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Spread Your Personal Brand

Mary Rosenbaum | November 16th, 2009

Are your family and friends good ambassadors for letting others know what you do professionally, what your goals are, or what you are trying to achieve? It is important to define your brand to those who are close to you as well as to those who can more directly further your professional goals.

This was driven home for me this past weekend. I was visiting with some friends and inquired about someone they had known for years who had recently gone into consulting. It took them many attempts to try to identify what specialty their friend provided and finally gave up and admitted that they really didn’t know.

In providing your friends and family with information, it would be beneficial to:

§ Give them a detailed description of the type of work you do, the skills you employ in your work, the companies or industry you have worked for or the type of projects you have completed.

§ Provide them with an understanding of what you need – if it’s a job then be specific as to what you want to do (not only the title you want), if it’s clients you want then what type of clients would be suitable.

§ Let them know what your qualifications are so they can more easily convey your expertise to others.

If this sounds a lot like your elevator pitch, it’s because it incorporates the same information. You need to let them know what you are good at, what makes you good at it (your validation), who you work with or for, and what you want or need. Don’t overlook the value of this type of “word of mouth” advertising. So go ahead, ask your friends if they can describe you in a way that conveys your expertise as well as your needs and wants. If not, get to work and spread the word.

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Job Hunting During the Holidays

Mary Rosenbaum | November 10th, 2009

Everyone thinks that once Thanksgiving arrives job hunting hits a major stop sign and doesn’t resume until January. This is a myth. In fact, if anything this time of year is the best time to get people on the phone, get them to listen, and most importantly, get them to meet with you. Here is an article from Hotjobs that I was interviewed for that makes the point to keep on with your job search and your networking during the holiday season.

Tips for Job-Hunting During the Holidays

By Susan Johnston for HotJobs
While the holidays might seem like a slow period for hiring, career experts say the season also presents an opportunity for job applicants to make an impression.

“Around the holidays, many job seekers are preoccupied with family gatherings and other distractions that keep them away from their searches,” says Shawn Graham, author of “Courting Your Career” and director of MBA career services at the University of Pittsburgh. “As a result, the volume of applications for non-seasonal work is often lighter — and that gives you, as a candidate, a greater chance of being seen.”

Adds Mary Rosenbaum, a career coach and personal branding strategist at Your Career by Design, “Most companies work on their strategic plans during the fourth quarter and tend to be more open to a variety of potential hires that might fit with their strategic goals for the coming year.”

Industries that use a bonus structure, like legal or financial firms, also anticipate turnover during the first quarter, because some employees leave after collecting their annual bonus.

So, how can job seekers stand out during the holiday season? Here are four ways to start:

Call during off hours.

“As the holidays approach, people are in and out of the office, and those who are at work often use that time to play catch up,” says Graham. “Recruiters could use that time to give applicants of interest a longer look.”

Since support staff may be out of the office, job seekers have a better chance of reaching an actual hiring manager or recruiter. One of the ways Graham suggests reaching managers when they aren’t running in and out of meetings is to call before the start of the business day or after 5 p.m.

Avoid holiday gimmicks.

Some job seekers use cutesy ideas like sending a plate of Christmas cookies along with a cover letter or printing their resumes on holiday paper in the hopes that they’ll get noticed. But Graham and Rosenbaum warn that these gimmicks can backfire.

“I’m not a fan of the holiday-inspired gimmick ploys,” says Graham. “It’s better to be more conservative. Make sure the content of your email is written persuasively and impactfully.” By focusing on your skills rather than gimmicks, you also won’t have to worry about offending people who celebrate different holidays.

Use events to build relationships, not beg for a job.

Holiday parties, end-of-the-year conferences, and other events all afford opportunities for networking. But job seekers can also organize holiday drinks with people they want to connect or reconnect with, since people tend to be more open to socializing during this time of year.

