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Toni Bowers’ wrote an article on her TechRepublic Career Management blog with the headline “Talking smack about former employers is not advisable.” She points to the farewell message sent by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Dan Neil announcing his departure from the Los Angeles Times to go work for the Wall Street Journal. It’s the kind of note you can get away with if you’ve won a prize like that. It’ probably not the best approach for the rest of us. We just don’t have the clout.
Your first reaction when given the sorry news is to lash out, but please keep this in mind. Your former co-workers (remember their titles change really fast) suddenly become your networking contacts. And they are the most valuable ones you are likely to have. They:
- know your work
- understand your capabilities and
- can serve as your most credible references.
If you’ve worked somewhere for several years and developed good ties with your co-workers, they’ll be sympathetic to you. They may even see in you as the person they could have been if the guns had been aimed a little closer in their direction. They may see you as the person that took the bullet that was meant for them.
You don’t want to taint your reputation by throwing a public tantrum in the office, sending anyone a torching tirade of an email and you certainly want to minimize any out loud derogatory remarks you make about that employer. (I’m sure you would never do these things, but fantasies like these are likely to flood your mind for a while.)
But what should you do? First of all, you should reach out your former cohorts. Depending upon how you were escorted out the door, you may not have had a chance to say the proper goodbyes. A phone call or email are appropriate. Don’t be surprised if some employees prefer to disassociated themselves from you, especially while at work. It’s like they want to avoid having what happened to you rub off on them. (Like that would happen.)
Now let’s walk through an encounter with a former employee. First of all, they still work with and for the jerks and company that no longer needs you. (They may not be jerks, but let’s make the assumption here.) They may feel some pride for the place. They still drive to work every morning the way you used to. Any conversation with them should lean toward the side of respecting the firm that still employs them. Your discussion with them should be forward looking.
If they open the door, maybe express your regrets to them, but be careful. Their loyalty is still to the company and anything you say might be shared with other former co-workers and damage their willingness to network on your behalf.
Moaning and groaning about the past makes no sense. If these people are now to become your advocates, you need to assure them you are still the right postive person for them to promote to their network of contacts.
You should ask former co-workers to review your resume. Even if you don’t think they would be the best people to do a review, by reading through your resume they refresh themselves on all you can do for your next employer. They can look at your situation objectively and possibly come up with job search tips and tactics that may not have occurred to you. Remember, they are in your same industry. They have similar professional interests. They know you.
I’ve had clients tell me that former co-workers approached him asking for help in their job hunt. They didn’t like how things were going for them at the firm and thought they could be a layoff target. That was a surprise. Former co-works may have opportunities they were following in anticipation of a possible layoff themselves. They may have job leads they were nurturing in case they were the ones that were hit with the layoff.
Again, inappropriate gut reactions are not the way to go. Clear headed thinking is. Don’t take steps you’ll regret later.
Please share with us interactions you had with former co-workers and how you handled them.
 Flipping out 140 character messages may not be the salvation to your job search, but these few tools and tips just might help. I found Marci Reynolds’ site and it gives a good overview of what you need. It gives a Twitter primer (It’s a mystery for many of use, I know.) and offers an e-book called “How To Use Twitter For Your Job Search.” You can click on this link for a PDF one-pager giving you the basics on the Twittering state of mind.
Twitter isn’t going away. Just like email, it’s now part of the employment (and unemployed) landscape. You can fight it all you want, but it’s here to stay.
I also recommend checking out her Twitter Job Resources Page for some more information.
Keith Ferrazzi wrote an article called “Are Your Poor Listening Skills Hurting Your Career?” Ferrazzi’s the guy that wrote a “Never Eat Alone” and another one recently called “Who’s Got Your Back.” In both books Ferrazzi talks about networking and gaining support from the people around you. Could your listening habits be undermining all the hard work you’re putting into your job hunt?
Listening. Talk about a basic skill. Talk about a skill that can get you in good with people or make you look like a jerk. And it’s one that can help you succeed in your job search or completely tank it.
Remember, people tend to connect with people they like. People who listen are more likable. Bad listeners come across as just plain rude and who likes that? Ferrazzi’s article describes the different kinds of listening from removed listening to receptive listening, but what I was thinking was,
“What impact might listening be having on your success today?”
