Welcome to the Stewart, Cooper & Coon Blog! In this publication, you will find articles and thoughts about job and career change issues, job interview tips, resume advice and articles about succeeding on the job. Our goal is to post something new as often as we can. We welcome submissions from contributing authors. Please submit any articles or thoughts to: blogeditor@stewartcoopercoon.com .
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United States Marine Corps Training - 29 Palms -- "Can Do, Adapt, Overcome"
By Fred Coon, Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
Earlier this year, I was asked by the United States Marine Corps to develop a training session on interviewing. This training was to be delivered to members of the Wounded Warrior Battalion Detachment located at 29 Palms, CA. Tuesday; I had the great honor of delivering that training to some very fine young men just back from Afghanistan. As we worked through the morning something hit me like a ton of bricks. I thought to myself, I live such a sheltered life in the civilian world. I face traffic and other "exaggerated dangers," and was totally ignorant as to what the world of a Marine "member" (only in the Army are they called soldiers) is like while they are under fire. Working with these young Marines, I realized how much they had been through at such an early stage in their lives and the tremendous impact those experiences would have in their repatriation to the corporate world of work. They were so prepared for war and so unprepared to face the adjustment to corporate life.
What I appreciated most from the entire day was the "can do" attitude exhibited by each young man who attend my sessions. What also became painfully clear to me was the overwhelming gap these young men, and the thousands just like them across all branches of the Armed Forces, have in trying to communicate their wartime and military experiences into practical, useful, everyday terms and being able to tell their stories in such a way as to demonstrate that they are a good fit at someone's company. The gap I saw was as wide as the Grand Canyon. It isn't their fault. It isn’t anyone's fault. It just exists.
My attitude is that when you are made aware of a problem you must address that problem and "adapt and overcome", just like these young men did on the battlefield they had recently left. I heard stories of courage, determination, plain old crafty ingenuity, and desire to do their duty. How could I not do mine, when faced with such bravery. I changed my tactics altogether for the training, settled into a role playing mode and worked with each young marine to help them be able to translate their military experiences and effectively tell their "value" story.
For some, this was a first time experience and had the appearance of being more frightening than the combatant fire they had been under just a month or so before. The unknown is frightening to anyone, whether military or civilian. What helps is a head-on attack and having plenty of ammunition to facing that challenge. We did that Tuesday morning and I swear that I felt that I got far more out of that experience from them than they did me. They didn't feel that way however. They came up, one by one, after the sessions and shook my hand and said they really felt they had learned how to tell their story in such a way as to create value to the listener. Their written ratings of my presentation were my medals that day.
I encourage all who read this to volunteer your time and your resources to support these fine men and women who sacrifice a part of themselves, unselfishly and unreservedly for their country. To do less would be a great injustice. They need your help and it is so easy and rewarding to give of yourself, your time and your knowledge for this worthy cause.
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By Ron Venckus - Chief Behavioral Interview Consultant at SC&C
Edited by Fred Coon – Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
INTERVIEW STRESS
It has been said that interviews are stressful. One reason is that you don’t know what you will be asked when you are interviewed. Here are a few possible causes.
- lack confidence
- lack of knowledge of what you are facing
- lack of preparation
- uncertainty about what happens if you fail
None of these exist, unless you let them exist! As Fred Coon often tells his clients, “Worry about those things over which you have control and don’t worry about those things over which you don’t”. You must take control over all of the things you can control. When you do this, your stress will subside measurably.
Preparation is the best medicine to significantly reduce your lack of confidence. In the case of interview situation, if you have researched the company with which you are to interview, you have studied their job description, you have made sure that you know what “every” word means on your resume and you know what every word on the job description means, AND you have practiced telling your success stories as to how you accomplished all of the successes in your career, then you will have done nearly everything you can do to ensure your interview success.
Remember, each word on your resume gives the interviewer a point from which they can ask a potential question. Each question for which you do not have a success story will increase your stress. Conversely, each question for which you do have a story will reduce your stress. Every word on the job description means something to the company that hires you. Therefore, your job is to understand the words, both those on the job description and those on your resume. Your challenge is to share a variety of your stories with each interviewer you encounter. Then, the stories you tell them must be based upon your experiences, successes, quantifiable results and the behaviors that you used to drive those successes. When you do this, you will check at the door any uncertainty about your competency or ability to show them that you can really perform. Your stress will mostly dissipate at this point.
