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Jumpstart your career in five hard lessons by Steve Tobak

Think you’ve got what it takes to become a hot-shot executive but your boss is holding you back. Or maybe you’re just sick and tired of working your butt off while everyone else gets ahead. Well, quit your whining and do something about it.

No, don’t get a self-help book; they’re mostly a waste of time. I’ve got a better idea. But, before we go any further, I need to say this: I’m no career guidance expert, I don’t have volumes of data, and I’m not here to sell you anything. On the other hand, I do have five hard-learned, real-life lessons from the trenches.

Learning these lessons enabled my success. Yeah, I know, I hate people who say that too, “I was a big success in [fill in the blank] and, if you buy my book, you can be a success too.” The only difference between them and me is that I’m not trying to sell you anything.

Will my lessons work for you or anyone else? Fair question. I have no idea. But I do think they’re fundamental and not the kind of stuff you’re likely to find hanging around a bookstore. These are not obvious “falling-off-a-log” lessons. I learned them through painful trial and error. Speaking of which, if you’d like to know whose advice you’re taking, just check out my bio.

If there’s an overriding message, it’s this: success isn’t easy and there are no formulas. Anyone who says otherwise just wants to sell you something. Everything you’re about to read is hard, but I don’t know of any workarounds. If there was an easier way, trust me, I’d have tried it. And, like anything significant in life, just reading it isn’t likely to help you much. But if it resonates with you, perhaps it will affect your behavior and then, the sky’s the limit.

Lesson 1: Get in the line of fire. Find a way to put yourself in a critical position on a program that can make or break the company. Take big risks, especially early in your career when it doesn’t matter so much. Stick your neck out and test your reach. Management will respect your willingness to put your butt on the line for the company. Don’t get hung up on winning. Whether the project succeeds or fails is secondary. Same goes for titles and compensation. Show your capability first. Then see Lesson 2.
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Your CV Is Not A Work History – It’s Your National Advertising Campaign

Think about it. Your CV is your first impression. And we all know about first impressions. Fail here and all other preparation you make will be in vain. They will never get to see your bubbling motivation, hear your tales of glory or be inspired by your unquenchable enthusiasm. Your CV has to be the strongest it can be. And that means learning the structures and techniques of successful, professional CVs. If not, you are seriously jeopardising your future and failing to fulfil your potential for the sake of a short investment of time.

Creating your CV

To do a really professional job is not that easy, unless you’ve had plenty of practice. If you don’t want to leave it to chance, you would do well to consider the services of a professional. There’s plenty around and, as with any industry, they are of varying quality and cost. Here are some of the more fundamental issues you should address.

* Sell Benefits, Substantiate With Features

One of the first things that was drummed into us in my consultancy days was the difference between features and benefits. Features are essentially assets, facts and figures. Benefits are the same thing expressed in terms of the WIIFM factor (what’s in it for me). When you apply to a vacancy, you need to express your work experience in terms of benefits to your target employer. There are various words you can use to bring your benefits to life, called “benefit -generators”. Example benefit-generators are:

Enhance, Improve, Enable, Maximise, Minimise, Facilitate, Manage

* Proof

Another thing they said was “everything can be reduced to numbers”. It may not be a universal phrase, but on the whole, there is a great deal of truth in it. Think about your own job. How many tasks do you perform each day? How many times? How long does each take? How much are you paid for doing them? What, then, is the cost per task? What is your output per day? By how much has it changed over the months? Whatever you do, you can always apply a figure to it one way or another.

So what? Well, once you determine how to measure what it is you do, you can keep records of it. Then you can track your efforts over time, measure improvements and – guess what? – put them on your CV to prove how effective you are.
- “Saved £10k per annum” reads better than “gave a cost saving”.
- “Brought in 50k of new business” is more defined than “improved sales in 2 areas”.
- “Increased output by 5%” is more informative than “helped increase production”.

You get the idea. In this way, employers get a real, tangible picture of just how valuable you really are.

