Relaxed, Refreshed, Renewed

Camille and I have returned from our annual Mexico vacation. We’ve found a great little resort, Merece Tus Sueños, in the fishing village of Troncones on the Pacific Coast where we’ve stayed the past two years.

A critical goal of our vacation, of course, is to relax. I take a bunch of novels with me and plow through them. This tends to push out the stressed based work stuff and makes room for new thoughts, ideas and goals. Camille achieves her relaxation by heading to the beach and spending much of the day in the water, body surfing.

Another critical goal for us is to refresh; to begin the process of thinking of new goals – both personal and professional – we want to accomplish in the coming year. We spend a lot of time talking about where we see ourselves a year down the road.

Finally, we look to be renewed; to come out of our 10 to 12 days excited about tackling the goals we’ve decided upon.

As I thought about my goals for 2010, I borrowed a technique from Chris Brogan. Chris is a social media marketing expert, who recently wrote about his annual approach to goal setting. He basically comes up with three words to frame his activities for the year. You can read about his three words for 2010 here.

So, borrowing from Chris, I came up with my own three words to frame my activities for 2010: Partnership, Connection, and Networking. These are relatively interrelated words, meant to frame how I will work with clients and colleagues throughout the year.

Partnership reflects how I see my relationships with clients and colleagues. Rather than a subject matter expert who provides a specialized service, I see myself as a strategic partner whose skills and expertise complements those of my clients and colleagues. I hope to grow that feeling of partnership with those with whom I work. To me, this is the most rewarding aspect of working with people.

Connection relates to how I want to be in the world in which I work. As a partner to clients and colleagues, I want to relate to their needs and desires relative to the projects we’re engaged in. I don’t need to know everything that’s going on in their lives, but I do want to know what’s motivating them regarding the project we’re working on.

Networking is my third word. It refers to the fact that I need to take my own advice and reach out to people. I’ve been so busy working for clients the past year that I’ve neglected my own network. To this end, I will be reaching out to folks who are first degree connections in my LinkedIn.com network. For this idea, I thank my friend Erika Hanson Brown, networker extraordinaire, who started her own exploration of first degree connections on LinkedIn and has inspired me to do the same. So expect a call or an invitation for coffee over the next few weeks.

So, how are you framing your actions on your 2010 goals – especially those related to your career or job search? Do you have three words around which you can organize your efforts? What three words or concepts can inspire you and renew your energy around your career?

Not Your Father’s Career

My father had three careers, but with the same organization. He worked for the federal government, 20 years in the military, another ten as a civilian. In fact, one week after retiring from the Army, he went back to the same group at the same desk as a Department of Defense civilian employee. When he retired from that position, he worked another three years as a Defense contractor.

About a year ago, Dad and I had a conversation about what I do. I explained that I worked with clients, many of whom were looking for their next career and that many of these folks were in their mid 40s to early 60s.

“Shouldn’t these guys be thinking of retirement?” asked my father.

“Dad, you’re 86 years old; hopefully I’ll live at least as long as you, as will many of my clients. Most of them expect to work another 15 to 20 years. How long have you been retired?”

Dad replied, “Geez, about 20 years.”

“That’s a career in itself,” I noted. “How long was your father retired before he died?”

“Just 10 years.”

That conversation showed how, in three generations, the concept of careers and retirement has changed. Both my grandfather and my father worked for one employer their entire career. My grandfather worked for The Phone Company – there was only one then – and lived on his pension for ten years after retirement. My father has enjoyed two retirement pensions – with cost of living allowances – from the federal government. Moreover, he receives pretty good medical benefits (as does my mom) as a retired military officer. Now those benefits, the COLAs and medical, have been subject to changes throughout his retirement, but he and my mother enjoy a good life as senior citizens. They are not burdens to my sisters or me.

I don’t begrudge my father and mother their well being in retirement. I have memories of my dad, as an Army NCO stationed in the Washington, DC area, working a second job to support a growing family. He spent most of his Army career overseas, separated from his aging parents; and a year in Vietnam in the 1960s separated from us. In my mind, he’s definitely earned the benefits he enjoys now.

However, how many people currently working, regardless of their age, feel they can live on their retirements for over 20 years? Not many of us. How many of us can expect to work for one employer throughout our career, one who will provide the pension for us to live on? Again, not many of us. We will experience, if we haven’t already, more than one career with more than one employer throughout our lives. The model of our fathers’ and grandfathers’ careers (and retirements) doesn’t apply any longer.