Overcoming your lack of confidence is mostly solved by simply being prepared. You can do nothing about the number of other candidates, nothing about who is interviewing you, and nothing about most of the extraneous factors in the interview. However, you CAN do something about your own knowledge and preparation. You are the only person in control of that.
Either you see the glass as half empty glass or half full. If you see the question you are presented with as affording you the opportunity for a successful outcome, then you see the glass as half full, On the other hand, you could see the glass half empty and when the question is asked and cannot be answered properly, it becomes a reinforcing factor in your lack of success, which, in turn, reinforces the “I’m not OK” routine you are operating under, which continues to generate more stress in your life.
Whichever route you choose will depend upon your attitude and point of view about life. The approach you take will absolutely contribute to your success or failure in each interview you are granted. In my experience, stress is reduced to easily manageable levels by being prepared and seeking opportunities, rather than justifying why things are not working for you. That negative cycle of thinking feeds upon itself and will only lead to further stress and failure.
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PRESS RELEASE
Phoenix, AZ
3/9/12
Career Expert Fred Coon Contributes to Newly Released Book Business Model You
Fred E. Coon, Chairman, Founder and CEO of the nation's leading Executive Recruiting and Placement firm, Stewart, Cooper & Coon, is a best-selling author for his book, Ready, Aim, Hired! Now, Mr. Coon is in print yet again as a contributor to the newly released career help book, Business Model You: A One-Page Method for Reinventing Your Career.
Business Model You is written by Tim Clark, in collaboration with Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur, and also touts its "co-creation by 328 work life wizards from 43 countries" - Fred Coon is included amongst these business experts. The book itself challenges readers to think of themselves as a business model, and gives strategies, techniques and advice from experts on how to leverage proven methods to build added value in their career plan.
"It was an honor to assist Tim Clark, Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur with Business Model You," Fred Coon said. "There are countless career resources out there, and anything that has this much knowledge from so many experts in so many fields is an invaluable resource to job seekers".
Stewart, Cooper & Coon is dedicated to serving senior management search with employment transition direction and partnering with companies sourcing executive talent and/or executing downsizing initiatives. SC&C is recognized for applying state-of-the-art solutions to achieve successful recruiting, placement, outplacement, and pre-boarding conclusions. Comprehensive details and support for SC&C’s claims of superior national and international consulting success are available at: http://www.stewartcoopercoon.com
PRESS RELEASE
9/22/11
Newport Beach, CA
Fred E. Coon, Founder, Chairman and CEO of the leading executive placement and recruiting firm Stewart, Cooper & Coon, will be the keynote speaker at the Career Connection event hosted by the Southern California Business Marketing Association.
The event will cover multiple career-related topics, including a Resume Workshop and a special presentation highlighting strategic tactics for conducting a special job search. Mr. Coon will detail the basics of a resume, including length, style, content and facts, as well as the top things a job seeker must avoid in a resume and how to effectively use your document to get results. In the special presentation on career search tactics, Mr. Coon will discuss how to define the product (you), defining your targets, getting the interview, overcoming your competition and securing maximum compensation.
Stewart, Cooper & Coon is excited to be a part of the event sponsored by a quality organization in the Southern California Business Marketing Association. The event begins at 4:00 PM and is expected to go until 8:00 PM (PT). Following the two presentations, there will be a Q&A and a networking session. The details of the event are as follows.
Thursday, September 22
4:00 - 8:00 PM (PT)
Back Bay Bistro at Newport Dunes
1131 Back Bay Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
For more information about Fred Coon, Stewart, Cooper & Coon or the Southern California Business Marketing Association, please visit:
http://www.stewartcoopercoon.com
http://www.socalbma.org
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Correspondence With Someone Who Purchased Ready Aim Hired!
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
Today, Susan M. purchased my book. When I wrote her back and asked why, among all the hundreds of career books she chose mine, she said the following. "
Hi Fred Really looking forward to reading the book. I've read quite a few and haven't found any truly helpful as I look to kick-start my career transition. Much of it seems to be the same pap in a different package.
One of my colleagues sent me your ad via LinkedIn and said he'd read the book and thought it was really worthwhile. I then went to Amazon.com to read the reviews and was basically curious to see what book would get 100% positive reviews.
Since it was also under $10 it seemed like a fairly inexpensive mistake to make if it isn't helpful. I will be happy to send you my feedback once I'm done reading it.
My issue is that I've been out of the job market for a while taking care of my elderly parents so I'm looking for something that will give me an edge on those that are more recently unemployed. I see the job market as a a war with lots of highly qualified combatants, and I want to learn how to be the last warrior standing on the battlefield of my choosing. I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but my goodness, I live in Michigan and it is brutal out here. Best Regards,Susan M."
