Hiding in Plain Sight

October 28, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Invisible Man Ah Halloween and careers! In thinking about the symbolism connected with the season, I can imagine that there are lots of scary mistakes that run across the full gamut of job search and career management activities. It’s a fertile area for metaphor. Yet for me, I think the scariest mistake is to run your career, including your online presence, as if you were The Invisible Man.

In the classic novella by H.G. Wells, the main character, Griffin, is “…a scientist who theorizes that if a person’s refractive index is changed to exactly that of air and his body does not absorb or reflect light, then he will be invisible. He successfully carries out this procedure on himself, but cannot become visible again, becoming mentally unstable as a result.”

Since this was published, we’ve learned it’s actually possible to hide in plain sight. In nature it’s called camouflage, and it allows organisms to blend in with their surroundings. While the survival benefits may work out in the wild, blending in is a huge disadvantage in the world of work. In fact, if you’ve attended to trends in career management, you know the emphasis is on standing out. In today’s competitive world, the thinking goes, you need to discern and leverage your personal brand across a range of media – and especially on line.

Yet, most people don’t do it. Even if they take the step of setting up an online profile, most typically at LinkedIn, they make three critical errors that virtually guarantee they remain undifferentiated, and hidden:

Cut and paste a resume or bio. Sure there are career coaches out there who recommend this, but it’s not the best use of online real estate. It may seem that emphasizing your transferable skills makes sense. It doesn’t. People simply don’t read resumes to understand your skill set, and they won’t read your online profile to evaluate your skills either.

Use a formal third-person voice. Probably an outcome of a resume or bio cut and paste, third-person sets a boundary of formality. A boundary that can block any chance your profile will help people find a reason for wanting to know, like, and trust you.

Emphasize corporate buzzwords. Sure there is a SEO value in having certain words and phrases show up on your profile. Still, it’s kind of like playing the lottery, you may come up in a search; you may not. When you do, however, your buzz-word laden profile can keep you undifferentiated and hidden just as effectively as Nature hides her creatures.

It can be maddening if you’re trying to move your career forward. Yet, unlike our pal Griffin, you can reverse the process. And to do that, start by learning how to stand out by constructing your profile with the following characteristics:

Write in the first-person to engage others. Writing for the social web means writing in first person; so, you can use personal pronouns (“I,” “me,” and “my”) to convey who you are. Think of establishing your online presence as your way of introducing yourself at an event. You don’t use third person there, don’t do it on the web.

Use plain language. You may think it’s a sign of professionalism to present your knowledge of industry jargon. It’s not. In fact, it’s a turn off. The mark of a true professional is ability to find simple expressions for complex ideas. As well, if you want to connect with other people, you must first be a person. And talk like a person.

Tell your story like …a story. Just because you are the focus of a written document, doesn’t make that document your story. Telling your story requires marshalling key themes that best represent who you are and why you’re compelling for your audience. It should start with one of your key beliefs or operating principles and tie in the distinct value you provide to others. As well, it should develop your backstory, including the key experiences – even the twists and turns – that made you the professional you are today.

Succeeding your career today is not predicated on your skill sets. By themselves they are simply plug and play elements that can be easily replaced. So, to be successful, you need to be differentiated and visible. So, stop hiding in plain sight. Tell your story.

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting.

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Your Best Job Search Resource? You!

September 26, 2010 By 1 Comment

Rely On You

Normally, when people ask about resources for job seekers, they mean something that will be useful in helping the job seeker successfully secure new employment. It could be a book, a website, an article, an assessment, a contact management tool, or a networking or professional organization. There are lots of possibilities. And all you need to do is launch your web browser to find them. So, this post isn’t about any of those.

When all is said and done, success in a job search is meeting a short-term objective on a longer journey of career success. So, as I see it, the best resource for a job seeker is his or her own good judgment in making choices that lead to successful career management. Individual choices will be different for everyone. However, there is one common theme: developing the self-knowledge to be able to recognize the right kinds of opportunities, and then exercising the discipline to get out there to meet the people who can help connect you to them.

Frankly, the world of work has undergone epic change. Part of the reason more than fifteen million Americans are out of work is not simply due to economic melt down. No, loss of jobs started well before, when companies realized they should focus on core competencies and outsource everything else. This, of course, was aided and abetted by a global leveling of the playing field, so that work could be shipped anywhere on the planet.