* Keep It Relevant

Following on from the features and benefits point, you should clearly look to exclude from your CV anything that doesn’t have direct relevance to your target employer. Writing your definitive life history is a sure fire way to bore them silly. They haven’t got the time or the patience to sift through everything you have to say about yourself whilst looking for the good bits. Remember the WIIFM factor and tell them what they want to hear. Your CV should be as short and as punchy as possible, with as many words as is necessary to sell yourself, but not one more. Let me just repeat that last bit:

Your CV should include as many words as is necessary to sell yourself, but not one more

Job Seekers Show Rather Than Tell

Leveraging one of the Web’s most popular new formats, job hunters and corporate recruiters are adding online video résumés to their arsenals.

More start-ups make these high-tech résumés possible. WorkBlast near Phoenix and MyPersonalBroadcast in Atlanta just launched services. HireVue in Salt Lake City lets candidates record themselves answering questions to get a regular interview. Job candidates turn the camera on themselves to talk about skills and education and show work they’ve done.

Employment site Vault says 17% of 310 employers surveyed last month had watched video résumés. An additional 89% said they’d watch them if offered.

Videos better capture personalities of job hunters and companies looking for workers, says Allen Weiner, research director for media and tech at Gartner. “It’s more than text. You can show a lot,” he says.

Job seekers started adding video résumés to YouTube about a year ago. There are now as many as 4,000, including Allen Ulbricht’s. The Atlanta resident created his to get a job last fall as a senior project manager at EarthLink.

Ulbricht, 30, wanted to show the hiring manager his Web 2.0 skills, such as creating online video, rather than just write about them in a regular résumé. “Action speaks louder than words,” he says.

He also wanted to show he’s a techie with a sense of humor. In the opening shot, he introduces himself as if he’s confessing to a self-help group: “Hi, my name is Allen Ulbricht. And I am a job applicant.”

Ulbricht says he and EarthLink decided they weren’t a good fit for each other. He’s now developing for Real Nice Software, a small-business software company.

Growing market

The forces driving employment videos are the same ones spurring the online video industry’s explosive growth overall: cheap technology and high-speed Web access. Ulbricht spent just $70 for a PC-mounted webcamera. He edited the video with the Microsoft Movie Maker program that came with his Windows XP.

“It’s just become accessible for a lot of folks,” says Christian Anderson, a spokesman for Jobster, the Seattle-based career site that started offering video two months ago.

Established companies are jumping in, too: CareerBuilder will offer video résumés by the end of June. Monster is considering them.

Both sites already offer video where employers such as Home Depot promote themselves as good workplaces.

YouTube’s success has spawned dozens of rivals targeting narrower niches, such as the lucrative employment field. Among them:

# WorkBlast lets job seekers create a free profile page where they upload videos, a regular résumé and their photo. They can then send a link to the page to as many e-mail contacts as they choose.

Employers pay $349 to post a job opening for 60 days. That price includes uploading a video showcasing their company, co-founder Nick Murphy says.

# MyPersonalBroadcast offers a similar service but with a twist: A tool lets customers track who downloads and watches their video.

Customers upload their e-mail contacts. Next, they write a message and attach a video, résumé or other documents. Then they schedule when the e-mail is to be delivered. The company sends them daily e-mail alerts showing whether anyone watched.

Customers pay $19.95 to $89.95 a month, depending on the number of e-mails they “broadcast” and the number of attachments included.

The company is targeting a youthful market: 17 million college students seeking internships, summer jobs and permanent employment every year, says CEO and co-founder Kurt Baumberger. “That’s clearly a huge opportunity,” he says.

# HireVue works with employers trying to save money on recruiting by screening job candidates through video interviews before deciding on a formal in-person interview.

Co-founder Mark Newman says such remote video interviews save U.S. employers money on travel costs, especially in the tech industry, where job candidates often live overseas.

Applicants go to HireVue’s site to see questions from employers. They get a moment to read each one before videotaping themselves providing answers. Then they get up to two minutes to answer each question before the next one appears.

Investor interest rising

More employment video sites and services are likely to be launched as start-up investors look for the next YouTube, researcher Weiner says.

Venture capitalists invested more than $600 million in video start-ups last year, 50% more than in 2005, says the MoneyTree report by PricewaterhouseCoopers and other researchers.