We need a new model, one that doesn’t yet exist. Moreover, one model will not, most likely, fit everyone. So, in effect, we require new models that can work for people as they progress throughout their careers. In a report last fall, completed for the MetLife Mature Market Institute, entitled “Buddy Can You Spare a Job, researchers noted that Boomers “may both need and want to work longer than previous generations, or longer than they may have anticipated.” The average age workers between 55 and 70 expect to retire is about 70; workers between 66 and 70 expect to retire at 76. So as Boomers, we plan – or need – to work 10 to 15 years longer than our parents did. Our kids may even have to work longer.

How do we plan to remain productive in a rapidly changing economy? How can our past experience provide value to employers? How do we promote our value?

The MetLife report identifies five critical success factors for older job seekers. They are actually great factors for workers of all ages to keep in mind:

1. Realistically assess the changing local employment markets in your region;

2. Translate past experience into future value for a potential employer;

3. Update your technology skills;

4. Keep your network of contacts fresh and active;

5. Manage your ambivalence about work.

My father and grandfather basically did the same thing throughout their careers. They both had clearly defined career paths. They knew what to expect next. We don’t. We can’t rely on the loyalty to an organization or from an organization to support our careers.

The old model doesn’t apply any longer and we need a new one. Any new model will be developed for and by individuals for their particular careers.

What’s your new career model? How will you sustain productivity and value for employers? The five factors outlined above are a good start.

What’s on Your Mind?

Happy New Year! I hope that 2010 is off to a good start for you and your family.

The beginning of the year is frequently a time for reflection. How did the past year play out; what lies ahead in the coming year; what goals need to be developed? Often these occur in the form of New Year’s Resolutions.

There’s no exception here. While I’m not typically big on New Year’s Resolutions, I’ve come up with three for me in 2010. This year I resolve to clean up my Outlook Inbox and keep up with emails: Reply quicker to those that require responses; file those that have been addressed; delete those that are no longer relevant.

I also resolve to keep up with my reading file. I carry a folder in my briefcase of articles, reports and downloaded items that I feel I need to read. Often the briefcase, with the reading file, gets tossed in a corner of my office and gets picked up for the trip home and tossed in a chair in my home office (sense a pattern here?). My resolution is to actually read the material in my file; then file, toss or forward it on.

My final resolution deals with this blog. I resolve to try and write a new post every week. This has been my intention since I started, but I’ve noticed that I’m tending to slip to publishing posts about every other week. My goal in 2010 is to publish weekly.

In order to keep my resolution of publishing weekly posts I’d like your help. I’d like to know what’s on your mind relative to your career transitions. What issues would you like to see covered here that could be of help to you? What conversations could we engage in that would be of interest or assistance to you?

My intention in writing this blog is to be of service to folks in transitions – especially in their careers. My hope is to create a conversation and stimulate thinking about careers and transitions. So I’d like to know your thoughts on the issues of concern to you as we enter a new year, a new decade.

What’s on your mind?

You can let me know in the comments section below or email me at sawoodard@comcast.net. I look forward to hearing from you.

It’s a Process, Not an Event

Two people whose blogs I follow religiously – you know about being religious; you may not check in regularly, but you are faithful – are Tom Peters and Seth Godin. These are thought leaders in their fields and often have posts that change the way I think. Two recent posts really hit home.

I often work with clients to create profiles on LinkedIn.com. It’s become a reality that social networks, like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, are critical to building and maintaining one’s brand – differentiating oneself from the rest of the pack. Many of my clients – especially those of a certain age – don’t quite get this yet. They may reluctantly post a profile on LinkedIn and then ignore it. Social networks are online communities. Like most communities, they require participation to be effective. You can’t just show up; you’ve got to contribute. Most folks just want to show up; have a presence on LinkedIn, and expect the world to beat a path to their door. They get discouraged when it doesn’t happen. They’ve posted their profile, but no one seems to care.

Another group may be more active. They troll LinkedIn, extending invitations to connect. They get pretty excited when their invitations are accepted and their connections build. “Oh yeah,” they’ll say, “I’m on LinkedIn. I’ve got over 100 connections.” The problem is they’re still not contributing; they’re just collecting.