“Get people together for holiday drinks at Joe’s Pub or something,” suggests Rosenbaum. “The idea right now is to have more face time and build a relationship. What you should be doing now during the holiday time is contacting them in a way that puts them on a more equal footing.” She adds that if you’re unsure about someone’s holiday traditions, you can simply offer their family your best.

Don’t lose focus.

Staying motivated during the holidays could give you can edge over those applicants who put their search on hold. According to Graham, “The biggest thing is to keep at it. Around the holidays, it’s easy to get caught up in all the distractions. Set aside that time every day and continue to look for opportunities.”

Says Rosenbaum, “The idea is for people not to assume that because it’s the holiday season that they shouldn’t redouble their efforts. This is a really good time of year. People are much more willing to go out for drinks and spend a little more time. Use this time to forge relationships, not just look for the job.”

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Resumes That Work For You

Mary Rosenbaum | October 28th, 2009

Do you believe a resume will get you a job or an interview? If you think it gets you the job then it’s time to rework your resume. In today’s world you have to think of yourself as the Product. And if that’s the case then your resume along with your collateral materials, as well as the way you interview have to reflect your product’s personal brand. Gone are the days when your resume used words such as:

responsible for
managed
handled
led

Instead, your resume should be much more focused on your major accomplishments and the value you added for your employer. It should be skills focused and success oriented with quantitative results used whenever possible that demonstrate your impact on revenue generation, cost reduction, team building, problem solving, and relationship building.

Hard skills (years of experience, education) are what get you in the game. It’s the soft skills (accomplishments, how you work) that provide the differentiating factors when decisions are made between who to bring in for an interview and which resumes to delete. Flexibility and creativity are two important characteristics that employers look for when making new hires. Your listed accomplishments should highlight these characteristics in a show, don’t tell, manner.

Your resume should speak to an employer’s needs and demonstrate how you can help them. When putting together your branded resume try to answer the following questions:

What are my assets?
How am I different/better than my competitors?
What do I bring to the job/company that is unique?
What are the prospective employer’s greatest needs and how does what I offer help them?
What weaknesses or shortcomings do I have that might prevent me from getting the interview/job? How can I ameliorate them?

Your resume should be geared to the particular job for which you are applying. The more tailored your resume, the more time you spend customizing it, the better your chances at getting the call to come in.

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Career Expert Provides Do’s and Don’ts for Job Seekers on Social Networking

Mary Rosenbaum | August 20th, 2009

Some time ago I wrote a blog on the importance of monitoring your social networking sites whether you are looking for a job, working for a company or are self-employed. This study conducted by CareerBuilder highlights the fact that an increasing number of employers are using social networking sites to screen potential employees. The following article goes into detail on some do’s and don’ts.

Forty-five Percent of Employers Use Social Networking Sites to Research Job Candidates, CareerBuilder Survey Finds

Career Expert Provides DOs and DON’Ts for Job Seekers on Social Networking

CHICAGO, August 19, 2009 – As social networking grows increasingly pervasive, more employers are utilizing these sites to screen potential employees. Forty-five percent of employers reported in a recent CareerBuilder survey that they use social networking sites to research job candidates, a big jump from 22 percent last year. Another 11 percent plan to start using social networking sites for screening. More than 2,600 hiring managers participated in the survey, which was completed in June 2009.
Of those who conduct online searches/background checks of job candidates, 29 percent use Facebook, 26 percent use LinkedIn and 21 percent use MySpace. One-in-ten (11 percent) search blogs while 7 percent follow candidates on Twitter.

The top industries most likely to screen job candidates via social networking sites or online search engines include those that specialize in technology and sensitive information: Information Technology (63 percent) and Professional & Business Services (53 percent).

