The Monster Blog

Giving Thanks for a Great Job Seeking Experience (and a New Job)

As Thanksgiving approaches, I realize that despite months of underemployment, I have a lot to be thankful for this year. First and foremost: I have a new job. During my search for permanent, full-time employment, I got to know many generous people. I also had a chance to use my skills in ways I never thought possible, enriching my professional experiences and, ultimately, my value to employers. Sometimes, I even had great fun!

And with my unemployment ending, my story here on the Monster Blog is coming to a close as well. I leave you with this list of what I am thankful for this year -- not despite the ups and downs of the job search, but because of them.

Thankful for a New Job

I have accepted a business development position with a local engineering firm. This solid company manufactures high tech devices for a variety of industrial markets. Their biggest challenge -- and now mine, too -- will be to grow their small 5 percent market share. Part of my charter includes developing my staff and hiring a few new folks. I am glad to be on the hiring end for a change.

Mostly, though, I am excited by the prospect of working in a new professional environment. It's good to feel wanted by a firm for the skills I have to offer. Alas, the company needed someone in this capacity "yesterday," so there won't be much recuperation from the job search.

Thankful for a Return to Normalcy

Throughout this job search, I was never comfortable and I rarely got a solid night's sleep. Was my time management that bad? Not when you consider that as I was working the mini-jobs, I was also running the household singlehandedly, engaging with my 2 sons by day and job searching by night. Returning to a normal sleep pattern is just one of the things I am looking forward to when I start the new position.

With the job in hand, I can now focus on pulling all my miscellaneous paperwork into the done pile rather than the to-do pile. And with the return of a revenue stream, I'm also set to tackle those idle household fix-it projects.

Thankful for You, the Readers

I am grateful I could share my trials with you as I navigated this bumpy path to a new job. There was true solidarity in knowing many of you are experiencing similar situations. (For instance, all of us seem to rage at the job search black hole.) Your feedback was often a catalyst for another blog topic or deeper introspection on my part. In many ways, you helped me get where I am today.

Thank you all, and best wishes for your own career and job search.

How do you think you will feel once you land a position?

Racing to the Finish Line with 2 Competing Job Offers

Back in June, my sixth sense told me that all my hard work would converge and I'd be struggling with a decision about whom to work for. I even noted this premonition in my job search log book.

I know it sounds hard to believe, but having 2 companies pursuing me as a potential new employee is a mixed blessing.

The Hare and the Tortoise

The firm that’s in the lead to win my talents -- let’s compare that company to a hare -- is a small European-based manufacturer with its American subsidiary a few miles from my home. The position they offer is challenging and exciting: Create an entire department from scratch with little or no process hurdles. If I encounter any obstacles, I just stroll 30 yards to the president's office. So why am I struggling with taking this job?

I get the impression that this firm is lacking critical resources. For example, generating my offer letter has been a protracted and peculiar experience. The original hard-copy offer letter featured a major error in bold letters on the first page. Am I being too picky? My friends say to let it go. Meantime, as I wait for a corrected offer letter, the firm’s missteps have dampened my enthusiasm.

The other firm in the race is a turbo-charged-but-not-quite-nimble tortoise. It is a Fortune 500 multinational firm with locations close to my home. The company’s newly created position will relieve the vice president of doing 3 jobs in business and marketing development. The work will be well-known and understood by all in the department. At this stage, I am in the 5th round of interviews meeting with the very senior managers.

This opportunity came about as a direct result of my filling out employment applications on the firm's own job boards. I applied for several interesting positions that required many of my skill sets. About a month ago, a very smart internal recruiter was reviewing my resume and asked if I would consider this position in lieu of the one I had applied to. Since I had had an excellent experience with this firm a decade ago, I was delighted by her suggestion. Compared to the hare contender, I have no qualms about the scope or nature of the position with the tortoise company.

Which Firm Will Win This Race?

Timing is everything. I have a job offer in hand (albeit incorrectly written) and the strong possibility of a second offer coming. Is it worth taking a job that is in a state of flux from the start? Or do I continue to use valid reasons to delay the process with the hare firm in favor of waiting for the tortoise catch up?

