First and Lasting Impressions: 5 Social Skills that Will Go a Long Way

One of the adages which has become a mantra of mine is that “you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression”.  Portraying oneself in a professional, reasonable, and polite way is really a minimum for creating and effective professional persona.  During the summer months, many students are seeking out internships or requesting informational interviews.  Of course, making a positive impression is not limited to students or young people.  Regardless of age, educational level or years of experience, these same tips apply.  First impressions are hard to shed.  And keep in mind that the impression you make on one key professional connection, will likely be conveyed to others who are more than one degree of separation away.

The following are my five social skills, in person and digital, that will help put you on a favorable track.

(1)  What’s in a name?: When making a cold call to someone whom you have never met, always introduce yourself by name to the other party.  Jumping into just saying what you want is not a soft opening.  Sort of like knocking on a door before walking in on someone.  Yes, I know that everyone today has Caller ID.  But, ‘note-to-self’—it’s not perfect.  And besides, the goal here is not just for the person to know your name (or the name of whomever is paying for your cell service), but to put your best foot forward.  In some cases, your Elevator Speech will come in handy

(2)  TMI?: Don’t be all over the place.  Get to the point and stick to content that is relevant to your objective or “ask”.  In most cases, your life story and any challenges you might be having at the moment are usually not of relevance to professional contacts

(3)  Emails: At the start of the email, always use the recipient’s name, either first name or title followed by last name at the beginning of all emails.  Always use a Subject line and make sure that you have not recycled an old email for convenience reasons just to snag the person’s address.  If this is a new context, first introduce yourself and indicate a context including anyone who may have connected you.  Also, your email address should be professional and neutral and your first and last name should appear in the ‘From’ box.  Make sure before you hit the ‘Send’ button that all proprietary, personal, extraneous or potentially embarrassing content at the bottom of your email is purged.  It goes without saying that spelling errors, grammar mistakes, formatting abnormalities, or an overly informal tone might not play well here.

(4)  Be punctual: This applies to in-person meetings or phone calls.  First, it’s about respecting the time of others.  Secondly, it gives the other person a sense of when you will show up if he/she goes to bat for you and recommends you for an interview.

(5)  Be gracious: In most cases, you are asking for something.  In all cases, you are being given time.  Respect that time and recognize it with your gratitude, during and after.  Leave any sense of entitlement for that person giving you a job or referring you to others, at the door.  After a meeting or phone consult, it is always good form to send some sort of appropriate follow-up email or phone call.  Doing this will convey your gratitude and is somewhat normative professional behavior.  But, more than that, it will either keep you or put you back on the radar screen of that person, moving forward.

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by joblinkofmaryland on June 11, 2013  •  Permalink
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Does Your Elevator Reach the Top?

Much of today’s communication is impersonal, digital, and 140 characters or less.  However, being able to communicate verbally in real time is still an important skill, especially when one is engaged in a job search.

I am a big proponent of everyone having an “elevator speech”.  Contrary to the label, it need not be expressed in an actual elevator.  This “sales pitch” could equally take place at a party or random social interaction.  But, there are really two main contexts for an elevator speech.  The first is for networking, when introduced to someone new who might be a helpful connection.  An effective elevator speech will plant a seed in the memory of the person to whom you are introduced.  The second is during a job interview, in the event that you are asked “tell me about yourself”.  Either way, some variation of the elevator speech should be in your back pocket at all times.

An elevator speech is your “business card plus” and the trick is to make it smooth and concise, preferably 30-45 seconds.  Remember it is not an autobiography.  And always avoid TMI.

If you are unemployed, your elevator speech might result in specific inquiries about your situation.  So, be prepared for what might be predictable follow-up questions.  The contemporary version of what was previously known as “between jobs” is characterizing yourself as being “in transition”.  In today’s job market, identifying yourself as looking for your next opportunity has less of a negative stigma than in the past.

The following is a structure of what I recommend to clients:

  • Handshake, greeting and name, and eye contact (initially and throughout)
  • Identify yourself professionally, even if you brand yourself as a “recent graduate” or student. Do not start with your entire life story, or those things which you think you can do or would be good at.  Positive examples: Litigator, Financial Analyst, Professional Accountant, Education Professional.
  • List a few occupationally relevant expertise items including skills, expertise, tools/systems, or experience. Positive examples: Quickbooks, PeopleSoft, grant writing, mobile app development
  • Briefly mention significant educational degrees and certifications. Positive examples: Masters in Public Administration from University of Baltimore, CPA, A+ Certification
  • Conclude with what type of role you are interested in, including specific job titles or industry sectors.  State what you are interested in, including specific job titles.  Positive examples: Financial Analyst, Construction Estimator. Office Manager, Social Media Specialist

Some words to the wise:

(1)  Avoid clichés such as “hard worker”, “multi-tasker”, “communication skills”, “out-of-the-box”, etc. Instead, focus on what you have done, accomplishments, and scope.  Make sure to include those portable skills which you can offer an organization today.

(2)  Be honest, concise and focus on your positive (and quantitative) achievements.  It is not good form to bad-mouth previous organizations for which you have worked and supervisors with whom you clashed.

(3)  If relevant, touch upon some of the volunteer activities in which you have been involved, which convey an upbeat affect while between jobs.

(4)  Try out your elevator speech in front of relatives and professionals in your field of expertise.   Accept any constructive feedback and criticism as it relates to what is said and how it is presented.  Practice, refine, and rehearse so that your elevator speech hopefully reaches the top floor.

