(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services. If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)
I just returned from a job fair at a mid sized university here Ohio. Overall, it was a great experience, and I was pleasantly surprised with the amount and level of talent that attended. Similarly, I was impressed with the number of companies that attended.
According to the directory, there were over 100 companies, ranging from startups to Fortune 100 organizations, spanning relatively staid industries to rapidly growing and evolving business in internet marketing and advanced health care technology.
Pretty obvious to me the talent mismatch is real!
(See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzUz9B6ct7g for a good illustration of the talent mismatch - the ability of companies to find the right people in the right place at the right time.)
As a parent of a recent college grad and a soon to be college grad, I wanted to coach about half of the students:
DO dress appropriate and professional for the type of company you are targeting. Spike heels and mini skirts don't play well, even with fashion merchandisers. Business casual is fine for most college job fairs; business formal is a plus. Similarly, even if you did just roll out of bed, don't look like it.
DON'T wander up and down the aisle without a clue as to who you might want to talk to. I am not looking for lost puppies to take in. I am looking for folks with a foundation of interpersonal skills and techncial knowledge that will help my company to be successful.
DO Have a few companies pre-identified and do some light research on them and have a factoid or two ready: "I saw that you just came off your best year ever. That's great. How come it was such a great year for you?".
DO introduce yourself and shake my hand. Look me in the eye. Smile. Even if my company and your goals are not an obvious fit, companies can often hire people with the right personal characteristics and train them on their business.
DON'T throw up on me. In other words, don't walk up and immediately start talking about all your background and make me listen to five minutes of stuff that might not be relevant. I will likely interrupt you. A simple greeting goes a long way: "Hi, I am Sally and will be graduating in March with a Bachelor's in Economics. What types of people are you looking to join your company?"
DO have a couple general questions ready for any company you speak with: "To be honest, I am not at all familiar with your company and what you do. Can you give me an overview?".
DON'T worry about knowing everything. You are a recent or soon to be college grad, and I don't expect you to know much, if anything, about my company.
DON'T fret about your GPA or the fact you haven't had an internship other negatives that you might have. At this point, I am more interested in your poise and foundation of knowledge. We'll sort out the rest later.
DO talk to as many companies as you can. The more experience you get in the informal setting of a job fair, the better off you will be when you get that formal interview.
DO leverage your career services group and others that can help with technique. If you are nervous, or not sure what to say, do role plays with others in the same position as you - one time you are the candidate, the next time you are the hiring manager. If you are fortunate enough to know somebody that is a recruiter or HR professional, talk to them for advice and prep.
Admittedly, a lot of the above sounds a bit harsh and abrupt. The person at the booth won't be rude or mean to you; after all, all companies want to leave you with a positive impression. At the same time, companies invest in attendance and want to maximize the benefit their participation. Given this, both the employer and candidate need to quickly come to a decision whether there might be mutual interest. This isn't good or bad; it just is. You don't want to waste your time talking to me if I can't help you out.
In summary, recognize that a job fair enviroinment is more like a big social gathering than a formal interview. Be yourself. Ask questions. Be inquisitive. Engage in a dialog. Establish relationships.
It might take you somewhere you never even thought was possible.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Search For The Champion Within
(This blog is the temporary landing spot for Advisory and Consulting Services. If you want to reach us, please contact us at richgrunenwald@columbus.rr.com, or 614-561-3412)
A friend of mine, Pete Cline, is an active and avid motorcycle racer who has had a fair degree of success in the sport of motorcycle road racing. Getting to know Pete and getting familiar with his activities has prompted me to think of my own goals and striving to be the best.
Pete put a video together for a contest sponsored by Champion Spark Plug Company, and it is quite impressive:
http://contest.alwaysachampion.com/contests/showentry/1011981/null/4
In the video, Pete asks a number of questions related to "What defines a champion?":
- Is it the wins and losses? We can all point to situations where a "winner" does not garner our respect.
- Is it setting aside self interest to support the good of all? Certainly champions make those around them better.