Riding that interest, HireVue is negotiating with VCs for about $3 million, Newman says. The company tried online video interviews two years ago, when few people grasped the concept. “We were a bit too ahead,” Newman says.

But post-YouTube, people see video everywhere. “Now, companies are saying they can use this in their hiring,” he says. “It’s been great.”

TIPS FOR JOB HUNTERS

Keep it short: Three minutes or less, so busy hiring managers don’t turn you off before you’ve made yourself memorable.

Dress for success: This is going to be your first impression, so dress like you’re heading for a job interview.

Know your audience: Tailor your video for the job and industry that interests you. One-size-fits-all videos aren’t as effective.

Say “”cheese”": This is your chance to go beyond your paper r?um? rather than simply reading it aloud. Highlight your personality so hiring managers know you’re a good fit.

Acing the employment interview by Connie Glaser

When we think about interview situations, we typically think of ourselves as the applicant. But what happens when you’re the one conducting the interview? Are there strategies you can use — as a manager — to ensure you get the most out of the interview process and select the candidate who is the best fit for the position?

Managers’ interviewing styles often differ according to their gender. “Women tend to be chatty, folksy even, because they want to put people at ease,” notes Aileen Jacobson in Women in Charge: Dilemmas of Women in Authority. Men, on the other hand, tend to “cut to the chase and be more direct.”

Both styles have advantages and drawbacks. In an effort to make candidates feel comfortable, women often become so focused on playing the good hostess that they fail at getting the information they need about the applicant. In contrast, men who are abrupt and overly direct can paralyze applicants to the point that they blow the interview.

Many managers waste precious interview time describing and selling the job, themselves and the organization instead of delving into the candidate’s background. Remember, it’s the applicant who should be doing the selling – at least initially. Besides, you jump the gun when you open an interview with an elaborate description of the job and the kind of person you’re looking for. Later when you ask questions, a savvy candidate will know exactly what answers you’re hoping to hear.
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How To Be Successful At Interviews

The key to success is to treat the interview as a project, for which you must gather information, make decisions on feasibility, set objectives, identify the resources needed, draw up a plan of action, and manage the project carefully through to closure. In simple terms, you must be professionally prepared for the interview, in order to have the optimum chance of success.

Here is list of actions that you should carry out in order to be fully prepared. Gather information about the recruiting organisation (this includes your present employer if it is an internal interview): before you decide whether to attend the interview, it is essential that you gather information about the organisation and analyse this. You need information on its recent and forecast performance, the condition of the business sector in which it operates, and the post that it is offering. If the organisation and sector are healthy, and the post looks secure and has potential, then you can move on to the next stage. If your findings are negative then it is almost certain that the best decision would be to reject the opportunity. You need to gather information about the condition of yourself, looking at how your personal and career plans are progressing, focusing on how the prospects in your current job match with your personal and career objectives, and then how the new post could help you to achieve those objectives.

Decide to attend or not to attend the interview. You need to make an objective decision as to whether taking up this new post is the right decision for you, at this time. Armed with the information that you gathered earlier, you can assess the merits of being appointed to the new post, against staying in your current post, albeit perhaps until a more appropriate opportunity arises, and make your decision confidently. It is, of course, tempting to apply for a job which appears to offer a higher salary, more responsibility, more status, and new directions, and if this is so appealing that you are confident that you can adjust your development plans to match it, and be happy with that decision, then yes, attend the interview and perform to the best of your ability. However, be warned that the interviewers may well reject you because it will become obvious to them that the position they are offering is not a natural fit with your career to date, and worse, they may well ask you how this new opportunity fits with your future personal development plans, and be disappointed with your unconvincing response.

Gather details of the job itself. You need as much information as you can gather about the nature of the job, the role, responsibilities, reporting relationships, location of the workplace, working conditions, and conditions of employment such as working hours, holidays, and corporate policies and procedures that apply to the position. Some of this information will be given to you in the information pack sent to you by the interviewing organisation, or department, but often, sadly, the quality of information sent out is poor. Most professional organisations will have HR departments that will answer your questions on these issues, or pass you on to the appropriate line manager.