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by joblinkofmaryland on June 7, 2013  •  Permalink
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Getting the Most Out of Your Summer Internship: 10 Tips

I recently posted on tips in searching for and obtaining a summer internship.  OK, so you have found such an opportunity and have started working.  Now what?

First, it should be noted that internship opportunities come in a variety of flavors.  Some are part-time; some are full-time.  Some are paid and some (most) are unpaid.  You might be helping out in the office, doing “whatever”–like copying, delivering documents, or data entry.  Some are resume builders; some are not, but bring in some spending cash while in college.  Or you might be doing more specific meaningful work such as analyzing samples in a lab, updating web content, or helping out on a technical report.

So, beyond the paycheck (if any), the following are my 10 target behaviors and outcomes:

(1)  Create a positive first and ongoing impression: The end game here is to gain a professional reference, obtain a letter of recommendation or blurb on LinkedIn, and have a quality resume entry.  You earn these through punctuality and presenting a professional appearance each day.  Be careful what you wear.  Yes, it’s summer.  But before you leave the house, remember that you are not going to the beach or sunbathing on the campus Quad.  If you are not certain about the dress code, ask your boss or someone in HR.  Keep your work space clean and organized and don’t be seen texting or using technology for personal purposes while on-the-clock.  Updating your Facebook status can wait until you get home. (keeping point #8 below in mind)

(2)  Deliver: Here you want to make sure that you complete any assignments, whether easy or complex by the deadlines.  “The dog ate my homework” (or its digital version) will not resonate here.

(3)  Don’t be high maintenance: You obviously want to do a good job.  Try to take notes on what is expected of you from the outset.  When questions arise while you are performing a task, don’t ask your supervisor questions every two minutes.  To the extent possible, “bank” your questions and move on to the next part.  Then, before the deadline, present your questions in batch mode in order to be able to complete the assignment correctly.

(4)  Expect downtime:  Not all internships are structured.  In many cases, the longer an organization has had an internship program on the books, the more organized it will be.  But oftentimes, the placement of an intern is new for an organization and staff is unprepared to mentor or supervise.  That being the case, fill any gaps in your day with offering to help others with something specific.  Try to learn the behavior patterns and needs of others so that you know exactly how you might be helpful.  If you are really proactive, you consider doing some industry relevant research and creating a white paper to present to your supervisor.

(5)  Log:  In some cases, you will be ask to write a weekly update or submit an end-of-stint report for course credit.  So, keep a running log of your activities including dates and what your contribution was.  That will help you later on in terms of recall and capture what you did there on your resume.

(6)  Skills: Try to identify 2-3 skills that you did not already have which you can work on developing before the end of your assignment.  If there are any opportunities for you to attend a training workshop, ask if you can take advantage of those.  There might also be some areas in which you could be cross-trained that are beyond the narrow scope of the department in which you are initially assigned. If and when you have a chance to sit in on a meeting, try to observe what leaders or successful people say and do.

(7)  Data Protection: In some cases, you might be working on a proprietary project or otherwise have access to sensitive data.  You might also be given opportunities to do some of the work remotely.  The last thing you want is to leave your MacBook in your favorite Starbucks, never to be seen again.  If you copied a spreadsheet which contained credit card account info or Social Security numbers, your organization might very well be in the headlines on CNN tomorrow morning.

(8)  Be discreet: When you get home, don’t feel compelled to Tweet “my supervisor’s wardrobe is SO 90’s! LOL!” or update your Facebook status with “another day at the office–bored out of my gourd!”.  So, if you have posted to social media that your fashioned-challenged boss needs to get with the program, a recruiter may not look at you as a compelling candidate.  Posting a picture on Instagram of Joe asleep in his cubicle might be funny to your BFFL’s now.  But, it won’t be hysterical to Joe when after gets fired and you have to face him while he’s cleaning out his desk next week.  Remember, the Internet does not forget!

(9)  Know your place: Remember to be polite and respectful of others.  Note that the workplace is diverse in terms of gender, generational cohorts, and other factors.  Try to pick up on cues as to the most appropriate ways to communicate with and address others.  This goes for both verbal and nonverbal communication.  Some prefer or deserve more formal titles like ‘Mr.’, ‘Ms.’, or ‘Dr.’.  Try to fit in, but don’t make yourself too comfortable.  Respect the boundaries and space of others.  Remember that you are just a student and only there for a couple of months.

(10)  End on a high note: As you are concluding the term of your summer internship, make sure to demonstrate your appreciation for the opportunity.  Thank your boss, mentors, or other co-workers who helped you.  A handwritten card is a small token that will go a long way in their remembering you.  It is often the small things you did to be helpful or gestures of gratitude.  You might also want to ask whether those with whom you worked would be willing to connect on LinkedIn, write you a recommendation, or keep in touch for when you are looking for a real job.  Your summer internship placement might in fact be the best prospect for your first job out of college.

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by joblinkofmaryland on June 5, 2013  •  Permalink
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My 90 Second Commencement Address Delivered to the Class of 2013 at the U. of Fillintheblank

Graduates: You have just completed your studies at this illustrious institution and are ready to venture out into the workplace.  I am the last (but featured) speaker and I realize that I am standing between you and pizza.  So, let me give you 10 tips of 140 characters or less, as you start your job search.  After all, your parents might want to eventually have paying tenants.

