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[#WorkTrends] Launching a Dream Career Amid Pandemic Unemployment

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The pandemic has caused widespread unemployment. And yet, today, many people are launching their dream career, right now. Let’s talk about how you can make that happen!

No doubt, this seems like a tough time to start a job search. But it is more than possible — even during what many see as a nightmare scenario — to find your dream job. Of course, some of the old school methods we used to rely on to find work are now outdated. And, yes, we must now anticipate a job search that is nearly 100 percent virtual. 

But there are many companies making job offers — and you can find meaningful work with a great company right now. All you need is the right approach.

Our Guest: Tracy Timm from The Nth Degree Career Academy

I couldn’t be happier to welcome Tracy Timm to this episode of #WorkTrends. Tracy is the founder of The Nth Degree Career Academy, a proven career clarity system that helps high-potential professionals discover, define, and drive careers they love. With a degree in behavioral psychology from Yale University, Tracy is a sought-after career clarity expert, organizational advisor, speaker, and author. Tracy’s passion for her work and expertise helps clients go from stuck in their job to unstoppable in their careers and lives. 

And that is where we started our discussion. I asked Tracy, “What’s the most important thing a person can do during this pandemic to bounce back better, both in life and in career?” With her answer, Tracy made it clear she knows how to navigate the current job search environment:

“This super disruptive time is a great reminder that life is going to throw us curve balls. Challenging circumstances beyond your control are going to surface. And the only thing that you can control is your level of clarity at any given time. So our office as a mantra is, ‘When there’s a lot more noise, when there’s higher unemployment, and when more people are applying for the same jobs — the person with the most clarity is going to win.’ Because only clarity allows you to rise above that noise, speak with more confidence, and pursue your next step with more certainty.”

Tracy added, “We must show up differently than most people are showing up — which is in panic and reaction mode.”

Launching Your Dream Career Now

Feeling her energy, I pressed Tracy on precisely what a job seeker must do to launch a successful job search, even while the pandemic rages on. Tammy shared some powerful insight:

“The number one thing you can do right now is to take a step back and get super, hyper, laser-focused on you. Your unique value. Your professional genius zone. And then to pursue your dream career with absolute clarity, confidence, and certainty.” Tracy went on to say that clarity is so powerful: “Just to know something with certainty, and to not question it. To not be ‘all in’ is the root cause of most issues when it comes to making decisions or choices in our life.”

“Too many of us don’t fully commit to our choice. We question it, even though we’ve already chosen it.”

As our 30-minute conversation continued, it became clear Tracy was dispensing a lifetime of sage advice perfectly suited to today’s job seekers. If you’re in the middle of a job search, you must listen in. If you know someone currently looking for work, share this conversation with them. Because this episode of #WorkTrends provides must-have insight into how people can launch their dream careers, even during a global pandemic.

 

Learn more about Tracy’s work on LinkedIn.

 

Editor’s note: We’ve updated our FAQ page and #WorkTrends Podcast pages. Take a look!

 

Yes, Your Employees Are Probably Looking for Other Jobs. Stop Trying to Fight It.

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With low unemployment and growing demand for talent, it’s absolutely a job seeker’s market out there right now.

A survey last year found that 82 percent of workers were open to new employment opportunities, and Gallup data from 2015 and 2016 indicated that half of all employees in the U.S. were actively seeking new jobs. The ongoing talent crunch means a huge percentage of job applicants are actively employed at other companies.

So how do you keep your talent from leaving? For starters, by knowing that cracking down on job seekers within your company isn’t going to help. Smart organizations are focusing more on retaining talent than on hindering their workers’ ability to search for other jobs.

Last month, I wrote in my column on Forbes that you should probably stop worrying so much about retention. Let’s take it a step further — here’s my advice for how to stop panicking about retention and start focusing on what matters.

Focus on Incentives and Culture to Retain Talent

All the data shows that companies that demonstrate they believe in the professional and personal growth of their employees are much more likely to attract and retain top talent.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is by clearly celebrating each and every accomplishment and achievement by employees. It’s also quite important that employees and managers remain in close contact on accomplishments, which also means having clearly established goals and milestones. Generating accurate data on employees hitting their target goals and also showing the trajectory of their performance and improvements is always helpful.

And companies should offer as much training as possible, particularly beyond employees’ current job description. Work with employees on their current and stretch goals, offering guidance about next steps.

If an employee can continue to grow by staying within the company, that’s great. But if they can’t, don’t try to maneuver the situation so they’re afraid to leave. Instead make sure they leave on good terms and know they always will have a home in your organization.

They may return sooner than you think — either as a boomerang employee or an independent contractor. Employers can’t afford to burn bridges any more than employees can.

Don’t Try to Stop Employees from Interviewing with Other Companies

I was asked recently — by someone who expected me to say what a good idea this was — if they could request that their employees not interview with another firm.

Here’s the truth: It’s a terrible idea to make such a request. Instead, I strongly suggest you invite your employees to interview with other firms. It’s a remarkable incentive for employees to stay, actually. If you encourage them to explore their free will and free choice, you’re sending a message that:

  • You’re confident enough as a company to be compared with others.
  • You’re confident enough as an employer to know you can replace an employee.
  • You’re confident enough in that employee to give them the privilege of making up their own mind.

Given the statistics, it’s highly likely employees will be interviewing. You might as well make it a part of your non-restrictive management policy to recognize that change and growth — even out the door — is inevitable. Make it clear that an employee’s career growth is considered a win for the company, even if the employee grows right out of the organization.

This comes with one important caveat. Encouraging employees to interview with other companies can be done by a brand that has plenty of confidence, as well as stellar compensation and benefits packages. A company that’s trying to hold on to its employees by the fingernails should probably steer clear of this approach.

There’s No Point in Blocking Job Portals in the Office

People look for work and jobs 24/7, and, yes, that probably means in your office. But there’s not much you can, or should, do about it. Even if you did “lock out” job portals on your organization’s PCs, intranet or network, some employees will find a way.

Glassdoor statistics from 2015 indicated that 45 percent of job seekers used mobile devices to search for jobs at least once every day. Unless you’re going to act like a grade-school teacher and confiscate mobile devices, it’s going to be nearly impossible to prevent a sneak peek at a job portal. Plus, such rules smack of retrogressive management policies and are begging to be broken. For example, what, exactly, should be the consequences for breaking such a rule?

Instead, trust your workers and show confidence in them and the strength of your organization. The reality is that job boards and portals can be random and overwhelming, and many employees are smart enough to take a personal day to focus only on job hunting.

There’s no doubt that today’s workforce landscape is challenging for organizations of all types. But accepting this reality as it truly is and focusing your resources on what matters most to employees will help you retain more talent over the long run.

5 Ugly Myths About Changing Career in Your 30s

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Traditionally, being in your 20s is seen as a time to be footloose and fancy free, to conclude your education, to explore your career options and to figure out what you want to do with the rest of your life. But by the time you turn 30, it’s generally expected that you’ll be working on ways to advance on your chosen career path.

However, if you find in your 30s that your career isn’t fulfilling, you don’t have to spend the rest of your life dreading the sound of your alarm clock — there’s still time to shift gears and go in a totally different direction. You just have to be prepared for naysayers — even well-meaning friends and family members — who will question your judgment.

Here are five myths you can expect to hear cited by these naysayers, along with helpful advice for successfully changing careers in your 30s.

‘That’s Totally Impractical/You Should Know What You Want to Do’

This common myth is based on the fear of change, which can lead you to stick with a decision and its resulting course regardless of whether it’s making you unhappy. Just remember that it’s totally acceptable to change your mind. “When you were 5 years old and someone asked you what you wanted to be, do you still want to do that? Chances are, probably not,” says Becca Shelton, assistant director for career services at the University of Richmond. Shelton works with adult learners, alumni and experienced professionals who are seeking career guidance.

“Our ideas change, our vision for ourselves changes over time, and that’s one of the beautiful things about being a human being,” Shelton says. Most people spend at least 40 hours a week at work, which is more than 2,000 hours a year. “That’s a lot over a lifetime, so you should ask yourself if your job allows you to use your strengths and be the best version of yourself,” Shelton says.

One person who knows something about change is Cortney McDermott, a TEDx speaker, strategist to Fortune 500 executives and entrepreneurial leaders and the author of “Change Starts Within You: Unlock the Confidence to Lead with Intuition.” Before she became an entrepreneur, McDermott was an executive at Vanity Fair Corp. and Sustainability Partners, a professor of graduate studies for a Big Ten university and a global associate for beCause Consortium.

“When we start to listen to our intuition — that inner force that urges us to change and grow — we have to be prepared to meet with other people’s fears, as well as our own ingrained ideas about what’s ‘practical’ or ‘realistic,’ ” McDermott says. “If this myth is plaguing you now, see if you can find one or more sources — such as podcasts or books — or people to reinforce your confidence in what’s possible.”

McDermott says she has used this technique to reinvent herself several times. “Remember: realists don’t change the world. Unrealistic people do,” she says.

‘You’re Too Old/It’s Too Late’

Who gets to determine when it’s too late to change course? “When I was working as a corporate executive, I dreamed of becoming a writer,” McDermott says. The few people who she confided in always expressed doubt about such a major change. The consistent message was that she should stick with what she was doing. “Luckily, I didn’t — but what I did do was to start small, dedicating a morning window for this passion every day before work and often again in the evenings.” McDermott says her story offers proof that it’s never too late.

Here’s something else to consider: Shelton notes that people in their 30s probably aren’t far past the halfway mark to retirement. “With the workplace being more fluid, so are skill sets and how they are applied to different jobs and careers,” she says.

‘No One Is Going to Hire You’

Changing jobs in your 30s is one thing, but changing careers is a different concept. How will employers view a job candidate in this age group applying for their first job in this field? Probably the same way they view everyone else — and the hiring manager might be impressed that you have the guts to follow your dreams.

“When preparing for the interview, identify your transferable skills that would be related to your target industry, and be able to talk about how you used those skills,” says Cynthia Saunders-Cheatham, assistant dean of the career management center at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business.

Saunders-Cheatham recommends networking to find jobs. “Leverage your alumni network. Schedule informational meetings. Take people out for coffee and ask questions about what they do, trends in the industry, company goals and challenges.”

Another key is to embrace LinkedIn. Saunders-Cheatham says it isn’t enough to just set up the basics on the site. “You need to tailor your profile to the role and industry and highlight keywords that are relevant to the industry so that recruiters can find you.”

Her other LinkedIn tips include the following:

  • Set alerts.
  • Follow relevant companies.
  • Join relevant groups, including your alumni and industry groups.
  • Learn how to use LinkedIn to find contacts in specific fields and reach out to them for information.
  • Use the site’s new mentorship platform.

‘If You Get Hired, You’ll Have to Start at the Bottom’

The naysayers will say you’ll have to take an entry-level position, so you’ll be starting over and spending years trying to get re-established. “While it’s unlikely that you will jump right into a senior level position, don’t ever dismiss the amount of experience, skills and talents you have developed throughout your career so far,” Shelton says. “Think of your skills as a tool box — what’s in your tool box and how can you help employers solve problems?”

‘You’ll Have to Go Back To School, Which Is Expensive and Will Take Too Much Time’

Changing careers can indeed require additional training and education, but it doesn’t have to mean a new four-year degree. “Maybe there is a certificate you can pick up, or other training that will give you an edge, but this is all part of your story,” Shelton says. “It is important to know your story, own your story, and articulate that to others.”

If you know you’ll need to go back to school full time, she recommends that you start making plans. “Know that there are many flexible educational programs available for those working full time who want to expand their knowledge and marketability.” Some programs are offered online, and some are at night or on the weekend, making them more likely to fit your schedule. There also are grants and scholarships available, based on your major, location, age and other factors.

Changing careers in your 30s might not be easy, but it can definitely be accomplished. Now that you know the myths — and the truth — you can make an informed decision.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was originally published in March 2016, and substantially updated in August 2018.

252 Powerful Words to Avoid Apocalypse at Job Interview

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In the beginning was the Word.

Have you ever wondered why some writers can’t hook us while others simply toy with your emotions? Why do we listen to some speakers carefully while others make us nothing but fall asleep?