When someone listens well to me, I feel … what’s the right word…pampered. That’s the feeling I get. If I wasn’t at my best or even “bitchy” before my encounter with this fabulous listener, their behavior lifts my spirits. I feel important. The other person cares.
But what happens when the other person’s messin’ with their Blackberry, staring at something over my shoulder or, worse yet, impatiently interrupting me mid-sentence not allowing me to finish a thought. That bugs me. It’s not much better than an order taker at McDonalds taking my order while talking to their co-workers about what they’ll do after work, failing to make any eye contact and mumbling my total while looking over at the French fryer. (Boy, does that bug me)
Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t want the person helping me network, hopin’ to hire me or a fellow job hunter helping me research a potential employer thinking mentally,
“This guys treating me like the kid at Mickey D’s!”
I want to be held in esteem and something as simple as (or maybe it’s not so simple) listening can give the kind of positive impression I need to be making…especially during the search.
I’d love to hear what you have to say about people you know who listen well and how that made you feel. And better yet, give us the scoop on the times when someone didn’t listen well and how that came across.
I impatiently await your response.
No matter if it’s voice mail, email, your Blackberry, a text, your next meeting or perhaps even an letter delivered the old fashioned way – in an envelope with a stamp, every once in a while you have to pull the plug and scream an obscenity ridden with – ENOUGH!
What a concept…becoming unattainable for some degree of time.
I was looking around a website belonging to Harrison Barnes, the Job Guru, and caught his article “The Importance of Disconnecting from Your Work.” That’s exactly what he’s promoting and I can only say, “He’s right on.”
Check out the opening lines of his post:
Some of the happiest, most well adjusted, and most effective people I know are also people who have a profound ability to disconnect from their work. They can disconnect rapidly and put themselves in another state of mind which does not involve work.
It’s interesting how he uses the word “profound” to describe this skill. I know what he’s talking about. I’m driven. Those that know me understand I run a million miles a minute, answer emails late at night / early in the morning. I’m at it all hours of the day and it does take a “profound ability” or more like an act of God to get me disconnected.
 Now you job hunting executives are no exception to this “disease,” but you’ve got it worse. You don’t have a defined work schedule. Even a crazy, highly-driven work schedule has on and off time built into it. I could be the off time are hard to find, but you know when you’re on work and off.
When you’re looking for work, it becomes your full time job working out of the house. You run into the same problems typical of small business owners encounter working out of home. If you can fall out of bed and start hitting the computer the minute you open your eyes. If you research, fine tune the resume and scan the Internet well past Late Night with David Letterman (or Jay Leno for those fans), when do you disconnect from work?
Let me tell you. You have to be at your creative best during your job hunt. You actually have to be pleasant when interacting with possible contacts that can lead you to your next employer. You have to be open to subtle opportunities that might pop out at you during your day. You cannot do that well and be at your very best if you work 24/7 and never get any mental rest.
Here’s a word of advice. Get yourself on a schedule. Pretend you have a work day and schedule your time accordingly. Set the times when you’re laptop will be open for emails and when you’ll accept Blackberry (it really is a Crackberry) phone calls and text. You’ve got the time. Schedule working out into your schedule. If it’s getting up to run before or after you drop the kids off at school (hey you can do that now that you’re off work), going to the gym at a set time or attending Yoga or spinning classes at a set time, commit to doing it.
You owe it to yourself and more importantly, it will:
- Relieve stress
- Keep you more centered (meaning you won’t freak out at everyone as often)
- Improve your effectiveness and efficiency (You really will get more work done.)
To keep yourself honest, share whatever commitment you make with your spouse, friend or coach (that’s where folks like me come in) and do what you say you’ll do.
This should be a help now when you’re looking for work and later when you land your next position which just might be around the corner.
Title: South Florida Association for Financial Professionals
Location: Banker’s Club Downtown Miami
Link out: Click here
Description: The South Florida AFP Presents:
- Roberta Kressel, EVP of Human Resources at BankUnited
- Tom Shea, CEO of Right Management
- Carlos J. Arboleda, Director of Banking & Financial Services at Stephen James Associates
Topic: Panel Discussion – Opportunities in 2010, HR, and the Professional Labor Market
Start Time: 12:00
Date: 2010-02-23
End Time: 13:30
There’s a rumor going around that the economy’s improving. Job creation is on the move. Since good news is meant to be shared, I’m passing on the article “Four signs our recovery may not be entirely ‘jobless’” that should raise your spirits. After you read the article, shake off the blues, rebuild your sagging confidence and ramp up your activity.