Godin recently posted about the reason social media is so difficult for most organizations. He noted that it’s because social media is a process, not an event. Events are easy to manage; processes build results for the long haul. The same holds true for individuals and their participation in social media. Posting a profile is the event, but effectiveness comes from the process of contributing. LinkedIn has groups to join and Q&A sections to participate in. Contributing to both raises one’s profile in LinkedIn and sets one apart from the millions of other, more passive, profiles on the network.

So, having encouraged you to contribute to the social media community and be involved, virtual participation isn’t enough. Peters hosted guest blogger, Karyn Polewaczyk, who in her post Meeting Up: The New Black, reminds us that we shouldn’t confuse the importance of virtual contacts with the value of face-to-face interactions. There is no substitute she admonishes us, for presenting our “best, polished self in realtime. Social media is the fancy awning that hangs from a building; human interaction is the bricks and mortar.”

Part of the process of networking is getting in front of people; actually connecting and building relationships. My friend Peter Larson notes that it’s all about relationships. The people with whom you take time to build relationships will most likely be the folks that help you find your next position. They will have an investment in your well being and will want to see you succeed.

So the process of building relationships occurs both in social networks and face-to-face. It’s not an “either or”, but a “both and.” Be active in and contribute to your social network community. Meet face-to-face with those to whom you’re connected. Build relationships.

Heal Thyself

A couple of weeks ago we addressed the need to Know Thyself; this week, we will address the need to “Heal Thyself.”

During the last week, I’ve been struck by comments about how the long-term unemployed are struggling emotionally: A colleague shared that a client of hers appeared to be exhibiting symptoms of clinical depression as a result of his year long unemployment. A client of mine revealed that he and his wife were about to engage in family therapy, as they were having difficulty adjusting to a more limited lifestyle based on the significantly less income he has earned over the last year.

I’ve addressed this in past posts – one on core beliefs and another on feelings, beliefs and behaviors with the help of my wife, Camille. However, the comments by my colleague and my client have really brought these issues home. How can we as consultants and coaches help our clients facing tough emotional issues related to their changes in employment? Again, relying on Camille’s expertise as a therapist and spiritual practitioner, my sense is that these folks need to help themselves. We can suggest changes in behaviors; point out how feelings and beliefs are affecting intentions; and let them know they are not alone; but it is up to the client to take charge and make the necessary changes to get back on track.

These changes may include – like my client and his wife – seeking help from mental health experts. Career consultants can offer strategies to improve the job search, but we’re not typically qualified to address the issues that affect our clients’ mental and emotional health or financial issues. We can suggest that clients might need to seek the advice of a therapist or other advisor; but it is up to the client to take the appropriate action, to make the call.

Similarly, mental health therapists and other advisors can make suggestions, point out issues and behaviors and offer changes. However, it is up to the client to execute on their advice. They have to do the work; they have to take the initiative.

Some behaviors can be changed without the help of a therapist. For example, simply pushing yourself away from the computer may be a first step. Instead of cruising the internet, get out and meet people. Attend a networking group with people in your profession. Focus on those groups that don’t attract only other unemployed people. There is no sense in hanging out with people who will feed your current emotions. Most professional organizations hold local regular meetings. Seek them out; learn what is happening in your profession. Find out who the leaders are in your profession in your region. Connect with them and ask for their insight on the profession and advice on the companies you should focus on.

Volunteer. Get out and work with groups that serve the down and out. If you want to feel better about yourself, work with those who are worse off. Believe me, there are folks who have it tougher than you. ‘Tis the season for helping; pick an organization and offer your help. No doubt the organization will be happy to have you.

Take a class. Learn something new. Exercise your brain. It doesn’t have to be related to your career, but it could. Pick something that you’re interested in and will challenge you. And hang out with your classmates; discuss what you learned in class; do your homework together.

So, if you’re feeling depressed as a result of the loss of your job; if you’re feeling paralyzed and can’t get out of the rut you’ve found yourself, help yourself by getting help or helping others.

Know Thyself

In preparing clients for interviews, I emphasize that if they can answer three key questions, they will set themselves apart from their competition. These questions are asked in some shape, manner or form of all candidates in almost every job interview:

• Tell me about yourself.
• What is your management/leadership style?
• What is your greatest strength?

