2 dots media spotlight
Article appearing in the April/May 2010 issue of Spark Magazine
"Wanted: One Scorpio to add more bite" - Engendering the right personality mix in your team writes Paul Slezak
Prior to establishing my own business I spent many years in the world of recruitment working all around Australia as well as further afield. I was fortunate enough to have worked with some of the world’s most recognisable brands. However I can honestly say that my fondest memories involve working with some incredibly dynamic managers of various small and medium sized companies (SMEs) both here and in Asia who, whilst they had no intention of ever having an international reach, were committed to creating a culture and business model that some of the multinationals would have been envious of.
I will never forget on one particular occasion I was sitting with the General Manager of a Melbourne-based SME when she looked me in the eye and said something that really took me by surprise.
“Actually, Paul. More than anything, it’s crucial that you find me a Scorpio. We need a bit more bite around here”
I thought she was joking but she was being completely serious.
Creating an effective team environment is vital for any SME to succeed. More often than not there’s no opportunity for personality clashes, team members can’t be picky about which clients they prefer to deal with, and above all there’s no way that the business will achieve its targets if even one person is letting the side down.
So how can you ensure that you are engendering the right culture within an SME? What can you do to guarantee that that when someone new joins the business that the team dynamic is maintained and that everyone is focused on a common goal? How can you measure the contribution that all your people are bringing to the business or the value they are adding to your organisation as well as to your clients?
These are all important questions to consider.
Juggling diverse personalities within any SME workplace can be demanding. Whilst most teams comprise of very different personality types – all of whom require sophisticated and delicate handling to ensure you maximise their full potential, it is a crucial part of the hiring process to ensure that you balance the right mix of skills, ability and personality.
For any SME it is also important to strike the right balance in terms of roles and responsibilities and playing to each of your individual team member’s strengths. In other words try not to force those who are more service driven into having to generate sales; avoid getting those who may be more sales focused too bogged down in administration; and where possible keep those who actually enjoy administration in the office as opposed to encouraging them to become more client facing.
Similarly in managing an SME you need to understand what motivates each of your team members. Reward and recognition whether it be through financial incentives, training and development or potential promotion and career advancement, are all important considerations as you create (and maintain) an effective team environment.
Should you find yourself in a position where you are bringing new people into your business, it is important that you take into consideration the personality and characteristic differences that may already exist within your team, as well as the existing allocation of roles and responsibilities, or else you may inadvertently create a situation ripe for conflict. And whilst workplace conflict is both common and inevitable, unnecessary tension inside any SME can make life unpleasant for everyone.
A good friend of mine who owns an SME likes to use the phrase “on the bus” in determining whether his team are heading in the same direction. In my management days I personally used the phrase “all aboard the northbound train”.
The message is the same: it’s about the importance of creating an effective team environment where everyone is striving for the same goal and each individual team member feels they are being recognised for their contribution.
So next time you find yourself needing to bring someone new into your team, you may want to consider running an ad along the lines of:
Scorpio required to add bite to a team of obsessive Virgos while reporting to a dynamic Piscean!
Article appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne Age and MyCareer Saturday May 29th, 2010
"Put your hand up" - You have nothing to lose in seeking a promotion writes Paul Slezak.
Consider the following scenario. You’ve been working in your current role for nearly a year, successfully managing a team in the city office. In one of your regular catch-ups, the State Manager informs you confidentially your colleague, who manages a large suburban branch, resigned. She then tells you she hasn’t decided whether she will look externally for a replacement, or promote from within.
You know you want that position – not instead of your current role, but over and above it. You know you are ready to take on the additional responsibilities, and while managing two teams in two branches may initially prove challenging, it is exactly where you see yourself moving next. So what do you do?
One of my clients, Molly, recently found herself in this exact situation. But rather than telling her State Manager there and then she wanted to be considered for the role, she took a more strategic approach.
