It’s unusual for our land line to ring much anymore. It’s more unusual for us to answer it. Most of our friends and family have made the transition to our cell numbers. I keep our “house phone” for ease and comfort during client intake consultations. Anymore, incoming calls on that line are telemarketers, and now, political pitches.

Photo by Koshyk via Flickr

When the phone rang at 6 o’clock on Friday night, prime telemarketing time, I almost didn’t answer. Something made me glance at the caller ID. The number was familiar, so I picked up. I’m so glad I did.

The call came from a resume client. We’d finished work on his resume at the end of March. He was calling to tell me he’d landed a job, in his target field, and started Monday – after only a month of searching with his new and improved resume. He went on to tell me, he’d given his new resume to a family member, who was able to get it in front of a hiring authority, landing him an interview. He networked, aced the interview, and starts his new job Monday. The main reason for the call; to thank me for helping launch his career. (WOW! How thoughtful and sweet.)

The back story …

The client, we’ll call him “Tom”, graduated with a bachelor’s in IT in December 2011, and also held an associate’s degree in the same field, earned in 2009. He’d been looking for a career-launching, entry-level IT position long before he graduated, and now, for several months after.

He’d been searching with a “typical”, cookie-cutter resume, carefully following all the “dinosaur-like” resume guidelines shared by university career resources, 20-years behinds the time.

(Read here and here how that could stymie a search before it ever gets started.)

He had a “me-centric” objective, a boring list of courses he’d taken, vague, generic mentions of an internship, and a large project, and an entry mentioning the job he’d held throughout his academic career – pizza delivery driver and cook. The information left the reader to determine value and figure out how what he had done could positively impact their organization.

He approached his job search with an “I’ll do anything IT” approach and was sending out resumes, willy-nilly hoping something would eventually stick. There was little focus or direction. I asked how frequently he was getting calls or interviewing. His response, as I presumed, “infrequently”; which is what lead him to me.

What I did …

After some coaching about the power of laser-sharp focus in a search, and the need to be able to articulate value in relation to targeted positions, he went off to do some next-step research: What specific position will help launch my career and get me on my desired career path?

He determined a help desk support technician was the first step. He provided three job postings representative of the position he sought. This served a two-fold purpose. After reading many postings, a common thread of valued skills emerges. This helped him identify careers stories in relation to potential employer needs. The postings also gave me key words most likely used to sort through hundreds of applications using an applicant tracking systems (ATS) They also helped me identify and tease out skills that spoke to his career target.

As I pulled his career story from him, I found out he was the “go-to” person for most of his family, friends, and acquaintances for all things IT. He frequently troubleshot hardware and software difficulties in person and over the phone. He’d also set up a large personal network, in a mansion, for a friend of a friend, through a referral.

He worked on myriad team projects in earning both his associate’s and his bachelor’s degrees. He’d landed an internship, giving him actual help desk experience. All of this great, value-conveying information was missing from his current resume presentation.

I created a bold headline and summarized what value he brought to the table. We put the focus on his hardware and software expertise and outlined the value he brought to internships, projects, and assignments. I also worked in a line about the pro bono family IT work and support provided. (A skill’s a skill whether you get paid for it or not.)

Rather than leaving the pizza parlor job hanging at the bottom of his document, listing job titles, driver and cook, I shared the story of how he’d worked there while earning both his degrees. I told how he became the go-to person for filling in and accepting additional shifts and was trusted to open and close the store for the manager. He also was the employee called on to resolve customer issues. A few lines about his growth and actions in this seven-year position conveyed a sound work ethic, reliability, and loyalty. Rather than painting a picture of pizza delivery driver, we conveyed his value as a solid, contributing member to a team … that happened to deliver pizzas.

During the process, I watched with pleasure as I saw his thinking shift from “I’m a student and pizza delivery driver who wants a job in IT,” to “I’m an IT professional, who happens to have recently graduated, and is delivering pizzas until I find the job that fits my current level of expertise.” He also saw how years of calming irate customers in the food industry would segue nicely into a help desk environment. (We all know food and computer issues can bring out the worst in people. As difficult as this might be to believe, even I get a little crabby when faced with “less than perfect” in either situation.)

The morale …

There are several lessons buried in this wonderful Friday night surprise.

• Never underestimate the power of a thank you. The fact that this young man took time out of his busy life to call and say thank you almost brought me tears. It’s a kind and wonderful gesture that won’t soon be forgotten. (What a marvelous addition to his brand.)

• Cookie-cutter doesn’t cut it. Looking like everyone else does nothing to support your unique value proposition or differentiate you from the rest of the pack. Without focus on a goal and company needs, you don’t know what part of your story to tell or how to tell it. Flopping information down on a sheet of paper and expecting the reader to extrapolate value in relation to their needs doesn’t work.