Why Employers Disregarded Candidates After Screening Online

Job seekers are cautioned to be mindful of the information they post online and how they communicate directly with employers. Thirty-five percent of employers reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them not to hire the candidate. The top examples cited include:

Candidate posted provocative or inappropriate photographs or information – 53 percent
Candidate posted content about them drinking or using drugs – 44 percent
Candidate bad-mouthed their previous employer, co-workers or clients – 35 percent
Candidate showed poor communication skills – 29 percent
Candidate made discriminatory comments – 26 percent
Candidate lied about qualifications – 24 percent
Candidate shared confidential information from previous employer – 20 percent

Fourteen percent of employers have disregarded a candidate because the candidate sent a message using an emoticon such as a smiley face while 16 percent dismissed a candidate for using text language such as GR8 (great) in an e-mail or job application.

Why Employers Hired Candidates After Screening Online

Job seekers are also encouraged to leverage social media when advertising their skills and experience. Eighteen percent of employers reported they have found content on social networking sites that caused them to hire the candidate. The top examples include:

Profile provided a good feel for the candidate’s personality and fit – 50 percent
Profile supported candidate’s professional qualifications – 39 percent
Candidate was creative – 38 percent
Candidate showed solid communication skills – 35 percent
Candidate was well-rounded – 33 percent
Other people posted good references about the candidate – 19 percent
Candidate received awards and accolades – 15 percent

“Social networking is a great way to make connections with potential job opportunities and promote your personal brand across the Internet,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder. “Make sure you are using this resource to your advantage by conveying a professional image and underscoring your qualifications.”

Haefner recommends the following DOs and DON’Ts to keep a positive image online:

1)DO clean up digital dirt BEFORE you begin your job search. Remove any photos, content and links that can work against you in an employer’s eyes.

2)DO consider creating your own professional group on sites like Facebook or BrightFuse.com to establish relationships with thought leaders, recruiters and potential referrals.

3)DO keep gripes offline. Keep the content focused on the positive, whether that relates to professional or personal information. Makes sure to highlight specific accomplishments inside and outside of work.

4)DON’T forget others can see your friends, so be selective about who you accept as friends. Monitor comments made by others. Consider using the “block comments” feature or setting your profile to “private” so only designated friends can view it.

5)DON’T mention your job search if you’re still employed.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com between May 22 and June 10, 2009 among 2,667 hiring managers and human resource professionals (employed full-time; not self-employed; with at least significant involvement in hiring decisions; non- government) ages 18 and over. With a pure probability sample of 2,667 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.9 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher

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Take a Break – Take Back Control

Mary Rosenbaum | August 4th, 2009

Finding a job is stressful for even the most talented and sought after professional. One way to reduce the stress level that results from “all work and no play” is to make sure that each day includes some activities that reflect your passions and interests. Being authentic to yourself and choosing how you want to spend your “release time” will help you take control of your situation. Here are some ways that may help you release some of the stress and get back the balance you need.

Do something you love every day.

Whether your passion is playing sports or listening to music, the pleasure you derive from these activities gives your mind a mini vacation providing you with a fresher focus when you get back to work.

Do something you’ve always wanted to do.

Remember a time when you were learning something new? Time flew by and you felt energized by what you were doing. Ever dreamed of playing the piano, speaking a new language, or playing bridge? Pursuing a new interest gets a different part of your brain functioning and releases it from the constancy of your every day stressful activity.

Get involved by helping others.

Where can you lend a hand that enables you to combine your interests and skills in the service of others? Volunteering forces you to focus on the needs of others and immerses you in something different while providing value to those that need help. Adding value and being productive in an authentic way lets you take control of your situation and reduce the stress.

So give your mind a break and take a break – do something that makes you feel good.

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10 Tips to Help Introverts Win at Work

Mary Rosenbaum | July 28th, 2009

10 Tips for Introverts:I have often been told by clients that they are unable to execute some of the tasks in their communications plan. Here is an interesting article that reinforces the need for those who may not be introverts but don’t consider themselves extroverts to take charge of their careers and be heard. If you define yourself as an introvert, I would be interested in hearing some of your comments.