Research the interview format: you need to do some basic but essential research on the practicalities of the interview. Again, some of this information will be sent to you. You should be clear about: how to get to the organisation and the specific interview location (don’t rely on asking for this information when you arrive, as this adds to the stress of the occasion); who is on the interview panel (their titles will give you important clues as to their relationships to the post); what format the interview will take (there is nothing worse than arriving expecting a traditional face-to-face interview and finding that it is a day-long series of tests, group activities, and interviews).

Timing of arrival. Make sure that you arrive in good time, allowing time to tidy your physical appearance after your journey, and sufficient time to become calm before the actual interview.

Your appearance. Do not make the mistake of thinking that it is only your history, qualifications, skills, and knowledge that will win you the job. Most other candidates will have similar attributes, so you need to make an impression, to look professional, smart, and appropriate for the post. In many cases, there will have been a previous holder of the post that the interviewers may be using, albeit subconsciously, as a benchmark. You can’t guess what the interviewers want, or don’t want, in terms of physical appearance and personality, but don’t for one second believe anyone that tells you this doesn’t matter (it shouldn’t, perhaps, in certain circumstances, but you are being invited into their world, and they will be looking for someone who they will be comfortable with (even if the role requires you to be an aggressive change-agent). Yes, in some countries there is legislation that says the job should be offered to the most appropriate person, regardless of appearance, but in real life this isn’t what happens. The answer to this dilemma is to research the culture of the organisation that you are joining, so that you are aware of how people, in positions similar to the one you are being interviewed for, dress and behave, and you can comment on or ask questions about this during the interview. However, don’t go to the interview in jeans and t-shirt, even if that’s the day to day standard. You need to look as professional, as serious about obtaining the job, as possible. For men, that almost certainly means a business suit, or jacket and trousers, with or without tie. For women, a business suit or business outfit. For both sexes, smart-casual can be acceptable, if, but only if, it is that type of environment. In most situations, for most posts on offer to professionals, specialists, managers, experts, consultants, a business outfit is expected at the interview, even if, after appointment, they would never again expect you to come to work in anything remotely as formal.
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Companies that Seek Older Employees

Employers are said to have a preference for younger employees, which speaks of a bias against offering employment to older people. This is a common phenomenon that has prevailed since a long time but is now undergoing a subtle change to favor ‘above 50′ people seeking employment.

Employers have come to realize that employee maturity and experience are age related attributes gained through long exposure to varied work conditions/situations and cannot be cultivated over a short span of time. They are finding it increasingly desirable to employ seniors to benefit from the positive traits ingrained in them with the passing of time leading to better productivity and lesser workplace problems.

Among other important factors contributing to this growing disposition is the realization of work force shrinkage and apprehension of depleting wisdom levels on account of Baby Boomers hitting retirement age in a few years.

The avant-garde is already on track. Leading companies like Borders and Principal Financial, Adecco, Bank of America, Proctor and Gamble are among those who have realized the need for the creation of an older and more mature workforce that could serve as a ‘knowledge pool’ to counteract the impending brain drain. Combined efforts have led to the creation of companies like YourEncore and also websites like Seniors4Hire.org and RetirementJobs.com that act as hiring channels of retired personnel for specific projects. Over a dozen companies including Boeing, Eli Lilly and many others are using the services offered by YourEncore.

Very soon national companies like Petco, Radio Shack, Regal Entertainment, General Nutrition Centers, the Bank of America and a host of health care companies would be posting jobs on Seniors4Hire.org and RetirementJobs.com

Companies engaged in recruitment testify to a growing acceptance of mature workers by many employers, though at a much slower pace than desired. Many employers do not select workers of a higher age group, whereas others positively turn them away.

The sentinel for seniors, AARP (American Association of Retired Persons), features a yearly list of employers on its official web site, which it honors for the best practices related to management of 50+ workers. For example, Volkswagen of America Inc. is a 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 award winner, which, over the past twelve months recruited 13% of its workforce from 50+ applicants. One fourth of the company’s total employees at present are over 50 years in age. It has various benefit programs for older employees.

Employment Policy Foundation (EPF) stats reveal a shortfall of 4 million workers within the next four years. It is predicted to go on increasing and the figure could go up to thirty-five million by 2030.