That evening she sent an e-mail to her Manager requesting a meeting to discuss the opportunity of transitioning into a dual role. Molly then spent time carefully preparing her case, highlighting her achievements within the business to date, the reasons why she felt she should be considered, her rationale for wanting the additional responsibility, a picture of her ideal career path within the business, and finally, a carefully thought out transitioning strategy.
She knew her timing was right and she felt confident presenting her case to the State Manager. Molly’s strategy worked and she is currently moving into a role that will see her managing two offices, thereby fulfilling her career aspirations.
Over the years I have witnessed many instances where people have been too scared to ask for a promotion because they felt their manager would either think they weren’t quite ready or perhaps not happy in their current role. Then, when overlooked, they became jaded, and in many cases, left the organisation.
If you have your eye on a more senior role, if you know you can do it, and it’s in line with your career path, then put your hand up for it.
The notion of promotion can differ depending on whom you ask. For some it means more responsibility. For others it equates to more seniority and a new title on a business card. However, neither guarantees a salary increase. And if they do, the raise may not always be what you had initially expected.
You may also need to seriously consider whether you are in fact looking for a promotion or if it’s a new job entirely you are seeking. This may only exist beyond the company walls. After all there are two ways to progress in your career – climbing within your current organisation or zigzagging from one company to the next, ticking the milestones associated with your own career goals as you go.
Performance reviews are a perfect forum to lay the foundation and consider your career path, as well as you personal and professional development strategy in terms of advancements within the company. It’s usually a time when key milestones are set and potential future opportunities are identified.
On the flip side, just because you have discussed the idea of taking on more responsibility, or even formally presented your case and asked for a promotion, there is still the possibility of being declined. Or worse still, if you don’t come forward and someone else gets the position you had hoped (or assumed) would naturally be yours, what’s your plan B? Do you just accept it and continue on with business as usual? Do you ask for feedback and put a plan into action to increase your chances of being considered next time around? Or would being knocked back result in you seriously rethinking your position within the organisation?
If the truth be told, however, sometimes a role you think would be perfect may in fact be the opposite, so respect your manager’s decision. More often than not they really do have your best interests in mind, along with those of the business. But don’t let this deter you from putting your hand up, especially if you have done the necessary ground work. You have nothing to lose.
Breakout*
Five sure ways you won’t get that promotion:
1: The Expector: Never send an email to your manager stating: “I expect that by June you will promote me to Senior Consultant”.
2: The Ultimator: Saying “If you don’t promote me to Team Leader then I will have to reconsider my place here”, means you’ll be out there interviewing for a new role swiftly!
3: The Whinger: If you don’t get an answer straight away or if you are told the situation will be re-assessed in six months, don’t ask “how much longer?” in every fortnightly catch-up between now and then.
4: The Dillusionist: If you’ve earned the title of prima donna and treat your colleagues like subordinates, asking for a promotion will fall almost certainly on deaf ears.
5: The Opportunist: Asking for every possible promotion (either within your team, or any other part of the organisation) will reinforce you have no sense of career direction and in turn, no real credibility behind your requests.
* Each of these characters is based on real situations.
Article appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne Age and MyCareer Saturday March 27th, 2010
"Be the pick of the bunch" - You only get one chance to make a lasting first impression writes Paul Slezak.
Here’s a moment of truth. Despite what you might like to believe, when a recruiter decides whether or not to put you forward to a potential employer, or a Human Resources Manager considers bringing somebody into an organisation, both rely heavily on gut feel and personal impressions.
In a market literally saturated with highly skilled and qualified candidates, the notion of making a lasting first impression has never been more important. After all you can be the most qualified candidate, have a CV the envy of all other applicants, and narrowed your interview technique down to a fine art, but if you don’t look the part, or act the part, a recruiter or hiring manager may not be convinced that you can, in fact, play the part. And when all is said and done, that’s what ultimately counts.
The recruitment process can be long and drawn out. Consider all the touch points for a moment – from your first contact by email or phone, through to your wait in reception for an interview, the interview itself and then your follow up. At each moment you as an individual are being accessed; not only your experience, skills and education. How you behave and the impression you leave can make or break your job search.