Words.

They use different words to influence readers and listeners.

When written in resumes or said during job interviews, words become your powerful weapon. The better you use them, the bigger your chances to influence recruiters are.

So, how to do that?

Next time you write a resume, make sure you use strong and powerful words, as they increase your chances of getting hired by 80%! It’s high time to forget about clichés: professional recruiters read hundreds of resumes daily, so they are sick and tired of all those “great team player” or “responsible and dedicated individual” every second candidate writes in resumes and says at job interviews.

Powerful words in your resume will help you avoid apocalypse and motivate recruiters, especially when you search for your first job after graduation.

Said during an interview, they can do wonders.

Carefully-chosen, such words draw interviewers from one emotion to another, making them sympathize you and see you an ideal candidate as compared with others.

What are these powerful words, after all?

Broken down alphabetically, they are easier to find and remember.

A-Words

Able

Absorb

Accelerate

Accomplish

Achieve

 Acquire

Administrate

Advanced

Advise

Advocate

 Align

Amplify

Analyse

Announce

Appraise

 Arbitrate

Assemble

Assess

Assign

Assist

 Attain

Attract

Audit

Authorize

Award

B-Words

Balance

Bargain

Benefit

 Block

Bolster

Boost

 Brief

Budget

Build

C-Words

Calculate

Campaign

Capitalize

Centralize

Chart

Clarify

Coach

 Co-author

Collaborate

Commit

Complete

Comply

Compose

Conduct

 Conserve

Consolidate

Consult

Convert

Convey

Convince

Contribute

 Coordinate

Correspond

Counsel

Create

Critique

Customize

Cultivate

D-Words

Decrease

Deduct

Define

Delegate

Deliver

Demonstrate

 Design

Detect

Develop

Devise

Devote

Design

 Dispatch

Diagnose

Discover

Distinguish

Diversify

Document

E-Words

Earn

Educate

Enable

Encourage

 Enforce

Engineer

Enhance

Enrich

 Ensure

Establish

Evaluate

Examine

 Exceed

Excell

Expand

Explore

F-Words

Facilitate

Field

Finance

Forecast

 Forge

Formalize

Formulate

 Foster

Found

Fulfill

Further

G-H-Words

Gain

Gather

Generate

 Head

Help

Hire

Host

 Give

Grant

Guide

I-Words

Identify

Illustrate

Implement

Improve

Improvise

Incorporate

 Increase

Influence

Inform

Initiate

Innovate

Inspect

 Inspire

Integrate

Interpret

Introduce

Investigate

Itemize

L-M-Words

Launch

Lessen

Lift

Lobby

 Maintain

Manage

Map

Market

 Monitor

Motivate

Multiply

 Maximize

Measure

Mediate

Mentor

 Merge

Mobilize

Modernize

Modify

N-O-Words

Navigate

Negotiate

 Observe

Obtain

 Oversee

Outpace

Outperform

 Operate

Organize

 Originate

Overhaul

P-Words

Participate

Partner

Perform

 Persuade

Pioneer

Plan

 Prepare

Present

Project

 Promote

Provide

Publish

Q-R-Words

Qualify

Rank

Reach

React

Receive

Recommend

Reconcile

Recover

Recruit

Redesign

 Quantify

Reduce

Reengineer

Refine

Refocus

Regulate

Rehabilitate

Reinstate

Remodel

Reorganize

 Quote

Replace

Represent

Restructure

Resolve

Retain

Revamp

Review

Revise

Revitalize

S-Words

Safeguard

Save

Scrutinize

Secure

 Segment

Select

Shape

Showcase

 Simplify

Skill

Spearhead

Specify

 Standardize

Stimulate

Streamline

Strengthen

 Structure

Succeed

Suggest

Supervise

 Support

Surpass

Survey

Sustain

T-U-V-Words

Target

Teach

Test

Track

Train

 Transcend

Transform

Translate

Triumph

Tutor

 Uncover

Unify

Unite

Update

Upgrade

 Utilize

Validate

Value

View

Verify

As far as you see, all power words are verbs of action. When you use them in resumes and interviews, you tell a recruiter that you are a doer, a man of action who is ready to work and do his best.

It’s clear you shouldn’t use all 250+ words at once or learn them ALL to blow HRs out of the water:

  • Check them carefully;
  • Choose those corresponding to your skills and describing you as a leader and responsible individual ready for self-development, learning, and working the best you can;
  • Make sure they sound during your answers to a recruiter’s question.

A word is a powerful weapon that can help you win as well as fail. So, use this weapon for your sake.

Have you ever thought of words as a method to influence interviewers? Do you consider it a good technique to improve your resume and help you get a dream job?

photo credit: Interactive e-Resume Template Vol. 1 via photopin (license)

7 Ways Candidates Blow A Phone Interview

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I’m consistently amazed by how unaware the average job seeker is of how to establish a positive first impression on a phone interview. I hear the same frustrated complaints from employers of all industries and sizes – that candidates who voluntarily submitted their resumes in hopes of discussing a position they’re supposedly interested in just can’t seem to get it together. Remember when all you needed was a solid resume to be guaranteed a face-to-face interview? For the sake of saving time, resources, and money, recruiters have become much more selective on who they decide to meet in person. In an effort to weed out time-wasters and soft-skill-deficient candidates, recruiters are conducting phone screens to find out who’s off their game.

1. They’re unprepared to take the call.
If you’re 4 beers deep at a Yankees game or trying to wrestle a dirty diaper off a screaming baby, you probably shouldn’t answer a call you don’t recognize. Yet, most of the candidates my recruiting team speaks with are under the impression that it’s better to answer a call you’re not completely prepared for than to miss the call altogether. It’s not. If you find yourself in a situation that isn’t suitable for a professional conversation, don’t pick up. Instead, call back within 24 hours, after you’ve collected your thoughts, can speak confidently, and have locked down a quiet location.

Not to mention, they start timing you from the second they leave a voicemail, which brings me to my next point. If you’re actively looking, you should have a professional voicemail with specific instructions to avoid an unwanted game of phone tag. For example, “Hi, you’ve reached Mark Smith. If you’re calling in regards to my resume, please leave your name and number as well as the best times for me to reach you.”

2. They expect the recruiter to fill in the blanks.
“Hi, what job did I apply for again? What company are you calling on behalf of?” It pains me to admit this, but these responses are the norm when an employer reaches out to a candidate, even for high-level positions. You’re a job seeker, which means you probably apply to several jobs each week. We understand that it’s tough to keep track, but it’s essential – if only for the sake of a recruiter’s sanity – that you start taking notes. Just by picking up the phone and saying, “Hi Wendy, you must be calling in regards to the Customer Service position I applied for last week.” Mind blown.

3. They conduct an unorganized job search.
This goes hand in hand with my last point. Today, it’s not enough to print out a handful of resumes and call it a day. We always recommend that our candidates keep a spreadsheet of every job application they submitted with corresponding dates, company names, and relevant contacts. Or, if you’re a tech wiz, try these awesome job search apps. That way, when the phone rings, you’ll have a handy guide that’ll save you from playing guessing games. Also, it’s important to keep your background information and portfolios within arms reach to provide some quick material for preliminary questions. It says a great deal about your personal brand if you’re prepared to answer a challenging question, and even have some on-hand stats to back up your argument. And for bonus points, don’t forget to browse company websites and connect with HR personnel on LinkedIn. Taking that extra step makes a huge impression.

4. They don’t understand why recruiters really call.
More often than not, recruiters aren’t calling to simply schedule a personal interview; they’re calling to conduct a prescreen. In other words, to decide whether they want to move you forward. Remember all that research you were supposed to do when you applied for the gig? Use it to show recruiters you know something about how their company culture works and that you’re serious about the job.

5. They have a bad “radio personality.”
Phones are tough – all you have to make an impression is your voice. Candidates, especially introverts, often fail to heighten their energy over the phone. Nobody’s expecting you to sound like Ron Burgundy, but you should at the very least sound excited, confident, and prepared. Excessive “umms,” stammering, or sounding like you’re dead inside are huge turnoffs to recruiters. The only way to overcome this obstacle is through practice. Record yourself on any device you have handy, and ask yourself this difficult question: “Would you hire you?” Getting your career narrative down in a way that engages and connects with an employer is essential to winning that face-to-face meeting.

6. They have a weak or unprofessional online presence.
Chances are, if recruiters are interested in what you have to say, they’ll be googling you before then end of your conversation. A half-complete LinkedIn profile or a racy Facebook picture is all it takes to eliminate you from the game. Just last week, one of my recruiters found a candidate with a stellar background and scheduled her for an interview right away. But just minutes before their call, she discovered an R-rated photo online that involved a stripper pole. Needless to say, the recruiter’s mind was made up before the conversation started.

7. They fail to treat a phone interview with the same decorum as they would a personal one.
Just because you didn’t put on a suit or block out time in your day doesn’t mean it counts any less towards your chances of securing the job. Request follow up procedures, send personalized thank you notes, and be sure to highlight any takeaways to reinforce your sincerity. Take it from me, the small things really do matter.

photo credit: Phone Talkin via photopin (license)

Researching About Companies and Jobs in India

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Preparation is the key to a successful interview. The most important parts of the preparation process is understanding the basics about the company and the job profile. All recruiters will expect you to know and understand this information. For this reason, it’s important to spend the time to research the company and the job for which you’re applying.

Research will not only better prepare you for your interview, but help you decide whether or not you would be a good fit for the company. If it turns out that you’re not a good fit, you can avoid wasting your and the recruiter’s time. Here are some tips on how to research companies and jobs in India.

Check the Company’s Website

Before you look anywhere else, check the company’s website to find information about its environment, work culture, management, work hours and other important details. The company’s website is the best source for reliable information about the organization.

You may also find that the company website provides information about the role you are applying for and its responsibilities.

Use Professional Associations

If you belong to a professional association, you may be able to take advantage of your membership to learn more about the company you’re applying to. Check out the association’s website to see if you can find information about the company. If the company is in the same industry that the association is in, you may also be able to meet people who work there and learn more detailed information about the organization.

Research Corporate Blogs

Corporate blogs are very popular, so there is a good chance that the company you’re applying to will have its own blog site. Blogs often have more information pertaining to work culture, employee opinions and the latest happenings going on in the workplace. If the company does have a blog, you can gain a lot of insight into what it would be like to work for the organization, and what you can expect if you’re hired.

Talk to Potential Coworkers

One of the simplest ways to research a company is to talk to current employees. Employees know firsthand what the management is like, how the culture is, and what the company may be currently working on. The information that current employees can provide you with this invaluable information, and can be used to further improve your chances of success during the interview.

Read Discussion Boards

Finally, you want to read through professional discussion boards online to see if you can find out more information about the organization. Some threads may contain information about the company, or the job profile that you are applying for. You may also consider starting your own thread and asking others to provide their opinions. You may be lucky enough to get an answer from someone who works for the company.

Researching a company takes time, but it’s important to understand the organization’s work culture, current projects, management, and other important details before the interview takes place. If you show up to the interview knowing nothing about the company, you will likely be turned away for the job because recruiters may assume that you aren’t truly interested in or serious about the position.

Source: Jobtonic.in

4 Next-Level Questions To Ask In A Job Interview

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Every part of the hiring process counts, but a face-to-face meeting is the best opportunity to dazzle the boss and land a coveted offer.

To maximize those precious moments, here are the four types of interview questions everyone should ask an employer.

Each question demonstrates critical thinking and declares: I’m in it to win it.

Note: to answer interview questions in a memorable way, tell stories. Here’s how.

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Scenario: you interview to do marketing/communications for a grocery chain.

1. The Background Check

People love to talk about themselves. Period. If you come prepared with a question about the boss’s career (thanks to LinkedIn or a website bio), he will perk up, brag on himself and find you impressive — even though you only asked a question and listened.

Sample interview question

“I noticed you started your career in marketing for Ringling Brothers circus. What was that experience like?”

2. The Office Insight

Every company has a website. So read it before the interview. Check out past and current projects, staff bios and gain a general sense of the office culture. Then, drop a question to prove you did your homework.