That said, here’s a few thoughts to help you raise your activity and shorten your time in search. Despite the good news, you still have to get your butt in gear and work at it.
- Make it a habit to contact at least 10 people everyday.
- Go to a networking meeting, join a professtional association, ask your friends for introductions, reconnect with peers, vendors, alumni groups and onthers both on-line and off.
- Review the email messages you’re sending. Are they clear? Are they meaningful? Do with convey value to others?
- Hit the streets, pick up the phone and work your search. You could be just a “hello and a handshake” from your next great success.
I got this from someone in an email a long while back. I keep stuff much longer than most do only so I can use it for writing fodder someday in the future. Well I ran into this one and the day came for this one. Watch out! (BTW, it came with no author, so if it’s yours claim it and I’ll give you credit.
Here’s what it says:
 THE BUZZARD: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
 THE BAT: The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
 THE BUMBLEBEE: A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
PEOPLE: In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That’s the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up.
Now I’m no National Geographic expert so I don’t know if all this stuff is true, but the message rings loud and clear for me.
A job seach is rarely easy. We spend time struggling, intensely focused and typically consumed by the job search. Even if there’s no financial pressure and the relationship with the spouse is doing well, we have our ego to deal with. We have to face the idea of staying home with little to do. That all can be a little nerve racking works hard against the clear thinking that creatively helps us move forward.
This is probably a good time to reflect on the animal story above. Are you banging your head real hard against wall (Ouch!) and missing out on an obvious next job search step?
If that is the case, her are some “look up ideas” for you to consider:
- Meet with a former co-worker, boss or peer (coffee’s fine) and ask them for ideas to fuel your job hunt.
- Ask a fellow job hunter to look over your situation and suggest ideas. (It’s amazing what one job hunter can do for another job hunter’s search.)
- Consider a job coach. Many of them will give you a free initial coaching session (like a test drive) to try it out. I do.
- Go to the gym, go for a run or even just a brisk walk.
- Get yourself a book like Richard Nelson Bolles’ What Color’s Your Parachute? or my own Breakthrough: The Hate My Job, Need a Life, Got Laid Off, Can’t Get No Satisfaction Solution to help see your situation differently. (You can learn more about my book on my product page.)
- Read an excite novel or rent yourself an intense movie. (Braveheart is my favorite.) After one of these, I feel refreshed, reflective and more creative. (And enjoy these now. When you get back to work you won’t have as much time to do this kind of stuff.)
- Schedule yourself some do nothing time away from the Blackberry, laptop and email. Take it easy.
- Take a simple walk with the spouse and/or kids. Sometimes just some simple relationship time can help us screw our heads back on straight and get out of our rut.
Again, I know it’s not easy, but if you try something different, keep yourself sharp and stay creative you can do a better job searching for work then you would otherwise.
Wouldn’t it be great if your career came with a guarantee for success? We all know that won’t happen. But here’s some good news. When you evaluate fit by looking deeper then basic responsibilities and compensation, you’ll find employment partners where you will be best suited to succeed.
Since one size doesn’t fit all (We’re talking about company size. What were you expecting?), here’s a breakdown of categories based on company sales:
- Large: $500M+;
- Medium to Large: $201 – $500M;
- Medium: $51 -$200M;
- Small: $11 – $50M;
- Start-up: $0 – $10M
1. Work/life Balance. This is something both companies and employees are striving for. Employees want a life and companies want to avoid costly burnout that affects productivity and quality. Fortune’s 2005 “100 Best Companies to Work For” showcased how culture is key. Using criteria that included benefit programs, health care and paid time off, the 100 best were broken out between 37 large companies; 34 mid-sized companies and 29 small companies demonstrating that good things can come in all sizes.
2. Resources. Resources and support are indicated as key reasons large organizations can attract accomplished professionals. True “means to an end” resources allow employees to focus on the core responsibilities of their job instead of spending time handling administrative or nonessential and unimportant tasks.