In any recruitment exercise, the telephone screening process is the stage where the initial culling really begins. Those applicants who look appropriate on paper are then rung in order to determine whether or not they should be invited in for a formal interview.
As a former recruiter, I lost track of how many thousands of candidates I called over the years as part of this process only to immediately reject them due to what I perceived to be apparent disinterest, lack of enthusiasm, or what I used to refer to as a zero care factor.
If you receive a call from a recruiter or HR Manager, keep in mind this call is just as important as an interview. Listen carefully to the questions being asked, speak articulately and avoid answering monosyllabically. Yeah or aha are not actually words in the English language.
Similarly, if you are invited in for an interview, respond enthusiastically and be flexible with meeting times. Remember your motivation and attitude often carry as much weight as your skills and experience. And how you come across over the phone is just as important as how you act in person.
So you’ve made it to the interview stage. The rule here is fairly self-explanatory – dress to impress or dress for success. Dress (and behave) like this is the only job you would ever consider having. Even in this era of smart or business casual and dress down Fridays, know you will be judged on appearance so dress up!
I understand knowing what to wear to an interview can be a difficult decision to make. So if in doubt wear a suit. Even if it’s jeans day at work, it’s never jeans day for an interview.
Punctuality is also an imperative. My advice is to arrive at the building where the interview is being held a quarter of an hour ahead of time and allow a good 10 minutes to collect yourself so as not to approach the reception desk flustered and bothered.
During the actual interview, how you conduct yourself is vital. Be mindful of your body language, tone, eye contact (or lack thereof) and general disposition. A recruiter or hiring manager will often make up their mind within the first 30 seconds of meeting you. Remember your role as a candidate, be aware of your boundaries and don’t be overly familiar – regardless of the rapport you may have built up with the person interviewing you.
And finally, follow up is advisable. Sending a quick note to the person you have met thanking them for their time, summarising your key takeouts from the meeting and reconfirming your enthusiasm for the opportunity is often viewed positively.
As you can see, there is far more to landing a new job than simply having a good CV. There is no denying your past experience plays a large part in whether or not you will be considered for a new role. However, you will also influence the outcome in terms of how you present and the first impression you make.
Tips*
1: Gentlemen: Don’t attend an interview wearing a Charlie Chaplin type hat, a bright lime green short-sleeved shirt, or a bow tie flashing fluorescent lights every few seconds (unless of course you are interviewing for Cirque due Soleil!).
2: Ladies: Try not to intoxicate the interviewer with an overdose of perfume and don’t wear so much bling that you cause a distraction as the sun comes through a nearby window and creates a mirror ball effect around you.
3: Before you arrive at reception, make sure you are not chewing gum, you have taken your i-Pod earphones out, and switched off your mobile phone.
4: Thongs are never good footwear for attending a job interview for either men or women.
5: When sending an e-mail to thank the interviewer for their time, don’t sign it off Chow for now... even if you happen to know how to spell Ciao correctly!
* Each of these tips are based on real situations I unfortunately had the thrill of experiencing.
Article appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald, Melbourne Age and MyCareer Saturday February 27th, 2010
"You need the referee onside" - Make sure you fully brief the people who are going to vouch for you writes Paul Slezak.
As someone who has personally spent nearly fifteen years within the recruitment space not only as a manager but having also spent many years as a hands-on recruiter, I have seen it happen far too often. A candidate would come in with a very impressive CV and would present extremely well. I would put the forward to various suitable positions and my clients (their potential future employers) would also be very impressed with how they came across at interview. However when I was asked to conduct the references things frequently came undone.
Unfortunately too many of my candidates found out the hard way that just because I had been asked to speak to their referees it certainly didn’t mean that the job was in the bag. Having a killer CV and being a master interviewee is not enough. How you prepare, brief and handle your referees is critical to your success in finding a new role, and it goes way beyond simply providing a name, number and e-mail address of a former boss.
