or graduate school and are looking for your first professional job. I've run across two exceptions: one was for a professor who had to conform to a format established by the academic institution. The second was for a lawyer whose schooling was far more impressive than his work history, given the places to which he applied. Had he been out of school more than five years, however, no exception would have applied.
EXPERIENCE means all your work experience, paid and unpaid. Include everything, in order to have a complete time line. Skipping years in a chronology simply raises questions in a reviewer's mind. The only questions we want from a reviewer are those asking you to elaborate on something in your resume.
Some people have significant volunteer and/or non-profit experience. If you want to transition into working for a non-profit organization, I recommend inserting a VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE or NON-PROFIT EXPERIENCE section between the EXPERIENCE and EDUCATION sections. Format it like you format your work experience, to convey the message that you take it as seriously as your paid work.
For AFFILIATIONS, AWARDS & RECOGNITION, PUBLICATIONS, and PUBLIC SPEAKING & MEDIA APPEARANCES, it's wise to add the word "selected" in parentheses after the headings. When in doubt, cut it out. It's better to list three or four really great items than induce a yawn with a minutiae-laden laundry list. The word (selected) should not be bold.
Use white space intelligently. Any reader needs a place to rest his or her eyes; that's what white space is for. White space is that space that contains no text. Something that is too text-heavy feels overwhelming to a reader and the tendency is to skim rather than read. Enough white space balances the text and helps the reader make it through your resume with ease.
White space is your friend in other ways. It allows you to highlight special things, as well, such as your name and your accomplishments. Your name should be on top, centered, in 16 point bold type. Your contact information goes below, spread wide apart toward either margin. Address, including e-mail address, goes to the far left, with telephone numbers to the far right. This creates tons of white space around your name, allowing it to stand out.
A special education teacher told me that readers of English and other Western languages naturally start reading about a third of the way down on the left side of a page. As we read, our eyes naturally go up to the top center of a page, and then fall back down on the right side. So a reader is definitely going to notice your name in the top center position. This positioning also makes it very easy for people to find your resume in a pile.
Aim for a two-page resume. My posts on May 28 and 29, 2008 address the reasons for this.
Next post: Content.
Rocking resumes have two essential components: content and format. Both are vital to an applicant's chances of getting an interview. This section deals with format.
Resume Format
You can have the greatest content in the world and still not get interviewed - if you have a bad resume format. The resume format I use is very effective because it's simple, direct, easily sent electronically, and logical to read. It showcases all the wonderful aspects of your experience.
Use an ordinary font, one that comes standard on Word software. My favorite to use is Garamond, sometimes referred to as the "more elegant version" of Times Roman. Serif typefaces, like Times Roman or Garamond, are normally easier for people to read, as well as very familiar and sort of expected. For Times Roman, use at least size 11 font; Garamond is smaller, so size 12 is better. If you really want to use a sans serif typeface, go with one that is elegant while commonplace. While many people use Arial, I think it's boring because of its ubiquity. Tahoma and Verdana are good alternatives, and Trebuchet MS is my favorite because its spacing makes for an easy read. For these typefaces, use at least a size 11 and preferably a size 12 font for Arial and Trebuchet.
One woman I knew sent me her resume for review. A previous version used a very fancy but totally undecipherable type face, so I was quite pleased (though surprised) when the next version used Times Roman. I made comments, sent it back, and was very surprised when she asked me why I changed her type face. Apparently, the type face she chose was so uncommon that Word simply switched to the default typeface. That's why I'm so cautious about formatting, because it can often get garbled.
Avoid fancy formatting, including any lines, text boxes, macros and offbeat tabs. The goal is to make it easy for the reader to read EXACTLY what you want them to read. Fancy formatting often gets garbled, such as bullets on your screen turning into question marks on someone else's. The last thing anyone should see is a question mark before one of your accomplishments. While they may understand that it's a formatting error, it is likely to raise a question about your competence, even subliminally.