So, the game has changed. Dramatically.

On a fundamental level, your ability to find work is all about discerning your brand and then making your career your business.  This doesn’t necessarily mean starting your own company. But it does involve your readiness to stand up and make dramatically new choices that allow you to make a difference.

Consider the case of Binny Thomas, as related by Seth Godin in his book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? Binny got a new job, without leaving her old one. How? As Godin relates it:

One day, Binny Thomas stood up.

She stood up, spoke up, and started doing a new job. She didn’t leave her organization, didn’t even get a new title or new responsibilities. Instead, she started doing her old job in a new way. Binny stopped going to meetings with the goal of finding deniability or problems to avoid. Instead, she started leaning in and seeking out projects where she could make a difference.

Suddenly, Binny was inspired. She was looking for opportunities instead of hiding from blame.

According to Godin, one of the most fundamental shifts in our new economy is the role of self-determination. Conformity is not the path to success; rather, how “… we respond to the opportunities and challenges of the outside world now determines how much the outside world values us.” And this affects both job search and long-term career management.

Aside from reading Godin’s wonderful book as just one step, I can’t think of a single resource that will help you decide when and how to stand up. Yet, if you are looking to find a new job and to run a successful career thereafter, you need to turn to yourself and figure out when and how you can best take charge of your career, and what resources you’re going to need to make that happen.

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting

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Getting Beyond “My Brand”

August 12, 2010 By 6 Comments

Friends These days, it seems that personal branding has faced increasing criticism. Much of it, I think, is driven by people who don’t get it, or at least who don’t get the concept that we advance at Reach. And, let’s face it, social media and the prevalence of internet marketers has allowed for the idea to be hijacked in the interest of “driving traffic.” Lot’s of people out there pushing “my brand” opens the door to the perception of personal brands as contrived or fake.  Frankly, I think the dialogue about personal branding is a good thing, and that we need to participate. I think that addressing these criticisms gives us a platform for creating more clarity, and perhaps even evolve the concept of personal brand further. So, here’s my contribution.

* * *

Think about it. When you were growing up, did your friends ever ask if your brand could come out to play? Not likely. What they wanted was you and what you brought to their experience. Fast forward to the present, and ask yourself if your friends ever ask for your brand to come and hang out. They probably don’t. What they want is you and what you have to give. The fact is, people don’t associate with you because of your brand, but because of who you are and how their experience is transformed by being with you.

The same holds true in your business and career. Even if you have a “brand” that represents some distinct value that people are willing to pay a premium for, they’ll still expect something more. They’ll expect some of the magic that only you can provide; a magic that is not available from anyone else. So, why do people insist on creating this artificial entity that is labeled “my brand” and then proceed to promote it endlessly? Even as a personal branding strategist, I can tell you that listening to that distinction is a bit creepy. And that’s not to mention suffering the endless “me” messages.

Frankly, Geoff Livingston, who has long been critical of “personal branders,” hits the nail on the head in a brilliant post. He said:

“We all want to look good and want to present ourselves in a becoming manner, but not to the point that we seem like over contrived, fake people. By its very nomenclature, the term “personal brand” creates a connotation towards the latter.”

And went on to say:

“In the end, it’s about being smart.  Present a good face, but know that your reputation will ultimately be decided by the actions you bring to bear, not the consistency of your presentation. At best, the presentation will only get you a shot to be on the stage. Your performance is the ultimate barometer.”

Of course, a big part of Geoff’s message is that you need to do what you do very, very well. Still, I think there is even more to it. And that “something more” is addressed by Seth Godin in his excellent book, Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? One of his central ideas is that it’s not just what you deliver, but how. It’s about your ability to give generously, to transform others by going beyond the expected. Godin sees this as your artistry. It has nothing to do with what is said or promised in advance. Rather, it is the unexpected gift the artist offers up freely – even as he or she provides what was expected in the first place.

In the end, no matter how shiny your “brand,” it’s who you are and how you enrich the lives of others that really matters! Get beyond “my brand,” and find ways to make art.

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting.

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Is Your Career Trapped in the Matrix?