I think her note sums up the job search situation adequately. It is a jungle out there and if you are not sufficiently prepared, you will accept another ho-hum JOB, rather than make a good career move AND, it IS all about being the last warrior standing in the arena or on the battlefield.
Fred
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Will Your Job Be Outsourced?
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
Today, I was reading in a great blog called Recruiters Lounge which is run by Jim Stroud. I found the information very interesting and I wanted to share Jim's work with you. Jim is a “Searchologist” with an expertise in the full life-cycle placement of Executive and Technical personnel, Recruitment Research and Competitive Intelligence. In this blog piece, Jim goes on to list the jobs that are most likely and least likely to be outsourced. Here is an extract from his blog. If you want to read the source article from the USDL, it is at the bottom of Jim's blog page.
Here are the reasons why jobs are outsourced:
- It can be automated.
- It does not require physical proximity or person-specific skills.
- It is considerably cheaper to produce somewhere else.
TOP 10 JOBS THAT WILL MOST LIKELY BE OUTSOURCED
Computer Programmers
Pharmacy Technicians
Parts Salespersons
Telephone Operators
Billing and posting clerks and machine operators
Computer Operators
Data Entry Keyers
Word Processors and Typists
Tax Preparers
Medical Transcriptionists
TOP 10 JOBS THAT WILL LEAST LIKELY BE OUTSOURCED
Financial Managers
Training and Development Managers
Training and Development Specialists
Meeting and Convention Planners
Loan Counselors
Health and Safety Engineers, except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors
Mining and Geological Engineers, including Mining Safety Engineers
Food Scientists and Technologists
Sociologists
Urban and Regional Planners
TOP 10 JOBS THAT ARE IN BETWEEN “MOST LIKELY AND “LEAST LIKELY” TO BE OUTSOURCED
Logisticians
Database Administrators
Operations Research Analysts
Aerospace Engineers
Computer Hardware Engineers
Marine Engineers and Naval Architects
Microbiologists
Chemists
Historians
Film and Video Editors
If you are in one of the most likely to outsource or maybe categories, then you may wish to conside changing files or careeers. Over 36% of our clients do just that, even at the senior levels of mangement. Call me and let's discuss how to do this with your career.
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Job Fairs: Waste of Time?
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
You may think that Job Fairs are a useless form of networking. Most executives do. Just remember this. Meeting people is important because it is who they know, and who they can introduce you to that counts. Every person can be of assistance to you as you conduct your search. Of course the jobs being interviewed for at these events are lower level opportunities. We all know that. What you need to keep in mind is that the person doing the interviewing also knows their bosses, bosses boss - the person you want to report to. They are an information conduit and should be seen and used as such.
The other main purpose of attending is to collect the resumes of everyone you meet there. After you get home, look at their resume and see who they have worked for and if they know anyone you wish to target. When you meet them at the job fair, be courteous enough to assist them by asking them how you may assist them and who they are targeting. One good turn deserves another and the search is ALL ABOUT NETWORKING PROPERLY!
Some of you will not live in an area that has a job fair monthly. However, if you can go to one, even in a neighboring town or city, do so. If you cannot attend one monthly, usually they are held at least quarterly in many major cities.
Now, here is the good news on this issue. Many companies are holding job fairs online. One of your search activities is to find out who is doing this and, if it is a company in your current field or industry, or even a transitional industry or field, attend these. You may meet some interesting and helpful people at these events or, at least have the chance to network with people at selected target companies.
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A Sign of The Times
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
On Christmas Eve, my wife and I always drive around our neighborhood to look at the lights. In past years, this was quite a treat because the various neighborhoods were so brilliantly lit and lovely to see. What made the biggest impact on me this year was this. Most neighborhoods we visited were practically barren of any lights. In past years, our area of town was ablaze with lights. Some city blocks were so bright that they were a wonder to see and each new turn of the corner was a heart-warming surprise. This year, however, I felt a great sense of disappointment. Then, as I dissected my thoughts and tried to figure out the origins of these feelings, I discovered the cause. It was unfulfilled expectation. I expected one thing and found another. The cognitive dissonance contrast between expectations and reality was quite well defined.