- Is it the way a person acts humbly in accepting victory and graciosly in defeat? That's part of it.
All of us have the opportunity to be champions. With our families and loved ones. At work. In our hobbies and interests.
What does being a champion mean to you? Define it, and strive to be that person in at least one aspect of your life.
It could be contagious.
PS - Vote for Pete!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
More Thoughts for College Grads and Soon To Be Grads
Jim Lane is a gent I have gotten to know, and really hit the nail on the head in a recent post in his blog:
http://gbqueue.com/2011/06/08/lane-career-coaching-columbus/
The short story is that for the graduate or soon to be graduate to achieve their goals:
- Begin with the end in mind. What do you want to do? Be? Achieve?
- Create the vision of the type of person that can acheive these goals
- Update your resume' / CV with all the talents and experience you bring
- Identify gaps between your talents and skills, and the talents and skills of the person who can achieve the goals you set out to achieve
- Develop a plan to close these gaps and execute
Sounds easy, right?
Not so much. One of the most difficult things to do is to discipline yourself to do what is really needed to be done to accomplish what we say we want to accomplish. Instead, our tendency is to compromise our goals and vision a little at a time in exchange for short term satisfaction. Then, after twenty years of compromises, we realize we are far away from where we intended to be.
This doesn't only apply to graduates, but to people in all walks of life. No matter where you are, decide where you want to be and apply the framework above.
It is truly remarkable what we can accomplish when we set our minds and energies to it.
http://gbqueue.com/2011/06/08/lane-career-coaching-columbus/
The short story is that for the graduate or soon to be graduate to achieve their goals:
- Begin with the end in mind. What do you want to do? Be? Achieve?
- Create the vision of the type of person that can acheive these goals
- Update your resume' / CV with all the talents and experience you bring
- Identify gaps between your talents and skills, and the talents and skills of the person who can achieve the goals you set out to achieve
- Develop a plan to close these gaps and execute
Sounds easy, right?
Not so much. One of the most difficult things to do is to discipline yourself to do what is really needed to be done to accomplish what we say we want to accomplish. Instead, our tendency is to compromise our goals and vision a little at a time in exchange for short term satisfaction. Then, after twenty years of compromises, we realize we are far away from where we intended to be.
This doesn't only apply to graduates, but to people in all walks of life. No matter where you are, decide where you want to be and apply the framework above.
It is truly remarkable what we can accomplish when we set our minds and energies to it.
Monday, June 13, 2011
How To Prep for An Interview: Basics for College Grads and Interns
I just completed interviewing and hiring for three entry level recruiter positions. The candidates I interviewed were generally fresh college graduates with intern or other light experience. I reviewed dozens of resume's, conducted phone screens on sixteen (16) candidates, interviewed six candidates, and extended three offers. Of the sixteen, at least 10 had the skills to do the job.
On one hand, I was generally impressed with the level of talent available. It has been a long time since I have been in a position to bring new blood into the industry, and frankly, since I know so few folks under 30 years old, it was a long overdue visit to this candidate segment. I found there are a lot of bright people out there, and with a little shaping, they can become our next generation of leaders and high performers.
On the other hand, this potential will go to waste if the candidate can't get past an interview. In this sample, only four of the candidates interviewed with reasonable competence, and I imagine that only half of them even understood what they were doing. That means that 60% to 80% of the talent capable of doing the job, won't get the job.
What a waste of potential!
Here are some interview do's and don'ts for college grads and entry level talent as they seek to land that first job:
DO dress well and look good. Make sure your clothes fit, are neat and clean, and ironed. One of my candidates looked like he just rolled out of bed.
DO have a notepad and pen for taking notes during the interview, and to have your list of questions ready for the interviewer (trust me, you will likely forget to ask them if you don't). It amazed me how many candidates did not take notes.
DON'T think that you need to know answers to absolutely everything. The interviewer knows they are hiring a person new to their company and industry. I could tell the candidates nervous with their answers. Relax. Part of the interview is watching how you perform under pressure.
