Career Hub

Crisis? Opportunity? Negative? Positive?

I love greeting cards. I love giving them; I love getting them. My office is sprinkled with cards from clients. One I particularly favor is a card with a Chinese symbol on the front. Upon opening the card, it reads:

Crisis?

Opportunity?

Negative?

Positive?

Only you can decide.

When I'm having an off day, sometimes I pause and think about that card. Much of my career coaching work involves clients who have lost their jobs...a crisis or an opportunity? Initially, the focus is on the negative, the loss, the downside, as in...

I can't keep the company car; I can't have the laptop; I can't keep the cell phone.

I don't have a job; I don't have health insurance; I don't have much in savings.

I won't get that bonus; I won't get to take the incentive trip to Europe.

Can't.

Don't.

Won't.

One of the career-related exercises I offer to clients is this: Take three pieces of paper (8.5x11). At the top of one, write: I CAN'T; and on the next: I DON'T; and on the other: I WON'T. Then, as quickly as you can, make a list of all the things you can think of that fit into one of these three categories. What clients come up with is amazing, revealing, and most of all, helpful in recognizing not only the negatives, but the positive side of things regarding their transition. Example:

I don't have to put up with my mean boss anymore.

I can't believe how relieved I feel, even though I have to start over.

I won't miss the long commute and the overnight travel.

Can you see the positives within your negative? Crisis? Opportunity? Negative? Positive? If you find yourself in the midst of a career transition or a job change that looms on the horizon, give yourself a chance to discover the opportunity that dwells within the crisis. Only you can decide.

posted by: billiesucher

Why Spelling Remains in Style

Back in April, the Brazen Careerist (aka Penelope Trunk) made the assertion that writing without typos is totally outdated. I've been thinking about the post ever since, particularly given that we are living in a shorthand, emoticon-filled world and I am a spelling bee kind of girl.

I agree with Brazen Careerist's assertions that "spellchecker isn't perfect." In my opinion, spell check can also be dangerous if you aren't paying attention: I remember well the laughs that a friend received in college when a rapid paper correction translated her last name from "Borden" to "Bordello." (Fortunately, our Sociology Professor had a great sense of humor.)

A small piece of me that also agrees with the sentiment behind the Brazen Careerist's observation that we don't "have unlimited time, so spend it on ideas, not hyphens." That said, the career counselor in me--the one who has spent the majority of the last decade advising emerging professionals and college students on career-related issues, resumes, and job applications--disagrees.

To me, spelling is as essential as making eye contact when you meet someone new: it's a fundamental part of making a strong impression. When someone looks you in the eye, you know that you have their attention; when you take the time to spell--you show that you care about both the appearance and the content of your information. Good spelling also demonstrates that you are good with details, and that you are paying attention. This builds trust, and increases the likelihood that your ideas will be carefully considered. Bottom line: I'll stick with the timeless assertion that a typo on your resume or cover letter can still--quite possibly--land you in the reject pile.

I know I'm out of sync with many bloggers and members of the court of public opinion--even Verizon directories pronounce "zero" as "O"--and I am doing my best to stay in the game. Unless I'm working with a client, I no longer focus on correcting typos before evaluating what is being said: I am working hard to evaluate ideas before presentation. But I continue to hold my love of spelling close to my heart, and I still answer text messages in longhand.

I hold firm that--in the professional world--spelling is unlikely to go out of style. One of the most-viewed stories in this Sunday's Washington Post: the story of William Glass III, an eighth grader whose attention to grammar wowed judges and the audience of an LG-sponsored national text messaging competition. He didn't win the competition, but his speed, accuracy, and ability to write SMS messages as if he were an "middle-aged technology-clueless English teacher" have certainly garnered him the recognition which will come in handy when it comes to securing his first internship. I rest my case.

Cross Posted at Careers in Context

Not Getting a Response to Your Resume?

Over on my own blog, I invite my readers to submit questions about resume writing or job search, and then I answer the best questions in blog posts.