Today’s post is by Jennifer Kahnweiler, author of “The Introverted Leader: Building on Your Quiet Strength.”

Even in today’s noisy business world, introverts can still learn to build on their quiet strength and succeed. The goal is not changing your personality or natural work style, but embracing and expanding who you are. Here are 10 tips to help you make it happen:

§ Have a game plan. Rather than wing it on the people part of your job, have a game plan. Prepare for high-stakes meetings and conversations – anticipating questions and rehearsing your responses. Fact is, just as you strategize for key projects and tasks, you need to plan ahead for connecting with people-and taking regular timeouts to recharge your batteries.
§ Communicate early and often. It’s easy for introverts to be out of sight – and out of mind. So, take the initiative in sharing information – communicating early and often with higher-ups, team members, and project stakeholders. Don’t wait to be asked for updates or news about your accomplishments. Find out what people need to feel confident in you and provide it to them – ahead of time.
§ Match the medium to the message. Resist the temptation to hide behind e-mail. It may appear to be the easiest or safest channel, but it’s not always the right one. For every exchange, match the medium to the message-determining if texting, e-mail, phone, or face-to-face is best. Texting and e-mail may be great for quick exchanges, but they miss the mark in critical high-touch areas, including developing relationships and delivering difficult news.
§ Use social networking to set the stage. Technology is a great tool for preparing to meet people. Use social networking Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter to set the stage for connecting with others in person at meetings and events. You can introduce yourself, find common ground, and send helpful “news you can use” items-all in a low-key yet friendly way.
§ Assert yourself. Assertiveness gets a bum rap. Often confused with aggressiveness, it is simply being open, honest, and direct-asking for what you need and want. If you fail to assert yourself at work, you risk losing career-making opportunities and suffering the side effects of pent-up anger, resentment, and disappointment. Four out of five introverts say extroverts are more likely to get ahead where they work.
§ Get your voice in the room. Without delay, speak up in meetings and conference calls. Try to make your first comment no more than five minutes into the session. Even a quick question, remark, or paraphrase will do. You need to be seen as a contributor, but the longer you wait, the harder it becomes.
§ Stand up to “talkers.” Don’t be afraid to take on the talkers in group or one-on-one settings. There are several ways to stand up and get a word in edgewise. One simple, sure-fire strategy: hold up your hand, give the stop or timeout signal, and calmly announce, “I’d like to say something.”
§ Ask great questions. There is power in the questions you ask. At work, asking great questions can mean figuring out what’s really important to organizational and individual success-including yours. Two invaluable questions for your boss: “What keeps you up at night?” and “How will you measure success?”
§ Value humor. “A smile is the shortest distance between two people,” mused entertainer Victor Borge. As a reserved, inner-focused contributor, you can overcome perceptions of being standoffish or too serious by smiling, laughing, and having fun now and then. You need not “yuk it up”-just be goodhumored.
§ Be a storyteller. Stories put oomph into ideas and help engage and connect people. Make storytelling a part of your own style-weaving real-life anecdotes and examples into talks and presentations. You may not be a natural-born storyteller, but you can learn to spot great stories-and spin a good yarn. Finally, practice, practice, practice. Learning new skills and behaviors may be uncomfortable at first, but with conscious repetition and refinement, you can manage your introversion-and rise and shine!

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Are They Goals or Are They Dreams

Mary Rosenbaum | July 20th, 2009

I have always said that goals without specific time lines are nothing more than dreams. Do you find yourself whiling away your free time on the computer or cleaning up your desk for the third time this week instead of following through on all those great ideas you had about new projects or new marketing plans?

In this economic environment with jobs scarce, pink slips in abundance, and businesses in need of new clients setting realistic, attainable and timely goals can be the key to your success. What are your roadblocks and how can you eliminate them?

