Jeannette Kraar - Executive Career Coaching » Job Hunt

WEDDLE’s 2010 User’s Choice Awards, The Elite of the Online Employment Industry

Jeannette Kraar — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 22:37:27 +0000

I wanted to share with you a list I discovered online. It contains some really solid online employment sites. Check them out and tell me what you think about using them to find your next job.

Absolutely Health Care http://www.healthjobsusa.com/
AfterCollege.com http://www.AfterCollege.com/
AllHealthcareJobs.com http://AllHealthcareJobs.com/
AllRetailJobs.com http://www.AllRetailJobs.com/
CareerBuilder.com http://www.CareerBuilder.com/
CollegeGrad.com http://www.CollegeGrad.com/
CollegeRecruiter.com http://www.collegerecruiter.com/
Dice.com http://www.dice.com/
DirectEmployers.com http://www.DirectEmployers.com
DiversityJobs.com http://www.DiversityJobs.com/
EmploymentGuide.com http://www.EmploymentGuide.com
ExecuNet http://www.execunet.com/
GetTheJob.com http://www.GetTheJob.com
Hcareers http://www.Hcareers.com/
HealthCareerWeb.com http://www.HealthCareerWeb.com/
HEALTHeCAREERS Network http://www.HEALTHeCAREERS.com/
Indeed.com http://www.Indeed.com/
Job.com http://www.Job.com/
JobFox.com http://www.jobfox.com/
Jobing http://www.jobing.com/
JobsinLogistics http://www.JobsinLogistics.com/
TheLadders.com http://www.TheLadders.com/
Monster.com http://www.Monster.com/
Net-Temps.com http://www.Net-Temps.com/
SimplyHired.com http://www.SimplyHired.com/
6FigureJobs.com http://www.6FigureJobs.com/
SnagAJob.com http://www.SnagAJob.com/
TopUSAJobs.com http://www.TopUSAJobs.com/
VetJobs.com http://www.VetJobs.com/
Yahoo! HotJobs http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/

Do Your Next Boss a Huge Favor

Jeannette Kraar — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 17:26:04 +0000

When filling any position a hiring manager’s biggest headache (or pain in the ass depending upon your point of view) is finding the right set of “potential” candidates to begin the interview process. After getting a pile of resumes, they have to trudge through them figuring out what these characters bring to the table. I’m sure every hiring manager wishes and prays for the applicant that does tells them, “Here’s why you should hire me.” Note this statement carefully. It’s “Here’s why you should hire me” not “Here’s why I want to work for you.”

There’s a difference here. Read your typical resume and what you’ll find is a list of former jobs followed by a bulleted list responsibilities for each one. For example, I read the following under the Director of Operations title:

“Carried out manufacturing floor operational responsibilities overseeing 12 supervisors and running quality assurance functions.”

I’m mean like, duh. Operations Directors do that kind of stuff. Otherwise you’d be the Finance Director or HR Director or Marketing Director. Of course you need to make sure your reader understands what you did, but your main focus must be telling the reader about your accomplished.

Here are the kind of bullets I’m sure your next boss prefers when looking over your resume:

Increased sales from $1M to $1.7M over an 18 month period.
Outsold every fellow sales rep 4 out of 12 months and consistently ranked in the top 10%.
Improved plant floor efficiency increasing production capabilities by 7.5% over six months while maintaining high quality levels.
Improved team moral ratings from 50% to 72% during my first 12 months in the position.

When your next boss read bullets like these on your resume, they start picturing how the person can help then in the position they are needing filled.

Now I completely understand your apprehension. Coming up with these kinds of facts for your resume is no walk in the park. It’s work. This is especially true:

if what you did isn’t easily measured,
if you’re changing industries and accomplishments in your former industry aren’t easy to explain to those on the outside and
if you never spent much time thinking about your work this way.

Here’s my challenge to you. Take just one position on your resume and dissect it. For each bullet put a check mark next to each ones that describe an accomplishment. Put an “X” next to each one that describes a job responsibility. If you have more “X”s than checks, you have some work to do. You’re better off making it 75% check marks.

If you dedicate some time to reviewing what you did on any job, you’ll run into a problem that’s common for many of us. We’ve done what we do and done it well for so long, we don’t consider it a big deal. Well it just might be and you’d better be able to tell people why it was a big deal.

I’ll give you the example from one of my clients. This guy ran an IT department. One of his many tasks was moving the firm’s data center from their corporate offices to an outsourced data center. It took the team he led six months of planning and execution to get the job done. When it was over, his users experienced zero downtime and they pulled the project off under budget.