In job search, the job seeker feels the same disappointment too. They start their drive through the job search neighborhood expecting to find that their previous behaviors and beliefs will be reinforced by past expectations that are projected onto future events they conjure in their minds. They believe that their own past experiences, their "truth" about search, will apply going forward. The dissonance happens when their unmet expectations run headlong into dark and unlit neighborhoods of reality. They expected to find the lights and they discover many unlit areas.
This disconnect creates uncertainty. Uncertainty and doubt construct the atmosphere for fear to develop. Some try to disguise the fear by exhibiting many forms of behavior but it is still there. If allowed to exist or even be nurtured or fed other external pressures such as financial or family, it can be quite disabling and, in my opinion, is the worst of all the maladies that can beset a job seeker.
The way to overcome fear is to appreciate the lights that are there and exist. These would be those in your network. The main point of this is to say that the job seeker should bring their own source of light to the job search neighborhood, a source they create themselves. This is achieved by all the usual things such as hard work, smart work, diligence, persistence and the smarts to know when to seek assistance. However, the job seeker must go beyond this to create a full spectrum of light. There is a common rule that says that if you do the right things at the right time in the right way you will be successful. Knowing what those things to do consist of, in fact, separates those who are successful from those who are not. Call it what you want - light source, knowledge or doing the right things, all combined will provide an excellent source of light to guide your way.
Look at your resources. Evaluate your current assumptions. Outline your ideas. Outline your goals. Prioritize them. Seek new information. Don't go snow blind. Develop a plan. Work that plan. Integrate new things that you don’t know now into that plan. Constantly evaluate your plan, reorganize the plan, and re-prioritize your plan action steps, ad infinitum. What you will find, when you do these things, is that you will feel confident, better about yourself and that light will shine through to others.
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The "I" vs. "We" Struggle During The Interview
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
Ron Venckus, with whom I am working on a new book on behavioral interviewing, constantly writes pearls of wisdom. Here is one of just such pearls and we encounter this so often when working with executives who are confused about the use of "I" and "We" in their interviews.
Her are Ron's comments to me today:
"I was rummaging around and found a note that I wrote some time back regarding, the magical "I" and the magical "WE". Many eons ago, we were taught to use "we" extensively in an interview. So my mind was saying wait a minute, "I" could not think of anything that did not start without an" I". As I thought about the use of "I" and thinking of all that you have done in your life, I would say that there is not one thing that you were involved in, that started without the "I" deciding to do something. The exception being physical problems, even then the "I" has to decide to do the rehab work.
All of our work, play etc. have placed our, "I", mind into the position of deciding to do something. "I" decided what to think about: "I" decided who the WE would consist of; "I" decided why do it; "I" decided what the important points were; Yes, once the "I" mind decides to act, then the "WE" comes into play to bring the something to life. Heck even the "I" has to decide on what role "I" will play as part of a "WE" team. So "I" is not a sin during the interview, but the "I" is skilled in guiding the "WE".
If you can discover one thing in your work that did not start without an "I", let me know please. Even if a command type of boss comes to you and gives you an "or else" order, the "I" has to decide how to react to the command. So, let's encourage our clients to recognize that they are an "I". It's all right to talk about the "I" but do not forget about the "WE". The "WE" is the life of an "I" thinking of something. "I" is the leader and the "WE" lets them lead."
Great Stuff Ron!
Fred
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Struggle, and Perserverance
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
I wanted to share a wonderful Blog piece I was provided that was written by Carolyn Temple. It is a short piece on struggle against odds, optimism. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did: link to this blog piece
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Your ROI and PE Ratio - Creating Value In The Hiring Process
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
Whether you are currently involved in a job search, or you are happy in your current role, it is important to know what indicators potential employers look for when making a hiring decision.
When a hiring manager is looking over the credentials of two applicants, and all things are similar, how will the manager decide which applicant to choose? What it all comes down to, is your ROI and PE Ratio; not stocks, but your business return on investment and your job search price-to-earnings ratio. Just as stocks have a PE ratio (price-to-earnings), you have an PE ratio: Price (Your Salary)-to-Earnings. Employers want hire you because they think they can make money from your efforts, more so than the next candidate. Additionally, just as stocks deliver an ROI for investors, you deliver an ROI for your employer.
So the question now stands; how am I able to demonstrate that I deliver the best PE ratio and highest ROI for a potential employer?
The Answer? It has to be clear and unmistakable in your documentation. With so much competition in today’s job marketplace, a job seeker must be able to demonstrate a return for the company. The way to do this is to break down your achievements, either present or past, into quantifiable results. Essentially, you want to clearly demonstrate that you will, without a doubt, generate more for the company than you cost. For example, if you make $100k, than a PE of 5 would return earnings of $500,000 to the company.