  1. Make sure that your Facebook page is free from incriminating comments or any photo that has you under an open beer keg tap. Employers will be looking you up.
  2. Create a professionally sounding email address. Employers receiving mails from lisapartygirl@hotmail.com might not take you all that seriously.
  3. Make sure your resume is good-to-go. Your tuition covers services at the Career Center. Get your money’s worth before leaving. Send it to Dropbox or put on a flashdrive.
  4. Check and return emails and voicemail messages. Most employers will not be texting you to come in for an interview.
  5. Check out your wardrobe. If all of your interview clothes fit into a drawer or backpack, consider upgrading to articles that require a hanger or closet.
  6. If you last haircut was more than three months ago, let your stylist know that you have emerged from witness protection.
  7. Come up with and practice your elevator speech.  Note that this does not mean what you just bragged about to your buddy going up to the 5th Floor of the Student Center.
  8. Brush up on your nonverbal skills. Your eye contact and posture should probably be a step up from that  in the boring basket weaving class you took as a Junior.
  9. How is your verbal presentation? If you start 50%+ of your sentences with “So” or use “awesome” to answer more than 80% of mock interview questions, you might need a coach.
  10. It is probably not good form to send out or respond to a text during a job interview. Maybe it’s just a hunch, but just take a leap of faith on that.
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by joblinkofmaryland on May 23, 2013  •  Permalink
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Managing Millennials in the Workplace

I recently presented a workshop on “Managing Millennials in the Workplace” and have been thinking quite a bit about that lately.  Who are Millennials, you may ask?  Well, Millennials were born between the years 1980 and 2000.  They are the most recent generational cohort to enter into the workplace.  As people are living and working longer (some by economic necessity), this has led to three or four different generations represented in the workplace today.  Each generation grew up in a certain societal context.  Each has had its own values and cultural influences.  Each has experienced its own historical events.  And each has had its own technological limitations and advances.

It is important to first see where the pre-Millennial generations come from.  That way, we can  explore not only how they differ as a bloc from the emerging Millennial generation, but how they differ from one another.  [I would recommend the book When Generations Collide, by Lancaster and Stillman which does a great job in fleshing all of this out.]

The three pre-Millennial generational groups include the Traditionalists (born 1922-1943); Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964); and Gen X’ers (born 1960-1980).  This is not to say that everyone fits into a distinct category and some cross over generations, and have been impacted differently.  In today’s diverse corporate culture, generational differences together with other factors present various challenges in communication and other areas.

The Traditionalist Generation (a.k.a. Silent Generation) were raised and grew into adulthood during the WWII era.  Some may have experienced the Great Depression.  This generation saw the introduction of television and mass production of cars and appliances.  There was a certain respect for authority and in the workplace, they sort of lived to work rather than work to live.  As such, during their working lives, they tended to put work before pleasure, were patient, and delayed gratification, usually pushing that off until retirement.  [It should be noted that while the representation of this generation in the workplace today (as of the date of this post) is somewhat limited, many are still involved in the lives of children and grandchildren.  So, there is a residual influence as far as values go.]

The Baby Boomers were raised during the post WWII era which included the Cold War and the Women’s Liberation movement.  They existed with a sense of security and placed a high value on youth, personal gratification, and material wealth.  They were hopeful and peaceful and believe that their generation changed the world.  At work, this generation started to seek out personal growth.  They were work oriented sometimes to the point of being workaholics.

The next group, Generation X, was exposed to the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  MTV came on the scene and so did latchkey kids, while both parents worked out of the home towards material prosperity.  While motivated by money, Gen X’ers sought to benefit from free time and having fun.  There was a shift towards working to live rather than living to work.  In the workplace, a greater diversity started to exist.  Technology began to take over the workplace and work itself.

This brings us to the Millennials or Gen Y.  They are about 30% of the U.S. population, and now a greater percentage than Baby Boomers.  Millennials are extremely diverse in terms of race, gender and family structure.  One estimate I saw is that 25% come from single parent families.  They are the most educated and have been presented with the most opportunity to excel academically and have pressured to do so.  They believe that the world always had the Internet, microwaves, and DVD’s.  Socially, they are loyal to their peers.  Optimistic about the future, they tend to define the future in terms of months and years rather than decades.

I have made three general observations regarding what distinguishes the Millennial generation in the workplace and beyond.  First is in terms of their communication.  Much of that is driven by current technology.  Communication is instant, quick, more frequent, and short (the closer to 140 characters, the better).  With that comes with it a fair degree of imprecision including typos and grammar challenges, previously deemed to be unacceptable.  Electronic and social media are the platform.  There is even a preference towards digital rather than human interaction using channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  Second, is in terms of appearance, which includes a more casual wardrobe than in the past as well as various forms of body adornment.  Finally, Millennials tend to not stay in a given job or organization for as long as was the case for the previous cohorts.  There are obviously some reasons why this turnover might be the case, but that would be for another time.  Note that there are many parallels between managing Millennials and parenting Millennials.  But, given those different roles and the boundaries that should be between them, one should tread carefully.