• Narrowing a search, as counterintuitive as it might sound, nets faster, more positive results. Six months in a search with “I’ll take anything” versus one month of “‘Katie bar the door’; I want to be a help desk technician” search speaks volumes.

• The power is in the presentation. Tom’s skill set did not change from the time he put together his own resume to the time we worked we together. What started landing him interviews was revamping the skills presentation. Frequently, it’s not the skills; it’s the presentation of those skills blocking job search success.

• Network. Network. Network. With a revamped presentation and narrow focus, Tom was able to approach his network, share a specific career goal, and get his resume in front of a hiring authority. The network was there before, but without his focus, they weren’t sure how to help him.

• Believe in yourself. If you view yourself as “just this” or “just that”, it’s nearly impossible to project your skill set, talents, and enthusiasm into a new and exciting position. If you don’t believe you can do it; don’t expect anyone else to believe you can do it either.

• Partner with a pro. If what you’re doing isn’t working, it might be time to enlist the help of someone who knows the market and what works. Frequently, job seekers don’t even know what they don’t know about job search today. Just because I have a scissors doesn’t mean I know how to cut hair. I look to a professional with the training, tools, and expertise to do the job right. A job seeker is wise to follow that same plan.

Tom launches an exciting new career Monday after only a month of focused searching. If focus can do that for a recent graduate, pizza delivery driver, with limited experience, imagine what it can do for you in your search.

Photo by Coletivo Mambembe via Flickr

Following is a recent LinkedIn exchange I had with a complete stranger. Information has been changed to protect identities (well, except mine):

The initial connection:

 Dawn,

I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

- Albert

I’ve gotten over people using the “generic” LI invite. Most people don’t know or think to customize the invite. That said; I wish more people did take the time. It sure is nice when someone lets me know either how they know me or why they’d like to connect.

I looked at his profile, determined him “safe,” accepted the invitation, and took a moment to respond – like I always do. (Just because the original message is generic doesn’t mean I have to operate at that level.)

Thank you for the invitation, Albert. I’m pleased to be added to your network.

Best,

Dawn

The ask:

Within 12 minutes of accepting the invitation, I received this:

Dawn, if you are a recruiter could you help me get a job. I would like to get a career in any field at this point. There were layoffs and hiring freezes in North Carolina.

- Albert

My Reply:

This individual asked for help with his job search, so I obliged. I didn’t pull any punches, in offering suggestions to improve his job search and networking approach. If he’s making these mistakes; someone else is too. Hopefully, we’ll all learn and grow from this example.

Hi Albert -

 I am not a recruiter. I am a Master Resume Writer and Career Strategist. Since you’ve asked for assistance, I am going to give you some information to help you navigate a job search in 2012.

1. Recruiters do not find jobs for people. They find people for jobs. Their focus is on company needs. The company pays their salary; not the candidate. If a recruiter does not have an open job order for a position that has need of your unique skill set, there is basically nothing they can do for you. They can put you in their database and hope you pop back up in a search IF they get an order for someone with your skill set. (I know. I am a former recruiter.)

2. “I’ll take anything” is not an effective strategy is this market. It is up to the job seeker to determine company needs, pick through their experience, and convey the value they bring to the organization in relation to company needs. Hiring authorities will not sit and extrapolate value from a laundry list of job duties. It is up to the job seeker to convey their value and project those skills into the desired position. Target. Focus. Differentiation. The three keys to job search success in a difficult market. “If you aim at nothing, you’ll surely hit it.” A resume is not a career autobiography; it is a focused sales and marketing document telling a potential employer what they want to know. They “don’t care” what you’ve done until you can tell them how what you’ve done will benefit them.

3. I live in North Carolina and work nationally, and sometimes internationally. There were (and still are) layoffs and hiring freezes not only here, but everywhere. However, with the correct focus and approach, people land jobs every day. (A bank manager I worked with landed a new and better job, in the middle of the financial meltdown in late 2009, in only six weeks. He focused his search. He networked. He sold his value to potential employers. And he landed a job, in the banking industry, in the middle of the worst part of the recession. He was in NC. There are jobs out there.)

4. This is intended to help, but might come across as harsh. It is not my intent at all. I want you to network effectively and get results. The current approach you’re using won’t do that. I’d also like to suggest to you, if you are going to approach a complete stranger and ask for assistance, put some effort into the request. To be completely honest, my initial reaction to your reply message was “This person can’t even take two seconds to look at my profile and know I’m not a recruiter, but I’m supposed to take my time and help them ‘find a job’? Ya. Right.” Fortunately (or unfortunately *smile*) I overrode that initial reaction and opted to respond.