DO answer questions in a thoughtful, articulate manner. No simple "yes" or "no" answers. "Yes, I have done something quite similar. Let me tell you about it..." or "No. However, I have faced similar situations, and here is how I have handled them...".
DON'T believe you will be hired for simply because you "get along with people and are likable", are good looking, and are a hard worker. You look and sound like the previous five hundred graduates I have talked to. Tell me something different about why you will be successful and why you are able to do the job. I want to see how you can think on your feet.
DO have questions ready for the interviewer. Ask about the company and the job. What is it like to work there? What do they like about the company? What does an entry level person do? What will it take to excel in this job? Then, be ready to illustrate how you fit that description.
DON'T overly emphasize your college activities. It's great that you were an athelete or head of your sorority, but I want to know how you've been able to relate to working adults and be successful with them. Like me.
DON'T bring up pay in the first interview unless the interviewer brings it up. Even then, indicate you are flexible on pay and more focused on joining a solid company. You don't want pay to opt you out early in the interview process.
DO be honest about where you are in your job seeking process.If you are asked, "are you ready to accept a formal offer if one is presented?", then answer honestly. If you have other positions you want to explore, or aren't quite ready to make a decision, that's fine - I am OK with it. Really, I am! o
There are probably a few more do's and don'ts, but these are ones that immediately come to mind, and what led to second interviews and offers.
Good luck and happy hunting!
On one hand, I was generally impressed with the level of talent available. It has been a long time since I have been in a position to bring new blood into the industry, and frankly, since I know so few folks under 30 years old, it was a long overdue visit to this candidate segment. I found there are a lot of bright people out there, and with a little shaping, they can become our next generation of leaders and high performers.
On the other hand, this potential will go to waste if the candidate can't get past an interview. In this sample, only four of the candidates interviewed with reasonable competence, and I imagine that only half of them even understood what they were doing. That means that 60% to 80% of the talent capable of doing the job, won't get the job.
What a waste of potential!
Here are some interview do's and don'ts for college grads and entry level talent as they seek to land that first job:
DO dress well and look good. Make sure your clothes fit, are neat and clean, and ironed. One of my candidates looked like he just rolled out of bed.
DO have a notepad and pen for taking notes during the interview, and to have your list of questions ready for the interviewer (trust me, you will likely forget to ask them if you don't). It amazed me how many candidates did not take notes.
DON'T think that you need to know answers to absolutely everything. The interviewer knows they are hiring a person new to their company and industry. I could tell the candidates nervous with their answers. Relax. Part of the interview is watching how you perform under pressure.
DO answer questions in a thoughtful, articulate manner. No simple "yes" or "no" answers. "Yes, I have done something quite similar. Let me tell you about it..." or "No. However, I have faced similar situations, and here is how I have handled them...".
DON'T believe you will be hired for simply because you "get along with people and are likable", are good looking, and are a hard worker. You look and sound like the previous five hundred graduates I have talked to. Tell me something different about why you will be successful and why you are able to do the job. I want to see how you can think on your feet.
DO have questions ready for the interviewer. Ask about the company and the job. What is it like to work there? What do they like about the company? What does an entry level person do? What will it take to excel in this job? Then, be ready to illustrate how you fit that description.
DON'T overly emphasize your college activities. It's great that you were an athelete or head of your sorority, but I want to know how you've been able to relate to working adults and be successful with them. Like me.
DON'T bring up pay in the first interview unless the interviewer brings it up. Even then, indicate you are flexible on pay and more focused on joining a solid company. You don't want pay to opt you out early in the interview process.
DO be honest about where you are in your job seeking process.If you are asked, "are you ready to accept a formal offer if one is presented?", then answer honestly. If you have other positions you want to explore, or aren't quite ready to make a decision, that's fine - I am OK with it. Really, I am! o
There are probably a few more do's and don'ts, but these are ones that immediately come to mind, and what led to second interviews and offers.
Good luck and happy hunting!