Employers both in the private and public sector will typically try to conduct at least two verbal reference checks prior to extending an offer and they certainly won’t rely on written references or standard “confirmation of employment” statements.
It is fairly common these days when putting your CV together to include a statement such as “Details of referees shall be provided upon request” rather than listing names and contact numbers of those willing to provide a verbal reference. I have never quite understood why people choose to include referee details on a CV. After all why would anyone include the details of someone that they thought might not speak highly of them?
Besides from a candidate perspective, you certainly don’t want recruiters or hiring managers contacting your referees and doing their own preliminary investigative work behind your back before they have had the chance to meet with you, do you?
If you are actively looking for work, then you need to be in regular contact with anyone you would consider using as a referee. More importantly, in the event that a recruiter or HR contact is going to want to speak to them, you need to thoroughly brief your referees on what the role is that you have applied for, what skills are those most sought-after, as well as any specific areas that may have arisen during the interview process thus far. You may even want to e-mail them a copy of the advertisement and/or position description that you may have obtained so that they get an even better idea of what you are looking to do next.
Then there is always the question of who can you ask to be a referee? – especially if you have been working for the same company for several years or you don’t want anyone to know you are considering leaving the business. Technically references are conducted before any job offer is made so this means that you may need to confide in someone within your current company who is then willing to act as a referee.
It doesn’t look right if you hand in your resignation to your manager and then say “oh by the way, can I please use you as a reference?”!
Perhaps there is a manager in another part of the business who is fully aware of your strengths that you can confide in. Or maybe an external client or supplier you have worked with for a few years.
When it comes to professional references, friends don’t count. But if a potential employer asks for character references, then you are able to nominate friends or members of your family – but still remember to check with them first.
As someone who is often contacted to be referee, it can be quite embarrassing to be caught off-guard.
“Your name has been given to me by Gail who has come to me looking for work. Do you have 15 – 20 minutes to answer a series of questions?”
I vaguely remember managing someone called Gail in around 1998, but I haven’t heard from her in over 10 years, I didn’t know she was looking for work and I certainly didn’t know she was providing my name as a referee.
How do you think this makes me feel? And how do you think this would make me come across over the phone. Basically it paints a poor picture.
Please don’t ever provide the contact details of a referee unless you have sought their permission first. This should just be common courtesy but it also gives you the chance to explain your situation – especially if you may not have been in contact with them for a while.
How you handle your referees is incredibly important. Once you have been for an interview think about what parts of it went well. You also need to consider what sort of feedback (or vibe) you got during the interview. What sort of concerns might the recruiter or organisation have? Often it is your referees that can then confirm or deny these. And whilst you can’t control or dictate what your referees will say, if you prepare them in advance then it’s more likely they will be able to cover off or reinforce certain aspects of your past performance that will put you in a better position.
A referee should never be surprised to get a call from a recruiter or HR contact asking them to speak on your behalf. Similarly a referee shouldn’t be surprised at the questions they are asked, the information they are being asked to provide, or about the job that you are applying for.
And finally it goes without saying that if you are successful in securing a new role that you thank your referees. Think about it for a moment. You have been offered a fantastic job, and potentially even a fairly decent salary increase. Surely a box of chocolates won’t break the bank!
Article appearing in the February / March issue of Think Big Magazine
The journey from employee to entrepreneur
A few years ago, as the Sydney Director of a large US-based recruitment business, I was having lunch with a client, when he put down his glass of mineral water and out of the blue said, “You know what Paul, I have to admit you really are very good at what you do. Surely at some point you’ve considered going out on your own.”
Of course I had thought about it. But somehow I had always had an excuse. The timing never felt quite right and I didn’t consider myself much of a risk-taker.
Today, as the founder of my own enterprise, (and having realised along the way that I am in fact a risk-taker), I can honestly say leaving the security and stability of the corporate world and starting my own business has been the best (albeit by far the toughest) decision I’ve ever made. Not only has it given me an incredible sense of personal achievement, but I now have a level of autonomy and freedom that I never would have dreamed of having had I remained with my former employer.