3. Bureaucracy. Culture will definitely affect this, but as a rule, larger companies have deeper layers and more complex issues that intensify the need for tighter rules and regulations and all the red tape that accompany them. As a result, the decision-making process and implementation ability can be slower and more cumbersome in a larger company then a smaller one.
4. Job Advancement. Start-up companies can offer the most rapid advancement opportunities but it is important to remember there is a risk factor tied into the thrill ride. If you are jazzed by speed, challenge, opportunity and change, these dynamics just might out-weigh the risk. I liken start-ups to riding in a sexy, sleek sports car. There is a lot of power, velocity, creativity and appeal, but if you hit a wall, you probably won’t make it out alive. On the flip side, medium size companies with flat organizations mean you’ll have to wait for someone to get fired or retired to get the next promotion. The larger the company, the longer it can take to move up through the ranks.
5. Company Growth. With companies of all sizes participating in the merge and acquire strategy, growth is no longer limited to sales projections and new product releases. Greater market share and revenue generation are often the result of acquisitions and partnerships. However, The Center for Simplified Strategic Planning Inc. has found that “as the economy has gained efficiency through technology and globalization, small companies have tended to lead the way into new niches and markets. As a result, job growth at all levels in smaller companies has consistently outpaced opportunities in large companies.” That said, based on research conducted by ExecuNet, search firms expect the greatest growth in 2005 to be in medium sized organizations.
6. Job Security. In a study done by Applied Research Corporation, it was found that small companies (not to be confused with start-ups) offer the most job security. They said “a small size organization that has strong management can more easily adapt to fluctuations in the market. In addition, smaller privately held firms have demonstrated greater tenacity, more patience in their strategic direction and a lower tendency to shut down profitable operations. The best bet is a rapidly growing smaller company in an emerging industry.”
7. Influence. Pick your poison – Start–ups represent the greatest opportunity for individuals who prefer to become involved from inception, allowing them to interject their skills and talents to shape the company’s direction and positioning in the marketplace. A small company has less tolerance for misallocation of resources so employees find more autonomy that comes with greater accountability and an emphasis on finding the best balance between planning, analysis and action. In larger companies the actual span of control can be smaller internally, but in well branded companies with high name recognition influence can come by way of association providing industry clout.
8. Risk. Beyond size, this is where you have to look at the business plan, strength and skills of management, competitive advantages, corporate culture, organizational goals, professional positioning, the mix of your skills and abilities with the organizations needs and expectations as well as your income potential.
9. Compensation. Here’s the news from industry expert Nan Andrews Amish: “Compensation at the top companies is phenomenal. Compensation at the mid-sized companies will be negotiated. Compensation at entrepreneurial companies will be deferred to after your success.”
10. Self-Assessment – Where are you at in your career? Are you established or working on the track record? Would you thrive as a little fish in a big pond or a big fish in a little pond? Do you crave 24/7 global dominance? Do politics make you cringe? When it’s all said and done the most compelling reasons to choose one size company over another is the people you’ll work with, the values that are shared, the culture that is established, and the chemistry in your business relationships.
I ran into this New York Times article that covers the nitty-gritty of unemployment statistics. It’s dated November so it gives us the numbers when the economy was at its worse (or close to it). It cuts up of the population by age, education level, race and gender. What caught my eye was how unemployment hit some groups hard and left others relatively unscathed. Is there no fairness in life? Actually, no.
Now I’m not a statistically genius, but I do know if you are unemployed it means you are 100% out of work and 100% in need of a job, but these numbers reveal something interesting. Let me dispel some of myths that run around in your brain causing you to freak out. You have to be at your best and negativity can be your worst enemy.
Fact Number 1. High school grads face a 9.1% jobless rate – college grads 4.5%. That’s a huge difference. Having that degree makes things twice a good.
Have you heard all the age discrimination talk? Well think again. Jobless rates for the over 45 high school grad is 6.8%. For the 25 to 44 high school grad it’s 9.3%. That’s almost 3 points. Age gives you a considerable edge. A look at college educated old farts (I’m in this group so don’t take offense) will show a 4.3% jobless rate. Looky here? That compares to 4.3% for the 25 to 44 crowd. It seems unemployment rates for this crowd has less to do with age and more to do with education.