As in any sort of competition, there is jockeying for position even in the last lap. I am bracing for a photo finish.

If you were in my shoes and had competing but very different job offers, what would you do?

Reflections on a Successful, Often Sleepless, Job Search

My protracted season of underemployment is coming to an end. The people in my life are relieved to hear that I will soon be employed full-time. To them, this is an encouraging sign that the economy is turning the corner.

Reflecting on these past months, I think: What have I learned?

The Power of One

Throughout this job search experience, I’ve learned that often it’s the one tip, one idea or one contact packing the most value. Even just one of these factors can make the difference. Here’s an example: I just finished reading a lengthy book about interviewing questions. In it, I found an invaluable nugget: a single paragraph that addressed a particular question I had been struggling with: Why do you feel you can be successful in this position? Serendipitously, this very question came up in a recent interview.

With a little reflection beforehand, I outlined my interest in the company’s industry and its market vision. Then, I capped it off with a concrete example, aligning my product development skills with the employer’s needs.

Embrace the Unknown

Allowing yourself to be open to possibilities is another significant takeaway. In the employment search, you might dismiss different industries or types of jobs as unsuitable or out-of-reach. But by venturing into unfamiliar areas, new possibilities may present themselves. When I volunteered at a global conference on green matters, for instance, I made networking connections that I never would have in my routine job search.

Keep Laughing, or at Least Smiling

Approach the whole unemployment process with a measure of humor. True, it is not easy finding humor in looking for work every day, but on the whole, keeping perspective is a healthy thing to do. Finding friends in the same boat helps too. I met many people from diverse backgrounds through my job search networking groups, and I count them as friends well beyond the job search.

Keep Your Skills Sharp and Contacts Close

Lastly, I have come to terms with the nature of employment in the 21st century. No matter where my work journey takes me, I am basically a long-term consultant, even if I am called a full-time employee. That’s why keeping my job skills and networking contacts current is crucial for any “next” employment phase.

Whether mid-stream or close to the end of your job search, what's been your most valuable lesson?

Due Diligence and the Job Offer: More Than Salary and Benefits

Success! I have received a job offer from one of the two firms I have been interviewing with. The offer is reasonable in terms of salary and bonus, but, of course, there is more at stake than the total compensation package.

So begins due diligence, part two, where I really take a look under the hood of this company.

The Firm’s Well-Being

Let’s start with my concern about the firm’s technical commitment and support. While waiting in the firm’s lobby for my final interview, I couldn’t help but overhear current employees complain about malfunctioning or non-existent computers. Hopefully, new hires receive new computers.

When I was originally researching this company, I discovered their involvement in a significant patent lawsuit. Perhaps this is the norm in their industry, but how often does a patent issue get escalated to a state Supreme Court? That seems unusual to me for what appears to be an otherwise solid manufacturing firm.

There are bigger picture questions that linger in my mind, too. In particular, a number of skilled folks recently departed the firm in a voluntary downsizing. According to my sources, some of those depleted departments are being “held together with duct tape.” Ironically, the human resources department suffered a 100% voluntary reduction in force. So what motivated many of the key people in this economic downturn to voluntarily leave their jobs? Is there something more at work here?

My Well-Being

No job offer analysis would be complete without taking a hard look at the health insurance benefits. At first blush, it appears there is no dental coverage. Doesn’t the firm care about the whole health of its employees? Despite the fact that I have seen more impressive company-sponsored healthcare plans, it is better than paying through COBRA for coverage.

Perhaps I have been spoiled by past employers who provided both short- and long-term disability. With this firm, I can elect to buy into group long-term disability, but strangely short-term disability coverage is not offered. Fortunately, I am in good health so I don't anticipate the need for any such insurance coverage. But Murphy's Law is always at play.

My Career Advancement

Finally, the intangible: The prospect of no real professional development. While I am grateful to have this job offer letter in hand, I have to consider that this may not be a linear progression at this stage of my career. But since it’s only a niggling factor, perhaps it’s best to ignore it and just get on with my life and new routine.

If you were considering a job offer, what would you want to uncover about your new prospective employer and job?