Your responses to these three questions demonstrate self knowledge. They show that you know what it is you do and how you do it. If you can articulate this, you’re far ahead of your competition. Most of us have difficulty with these questions. We don’t think about our value to an organization; we just do our job. The problem is, if we can’t articulate what it is we do well, how can we expect a prospective employer to figure it out? Or our current employer? They don’t have time to figure out how you can fit in their organization. It’s your primary job to be able to articulate your value to them. And yet, most of us wrestle with these questions.

So, how do you respond to these questions? The secret is in knowing what interviewers really want to know when they ask them; why they are asking these questions to begin with. They want to know what makes you unique; why they should hire you rather than the next candidate.

Tell me about yourself is usually the first thing that comes up in an interview. It’s your opportunity to set the tone; it’s your opening statement. You have the opportunity to let the interviewer know who you are and what you do best. Hint: It has nothing to do with your family, hobbies, or when or where you were born. It has everything to do with your value to the organization. So, it behooves you to know what they’re looking for and how you fit.

What is your management style? This refers to how you do what you do. Are you a collaborative leader? An “open door” manager? A hand’s on manager? How do you manage your team? You should know. You should also know, that regardless of your management style, the interviewer is really interested in knowing if you can make decisions. Can you step up and make the necessary decisions to keep things moving forward? This is a key factor in managing a team.

What is your greatest strength? This shows what makes you unique; what it is that separates you from everyone else. Sital Ruparelia, one of my favorite career writers, has a recent post, on Career Hub. He provides a guide for determining your unique talent (your natural abilities and your unique way of expressing them). You need to know your strengths and how they positively impact an organization. This is not necessarily about being organized or detail-oriented or honest or a having a strong work ethic. Lots of folks have these attributes. Your greatest strength – your unique talent – is about bringing value. What you do and how you do it that sets you apart from everyone else. Are you someone who can quickly sort through the details to recognize the heart of a complex issue and marshal the resources necessary to successfully address and resolve that issue? If so, that sets you apart from other, equally talented candidates.

So, as the Oracle at Delphi advised, “Know Thyself.” Know what you bring to an organization that sets you apart from everyone else and be able to articulate it clearly and concisely. Tell your story.

End of the Plugger?

A few weeks ago, Tom Friedman, the New York Times columnist, published a column entitled “The New Untouchables.” Friedman noted that the new untouchables of today’s economy were those with the ability “to imagine new services, new opportunities and new ways to recruit work…” Those who waited for work to be assigned were the ones at risk of being let go and will be the last to be hired when jobs start to recover.

Stephanie Klein, President of The Boomer Group, commented that Friedman’s column “spells out the end of the ‘plugger’.” This is an interesting insight. When I think of my clients that are getting activity – interviews leading to job offers (yes, people are getting jobs) – they are the people who are working their butts off and demonstrating to potential employers that they can help the company realize – and monetize – new opportunities. Those folks who just want to do what they’ve always done, and wait for work to be assigned to them – the pluggers – are less successful.

Interestingly, the same holds true for companies. Companies looking at the current situation as a way to identify and take advantage of new opportunities are moving forward. Companies that are hunkering down, that are down to bare bones, not so much. They are waiting for something to happen rather than take initiative and identify new opportunities for business. These “plugger” companies that have prevented their “untouchable” workers from working smarter to find new opportunities will lose these talented people as soon as they find new places to land; thus, putting the plugger companies at even greater disadvantage. As noted a couple of weeks ago, the war for talent will be a critical factor in this recovery.

The “new untouchables” will be at the heart of the talent wars. As Friedman says in his column, “those with the imagination…to invent smarter ways to do old jobs, energy-saving ways to provide new services, new ways to attract old customers or new ways to combine existing technologies – will thrive.”

So are you a plugger or an untouchable? If you’ve been a plugger, can you bridge the gap to be an untouchable? Can you articulate the value you bring to a potential employer? Do you know what your value is? The challenge for pluggers is that many have been well rewarded over their careers for “plugging away.” Now they’re being asked to shift their paradigm; to tell another story about themselves.

Similarly if you’re an untouchable; you still need to articulate your value. If you’ve been an untouchable in a plugger company, the story you need to tell is one of potential, of future value. You’ll need to seek out the untouchable companies are and tell them the story of your potential; how you can help them achieve their next levels.

So shed your "pluggerness." Demonstrate value; don't get left behind.