The idea of starting out on my own had been niggling at the back of my mind for many years. But I was comfortable (there’s that dreaded word!) so I never let the idea gather momentum.
The notion of comfort zone plays a huge part for anyone weighing up the pros and cons as to whether or not to go it alone. It was, when I found myself in a somewhat un-comfortable situation (reduced salary, reduced hours, reduced responsibility, economic downtown ...), that the decision to rip off the bandaid and just do it was pretty much unavoidable.
Ask anyone who’s taken the plunge and opened the doors to their own business venture, and they’ll tell you there was a particular moment in time when it became a no brainer.
After six years managing a sales team, Jeannine was told a new Regional Director was being brought in from outside the company to manage her. It was then she had her aha moment, with the penny dropping and her realising she could build a sales team of her own. Now she has a thriving business with seven highly motivated staff working for her.
Antony woke up two weeks before his 40th birthday (a time in his life he still refers to as his age of discontent) and realised he actually hated the IT industry where he had been slaving for most of his working life. He walked into his manager’s office and resigned from his $150,000 salary to follow his dream. One month later, he opened a photography studio. He had always had a passion for the craft and knew he was good at it. Today (four years later), Antony shoots for some of Australia’s leading corporate and architectural firms, choosing to only work three days a week.
Many people get caught in the romantic notion of starting their own business –the flexibility, the freedom, the autonomy. But let’s face it, not everyone is going to be an overnight success so it’s important to balance the positives (which don’t get me wrong, are liberating) with the downside – potential isolation, the need to keep yourself motivated 24/7, not to mention, probably reduced income as you build the business. So before you get caught up in the excitement of it all, pause for a moment and think realistically whether it is in fact the right move for you.
Ironically (or perhaps not), one of the arms to my business focuses on helping people make the transition from employee to entrepreneur. I am currently working with one client who is going through all the preparatory stages of setting up her own venture but has decided to stay working full time with her current employer until she is 100% ready to jump. Straddling the dual employer/entrepreneur mindset can be demanding, but it certainly makes the transition less painful as the master plan comes to life. So if you are not completely ready to bite the bullet, and feel more comfortable testing the waters first, it might be worth considering a strategy like Madison’s.
Quite often it’s making the actual decision that can be harder than facing the many obstacles that may well present themselves in the first years of your journey. However (and this is coming purely from personal experience), as long as your motivation to start the business is consistent with your passion and enthusiasm for the service you are delivering, you’ll never look back!
Article appearing in the Melbourne Age and MyCareer - Saturday January 30th, 2010
"Boost your skills on the job" - Are you making the most of the training available to you at work? Paul Slezak explains why you should.
A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation with a client about the importance of up-skilling when it comes to staff retention and asked her what investment her organisation placed on training and development?
Her response surprised me.
“Now come on, Paul”, she exclaimed. “We both know too well that training is what people have to do with dogs, circus animals, or those poor dolphins at Sea World. Around here, we refer to it as learning services.”
Once we had moved beyond any reference to pets and Gold Coast theme parks, she said her learning and development budget was back with a vengeance in 2010 after having been slashed with the first hint of the GFC. This is apparently so in many organisations, across many sectors, making it the perfect time for employees to take advantage of opportunities to grow professionally.
As a manager, I always recognised the importance of keeping staff up-skilled and was aware of the latest techniques, industry trends and initiatives and encouraged my team to jump in whenever possible. It was rewarding to see in most pre-appraisal questionnaires I received from them (as part of their performance review preparation) an extensive wish list in response to the question, What further training and development do you feel you would benefit from in the coming six months?
However, if you ask employees today, within organisations (large or small), you get very mixed opinions around the notion of learning and development. Some seize the opportunity to up-skill as part of their professional growth; others simply see the chance to attend an in-house training course as a welcomed distraction from their day-to-day tasks; while others roll their eyes at the mere thought of an invitation from learning services, and even see the time away from their desk as a complete waste of time.