July 4, 2010 By 2 Comments

Blue Pill + Red Pill I recently stumbled  onto a great post from Chris Brogan, “Avoid the Many Versions of the Matrix.” He raises the question, “Job security= being employed by a stable company. Matrix or no?,” and concludes: “There’s what we think is real; there’s what we observe as real: and then there’s what we can change.”

In reading the post, it occurred to me that many people subscribe to a matrix-like view of successful job search. You know the one. Prepare a sharp resume, strong cover letter, network for job leads, and sharpen up your interviewing skills. Add to this, the propensity of many job seekers to rely on “applying for the job,” and you can see how this leads to a situation where people operate inside of what they “think is real.”

So, what is real?

Well, putting aside the truth that “there is no spoon,” one view of reality is this: for years, insiders have had the edge in winning job offers. And the evidence for this is the vaunted “hidden job market,” which fills an estimated 70 – 80 % of jobs before they’re posted. If you think about it, the candidate who wins an un-posted job most certainly has an inside track of some kind. Either they are an internal candidate, or have a relationship with a company insider.

None of this is to say careerists should abandon traditional job search methods – they still seem to be successful 20 –30 % of the time. It is to say, however, that your focus needs to be not on heating up job search, but in pursuing the “cool” status of someone “in the know.” In short, you need to work at becoming an industry and company insider. And this does take work. Yet, today, we know what matters and have the capacity to do something about it.

What to can you do? Here are just a couple of ideas.

Start by unearthing your personal brand. It’s the foundation for your success. In the process, you can achieve the clarity that helps you articulate what you want to achieve professionally, the unique value you offer, and who needs to know about you. Your personal brand establishes your point of view and provides a platform for engaging others inside of your brand community.

Cultivate relationships with people already in your brand community, but also work to expand it. You probably already know lots of professionally relevant people. In fact, if you attend professional meetings, you likely share drinks and stories with them. Still, there is real benefit in growing your brand community beyond geographic boundaries. Today, via the magic of social media, you have unprecedented access to people globally. And among them are the industry and company insiders you need to meet and start “hanging out” with.

The new reality of successful career management is that you must gain visibility and credibility – and connection – with the insiders who can be important to your professional success. Today, web presence not only provides that visibility, but also drives relationship building. Consider LinkedIn. It has grown dramatically to become a robust tool for engagement. Sure it is, and has been, great as a resume, Rolodex, and job search engine. Today, however, features like Answers, Groups, Status Updates, and a host of application, including Google Docs, Twitter, and SlideShare help you to bring your profile to life.

Even more, these are tools of attraction and connection. Not only do they invite people to learn about you, but allow you to learn about others. They also give you a basis to start conversations that lead to genuine relationships. So, the real value of social media is in your ability to find people as well as information – and then engage based on what you find. Over time, you gain the reputation and connections that drive the perception of you as an insider.

There is, of course, a paradox here. Once, online connections were looked at suspiciously. Online relationships were not seen as a real relationships, but as fragments of virtual reality, kind of like the Matrix. Yet, increasingly, a heated up social media is driving an ever-increasing range of “real world” mass-mingling events. The game is changing. You now have the tools. And today, if you want to move ahead, your best choice is the red pill.

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The Job Interview As Shared Narrative

May 13, 2010 By 4 Comments

InterviewLet’s face it. The phrase job interview conjures up feelings and images most of us would rather not entertain. And it only adds to our apprehension when interview advice references terms like targeted selection, behavioral interview, situational and stress interviews, panel interview – just to point to a few! Nor does it help that most people seem to reserve interview prep for the time when they’re in active job search, and feeling especially pressured to make a great impression in order to win a job offer.

Yet, it seems to me that there is a flaw in the typical thinking about job interviews: it is in the notion of being a job seeker preparing now for an interview. The real question, I think, is how does the interview fit with the long-term management of one’s career?

If we take the long view, managing one’s career involves having some degree of self-awareness of specific instances of one’s successes and failures. Ideally, we are able to capture the elements of those successes and failures to monitor, maintain, or improve our performance. And if we don’t, there is very likely someone else who will. It’s what performance reviews are intended to do, after all.