I received an email the other day from a reader who called himself 'Confused in Austin.' He's confused because after being told that the job market was hot in Austin, and uprooting his life to move there from New York City, he's finding it difficult to get interviews. He sent me a link to his online portfolio (he's a designer) and asked 'what can I do to get more call-backs and interviews?'

I won't link to his portfolio for confidentiality reasons, but I will say that it's clear to me why he isn't getting much response. The portfolio isn't the problem however - it's his resume. (Remember that people won't even get to your web portfolio in most cases unless they like what they see on your resume.)

Confused's resume looks like almost every other resume that I see, and that's the problem. Although I don't know him, I am 100% sure that he's better and more interesting than his resume. His resume communicates nothing of his personality. It says nothing about his design accomplishments. It doesn't even hint at the creative challenges he has faced and how he has addressed them. It basically says nothing about how he can be expected to add value.

Instead there are job titles, company names and dates followed by brief job descriptions - just lists of duties. All web designers have the same duties, however, so reading this list tells me nothing about this particular candidate.

Is he passionate about his work? Is he often the last one to leave at night because he just has to finish up a design? What are his design strengths? What projects does he love to work on and why? What is the most challenging project he was ever given and how did he handle it? How does he work under pressure? Does he do well when given a tight deadline? How does he approach difficult clients?

In other words, what are the unique blend of personality traits, skills and experiences that make this web designer different from the other people who sent resumes?

For me this is the core of writing a resume that drives call-backs and interview requests. (I wrote more about it in my free resume writing report which you are welcome to download here). Standing out from the crowd isn't about fancy designs or unusual fonts - it's simply about showing how and why you are unique.

This post was cross-posted at the Blue Sky blog. Connect with me on Linkedin, Facebook or Twitter.

What Really Matters

I arrived early at the place last Friday morning and paced up and down the hallway, watching and waiting for a dear friend I'd met 20+ years ago on the first day of graduate school. I vividly remember that long ago day, entering the classroom in a taupe-colored suit and heels. She was in jeans with a funky-looking shirt and a beaded band stretched around her head. I recalled thinking to myself...this will be interesting.

Interesting became one of my best friends. For 18 months, we were inseparable. We got our Master's together and then our paths took some twists and turns and we didn't see each other as much. You know, the usual holiday letter and an occasional announcement about a graduation here and a marriage there. She relocated, remarried, and went on to get her doctorate. I had two more kids and went on to build a business and write poems and books and blogs. Life.

I hadn't seen her for a few years and was anxious to do so. The e-mail had indicated that services would start at 10:30 A.M.  What do I say when I see her? What would be most appropriate? Or do I say nothing? Will she recognize me? The car arrived. She was out the door in an instant. Our eyes met; she knew me. No words were exchanged. We just held on to each other and cried. And finally I mumbled, I am so very sorry. She said I know. And then it was time to gather, to remember, and to celebrate her mother's life.

What really matters? Is is money? Is it fame? Prestige? Is it career success? Is it possessions and riches and wealth and gain? Is it doing good deeds for others? Is it doing the right thing all the time, not just when someone's looking? Is it helping someone do better, be better? Is is taking a risk? Does it mean stepping up for the first time in your life? Does it mean listening more than you talk? Is it keeping closer in touch? Is it quitting the job you despise and going after what you really want? Is it offering a smile to ease the tension of the person you're interviewing? Is it making the dreaded phone call to forgive someone who's hurt your feelings? Does it mean that you'll contact the Admission's Office today and figure out how to finish that last six hours of your college degree?

Is it simply standing by a door on a hot and humid summer morning, waiting for a friend?

posted by: billiesucher

Career Training Options

Ready to do something different? Want to be promoted at your current workplace? The Boston Sunday Globe's ad supplement for Career Development & Education showcases new trends in career preparation. These new solutions are good news for today's atypical student who wants an ROI from his choice.