For all of his work, this guy was surprised that his boss was most impressed with the fact that he didn’t exceed his budget. His supervisor had never seen an IT project of that magnitude get delivered on the originally projected budget.

My client thought that was the least of his accomplishments. He considered that the basic part of his job. My response to him was,

“If you boss was that impressed, it goes on your resume.”

So that made it on his resume as follows:

Delivered a six-month, $750K data center migration project on time, under budget and with zero user downtime.

Now I’m not in IT, but here is a measurable accomplishment even I understand. I can read an accomplishment like this on a resume and envision how this guy might be able to help me with my problems.

So take a look at your resume, and do your next boss a favor. Make it high on accomplishment and low on job responsibilities so the boss doesn’t have to work so hard.

Let me know how this made a difference on your resume.

Former Co-Workers Are Your Best Allies

Jeannette Kraar — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:59:01 +0000

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.

Top Ten Reasons Why Size Does Matters

Jeannette Kraar — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:44:41 +0000

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.

Jobless Rates Better for College Educated Old Farts and Women

Jeannette Kraar — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:53:23 +0000

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.

We’re All Temps, Right? So What Should We Do Now

Jeannette Kraar — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:00:44 +0000

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.

That Infamous Job Description May Not Really Describe the Job

Jeannette Kraar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:11:23 +0000

There are times when you ask yourself, “Do I apply for this job posting even through I don’t have all he qualifications?” You decide to apply and then at the interview you’re not sure how to get past that shortfall that just has to come up.

Other times, you’ve experience the total opposite. You’re drawn to an ad that is all about you. You’re sure this position was created with you in mind it matches you so perfectly. But, once you hit the interview scene you learn there is little reality between the position description and the job.

Let me tell you about job descriptions. In most companies, these documents sit in a drawer in human resources for years. They are written with the perfect candidate in mind. One day a department manager calls and puts in a requisition for a new hire. The HR person pulls the description and starts going over
resumes that respond to the posting. Just in case you’re still thinking about evaluating an opportunity based only on what your read on a job posting, position description or their website — allow me to share some insights.

Here’s some typical “Employer Speak” translated for you:

Entry level position: You’ll be making minimum wage.
Join our fast-paced company: We have no time to train you; you’ll have to
introduce yourself to your co-workers.
Nationally recognized leader: Inc. Magazine wrote us up a few years ago, but
we haven’t done anything innovative since.
Immediate opening: The person who previously held this job gave notice a
month ago. We’re just now running the ad.
Casual work atmosphere: We don’t pay enough to expect that you’ll dress up,
although a couple of the really daring guys wear earrings.
Must be deadline oriented: You’ll be six months behind schedule on your first
day.
Some overtime required: Some time each night and some time each
weekend.

You may be laughing as you read this, but I’m betting it’s because you’ve had a similar experience between the written message and reality. This is one of those “fool me once, shame on you — fool me twice, shame on me” situations.

Next time you’ll be prepared. Here’s a few rules to keep in mind:

Rule number one; the responsibilities maybe accurate, or they may have
changed, but the true measure of the position is the focus – what do they need
the person in this role to provide or deliver in the short term. This information is
rarely provided.

Rule number two; the company will advertise for the perfect candidate, but they
seldom get it all. Their thought process is put the optimum wish list out there and
get as close as they can.

Rule number three; the position description doesn’t tell you what it’s like to work
for the person you’ll be reporting to and it may or may not tell you what the true
culture of the organization is like.

I normally suggest responding to a posting if you have at least 50% of the qualifications – IF they are in reason. What I mean is if specific certification or licensing is absolutely required and you don’t have it, your other skills and abilities won’t compensate. However, perhaps an ad asks for 8 years of experience and you only have five, or maybe they prefer someone who is bilingual and you’re not. Companies ask for certain qualifications because they assume that’s what it will take to accomplish what they need. That’s not always
the case.

In an interview, your job is to “sell your strengths” and show a company how you can be a solution provider for their needs. Therefore, focus on what you can do, not what you can’t. If it’s truly a priority to the hiring company, they’ll ask you about it. Be honest in your answers but probe to see if there are any ways to
work around the deficiency.

Ok, let’s discuss rule three. Have you ever been to an interview and the person interviewing you was totally irritating – unorganized, borderline rude or seemingly incompetent? Did you factor that in when you considered the job? Here’s the deal – at an interview, what you see is what you get. If the person interviewing you makes you crazy and that person would be your boss, you might want to
withdraw from consideration.