The Customer Contact Leadership Council, while focusing on customer service, offered some solid suggestions that I think would be somewhat industry universal in managing Millennials.  The first is for a supervisor to serve as a mentor and facilitate a career path.  That will capitalize on experience and life lessons which pre-Millennial generations have to offer. The hope is that the recipients of this advice can integrate this within their toolbox of technical skills.  Secondly, they pointed out the importance of recognition and feedback.  That should not wait for the annual performance review and it should be informal and often.  Third, is to recognize that in a 24/7 world there are opportunities for Millennials to get work done after traditional 9-5 hours and on weekends.  So, flexibility of time and place should be part of performance management.  The fourth recommendation is to encourage job rotations.   The benefit is not only cross-training, but might very well retain Millennial employees for more than a year or two.  Finally, managers should incorporate a balance of work and play.  In previous generations this was in the form of time off out of the office.  Now it might mean a welcome infusion of fun inside of the office.

Here I present my own seven strategies for non-Millennial generations to better interact with them:

(1)    Stay relevant: Through your style and professional interests, make sure that you are not tagged as or become obsolete.  This means taking what is meaningful to Millennials seriously.

(2)    Stay connected: In many ways, this means staying connected using the current technology and coming to grips with Millennials’ round-the-clock schedule.

(3)    Learn new verbs and other vocabulary: Part of staying relevant is keeping up with jargon.  Words like “text”, “friend” and “Google” are now verbs, and “speaking with” is often just a metaphor.

(4)    Earn and maintain credibility: Part of the goal of the first three points is to gain credibility, showing that you are in-the-game.  Also, realize the credibility is not always synonymous with “respect” as defined by pre-Millennial generations.

(5)    Stay “balanced”: This is perhaps the most tricky task.  This is where leveraging the credibility thing comes in.  This will allow you to stick to your core values workplace professionalism and quality of work while understanding that we live in a constantly changing reality.

(6)    Be specific: In order to get work products out of Millennials which are to your standards, this might mean spelling things out (e.g., page lengths, margins) that might seem obvious to you.

(7)    Give space but set boundaries: This too might seem paradoxical and therefore challenging.  A successful workplace relationship between supervisor and employee will allow for initiative and creativity.  But at the same time, one needs to maintain the important distinction between roles in time and space. 

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by joblinkofmaryland on May 10, 2013  •  Permalink
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Changing Tracks: Seven Strategies to Reinvent Yourself

It has been said that the average American will change careers a few times within his or her lifetime. A study conducted by PayScale Inc. and Millennial Branding found that Millennials in this country, between the ages of 18 and 30, switch jobs on average every two years.  By comparison, members of “Generation X” typically spend about five years with each employer, and baby boomers spend about seven, according to the report.  There are ostensibly many variables to be considered, including how one defines both career and change.

People change careers or jobs for several reasons.  First, there are job market factors.  It is possible that the job or industry has either gone away or shrunk due to obsolescence.  This shift may have taken place within one’s geographic radius of preference or with one’s employer.  In some cases, being forced to move on has been in the works for some time with the proverbial handwriting having been on the wall; in some cases, it is more sudden.  What was perhaps a more viable or lucrative career when first starting out might not be paying the bills anymore.  Second, one may have found him or herself having relocated to a different area.  While there may have been opportunities in the former location, they have since shifted and are no longer available.  Third, there might be “family equation” reasons, where one’s job or career is no longer consistent with emerging responsibilities.  As such, it no longer “works” for the family unit.  Fourth, there may be quality of life issues in play.  The job or industry may have become too stressful.  One might be burned out and need to do something else.  Fifth, a person’s skills, acumen, or passion in his/her occupation of training may have diminished.  Sixth, is simply a new reality whereby the emerging generation is just more transient and hard-wired not to stay in a given place beyond a short time frame.

There are a few work-arounds that might be implemented, at least in the short-term, which might allow for the continuation of a relative status quo.  One way of continuing in a current vocational context is commuting.  This might require weekly travel away from home base.  In some cases, there might be an opportunity to telecommute for some percentage of one’s job.  In fact, many organizations have started to use telecommuting as a retention tool and preventing a brain drain.  Another response might to be accept a scaled down role and looking for a second job in an attempt to make up any resulting income shortfall.

If these adjustments are not possible, I would recommend considering the following seven strategies when confronted with this reality:

(1)   Up-skilling:  It is crucial to have a trusted mentor who will be able to give you an objective reality check to assess your professional situation and suggest new directions. If you have a specific career change which requires additional training, identify what that training is.  How much will it cost, where do you obtain it, and how long will it take?  There are some cases in which one is willing to do something significant such as going to medical school or law school.  Some are less extreme, requiring obtaining a skill or certification which will allow you to start over doing something else for your current employer or for someone else.

(2)   Stepping back: It might be necessary to take a step or two back.  Most practically, this will be in terms of compensation.  To do this will likely require buy-in from family members as well as financial assistance from some source.  Hopefully, the potential payoff down the road will be improved compensation or overall quality of life.  Taking a step back will often require a decent dose of humility, often setting aside previous accomplishments in exchange for an entry-level opportunity doing something new.

(3)   Networking: It is always important to develop and maintain your professional and personal networks.  You never know when they will come in handy and when in career change mode, their value is all the more critical.

(4)   Portable Skills: I have previously written about the importance of portable skills.  Portable skills are taking what you have learned and done in the past and showing a new employer or sector how they can be of value here and now.

(5)   Flexibility vs. Focus: While these two terms sometimes mean the opposite of one another, career changes need to make them complementary.  New situations will always require change.  This could mean stepping out of your comfort zone, your persona, or image.  In some cases, it might require geographic relocation to where one or more feasible opportunities exist.  It could mean logistic and scheduling adjustments like commuting or a change in daily routine.  By focus, I mean not to just offer to do “anything” for the new employer.  You need to propose specifics on how you will leverage your portable skills to add value to the organization.