Taken as a whole, these individual instances of success and failure weave the story of our career, and perhaps even our life message. While seemingly disparate elements, they are episodes, or chapters, or plot lines that form a larger narrative. In fact, this relationship to story is not novel. It is clearly captured in the most fundamental approach to interview prep: create accomplishment stories to describe your experience. It’s what the STAR Technique is all about; namely, creating stories that tie together discrete situations and/or tasks faced, action steps taken, and results achieved.

Our careers represent our narrative, with stories that get told in formal performance meetings, in “water cooler” chatter, after hours with colleagues and friends, during mentoring conversations, and while networking generally. Indeed, our stories are what give us visibility and credibility inside of the communities of practice made up of the people who do what we do, and more broadly in brand communities that include the people we serve.

I believe that thinking of our careers as narrative has a powerful implication for how we conceive of professional interactions, in general, and job interviews, in particular. And it’s this: discussions of our professional experience are truly opportunities for shared narrative. Trading stories with an interviewer about our shared experience allows for a sharing of meaning, and supports the kind of bonding that takes place in discovering the things we share in common. It is a fundamental human need that drives folklore, which is often a device for transmitting a cultures morals and values.

If the final outcome of a job interview is to select the candidate who has not only the required skills but also represents the best cultural fit, then your ability to engage in shared narrative over the course of the process can have an impact on your success. Still, this is not something you should construe as just another interview strategy. In a world driven by digital presence and always-on social networking, the ultimate approach is to step outside the analog, on/off thinking that conceives of discrete events that are part of a job search process. Instead, find regular opportunities to share who you are in a way that ties you to the culture of you communities.

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting.

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Same As It Ever Was…

April 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Same As It Ever Was Recently, the Career Collective, a group of professionals who collaborate to provide guidance for job seekers and careerists, asked members to write a post in honor of April Fool’s Day, and dealing with the ways people may fool themselves in job seach. Since dealing with self delusion is not limited to April 1, I thought I'd share my entry here.

April Fool’s Day. Job Search. It’s easy to see how the idea of fooling one’s self comes with so many of life’s big change efforts. So, I decided to research April Fool’s Day and found that at least part of the tradition involves sending someone on a fool's errand. According to Wikipedia, this is “a task that cannot be accomplished because of fate or because it is a joke. It comes mainly in two varieties: trying to find something that does not exist, or trying to accomplish an impossible task.”

So, it seems this is almost exactly fitting for job search! Or, at least the traditional approach as many people implement it. You know: resume, cover letter, business cards, networking events for job seekers, and inviting anybody and everybody to connect on LinkedIn. Actually, it’s not that any of these elements taken alone or together is foolish. No. Mostly, it’s putting them in service of the desperate quest of landing, once and for all, in the promised land of a steady paycheck, benefits, and a daily structure that allows you to blend in.

Frankly, even when you do manage to find a job, you still face a world in such flux that it would be delusional to think it’ll last. In 1994, William Bridges wrote about the end of the job. A few years later, Dan Pink wrote about the rise of Free Agent Nation. Perhaps they were just a bit ahead of their time, as “the job” seems to have done quite well for itself, over the years. Of course, we’ve also seen lots of dislocation in that time, as we’ve witnessed the world becoming flat, with jobs disaggregated, digitized, and off-shored.

Just recently, an Expert Blog post in Fast Company, highlighted “The Downfall of the Institution and the Rise of the Personal Brand.” Starting with the impact of social media, authors Nick Nanton & JW Dicks clearly point to the power you now have in your fingertips to drive “buzz about you [that] in turn raises your profile and credibility,” so you’re no longer “an employee with limited options.” Instead you become a “free agent operating no differently than the sports stars who are able to offer their skill to the highest bidder.”

Their powerful conclusion is this:

“Now, in the new ‘Branded Economy,’ you are all allowed to play the role you want in building your brand and building your value. If you don’t take control, you will risk becoming irrelevant and relegated to the position of a cog in someone else’s wheel.”

Clearly, it’s time to venture out. If you haven’t gained personal clarity about the value you bring, get started. If you aren’t exactly a digital native, time to become a digital immigrant and find your way to a presence in the new world of the social web. As long as you stay tied to the concept of traditional job search in order to find a regular job, you are fooling yourself.

