The Executive Update

Ask the Coach: Finding a Career Coach

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from the most recent session with Debbie Ellis, President of the Phoenix Career Group.

When times are tough, unscrupulous predators emerge offering to solve your problem, for a fee. The mortgage industry has been warning homeowners about companies that claim they can save them from foreclosure. Similarly, there are unscrupulous career management companies out there who will guarantee you a job for fees from $20,000 to $70,000.

Debbie notes that NOTHING can be guaranteed. If someone makes such an offer, run; don’t walk, to the nearest exit. However, as many NETSHARE members will attest, a good career coach can be really valuable in helping you achieve your career goals.

What does a career coach do? Do you need to hire a coach? If your job search has derailed or you feel you are going in circles, a career coach might be able to help. Similarly, if you feel out of your depth, or are looking to make a career change, or are unhappy with your job and your paycheck, a coach might be able to help. The job marketplace has become complex, and as any successful executive knows, it pays to hire a specialist.

A good coach will help you define your value proposition and then helps you reach your goals. Everyone’s needs are unique, so a good coach will tailor what their program can do for you. You have to do most of the work, but a good coach can help you change behavior that is holding you back, or identify new possibilities you hadn’t considered. It’s up to you to define the value you get.

There are many types of coaches...some focus on resumes and developing other marketing materials; others can help with interview techniques and many offer a full service approach.  How do you find a coach?  Ask us!  NETSHARE, because we've been in business since 1991, has developed good working relationships with a select group of professional coaches.  Contact Sabrina, Director of Member Services at NETSHARE at 415-883-1700 or email her at Sabrina@netshare.com.  She will match up your background and/or your specific need and offer a recommendation or two.  While she typically provides this service for NETSHARE members, she will be happy to help other executives who need a resource.

Once you find the right coach, interview them. Chemistry is very important. Make sure that you agree at the outset about your needs and objectives. A good coach will tell you if they don’t think they can help you achieve your goals.

Ask the Coach: Consulting Is Not the Same as Unemployed

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is a post contributed by CEO coach Deb Dib, head of Executive Power Brand.

In a time of job transition executives often take on consulting assignments to supplement income, expand their networks, and cover resume gaps. They may even forgo job search and strike out as independent consultants. Career professionals are often asked if consulting is a resume red flag, especially if it is the most recent position in a chronological presentation. Will it be problematic, or will it be an indicator of competence and initiative?

If you are in job search, before you place a consulting position as the most recent work on your resume, consider this:

1. ARE you a consultant? If you are, and you have projects underway that can be described on the resume, you can certainly put consultant on your resume. If you are NOT a consultant, do not say you are. It's not honest and will come back to bite you. 

2. Consulting as a bridge between engagements is VERY common in this economy; it is not the stigma it used to be. However, you must have some sturdy content describing the consulting position and the outcomes (or at least the progress) of your engagements.

3. If you are unemployed and quickly become a consultant, consulting shows that you've remained actively engaged in the marketplace. You've not taken a severance package and gone off to take a vacation or play golf. Working as a consultant delivering real value shows determination to survive and succeed.

4. Not everyone loves a newly minted consultant. There will be recruiters and employers who look askance at a resume that leads with consulting. That's a fact. But there are just as many who won't.

5. Be sure to use your network as a prime source of industry intelligence and connections (NETSHARE and LinkedIn, too). It's important to have advocates who can be your PR team and pitch you to prospects. A strong introduction or endorsement can help a potential "consulting red flag" slide by unnoticed IF your perceived value is strong.

If your value proposition and previous employment are compelling, if your engagements are solid and progress obvious, a few months, or even a year+ of recent consulting will not knock you out of the game.

Why Unemployment Doesn’t Make Sense

We all know that people aren’t rational. And it’s this lack of rational thinking that drives our economy and unemployment. If you are willing to work and are qualified, then you should be able to find a job that suits your skills and temperament. Of course, the lack of rational thinking on the part of hiring managers always gets in the way. They tend to look at your credentials and make assumptions about whether you are overqualified, underqualified, or unqualified for a position based on irrational parameters.