(6)   No baggage left behind and that you are in the game: In some cases, you must show that you have moved on from your previous job, employer, or career.  This means both literally and emotionally.  No (potential) employer wants to hear about things which in your rearview mirror that are disconnected to the new job.  This includes complaining about the past or waxing positively nostalgic about it.  Furthermore, through your evolving knowledge base, skills, and interests, you must be able to demonstrate that you are relevant to your new career.

(7)   Self-promotion and entrepreneurial spirit- This might just not be your thing.  However, when networking, whether on your resume and during interviews, you need to be able to communicate those personal accomplishments which you played a role.  This is not the time to be overly humble.  This posture is key for visibility and name recognition.

In conclusion, reinventing oneself is tough.  If it is any consolation, change is the operative concept of the day.  Transitioning in and out of jobs and careers is becoming more commonplace.  One significant challenge is to be able to demonstrate your professional and personal stability even if transitions are apparent on a resume.  Another is to come to grips with the reality that the need to change careers is not a de facto admission of previous failure. Of course, you may have invested heavily in your previous career through investments in education, time, and hard work with all of the associated financial and emotional commitment.  But, harping on what once was, when those opportunities no longer exist for you, will ultimately be counterproductive.  Finally, in your mind, you must be able to spin a fork in the road as an opportunity, rather than a roadblock.

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by joblinkofmaryland on April 22, 2013  •  Permalink
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Top 5 Pointers for Students Seeking (Summer) Internships or Employment

Throughout the year but especially now, students (and sometimes their parents) reach out to me to inquire about summer employment or an internship.  While students are generally not my core client group, I would like to share some of my insights and observations based on experience.  First of all, the terms “employment” and “internship” are not necessarily the same.  For many high school and college students looking for a summer job, the objective is to make some money.  A secondary motive might be as a resume builder or skill development.  With internships however, the primary goal is as a resume builder for a future job or to include in a college or graduate school application.  While a paid internship is the best of both worlds, compensation is not the primary motive.  Last year, I blogged about mistakes made during one’s job search and networking.  Take a look at that piece, since it also relevant to this discussion.  Here are my top 5 tips for students (and parents) who are looking for something to do this coming summer.

  1. Resume ready?: Students should have some sort a digital resume that is good-to-go (with access to a hard-copy to present to “old timers”).  In most cases, your resume will not be elaborate or include that you crunched numbers for a Nobel Prize winner.  But, it should be “mature”, without typos, have proper font and spacing, and be on one page.
  2. Network: Students should network with family friends and fellow students to learn about what is out there and pitch themselves.  In addition, network though your college’s career center, professors, and alumni networks.  It goes without saying that you should look online for suitable opportunities, either on general employment sites or occupationally specific ones.  For college and graduate students, there might be professional organizations in your area that advertise internships.
  3. Show me the money?: As mentioned above, your choice of whether to seek an opportunity that will give you cash now or one that will build your resume/skills will inform your focus.  With an unpaid internship, you have to consider whether your financial situation allows you to invest in the experience alone.  You are essentially delaying the gratification of remuneration until later.
  4. Tried and true: For internships, try to find organizations which have structured internship programs, preferably those which have hosted interns in the past.  That will maximize the probability that the company has developed a meaningful mentorship experience for students, having been there-done that.  Employers that have hosted interns in the past will have been able to work out any kinks, which often come the first time around.  Many internships turn out to be unproductive when the boss merely announces at the end of a staff meeting, “we are having an intern this summer and she will be sitting in that cubicle.  If you have anything that needs to get done, feel free to just ask her”.
  5. What can you do for us?:  Many students who contact me for a summer job say “I will do anything”.  While the implication of this is that employers will value someone with flexibility to be a team player, they often prefer those who can offer them something specific which will help their operations now.  Research the business or situation, figure out what they might need, create a niche, and offer something specific.  For example, “I am well versed in Facebook and Twitter.  I noticed that you might be able to use someone to help with your social media presence.”

It goes without saying that the above tips must be accompanied with reasonable, appropriate, and polite communication with prospective opportunities.  Keeping these pointers in mind will maximize the probability of a positive short- or long-term outcome.

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by joblinkofmaryland on April 12, 2013  •  Permalink
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The Hullabaloo Over Yahoo!: 10 Ways to Make Telecommuting Work

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There has been much hullabaloo regarding Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo! and her doing away with telecommuting in her company.  The result has been other organizations either following suit or re-evaluating of corporate telecommuting (teleworking) practices throughout the country.  We all know that telecommuting one form or another is something that has been around for a while.  Some employees work remotely part-time and some do it pretty much full-time.  Telecommuting is not only a convenience, but in the right situation, might facilitate uninterrupted productivity.  Some are quick to make the assumption that telecommuters are slackers and those who work in the office are not.  Or, that telecommuting reduces overall productivity because of adding to management’s burden.  But as we know, these notions often come with exceptions.