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Networking for the Introvert
I participate as a coach in a program called "CareerTrack". It is run by TechColumbus (www.techcolumbus.org), a organization that does a wonderful job of promoting the technology community and business here in central Ohio.
The CareerTrack program provides services to job seekers in the technology market place to assist them in landing their next position. Among other things, we have monthly meetings where speakers present a topic, and and provide opportunities for networking and exchange of ideas. An additional benefit of CareerTrack is that the job seeker gets one on one time with a career coach to be used in any manner desired (resume' review, interviewing, how to look for positions, etc.).
Surprisingly, not all of the program participants take advantage of this coaching session, in spite of the fact that those who have used it provide positive reviews. I also see many of the same faces come to the monthly meetings who do not participate in discussions, or who keep to themselves during networking time.
A key themes with job seekers (and all professionals for that matter) is the need to constantly network, speak with other professionals and stay in touch with the market and opportunities. Now, I realize that a lot of technology folks aren't necessarily extroverts, so meeting new folks and striking up conversation is not something that comes naturally. I spend many of my coaching sessions in networking role plays with job seekers, and provide tips on what to do when they meet new people.
We are talking basic stuff: what to say, how to introduce yourself, etc. So, I thought "I'll make my next blog post about how to network".
Thankfully, this has been already been addressed by others:
http://tinyurl.com/2eg3t9a
In her post, Debbie Langford brings up a number of great points as well as resources for learning how to network, and there is way too much to cover in a simple post. Her key message is not so much technique related but more along the lines of "getting your head in the right place", and "becoming the type of person others want to meet" so that you become a successful networker. This, I find, is key in many fields of endeavor and being connected is a common characteristic of successful individuals in all walks of life.
In summary, if you are struggling with the whole concept of networking, there is a lot that can be gained by revisiting what we learned in our Psych 101. Spend some time reaquainting yourself with principles and basics of positive human interaction, remembering what we all know down deep, and networking will become a lot easier.
Happy hunting!
The CareerTrack program provides services to job seekers in the technology market place to assist them in landing their next position. Among other things, we have monthly meetings where speakers present a topic, and and provide opportunities for networking and exchange of ideas. An additional benefit of CareerTrack is that the job seeker gets one on one time with a career coach to be used in any manner desired (resume' review, interviewing, how to look for positions, etc.).
Surprisingly, not all of the program participants take advantage of this coaching session, in spite of the fact that those who have used it provide positive reviews. I also see many of the same faces come to the monthly meetings who do not participate in discussions, or who keep to themselves during networking time.
A key themes with job seekers (and all professionals for that matter) is the need to constantly network, speak with other professionals and stay in touch with the market and opportunities. Now, I realize that a lot of technology folks aren't necessarily extroverts, so meeting new folks and striking up conversation is not something that comes naturally. I spend many of my coaching sessions in networking role plays with job seekers, and provide tips on what to do when they meet new people.
We are talking basic stuff: what to say, how to introduce yourself, etc. So, I thought "I'll make my next blog post about how to network".
Thankfully, this has been already been addressed by others:
http://tinyurl.com/2eg3t9a
In her post, Debbie Langford brings up a number of great points as well as resources for learning how to network, and there is way too much to cover in a simple post. Her key message is not so much technique related but more along the lines of "getting your head in the right place", and "becoming the type of person others want to meet" so that you become a successful networker. This, I find, is key in many fields of endeavor and being connected is a common characteristic of successful individuals in all walks of life.
In summary, if you are struggling with the whole concept of networking, there is a lot that can be gained by revisiting what we learned in our Psych 101. Spend some time reaquainting yourself with principles and basics of positive human interaction, remembering what we all know down deep, and networking will become a lot easier.
Happy hunting!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Creating A Career Tracking and Assessment History
Objective self assessment is a wonderful thing. The moments where we recognize our strengths and weaknesses can lead us to the most impactful learning we will ever experience.
I had one of these moments a few years ago. I observed throughout my career that it always seemed that when I invested time in personal and professional development, an opportunity would arise where I could apply my newly found knowledge and skills, an opportunity that led to bigger, better things, or new challenges.