Sample interview question

“I read several of your recent press releases and saw you’re making a push to carry more gluten-free products. How big is the demand right now for gluten-free foods?”

3. The “Wow” Factor

The bio question, the company question…both solid. Now, turn your focus to the industry, in general. Read news about the grocery biz and put the company in context with the latest headlines. That’s next-level stuff , which prompts a “wow” from the boss.

Sample interview question

“I see [company A] bought [company B]. The deal seems like a major shake-up in the grocery industry. What does the [company A] takeover say to you?”

4. The Inception

With the “wow” question, you took the interview from an uncomfortable boss-applicant arrangement to a conversation among peers. Now, plant a seed in the manager’s brain with a cool marketing idea. Make him feel like he needs you on the team right now.

Sample interview question

“I like the way your store offers online deals based on my previous purchases. For me, a twenty-something, it’s a smart strategy. Wouldn’t it be cool to do a targeted campaign to reach people where they spend time online?”

Boss says, “You know, that’s a really good idea.”

—

For your next job interview, come with a set of questions no one else will have.

Be smarter. Be one notch better.

Be different.

 

Image: bigstock

#TChat Preview: How Social Networking And The Job Search Pay Off

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The TalentCulture #TChat Show is back live on Wednesday, Aug 12, 2015, from 1-2 pm ET (10-11 am PT).

Last week we talked about how employers can help bridge the great debt divide, and this week we’re going to talk about how social networking and the job search pay off.

The power of social networking and social media is well known these days. It can be an amazing boon for your career development, but used unwisely can ruin you forever.

Managing your online profile and persona consistently and accurately is where it all starts. Those organizations searching you and your “brand” out and reviewing who you are will be looking for anomalies that don’t add up — and you want to always have everything add up — even if you’re not looking for a job.

Social networking isn’t a quick fix for managing your career. You need to be thoughtful about your brand and your point of view and nurture every single day for it to pay off.

Sneak Peek:

#TChat Events: How Social Networking And The Job Search Pay Off

TChatRadio_logo_020813#TChat Radio — Wed, Aug 12 — 1 pm ET / 10 am PT

Join TalentCulture #TChat Show co-founders and co-hosts Meghan M. Biro and Kevin W. Grossman as they talk about how social networking and the job search pay off with this week’s guests: Robin Schooling, accomplished HR Leader, strategist and advisor; and our very own Cyndy Trivella, marketing manager for SmartSearch applicant tracking systems and events & accounts manager at TalentCulture.

 

Tune in LIVE online Wednesday, Aug 12

#TChat Twitter Chat — Wed, Aug 12 — 1:30 pm ET /10:30 am PT Immediately following the radio show, Meghan, Kevin, Robin and Cyndy will move to the #TChat Twitter stream, where we’ll continue the discussion with the entire TalentCulture community. Everyone with a Twitter account is invited to participate, as we gather for a dynamic live chat, focused on these related questions:

Q1: What are the top 3 things job seekers should use social networking for? #TChat (Tweet this Question)

Q2: How can job seekers use social for researching potential employers? #TChat (Tweet this Question)

Q3: How can job seekers use blogs, podcasts or vodcasts to promote their personal brand? #TChat (Tweet this Question)

Until then, we’ll keep the discussion going on the #TChat Twitter feed, our TalentCulture World of Work Community LinkedIn group, and in our TalentCulture G+ community. So feel free to drop by anytime and share your questions, ideas and opinions. See you there!!!

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What’s Better: Startups Or Established Companies?

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“For my first job after school, is it better for me to work at a small company, like a startup, so I can get my hands dirty? Or a bigger, more established company, so I can build my resume?”

Some variation of this question is among the top three questions I’m asked by millennial job seekers today when I’m providing advice to our community of job seekers on FirmPlay. So I figured it’s time I provided a definitive answer, once and for all.

Ready?

There is no definitive answer.

Why? Because it isn’t about small or big, unknown vs brand-name. On their own, those terms are without context and completely meaningless.

What it is about is your personal preferences for a work environment, and your longer term goals. In other words, there’s no cookie-cutter answer; you’ll have to weigh multiple considerations to figure out what’s right for you.

So what exactly should you consider? While the list could be as long as you want it to be, the following handful of considerations should be at the very top:

Goals

Do you know what you want to do for a career? If you can’t answer the question “what do you want to be doing in 10 years” (and it’s ok if you can’t – I certainly couldn’t at the start of my career), then consider that smaller companies tend to be good for experiencing a variety of different roles. Smaller companies that are doing well – especially super-small companies, like startups – tend to have a lot of work that needs to get done…and not enough people to do it. So out of necessity, you’d be forced to take on a variety of roles (i.e. “wear multiple hats”) that stretch the boundaries of your job description.

Development

How do you want to develop yourself at work? If you prefer to learn by doing, smaller companies might be more likely to give you that opportunity (again, lots of work, not enough people, especially at successful small companies). You’ll often be learning because you have no other choice – others won’t have time or know the answer, so you’ll have to figure it out. You’ll need to be comfortable being uncomfortable. However, if you want a more structured, formal learning environment, larger companies are more likely to have existing trainings and where you’re more likely to have a clearer management structure within which you could learn the basics of the business or industry.

Risk

What’s your risk appetite? Smaller companies, especially startups, can test anyone’s nerves. By some estimates, 90% of startups fail. The enormous pressures a company faces in its early days can lead to stressful days and uncertainty about its future – which is directly tied to your paycheck. If you have loans or other major obligations, stability will be important to you. While “small” doesn’t necessarily mean “new”, be mindful of just how much risk you’re willing to assume in your first job. (But if a startup makes it? Well, the risk could be worth it.)

Skills

Is there a specific skillset you’re trying to hone? Oftentimes, the decision is made for you based on the skills you’re trying to develop. For instance, if you want to develop software for 3D printers, the majority of companies that you could work for are small in size. Similarly, if you want to design cars, you’re probably looking at bigger companies. So think hard about the skills you want to be using and developing in your first job.

This list could go on forever – so consider the above a starting point. Still, I’m willing to bet that you’ll start to get a feel for what’s better for you pretty quickly into this exercise.

After all, there’s no right or wrong answer. Only what’s right for you.

Vasilios Alexiou is the Co-Founder of FirmPlay, a new job search site that takes job seekers behind the scenes at companies using photos and videos…so they can discover a job they’ll love. He received a B.A. from Harvard University and an M.B.A. from Dartmouth College. Follow Vasilios on Twitter at @FirmPlay, and read his other posts at FirmPlay’s career advice blog.

Modernize Your Resume For 2015: Part 2

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If you haven’t written a resume in a long time, but are considering seeking a new position in 2015, it’s important that you are up to date with the latest trends in resume writing and styles. Recruiters are set to focus on quality of hire in 2015, so your resume needs to be top notch, reflecting both your best skill set and an expert understanding of your field.

In Part 1 of this series, I discussed two of the five techniques: making a clear value proposition and using a professional layout. Here, in Part 2, I detail the remaining three techniques.

Cull Outdated Experience

In 2015, recruiters are looking for quality not quantity, so if you haven’t done so already it’s time to cut the deadwood. If your resume is more than two pages long, then you’re either listing irrelevant or outdated experience, or writing verbose job role descriptions. Cut out irrelevant and outdated experiences straight away. Highlight the experience that is most relevant to the job you’re going for, only list the skills required for the job roles you’re after and include achievements that make you a unique candidate.

Digital-Friendly

A digital-friendly resume that looks just as good via email or on a webpage as it does on paper will be essential in 2015. When you send your resume as an email attachment you want to make sure it opens without trouble, and that when it opens it looks good. To ensure the file format is compatible, make a copy of your resume as a PDF so that when you send it over to a recruiter or an employer, they will be able to view it exactly as you intended it. Links to a professional video, as well as your LinkedIn profile and possibly your online portfolio or blog (depending on your profession), are must-haves. There’s going to be an increased emphasis on social media — especially LinkedIn — in the recruitment sector this year, so make sure you have a stellar profile there too.

Professional Video

If you’re finding that recruiters and employers are frequently asking for a digital copy of your resume, now’s the time to supplement your main resume with a video. Though video resumes aren’t rivaling written ones, integrating a video into your digital resume can really enhance it. A short 30-second video is a great opportunity to introduce yourself and show off your personality, professionalism and how well you fit into an organization’s employee culture. A small link to the video at the beginning of your resume is all you need — an employer will be easily able to locate it and watch it. There’s plenty of advice available online for when to use a video resume and how to make it effective. Remember, a video isn’t there to replace content, but instead to add value and personality to your existing resume.

Modernizing your resume is vital to making an impression on a potential employer, but make sure it’s the right one. Formatting your resume properly and ensuring it’s digital-friendly can be exactly what you need to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pile. It could be your ticket to getting to the next stage of the hiring process.

About the Author: Ron Stewart has worked in the recruitment industry for 30 years, having owned companies in the IT, construction and medical sectors. He runs the Jobs4Group, and is CEO of Jobs4Medical.

photo credit: jsawkins via photopin cc

 

Modernize Your Resume For 2015: Part 1

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If you haven’t written a resume in a long time, but are considering seeking a new position in 2015, it’s important that you are up to date with the latest trends in resume writing and styles. Recruiters are set to focus on quality of hire in 2015, so your resume needs to be top notch, reflecting both your best skill set and an expert understanding of your field.

In this first of a two-part series, I detail two of the five techniques that top candidates will be using to get potential employers’ attentions this year. The second part will detail the remaining three techniques.

Value Proposition

Make a statement with your resume right the at beginning. What makes you a valuable asset to this company? What’s your big selling point? A concise, evidence-backed sentence that illustrates to the employer why you would be worth having on its team is the perfect way to open your resume. For example, a marketing professional might start with:

With 10 years of digital marketing experience, I have the creative solutions to increase engagement and get clients noticed. In one month, I can boost social media followings by 25%.

A sales executive would opt for something along the lines of:

Proven track record of increasing annual sales by 40% and consistently beating sales goals in all of my previous positions.

It’s likely that your value proposition will have to be adjusted slightly for each different employer. Remember, not every company is looking for the same thing: they want to know why you will be valuable to them. Make sure you’re clued in on the company vision and culture so that you know exactly what to propose in your headline.

Professional Layout

What is the purpose of layout? To make it easy for the person reading it to find the relevant information from the resume. A dense wall of text won’t get you very far, but neither will a resume that is all style and no content, unless perhaps you are working in a creative industry. If you’re struggling to format your resume in Word, try using online resume builders such as KickResume and VisualCV.

Generic resume templates aren’t going to cut it in 2015. The average time a recruiter spends reading one resume is just six seconds, so you really need to make those seconds count. While sticking to black and white text is still a good rule of thumb, your headings need to be bold so they jump out when a recruiter or employer is scanning through. Make them stand out with a subtle shade of color, a stylized font, or even graphics. This resume, from Hongkiat, is a good example of both creative font and color, while this resume on the other hand might be considered too much style, too little substance. Be careful not to go overboard here, as outlandish designs and crazy colors can get your resume thrown into the bin without a second glance.

Modernizing your resume is vital for making an impression on a potential employer. It could be your ticket to getting to the next stage of the hiring process.

To learn three more resume-modernizing techniques, keep on the lookout for part two of this series!

About the Author: Ron Stewart has worked in the recruitment industry for 30 years, having owned companies in the IT, construction and medical sectors. He runs the Jobs4Group, and is CEO of Jobs4Medical.

 

photo credit: flazingo_photos via photopin cc

7 Turns To Take On The Road To Your Dream Job

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Written By: Mary Isabale

“What do you want to be when you will grow up?”- a famous question we all have faced and had to answer in our childhood days. With starry eyes full of ambition and heart full of high hopes you may have answered that you want to be an actor or a doctor or teacher, lawyer, astronaut, firefighter. You may have also dreamed of a job that would give you rich mansions with butlers and maids, cars. But when you really grow up, things may have changed. The reality around you might have reshaped that it has diverted your vision of your dream job. In a  situation like this it is may be difficult for you to chase or choose your dream job but it is never impossible. These 7 tips will help you to find your dream job.