I recently ran across a book, Animal Spirits, by Nobel laureate George Akerlof and Yale economics professor Robert Schiller on how human psychology drives the economy and it got me thinking about how the same human factors affect hiring. The title Animal Spirits is taken from a term coined by John Maynard Keynes about emotional economic mindsets and the fact that the economy is driven by human emotions:

“Past economists, back to Adam Smith, have almost ignored the role of the irrational in economic decisions. Instead, they explained economic events as the result of people pursuing their rational self-interest. That explanation fails to account for massive economic dislocations. It says widespread unemployment should not exist because workers rationally pursuing self-interest would accept lower wages consistent with the value of production. Wages and prices would adjust, the market would stabilize and unemployment would vanish. However, that isn’t what happens… Keynes wrote that such decisions ‘can only be taken as a result of animal spirits.’”

Ask the Coach: Sell Your Value Proposition

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from the most recent session with Kim Batson, The CIO’s Coach, and Deb Dib, head of Executive Power Brand.

Are there growing industries in this economy? This week, much of the conversation revolved around changing industries. Where do you go and how do you make the transition?

Our coaches had some good insights. Kim pointed out that, unlike other recessions, this economic downturn has not presented a total implosion in any one industry. All industries are “reconfiguring,” becoming smaller and more "boutique." Deb added that you should look for the pockets in your industry that are ready to move. Mark Hovind’s site, www.jobbait.com, is a good resource for growth industries broken out geographically. Companies are laying off but they are still hiring top talent, and your specialized skills will get you in the door.

To make a move into a new industry, you have to have an irresistible value proposition. Your “transfer value” needs to be evident, no matter what company or industry. The value proposition must be proven by accomplishments. You have to have a true understanding of what it is you do well; what you do better than anyone else.

It’s not easy to identify and package your true value proposition. Normally, those transferrable skills may get you into an interview, but it’s the industry-specific experience that actually lands the job. Therefore, you have to show how your true value proposition offers more value than industry-specific expertise to actually land the job.

Deb shared a story about one of her clients who wanted go get into finance. Everyone told him he didn’t have a chance; the companies he was targeting had strict requirements about years of experience in finance. However, this executive had a proven, well-defined value proposition – he could take something that is already working, and guarantee that he could improve that process to deliver a 25-to-60 percent return. Such a strong value proposition trumped industry experience. The company could teach him the financial requirements, but they couldn’t replace his innate value.

Understand your value proposition, and you can open whatever doors you need to.

Make Sure Your References are Bulletproof

With executives being laid off in record numbers, having sterling references is more important than ever in today’s job search. I recently saw an entry in Joann Lublin’s Managing Your Career” column in The Wall Street Journal on “Bulletproofing Your References,” which included some excellent advice for the current job climate.

Joann cited one example of a hiring manager who requires a dozen references (that’s right – 12 bona fide job references) and he asks them all the same question: “What’s wrong with this candidate?”

When times are tough, as they are now, hiring managers can afford to be choosy, so you have to take that extra step to make sure your references are sterling, and you need to keep them from tarnishing.

In a climate where many professionals are losing their jobs, negotiate your references as part of the exit interview. If you have been laid off or worse, fired, there are ways you can cover yourself:

-          Negotiate a balanced response from a bad boss or other recent risky references.

-          Offer references from past customers, vendors, mentors and others who don’t actually work for your employer (a perfect strategy if you are actively looking while employed).

-          Draft talking points you can review with potential references, to remove the burden from busy executives.

The Age of Discrimination

I’m hearing a lot more about age discrimination these days. It may be just that the economic downturn is affecting everyone. March had the highest unemployment rate for workers over age 45 since they started keeping records. According to a recent statement from Gerald L. Maatman, Editor of Workplace Class Action Litigation Report:

Against the back drop of an unemployment rate above eight percent nationally--and above 10% in California, the most litigious state in the country--combined with the EEOC's priority of asserting pattern or practice lawsuits, we're in the thick of a 'perfect storm' generating an onslaught of age discrimination complaints. Without many opportunities to find new jobs, displaced workers feel like their backs are up against the 'financial wall' and many will file lawsuits against their former employers out of a sense of desperation.