The Job Search Isn’t Over Until the Offer Is in Hand

About 10 days ago, I began a second and final round of interviewing, and everything went swimmingly. I was thrilled when the recruiter called to say there was a job offer in the making. But sealing the deal with this recruiter has been a bumpy ride.

Usually the recruiter would have relinquished the offer process to the firm’s hiring manager or HR department by this point. The problem is, I have questions about the offer, which means the recruiter has had to chase down answers. Trying to untangle the phone conversations, I requested to see everything in writing.

And so, I wait by my mailbox.

Now it’s time to focus on wrapping up loose ends. So much gets put off during a search for permanent full-time employment -- doctor's appointments, postponed luncheon engagements and the home office to-do pile. My biggest task by far is finding full-time care for my 2 young sons. The good news is that there are many more quality caregivers in the market now -- a manifestation of underemployment, perhaps? In theory, then, my job offer will actually employ 2 people.

What happens when I finally find the written offer in my mailbox? I will carefully carry out my benefits and salary due diligence. You only have one chance to come out of the gate swinging, so now is the time for negotiation. Once I have all my questions in a row, I want to understand how this firm will treat me as potential employee. Given that I am unfamiliar with the company culture, I am very cautious -- as they say, buyer beware. But the hiring courtship often indicates how an everyday employee is treated. A few of my unemployed friends have accepted jobs even though they didn’t like how they were treated by the hiring firm, but the positions satisfy their healthcare and revenue needs. I would prefer to find a position that satisfies both my fiscal and emotional needs.

When you receive an employment offer, what next steps will you take?

Career Boomerang: What If Your Job Search Brings You Back to a Former Employer?

In all the months spent researching and searching for permanent full-time employment, who should emerge as one of my top targeted firms? My former, former employer. Not the one that laid me and hundreds of others off about 6 months ago, but the firm I voluntarily left more than a decade ago. Recently they opened a branch just 20 miles from my home – a civilized commute in my congested part of the world. Since I have a solid track record with the firm, and I thrived in their culture, I never hesitated to contact them again. And through the magic of networking, it’s likely that I'll have an interview there next week.

Naturally, many of my former coworkers have moved on given the 10-year time span. But I am sure that if I work at this firm again, I will encounter some of the same colleagues. There’s a big lesson from my professional tenure: you never know who you will meet again and under which circumstances.

I've learned through my networking conversations that there are two key skills the firm is looking for. One is a sense of urgency or as I like to call it, "getting it done-ness." The other is leadership. Getting things done is a fairly straightforward skill set for anyone with two young boys. Even something as seemingly simple as propelling my sons forward in the mornings -- getting fed, dressed and ready for the learning day -- requires a sense of urgency. The added teamwork and motivation further finesse my “get it done” skill set.

Leadership is a tougher skill set to illustrate with any employer, former or not. People define leadership differently, so figuring out how to frame my leadership experience is a primary goal in prep for the impending interview. I will sound out various resources, gather feedback and apply this to my work results. Since my leadership “sagas” don’t lend themselves to retelling in an interview setting, I will craft brief, to-the-point leadership snapshots.

Now that I've mulled over my approach to this interview, I had better get it done!

Would you consider working for an old employer?

3 Steps to Prepare for 3 Job Interviews in 3 Days

Sometimes when it rains, it pours. Last week, I was fortunate enough to land 3 interviews in as many days. Other job-seeking friends are reporting an increase in activity too. In some cases, it is because firms want to spend their remaining Q4 budget by bringing someone on board. In other cases, the companies are gearing up for their Q1 hires now. Whatever the business rationale, I welcome the opportunity to interview, although it does require some pre-work. Here are the 3 fundamental steps that I use to prepare for interviews:

1. Read All Available Public Domain Information

Obviously, the Internet is a great tool for collecting general data about the prospective company. To dig deeper, consider a subscription business information service such as OneSource. Thanks to their high-level overview of one particular firm's financials, board members and recent performance results, I gleaned useful information about a large, family-owned business.