The Pros of Telecommuting: Telecommuting offers employees the flexibility to work remotely.  This reduces stress and commuting time for staff.  For the organization, it might reduce the need for office space and allow staff to be productive outside of traditional business hours. Those concerned with the environment or traffic are proponents of telecommuting.  Many employees today have family responsibilities, whether children, parents, or other family members.  This arrangement facilitates getting more work done, as they can work closer to the recipients of their care and don’t have to spend time and energy commuting.  It is also quite possible that if employees are able to do work in a Starbucks or at home, that might allow for greater creativity and uninterrupted work.  Having such an option in place can be a positive demonstration of trust by management in its staff.  A subsequent benefit to the organization might be an increase in retention and a decrease in turnover.

The Cons of Telecommuting: Telecommuting presents certain challenges for management to oversee and keep track of employees and their work.  Employees might not be as available to managers as they would if physically seated in their offices.  There might also be costs associated with procuring the technology necessary to make remote work happen, as well as disconnects when technology fails.

I myself have managed telecommuters and sometimes work remotely as well.  For the most part, it has been positive.  So, here are my 10 parameters for telecommuting, if such an arrangement is going to be successful:

(1)    What does your job description say?: In many respects, the success of a telecommuting arrangement is dependent on a person’s job.  What tasks and functions do you perform?  The answers to this question will likely dictate the efficacy of a viable program.  Some people can take their work home with them.  But, I would not recommend such an arrangement for police officers or prison guards.  One simple question here is what percentage of your total job description must absolutely be done in the physical office together with other staff.  The truth is that even when your are sitting at your cubicle, much of what you are doing is virtual or otherwise digital, devoid of any direct touch.  How many people text or email others at work, even when in the next cubicle?  So, there might not really be a difference between sitting in the next office or 10 miles away.  Therefore, these paradigms really need to be examined with a level of intellectual honesty, looking at the big picture.

(2)    Compartmentalization: Related to job description, one consideration is whether your work flow can be compartmentalized.  This means whether customer and co-worker contacts can be assigned to certain days of the week, freeing up blocks of time to allow for doing work elsewhere.

(3)    Technology: Whether an individual employee can effectively telecommute or not is contingent on his or her possession of the technology that will allow for remote work.  In today’s terms, the technology requirements will likely include phone, voice-mail, e-mail and high-speed Internet.  One specific tool of accessing a work station from afar is Logmein.  Smart phones, tablets, and notebooks have certainly increased connectivity, for good and for bad.  With technology, both management and staff need to be sensitive to data and information security concerns, whether digital and hard copy.  There have been horror stories about laptops with sensitive information being lost or stolen, and the fear that information may have gotten into the wrong hands.

(4)    Discipline: The discomfort that management has with telecommuting is often dictated by both reachability and distrust.  As for distrust, the truth is that telecommuting arrangements are probably not best for someone who cannot work independently at home.  Some are prone to succumb to frequent distractions, be they sensory, digital, or having to chase Billy running around the house with crayons and scissors (for some reason, it’s always a kids named “Billy” who gets the bad rap. :-) )  Of course, this same concern will apply even when an employee is in the office, as there are many times when direct supervision does not exist.  Distractions include other co-workers, web surfing, and social media.  Are you disciplined to be checking your email and voicemail on a regular basis, as you would if seating at your desk at work?

(5)    Privilege vs. Entitlement: Telework arrangements in whatever frequency they might be established must be viewed by employees as a privilege.  Given the default position of a requirement to be in the office during business hours, this flexibility is a departure from the status quo.  Employees granted this privilege must realize that there is a cost to management for this flexibility, and not take it for granted.

(6)    Who are your customers?: Part of any business workflow is based on who your customers are.  Customers might be retail customers, clients, vendors or even “internal customers” from other departments.  While you can get your work done, can you still be responsive to customers in a time sensitive way?  How accessible are you to customers?  When are you reachable?  And how “seamless” is your virtual space as compared to when you are physically in the office?

(7)    Management support: As with anything in (organizational) life, having buy-in from management is critical for any program to succeed.  A good business case for how a telecommuting arrangement will benefit the organization must be presented. Those requesting it must engender trust, both before and during the telework arrangement.  This is especially the case if there are different generational cohorts in the workplace with differing values.  It is certainly possible that management may have a more traditional “I want you in the office” orientation, while employees have been nurtured with a more virtual one.

(8)    Co-worker support, including subordinates: In addition, your peers and those who work for you need to support such an arrangement.  Co-workers are often dependent on you for expertise or other information throughout the day.  Therefore, there should be communication channels in place for instant access, the same way that would exist if you are in the office.  If you are a supervisor, then you have to be confident that your direct reports are not spending their day buying shoes at Zappos.  Here, you would have to earn their trust that you are not doing the same from home.  The operative concept here is that of equity.  When such an arrangement is made available to one person but not to another, that will not exactly build morale, unless it can be clearly justified through differences in job descriptions.

(9)    Policy: In order to make this work, and to protect both employees and management, it is critical that organizations establish formal telecommuting policies.  Such a policy should be clearly available as part of the on-boarding process.  It should also be adhered to consistently without any double standards.  The potential for treating people differently can be a morale buster, especially given the negative stigmas associated with those who telecommute, by those who either do not or cannot.  One suggestion here which I would incorporate into policy is to formulate an agreement with an employee which has an initial probationary period.  I would also recommend that a telecommuting arrangement never be indefinite, providing management with the prerogative to withdraw it, not just for abuse, but to account for changes in a job description.