You clearly can’t please everyone.
When did you last think about what further training and development opportunities could be of benefit and give you that leading edge? How long has it been since you discussed up-skilling with your boss? Asking for additional training is not a sign of weakness. In fact, it can actually show your commitment to wanting to grow professionally and excel within the business.
Learning Services (as a department) typically exists within larger corporates and is there to ensure staff is given sufficient levels of training and professional development. And if a particular organisation doesn’t have a formal learning services team, there will usually be somebody within the business responsible for liaising with external course facilitators who would be involved in training as and when required.
It’s important to distinguish between what an organisation is willing to offer its employees in terms of learning and development, as opposed to the idea of further education. I once had a staff member ask me whether the business would support her in a Diploma in Organisational Psychology. As this was more of a personal interest than up-skilling for her role, while she received my (moral) support, the company didn’t pay for her to go back to school as her request lay beyond the realm of what was considered learning and development.
If you are fortunate enough to have an in-house learning services team within your organisation, are you familiar with what they are really there for and what they can offer you in terms of further development? This is particularly important if you have been working in the business for a while and may be under the impression the learning and development team exists solely for new or less experienced staff.
Many of the larger corporates regularly post outlines and updates on their intranet so keep an eye out for any internal courses or workshops that may be of interest to you. Ask your manager to help you identify where you feel you may have a gap in your skills and how you can better utilise the learning services team. Don’t wait till your next formal appraisal. In larger organisations training courses are being run constantly.
And in this day and age, there are so many recorded conference calls, podcasts or webinars from key people within your own organisation, as well as from external industry leaders, that you can download and work at your own pace, in your own time, never leaving your desk.
Embrace every opportunity for further professional development and make the most of your learning services team. They are there for you and have your best interests in mind.
Article appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald and Melbourne Age (and MyCareer) - November 28th, 2009.
"Being adaptable in your work choices and job search gets results", writes Paul Slezak.
The employment landscape has undergone a pretty major shake-up in the past 12 months. But what has been most encouraging (in career development terms) is hearing how many people have embraced the situation as a way to start afresh.
However, many have been unexpectedly derailed from their carefully plotted career paths and are now being forced to re-evaluate their future and choose between getting work, finding a job or, in fact, having to reinvent their career altogether.
The concept of work, job or career can mean something entirely different depending upon whom you ask. Likewise is having a need to work (to simply pay the bills) versus a plan of work (for the rapid climb up the corporate ladder).
Consider the following: a client-services director from a leading advertising agency falls victim to the global financial crisis (without a significant redundancy payout).
He has two children and a mortgage. His immediate thought is "I just need work" and so takes a part-time position in a call centre to pay the bills. Meanwhile, a call centre operator who has had her hours reduced (cost-cutting measures) suddenly finds herself having to find extra work to make ends meet, taking on shifts in a local cafe.
Then there is the recent graduate who has been working shifts in a cafe throughout his time at university, who is looking for a job in a call centre seeing it as part of his career path to ultimately joining the client-service team of a big-ticket advertising agency.
The shifts in the cafe, the role in the call centre and the position in the ad agency are all viewed differently, from each perspective. On the flipside, it is unrealistic for the university graduate to expect to become the client-services director without gaining experience with customers (initially in the cafe and then the call centre) before securing an entry-level position in the ad agency and eventually climbing the ranks.
The point here is whatever situation you may find yourself in, first and foremost be realistic in terms of your approach. While you may have held a senior role previously, right now supporting your family is your number-one priority.
You could have obtained a masters degree recently but, with the number of postgraduate opportunities being drastically reduced, now need to continue with your casual or part-time work. Some of my clients have been out of the permanent workforce for nearly six months.
It has been interesting to watch them recalibrate their lives as they come to appreciate the need to perhaps find work while maintaining a search for their next career move.