I was curious about this, and happened to be talking with my team about personal and professional development at the time. So, I put together a spreadsheet with the following headings:
Calendar Year - Year of my career, starting with the first year of my professional career
Personal / Professional Growth Activity - What kind of personal and or professional growth I did that year, ranging from going to college to physical conditioning to almost anything that helped grow my knowledge and abilities
Employer - The company I worked for
Career Activity - What happened in my career that year. Whether I was promoted, recognized, received additional opportunity or responsibility, etc.
Relative Development - A somewhat subjective asssessment of how much energy I put into self development. I used a 0 (no activity) to 5 (full time learning / college) scale.
Income - How much money I earned that year. I used my annual Social Security Benefits Statement to help with this!
Income Change From Previous Year - Simple calculation.
Income Change From Base - Treating the first year of my career (1981 for me) as the "base" level, what percentage change from that point year. Helpful to see how long it took to double, triple, etc. my income level.
Comments - Observations I have about my Personal / Professional Development activity and what happened.
I'be posted a sanitized version of my personal Career Tracking and Assessment tool in another post:
http://richgrunenwald.blogspot.com/2010/10/career-tracking-and-assessment-history.html
(I am having trouble with sizing this, so please bear with me!)
The results were fascinating. Some of the things I expected to see, and a couple things I didn't.
1) The General Benefits of Self Development.
When I spent effort on personal and professional development, something would happen that would allow me to apply my knowledge and ability. The most interesting part was that the specific development activity and the impact on what happened from a career perspective were sometimes not directly related.
For example, in 1995 and 1996, I studied Information Engineering and prepped for the PMI exam. I ended up being promoted to an operations management / recruiting manager role. Why? Because I was perceived as aggressive and driven to success and would figure out what I didn't know if I had to as demonstrated by my self study.
I compare self development to exercise. Pretty much all exercise is good for you, whether you are training to run a marathon or you are just looking to improve your health. The same goes for self development. Devoting time to your personal and professional well being is beneficial whether or not you have a specific end goal in mind.
2) Sometimes, You Have To Take A Risk
There have been a number of critical junctures during my career, where I conciously chose to take a risk:
- In 1983 when I left a secure and promising position with a great company to get experience to improve long term marketability
- In 1993 when I left a secure management position for the opportunity to grow as a Project Manager and learn other environments
- In 1996 when I left a revenue producing consulting position to go to an overhead, operations management position.
- In 2000, when I went into sales. 'Nuff said about the risks associated with sales!
- In 2004, when I left a company where I had been for twelve years to go to a company where I had to earn my reputation and value
In my mind, at each of these junctures I was presented with the trade-off of short term risk vs. long term reward. I had to evaluate whether going to something new would ultimately be better than the current state I was in.
We need to remind ourselves periodically that we have to force ourselves into this situation, to create our own "burning platform" for change and growth, to prove to ourselves we still have it. Early in our careers when we get that first job, we do it without thinking. Later in our careers, we tend to stay in our comfort zones and become risk averse because of what is at stake (disruption to our personal lives, perceived risk of failure, etc.). We stop pushing into new territory, and it almost always ends badly.
Have you ever met a person like this? That played it so safe and risk averse that they ended up having little market value? They end up with five years of experience and knowledge maybe three or four times over, rather than 15 or 20 years of valuable, progressive experience that reflects viability and the zest thrive in any situation.
You don't want to be that guy.
SUMMARY
I regularly suggest to people to do this analysis for themselves. It is very tempting to play it safe, particularly when you have a job where you are in good standing, that is interesting, and pays the bills. It is easy to lull yourself into becoming comfortable.
However, we do so at our own risk. The pace of change in the world of work is such that if we don't develop skills and knowledge to assist us with being relevant, it will leave us behind, talking about the good old days, rather than a vision of what might be, what we can create.