Analyze your ambition

A good analysis of your ambition will help you to find your dream job. You have to know what is your dream job. What suits you the best as a job? The British born philosopher Alan Watts said that to know what job is the best fit for a person can be found out by asking a simple question. ‘What would you do if money were no object?’. What would you do if you won a lottery and don’t need to do anything for a living? The answers of these questions will lead one to understand his or her ambition.

Know your greatest talent and purpose

In this step you have to be completely objective about yourself. You need to point out your skills and strengths. You can take others advice or opinion into account. You also have to know about your weak points. Once you get the clear indications about your skills, strengths or weaknesses, then you can clearly connect them to choose your path. On the other hand the purpose of your life should be made clear to you. You must know for which reasons you are chasing your dream job. It will help you to not leave the dreams behind.

Being realistic

Not all the jobs full of money are the one of your dreams and not all the dream jobs are currency maker.  You have to take that into account. Your dream job might not be that much financially rich. If you want to earn money, then you have to sort out those types of jobs which will accomplish your needs. But those who are willing to follow your passion should keep in mind that when you follow your passion money often comes too.

Keep calm and patient

You need to keep calm and patient in finding your dream job. The more nervous or anxious we become in finding our dream job, the more prone we become to take actions that won’t help. Happy endings are often obstacles for not being patient. It might take years to achieve success on dream job, but you need to follow the path you have chosen from the heart.

Commit to find your job or create it

It is very important to be committed to the path towards your dream job. An audacious goal is never achieved without proper commitment. Either you have to find the job that fits you the most with all your potentials or you must be that much devoted to make a way to create it for yourself.

Consider the ups and downs of your dream job

This one is one of the most important to find your dream job. There must be some difficulties in your job besides the positive side. You have to be well aware about them. You must have to research the positivity and negativity of your dream job. The more you will be aware about them,  the more you will be certain to find what is your dream job.

Buckling up yourself

Doing some volunteer works or other jobs related to your dream jobs will certainly make you sure about if you have found your dream job yet or not. Besides, it will help to boost your confidence and enrich your CV. It will also help you to get experience which is a crucial factor for getting your dream job.

The famous Chinese philosopher Confucius said that ‘Find a job you enjoy and you will never work a day in your life.’ Finding a dream job will make your life easier to move on. But dream jobs can be also hard in nature too. But life is certainly easier when you are working with something you love. So never stop believing in yourself and always look for what suits you the most.

(About the Author: Mary Isabale is a career expert and experienced hiring manager.)

To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter and G+ conversation anytime. Learn more…

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

Career Advice: The Best Defense Is A Good Offense

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There can be few things more disheartening than having someone completely steal your idea and try to find success off the back of your hard work. Imagine if you’d released a popular app that had had thousands of downloads and a ton of positive feedback; only to find that several imitators had proceeded to release carbon copies of what you’d made and begun damaging your sales and stealing your customers. They say that imitation is the best form of flattery, but in reality it tends to be far less flattering and much more frustrating.

The question is then, what do you do about these imitators and how do you ensure that they don’t steal all of your thunder? Should you tackle them head on, or should you be more subtle about it?

The Best Defense

The best defense here is definitely a good offense. That doesn’t mean you want to attack your copycats though, rather it means you want to move forward with your project in an ‘aggressive’ manner so as to effectively bulldoze your opponents. Just think about how many Angry Birds imitators there are out there: do you care about any of them? No: because Angry Birds was the first and the best and as such it got all of the attention. This is the way you need to be with your project: rather than worrying about protecting yourself legally or chasing down every last attempted copy, you should just focus on making your project the best and being the first to market.

Ideas Aren’t Everything

In fact when you think about it, the magic of Angry Birds wasn’t really in the idea at all, so much as it was down to the execution. It was the charm of Angry Birds and the physics that made it a hit, and this is the case with many creations. People can steal your idea, but they can’t steal your personality and your fingerprints which should be all over your creations and often that is far more valuable than the idea itself.

As tech-investor-and-author Tim Ferriss put it to the Huffington Post:

“Ideas are worth nothing, they’re not a dime a dozen, they’re just nothing. All the good founders I know – even the bad founders – can come up with ideas all day long. It doesn’t mean anything. You have to execute.”

Don’t Become the Bad Guy

Generally where we’re going with this then is to say: don’t fret if someone tries to muscle in on your territory. In fact it’s fairly normal for people to ‘borrow’ your ideas, just as Microsoft has borrowed from Apple and SEGA has borrowed from Nintendo. A little competition – even if it feels like an affront – will only lead to a better marketplace for your customers and more progress in your industry.

And if you take too aggressive a stance you can end up becoming the bad guy: just like ‘King’ did when they ridiculously copyrighted the term ‘Candy’ for use in computer games and merchandise.

Sure it’s annoying when someone tries to steal your intellectual property, but eventually it’s all but inevitable. Don’t waste your energy fighting them, instead focus on taking your own products to the next level. You’ve innovated once, you can do it again!

(About the Author: Greg Fisher, founder of Berkeley Sourcing Group, has a strong manufacturing and engineering background, and is proficient in Mandarin. After graduating from UC Berkeley with an engineering degree, Mr. Fisher worked in the medical device, hard drive storage, ice cream, and professional tools industries in various management, manufacturing, and quality control capacities.)

To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter and G+ conversation anytime. Learn more…

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

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Looking For A Summer Project? Start Networking!

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Summer’s here and you’re probably getting ready to hit the beach or soak up some sun on a patio. Fair enough. But don’t let your networking routine go cold.

Building a strong professional network takes continuous time and effort. While there may be fewer conferences and events during the summer, there are still many great opportunities to get out (or stay in) and meet new people.

Why not make networking your summer project? While everyone else is snoozing in the sand, you’ll be more visible to industry leaders who don’t take the sunny season off.

Networking doesn’t have to be awkward. And it doesn’t take place exclusively at workshops or conferences. Rather, networking should be an opportunity to learn something new and meet interesting people with interesting stories. How will you learn and grow from seeing the same people all the time? You won’t. So enhance the diversity of your networking.

Networking doesn’t always have to take place on a face to face basis either. Participate in a #TChat or another type of Twitter chat or engage with others on Linkedin. Social networking for career success is just as important as what happens at a conference and many of the same principles can be applied online.

Networking can happen anywhere. It can be casual and spontaneous. But there is still a right way to do it. An effective networker is a breath of fresh air; They’re generous, entertaining, and informative. Be somebody that you’d want to talk to.

Here are five ways to network effectively this summer.

1. Don’t just talk about the industry.

“What did you think about [relevant culture or current events topic]?”

Stay up to date with interesting things happening in the world and important news topics. Don’t just open with statements about your knowledge of a certain industry. Ask open-ended questions and you’ll find a mutual interest and you’ll be somebody other’s want to engage with.

2. Be prepared and know your brand.

Prepare a 30-second sound-bite about yourself. This way you are listening and not thinking about what to say next. Know yourself, your goals and how you want to project so that you can get to know others.

3. Project confidence.

We all have a fear of rejection. I say reject fear. Tackle networking challenges with a smile and a firm handshake (translation: a favourite and a retweet). Your new contact will be impressed… and relieved. Awkwardness is awkward for everyone.

This same principal can be applied to Twitter or other social media channels. For example, I attended a conference a few weeks back and was concerned that because the breaks were so short, I wouldn’t have any time to meet people. But who says the introductions or networking has to take place at that conference? I was live tweeting anyways and so I started to introduce myself to others live tweeting at the conference as well.

4. Don’t be a time-suck.

Your new contact is also here to meet people (as in: more than one) – allow them to move on. The same goes for social media. If you’re participating in a twitter chat don’t turn it into a conversation between you and one other person. Respond to other people’s comments and allow everyone the opportunity to give and take from the discussion.

5. Stay in touch.

Send a follow up note within 24 hours. Subtly remind your new contact where you met and what you talked about.

Back to the twitter example I talked about in point five. There were a few people I didn’t get the chance to meet up with at the conference. Instead of letting the opportunity pass me by, I followed up via Twitter and scheduled a few coffee meetings for the upcoming weeks.

(About the Author: Rachel Scott has a diverse background in advertising and communications that includes everything from working as a Research Assistant for the Canada Research Chair in Philosophy of Technology, working in the Public Relations department for CJSF 90.1 FM, to her most recent role as Marketing Assistant at Clevers Media, a marketing and consulting agency based in Vancouver, BC.

Currently Rachel is the Marketing and Content Manager at Boost Agents. Boost Agents brings together growing, forward thinking organizations and qualified creative, marketing and communications professionals through our timely and ethical process to make the perfect cultural fit. Whether you are a candidate (job seeker) looking to boost your career and need someone to help take you to the next level, or a client looking to grow your team, we’re excited to be part of the process with you.)

To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter and G+ conversation anytime. Learn more…

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

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10 Ways To Make Your Job Search Miserable

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For Babbitt, who never hurt anyone in his life.

Long ago, I remember hearing someone say that in life, suffering is mandatory but misery is optional. I agree but sadly, many of us (this writer included) live with more anxiety and frustration than required. We have grand expectations and when they are not met, we go purple with righteous indignation. This is not good.

For those of us seeking new employment, we must remember that every step in the process is not life or death and we need to seek out a way to remain calm in the storm. We have to be at our best every single day demonstrating sound judgment, sensitivity and tact. Not easy advice to take but clearly worth our consideration. For those of us who have yet to understand that you can’t win them all and that misery in the job search is not a prerequisite to success, I’ve put together a Top 10 list of behaviors and attitudes that will assure ongoing misery. Please consider the following:

  1. Expect Responses From Online Applications.

    This is seldom going to happen other than through automated emails. There are far too may applicants and too few resources there to offer even the most basic signs of humanity. Far better to check LinkedIn for connections who can bring your candidacy to life internally. (In reality, you want to do that before you apply.)

  2. Hammer Your Network.

    Be sure to put a ton of pressure on your network. Hammer friends for informational interviews, introductions and heavens knows what else because your cronies have nothing else to do but tend to your needs. Special kudos if you hit the CPA network in the tax season and everyone else when they are on summer holiday. Really now, this will shrink your network 90% faster then it took you to build it.

  3. Be Indignant When Calls/Emails Are Not Returned.

    An excellent use of your time. Just sit in a comfortable chair and quietly stew about folks who are non-responsive. True story: I once did this only to find out that the person I was stewing over had died the previous summer. Far better to reach out one more time using your friendly and upbeat style and let it go at that. Really, do not abuse your friends.

  4. Expect Fast Decisions After Interviews.

    This is not going to happen. Hiring is deathly slow in almost all cases for endless reasons. Sitting at home fuming will do little for you, your blood pressure or your personal relationships. Check in ten days after the interview to touch base and make the email short and pleasant. Trying to speed up the process is a fool’s errand, so save your energy for something that is more productive.

  5. Don’t Take Phone Screens Seriously.

    There’s nothing to worry about here. The phone screen is no big deal. Just a bit of friendly conversation and witty banter to highlight your amazing style and showcase wonderful stories of your career. Honestly now, the phone screen is critical. Let me say that again. Critical! Please see The Art and Science of Acing the Phone Screen for more information.

  6. Rage Against Your Last Employer.

    This is a personal favorite of mine. Be sure to raise your voice and shout to the heavens of the unfairness of it all with extra credit going to those who allude to the fact that they thought of suing as well. In reality, this behavior is a bad thing and will not get you shortlisted for future interviews. Speak very little about your last organization unless it pertains to accomplishments, and furthermore, anything said should be positive and professional.

  7. Do Not Prepare For The Interview.

    There is clearly a need for most people to prepare for an interview but certainly not for a real pro like you. Just jump on the website and spend 30 or 40 seconds here and there. Actually, I’m lying. A huge contributor to the success of the interview lies in preparation. Take the time to know not just the company but the players, the industry and the folks with whom you will interview. Review it all in detail once again the night before the interview.

  8. Price Yourself Out Of The Market.

    Yes indeed, this is a good philosophy for those who wish to never go back to work again. Just use numbers from 2006 or so and tell them that you know that your compensation requirements are really high but you are worth it. OK, I am lying again. Bottom line is that the only numbers that apply to compensation reality are the numbers that apply to today’s compensation environment and today’s economy. Endlessly escalating compensation is long gone, so be realistic.