Now, should you list your PE ratio on you resume? No, as the employer likely won’t know what it is and you won’t have the opportunity to explain it. All you can do to demonstrate your ROI and perceived PE ratio is by stating your accomplishments in absolute terms as quantifiable achievements (%, #’s, amounts, etc.) and to form your value proposition. If you do this, you will place yourself significantly ahead of the competition.
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3 Ways to Recession Proof Your Resume
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
Thankfully for the American economy, the stock market seems to be on an up-swing. Unfortunately for the American worker, that does not translate to peace of mind as far as job security goes. Whether you are out of work or satisfied with your current job, below are a few surefire ways to recession proof your resume.
#1 Communicate Your Value
Effectively communicating your value on paper is one of the best ways to improve your resume. This will help to separate you from the thousands of other job seekers currently in the market.
If you are simply listing your specific job duties in your current and past roles, you are not helping yourself at all. Think about it for a moment. If everyone who has the same job as you listed their duties on a resume, where would that put you? Most likely right in the middle of the pack. The key is to show how you have exceeded your duties, and then translating that into quantifiable results.
For example, if your job was to answer the phone all day, how many calls did you field? Is that more than someone else? Where does that rank you in the department for that specific duty?
Effectively communicating your value is just a matter of taking a different perspective while looking at your job. If you can effectively show your strengths and how they separate you from the next resume in the pile, you automatically put yourself at an advantage.
#2 Don’t Generalize
One of the most common mistakes that people make while writing their resume is to generalize certain functions, skills or achievements because they believe it makes them a person who can do everything. However, that is not what employers want.
All generalizing does is water down your resume and make you a Jack/Jill of all trades; which is not what you want to be considered during a job search.
Gayle Howard, founder of Top Margin Career Networking group and renowned resume writer, says she encounters this quite frequently and always ends up telling her clients the same thing.
“As an employer, do I want a Marketing Manager expert with 20 years of experience in the right industry with the right skills, or do I want an individual who says he can do a little bit of anything? The answer is clear and compelling. A job seeker should not dilute his or her value to try and be everything to all people.”
#3 Give Your Resume a Check-Up
Just like you go to your doctor for regular check-ups, give your resume a check-up. While you are employed, keep track of each achievement that you encounter. That doesn’t mean that every one has to make it onto the resume, but if you lose your job, the chances of remembering every achievement in the five years since you updated your resume are slim to none.
Also, it is highly beneficial to enlist the services of a professional resume writer. There are numerous companies, and even freelance resume writers, that make this service their living. If you can, take advantage of their services. A professional resume writer is certified and carries the credentials (in some way, shape or form) of a Certified Resume Writer.
Think of it this way; you could probably change the oil on your car, but there are people that do that for you.
How Can I Make The Bailout Work For Me?
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon
By now, you are probably aware that one of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s main goals is to create or save over 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. And I know what you’re thinking. “How is the plan going to help me?” Albeit one of the most common questions I have heard, it is not the correct one. What you should be asking yourself is “How can I make the plan work for me?”
The Recovery Act is heavy on projects relating to infrastructure and “rebuilding” America, and it is easy to see that it will create and save jobs for blue collar workers. For example, take the project currently underway to repair a crumbling bridge in Tuscumbia, Missouri. It is the first project developed as a direct result of the stimulus package, but has been criticized by economists due to the fact that it only creates around thirty jobs for workers in the immediate area; an area that just so happens to be in the middle of nowhere. So how does this help the American economy?
The silver lining to the project is that while it only directly creates around thirty jobs, it is estimated to save upwards of two hundred. From the project manager, to the financial analyst in the office to the receptionist at the front desk, each employee in the company gets another paycheck because that company landed the contract.
Marc Erpenbeck, a Partner at the law offices of Snell & Wilmer is an expert on the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Erpenbeck feels that one of the problems with the recovery plan is the difficulty tallying exactly how many jobs have been saved as a result of it.
“One of the primary areas of confusion is that the government is tracking jobs ‘saved/created.’ Jobs created is easy to track. Jobs saved is much more difficult,” Erpenbeck says. “People will overstate the number of jobs saved because it is an easy and untraceable calculation essentially determined by the management of companies who are vying for the work.”
In essence, projects will be awarded to the companies who will save the most jobs, so, whoever says they will save the most jobs wins.
While this problem will most likely still exist throughout the life of the recession, the bailout plan is still vital to the American economy because it will save jobs in many industries.
