Hosted By John M. O'Connor

Are Experts in Your Field Multiplying Like Rabbits?

Perhaps it was the last networking event that I attended in Raleigh, North Carolina. Someone came up to me, interrupted a conversation I was having and said "So you are like the guru of careers and personal branding around here, right?" Yes, I was polite but I don't think of myself that way. 

In the conversation this person pointed out that they were laid off in January 2009 and had recently started a career services business. Fast forward. At the end of the discussion with the "career professional" the person asked me what they had to do to get consideration by clients (to pay him) and companies (for outplacement contracts). The person said: "In other words, how do I become a guru like you?" Pretty bold statement, right? 

I answered it this way - Don't think of yourself as an expert or a guru. That's for someone else to say about you. I still consider myself a student of my business and career after 18 years. If I think I know it all I cannot be the best for my clients. 

In working with and watching the personal branding etiquette of many people in their profession, online and in person I find it increasingly difficult to follow the idea of the day mentality. The advent of social media points out the ridiculousness of the claim guru or expert. 

I agree with people like B.L. Ochman (www.whatsnextblog.com) who points out that:

Self-Proclaimed Social Media Gurus on Twitter Multiplying Like Rabbits

In May 09 when we first used Tweepsearch to count of the Twitter bios of self-proclaimed social media gurus, experts, superstars and ninjas there were 4,487. A mere seven months later, we were shocked to see that there are now nearly 16.000. They are multiplying like rabbits.

Here's a breakout of the 15,740 self-proclaimed social media gurus we discovered in our most recent search:

As your company or agency scrambles to get up to speed on social media, it is wise to remember that "guru" is something someone else calls you. The consultants others are likely to call gurus:

bring experience to the table;

sell solutions, not formulas;

don't promise that social media will provide a quick fix for your bottom line.

Pete Cashmore adds to this discussion on the blog Broadstuff points out that “This represents a 3.5x increase every six months. Projecting this growth forward means that there will be nearly 30m social media experts etc on Twitter by this time in 2012.”

That humorous observation raises a legitimate point: A growing industry needs trust and reputation. With social media growing so rapidly and no certification yet established, how do we go about establishing reputation?

Thank you for that great question Pete. 

The central question that should be answered on this issue is the last one, stated by Cashmore and it applies to nearly any consultant, any industry. Who you listen to matters. Build your own criteria for who you listen to or hire. But if they call themselves an expert or guru and claim that title maybe you should move on. 

 

Small Job Search Mistakes Can Bust Your Brand

I just ran a quick and informal poll about job search behavior through a few of my clients and recruiter friends. This is what they have seen lately:

1. Inappropriate Pictures on Resumes - Yes, you can send a picture in with your picture but a recruiter reported to me that for sales positions she has started getting more "cleavage shots" not "head shots" and that was a turn off, at least to her, especially the guys that showed cleavage. Okay, not the guys but you get it, right? She exclaimed to me: "I have received worse and seen the bad stuff on Facebook and MySpace but let's not go there for your blog." Okay. 

2. Tagging Yourself - going to high level business networking events with their name and Jobseeker underlined on their nametag. This person hurt their career because the brand they promoted was all about jobseeking. When they spoke with someone they would lament or speak about the trials of job search. My recruiter friend asked me - "I know you didn't advise this person, did you?" No.  

3. Old School - several clients over 50 went to a workshop held by "an outplaced executive turned job coach" who suggested that they stop by each of the Fortune 500 persons with their resume (after all, that's what he did to get his job in the early 70s!); one person drove 500 miles and "dropped" their resume off at six different firms; one receptionist was quite cold and asked if they understood email.

4. Too Much Friending - a human resources professional client said a candidate found her on Facebook and has been trying to "Friend" people like her and others she knows. "It's kind of creepy and overly aggressive," she said. 

5. The Onsite Phone Interview - another recruiter reported to me that a candidate for a phone screen showed up in person and onsite, saying "I thought it would be better for you to meet me in person" - no, they did not get invited for the real in person interview. Bye. 

6. The Excessive Emailer - a recruiter friend offered tips to a jobseeker who emailed her 26 times within two weeks, trying to get more and more advice; this overly aggressive behavior let this recruiter know that they should never offer "extra" advice to overly aggressive jobseekers.

7. Improper Use of FedEx - a candidate sent to a recruiter friend a Jack in the Box that when you opened it it spewed confetti; people jumped for cover, thinking it was an explosive device. No, the person was never called back. 