I have been speaking with NETSHARE members who have told me that when they were interviewing, they could usually sense of their age was a factor.  In a recent Ask the Coach call, one of the callers noted that it was clear when he was talking to tech start-ups that being over 40 was perceived as “too old” to stay current with the technology. However, suing employers for age discrimination seems a waste of time and money, especially since it reduces your value to future employers.

Career coach Randy Block, who also hosts our San Francisco Area Networking Meeting believes that the age discrimination laws actually have backfired. Older workers are deemed to have too much experience and are seen as over qualified, which make them a flight risk for employers. The perception, whether true or false, is that the more experienced you are, the more likely you will move to a better job when it presents itself. There also is a perception that older workers are harder to get rid of once they have been hired.

As Randy notes, managers don’t want to hire their mother or father. But older workers have an advantage if they assume the role of mentor or senior advisor. Start with solution you can provide and stop worrying about the things you can’t control, like your age, the stock market, and the state of the economy. What you do control is how you present your value proposition. When you talk to a potential employer, talk about the work, not about a job.

So don’t worry about how old you are. Rather worry about how you can turn those gray hairs to your advantage. Start thinking of yourself as an expert for hire, not an unemployed executive. A change in attitude will help you open new doors and let you try new things. It might also land you a job.

Ask the Coach: Job Search and the Blackberry Effect

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from a recent session with Cindy Kraft, The CFO Coach.

Things are moving faster today than ever before. You have to be quick and concise in delivering your value proposition. The elevator pitch has now become a “Twit-pitch” of 140 keystrokes or less. Now more than ever it is important to be distinct and concise in articulating your personal brand.

Cindy suggests checking out great resources like William Arruda and Kristen Dixsen’s book Career Distinction to help you clarify your personal brand. Entrepreneurs also might benefit from Michael Port’s book Book Yourself Solid. Also check out Jeff Fox’s book, Don’t Send a Resume. The important thing to remember is you are now in sales and you are selling a unique product – YOU!

Callers also pointed to other under-utilized resources, such as your local reference librarian. You also can Google phrases such as “brand statements.”

Some insights offered by callers this week were very insightful in presenting the product called “you.” One caller said he researches his target companies, identifies their problems, and then determine what “product” he needs to be. You always need to look at how you can fulfill the promise of solving a distinct problem.

Cindy notes that the real challenge these days is to not succumb to the gloom and doom portrayed in the news. That defeatism comes through when you talk to prospects. Don’t think of the 8 percent who are unemployed, but rather think about the hope you get from the 92 percent who are working. When you hear a company is laying off, think about how their competitors are hiring. Focus on your unique value and how you are going to sell it.

The challenge is capturing your value on paper for maximum impact. Consider the Blackberry effect and that you have to communicate faster than ever, and keep your pitch concise. Fold your resume in half and understand that the top half of the page is where you will win or lose. Most executive resumes tend to be two or three pages, but the longer the resume, the greater the chance you will turn off the reader.  Try using a concise one- or two-page format to capture the reader’s attention and offer details in an Executive Addendum.  The advantage of using an Addendum is you can segment it, offering case studies and experience that more closely match each opportunity.

Make Your Commitment to Networking

We have had great success with the launch of our NETSHARE Area Meetings to help executives meet, exchange information, and share ideas on how to achieve their career goals. This is why it continues to baffle me when we see people who only attend one meeting and won’t commit to networking.

Executives who go to one networking meeting and write it off as a waste of time are shooting themselves in the foot. You can’t look at networking meetings as a hit-or-miss proposition, like dropping a nickel in a gumball machine and hoping for the right flavor. You have to make an effort and talk to the other executives at the meeting. You also have to be willing to make a connection before you decide to share leads. Think of it as investing social capital, and of course, before you invest, you have to have a level of trust. And trust requires some kind of exchange of information. Get to know the other executives so you can establish a level of trust and share leads.