  9. Press for the Leadership Title.

    They want to make you a Director? An amazing person like you? Out of the question. You’ve been a VP for the last dozen years and no one is going to take that away form you. Sadly, that is the wrong approach. Forget the title and demonstrate, reasonably, the desire to roll up your sleeves and your capacity to understand today’s reality. Take the Director role and be glad you are working.

  10. Do Everything Online.

    Be sure to live your life online. Fill out those applications and peruse LinkedIn all day long. Never mix with real people or try to form new relationships with real live people. Want a better idea? Get out there and network. Meet people and be interested in them and smile a lot because the human touch is still a very strong way to make things happen.

Job-hunting, for whatever reason, is both art and science. Some days you eat the dog and some days the dog eats you, but bottom line is that being happy or unhappy is a decision we make for ourselves. The choice to live a sane and satisfied life is truly within our grasp. What choice will you make?

(About the Author: A consultant, writer and public speaker, Howard Adamsky, works with organizations to support their efforts to build great companies and coaches others on how to do the same. He has over 20 years’ experience in identifying, developing, and implementing effective solutions for organizations struggling to recruit and retain top talent. An internationally published author, he has written Hiring and Retaining Top IT Professionals/The Guide for Savvy Hiring Managers and Job Hunters Alike (Osborne McGraw-Hill) and Employment Rage (Norlights Press.) He is a regular contributor to ERE.net. )

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!
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Developing The Next Generation Of Leaders

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Good Day! I’ll be the guest host this Wednesday, May 21, on the TalentCulture #TChat – show which includes #TChat Radio and #TChat Twitter Chat – Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00 pm EST. The radio show is from 6:30-7:00 pm EST and the Twitter chat is from 7pm-8pm EST. Before I host I would like to share some information with you about myself.

I am passionate about…

developing emerging, enduring, and experienced leaders and teaching them how to develop themselves using a disciplined and deliberate approach. All leadership begins from inside a person and must be developed and grown as they grow into emerging and enduring leaders. I believe that leadership principles are timeless and apply across all spectrums of life. I believe leadership begins inside of you. Leadership starts with a condition of the heart – the desire and passion to make a difference before it moves to the brain to implement a plan to make a difference. It is an inside-out process and is shaped by your values, character, choices, opportunities, experiences, and your worldview. Leadership is about you, the people you influence, and a belief that you can make a difference and have an impact.

Second, my next passion is for developing the next generation of leaders who will be the leaders in the military, in government, in business and globally. These leaders will lead in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous or VUCA world and must be prepared for leading in chaos.

What do I mean by a VUCA?

  • Volatile means that the speed, size, scale of change in the world today has a great impact on events around the globe almost instantaneously. An example is the rate and pace of stock market changes and the effect it has on personal and corporate wealth.
  • Uncertainty means that world events are unpredictable and this unpredictability makes it impossible to prepare for unknown world events. An example is the effects of Arab Spring and governmental changes in the last four years.
  • Complexity means that the chaotic nature of the world combined with the volatility and uncertainty of global events creates an environment of confusion and difficulty for today’s leaders.
  • Ambiguity means that there is a lack of clarity or transparency surrounding world events. It is hard to predict what threats are in the world if you do not know the who, what, or why things are happening.

We will need leaders who can meet and adapt to new challenges, build strategic partnerships, build and sustain human capital organizations, and have the courage to act and react to the challenges. In addition to these requirements, we need to continue to develop leaders who are flexible, adaptive and are globally and culturally aware. This next generation of leaders must understand how to build and maintain trust, keep their integrity, and continue to build their credibility by developing their character.

An authentic character is the outward expression of our purpose, values, and beliefs. Your character comprises your beliefs, motives, values, desires, behaviors, and principles that drive and shape your actions as a leader. Character authenticity is living on purpose, keeping true to your values and beliefs, and not compromising them at the altar of Society. Your character is tested in the crucible of life and is forged through adversity.

I believe authentic leaders…

inspire people to greatness. Inspiration is the ability to breathe life into someone or an organization. Inspiration is a positive influence – a positive reinforcement – we give our people. It ignites desire, ignites creativity, and ignites innovation in inspired people. Leadership is not what I do it is who I am. There is no escaping who I am. My leadership is the embodiment of my heart, mind, body, and soul. It is an amalgamation of my life’s purpose, my values, my ethics, my core beliefs, my life philosophy, and my worldview.

One of the topics we are going to discuss on the #TCHAT show is the Inspire or Retire Theorem.

Inspire Or Retire Theorem

The Inspire or Retire Theorem wraps up my F(X) Leadership framework and my theory of you are the key to your leadership. The function of (x) is you.

InspireOrRetireTheorem

 What If The Leaders In Your Organization

•  Knew the organizational vision, goals, values and the impact their leadership had on the success of the organization
•  Knew success as a leader included knowing themselves, their team and the organization
•  Knew a leader must have high moral and ethical values and that character counts
•  Knew leaders are responsible for their actions and their words
•  Knew they needed to continuously develop, grow and reinvent themselves to meet the challenges of the future
•  Understood their role in developing other leaders
•  Understood character, courage, commitment and communication are key components of leadership
•  Understood they are responsible for their leadership development
•  Understood they are the key to their leadership

The Inspire or Retire Theorem answers all the above questions in a mathematical mnemonic that encapsulates my leadership responsibility to the people I lead and the organization I serve. It was designed as a visual representation for me to remember to always Inspire or Retire.

I look forward to sharing time with and discussing your views on leadership, leadership development, and developing the next generation of leaders.

(About the Author:  Thomas S. Narofsky is the Founder and Chief Inspirational Officer for the Narofsky Consulting Group, a leadership development, team effectiveness, and executive coaching consultancy. He the developer of the F(X) Leadership Model, the Inspire or Retire Leadership Theorem, and author of F(X) Leadership Unleashed!, and soon to be released book, You are Unstoppable!.

He also served on the United States Air Force Enlisted Board of Directors which focused on professional development, training concepts and long-range strategies to provide continuous, career-long enlisted deliberate development by integrating education, training and experience to produce a skilled and adaptive work force. He has conducted worldwide professional and leadership development seminars with U.S, Korean, Japanese, Australian, British, Canadian, Belgian and German enlisted forces. His military decorations include Defense Superior Service Medal and the Bronze Star.

Thom is an adjunct professor at Bellevue University in the Arts and Sciences Department. He holds a Master of Arts in Leadership, a Master of Science in Information Technology Management and a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.)

To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter and G+ conversation anytime. Learn more…

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture

photo credit: marfis75 via photopin cc

Take Action Now To Advance Your Career

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“If you want to have what others don’t, you must do what others won’t.” – Lisa Ryan

How often do you hear these types of conversations?

  • John: “I’d love to go back to college and get my degree.”
  • Jane:  “So, why don’t you go?”
  • John:  “I’m so tired when I get home from work, and it will take so long for me to get it. I just don’t have the time to do it.”
  • Sally:  “Wow, you’re so lucky that you have such an awesome job.”
  • Dan:  “I started in the mail room ten years ago, and just worked my way up through the company.  I’m pretty happy with where it’s gotten me.”
  • Sally: “The mail room?!  I would never even consider a job like that.  Wow,  it was pretty lucky that you did that!”
  • Charles: “I just got offered this really awesome job, but I’m not sure if I’m going to take it.”
  • Doug:  “Why not?”
  • Charles: “Well, it’s paying $1.00 an hour less than what I’m making now, and I don’t want to take the cut in pay.”

All of these examples are based on real conversations.  The one thing they have in common is a need for instant gratification.  The person going to college after work, giving up sleep and time with friends and family will one day receive his/her degree as a reward for their hard work. John, on the other hand, will stay stuck, never reaching his full potential until the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing. (The funny thing is he’ll be just as old with a degree as he will be without one.)

Dan, on the other hand, was willing to start in a menial job to learn the ropes and work his way up through the organization. He knew that the mail room would give him ample opportunities to get to know the people within the organization, by name, department, and title as well as in person when he delivered the mail. He worked hard, made connections, became the very best mail room person he could be.  His tenacity was noticed and his progression within the organization gave him everything he wanted in his career.

Sally believes that jobs, titles and corner offices should be automatically given to her because of tenure alone.  She does what she’s paid to do and no more.  She assumes that she is just not “lucky” and her career is at a standstill. Until she makes the effort and does more than she is paid to do, she will stay at the same level.

What about Charles?  Have you seen people get blindsided by a temporary step backwards and never take the opportunity to move ten steps forward in the long run?  We all have.  When you have long term goals, you are willing to do what’s necessary and invest the time to achieve them.  We generally overestimate what we can do in the short term, but we underestimate what we can accomplish over the long run.

In a time when training dollars are hard to find in an already right budget, human resource professionals have the daunting task of nudging, encouraging and cajoling their employees to take advantage of the opportunities offered for personal and professional development. Here are a few ways take action and communicate the importance of your staff members investing in themselves:

1.  To achieve your dreams and goals, you need to, as Stephen Covey said, “Begin with the end in mind.”  Set your sights on all of the things you would like to accomplish in your life and keep on target. Establish small, consistent steps that move you closer to your goal.

2.  Celebrate your little victories along the way.  Acknowledge yourself for your progress and don’t forget to recognize others for their support and encouragement.  Minimize the time you spend with people that want to keep you where you are, they will only continue to hold you back.  Associate with the people who are already where you want to be and learn from them.

3.  Realize that by doing the hard things now, your life will become easier in the long run. If you take the easy road now, your life will probably get much harder.  The time, money, and effort you invest in yourself can never be taken away from you.

(About the Author: Employee Engagement Expert and Motivational Speaker, Lisa Ryan works with organizations to help them keep their top talent and best customers from becoming someone else’s. She achieves this through personalized employee engagement and customer retention keynotes, workshops and seminars. She is the author of six books, and is featured in two films including the award-winning, “The Keeper of the Keys” with Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup for the Soul. For more information, please connect with Lisa at her website: www.grategy.com or email her at lisa@grategy.com.)

To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter and G+ conversation anytime. Learn more…

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

Photo Credit: Oloremo via Compfight cc

10 Social Media Resources To Advance Your Career

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Knowing which social media resources to use and how to get the most from them can help during job hunting as well as for taking your career to the next level within your current organization. It’s not just about finding jobs using LinkedIn or Twitter, it’s more about getting the most out of learning opportunities, building your authority, enhancing your workplace productivity, external networking and last but not least job hunting.

Here are 10 star social media resources that can help you tackle all the activities mentioned above. Whether you’re actively looking for a job or not, establishing yourself as a thought-leader is important for all steps in your career ladder.

Learning Opportunities

  1. Ted Talks provides videos on informative and thought provoking talks from TED Conferences. The portal also has a section to engage in related ideas, questions and debates.

Key Benefit – Ted Talks are 18 minutes or shorter. All you need is a lunch break to keep growing your knowledge base.

  1. Slideshare’s your library of presentations, pdf’s, videos and webinars. It’s a crowdsourced solution for educating yourself with a diverse educational and professional community contributing material and sharing comments.

Key Benefit – Students, CEO’s and professional speakers all contribute content to Slideshare, providing information from all levels of the professional and educational worlds.

Building Your Authority

  1. Quora is a community of 1.5 million professionals answering business questions. Quora answers often get syndicated in major publications such as Forbes which helps build the author’s credibility.

Key Benefit – Quora answers typically get more exposure than a blog for personal branding.

  1. WordPress is a simple blogging solution with free templates and a community of bloggers to share content with. Suitable for professionals and newbies, WordPress lets you blog like a pro.

Key Benefit – Blogging helps you get clarity on your ideas by polishing them up.

Workplace Productivity

  1. Evernote can be considered as “Note taking on steroids”. You can sync between devices, add images and audio content, clip web pages – all of which lets team members share research and notes.

Key Benefit – Your ideas, research and notes will all be in one place rather than scattered across devices and applications.

  1. Asana’s aimed at those who are looking for an alternate to email for collaboration. It provides a way to manage tasks, get updates on progress and organize ideas, plans and deadlines all without email.