When I think of self-delusion, it prompts a chain of thought starting with lyrics from the Talking Heads’ classic song, Once in a Lifetime. I literally think: “same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was…only its not!” And because it’s not, you need to get a clue from one more line from that song and ask yourself, “How Do I Work This?”

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting.

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Were You Always Like That?

March 31, 2010 By 3 Comments

Networking Event Call it an elevator pitch. Call it a self-introduction. Describing ourselves is one of the most challenging things we are called upon to do.  Some people stumble through. Some people say way too much. Some people wrap themselves in buzzwords related to their area of expertise. Fact is, most folks simply aren’t comfortable talking about themselves, whether in live situations, on paper, or in online profiles. 

Yet, in today’s ever more connected and competitive world, crafting a self-introduction has never been more important. Not only does it relate your expertise and convey your unique promise of value, but it's also key to inviting and encouraging people to connect with you.

At recent career transition strategy session, I asked attendees to introduce themselves, and include one key piece of information they believed a decision maker should know about them. What I didn’t tell them was that I’d be asking why they shared what they did! Frankly, I was as surprised as they to see what happened! Nearly everyone shared information in a relatively bland and safe way, many wrapping their message in some form of corporate speak. Yet, in every case we discovered that by digging a little deeper, people had exciting, even compelling reasons for what they shared.

In one case, a young project manager said he works hard to exceed expectations, leading me to think, “Yeah, you and everybody else!” But I didn’t say that. Instead, I asked, “Were you always like that? Give me an example from high school” In response, proudly told us how he had competed with several of his scouting friends to become an Eagle Scout, earning the distinction at 15 (about two years ahead of the usual age). As he told us, his energy increased leading to a noticeably enhanced emotional connection! In the following “ah ha” moment, he realized he could craft a new introduction to convey that he is, and has always been a high achiever, using his Eagle Scout achievement as well as work examples.

Frankly, part of my motivation doing for doing this exercise came from reading Be Sharp: Tell Me About Yourself in Great Introductions and Professional Bios, by Paula Asinof and Mina Brown. In discussing how to craft a powerful self-introduction, the authors point to three core elements:

1. The Essence Factor: A short professional description that best captures the scope of your experience.

2. The Guru Factor: A statement of any special expertise you bring.

3. The Star Factor: A statement of attributes and/or abilities that set you apart and cause others to admire you.

Putting these elements into your communications about yourself makes you memorable, clear, specific and compelling.  Even more, your ability to relate your story with energy establishes an emotional bridge that makes it easier for people to connect with you.

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting.

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The Public Life of Your Personal Brand

March 15, 2010 By 5 Comments

Grand Central Station Most people would readily agree they have a personal life, but few would describe themselves as having a “public life.” Sure, we have our work life and our home life. Yet, we don’t usually think about having a “public” dimension to our lives. Politicians and celebrities have public lives. We do not. We are apt to believe our careers are part of a daily blur of activities and don’t really stand out.

Yet, to a large degree, professional success has always been driven by the positive regard of others. It shapes our reputation. And although we might not consciously make the connection, reputation exists by virtue of a public life. Sure, many of us have tended to be conscious of making the right “career moves.” Still, we’ve not usually thought of proactively managing our success in a “public life” context. The advent, and virtual explosion of social media, has changed that. Forever. 

Today, if you want to be successful, you need to respond to the incessant demand to have a public life, especially as defined by the strength of your web presence. In fact, with 79% of US hiring managers and recruiters reviewing online information about job applicants, it means if you are not digitally visible, you don’t exist. So, the link between career success and showing up online is becoming stronger. 

Fortunately, people are recognizing the need to anchor their careers (and lives) on the web. Just witness the explosive growth of professional networking site, LinkedIn, which has grown to over 50 million business users worldwide. Further evidence of the explosive growth of social media is reflected in Facebook’s average daily growth of 600 thousand new users, and Twitter’s 1,382% year-over-year growth rate as of February 2010.

Of course, today, web presence requires more than the static or passive web page. Sure, you’ll need to post profiles in online communities you join; and ideally, these will capture you in terms of unique attributes, motivated skills, and even proof of performance to demonstrate your value. But that’s just for starters. Especially since your personal brand truly comes alive in the way you engage others – both online and in face-to-face situations. So, you also need to think about your brand as conversation and not as pre-scripted messages! 