So, the next logical question is which industries will benefit from the plan? While some industries are more obvious than others (construction, contractors and subcontractors, engineers and architects), Erpenbeck says the other industries that will receive a boost will be inspectors, auditors, health care professionals, administrators, IT (particularly with respect to HITECH Act, a.k.a electronic medical records), accountants, renewable energy and energy conservation.
The industry that will be most interesting to watch will also likely see the largest boost. Included in the bailout plan is a provision for a tax credit for any American who completes upgrades to their home in the areas of renewable energy, energy conservation and energy efficiency.
Not only will this open up new opportunities in industries such as wind and solar power, but it will also put money back into the pockets of American families.
“There is a tax credit available for those types of improvements to all Americans of one-third the cost of energy efficiency improvements to your home, up to a maximum of $1,500 credit,” Erpenbeck says. “This credit (not a deduction) does not phase out based on income. Thus, there is a 33% discount potential for every house in America for up to $4,500 in energy efficiency work completed in their home.”
With real incentives for people to start buying energy efficient and conservatory appliances, there should be an increase in sales for companies selling and manufacturing insulation, doors, windows and energy efficient equipment.
Bottom line, more jobs will be created than would initially appear on the books. As the government plan expands and more and more industries are affected, the key to making this plan work for you is to make the skills you have spent your career developing transferable.
Your job is to make sure that you have “branded” yourself properly so you can demonstrate that you can add value to any company you join – regardless of the industry – and capture any new opportunities that arise.
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WHEN IT BOTTOM'S OUT - THEN WHAT?
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon, Inc.
The market is still headed down. If it doesn't go below 7200 we will all be thrilled. What does this mean to you, the executive in search? It means that your competition is greater because hundreds of thousands of people are unemployed and seeking the same positions you are applying for. When the going gets tough, the tough etc. Ok, but what does that mean to you, specifically? It means that your "brand" and the value propositions you bring to the new company bust stand out and must be perceived as more valuable than those of the others with whom you are competing. What is "branding"?
One aspect of branding is to determine what it is that you are selling. Selling? Yes, selling? You are a product whether you like it or not. Your "brand" will be compared with the "brands" or lack of them, from your competitors in the search. How do you establish a brand? It is not easy. It requires professional guidance and coaching. Frankly, you are too close to the forest to see the trees. Your brand will reflect your value propositions, key qualifications and positioning and your packaging for these must be flawless. By flawless, I do not mean spelling and punctuation, although an error there will eliminate you too. What I mean key qualifications, positioning and packaging is that these all combined will reflect the value you bring to the potential employer.
When you get there, you must interview. No, I don't mean interview. What I mean is to eliminate the competition. Otherwise, you are like all the other applicants. For example, the American interview goes like this: Hello! Come in, sit down, did you have trouble finding us - blah -blah - blah. Question, answer, question, answer, question answer and thank you very much we'll call you. Ever conducted and interview like that or better yet, ever been in one that approximates that? Why did you go in the first place? Your sole purpose is to cause the company to feel that they only want to hire YOU, not the other applicants. What did you do when you were there to create added value so you can position yourself better for negotiation?
Once of the most incidious aspects of interviewing today is the EQ emphasis, not the IQ emphasis. Don't know what this specifically means? Then you are in big trouble before you even start. I see so many executives that are really good at what they do but have no clue why they are good at it or how their behavioral competencies need to manifest themselves in the interview process. Boy, are they missing the boat.
Anyway, what has all this to do with a market value of 7,000? Everything. Competition is much larger and therefore if you are not branded properly, don't understand correct packaging (I don't mean just a resume) and have no clue how to describe your EQ, then you will not achieve your next move up the career ladder - whether that is in your same industry or field or a new industry - it doesn't matter.
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NATIONAL CRISIS - WHAT NOW?
by: Fred Coon
Chairman, CEO
Stewart, Cooper & Coon, Inc.
I would like to share my thoughts about the job search process, in light of the serious economic crisis we now face. I hope this helps you in your search.
Last week and continuing through the mess in Congress this week, the U.S. rubbed shoulders with a nearly catastrophic financial meltdown of the U.S. economic system. As related by Senators who attended the presentation of the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, some were quoted as saying “that we’re literally maybe days away from a complete meltdown of our financial system, with all the implications here at home and globally.” Another said: “History was sort of hanging over it, like this was a moment.”