If you’re going to enlist a network to help, give them specific, well-thought out tasks to assist you. “Help me find a job” does not fit into that category. For instance, instead of approaching me with a “Hey, what do you do? Help me” message, a more effective approach would have been, “I see you’re a resume writer. What one tip would you give a job seeker in this market?” Or, “Do you have a favorite job search tool you recommend?” Or, “Would you be willing to allow me 15 minutes of your time to ask a few pointed questions about job search?” Each of those gives me a specific task that can easily be completed and will probably net better, more tangible results for you.

Don’t ask “Joe” if he can help you find a job. Say, “Joe, I know you have a cousin that works for ABC Company. Would you be willing to arrange an introduction? I’m very interested in working for that organization. I’d like to ask him some questions about the company and what they look for in an employee. Could you do that for me?” Chances are Joe will gladly arrange that introduction. It is specific, “easy”, and tangible. He can do it, and check it off his list. “Help me find a job” is too big a request for the average person to fulfill, and could mean the person starts avoiding you because they don’t know how to help and feel bad about it. Specific, actionable requests net specific, actionable results. A “‘spray and pray’ for anyone to help you find anything requests usually results in frustration.

I write a job search blog and link to lots of effective job search tools through my site. If you are unable to invest in advancing your career by engaging with a career professional to amp up your efforts, then please, take advantage of what I put out there and link to in an effort to help everyone, clients or not, in their search.

I’d be happy to work with you in moving back toward employment. I’ve listed my website below and it’s also linked through my LI profile. Partnering with a career professional is an investment, but held against the cost of unemployment, the investment is minimal, and the ROI 100% if that professional can shorten your search by only a week.

I wish you well in your endeavors, and hope this little bit of guidance will help you better navigate job search waters.

Best regards,

Dawn

‘Nuff said.

To refresh your memory, here is the feedback my client received, (copied exactly as forwarded):

“Your resume is very colorful and creative, however, it looks more like a print ad or bulletin board… Take out the top section and replace it with your objective statement (one line.. To obtain a position as a _______ teacher…) The things you have in this section are more for your cover letter or the interview conversation, not your resume. In addition, remove the quote from the faculty member…All reference information goes on a separate sheet (3-5 list) or in a reference letter, not on your resume itself. Be consistant with the bullets or crayons…I prefer the bullets…it’s looks more mature and professional. You are also missing a Professional Development section (workshops, presentations and conferences attended with dates…see sample)). If you agree with the suggestions and make changes, don’t forget to upload it to … [name withheld career center website.]

Differentiation is key in today's employment environment. Cookie-cutter doesn't cut it. Discover value in what makes you unique; embrace and extol it. (Photo of a poster at husband's work. If you know the source, I'll gladly give attribution.)

Let’s dissect the response:

“Your resume is very colorful and creative, however, it looks more like a print ad or bulletin board…”

The message: It doesn’t look like everyone else’s. It’s different.

My response: This highly-competitive market is about differentiation. Tastefully done, professionally-different (dare I say branded) material attracts attention and gets the resume content read.

“Take out the top section and replace it with your objective statement (one line.. To obtain a position as a _______ teacher…)”

The message: The employer cares about what you seek at this point in the job search.

My response: Nothing is further from the truth. Employers today, overwhelmed with floods of applications, and mountains of non-hiring-related responsibilities, know you want to land a job as an elementary school teacher (or whatever) with a properly done presentation. The format, content, strategy, headline, everything about document itself states the objective clearly without taking up valuable real estate stating the me-centric obvious. Besides, you don’t walk up and tell a complete stranger what you need – “I’m seeking …” – Tell them what value you bring and what you can do to help them, with a strong presentation of skills.

“The things you have in this section are more for your cover letter or the interview conversation, not your resume.”

The message: The cover letter is always read.

My response: First, the information in the section in question was a concise summary of what value our emerging teacher brought to her new school. It respected the reader’s time and told them what they wanted to know immediately, in the top third of the first page – prime resume real estate.

Always include a cover letter (unless told not to), but do not count on it being read in the order you intended, if at all. It is important for the resume to clearly state your value, and do that equally well combined with the cover letter or as a stand-alone document. Understand, the cover letter may not be read; once you hit send, it’s out of your control. A cover letter is not a me-me-me-centric narrative. It is a compelling introduction to go read the resume. Be respectful of the reader’s time. Tell them what they want to know quickly. If you don’t, they’ll quickly move on to someone who does.

“In addition, remove the quote from the faculty member…All reference information goes on a separate sheet (3-5 list) or in a reference letter, not on your resume itself.”

The message: It’s different. Don’t do it.