Key Benefit – By fully implementing Asana you can automatically segregate your business and personal life…digitally at least.

External Networking

  1. Twitter is a popular tool because it’s 140 character microblogging platform creates a low barrier for maintance. It has become a popular place to connect with influencers across all industries.

Key Benefit – You can have one-on-one conversations with recruiters even before you score the interview.

  1. LinkedIn Groups are like conference rooms where professionals of a certain industry or interest get together and talk. It’s a way to post updates, share news or add you own post links.

Key Benefit – A great way to advance your career is to be considered a thought leader in your field by becoming a well-known contributor to LinkedIn Groups.

Job Hunting

  1. DoYouBuzz starts job hunting on the right foot by helping you create a snazzy resume. It provides templates for creating CVs, storing them online, exporting .pdf versions and even provides statistics for premium users.

Key Benefit – Recruiters are overloaded with CV’s thus having a unique resume increases your chances of capturing their attention.

  1. BeKnown combines Monster job search with the ability to connect to professionals at their listed companies. It integrates with Facebook and keeps your business and professional connections separate.

Key Benefit – Sometimes all you need is a foot in the door to advance your career in a new organization…that’s exactly what BeKnown does.

What about you? What social media platforms do you think have been the most valuable in advancing your career? Please share your experiences in the comments below.

(About the Author: Paul Keijzer is the CEO and Managing Partner of Engage Consulting in Malaysia, Pakistan and U.A.E. He focuses on transforming top teams and managing talent across Asia’s emerging and frontier markets. Paul has a firm belief that outstanding results can only be achieved through people, by engaging teams and building commitment by creating a new paradigm between company and employee. Paul has delivered transformational interventions for more than 50 blue chip organizations in countries across Asia including Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, Fiji, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Egypt, Korea, U.A.E. and India.)

To discuss World of Work topics like this with the TalentCulture community, join our online #TChat Events each Wednesday, from 6:30-8pm ET. Everyone is welcome at events, or join our ongoing Twitter and G+ conversation anytime. Learn more…

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

The Art & Science Of Acing The Phone Screen

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“In every interview I have ever read or seen or taken part in, the final question in our future-oriented society is always, what next?” – Jessica Savitch

Few parts of the slow and dreaded hiring process are as misunderstood as the phone screen. Ask ten people how to play it and you will get ten different answers. Sadly, this is not a good thing but if you continue reading, I can almost guarantee you a definitive plan on the what, why and how of improving your performance on the phone screen. Lets start out with some working definitions:

The Purpose.

First things first. Phone screens are designed to screen you out of the interviewing process, not to bring you in for an interview and let me tell you why. If the recruiter has eight people to screen, they are expected to screen out at least half because if they go to the hiring manager and say, “Wow, they were all great,” they have added very little value. The person doing the screen needs to stack rank the candidates after the call and give the HM the top three. Your mission is to be one of the top three!

The Goal.

Just as a football player has a goal of getting the ball into the end zone, your phone screen has a goal, as well. That goal is to be invited in for an interview. This is the only thing that counts because if you do not make it to the interview, nothing else matters. Remember, the overall objective is to get hired and that will not happen if you get blown out at the phone screen. The question here is simple: How do you best handle the phone screen? Let’s consider how you make the cut.

The Preparation.

The prep for the phone screen is every bit as big as the prep for the interview. Be sure to study the company, its performance in the last year and the industry. Know the stock price. Know the person doing the screen. Research them on LinkedIn and check them out on every other social media site you can find. Will you need this all? Perhaps not, but it is better to have more details rather than less information that you wish you had.

The Call.

The interview needs to be clean and fluid as distractions will not help your cause. Barking dogs, bad phone reception, crying children, knife fights and other noise must be avoided. Remember, you do not have the advantage of an in-person interview where they can judge you on a host of other factors. All they have is you on the phone so you must control things on your end. Sadly, it is impossible to tell you what to say on a phone screen so I will simply give you five guidelines on how to manage it.

1. Let Them Set The Tone

Let the person who is making the call set the tone. If they want to make small talk, let them and you do the same. If they want to jump right into business, just follow their lead and make it business. If you approach the phone screen in a manner that is open and friendly with good energy, you will be starting off well.

2. Think Twitter

Be sure to answer their questions in a way that is clear and to the point. Occams razor says, among other things, that “things which can be explained in fewer words are explained in vain by more.”  Let this be your mantra. Tweets are only 140 characters for a good reason. Be short and clear in your answers.

3. Consider An Example

Some questions require a quick example to illustrate your point. Notice I said “some questions” and not every question. Use your judgment to know when. My thought is that examples are best used when the question posed to you is of either great importance in the role for which you hope to interview or when you have done something grand and want to tie it to the answer. Remember, it’s your conversation and your judgment but a great tip is to simply ask the person the magic question, “Would you like a quick example?”

4. Prepare Some Questions

Write out a few questions before the interview. Good questions that demonstrate depth and insight (nothing self-serving.) To ask if you can work at home on Fridays is not good. “What is the most important thing you need me to accomplish in this role or, “what is the most pressing issue the team faces in the coming year,” are good questions. Ask questions that get the person to open up and discuss the pain and the need because if there was not pain and need, there would not be a job to discuss. If you can understand the problem and the pain, you can interview more effectively. (As an aside, it is best to ask your questions in the second half of the phone screen as opposed to the first.)

5. Ask For The Sale

A phone screen is a sale because you want something. You want to be invited in to meet the team. Furthermore, if you interview with aggressive intent, you are always driving the process to the next step as you should. With this in mind and at some point in the conversation, usually about three quarters through, you will understand the job and what they really need. This is a magic moment. The conversation is flowing, the rhythm is there and all that is left is to ask to come in for an interview. Now is the time. Say to the person, “I really think I can give you exactly what you need in this role and I find the opportunity very exciting. I would love to come in and meet with the team to lean more. Can I come in to see you next week?” Perfect move to press for the next step! Will it always work in your favor? No, but it will show just how deadly serious and interested you are in the role, and further in the world of interviewing, this means a lot.

No one can guarantee how a phone screen will end but if you map it out, do your research and consider the tips you have just read, the odds of your phone screen turning into a face-to-face interview will be greatly enhanced. Now comes the really interesting part; the face-to-face interview. More on that to follow…

(About the Author: A consultant, writer and public speaker, Howard Adamsky, works with organizations to support their efforts to build great companies and coaches others on how to do the same. He has over 20 years’ experience in identifying, developing, and implementing effective solutions for organizations struggling to recruit and retain top talent. An internationally published author, he has written Hiring and Retaining Top IT Professionals/The Guide for Savvy Hiring Managers and Job Hunters Alike (Osborne McGraw-Hill) and Employment Rage (Norlights Press.) He is a regular contributor to ERE.net. )

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc

The Art & Science Of Acing The Phone Screen

/ /by

“In every interview I have ever read or seen or taken part in, the final question in our future-oriented society is always, what next?” – Jessica Savitch

Few parts of the slow and dreaded hiring process are as misunderstood as the phone screen. Ask ten people how to play it and you will get ten different answers. Sadly, this is not a good thing but if you continue reading, I can almost guarantee you a definitive plan on the what, why and how of improving your performance on the phone screen. Lets start out with some working definitions:

The Purpose.

First things first. Phone screens are designed to screen you out of the interviewing process, not to bring you in for an interview and let me tell you why. If the recruiter has eight people to screen, they are expected to screen out at least half because if they go to the hiring manager and say, “Wow, they were all great,” they have added very little value. The person doing the screen needs to stack rank the candidates after the call and give the HM the top three. Your mission is to be one of the top three!

The Goal.

Just as a football player has a goal of getting the ball into the end zone, your phone screen has a goal, as well. That goal is to be invited in for an interview. This is the only thing that counts because if you do not make it to the interview, nothing else matters. Remember, the overall objective is to get hired and that will not happen if you get blown out at the phone screen. The question here is simple: How do you best handle the phone screen? Let’s consider how you make the cut.

The Preparation.

The prep for the phone screen is every bit as big as the prep for the interview. Be sure to study the company, its performance in the last year and the industry. Know the stock price. Know the person doing the screen. Research them on LinkedIn and check them out on every other social media site you can find. Will you need this all? Perhaps not, but it is better to have more details rather than less information that you wish you had.

The Call.

The interview needs to be clean and fluid as distractions will not help your cause. Barking dogs, bad phone reception, crying children, knife fights and other noise must be avoided. Remember, you do not have the advantage of an in-person interview where they can judge you on a host of other factors. All they have is you on the phone so you must control things on your end. Sadly, it is impossible to tell you what to say on a phone screen so I will simply give you five guidelines on how to manage it.

1. Let Them Set The Tone

Let the person who is making the call set the tone. If they want to make small talk, let them and you do the same. If they want to jump right into business, just follow their lead and make it business. If you approach the phone screen in a manner that is open and friendly with good energy, you will be starting off well.

2. Think Twitter

Be sure to answer their questions in a way that is clear and to the point. Occams razor says, among other things, that “things which can be explained in fewer words are explained in vain by more.”  Let this be your mantra. Tweets are only 140 characters for a good reason. Be short and clear in your answers.

3. Consider An Example

Some questions require a quick example to illustrate your point. Notice I said “some questions” and not every question. Use your judgment to know when. My thought is that examples are best used when the question posed to you is of either great importance in the role for which you hope to interview or when you have done something grand and want to tie it to the answer. Remember, it’s your conversation and your judgment but a great tip is to simply ask the person the magic question, “Would you like a quick example?”

4. Prepare Some Questions

Write out a few questions before the interview. Good questions that demonstrate depth and insight (nothing self-serving.) To ask if you can work at home on Fridays is not good. “What is the most important thing you need me to accomplish in this role or, “what is the most pressing issue the team faces in the coming year,” are good questions. Ask questions that get the person to open up and discuss the pain and the need because if there was not pain and need, there would not be a job to discuss. If you can understand the problem and the pain, you can interview more effectively. (As an aside, it is best to ask your questions in the second half of the phone screen as opposed to the first.)

5. Ask For The Sale

A phone screen is a sale because you want something. You want to be invited in to meet the team. Furthermore, if you interview with aggressive intent, you are always driving the process to the next step as you should. With this in mind and at some point in the conversation, usually about three quarters through, you will understand the job and what they really need. This is a magic moment. The conversation is flowing, the rhythm is there and all that is left is to ask to come in for an interview. Now is the time. Say to the person, “I really think I can give you exactly what you need in this role and I find the opportunity very exciting. I would love to come in and meet with the team to lean more. Can I come in to see you next week?” Perfect move to press for the next step! Will it always work in your favor? No, but it will show just how deadly serious and interested you are in the role, and further in the world of interviewing, this means a lot.

No one can guarantee how a phone screen will end but if you map it out, do your research and consider the tips you have just read, the odds of your phone screen turning into a face-to-face interview will be greatly enhanced. Now comes the really interesting part; the face-to-face interview. More on that to follow…

(About the Author: A consultant, writer and public speaker, Howard Adamsky, works with organizations to support their efforts to build great companies and coaches others on how to do the same. He has over 20 years’ experience in identifying, developing, and implementing effective solutions for organizations struggling to recruit and retain top talent. An internationally published author, he has written Hiring and Retaining Top IT Professionals/The Guide for Savvy Hiring Managers and Job Hunters Alike (Osborne McGraw-Hill) and Employment Rage (Norlights Press.) He is a regular contributor to ERE.net. )

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

Photo Credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc

Road To Reinvention: The 2.0 Of Your Career

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“Come, my friends, ‘Tis not too late to seek a newer world.” – Tennyson

For those of us who are not employed, life can quickly become a very unhappy place because being unemployed is a soul crushing experience. The misery and the angst never seems to lift. Not on Saturday morning when we can sleep in a bit, not on Thursday at 3 a.m. when we are restless in our beds and not on Wednesday evening after dinner. When we see the wise old sayings on Facebook or the religious teachings promising that God has a plan for us start to fall short, how do we cope with the madness and the pain in our lives? How do we deal with the effects of a brutal technology that screens our resumes out, the phone calls left unreturned and the interviews that do not pan out? How do we survive when there is so little to show for the endless effort and time we’ve put into the search. Maybe the answer lies, as Shakespeare said, “not in our stars, but in ourselves.” Perhaps the answer lies in reinvention.