I had one of these moments a few years ago. I observed throughout my career that it always seemed that when I invested time in personal and professional development, an opportunity would arise where I could apply my newly found knowledge and skills, an opportunity that led to bigger, better things, or new challenges.
I was curious about this, and happened to be talking with my team about personal and professional development at the time. So, I put together a spreadsheet with the following headings:
Calendar Year - Year of my career, starting with the first year of my professional career
Personal / Professional Growth Activity - What kind of personal and or professional growth I did that year, ranging from going to college to physical conditioning to almost anything that helped grow my knowledge and abilities
Employer - The company I worked for
Career Activity - What happened in my career that year. Whether I was promoted, recognized, received additional opportunity or responsibility, etc.
Relative Development - A somewhat subjective asssessment of how much energy I put into self development. I used a 0 (no activity) to 5 (full time learning / college) scale.
Income - How much money I earned that year. I used my annual Social Security Benefits Statement to help with this!
Income Change From Previous Year - Simple calculation.
Income Change From Base - Treating the first year of my career (1981 for me) as the "base" level, what percentage change from that point year. Helpful to see how long it took to double, triple, etc. my income level.
Comments - Observations I have about my Personal / Professional Development activity and what happened.
I'be posted a sanitized version of my personal Career Tracking and Assessment tool in another post:
http://richgrunenwald.blogspot.com/2010/10/career-tracking-and-assessment-history.html
(I am having trouble with sizing this, so please bear with me!)
The results were fascinating. Some of the things I expected to see, and a couple things I didn't.
1) The General Benefits of Self Development.
When I spent effort on personal and professional development, something would happen that would allow me to apply my knowledge and ability. The most interesting part was that the specific development activity and the impact on what happened from a career perspective were sometimes not directly related.
For example, in 1995 and 1996, I studied Information Engineering and prepped for the PMI exam. I ended up being promoted to an operations management / recruiting manager role. Why? Because I was perceived as aggressive and driven to success and would figure out what I didn't know if I had to as demonstrated by my self study.
I compare self development to exercise. Pretty much all exercise is good for you, whether you are training to run a marathon or you are just looking to improve your health. The same goes for self development. Devoting time to your personal and professional well being is beneficial whether or not you have a specific end goal in mind.
2) Sometimes, You Have To Take A Risk
There have been a number of critical junctures during my career, where I conciously chose to take a risk:
- In 1983 when I left a secure and promising position with a great company to get experience to improve long term marketability
- In 1993 when I left a secure management position for the opportunity to grow as a Project Manager and learn other environments
- In 1996 when I left a revenue producing consulting position to go to an overhead, operations management position.
- In 2000, when I went into sales. 'Nuff said about the risks associated with sales!
- In 2004, when I left a company where I had been for twelve years to go to a company where I had to earn my reputation and value
In my mind, at each of these junctures I was presented with the trade-off of short term risk vs. long term reward. I had to evaluate whether going to something new would ultimately be better than the current state I was in.
We need to remind ourselves periodically that we have to force ourselves into this situation, to create our own "burning platform" for change and growth, to prove to ourselves we still have it. Early in our careers when we get that first job, we do it without thinking. Later in our careers, we tend to stay in our comfort zones and become risk averse because of what is at stake (disruption to our personal lives, perceived risk of failure, etc.). We stop pushing into new territory, and it almost always ends badly.
Have you ever met a person like this? That played it so safe and risk averse that they ended up having little market value? They end up with five years of experience and knowledge maybe three or four times over, rather than 15 or 20 years of valuable, progressive experience that reflects viability and the zest thrive in any situation.
You don't want to be that guy.
SUMMARY
I regularly suggest to people to do this analysis for themselves. It is very tempting to play it safe, particularly when you have a job where you are in good standing, that is interesting, and pays the bills. It is easy to lull yourself into becoming comfortable.
However, we do so at our own risk. The pace of change in the world of work is such that if we don't develop skills and knowledge to assist us with being relevant, it will leave us behind, talking about the good old days, rather than a vision of what might be, what we can create.
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