My response: Testimonials sell. The quote we selected contributed to her value proposition and has the potential to make a reader pause a while longer. It draws attention to the document and increases the chances of being read. If your resume looks like every other word-templated document out there, the chances of being noticed or read diminish greatly.

“Be consistant (sic) with the bullets or crayons…I prefer the bullets…it’s (sic) looks more mature and professional.”

The message: It’s different. Don’t do it.

My response: Would I use crayon bullets on a resume for a CEO? Definitely not. For an elementary school teacher, wanting to work with kindergarteners and elementary-aged students? Absolutely. Differentiating her academic teaching experience from her peripheral summer job experience visually with dividers and changing bullets makes it easier for the reader to determine what they want to know. I used square blocks for the additional experience, differentiating the experience, but further contributing to the elementary-focused theme.

“You are also missing a Professional Development section (workshops, presentations and conferences attended with dates…see sample)).” (sic)

The message: Everyone else has this section. You must have it too.

My response: I was not provided with this information from my client. Depending on the length of the list, I would probably not include it in the resume proper, but make it a supplement. If the job posting requested a specific conference or workshop, I would incorporate that into the body of the document. A resume is about what an employer wants to know; not what you want to tell them. You don’t want their eyes glazing over with a list of conferences and dates before they get to the value you bring because you’re “supposed” to have this section here.

“If you agree with the suggestions and make changes, don’t forget to upload it to the [name withheld career center website.]“

The message: If you’ll adopt a cookie-cutter, 1990 approach, losing the design, pop, and value message, and are willing to look like everyone else, you can upload to … [name withheld career center website.]

My response: Conform or you can’t upload? That is the most terrifying piece of all. I have no words.

An alternate approach:

In fairness, career strategy is what I do for a living. I immerse myself in hiring, recruiting, sales, marketing, writing, and presentation information every day. I interact with career professionals through various social media platforms and professional affiliations. This client and I spent several hours together on the phone. I spent several more crafting her resume.

I do not have to offer advice to thousands of students and deal with the daily duties and stresses of career center activities. I understand the need to provide quick and basic information to large volumes of students.

What troubles me, is rather than say, “I recognize you’ve invested in advancing your career and engaged a professional. Listen to the specialized, customized-for-you-and-your-search information provided. My information is basic for the masses. I’m here to support you in other ways. You’ve got the resume covered”

Instead, this center representative rolled out a cookie-cutter, look-like-everyone-else method and “suggested” changing her current presentation so my client could take advantage of the school job search resources.

Launching a career, after investing thousands of hours and dollars in pursuit of your profession with dated, ineffective career documents and look-alike advice can mean the difference between career success and failure; gainful employment and yet another month of searching. An inability to articulate a unique value proposition in relation to employer needs can cost thousands in starting salary and ongoing earnings too.

Vet your job search guidance carefully. One big clue. If “objective”, “seeking …”, and “this is the only way to do it” advice are bantered about, it’s best to move on. There’s nothing to learn there.

photo by mcdittx via Flickr

I recently worked with a soon-to-graduate, elementary school teacher. She came as a referral from a close friend of hers. When working with students, I’m careful to explain my approach to resume creation and the reality of Job Search 2012. I go on to share, frequently, my techniques will not align with what they have been taught about resumes and job search along the way. I continue, many career centers and career preparation courses are up to speed on the rapidly-changing job search market. Sadly though, many are not.

I crafted a bold presentation taking skills gained through summer jobs, volunteer work, and student teaching assignment and projected those skills into the needs of the potential employer. We used job posting information, her knowledge of the industry, and my resume-writing experience to weave key words throughout the document. We responded to the needs of the potential employer with a solid demonstration of how she had what they needed.

I took it a step further. She wanted to be an elementary school teacher so I incorporated primary green into the format and layout. I used crayons as bullets in her academic experience section. I worked in a quote from her adviser further shoring up her value and potential as a new teacher. I created a strong skill summary immediately responding to company needs in the top third of the first page – a resume within a resume so to speak. I made sure the resume “said” “I am an elementary school teacher” from the first glance to final period. It presented her value boldly and truthfully. It was (is) an attention-grabbing presentation.

She was thrilled with the result, understood the strategy needed to compete in today’s employment environment, and grasped the difference between a career autobiography and a career sales and marketing document. She also knows career autobiographies don’t convey value. They tell what you did and leave the extrapolation of value to the reader. News flash. They won’t extrapolate for or about you.

She told me, part of her curriculum was to submit her resume to her campus career center. I reminded her of the potential for conflicting information. I reminded her career centers are often stretched, administering to thousands of students. They frequently have neither the time, staff, nor funding to have someone committed to monitoring the job search changes a changing economy brings or update the guidance and programs as hiring environments undulate. I told her, I frequently see job search guidance that worked in the ’90s purported as the way to conduct a job search today. NOTHING. I repeat, NOTHING is further from the truth. She submitted her information, eyes wide open to the fact what we had done would most likely conflict with what the center told her.