It’s understandable that some people won’t want to share when they come to their first meeting. You need to know who you are networking with before you are going to be ready to exchange your best contacts. After all, you are brokering in your own social capital, and you want to make sure you are associating your personal brand with the right professional contacts – in other words, you have to ask if you are willing to stake your reputation when you refer someone. However, that doesn’t mean you should be shy about networking. Work the meetings and get to know the professionals around you. You will see pretty quickly who is worth knowing and with whom you should be sharing contacts.

One of my favorite networkers recently shared a story about a recent meeting he attended, where one attendee complained that he had only made two worthwhile contacts. My networking pal said he had made 20 valuable contacts at the same meeting, because every contact is potentially valuable! I have heard stories about job leads coming from your mailman or the checker at the super market – you just never know!

You have to think of networking as an ongoing commitment, not a short-term thing. We have been restructuring NETSHARE to cater to long-term networkers, because more executives are seeing the benefit of networking and looking for long-term strategies to stay connected with their peers. You should take a hard look at your own networking strategy and invest your time and energy where you will see the long-range benefits. Join professional associations. Work with others to help them meet their career goals, because you never know where your next successful job lead may come from.

10 Tips for Negotiating the Golden Boot

Layoffs are still running rampant as corporations desperately try to cut costs to stay ahead of the economic downturn. So when your pink slip arrives, of course you will see red, but start thinking about the green. How do you negotiate the best severance deal you can? Here are 10 tips from Kirk Nemer of CareerProtection.com, complements of Silicon Alley:

1. Don’t sign anything right away – The first thing HR will do is want you to sign a release. Don’t do it. You have at least three weeks to sign a severance package agreement (which is really you surrendering your right to sue the company). Note that if you are over 40, you still have a week to revoke a signed severance agreement.
2. There is no such thing as “take it or leave it” – Everything is negotiable. Most employers expect you to negotiate. Their goal is to make you go away quietly, so don’t let them bully you because you are in shock. Also remember that a severance package can’t be rescinded once it is offered.
3. Never negotiate while you are upset – Give yourself time to overcome the shock. Go home, get mad, be sad, mourn the job a little, then come back to make them pay a little more for you to leave without a fuss.
4. Find out how deep the cuts go – It will help your bargaining position. Also be aware that the WARN act says that if there are 50 or more being laid off, your employer has to give you 60 days notice or 60 days pay.

Ask the Coach: Is Consulting Insulting?

Every week, NETSHARE hosts Ask the Coach, a phone-in coaching session with leading career management experts. Here is an excerpt from this week’s session with career transition coach and consultant Randy Block.

One of the topics discussed in this week’s coaching call was whether to consult or not. It’s often suggested that you should try to temp or consult with a company before you decide to join to test the waters. Outsiders often are treated better than employees, but consulting still offers a great way to learn more about a company.

One caller pointed out that “consulting” often has a negative connotation and is a term some recruiters use to screen out candidates. Randy noted that in order not to be screened out, you need to identify the right target companies, research them, then contact the decision-makers at the top with the right value proposition. Those in charge are more attuned to needs/solutions and less concerned with issues such as your age or whether you are a consultant.  Another caller suggested that most HR professionals won’t consider consulting experience unless you are working with Deloitte & Touche or Booz Allen.

One caller said he has been actively consulting while trying to set up a separate business, and he was wondering whether to include his consulting experience on his resume. The response from an HR professional on the call was that he looks for energetic talent willing to work, whether those candidates are looking to work full time or part time. If your consulting experience shows you to be a driven, experienced professional, why not include it.

Randy noted that one of his clients was actively pursuing consulting with a new web site, business cards, and other strategies to sell his consulting services. Randy’s reaction is that by concentrating on consulting, you are detracting from your core job search. Instead, focus on your value proposition and your brand statement. Identify what in your background is relevant to your target role and help a potential employer connect the dots. Don’t be distracted but focus on your core search.