1. Many degree and certificate program are designed with the job market in mind. If the need in the metro area for clinical lab sciences is strong, there will be a program specifically designed with that career specialty in mind. If there is a niche market for locksmithing, a certificate program will be there as well. How about restoration carpentry? No worries. A carpenter can augment her skills and add to them in ways that will draw new, more interesting jobs at higher compensation. MBAs of all stripes are available to serve market segments ranging from international business to managing virtualization in business.

2. How training is delivered has become more multifaceted and market oriented - this time the market is the education consumer: the prospective student who lives remotely, works globally, has a full-time job, or is raising children. Most institutions have adopted some kind of online education/training to allow these demographics to pursue degree and certificate programs. There are pioneering programs offering accelerated degrees. Or programs that deviate from the synchronous model to a model in which students can log in anytime from anywhere and participate in group discussions or get and deliver assignments. Some offer "cohort " programs in which students are grouped for support with the individuals with whom they will pursue the whole course.

Check out the job ads and the ads for educational/training opportunities at Boston.com to see the range of market-driven training/educational opportunities as well as advertised positions. More than ever before, students have options that allow them to prepare themselves for the real world of work at this time in history

First You Must Decide

A close friend called me today to about a job opportunity she felt would be a good match for her husband’s skills and experience. The job was in southern West Virginia and they currently live in central Pennsylvania. She began by asking for my help in updating her husband’s résumé, but within minutes she was describing to me how overwhelmed she felt with the impact of a decision they had not yet made.

How would they sell their current home in this tight real estate market? How would they ever pack all the things they have accumulated over the years? How could she convince her 78-year-old mother to move (her mother has always lived with her). What would she say to her sisters, who would never approve of the move? And her husband’s business – if he declared bankruptcy to dissolve the business and all of their debts, how would they ever get a loan to buy property in West Virginia? Before long, she had talked herself out of making a change.

My friend is not neurotic – but like many, many people contemplating a job or career change, she made the grand leap from applying for a position to accepting the job and dramatically altering her life. She created a scenario in her mind, and until she could play it all out and identify solutions to every potential outcome, she could not move ahead.

I see this quite frequently in my business. Professionals, unhappy with their current job, company and or lives come to me because they need and want to change. Yet, they are so overwhelmed by the possible fall-out from their decision - they fail to decide. They wait - until they have all the details worked out, all the pieces to the puzzle, all the correct responses to the unknowns.

My personal and professional mantra is a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”

As I continue to mature and learn to trust my “higher power” I see the powerful truth of that statement unfold in my own life and those who have the courage to “decide.” When we waffle and send out mixed messages about what we want – the universe does not know what to deliver. Yet, when we are firm about what we want and need – when we make the decision - somehow things begin to fall in place.

How about you? What non-decision is holding you hostage? What mixed messages are you sending out to the universe? When will you decide so the universe can conspire to make it happen?

Springsteen - On Brand, On Stage, On Top!

When not singing, dancing, hollering, and clapping during the exuberant Bruce Springsteen concert on Saturday night, I found myself thinking about how he has stayed so true to himself (his message, his brand, his persona) for so long and so successfully. So today, a few tips for professionals and businesses that want to do the same.

• Flaunt your passion. Love what you do so much that others can't help but be swept along in your wake. When you are truly passionate, your energy level soars, age becomes irrelevant, and you create a magnetic aura that ignites others.
• Don't compromise your values. Bruce's brand embraces integrity, purpose, and passion. Making a (big) buck is a side benefit. You can never regain trust once you've demonstrated that you will sell out to the highest bidder.
• Tie it all together. The show I saw on Saturday was a diverse mixture of old, new, top-of-the-charts, and obscure songs from the extensive Springsteen songbook. Yet the show had a flow and a rhythm that indicated careful, not random selection. This concept can help you as you explain your career to an interviewer or your company  to a potential customer or investor. Let them see clearly how one thing led to another to create a cohesive story.
• Build a solid team and give them their props. You'll perform much better than you ever could alone. Exhibit A: The E-Street Band.
• Respect your audience/customers/colleagues. There's no question that Bruce is the center of the show, but he embraces the audience (literally and figuratively), acknowledges our shared history, and shows his appreciation. As a result, we all felt part of something larger than the evening and larger than our individual selves.
• Create raving fans. You might not have 50,000 people screaming your name, but you should have a solid core of people who have worked with you or for you throughout your career who will do just about anything you ask. This will only happen if they believe in you because you have delivered on every promise over the course of your relationship.