This week, she forwarded the career center’s response to our bold, modern, unique, branding, sales and marketing document:

Your resume is very colorful and creative, however, it looks more like a print ad or bulletin  board…  Take out the top section and replace it with your objective statement (one line.. To obtain a position as a _______ teacher…)  The things you have in this section are more for your cover letter or the interview conversation, not your resume.  In addition, remove the quote from the faculty member…All reference information goes on a separate sheet (3-5 list)  or in a reference letter, not on your resume itself.  Be consistant with the bullets or crayons…I prefer the bullets…it’s looks more mature and professional.  You are also missing a Professional Development section (workshops, presentations and conferences attended with dates…see sample)).  If you agree with the suggestions and make changes, don’t forget to upload it to … [campus career website - name withheld].

Fortunately, we were both braced for a negative response. My email back to my client was short and to the point:

They are teaching 1990 job search tactics and trying to pigeon hold you to look like everyone else. Quite frankly, I would not only ignore completely, I would run screaming from this type of guidance. It is as old as dinosaurs and ineffective in a 2012 job search.

In a 2012 job search: Target. Focus. DIFFERENTIATION is key. Cookie-cutter doesn’t cut it.

Next post, I’ll dissect the response line by line, outlining why this guidance is not only wrong and ineffective in today’s search, but also a little scary. Stay tuned.

{My ex (the organic farmer) called them cabbage lopers butterflies. I’m not sure that’s the correct species; for our purposes, yellow butterflies suffices.}

Photo by Martina Rathgens via Flickr

They are everywhere. I can look out the window sometimes and count twenty or thirty dancing around the yard on a summer afternoon. Now. If I were to burst out the backdoor, intent on catching all thirty butterflies, all at one time, while they flitted about, according to their own plan, with no regard for my desire to catch them, I’d probably have little success catching any of them. Pursuing them all, hoping to catch one is nearly impossible.

However. If I focus on one specific butterfly. Study its movements. Watch its patterns. Anticipate its next move. Chances are I’ll have that butterfly in hand in no time. In theory, I can catch all the butterflies in the yard; as long as I focus and do it One. At. A. Time.

This week, I’ve had several calls from people “ready” to start work on their resume. Two of the first questions I ask potential clients are, “Briefly, what are your currently doing?” and “Where do you want to go next; what’s your target position?”

The first question nets, “I work in logistics”, “I’m an engineer”, “I’m a manager”, or something equally vague. The second question usually launches an eight-minute monologue listing everything they “could” do.

During the telling of how they are, and can be all things to all people, their frustration is palpable. They applied to all kinds of jobs online. They frantically watch all sectors while attempting to tell everything, to everyone, all at once, in hopes that nothing gets away, and they’ll capture something eventually. It’s clear to me why they’re not getting interviews.

They have so much to tell, they have no idea how to whittle it down. They don’t know what to say, what to highlight, or how to present their skills in a way to intrigue a hiring authority. They’re so busy trying to catch everything; they’re not taking the time to research their target market or determine the skill set valued by each position. Target determines strategy determines presentation determines content. (Probably the reverse of what most were taught.)

For example, from my caller notes, these are the desired career paths of just two of my, “I’ll take anything callers.”

Caller A:

1. Academic Counseling

2. Corporate Training

3. Government Contract Specialist

4. Banking Industry Analyst

5. Teacher

Caller B:

1. Retail Sales

2. Administrative Assistant

3. HR Generalist

These groupings share some common core skills. However, each position values skills differently making one-size-fits-all resumes ineffective. Without focus, the resume reader has no idea how the job seekers specific skill set can benefit them and they won’t take the time to extrapolate skills from a tell-all presentation.

Without focus and strategy, these, job seekers burst out the job search backdoor expecting to catch all those butterflies at once. Rather than methodically targeting, strategizing, and focusing on one position at a time, they’re grabbing at everything; and catching nothing.

You can pursue and probably catch all the butterflies you want, but not with an “I’m-going-to-go-after-them-all-at-once” approach. Job seekers and careerist can pursue and probably land job offers in as many different sectors as their talents allow. But those talents will go undiscovered with an “I’m-all-things-to-all-people-you-figure-out-where-I-fit” approach.

As counterintuitive as it sounds, just like a narrower focus nets more butterflies; laser-sharp focus, with a clearly defined and stated value proposition nets positive job search results, much more quickly.