Like you, I have been inundated, even saturated with more information than I possibly can absorb about cause and effect, who said what, who did what or who didn't do something they should have done. I will spare you a long diatribe because I am not an economist. We both watch television, read the newspapers and we will make up our minds about who winds up in the right or wrong column.
What I do know is this. I have weathered numerous economic cycles of varying intensities. What I also know about is the situations facing six-figure executives. In all of the television and newspaper coverage, not nearly enough time has been spent on this subject.
What you are probably concerned about is how does this crisis affect you and what tactics should be employed in making sure you win, not lose? The last thing one wants to do is panic and take a J.O.B. instead of making the right career move. We must continue to face reality, not the fantasy of what we hope will happen. We all have fears building and not really sure of where to find the answers. Sticking your head in the ground and pretending it will pass you personally by won't secure your next career move.
Here are a few thoughts about your current or upcoming job search I would like to share a few thoughts with you to act as a critical thinking guide as you proceed.
Get Busy and Do Something - My father once told me to "make a move, even if it yields very little, make a move." Why? Because action makes us feel like we are contributing and doing something. If nothing else, we feel better about ourselves. However, making the right move in a career search is paramount to career success. Just sitting around and wringing hands or talking with colleagues, neighbors and friends about the sorry state of the economy is not doing anybody, especially you, any good whatsoever. Doing something means taking constructive action that is part of a well-developed plan of action that you execute daily and constantly review, update and manage. Where is your plan - in your head or on paper? Here are eight steps that must be executed in any job search.
Decide on Your Brand - There are millions of executives seeking employment. In a recent article on the website, The Ladders, they stated that there are a million less $100K positions open now than there were two years ago at the same time period. Knowing this, I assume you would wish to set yourself apart from the "pack" of 500 resumes being submitted daily for each open position at the executive level. You must get your visual foot in the door. What is your brand? How do you determine your brand? How does the rest of the world know? Of course you know the answer to these questions in your own mind. What you must now do is answer them so that others know as well. Without an effective brand you will just be another resume in the pile.
Professional Packaging - We have vast amount of free career resources available to you on our various websites. We have specific examples of effective executive packaging and resumes for you to view. Just scroll down the page, select a name, click on that name and if you wish to see their resume then that is available too. Ask yourself this question. If, after you have viewed the above examples, your current resume was sitting in the pile and our package was there as well, whose do you think would gain the most attention? Presentation is everything.
Target - Target - Target - It may sound flip but I always ask people to tell me what they want to be when they grow up. What I am really asking is what is your strategy for your career, and why? I also ask in almost the same breath, "How do you plan to get there?" This goes back to the basic issue of "who needs you?" Do not shotgun your resume. Decide on specific targets and go after them. This begs the question - how? One recent client, a senior person with a resume parsing company was asked by her SC&C coach, what she was going to do with her resume. Her answer? "The internet is clogged up like a drain" so I won't be putting it out there hoping that avenue will work. While an internet strategy is required, it is only one of eight channels of marketing that must be executed for a successful search. It is important to remember not to waste your time on the internet applying for and following up on all sorts of interesting sounding jobs that are too great a stretch from your specialty. On the other hand, Decide on your focus and go for that and not be distracted looking for jobs that you are not qualified for, especially if your transferable skills are not properly packaged anyway.
Guerrilla Tactics. This past week, for the first time in decades, our major Federal department heads cooperated with Congress and key private sector managers. Together, they made the most significant economic moves seen since the Great Depression. One thing is for certain. If the bureaucrats in Washington and especially the politicians can make changes that quickly, so can you. The lesson here is one that we have preached for a long time - "you either make dust or eat dust." Quick changes must be based upon good planning and strategies and then backed with tactics that work. What is your plan? How well is it working for you?
Changing Industries Not Just Job - There are a lot of industries who are in serious trouble. These most certainly include financial and real estate sectors. Who knows which one is next? If you are in a company or industry sector that is in difficulty, then you must seriously start thinking about your transferable skills and how you can use those to make an industry change as part of your next career move! Sounds simple, doesn't it? I assure you that it is not. At this point, you may wish to re-read the branding ideas above. Remember, you must know who you are, why they should hire you and how to convert that knowledge to your "brand", before you can employ tactics of any kind, including guerrilla tactics we employ daily with our clients.
Make a move but try to ensure that it is planned well, based upon knowledge and expertise and then be persistent in your execution throughout the job search.
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Unemployment Continues To Rise: This means that more an more people are seeking fewer and fewer positions. U.S. employers slashed jobs and unemployment rose to a nearly three-year high, offering the latest signs that the economy has fallen into a recession.