Most thought being between jobs would be a passing phase, however when reality hit they had to lower their salary expectations and even apply for contract work.
Some have even decided to totally repackage themselves and take on volunteer work to contribute their expertise where it is truly appreciated and feel valued again.
Now could also be the perfect time to get in touch with your true passion and what you really want to do. Sure, you may be a chartered accountant working for one of the big guys but you may also have a love for animals and a desire to follow that dream.
To make the transition, think laterally and undertake a two-step shuffle (or knight's move for any avid chess players out there). Perhaps there is a vacancy for a part-time accountant at the zoo.
You could then study zoology and be in the perfect position when another opportunity at the zoo arises. Or perhaps you previously headed up the marketing department for a major financial services company but really always wanted to be an interior designer.
Your two-step shuffle could have you initially doing some marketing or PR consulting for a homewares store, learning the trade on the go, thereby giving you industry experience and pointing you in an entirely new career direction.
Basically in this time it pays to be more creative and think of alternative ways to get there. Whatever your reasons for your search, it's important to remain motivated and keep focused on what it is you want to achieve.
Article appearing on CareerOne - September 22nd, 2009
"Securing your new job NOW!"
Looking for work has been linked to one of the top 10 causes of stress. But then again, if you are reading this, you are probably well aware of that.
When making any foray into the job market it’s important to be well prepared.
First and fore most you need to be able to articulate your career objective. Think of it as your “elevator pitch”, a 10 to 15 second sales spiel delivered to a potential employer that sums you and your skills up and the type of role you are after.
Whether you are sitting in front of a recruitment consultant or a hiring manager, when they ask, “So what exactly are you looking to do now?” you need to be completely prepared.
So think about the following:
What makes you different from everyone else out there looking for a job right now? Seriously, what is the one thing that sets you apart from the others? What makes you good at what you do? What has been your biggest career-related achievement to date? How have your previous managers and colleagues described your strengths? What sort of working environment are you looking for?
Having carefully thought about your answers to these questions, formulate your career objective along the lines of: “My career objective is to work within a professional, supportive and flexible team environment, for an ethical organisation with a strong sense of social responsibility. I see myself in a role where I can deliver to the best of my ability with energy, integrity and professionalism”.
Once you are 100% clear on your career objective, start talking to any leads you may have. Cast the net as wide as possible and speak to as many people as you can. Consider it all part of the information gathering process. (You may even want to set up a LinkedIn™ profile.)
But a career objective is just the beginning. Right now you are up against some serious competition all going through the same job hunting process so it is important to remain focused, motivated and confident.
In order to stand out in the mind of a potential employer or recruiter, demonstrate solid preparation. Have a list of your key skills and competencies in mind, have strong examples to support these during an interview and have your referees briefed at all times for what they may need to say in order to get you across the line.
You should also be clear as to whether you are looking for work or a job – and yes, there is a difference. You see, getting work may not be quite the same as securing your dream job, but it can certainly help pay the bills and keep everything ticking along nicely in the meantime.
Paul Slezak has a background in recruitment and advertising in Australia and Hong Kong and is the founder of 2 dots– a business that facilitates career or business change for individuals, teams and organisations. He says his true calling in live is “developing and mentoring people.”
Most people today have an email account, perhaps a Facebook™ profile and maybe even a LinkedIn™ profile. You’d have to be living under a rock not to realise the importance of being contactable via email in today’s job market.
Recruiters and HR teams, whether we like it or not, use email as a way of broadcasting vacancies, confirming availability and interview times as well (unfortunately) as a way of avoiding having to actually call the ever increasing talent pool flooding the market place.
Then of course, there is the fact that the only way you can be notified of new positions matching your desired criteria by the various job boards and employment websites is to have registered a unique personal email address.
Email tips
Let’s look at email in a bit more detail. We’ve already alluded to the expectation that email is fairly instant. So you must check it each day. If you are not regularly sitting in front of your computer, try to check your email at least once in the middle of the day.