So the grey hairs give you an advantage.
Let’s look at women versus men. High school graduated men face an overall 10.3% unemployment rate versus women 7.8% for the ladies. That’s a significant difference. We women finally come out ahead – yeah!!!
What’s my point? Well from what I’ve seen, it’s VERY, VERY easy to get down on yourself when you’re out of work. It can be a pain to get out of bed in the morning. Life can become a drag as you wonder what you’ll for the day, then do it again and again and again. And I understand. Watching your savings dwindle and not being able to pay your bills can be a real downer.
But what can we learn from this? When the government sees the overall unemployment dip into the low single digits, they call it full employment. When one group has a several point statistical advantage over other group (and we didn’t get into the numbers with minorities), that’s something to be thankful for. Staying positive is so critical during a job search. It keeps us creative. It helps us attack the job market better. It helps us sleep better at night.
If you find yourself getting down (and I’m talking a little bit more than just a bad day), reach out to a friend, get out to the gym, get a coach, go and talk to a professional, do something. But I’m hoping that if you’re one of those older 45 college educated execs who make up the majority of my customers, the numbers are with you. If you are a woman breadwinner, you have an edge as well. Focus on that positive and give it your best shot. You’ll do just fine.
I ran into an article at CubicleRules.com called “5 Strategies to Survive in a World of Permanent Temps” and one line in particular sprung out at me. It says,
“Yes, we’re all temps now — but we aren’t ready for the role”
The article discusses how even high level corporate positions are temporary. You can’t assume you’ll have a long term history at any firm.
Now I’m old enough to remember when we used to take job security for granted. You could count on companies like IBM to induct a lot of employees into their quarter century clubs. It happened every month. They gave out gold watch and refreshments as a sign of appreciation for their loyalty.
Boy, are those days behind us.
I’m not so much flabbergasted that the club days are over. I am concerned that many of us run our careers as if long term corporate employment were a given.
- We don’t save.
- We live on the assumption the next paycheck will follow the last one.
- We sink large amounts of money into our company’s stock.
- We don’t network professionally outside our companies.
Dudes and dudettes– wake up out there. That’s the perfect formula for disaster!
So given this reality, what’s one thing I recommend to my clients? What’s the one thing can make a difference over anything else.
Network!
This may sound overly simplistic and at the same time something unnatural, self-serving and very uncomfortable. If you’ve never done it — it should be. So let me share with you a VERY simple formula to kick start your networking.
Go through your email contact list (or Rolodex if you’re still tied to paper and pencil) and select two dozen professional contacts you swear, promise, cross your heart and hope to die that you will contact once every twelve weeks. There’s some very simple math here. You take two people and you assign them to your calendar for the next twelve Monday’s. Every Monday, write their names in your planner and make a point of calling them sometime during that week. If they don’t pick up, leave a message saying you’re just trying to reconnect and you’ll try back later. Leave a number so if they prefer to call you back, that can.
I recommend using the phone making it as personal as possible. If you don’t know what to say, keep it simple.
“I was looking though my contact list and bumped into your name.”
You really did.
Then have an authentic, non-scripted conversation. Be yourself. Be interested. Be helpful.
See, there is another simple rule — people will help, hire, bond with and support other people that they Know, Like and Trust. Build these characteristics into your relationships.
Once you get through the first twelve weeks, you can either:
- start all over again with the same people,
- drop a few people and replace them with new ones, or
- pick a new double dozen to call.
By this time, you’ll have formed a habit and you’ll know what to do next. A few other things you may consider. When you run into interesting articles, make a point of forwarding them to some of your new contacts. If you run into a job hunter (and boy is it easy to run into those now a day), introduce them to your contacts to see if they can help. Take a very “pay it forward” approach focused on helping others.
As you branch out to people you don’t know but have recently met or been referred to, dump the “me.” The focus should be all about them…. I’d like to learn more about you and what you do…..then, become the “aspirin to their headache”…. In other words, provide solutions to their problems through your expertise, referrals you can provide, or resources you can suggest.
I’m sure over a short period of time, your newly reconnected friends will begin to consider you part of their inner circle of contact. Then those will become the people that will catch a lifeline you throw them when you and your current employer decide to part ways.
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