I've been seeing Bruce in concert for 20 years, my friends for (gulp!) 30. We've never been disappointed, and Saturday was another typical/extraordinary experience. The consistency, quality, and integrity are truly amazing and something we as professionals can certainly learn from and try to emulate.

So... ticket, $97.50. Parking, $40. Beer, $6.50. Getting home at 3 am: exhausting. Entire experience: priceless!   

An Olympic Approach to Feedback

I can’t wait for Friday night’s “Must See TV”: the opening ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics. I love hearing the stories behind the athletes, and watching the record breaking performances, and the medal ceremonies. But most of all, I can’t wait to see U.S. swimmer Natalie Coughlin in the pool again.

As you may recall, Natalie Coughlin had to stay on the sidelines for 2000 after a shoulder injury, and came back to win five medals in the 2004 Olympics—two golds, a silver and a bronze. I’m impressed by her perseverance to recover from her injury, and her record-breaking performances in the 100-meter backstroke and individual medley. But more than that, I’m inspired by her ability to respond to feedback and the suggestions of her coaches.

I first learned of Natalie Coughlin in a 2004 New Yorker profile entitled “A Feel for the Water.” According to a former stroke coach, Milt Nelms, Coughlin’s point of differentiation from other world-class swimmers is her “uncanny ability to connect coaching suggestions instantly to that feel—as though there were a direct route from her ears to her muscles and nerve endings, with no detour through the thinking brain.”

Nelms recounts giving Coughlin suggestions with her coach, Teri McKeever, as they told her to “ease up on the aggressiveness of her arm stroke, soften the angles, make certain to breathe on both sides rather than turning her head in only one direction.” Following the feedback, “she jumped into the water and swam as though she had absorbed everything… completely and all at once.”

When most of us receive suggestions for improvement on multiple fronts, it takes us a while to incorporate feedback—and to make sustainable changes. For example, if you are a golfer, and you are advised to change your grip, widen your stance, adjust your shoulder position by ten degrees and speed up your swing—chances are good that it will take you more than an afternoon to integrate all of the suggestions in concert.

The same is undoubtedly true, of course, with respect to feedback received from others relative to your performance on the job—and your job search. With that in mind, here are three strategies for working to incorporate feedback that we can glean from Natalie Coughlin:

1. Don’t try to excel at everything—decide what to focus on first. After coming in fourth at the 2000 Olympic trials, Coughlin gave up the individual medley (IM) event for seven years. This year, she surprised everyone when she decided to compete in the IM a week before the U.S. trials—then went on to set a new world record in the qualification round.
   
2. Find a coach or mentor who is supportive and challenges you to move beyond your comfort zone. This individual should be someone you can share your weaknesses with—and who can help you decide how to play to your strengths. According to one media account, McKeever advised Coughlin that she could handle the IM event for Beijing, but made it clear that it was Coughlin’s decision to make.
   
3. Push yourself—but know your limits. This year, Coughlin could have participated in eight Olympic events—but she’ll stick to six instead to avoid the risk of burn out. In her time out of the pool, Coughlin enjoys non-traditional workouts for swimmers including yoga, pilates, and surfing—and cooking.

Enjoy the Olympics, be on the lookout for Natalie Coughlin, and think of all the coaching and practice behind each athlete’s performance. What lessons do you take away from the Games?

By E. Chandlee Bryan