**No butterflies were harmed in the creation of this analogy.

Photo by satguru via Flickr

Too often job seekers and careerists focus on the one thing they perceive as a lack and forget to dig deeper and find value in that one thing. To add fuel to the fire, not only do they apologize for life choices, they throw them up as red flags and roadblocks during interviews. Rather than keeping conversations focused on what they learned, they make excuses and apologize for the fact they weren’t “gainfully employed” or “weren’t in a normal cookie-cutter situation” while learning new, exciting, and marketable skills.

We all, intellectually, know we’re in a completely different job market. Fifty years with the same company and retiring with a gold watch are pretty much a thing of the past. Frequent job changes, gaps, sabbaticals, conscious decisions to take a break, relocate, go back to school, just sit and be are common pieces of today’s careers story. YET, we continue to act as if we took more than two seconds off since the age of 16, something is wrong and must be “explained away.”

I worked with a young man last year. He made astute investments and managed his money wisely. When he married, he and his bride traveled Europe – for a year. A dream vacation for them both; they had the time of their lives.  He came to me, ready to re-enter the work force. One of his first questions, “How do I explain the fact I didn’t work for a year? That looks bad doesn’t it?”

Hmmmmm. Let’s see. His target was financial analyst for organizations with a global reach. He saw a gap. I saw someone who:

• Invested, saved, and managed his money well enough to support two people traveling for an entire year in Europe.
• Learned about currency exchange and market fluctuations, first hand.
• Embraced many different cultures; became versed in behavioral nuances and social expectations in each one.
• Made lifelong connections building a solid foundation for a global network.
• Troubleshot and responded to last minute changes and emerging situations.
• Planned and arranged international travel.
• Communicated frequently with non-English speaking locals, eventually attaining understanding.
• Honed interpersonal skills through meeting so many people from so many different countries and navigating the first year of marriage.

After looking at the trip through career-value eyes, he no longer saw the time spent traveling as a roadblock, but rather a differentiator. He had the skills needed, like “every other financial analyst,” but now, he knew how to capitalize on the extra layer of expertise, derived from his travels, he brought to any employer.

I could tell you about the aspiring office manager who volunteered for a local charity during a two-year gap in employment. She thought she just answered the phone.” With prodding, she shared she built a donor database for the organization enabling targeted donor campaigns and boosting overall fundraising. She also helped create content and managed mail marketing campaigns. She thought she “didn’t do anything” for two years because she “didn’t get paid. In reality, she’d built solid office management, collaboration, and marketing skills.

Or we could discuss the person I spoke with the other day who started the conversation, “I’m sorry, but my degree is only in history ….” She didn’t see the value, knowledge, or skills derived from attaining the degree – time management, teamwork, research, communication, subject matter expertise. She’d decided that her degree in “history” was no help to her current career goals and led with a statement pointing out that fact. She didn’t see the thousands of people who would LOVE to have the opportunity to earn and hold a degree, or that (I’ve read repeatedly) a good many folk have drifted away their majors only five years out from graduation. She brought her own job search and interview roadblock with her and quickly flopped it into the middle of a conversation about her career goals.

{As an aside, she was doing marketable things in operations management and logistics. By the time she’d dazzled with all she could do from an operations, efficiency, and cost saving standpoint, a potential employer probably wouldn’t care if her degree was in eating bon-bons.}

Bottom line: life and career choices make up the wonderful fabric of you. Job searches and career moves are difficult enough without feeling like you have to apologize for anything falling outside the “fifty-years and a gold watch” scenario. Look at what you learned during the “non-traditional” times and rather than apologize for being different, embrace, tout, and flaunt the value being different brings.

Subject: Please contact me if you would like to be my Job Recruiter

Greetings Recruiters,

Sextant by stebulus via flickr

My name is John Doe and I am looking for a Sales Manager/Director position in “Some” County, Idaho. Please email me at johndoe4hire@geemail.com or call me at 555-555-5555

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

John Doe

555-555-5555

(*Information fictionalized to protect identity.)

I will give John kudos for blind CCing all the recipients. But it does make me wonder how many others received the opportunity to “be his job recruiter.”

I’ve written about asking for assistance during a search, here and here. (Read those too.) Following is a portion of what I responded to John, adding to my (unfortunately) growing collection of “don’t do this” job search posts:

Hi John -

I appreciate the contact. However I am not a recruiter. I am a career strategist, producing compelling, interview-landing resumes.

(Know your audience. Group email? No clue what I do for a living? Don’t I feel special? Ya. Let me hop right on helping … although I did.)

I’d be happy to take a look at your existing career documents to ensure they are up to competing in a 2012 job search. I offer a brief general impression at no charge or obligation.