When you showed up for the interview, did you pay attention to what was going on around you? Was the reception room clean and were you greeted when you walked in? How were people dressed? Did employees look happy? Stressed? Relaxed? Were there a lot of closed doors or open approachable spaces? Was
the furniture quality or held together by duct tape? Did they have voice mail and up-to-date technology or were they in a time warp?

This is all part of the interview process. Everything won’t be a verbal message and you have to take some responsibility for finding the right job in the right environment with the right people. The signs will be all around you but you have to be open to them.

Maybe you can share other interviewing prep tips that might be helpful to other?

Collaborate and Partner Up to Achieve Your Goals

Jeannette Kraar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:23 +0000

Once upon a time there was a professional who didn’t have to do everything, know everything or have everything but this person lived happily ever after multiplying their contacts, resources, time, energy and income without increasing their workload. The really good news is, this is no tall tale and it could be your new reality. Just remember the magic word. It’s collaboration.

A collaboration could also be called a partnership or strategic alliance and participants are often referred to as colleagues, associates, partners, supporters, sidekicks and possibly an accomplice (meant only in the most upstanding of ways). But no matter what terminology you use, the concept remains the same. It is a group of two or more people who come together to cooperatively achieve a mutually desired objective. In the process, the benefits of an effective collaboration are much greater then the end result.

Collaboration allows you to

Learn from others: Each person brings and contributes their unique skills and knowledge. It is a great way to have diverse expertise within an environment that allows you to acquire new undeveloped abilities.
Model Success: You can benefit from the insights that come from “hind-sight” and proven performance while expanding your own experience base.
Increase opportunities: Pre-existing limitations are removed. When you collaborate with others, your opportunities increase as the “span of influence” broadens through your partnerships. By span of influence, I mean contacts, experience, resources and demonstrated results.
Share responsibilities: It doesn’t get much simpler then this. When you partner with other people, you don’t have to do everything yourself. Responsibilities can be divided based on strengthens so that tasks not only get done, but they are completed with greater proficiency.
Expand resources: Whether you need a resume writer or a copy writer; a color printer or a fax machine, Collaborators pool their resources to provide the wherewithal to support objectives.
Increase income – Sometimes you can increase your income simply by decreasing your costs, which would be a benefit of a collaborative effort where everyone contributes to overhead. But you can actually raise your perceived market value by your associations –the company you keep, the referrals you get, the testimonials offered and/or the introductions that are made on your behalf.
Create a brain-trust. A collaboration creates a mastermind group of sorts and illustrates the adage of how two people can each have one idea, but when shared their ideas double.
Fast-forward results. As the saying goes, “many hands make light work.” When you can divide duties, optimize experience and align responsibilities with expertise, the job gets done faster and better than doing it yourself.
Enjoy third-party endorsements. Effective collaborations mean you’ll only work with people you like and respect who bring value to a project. When relationships are built on these characteristics endorsements and promotions are genuine and free-flowing. In addition, once you understand the power of collaborations, you’ll be able to ask and get big-name endorsements for your work. (That’s how I got motivational speaker extraordinaire Les Brown to write the forward for my book)
Have more fun: Let’s face it working alone can be lonely and kind of a drag. Add a partner or two and gain greater pleasure, satisfaction and support that will make work feel more like “playing with purpose.”

What Everyone Ought to Know About Attracting Personal Success

Jeannette Kraar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:16:14 +0000

Old job search methods no longer work. Relying on your education, skills and experience won’t separate you from the crowd. So what are you to do? Use these ten laws of ATTRACTION to create the career you want:

Assess – Evaluate your skills, interests and abilities. Understand the transferable value in the marketplace.
Translate – Communicate your competencies and expertise through well-crafted oral and written strategies that include a quality resume, cover letter, professional statement and well-defined accomplishments.
Target – Create a marketing plan that targets specific industries, markets and companies where mutual opportunities can be explored and optimum benefits realized.
Research – Knowledge is power and power exudes confidence. By researching target companies, market conditions and industry concerns you can position yourself as an influential leader who can deliver results rather then an out-of- work professional who is looking for a job.
Apply – Mange your activities and your time with a Project Plan that includes action steps, time-lines, and expected outcomes – always remembering to evaluate and adjust as needed.
Connect – Interact with the “right” people and build a valuable and powerful professional network.
Transition – Move into a career that will accommodate current needs while positioning you for future advancement.
Identify – Recognize projected technology, market and industry trends to allow for pro-active change management.
On-going relationships building – Always be expanding your network while cultivating and protecting existing relationships based on integrity, shared values and mutual benefits.
Never stop growing – The only way to develop new skills and expand experience is to either improve the way you already do something or welcome and accept new challenges that are outside of your knowledge base.