The major reason is the retirement of 30 million baby boomers out of 76 million born between 1946 and 1964. The senior most will turn sixty-five in 2011and will go for retirement. The trend will continue over the following years. Even discounting the fact that not all are in jobs, there still remains enough to fairly predict an acute shortage of workers to fill existing requirement which will lead to loss in production and consequently, loss in profits.

The nature of some of the jobs most likely to suffer a shortage of workers due to a large number of baby boomers among the present employee list includes:

• Elementary School teachers

• Secondary School teachers

• College and University teachers

• Educational and other Administrators

• Secretaries

• Accounting, Bookkeeping and auditing clerks

• Registered nurses

• Heavy Truck Drivers

• Janitors and cleaners etc.

How to Start Looking for a Better Job by Alex

Lately you’re thinking about where your career is heading. Because you have been sitting on that same office chair for a time now and you think it’s about time you take more control of your career life. If you think you need some progress in your life, then here’s how you can land a new job and soon.

Broadcast. Your boss is probably not the person to know that you’re looking for a better, higher-paying job, but tell your colleagues and friends that you are on the lookout for another job. Your friends/colleagues may know people who can help you get a job interview. If you’ve been wise enough, you should probably now have a good base of contacts. Some of the companies that you’ve dealt with may have openings here and there.

Surf. The internet has an amazing network of resources and you can maximize your internet connection by checking out sites which have regular job postings. If you feel guilty doing job hunting during office hours, do it in between breaks so you can search for available jobs without using up your work time. Now if you know that the office network’s a secure one, for the love of all that’s living, do it elsewhere. Your snotty network administrators may intercept your activity and get you fired in no time.

Tweak your resume. Make sure you have an impressive resume to send out. Work up on your abilities and skills so you can stand by what you boast in your resume. If you work harder than everyone else, what can stop you from being the perfect choice for that high-paying position everyone wants? Sometimes though, all your merits and qualifications may need more than one page, which, although impressive, could be too much for an employer to review. Try to make your resume as comprehensive as you can work-wise, with your accomplishments arranged according to magnitude.

Compare and contrast. All potential workplaces can seem to be a better place if you abhor your current work. Still you have to be meticulous or you just might end up in a worse hole. So take notes and compare and contrast everything there is in your current workplace and the one you’re applying to. Check the compensation packages too. You might be getting a higher paycheck but lose out on benefits.

Work on your communication skills. It takes more than your transcript to get the new job. How you talk and express your thoughts are also factors your employer considers. You have to be excellent on your interview so your future boss could see just how much of an asset you will be for the company.

Prepare for a graceful exit. Looking for another job while still formally connected to an outfit is not a totally sneaky thing. Still, if you have found a greener pasture and decided to jump, prepare for a graceful exit. Coordinate your reporting date on your new job to allow for a turn-over period in your “old” job. Don’t just drop the bomb and leave. It’s unprofessional and it leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Who knows, you might still be dealing with your former outfit in the future.

Getting your ideal job may take longer than you expect. More important than hard work is patience. This will keep you focused and determined until you finally achieve your long-awaited success.

To find a job, focus on networking skills

When Jason Alba was laid off from his management position in information technology, he wasn’t too worried. After all, he had skills that were in demand, had an MBA and people seemed to like him.
So, he did all the stuff he thought he was supposed to do: he sent out some résumés, applied for several positions and waited for the calls to start coming in.

He waited. And waited some more. He had heard the old adage that for every $10,000 you earn, you are out of work for one month. He thought that was crazy - he couldn’t wait months and months to get a job. Like everyone else in this world, he had bills to pay. So he sent out some e-mails and made some phone calls. No one returned his messages. Alba was thoroughly confused.
”People used to reply to my e-mails when I was a manager, and laugh at my jokes,” Alba says. ”Now, they were too snooty to reply to me. It was almost a class change.”

Alba visited the job board sites online and found a wealth of information on interviewing for a job and how to be successful. He also read stories about the unemployment rate but was frustrated because those numbers didn’t reflect his city or situation.