If you not going to have access to your computer for most of the day, then try to check your email once in the morning and once in the evening to ensure that you are not missing out on any important messages that may have needed an urgent response (such as confirming an interview time).
If you don’t have access to a computer and you are actively searching for work, you may want to consider getting access to one of the many mobile phones available in the market that has an email function – where your emails are accessible remotely at the touch of a button.
The next thing you need to consider is your actual email identity. I know of a number of people who have an email address that may well be perfect for their close group of friends, like choceater@munchtime.com.
But you need to think about your professional image and how that will look to a prospective employer. Imagine for a moment how absolutelyuseless@noidea.com could be construed. Quite simply it just sends the wrong message.
I once received a résumé from a candidate applying for a fairly senior role. The content of his CV was certainly impressive, but I was surprised at the shock on his face when during the interview I suggested he no longer use drlovemuscle as the name on his email account for professional dealings – especially with recruiters or HR contacts within blue-chip corporate environments.
As far as email addresses go I have seen them all, sugarcakes@, smackme@, high-as@, bubbles@ … they all reinforce not serious. Ideally you should set up a web-based email account with the likes of Gmail™, Hotmail™ or Yahoo™. Try to use your name or something that is professional and then remember to make sure you check it regularly or have it forwarded to your other more personal or social account.
Finally, remember everything you send from your email can be traced. There is no point saying such and such is hopeless or saying slanderous things about anyone and then letting your thoughts run wild in the ether. Before you send out any potentially negative or offensive message, think about how it may then be linked back to you.
People are always sending emails to large distribution groups because they personally find the contents funny. But to certain individuals and in many workplaces, receiving such emails is simply inappropriate.
If you receive such an email and you don’t want to be associated with it in any way, then don’t engage at all with the mail. Don’t forward it to others and don’t reply – unless of course you include a request not to receive such emails in the future. But in general, it’s best to just ignore them. Choosing not to respond is far better than having your name linked to something that is discriminatory or defamatory.
The perils and potential of social networking
Once you have set up a professional email account you need to look at your other on line risks. If you have a Facebook™ profile, promise me you will do the following right now: Go and make sure that only responsible people can make comments on your wall. Make your profile private so that no one can see it unless you allow them to. If you post updates decide who sees them and who can add to them.
Let me tell you a true story. I know a person who had been offered a job, and then after meeting with the CEO posted something along the lines of ‘glad I won’t be working directly for her/him’ as a status update on their Facebook™ page.
They arrived to commence work on their first day to find a termination letter on their desk. Certain other employees within the organisation had received the Facebook™ update, and once it had been seen by HR, they immediately chose to rescind their offer.
Unfortunately in today’s socially networked world, malicious rumours have also resulted in people losing their jobs due to comments initially made for or about “friends” ultimately being seen by employers too. Sadly, the same can be said for photographs.
A few months ago I worked with a client who didn’t want me to conduct any reference checks on a candidate for whom they were considering making an offer. Instead they had decided to do some “soft background checks” – which translated to investigating the candidate’s social networking pages. What they saw in terms of photo galleries was enough to make them go with another candidate.
On a more personal note, I don’t invite my work colleagues to view my Facebook™ page. It’s a social networking tool and is therefore to share with friends. Business associates are on my LinkedIn™ profile – a different level of social networking altogether.
If you don’t have a LinkedIn™ profile you need to go and create one now. Use it for professional associations only. By all means invite your friends too, but don’t only invite friends.
I know of many people who have successfully been offered jobs through LinkedIn™ by virtue of the fact that such a broad network of related industry professionals knew they were looking for work … hey presto a job offer! LinkedIn™ is a software and social networking medium that enables you to look for connections to others.
Like a virtual six degrees of separation, you can pose questions and conduct surveys, join like-minded groups and if you feel inclined even make recommendations.
A word on recommendations though … just like a written reference, you won’t see a bad one. As we are not sure they add any value, just be careful about giving them or asking for them.