2. Reach Out to People Who Have Worked at the Firm

Of the past employees I spoke with, most were balanced and neutral in the assessments of their former employer. Of course, some contacts departed the company on unfavorable terms, so you may wish to take their perspectives with a grain of salt.

In these informational interviews, I try to understand their views about the company’s culture and team dynamics. I discovered that one firm has had very high turnover. What would spark these departures even in these economic times? I was told that some of the departing folks will actually be rehired as consultants, and that this is essentially the firm’s “growth” plan. Hmmm, my gut is telling me to be careful. I will dig around more before another round of interviews with this particular company.

3. Check Out the Firm’s Competition

To round out my intelligence gathering, I also look at the companies’ competitors. While competitors will not speak to me about strategy or other proprietary information, they are more than happy to expound on their products. In preparing for an interview with one of the companies, I stumbled across a major patent case that reached the Supreme Court. Given my limited legalese, I turned to a patent lawyer who happens to be in my job search networking club. He did a little pro bono patent law definition for me, and now I really feel that I've turned over every possible stone.

The pre-interview work isn’t complete until I polish my questions and make sure that my career portfolio is presentable. While time consuming as these preparations are, they all paid off. I've secured second-round interviews in all 3 cases. That’s a good feeling!

What techniques do you use to prepare for a first or second interview?

Pair the Job Search with Underemployment to Keep Your Head Above Water

Over the months, I have taken on some part-time jobs to earn what I can while trying to find permanent full-time employment. Like many other workers in this recession, I have resorted to something called “underemployment.” In this case, it means taking on additional hours or part-time jobs.

One of my underemployment positions has me teaching courses at a local business skill development center. Given my many years of teaching sales and technical folks in all manner of courses, I find this enjoyable, straightforward work. I’ve been leveraging this teaching relationship to find similar opportunities. But full-time work in that vein requires more certifications, which cost time and money. I’d rather use my time -- a precious commodity -- to focus on the job search and full employment.

While underemployment can meet a (hopefully) short-term financial need, there is a psychological component that accompanies this type of work. Being underutilized in the world of work can be crushing from an intellectual standpoint; particularly when you have spent years educating and improving yourself in a business discipline.

To balance this unfulfilling period, you can take steps to stay on top of your discipline. Do research online, read industry journals or join a professional society. For example, I joined the Project Management Institute society while being certified for PMP. Professional societies can offer relevant seminars and provide a forum for thoughtful discussions. Down the road I am confident that this professional self-improvement will pay off in the form of potential work connections.

When you’re underemployed it feels as if one foot is in a warm inviting bath, while your other foot remains on the cold hard tile floor. You don’t belong in one spot or the other. While using some of your skills can get the bills paid, this work doesn’t quite envelop and reward you, like a full bath. For some of my friends, their underemployment involves work that isn’t even related to their professional field. One public relations director is working part-time as a restaurant hostess. A creative director I know mans the customer service desk at a hobby store. Their big toes aren’t even in the warm bath water.

Naturally, you want to find interim underemployment that is in your field. Who knows? It may lead to a full-time position. A few members of my job search networking group have started various consulting assignments that leverage their areas of expertise. While these temporary work arrangements offer intellectual stimulation, my colleagues know they could be let go at a moment’s notice. Conversely, they have the flexibility to leave the consulting assignment should they land a full-time opportunity. It works both ways. For these experts doing the consulting work, it feels like they’re in the bath up to their waist.

Is underemployment playing a role in your job search?

4 Ways to Work with a Recruiter in Your Job Search

Could the job market be heating up? I’m hearing from more recruiters, and many of my unemployed friends are reporting the same news. While the number of contacts by recruiters is encouraging, it is more important to work with a few recruiters that have a reputation for quality placement practices. Once you are in contact with a recruiter, how do you decide which recruiters are worth your time and energy?

Recruiters work for a finder’s fee -- the hiring firm pays the recruiter for filling the open position. But by managing your relationship with the recruiter, you can get in front of more quality employers, making it more likely you’ll get a job and the recruiter will get paid. Here are 4 tips for making sure your relationship with a recruiter will work out for the best for both of you:

Missed the Recruiter’s Call? That Could Cost You

I know this seems basic, but always try to answer your primary job search phone. During my recent personal technology crisis, I was unable to connect with 2 recruiters about 2 different jobs. Neither recruiter called my home number, as they probably figured I was best reached via a mobile device. By the time I retrieved my messages and returned their calls, the recruiters had already found enough candidates to fill the available positions.