Two months into his job search, Alba had an idea: What if regular job seekers, like himself, had a tool that was powerful and affordable and could help manage and organize a job search?
”This tool would fill the gap between what an expert says and what I have,” he thought.
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Phone Interviewing Tips

Last night, I received an email from a reader of Non Sterile asking if I might help with their upcoming phone interview. Since the main objective of Non Sterile is to help, I was more than happy to lend a hand. We had a good discussion on how to prepare and what to expect during the interview. Some of the topics have already been discussed on Non Sterile, but the following tips are new and after talking with a few recruiters, it seems that phone screening is increasing becoming the first interaction that aspiring medical device representatives with have with the industry.

The following tips came from our discussion this afternoon:

* Have your resume, brag book, company literature and job description in front of you.
* Prepare 3-5 mini-stories and a list of questions.
* Dress as you would for a face-to-face meeting. Wear a suit and tie.
* Stand up - Motion creates Emotion.
* Ask for the business - What’s the next step?

Telephone interviewing has its advantages and disadvantages. The main disadvantage is that you are not speaking face-to-face so you are not able to receive any feedback from your interviewer’s body language or facial expression. But the advantage is that you are able to have a wealth of information at your disposal, such as a copy of your resume, brag book, the job description and a list of questions. You can refer to all of these documents without the interviewer knowing.

Try to setup the phone interview for the late afternoon, when you can get off work early. If you schedule it for the middle of the day, Murphy’s Law says you will be interrupted by an emergency that will require your immediate attention. You’ll have better control over your environment if you are at home or at least far away from the office.

Most phone interviews will last about 30 minutes and are behavioral or situational interviews. Similar to face-to-face interviews but a little shorter. Prepare 3-5 mini stories on how you were successful. These could be the time when you discovered a way to save your current employer a lot of money, or the time when you landed the elephant. Develop your mini stores in the STAR Format.

Although your interviewer can’t see you through the phone, it doesn’t mean you can just wear sweats. You are not on the phone talking with your buddies about football and your voice should reflect a level of professionalism. Wearing a suit will help you stay in character, but don’t be too dry. Be enthusiastic, show you are interested in the position and vary your voice inflection to prevent the listener from falling asleep.

Standing up will help you create interest. Remember motion creates emotion. I talk with my hands, so I use a headset to keep my telephone personality similar to my in-person personality.

Finally and probably most importantly, get a commitment for the next step. I don’t recommend being too pushy. So a simple questions such as “What is the next step?” will usually get the job done.

A Smile, a Handshake, and a New Job – How They’re All Connected - By Josh

When you think of a business person the image that comes to your head is probably of someone wearing a suit, or at least donning business casual apparel, with a confident demeanor and a strong handshake. Though this idealistic image may not be the typical businessperson, it does reflect one truth: confidence gets results.

Your smile and attitude are the first things that a prospective employer are going to notice about you, followed by your handshake and intelligence. Therefore, it is crucial that you make the first impression a good one.

The Psychology behind a Warm Smile

People gravitate to those that exude confidence, capability, and stability. Appearing confident shows your prospective employer that you can handle stressful situations. Make no mistake, an interview is a stressful situation for a prospective employee, and the employer knows it. Show them that you can handle it without breaking a sweat.

The reason that people are attracted to those whom are confident or capable is because people want to be associated with people who are esteemed, or whom may be esteemed. If you associate with many great people, you are more inclined to become a great person yourself as a result of their influence and association.

A warm smile reeks of this type of confidence. It shows poise and charisma, and those two traits have a common effect on everyone, including those who may hire you.

Why a Firm Handshake is Important

In North America, the handshake has become a sort of sizing up ritual. Have you ever noticed how really motivated and driven people have a strong handshake? This is because they are giving you a message when they shake your hand. When they grip your hand in a firm and confident manner, they are saying “Hi, I am good at what I do and I know it. You want to do business with me.”

Even though the words have never left their mouth, you immediately get that message. When you shake your interviewers hand, give them a brief moment of eye contact, a warm smile, and let them know that you mean business.

These non-verbal cues (a smile and a handshake) communicate just as much as a verbal message- never discredit them or undervalue their importance.