I believe that the second act is upon many of us and the 2.0 of our careers and of our lives is calling out. I can’t help believing that a large part of the cure to what ails us is contained in our ability to adapt and be flexible (think willow tree) as opposed to simply doing the same things and being strong (think oak tree.) I believe that our ability to change who we are and what we are is essential to our survival and our ability to lead meaningful and productive lives. Just how to do this is shrouded in mystery but I have some thoughts that just might help. Far from being a complete list, I present a few ideas for the transition as we move from being the people we are to the people we need to become:

Play To Your Strengths.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. Many people spend endless time trying to become strong in the areas in which they are weak. I see that as a bad idea and a waste of time. Take me for example; I am a writer and a speaker and a relationship person. I deal with ideas and concepts and words and trust. Conversely, I am not a math guy. I will never, ever be a math guy. I can try to shore-up that very real weakness until the cows come home but it will simply never happen. Even worse, it is a waste of my talents. Cope with your weakness and learn what you need to get things done as required but play to your strengths. As an example, I can be a biz dev person as opposed to a recruiter. I might be able to be a big-time writer or a public speaker as I have done that before. I will never become an accountant or an actuary and that is all right with me because no one is good at everything.

Move Three Things Forward.

Many of us in the hunt for new jobs and new lives wake up with endless things we want to do and not enough focus on making a difference in any one area. We try to do too much, too fast and in a manner that is too dispersed. According to the great Alan Weiss of Summit Consulting, we are far better off to move three things forward a mile in one day than 100 things forward one inch in a day. My suggestion for tomorrow’s plan is to pick three things that need to be done and write them down tonight. (Two things is fine as well. Four things is not fine.) When you wake up, focus on them all day. Check email when you wake up, at 1:00 and again at 5:00. Shut down your phone. (Believe me, if someone really needs you, they will find you.) Try this and you will feel the real results of being truly productive. For example, if you want to build your online presence, understand that this is a huge and daunting task. My suggestion is to pick one thing on which to work such as your LinkedIn profile and spend the entire day doing just that. The next day, work on something else. Can you see the logic?

Find A Partner Or Two. (Or Three)

I hear from Bill B—— every single day. If not by email then by phone and at least once a week in a face-to-face over lunch. Bill is my good friend and he and I have joined forces to provide leads, support, connections, ideas, and all other things positive to make the misery of the search a bit more palatable, and at times dare I say, a bit more fun. Having two or three partners is a very good thing because the collective effort of people working together is infinitely better than the individual efforts of a soloed existence. The isolating misery of the search does nothing to help our state of mind and there is no medal given out for going the battle alone. I can assure you that Bill ____ has been there for me in a host of ways, and at times, for the occasional 10:00 PM call to express my rage and frustration. Please consider trying this because I really believe it can help in a very big way. Remember, suffering is mandatory but misery is optional. Can you see the value in a partner?

Get A Coach.

I have had more coaches in my life than anyone I know. I have had them for my public speaking life, my writing life, my clarinet playing life, my trying to learn the piano life and at endless junctures in my career. I seldom venture out and do new things unless I get some ideas and counsel from others. Do I always listen? No. Do I always agree? No again, but I get perspective and insight from those individuals who I trust and it helps me to fight my natural inclination to believe that I have all of the answers and am the smartest guy in the world. This is painful at times but necessary if you are in the reinvention business, because regardless of what it is you are trying to accomplish, those who are already doing it can help you big time. For example, you are a CPA who wants to become an Actuary. Find an actuary and get the lay of the land. Tell them what you expect. Tell them your plan and explain where you want to be and how you intend to get there. Then listen really hard to the things with which they might disagree and find out why. You might just learn something and soon afterwards, become the smartest person in the world, just like me.

Help Others.

How sad that number five is the last bullet, but in reality it should be the first. Helping others to get what they need is as old as time. Helping others does not stand so tall in importance because it is a nice thing to do. It stands tall in importance because it is a necessary thing to do. It is a requirement of being human. It is, as Mohamed Ali once said, “The rent you pay for the place you inhabit on this earth.” As a rule, I try to help everyone possible with all that I can do to support them. Is this easy? No but I have gotten far more in return than I have given out and that seems to be a very good deal. Is there the occasional person who never reciprocates? Of course but they are far and few between and in reality, who cares? Zig Ziggler once said, “you can go as far in life as you want to go if you are just willing to help enough people get what they need in life.” This seems like a very good deal to me.

I can assure that the reinvention of you and quite frankly, of me, is not going to be fun or easy anytime soon. It is a day-in and day-out practice of working smart, imagining the possibilities and sharing the journey with others. I struggle to reinvent myself every single day by saying “yes” to the magic that can arise from hard work and hope. Honestly, it really is not too late, to seek a newer world.

Written by: Howard Adamsky

(About the author: A consultant, writer and public speaker, Howard Adamsky, works with organizations to support their efforts to build great companies and coaches others on how to do the same. He has over 20 years’ experience in identifying, developing, and implementing effective solutions for organizations struggling to recruit and retain top talent.

An internationally published author, he has written Hiring and Retaining Top IT Professionals/The Guide for Savvy Hiring Managers and Job Hunters Alike (Osborne McGraw-Hill) and Employment Rage (Norlights Press.) He is a regular contributor to ERE.net. )

TalentCulture World of Work was created for HR professionals, leadership executives, and the global workforce. Our community delves into subjects like HR technology, leadership, employee engagement, and corporate culture everyday. To get more World of Work goodness, please sign up for our newsletter, listen to our #TChat Radio Channel or sign up for our RSS feed.

Do you have great content you want to share with us? Become a TalentCulture contributor!

Photo Credit: PHOTOCREO Michal Bednarek via bigstock cc

7 Questions To Ask Yourself When Making A Difficult Career Decision

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Your 20s are an important time. We’re told the personal and professional choices you make during this decade set the foundation of your adult life.

No pressure, right?

A good problem you’re likely to face is which job to take: The one that promises security or the one that promises experience? The higher-paid one or the one with fast growth opportunity?

Or, your significant other wants to move across the country to pursue her dreams — do you quit your new job, pack up and follow her? Or do you follow your dreams, even when they’re hazy and sometimes change by the time you wake up?

These choices can’t be made with a simple pros and cons list. You can find yourself longing for a crystal ball that can make the decision for you.

A personal story about taking a big career risk

Staring down my late 20s, I had already faced a fair share of these complicated decisions. One of the most recent came three years after college graduation. I was 25, leading an internal sales consultancy at a publicly traded company. I was fairly happy, well-paid and had opportunities rare for someone my age. Even though I wasn’t looking for a new job, I received an offer to work for a small healthcare startup.

After endless conversations with peers and mentors, dozens of pro/con lists and multiple sleepless nights, I made the first instinct-driven decision of my career.

I’m still unable to provide a definitive reason why, but I vividly remember launching from bed at 1:47 a.m. knowing I had to take the new job offer. Despite the advice of friends and family, I accepted the position.

A year later, I still work for that startup. And I love it. We provide healthcare organizations with a predictive modeling platform by analyzing their data to help clinicians make the best decisions for their patients. Fundamentally, these models help assess and weigh risks.

Wouldn’t a predictive model like this be useful for those big decisions in our early careers?

Based on my daily work using data to determine risk, I’ve developed a list of seven questions that can provide you with the data you need to consider when faced with life-changing decisions:

1. Does it motivate you to learn something new?

We’ve long been instructed to specialize — college majors, career trajectories, company ladders, etc. But specializing early at the expense of cultivating experience and contextual knowledge can limit your potential and stunt your self-discovery.

A familiar, comfortable job in a young career can be insidious. If an option you’re weighing will challenge you to stretch your concept of career, your long-term professional benefit will likely outweigh the short-term risk.

2. Does it push you to learn something about yourself?

Relative to risk, there’s usually no better time for self-discovery through work than your 20s. When considering a new opportunity, give more weight to the exploration and development possibilities of the role, rather than the job title or immediate responsibilities. Your early career experiences should give you room to grow and try something new.

My intended path was within the entertainment industry. I may never have discovered my passion for healthcare, technology and analysis without an openness to explore it.

Remain open to opportunities outside your original vision of career. You may have a hidden talent or interest that’s waiting to be discovered.

3. Does it scare you, just a little?

We grow most from those moments and experiences that force us to stretch beyond our limits. (Click here to tweet this thought.) Be unapologetically ambitious, even when logic and security suggest an alternate route.

4. Does it scare your friends and family, just a little more?

Naturally, those who love you most want to protect you. Because of that instinct, they may steer you towards a safe choice to limit your risk of loss or failure. Although their intentions are pure, their influence can be stifling.

If your near-and-dear are directing you away from an opportunity, consider the loving biases that they carry. Many times, the best decisions for our personal and professional growth are difficult for others to understand.

5. Does it change the way you evaluate success?

If you only measure your success by 401k balances, promotions and bonuses, you’ve mistakenly focused your attention on byproducts instead of the personal and professional experience along the way.

Give yourself opportunities to find what’s meaningful to you, and give yourself room to grow your ideas of success.

6. Will it surround you with passionate people?

Passion is contagious and powerful. Surround yourself with energy and innovation, and you’ll adopt the same vigor.

That fervent energy transforms our world every day. If you’re deliberating what’s best for you, consider the people who will teach you when you get there.

7. Does it excite you to talk about it?

Notice if you can’t stop rambling to your friends and family about the opportunity in question. It means something! Enthusiasm and buy-in is critical in an opportunity’s potential success.

Tally the number of times the opportunity organically comes to mind. Pay attention to what you’re thinking. Is it the experience? Earnings potential? Outcomes? There’s no wrong answer, but understanding your own drivers and interests will give you insight into what’s most important about your potential next step.

With every decision, embrace the privilege that you can chart your own path. But also allow that path early in your career to help shape you, too.

Originally posted on Brazen Careerist’s blog on March 14, 2014 by Cash Forshee. 
 
Cash Forshee is a healthcare technology professional who serves as the Senior Vice President of Medalogix, a Nashville, Tenn., based startup that equips post acute health operators with custom predictive modeling platforms to enable optimal patient care decisions. A Belmont University graduate, Cash is a Better Health 4Kids board member and a 2014 “Nashville Emerging Leader.”

 

Photo Credit: Judy ** via Compfight cc

3 Ways to Better Outplacement Services

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Val Matta is the vice president of business development at CareerShift, a comprehensive job hunting and career management solution for companies, outplacement firms, job seekers and university career centers. Connect with Val and CareerShift on LinkedIn. 

 

Are your outplacement solutions so outdated that former employees would rather hit the snooze button than use them? Or worse, are they making your organization look unappreciative or indifferent to the future of former employees?

Historically, outplacement is a service that’s supplied by companies specializing in assisting an individual’s job search following a layoff or job loss, usually contracted by the employer. Sure, it’s not necessary. But with 4.3 million total separations as of November 2013, former workers need solutions that work — not ones that will push them further into unemployment.

Get rid of your boring outplacement solutions and use tactics that actually work! Check out these three new resources you need to consider:

Use a mobile solution

Research indicates 68 percent of job seekers use their mobile devices to look for work at least once a week. Mobile is the way the job search is moving. Accordingly, displaced employees should be able to use your outplacement solution through the device of their choice, be it a smartphone or a tablet.

Mobile can provide your outplacement solution with more than you expect. Let’s say your former worker was on-the-go. They’d be able to use resume resources or take a career assessment using any device. They’d also be able to connect with referrals, use interview prep tools, or manage their job searches more efficiently. When it comes down to it, many professionals don’t always have access to a standing computer. By ensuring your outplacement solutions are mobile compatible, you allow more employees to use it, which can of course create an increased return on investment.

Provide relocation assistance

While your outplacement service may not incorporate it, providing relocation assistance can be a huge asset to your displaced workers. Studies show 44 percent of workers say they’d relocate for the right job. However, only five percent of U.S. companies offer relocation assistance. So, why not incorporate relocation assistance into your outplacement solutions? Relocation assistance not only helps former employees to transition to new opportunities, it shows your commitment to their professional futures.