Fear and Procrastination

We often gravitate to what we find is the easiest, the least threatening, and the most comfortable to do. New projects or new ideas can take you out of your comfort zone. At the same time, doing something in a different way can enhance your business or career. I recently read this quote in Weird Ideas that Work by Robert Sutton: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”

So what can you do to help you attain your goals?

Write down the goal you want to achieve and set a reasonable date for its completion. Break the process down into manageable steps, each with a set date. Breaking this down into steps enables you to tackle it in pieces while providing opportunities for you to review each outcome and make the necessary adjustments as you go.
Don’t be a perfectionist. If it’s a new marketing plan, a job you want to apply for, or a new idea you want to raise with you boss don’t wait until you think it’s perfect. By the time you deem it perfect (if ever) someone else has already come along and gotten the assignment, the job, or closed the deal.
Keep the momentum going. Picture yourself driving a car and putting your foot on the brake every time the car reaches 60 mph. The result would be an uncomfortable jerky ride that took forever to get to your destination.

So take action, set goals with realistic timetables, review and revise results, and achieve your objectives.

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The Value of Job Boards

Mary Rosenbaum | July 7th, 2009

According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, more and more companies are forgoing online job boards and posting job listings on their own career pages. What does this mean for you if you are in a job search?

These are some of the steps you should be taking to better equip yourself in today’s job market.

1. Broaden your job search by using multiple tools. In addition to looking for opportunities on job boards, be aware of job listings on individual company websites..Search out and join linkedin groups for current, past, and potential employees that are company sponsored. Make sure your profile is up to date and reflects your particular skills. This is where your collateral material – resume, web portfolio, testimonials – comes into play. It should reflect what you can do for the company and highlight your value added.

2. Identify where you would like to work and learn all you can about the companies. Using their websites as well as sites such as www.hoovers.com/free and www.google.com/Top/business you can research companies and understand how your particular skills, background, and talents fit into their structure. The greater your knowledge of the company, the more equipped you are to identify opportunities that fit your skills.

3. Use social networking sites to connect with existing employees of companies that are ones you want to target. It is always helpful to have a resume walked in by a current employee. In fact, many companies favor referrals by their employees over resumes that come in through job boards. Additionally, insiders can provide you with greater insight into the company, its culture, and its needs. The more you know the better you can position your abilities and talents to suit their particular needs.

4. If you see a job posting on a job board, always try to apply first through someone you know or have connected with on line. If you cannot identify someone to hand walk your resume in, then apply through the company’s own website. The thinking here is that if you were on their website you probably know something about the company and have a specific interest in working there.

Use the job boards to help identify opportunities, but use your research and contacts to get inside and secure the job.

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Five More Tips on Securing a Job

Mary Rosenbaum | June 30th, 2009

I was asked to submit some tips but not the obvious ones for conducting a job search. Here they are:

5 More Tips on Securing a job:
1.Evaluate how your skills, background, strengths and talents compare with what prospective employers are looking for. If there are weaknesses, determine how you can either minimize them or eliminate them (take additional classes in an area in which you are deficient). Most importantly, where can you add value to this prospective employer (speak additional languages, have managed as well as had hands on experience, etc.). Make sure you always include your value added when highlighting your experience and capabilities. Showing that you can give them something above and beyond their expectations is a great way to bring your name to the top of the list.

2. As part of your job search collateral materials it is a good idea to create a web page which is different than your resume. It should be a showcase for work that you are particularly proud of and reflects the quality of the work you do. Creativity and knowledge of what an employer is looking for is critical to this being successful. For example, if you are a marketing or advertising exec it would be great to go into greater detail on some of the projects you have worked on showing examples of your work/results. Financial professionals would be more interested in highlighting some of the more complex transactions they were involved in with a results oriented focus. This web page should be included in your cover letter as a way for the prospective employer to get to know you better before the interview. It’s a great differentiating factor.