Get Rid of Those Lack of Clarity Problems Once and For All: Ask Questions!

Jeannette Kraar — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 16:29:15 +0000

I find it amazing how many people think that to be successful they have to know all the answers. Whether they are in a sales meeting or a job interview, they respond to questions or tasks without probing for clarity. And, that’s too bad. Because if you don’t know what the real question or issue is, you’ll end up in left field with your confidence trounced and your credibility smashed. When you learn to ask good questions you’ll find your self-assurance and success will soar; once you can eliminate the obscure you can deliver with power and precision. Here’s how:

Get to the root of the problem. When you go to the doctor, you tell him or her what’s wrong with you as you know it. You might explain that you have a sore throat, itchy eyes and pounding head. However, your doctor knows you will only get better when you are treated for whatever is actually making you sick – not the symptoms of the illness; that’s why you may be asked a series of questions or undergo a battery of tests. What’s at the core of the issues you are dealing with? Do you hate your job or need a life? Are your sales presentations falling flat? Do you run out of money before you run out of bills? Where is your real pain coming from? Get past the obvious stuff on the surface. Dig deeper through investigation, analysis and examination.
Understand the facts. Become a reporter. There is enormous power to the words, What, Why, When, Where, Who, How. Reporters use these words all the time to make sure they have gotten the complete story. Knowledge is power. Take responsibility for getting the information you need. Understand the difference between dealing with fact and making assumptions.
Remove the assumption factor. Whenever you are about to respond to something, ask yourself this question: “How do I know this to be true?” Are you basing your comments or activities on verified fact or are you assuming? If you’re responding to information, where did you get the information? Was it first hand? Was it verbally passed down from others? Was it timely? Was it complete? Did you ask questions to clarify details?

Step back to gain a valuable perspective. You’ve probably heard the adage, “I can’t see the forest for the trees” a million times, but that’s because it’s a statement that rings true. When you are in the midst of something, it’s easy to get caught up in the immediate and “perceived obvious.” Think like a consultant. Look at a situation with an open mind and a flexible agenda. Questions like, “how can I improve this?” or “why is this done this way?” or “what is another option?” will program your subconscious mind to look for an appropriate answer.
Understand what’s being said. Here’s some good news. Never again will you have to waste a few hours doing something unnecessary or answer a question in a way that completely misses the point. A simple question can avoid all that. Try, “If I understand you correctly, what you said was…..” then paraphrase the statement. End by saying, “Was that accurate?” Or you could go the direct route by saying, “I’m not sure I understand. Could you repeat that please?”
Get your priorities straight. Consider how these questions could help organize your life: What’s most important and why? Who else could do this? When is this due? How long will this take? What is the best use of my time and skills? When do I work most effectively? Where can I combine my efforts?
Show interest. Asking questions demonstrates interest. It’s a way to say, “I’m genuinely interested in you and want to know more.” Consider the impact this would have with an interviewer or customer. Before you recite a canned presentation or go into a meaningless monolog at a job interview, ask what is most important to the person you are meeting with. Learn about their needs and issues so you can provide specific, meaningful information.
Incorporate options. “What if” has long been considered a question that creates fear and paralyzes activity. But when it’s used to develop plausible options and contingency plans, this simple two-word statement becomes a powerful driver for effective action steps no matter how often Murphy’s Law interferes with your plan.
Honesty is your “ace in the hole” when you just don’t know. Consider this. You’re asked a question and you’re stumped. It’s a direct question that requires a direct answer. But, you don’t have a clue what the answer might be. Try this: “I don’t know the answer to your question. But I would be happy to do some research and get back to you.” Then, follow up, do the research and respond. Or, perhaps you’ve been asked a question that is more personal – it might be about your values or beliefs and you’re unsure what the “politically correct” answer might be. The only “right” answer is the one that come from your heart. Never veer from honesty and integrity.
The ASK acronym. When you become skilled at asking good questions you will find your Attitude will be one of confidence, your communication and problem solving Skills will soar and your Knowledge will grow immensely. All you have to do is ASK.