(Since he’d made contact with me, why not take a moment to mention my services and offer an opportunity for engagement. As I’m prone to do, I went a step further and “stuck my nose all up in his bidness” in an attempt to help with his job search success – whether I heard from him again or not. I continued …)

And if you don’t mind a bit of unsolicited guidance. I am a former recruiter. To be boldly honest, there is very little chance, when I was recruiting that I would have done more with this type of email than hit the delete button.

Recruiters find people for jobs. They don’t find jobs for people. And, they frequently segment into specific niched industries, working with national and international clients. (My niche was the lighting industry).

This correspondence gives no indication as to the industry in question. And it gives no indication of what value you bring to “me”, as a recruiter, or what value and benefit you bring to “my” client, the hiring company. The message in this email does nothing other than ask a complete stranger to “do something” (call or email) without any indication about what’s in it for them. In today’s market, with the current unemployment rate, it’s an “all about them job market.” {“What can you (the candidate) do for me (the employer – or in this case, the employer’s representative)?}

When I was a recruiter I’d frequently come into the office to find more than 300 emails had arrived overnight. Considering the sheer volume of information to plough through on any given day, the individual who clearly succinctly conveyed value and projected current skills into targeted positions, matching my open job orders, caught my attention. Those applying a shotgun approach to job search or asking for a “favor” without any indication of the value they brought were dumped into the applicant database or worse, quickly deleted.

Will I ever hear from John again? I don’t know. Regardless, I do hope he at least ponders what I said.

PS: The irony to this story is John’s job target: Sales Manager/Director

No (successful) salesperson on this planet would walk up to a potential customer and say, “I need commissions so you need to call me and place an order.” Even a non-salesperson knows that approach doesn’t work. Yet here is a potential sales manager or director doing the equivalent of just that. (“I’m for hire; call me.” “I need a job; call me.”)

Talk about missing a stellar opportunity to demonstrate salesmanship. This almost throws his sales prowess and expertise into question from the first contact. If he doesn’t call me, I do hope he finds someone to help him navigate the treacherous waters of job search 2012. Right now, he doesn’t even have a sextant and is trying to compete in a market requiring a high-tech, finely-tuned GPS.

Last year, I wrote for a wife; then her husband. They kept in touch and we’ve built an amiable relationship over time. Yesterday, I was working toward a hard deadline for a client. I took a writing break and checked my email. There was a note from the wife. The husband had a job offer.

What they thought would be a lucrative salary, turned out to be a much-lower-than-anticipated or originally-discussed offer. I could feel her disappointment through the email. Right then, I didn’t have time to do justice to salary negation coaching, but couldn’t leave them hanging either.

This is how I responded:

 ”I’m on a hard deadline so don’t have time for a long answer, but will point you here:

www.salarynegotiations.com

Jack Chapman’s book (site above) is (also) usually in the local bookstores WORTH the investment!!

Also dig around on www.asktheheadhunter.com Nick (Corcodilos) has great advice about negotiations there too.”

Throughout her email, she indicated “the company could afford more than they were offering” and “job duties far outweighed compensation.” I empathized with her, but went on to say:

 ”Also, allow me to be bold (like that’s something new, huh? LOL), “how much they can afford” is not your concern. Your concern is to clearly, succinctly define why he is worth the money he expects to be paid. Quantifiable, qualifiable statements of value indicating why the duties of the position require higher compensation will “win”. “I will add ‘this’ to the bottom line and operations will improve in ‘this’ manner, saving ‘this’ amount of money.”

He can also check market value for the area using www.salary.com. Also, Google ‘salary calculators’ and do a few comparisons to get a sound average. Knowing what the market will bear gives you power in the negotiation.”

I wished them luck, knowing I’d at least pointed them in the right direction. I went back to my project.

Today, I got a message from the wife (paraphrasing):

“He called the company today and let them know the offer was conservative. He told them why he was worth more, etc. They raised it 15k!!!!”

There’s power in articulating your value. There’s power in partnering with a career professional with career management knowledge and job search resources. There’s power in keeping your network alive. Had we not maintained casual contact during the past year, chances are I might not have responded so quickly. And the chance might have been lost.

Bottom line: Knowing and articulating value + building networks and maintaining relationships + a little direction from a pro = $15,000 boost in starting salary (for them anyway.)

WOOT!

You see, my dad, Donald Sigurd Bugni, passed quietly in his sleep a little more than a week ago – December 23rd, 2011. On Wednesday, the 28th, friends and family gathered at the family church to celebrate his life – on what would have been his 85th birthday. It seemed fitting to bid farewell to this pragmatic, practical, precise engineer on the same day he said hello, 85 years earlier. It’s just like dad to make sure all the loose ends tied up nicely.