3. For people who have been out of work a long time and have burned through their network this next approach works wonders in developing some visibility and credibility with new people. Create a project for yourself that you would have an interest working on, is in the forefront of your industry, and that would afford you the opportunity to speak with professionals and thought leaders in your particular industry. As a “consultant” or someone who wants to write about this project it would enable you to: a)meet people who can potentially help you b)have people see you at your best – doing the work you love and doing it well c) become more knowledgeable in an area or dealing with an issue that is in the forefront of the industry d)this project might help you get in the door of a prospective employer.

4. Don’t wait until you see an opening at a firm where you want to work. Instead do the research and see where there are holes in areas with which you have familiarity. Where is their pain and how can you fix it? This means doing the necessary research: reading the industry journals, keeping up with former colleagues at these firms, staying current with the changes taking place in the industry and determining how you might fit based on your knowledge. When you have found the particular need they have, figure out how you might solve their problem and make the pitch to get in the door.

5. Become an expert in your industry. As you network for a job you are gaining information about the industry and where it’s going, about the companies and where they fit in, and of course, the people who work in the industry. Using this knowledge you can become the go-to person when people need to find out or get connected with someone to help them in the work they do. By helping the people you meet as you go through your job search you create a tremendous amount of social capital. Social capital is what compells people to return the favor, and usually it’s in a very timely manner. Your credibility as a professional grows exponentially as people start to view you as an expert. With the rise in credibility comes an increase in visibility and as well as in referrals and recommendations.

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The Value of Vision

Mary Rosenbaum | June 30th, 2009

Here is an article I read in Harvard Business Publishing that articulates the value of having a vision for your life. If you are building a business or establishing your career, your vision of your life, both personal and professional, impact the choices you make. Your vision encompasses your values and helps establish your goals – your roadmap to where you are going.

What’s Your Vision of the Good Life?

Posted by Christopher Gergen and Gregg Vanourek on August 18, 2008

While world-class organizations craft banner vision statements to inspire their efforts toward success, most people haven’t thought to do so for themselves. As we watch the Olympic Games in Beijing, we are reminded in interview after interview with champion athletes about the importance of envisioning their success, of visualizing their performance flowing perfectly, leading to the medal ceremony and their dreams coming true. Aristotle observed that “the soul never thinks without a picture.”

Creating a compelling vision for our lives — one that includes not just a vision of our professional accomplishments but also a vision for family life, education, health, community engagements, travel, and adventures — can point us in new directions and provide the drive we need to get there. A personal vision statement asks: what do I want to be, do, and contribute in life — and who do I want to share it with?

Some people struggle with the notion of having a vision of the good life because it sounds abstract and distant. Fortunately, authors Richard Leider and David Shapiro have come to the rescue with an elegantly simple definition of the good life: “living in the place you belong, with the people you love, doing the right work — on purpose.”

Keep in mind that vision is different from purpose (a.k.a. “mission”) and goals. Our purpose is our reason for being, and we should think of it as timeless. Our goals are the objectives we want to accomplish, and they are best conceived in one- to three-year increments. By contrast, our life vision is a vivid description of what we will do with our lives. It’s best thought of over a decade, or even a lifetime. Our life vision should take our breath away with its audacity. It should roar with passion and set markers for what we plan to do with our days on the planet.

As we craft a vision for our lives, we should ensure that it is:

Vivid enough to capture our (and others’) imagination
Unbounded by the status quo
Aligned with our authentic essence
Distant enough that we have to work toward it
Clear enough that we can measure our progress against it
Broad enough to encompass all the major aspects of our lives (including personal, professional, and relationships)

Note, though, that a good vision will evolve over time. Having a vision can be a catalyzing force in our lives, but we shouldn’t expect that we will travel a linear path from point A to point B to realize it. Sometimes “stuff” happens.

Most importantly, our vision needs to be grounded in who we are. Many people stumble here, neglecting to look inward before projecting outward. Carl Jung says that “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” In essence, our vision statement is an authentic rendering of how our purpose and values can play out in the world.

So be bold as you craft your vision of the good life.

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