Relocation assistance clearly relies on how much money you can allocate to the service. However, any sort of assistance would do, such as connecting workers to departments in different locations or providing a monthly stipend or even housing assistance. While this may not be a traditional outplacement solution, it’s definitely one to consider as professionals look to other locations for new opportunities.

Utilize alumni services

Sometimes, you’re only as good as company you keep. That’s why offering an alumni services component within your outplacement service can dramatically increase the results displaced workers receive.

Alumni services within an outplacement service work in the same way as educational career services. They connect displaced workers to relevant alumni to assist with their job search efforts. For example, your outplacement services can provide a list of company alumni who are willing to help newly laid-off workers, either through mentorship or by providing a referral. This allows former workers to network with alumni and introduce them to potential opportunities.

If you’re looking to get rid of boring outplacement services, check out these three resources. Along with traditional services like resume assistance and networking advice, mobile, relocation assistance, and alumni services can take your outplacement solutions to the next level.

Would you consider adding some of these options? What other other outplacement solutions can you use?
photo credit: Steve Koukoulas via photopin cc

Bring Your "Genius" To Work #TChat Recap

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(Editor’s Note: Looking for details of this week’s #TChat Events? See the Storify slideshow and resource links at the end of this post.)

“The whims and vagaries of team life sometimes are not so much fun, but more often than not, there’s a great feeling of brotherhood amongst everybody that works together.”  –Geddy Lee, Rush

Have you felt that kind of harmonic convergence in the workplace? Brotherhood and sisterhood. A deep sense of interconnectedness and shared purpose that moves you forward. Participation in a team whose members continually learn from one another and push one another to contribute their best.

Collaborative energy can be a powerful creative force — just as it has been for more than 40 years with my favorite band, Rush. Geddy, Alex, Neil. Each has lived, lost and loved his work, with every fiber of his being.

OK, I’m a fan. I romanticize. But the proof is in the music. They take their craft very seriously — blending bass, keyboards, guitar, drums and evocative lyrics. They also have fun. Lots of serious fun. And failure. They’ve seen their share of failure, too.

They’ve pushed themselves individually — and as a team — with a kinetic energy that knows no bounds. To me, this is refreshing, because I constantly hear the world of work cliché about how easy it is to find your passion and be happy with what you do.

It’s not that easy. It takes introspection and homework, plus a lot of practice and perseverance. But the good news is that the investment that pays off in ways that you can apply in your life. It’s not about becoming a big-time rock star. It’s about understanding your particular brand of “genius” — something you can get your heart around, and rev over and over again, until the vibe is right for you. It’s the full measure of your unique skills, experiences, passions, interests, talents, abilities, and attitude that you possess.

This week at #TChat Events with guests Maggie Mistal and Laura Rolands, the TalentCulture community examined this “core genius” in all of us. And I learned a two-step lesson:

1) Choosing Incremental Steps  Big leaps aren’t in most people’s risk-adverse DNA. For many of us, discovering what we can do (and what we’re here to do that only we can do) naturally unfolds one small step at a time. It’s like learning to play as a team, but internally, and with continuous refinement. My first step came as a child, when I began connecting words into honey-laced phrases. I’ve covered a lot of territory since then (with multiple side trips), but I’ve never looked back.

2) Can Lead to Monumental Outcomes  The operative word, here is “can” — but the point is that legitimate breakthroughs are possible from incremental steps. Finding your core genius is a very personal, soul-searching endeavor that requires self awareness, reflection and prioritization. Before you brainstorm life-changing career possibilities, you have to start with a meaningful decision framework. You need to learn what’s important for you, first.

How can TalentCulture support this process? Wherever you are in pursuit of professional bliss, we hope you’ll keep sharing your experiences with us here and on social channels. This is a safe place to test ideas, find resources, and exchange information. Your #TChat brothers and sisters are with you on this journey. We’re all in this world of work together. So let’s rock on.

#TChat Week-In-Review: Bring Your “Genius” To Work

Maggie Laura

Watch the #TChat Preview hangout now

SAT 2/1:
#TChat Preview: TalentCulture Community Manager, Tim McDonald, framed the week’s topic in a post featuring a “sneak peek” hangout with guests, Maggie Mistal and Laura Rolands. See the #TChat Preview now: “Careers: Better Choices Mean Better Business.”

SUN 2/2:
Forbes.com Post: In her weekly Forbes column, TalentCulture CEO, Meghan M. Biro, offered her perspective on why and how business leaders should encourage employees to develop their unique talents. Read “Unleash Your Employees’ Super Powers.“

RELATED POSTS:
“Managing Your Career: What Would Richard Branson Do?” — by James Clear
“Shifting Focus: Aptitudes Instead of Attitudes“ — by Dr. Nancy Rubin
“Soul Search — Then Job Search“ — by Maggie Mistal

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Listen to the #TChat Radio replay now

WED 2/5:
#TChat Radio: Host Meghan M. Biro and I talked with Maggie Mistal and Laura Rolands about what it takes to tap into your career “genius.” Listen to the #TChat Radio replay now…

#TChat Twitter: Immediately following the radio show, Meghan, Maggie, Laura and I moved over to the #TChat Twitter stream, for a dynamic open conversation with the entire TalentCulture community. Moderator Dr. Nancy Rubin led hundreds of participants through a discussion focused on 5 related questions.

See highlights in the Storify slideshow below:

#TChat Insights: Better Career Choices Mean Better Business

[javascript src=”//storify.com/TalentCulture/careers-better-choices-mean-better-business.js?template=slideshow”]

Closing Notes & What’s Ahead

GRATITUDE: Thanks again to Maggie Mistal and Laura Rolands for sharing your perspectives on how each of us can find our core genius and apply it to our career. Your enthusiasm and expertise are infectious!

NOTE TO BLOGGERS: Did this week’s events prompt you to write about career strategy or professional development? We welcome your thoughts. Post a link on Twitter (include #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll pass it along.

WHAT’S AHEAD: Next week at #TChat Events, we’ll look at how employers can be more proactive in forging employee relationships. Our guests are Chris Boyce, CEO of Virgin Pulse, and Kevin Herman, Director of Worksite Wellness at The Horton Group. It’s a discussion that speaks to the heart of talent-minded professionals everywhere, so save the date for this very special Valentine’s Week Event — Wednesday, February 12!

Meanwhile, the TalentCulture conversation continues daily on the #TChat Twitter stream, on our NEW Google+ community, and elsewhere on social media. So stop by anytime.

We’ll see you on the stream!

Image Credit: MenfiS at Flickr

Bring Your “Genius” To Work #TChat Recap

/2 Comments/ /by

(Editor’s Note: Looking for details of this week’s #TChat Events? See the Storify slideshow and resource links at the end of this post.)

“The whims and vagaries of team life sometimes are not so much fun, but more often than not, there’s a great feeling of brotherhood amongst everybody that works together.”  –Geddy Lee, Rush

Have you felt that kind of harmonic convergence in the workplace? Brotherhood and sisterhood. A deep sense of interconnectedness and shared purpose that moves you forward. Participation in a team whose members continually learn from one another and push one another to contribute their best.

Collaborative energy can be a powerful creative force — just as it has been for more than 40 years with my favorite band, Rush. Geddy, Alex, Neil. Each has lived, lost and loved his work, with every fiber of his being.

OK, I’m a fan. I romanticize. But the proof is in the music. They take their craft very seriously — blending bass, keyboards, guitar, drums and evocative lyrics. They also have fun. Lots of serious fun. And failure. They’ve seen their share of failure, too.

They’ve pushed themselves individually — and as a team — with a kinetic energy that knows no bounds. To me, this is refreshing, because I constantly hear the world of work cliché about how easy it is to find your passion and be happy with what you do.

It’s not that easy. It takes introspection and homework, plus a lot of practice and perseverance. But the good news is that the investment that pays off in ways that you can apply in your life. It’s not about becoming a big-time rock star. It’s about understanding your particular brand of “genius” — something you can get your heart around, and rev over and over again, until the vibe is right for you. It’s the full measure of your unique skills, experiences, passions, interests, talents, abilities, and attitude that you possess.

This week at #TChat Events with guests Maggie Mistal and Laura Rolands, the TalentCulture community examined this “core genius” in all of us. And I learned a two-step lesson:

1) Choosing Incremental Steps  Big leaps aren’t in most people’s risk-adverse DNA. For many of us, discovering what we can do (and what we’re here to do that only we can do) naturally unfolds one small step at a time. It’s like learning to play as a team, but internally, and with continuous refinement. My first step came as a child, when I began connecting words into honey-laced phrases. I’ve covered a lot of territory since then (with multiple side trips), but I’ve never looked back.

2) Can Lead to Monumental Outcomes  The operative word, here is “can” — but the point is that legitimate breakthroughs are possible from incremental steps. Finding your core genius is a very personal, soul-searching endeavor that requires self awareness, reflection and prioritization. Before you brainstorm life-changing career possibilities, you have to start with a meaningful decision framework. You need to learn what’s important for you, first.

How can TalentCulture support this process? Wherever you are in pursuit of professional bliss, we hope you’ll keep sharing your experiences with us here and on social channels. This is a safe place to test ideas, find resources, and exchange information. Your #TChat brothers and sisters are with you on this journey. We’re all in this world of work together. So let’s rock on.

#TChat Week-In-Review: Bring Your “Genius” To Work

Maggie Laura

Watch the #TChat Preview hangout now

SAT 2/1:
#TChat Preview: TalentCulture Community Manager, Tim McDonald, framed the week’s topic in a post featuring a “sneak peek” hangout with guests, Maggie Mistal and Laura Rolands. See the #TChat Preview now: “Careers: Better Choices Mean Better Business.”

SUN 2/2:
Forbes.com Post: In her weekly Forbes column, TalentCulture CEO, Meghan M. Biro, offered her perspective on why and how business leaders should encourage employees to develop their unique talents. Read “Unleash Your Employees’ Super Powers.“

RELATED POSTS:
“Managing Your Career: What Would Richard Branson Do?” — by James Clear
“Shifting Focus: Aptitudes Instead of Attitudes“ — by Dr. Nancy Rubin
“Soul Search — Then Job Search“ — by Maggie Mistal

TChatRadio_logo_020813

Listen to the #TChat Radio replay now

WED 2/5:
#TChat Radio: Host Meghan M. Biro and I talked with Maggie Mistal and Laura Rolands about what it takes to tap into your career “genius.” Listen to the #TChat Radio replay now…

#TChat Twitter: Immediately following the radio show, Meghan, Maggie, Laura and I moved over to the #TChat Twitter stream, for a dynamic open conversation with the entire TalentCulture community. Moderator Dr. Nancy Rubin led hundreds of participants through a discussion focused on 5 related questions.

See highlights in the Storify slideshow below:

#TChat Insights: Better Career Choices Mean Better Business

[javascript src=”//storify.com/TalentCulture/careers-better-choices-mean-better-business.js?template=slideshow”]

Closing Notes & What’s Ahead

GRATITUDE: Thanks again to Maggie Mistal and Laura Rolands for sharing your perspectives on how each of us can find our core genius and apply it to our career. Your enthusiasm and expertise are infectious!

NOTE TO BLOGGERS: Did this week’s events prompt you to write about career strategy or professional development? We welcome your thoughts. Post a link on Twitter (include #TChat or @TalentCulture), or insert a comment below, and we’ll pass it along.

WHAT’S AHEAD: Next week at #TChat Events, we’ll look at how employers can be more proactive in forging employee relationships. Our guests are Chris Boyce, CEO of Virgin Pulse, and Kevin Herman, Director of Worksite Wellness at The Horton Group. It’s a discussion that speaks to the heart of talent-minded professionals everywhere, so save the date for this very special Valentine’s Week Event — Wednesday, February 12!

Meanwhile, the TalentCulture conversation continues daily on the #TChat Twitter stream, on our NEW Google+ community, and elsewhere on social media. So stop by anytime.

We’ll see you on the stream!

Image Credit: MenfiS at Flickr