Fortunately, the key to managing your public life is relatively simple. First, you need to show up in a way that is authentic; in other words, be yourself.  Second, you need to take a genuine interest in others. After all, that’s what drives conversation! Yet, while the formula is simple, it helps to find and integrate the good advice and perspectives or others. And while there is lots of advice out there, I think you’d do well to take a look a terrific Chris Brogan post, Be Sexier in Person. It’s a great read, with great comments, and lessons you can apply across your entire public life! 

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting.

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Light at the End of the Tunnel?

February 25, 2010 By 2 Comments

Tunnel A
pessimistic view says the light at the end of the tunnel is probably an
oncoming train. I think there’s something to that, especially when you
consider job search. Let’s face it, with a real unemployment rate
between 16 – 18%, as of the start of February 2010, the likelihood is
that looking for a job will take a very long time. Indeed, as the
deterioration of the economy has unfolded, since late 2007, the average
lengths of job searches have increased dramatically. Today, it is not
uncommon to see folks take 12 to 18 months to find new jobs.

This
is clearly discouraging! Yet, when you ask these folks why it took so
long, many will frankly own up to their over reliance on traditional
job search approaches; namely resumes, cover letters, and job boards. 
While the occasional job seeker may find a job the “old-fashioned” way,
by applying for it, the majority achieved success when they stepped up
their efforts to network. So, the lesson seems to be to make networking
a key part of your overall search strategy. Well, make that effective networking. Frankly, pushing resumes and asking for job leads is common, but not the best way to network. It keeps you in the tunnel, wondering about the oncoming light, and becoming increasingly fearful.

So, what to do?

In a recent, Reach Interview, Pam Slim, author of Escape From Cubicle Nation: From Corporate Prisoner to Thriving Entrepreneur,
made the point that even if you’re planning to continue working in an
organization, it’s critical to develop the mindset and skills of an
entrepreneur. Essentially, running your career is like running a
business, and requires taking a much more strategic view. As well, it
means taking the time to figure out how your offering fits the needs of
your target audience, understanding how you are differentiated from
your competitors, and determining how best to communicate your value.  In short, it's about discovering, communicating, and living your personal brand.

Conceptually,
it makes sense. Yet, it doesn’t mean you won’t face fear and
uncertainty as you proceed. It’s a journey and it requires support,
which brings up probably the next best part of Pam’s advice: start
hanging out with “your people.” Use your networking efforts to find and
connect with people who know the space you’re attempting to move into,
including customers/employers and competitors. Take a genuine interest
in these folks. Be prepared to listen and learn, as well as to help and
share. Over time, three important things can happen: (1) you form a
developmental network that supports your forward progress; (2) you gain
visibility and credibility among people who you need to know and who
need to know about you; (3) you set the stage for connecting with
relevant opportunities for productive work.

Clearly, this is not
your Father’s job search; but then, this is not your Father’s economy.
It's time to get out of the narrow confines and dispiriting mechanics
of traditional job search. Getting out of the tunnel probably means
taking the mountain path. But you don’t need to worry about the
oncoming light, and you get a better look at the horizon!

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting

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Wherever. Whatever.

February 8, 2010 By 2 Comments

For years, it’s been said that the only constant is change, an idea that goes way back to Greek philosopher Heraclitus. And while it may be true that change is always with us, there is a truer idea that has even more relevance to our lives and careers: “No matter where you go, there you are.”

The title of a mediation book by Jon Kabat-Zinn, and variously used and attributed as a quote, this idea came to mind, today, as I watched this great video, by William Arruda  at personalbranding.TV.

Why Personal Branding? from William Arruda on Vimeo.

Sure, the opening seconds highlight the profound changes that are affecting our lives and careers. Yet, as you watch, it becomes clear that you can take control of your future by taking responsibility for your personal brand. You can extract, express, and exude the unique value that you bring to your brand community, and that sets you apart from the competition. By attaining this kind of personal clarity, you are better positioned to weather change and move forward in your career. Wherever you are and whatever is happening around you.

Cross-posted at Threshold Consulting

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