It's best to avoid lines for the simple reason that a prospective employer needs to see you as a whole package, not as separate pieces. Lines are visual cues to compartmentalize things, separate you from your accomplishments, skip something or cut something out. You've probably put in a line because you want to look like you understand design or want to stand out. If you're really a designer, you understand that lines are usually intended to create clear distinctions between things. For example, a box within a larger article generally is for a complementary yet unnecessary piece of information - or for an ad, or some other extraneous item. NOTHING in your resume is unnecessary, so keep it visually one whole document, all of which is vital.
Be consistent and predictable throughout your resume. Use a single typeface. Use the same format for each job experience. Skip the same number of lines between jobs and sections. Whatever you decide, stick to it. Otherwise it comes across as sloppy - not creative.
Put your employer's name first, followed by the city and then the date on the same line. Bold the employer's name, but not the city or the date. Tab over for the date. On the next line, put your job title in bold and italics.
Line up your dates on the right side of the page. All should be aligned with each other, and all should have the same format. It's up to you whether you use 10/02-10/04 or October 2002-October 2004. I prefer the former simply because it takes up less space and leaves a fair amount of white space between the name of the employer and the dates worked.
Describe your basic responsibilities in a short paragraph immediately under your job title. Make sure to convey the kind of employer you work for, the scope of your job, and range of responsibilities. Sometimes you will need to skip a space before you list your accomplishments, depending on how text heavy this paragraph is. Try to stick to 4-5 lines, with very short, compact sentences.
Under that paragraph, use bullets to list your accomplishments. I generally prefer 5 or 6 bullets, and never more than 7. With fewer bullets, people are far more able to focus in on what you believe is really important.
Skip one line between each job.
Skip two lines between each section.
Have a few commonly expected sections. First is EXPERIENCE, second is EDUCATION, and third is PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS. If applicable, fourth is AWARDS & RECOGNITION, fifth is PUBLICATIONS and sixth is PUBLIC SPEAKING & MEDIA APPEARANCES. Headings are always all caps and bold.
The only time EDUCATION is first is when you have just graduated from college or graduate school and are looking for your first professional job. I've run across two exceptions: one was for a professor who had to conform to a format established by the academic institution. The second was for a lawyer whose schooling was far more impressive than his work history, given the places to which he applied. Had he been out of school more than five years, however, no exception would have applied.
EXPERIENCE means all your work experience, paid and unpaid. Include everything, in order to have a complete time line. Skipping years in a chronology simply raises questions in a reviewer's mind. The only questions we want from a reviewer are those asking you to elaborate on something in your resume.
Some people have significant volunteer and/or non-profit experience. If you want to transition into working for a non-profit organization, I recommend inserting a VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE or NON-PROFIT EXPERIENCE section between the EXPERIENCE and EDUCATION sections. Format it like you format your work experience, to convey the message that you take it as seriously as your paid work.
For AFFILIATIONS, AWARDS & RECOGNITION, PUBLICATIONS, and PUBLIC SPEAKING & MEDIA APPEARANCES, it's wise to add the word "selected" in parentheses after the headings. When in doubt, cut it out. It's better to list three or four really great items than induce a yawn with a minutiae-laden laundry list. The word (selected) should not be bold.
Use white space intelligently. Any reader needs a place to rest his or her eyes; that's what white space is for. White space is that space that contains no text. Something that is too text-heavy feels overwhelming to a reader and the tendency is to skim rather than read. Enough white space balances the text and helps the reader make it through your resume with ease.
White space is your friend in other ways. It allows you to highlight special things, as well, such as your name and your accomplishments. Your name should be on top, centered, in 16 point bold type. Your contact information goes below, spread wide apart toward either margin. Address, including e-mail address, goes to the far left, with telephone numbers to the far right. This creates tons of white space around your name, allowing it to stand out.
A special education teacher told me that readers of English and other Western languages naturally start reading about a third of the way down on the left side of a page. As we read, our eyes naturally go up to the top center of a page, and then fall back down on the right side. So a reader is definitely going to notice your name in the top center position. This positioning also makes it very easy for people to find your resume in a pile.
Aim for a two-page resume. My posts on May 28 and 29, 2008 address the reasons for this.
Next post: Content.
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