Does the Recruiter Know the Employer?

During initial conversations with a recruiter, try to learn about his relationship with the hiring manager and the firm itself. A few diligent recruiters will know a company’s key players and their hiring needs and will possess a solid understanding of the overall business. Other recruiters focus on a single relationship within the company, limiting their value, reach and flexibility. A recruiter with depth can tell you a good deal about the people you will meet with, what matters to them and what it will take to click with them during the interview.

Make Sure the Recruiter Is Your Advocate

Look for a recruiter who will collaborate with you to fine-tune your resume before presenting you to the target company. If the recruiter is willing to invest time in you, explain the position’s “back story” and why you need to modify or showcase certain parts of your resume, it’s a good sign. If a recruiter just forwards on your resume, there isn’t much advocacy happening.

Build a Proactive Relationship

Even if a recruiter doesn’t succeed in placing you the first time, a responsible and proactive recruiter will keep you up to date on opportunities. It is also a good idea to keep the pipeline full. So as long as you’re not competing for the same positions, introduce quality recruiters to other quality candidates -- people you know and would recommend.

How do you perceive the value of recruiters in the job search process?

5 Old-Fashioned Networking Tips for the Job Hunt

Even though I am now electronically enabled without blue screen of death experiences, I don’t have the bandwidth to constantly hammer out short messages on my various keyboard devices. Besides, if I am always looking down at a keyboard on a mobile gadget or stuck behind a computer, I am not out in the world engaging with those I would be interested in working with! I’d rather be out front-and-center with people in my job search than fiddling with short e-blasts in a heads-down fashion. Call me old-fashioned, but at least I won’t walk into a manhole!

Here are 5 strategies I employ when networking for my job search and how you could do them, too:

Get Out!

Whether it be getting out of your home office, the library or the local coffee shop, do it. You won’t meet anyone in person tucked behind your computer screen. Make it a weekly goal to go to at least one industry or networking meeting to meet with real, breathing humans. You will feel alive and refreshed, much more so than from that added jolt of java!

Make Meaningful Connections

When going to one of these weekly industry or networking meetings, strive to have just a few profound conversations with a few people. You don’t have to meet and greet everyone in the room to be successful at a networking event. Remember, it only takes one connection to earn one interview to land that one job. I don’t think I ever went home from an event and said, “Gee, I had 50 great 1-minute conversations tonight!” But I do recall saying, “Wow, I had a really cool chat with ABC person from XYZ company, and I can’t wait to talk with him again.”

Help People Help You

Being in the moment at such live events also means that you are interested in the other person. What’s in it for them to meet you and add you to their business circle? How can you be helpful to them in the present and perhaps the very near term? Listening is still a highly valued skill set, and if you can do it well in a networking setting, imagine how well you can do it in a job environment.

Be Present

While being technologically savvy with various electronic gizmos is part of the zeitgeist, being present and engaged actively in conversations with people never goes out of style. Cultivating your network is not just a one-time discussion, rather it is an evolving and expanding conversation that includes not just you, but extends to including many others also focused on the same business goals for that particular firm.

Let Your Network Help Connect the Dots

As they say, you never know who knows who. A computer won’t make the mental connections about people’s shared experiences and how they may be important in the business world for you. For example, I was researching a local food producer and trying to figure out how to meet the business leader who is known locally for sponsoring an innovative 5K road race as well as growing multiple businesses. While discussing this dilemma with a fellow job seeker, he clued me in that this particular business owner is also a dedicated farmer with a viable farming business that sells product to the local community. My job searching friend also shared with me that this person is almost always at his local farm every weekend when it is open to the public. So that’s the next outing for me and my two young sons. They will get to see a local farm in action, and I’ll meet this business leader who is creating new businesses -- and new jobs.

How is your face-to-face networking going in your job search? How does it compare to some of the electronic tools you use?