(10) Contingencies for ad hoc telecommuting: Even when someone typically does not work remotely, it would be wise to build in contingencies to do so.  Events such as illness, death, or weather-related situations happen more often than you’d think.  The opportunity to maintain productivity during what would otherwise be downtime, is advantageous to the organization.  This might be something to be addressed by policy as well.

Summary

The truth is that today, work itself is different from the way it was 10 years ago.  Anytime someone checks his/her email and voicemail or answers a cell phone for a work related matter, it is telecommuting.  Oftentimes, this is taking place outside of work hours or even when on vacation!  As such, it creates expectations by management of accessibility, potentially 24/7.  That’s good for management, but not so good for employees who in most cases are not compensated according to a 24/7 schedule (and if that is important, being “on call” should be spelled out in the job description and given credit within the context of compensation).  This needs to be addressed through management addressing it in official policy or employees creating personal boundaries.

As with many things in life today, telecommuting is merely a medium that can be either positive or negative.  If management and employees attend to the above 10 points and work together, that will increase the probability that this channel can yield a net-gain in productivity.

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by joblinkofmaryland on March 8, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Employment, Professionalism, Trends
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Posted by joblinkofmaryland on March 8, 2013

http://joblinkofmaryland.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/the-hullabaloo-over-yahoo-10-ways-to-make-telecommuting-work/

“Filler-Up”: How is Your Communication?

Gas prices are on the rise again.  Thinking about it, years ago, most gas stations were full-serve.  For the uninitiated, this meant that someone would come out wash the windows, check fluid levels and fill up your tank, after hearing “filler-up” (followed by either ‘Regular’ or ‘Unleaded’).  Enough with the awkward segue.  “Fillers” are a form of verbal or nonverbal speech which have no real meaning, and only serve to temporally bridge thoughts or phrases together.  Fillers “buy time” (even if just milliseconds) to keep communication “seamless”.   According to experts, fillers are really is a result of  anxiety, increased heart beat and lack of proper breathing which makes the mind race.  For casual conversation, the use of fillers might not present any liability.  But, heavily relying on fillers in professional contexts conveys a less-than-sharp impression about you.  This could be as part of a presentation or job interview.  So, much is said about the contribution of nonverbal communication in how we are seen by others.  Here, I present five points on fillers.

(1) “Uhm; Uh”: This is probably the #1 filler, which we hear all of the time.  When it comes down to it, people use these non-verbals when they are at a loss (even for a split-second) for what to say or how to say it.  One strategy is to try to think before speaking and plan on speaking more slowly.  Another is to prepare for the conversation, be it the content of what you want to say or how you will be presenting it.  A helpful strategy to consider is having prepared notes, assuming that is acceptable for the context.

(2) “You know”. This is a personal pet peeve of mine, since it not only meaningless, but of course literally untrue.  If I already knew something, I would not need to hear it again! :-)  Unfortunately, many high profile celebrities are the most common culprits.  It takes awareness to eliminate this filler from your vocabulary.  My colleague Marianne Banister,  journalist and media coach of Banister Media, recommends that people should substitute a pause for the catch phrase.  Rather than say ‘you know’, just stop for a beat.  Take a breath, then continue.   Marianne reassures that “at first, a simple pause will seem to last a lifetime.  But once they record themselves, they will see that not only is it short, but it is effective.”

(3) Coughing and throat clearing: Obviously, there are times when one is under-the-weather in a temporary way.  But, there are some who seem to have the bug pretty much all of the time.  For them, it becomes more of a go-to habit that is more indicative of something psychological as opposed to a physiological need.  Awareness is the key to reduction or elimination.

(4) Are you cliché?: Elevator Speeches are a way of conveying your professional essence, including areas of focus and expertise, together with what your objectives are at a given time.  An Elevator Speech might be during networking or it could also be used during a job interview.  In most cases, there is precious time available for this.  Common clichés are “multi-tasker”, “excellent communication skills”, “team player”, “out-of-the-box”, and others.   Yes, those terms are intended to connote positive attributes.  But, the truth is that 99% of people out there would describe themselves with these characteristics in order to sound professionally appealing.  Therefore, those terms do not convey anything unique and should be avoided.  Replace them with specifics about work activities and accomplishments.  Leave any finer-tune detail to your responses to follow-up questions.

(5) Prepare, practice, and record: Trying to reduce or eliminate fillers requires awareness and practice.  Preparation is always a key.  Then, practice both in a general sense as well as specifically for a given situation, whether for an interview or a presentation.  I know that I continuously need to work on myself in this regard.  Formulating my thoughts and words ahead of time definitely helps.  Anticipating what I may be asked and having prepared notes is also a strategy that I use.  Furthermore, we all find it awkward to listen to recordings of ourselves.  But, that is an obvious and important technique to review how we are sounding to others.

So, shorter is often better.  Marianne  feels that the pause is basically your friend.  She told me that a pauses “not only are an effective substitution to stop the filler habit.  But, they also force the speaker to slow down, breathe more slowly which benefits them as a speaker in so many ways.  Strong, deep breathing from the diaphragm and proper projection over the larynx is essential to effective speaking.  The key is practice, practice, practice.”

Being able to formulate messages in a concise and clean manner will lead towards a more positive impression of you, whether in the workplace or maybe even when buying gasoline.