He had a sly, sweet smile with “little apple cheeks” that seemed to take his normally solemn face by surprise. He could also be crabby and set in his ways – at least I come by it honestly. He had a quick wit. I used to kid, “Dad knew snark before snark was cool.”

Dad worked for Square D Company for 46 years, and he and mom would have celebrated their 60th anniversary this coming Valentine’s Day. Talk about longevity! I learned a thing or two about loyalty from both of them.

I could go on and on and talk about all the wonderful memories of him that live in my heart, but won’t. Suffice it to say, I know lessons learned and wisdom gained from him are tightly woven in the fabric of me. And that’s a good thing.

He’s at peace now. And that has given me (and my family) peace.

I love you Mr. B. Godspeed.  

Donald Sigurd Bugni December 28, 1926 – December 23, 2011

He taught me how to change a car tire 

Don Bugni and friend Kenny July 20, 1942

Dad, in the Army

The Bugni Family - Christmas 1964

Audrey and Don Bugni (Circa 1980s)

Taken New Year's Day 2011, it only seem right Dad takes us into New Year's Day 2012. Happy New Year!

“What advice do you have for me as a teacher who is transitioning into technology? Please connect with me on LinkedIn. Touch a life and make a world of difference.
Thank you
[name withheld]“

I did not recognize the name. I belong to several job search and career groups on LinkedIn. The LinkedIn header indicated we were members of the same job search group. I honestly don’t participate in LinkedIn discussion groups like I “should.” I pop in occasionally answer a question and “disappear” until I spot something else I can and have time to answer. To the best of my recollection, I’ve never dropped into this particular group.

Photo by Seafarer via Flickr

So. Let’s take another look at that request from a complete stranger again. There was no “this is how we know each other” introduction. There wasn’t an “I follow you on Twitter” common ground moment. No mention was made of an article or blog post I’d written. None of that; only the “What do you have for me?” opening. If this were an in-person meeting, in essence, this person walked up, extended a hand and said, “Gimme, gimme, gimme.”

I shrugged my shoulders at the lack of “social” in this social media connection and overlooked the me-centric approach to job search and career management. I, sadly, see things like this every day. Rather than delete the inquiry with an eye roll, the business person and coach in me kicked in and I decided to respond. This could be a potential client. And even if this person didn’t end up using my services, I had a little time to offer some insight and help a stranger … in spite of a rather abrupt request.

I spent the next 45 minutes or so crafting a thoughtful response. I looked up and included the link to a blog post I had written about the topic to offer further insight. I put a lot of time into “stranger request” responses because they may be a client prospect and while I want to help; I also want to live indoors and eat regularly. In my eyes, I’m “interviewing” with a potential client every time I respond to one of these requests. I do not take the advice I give or the way I give it lightly.

I hit send on the email. A few hours later, the person responded:

“Love it. Looks like my storage unit of school teacher stuff. I joined _____ & _____’s career beta committee so I can computerize everything and reinvent my future. My future as a microsoft office trainer.
Thank you
[name withheld]“

(The “love it” refers to the picture of clutter in the blog post link I sent.)

The individual commented on the blog picture and went on to tell me about a free site they had joined to facilitate the career change they desired and stated their career goal with conviction. There was a thank you at the end. There was no mention of the information I’d provided – good, bad or indifferent.

Sure, they got the information they needed for right now, but at what cost. Call me an old curmudgeon, but to be quite blunt, after this exchange, I’ll be hard pressed to answer any more of their questions with much more than, “That’s a rather large question. I offer job search coaching at an hourly rate.” Multiply that response by the rest of this person’s network and they’ll see information and connection resources dry up quickly. “I need, I want, give me” message wear thin quickly.

In my heart, I know this person is excited about their career decision and is gathering every known resource to facilitate that change. They meant no harm. They have no clue as to how me-centric their message sounds. However, during this innocuous exchange, from my perspective, all I heard was “me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me, me.” (Wonder what a hiring authority will hear when they launch their search ….)

Opening the requests with a smidge of flattery or at least some information about why/how we’re connected or why they’re coming to me for help would have been a great ice breaker. And, at the end of it all, taking a moment to offer something back in return would have been nice too.

“Thank you for taking the time to respond. You’ve given me food for thought. Let me know if I can help with your future endeavors.”

I frequently tell resume clients to “step to the other side of the desk” and hear what they’re saying (read what they’re writing) from the perspective of someone who doesn’t know or care about them and doesn’t have intimate details regarding their career. Very often, taking an objective step back, they’re stunned by the tone and tenor of their communication, the assumptive stance they take and the incorrect way things can be perceived without important details.

Hopefully, in future connections, my LinkedIn correspondent will read and think about what they say and how they say it before they hit send. All take and no give does not build a network.

(Note, name and gender omitted to protect identity.)