"The job market is a lagging indicator," said Arpitha Bykere, economic analyst at RGE Monitor.com. "We can expect the picture to get gloomier. We won't see a positive picture any time soon, even if the economy recovers."
Earlier this week, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke made his bleakest and bluntest assessment on the economy's condition. The central bank chief told a joint congressional committee that a recession is possible in the first half of this year. The Labor Department now estimates that the economy has shed 232,000 jobs in the first three months of this year. The above information was extracted from an article by Chris Isidore CNNMoney.com senior writer:
Whether you are employed, unemployed or in the process of being unemployed, today, an executive's financial picture can be very bleak because of lack of income and monthly expenses. Therefore, the longer your job search lasts, the more expensive it becomes to your short-term cash flow and to your long-term retirement income strategy. If you want to see how much you are losing for each day in your job search go to, scroll towards the bottom of the page and fill in the blanks:
http://www.stewartcoopercoon.com/executive_placement/executive_placement_dilemmas1.htm
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Job Search Information
Source: Execunet - www.execunet.com
ExecuNet Exclusive: Search Firms Increasingly Turn To Internet Search Engines
Continuing a research trend that has surfaced for each of the past three years, nearly 86 percent of executive search consultants indicate their firms are using Internet search engines to uncover information about potential executive-level job candidates. A recent ExecuNet survey of 118 search consultants also reveals that slightly more than 44 percent of responding recruiters have eliminated a potential candidate from further recruitment consideration because of something they found online as returned by a search engine. That's nearly 10 percentage points higher than the number of search engine 'disqualifications' reported
by search firms in 2006.
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Article: Decision-Making "Rules"
Contributed By: Leslie Noyes, SCC Campaign Director and Executive Coach
Socialization: "Just because you've always done it that way doesn't make it incredibly stupid and that is because you don't know, what you don't know."
To explain how (socialization) works we watch an experiment. A caged group of monkeys is confronted with a bunch of bananas on bungling from the ceiling. There is a ladder placed invitingly just under the bananas. Immediately some monkeys rush to the ladder. As soon as they start to climb it they are all hosed down, not just the monkeys on the ladder but all the monkeys in the cage.
As they don’t like water they leave the bananas. One hussy monkey tries again but the same thing happens, all of the monkeys are hosed. Now they watch each other to make sure no one comes near the ladder. Then one monkey is replaced by a new one unaware of ladder-water misery. He sees the bananas and rushes to the ladder, but to his surprise is beaten up by the other monkeys.
Now a second monkey is replaced by a new one. He approaches the ladder and is beaten up. The first new monkey who himself had been beaten up participates in the mugging because he wont permit another monkey to do something he himself was not allowed. This continues until all the monkeys are replaced by new monkeys none of them having the experience of being hosed down or even having a faint idea about it.
The reason why they won't permit each other to reach for the bananas has become of a metaphysical nature, it is simply not done.
Reference: http://www.zenska-mreza.hr/prirucnik/en/en_solution_8.htm
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Article: Behavioral Interviewing
Author: Ron Venckus
Behavioral interviewing systems have been around for many years, however over the last few years the use of this type interview program has been increasing. At this time when job descriptions are developed, the job skills and job knowledge level is identified and along with those, a company is indicating what competencies/behaviors/traits are desired. The competency/behaviors desired, are in tune with the company’s culture.
The first question that jumps into your mind, most likely is, what is behavioral based interviewing? According to Quint Careers, the premise behind behavioral interviewing is that the most accurate predictor of future success is past performance in similar situations. Behavioral based interviewing is touted as providing a more objective set of facts to use in making employment decisions.
The big difference in behavioral interviewing, than other interview systems, is that the interview questions are dealing with your character and the questions, along with your answers tend to be picked apart so specific behaviors can be identified. By the way, the phrase “specific behaviors” is being used because it means that the interviewer wants to “hear” the actual behavior. Please keep in mind that some executive level positions will require a visit with a corporate psychologist and these folks will be almost totally interested in your behavioral make up.
The business world is using the terms, Competency or Behavior and these are interpreted as your personal skills and traits. Do not confuse the word competency when it is used in conjunction with an interview. It means more than job skill competencies. Your personal behavior, what you use to get work done and your job skills and knowledge are two different issues. An important question to ask when an interview is being scheduled is, WHAT TYPE OF INTERVIEW SYSTEM ARE YOU USING? [READ MORE]
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