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by joblinkofmaryland on February 27, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Communication, Job Interviews, Professionalism
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Posted by joblinkofmaryland on February 27, 2013

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7 Important HR Lessons that We Can Learn from the Ravens Winning the Super Bowl

OK, I will gloat a bit as my team won the Super Bowl.  The Playoffs were by no means a cakewalk for the Baltimore Ravens and there were plenty of very close games that went down to the wire.  But, in the end they gutted out some real adversity on both micro and macro levels.  In the spirit of “teachable moments”, here are 7 important lessons for Human Resources, Talent Management, and Organizational Psychology that we can glean from this great run.

(1)  Talent Acquisition and Management: Organizations are only as good as their talent.  Obviously, the right hires of excellent individuals need to be made.  In the front office, this means going out and getting quality people.  On the roster, this is accomplished by drafting out of college, trades, and free agent acquisitions.  This happens not only between seasons, but sometimes through roster moves during the season itself.  During a game, this will be done by decisions as to what play to call and what players to be involved.

(2)  Individual Adaptability and Subordinating Roles: Football teams have 53 players on the active roster and 8 on the Practice Squad.  And there are the many coaches.  Some are front-and-center stars like Ray Lewis, Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, and Ed Reed, with great name recognition and millions of Followers on Twitter.  Some are role players, and others remain very much behind-the-scenes.  As we know, over the course of a football season, many things happen.  Injuries are an inevitable fact of life in this contact sport.  Various match-ups call for different game strategies and personnel packages.  The key here is adaptability and being able to go with the flow during a given game.  Sometimes, it’s those in the background who are the ones who have to step up and make a big play or fill in.  A coach may have to make an important decision on the spot.  Players sometimes have to settle for reduced playing time or number of touches.  It’s all a matter of what is in the best interest of the team at any given time.  Stuff happens over the course of a season for which adjustments are required.  (A power outage in the Super Bowl? Are you kidding me?!)  Each player and coach must welcome contingencies and do what’s best for the team.  Over the long haul, stars will ultimately shine, but not necessarily in every game.

(3)  Leadership: “Management” is something that can be put into motion through an organizational chart.  But “leadership” is more challenging to define and execute.  The Ravens have several leaders in Steve Bisciotti, Ozzie Newsome, Dick Cass, Eric DeCosta, and of course John Harbaugh.  There are also leadership within the ranks of players in the locker room and on the field.  What makes them leaders is their knowing their place and doing what they do well.  But, most importantly, they empower others whom they have hired and in whom they have imbued confidence.  They trust others in positions either below them or elsewhere in the hierarchy to do their jobs.  Empowerment, providing resources, and stepping back is what distinguishes leadership from management.

(4)  Letting Go: One of the most challenging situations in talent management is letting someone go.  In the corporate world, it can be for poor individual performance.  In team sports, the casualties are often very much situational, where cause-and-effect does not always rationally support a decision.  In football, sometimes popular players are just too expensive to fit under the cap and have to be released.  At times, a coach can be fired where the team performance has faltered.  Professional sports and especially football have become a business and both sides need to know that oftentimes departures are not personal.  The Ravens made such a difficult decision at the end of the season, parting ways with their Offensive Coordinator and replacing him.  In retrospect, some pundits have called the move a momentum changer.  But for John Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome, this was by no means a no-brainer or an easy task to perform.

(5)  Taking a Step Back: In career development, one’s path is not always a vertical progression.  Opportunities might arise that are really lateral moves.  They might require merely standing in place and passing up an upgrade that is appealing on the surface.  In football, a team may punt, rather than risking missing on a 4th-and-1.  The Quarterback may throw a pass out of bounds rather than chance an interception.   At the end of the Super Bowl, Ravens’ Punter Sam Koch literally made such a lateral move in the end zone.  Running out the clock and taking a Safety for the team was the right decision.  (I called that one from in front of the big screen in Baltimore. :-) )

(6)  Succeeding Graciously: What happens when an organization is successful?  This could be in a collective sense as an organization.  It might also be when a work group or individual does a good job.  The truth is that the Ravens handle winning with dignity and humility.  Yes, we see the players sometimes engage in flamboyant gestures after a successful play or victory in the heat of the moment.  But, the staff always handles success with class.  Coaches and the owner are quick to give credit where it is due, be it to players, opponents, or the fans.  They take the high road and I believe this to be genuine.  In football, the pinnacle of success is winning the Super Bowl.  And they have handled this milestone in much the same way.

(7)  OJ and ADA: The Americans with Disabilities Act is legislation that was crafted to project the rights of those in our nation with disabilities.  And there is other legislation which supports hiring those with disabilities as well.  We know that this population has and can make valuable contributions to any organization if only given a chance, respect, and perhaps an accommodation.  Every day in this country, those with physical and developmental disabilities participate in the workforce.  They bring value to their employers through their reliability and conscientiousness.  Those who follow the Ravens have known how much OJ Brigance (Senior Adviser to Player Development) means to the team off the field and on.  On Sunday night, people around the world who don’t regularly follow the team witnessed front-and-center how much the players and management love and respects OJ. The team has shown how an organization can remain loyal to someone who has given to the team physically in the past, but now contributes in a more profound way    His ongoing presence was no doubt an intangible factor of modeling courage and putting life into perspective.

So, aside from basking in the glory of the Ravens win and all of the fame that it will bring the team and its players, there are some universal messages to be gleaned.  I hope that the Ravens will be back next year to reinforce these important lessons for all of us.

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by joblinkofmaryland on February 5, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Contingency Planning, Employment, Professionalism, Ravens, Sports
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Posted by joblinkofmaryland on February 5, 2013

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