8. Gimmick vs. Portfolio - for a creative hiring manager, a candidate sent in a shoe and said "I want to get my foot in the door" but the hiring person was not impressed, saying "Send me your portfolio not a gimmick or trick; clients don't want to be 'tricked' and above all don't send me a stinking shoe!"

How You Eat May Hurt You

A client reported to me that his interview for a new position with his existing company when "fabulously well" until the lunch date they had to "firm up" the offer. The lunch conversation rotated from topic to topic, business to personal and more. There were laughs. It was fun and quite informal. It seemed to my client that it went well. He called me one week after the lunch and this is how the conversation and the report went. 

 "Well John, I think most of the lunch interview went screamingly well," Steve J. said, "except for the part when it came to my eating. I really was so caught up in the conversations, the atmosphere and more that I missed something. I was really having a great time meeting the three partners, the owner and the person I would be working with closely. The restaurant and food was so great.  They kept bringing me pasta and salad. I was super-hungry and the waiter was nice. We talked and talked and I felt like a part of the management team. They kept bringing me food and I kept cleaning my plate. It seemed like everyone else was doing the same thing. When I called my main contact and insider recruiter I told him I thought the lunch went well. Then he told me 'I am not so sure of that' and then said why. It turns out that one of the guys who quietly ordered and ate was a little offended and that, according to him, I kind of came across as a 'glutton' and 'that's not someone we want' in the company. He said that he simply thought that gluttons were 'people potentially in emotional uproars'...and that was it for him." 

Of course I coached the client on every aspect of the interview except gluttony. What can you do? The coping strategy we talked about was to never let your guard down when you interview or really at any time during the employment process. Every formal or informal situation is a business situation. Excesses in any areas could be perceived negatively at least until you are hired. Even when you are hired a glass or two of wine at the Christmas party is okay but getting drunk is probably not. A good joke may be funny but a series or pattern of making fun of things might be perceived negatively. Weigh each area of communication in each business setting that you are in. Think about the company you keep, who you can trust and who is watching you. You can't live in a jar at work but just like social media profiles, you don't want to share with people everything about yourself. The more you do the more vulnerable you may become. 

What Are We Doing This Holiday Season?

One of my clear worklife missions is to see the best treatment and cure for autism. In particular, I would like to see more research into chromosome 15q duplication syndrome. This also answers the question about what we are doing for our clients, suppliers and vendors. In their name we are giving this year.

During this holiday season we are donating, on behalf of our clients, to a number of charities and causes. The principal charitable donation will go to this group.

So for those who have asked, please take a look at www.idic15.org and look at some of the literature and beautiful faces associated with this disorder.

The excerpt here is from Nicole Cleary, M.S.S. on the website:

Chromosome 15q duplication syndrome (dup15q) is a clinically identifiable syndrome which results from duplications of chromosome 15q11-13.1 These duplications most commonly occur in one of two forms. These include an extra isodicentric 15 chromosome, abbreviated idic(15), or an interstitial duplication 15. When the extra genetic material comes from the paternal chromosome, a child may have normal development. However, when the duplicated material comes from the maternal chromosome, developmental problems are often the result. In most cases of chromosome 15q duplication syndrome, the chromosome duplication is not inherited, but occurred as a random event during the formation of reproductive cells (eggs and sperm).

It is important to acknowledge that there is a wide range of severity in the developmental disabilities experienced by individuals with dup15q syndrome. Two children with the same dup15q chromosome pattern may be very different in terms of their abilities. Reviews of the scientific literature do not show an obvious correlation between the size of the duplication region and the severity of the symptoms. However, the following features are found in most individuals with dup15q to some degree.

(excerpt end - please continue to read http://www.idic15.org/Chromosome-15-duplications.html )

Thanks for asking. One beautiful boy who will be supported by this research is below.

Federal Employment Information for People with Disabilities

DisabilityInfo.gov

DisabilityInfo.gov provides quick and easy access to comprehensive information about disability programs, services, laws and benefits.

Section508.gov
Section 508 was enacted to eliminate barriers in information technology, to make available new opportunities for people with disabilities, and to encourage development of technologies that will help achieve these goals.

National Council on Disability (NCD)
NCD provides advice to the President, Congress, and Executive Branch agencies to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities.

Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program
The Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP), a program of the Department of Defense, provides assistive technology and services to people with disabilities, Federal managers, supervisors, IT professionals, and Wounded Services Members. CAP provides necessary accommodations FREE OF CHARGE to federal agencies.

U.S. Access Board
The Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities.

TARGET Center
Provides assistive technology and ergonomic solutions to assist U.S. Department of Agriculture employees with disabilities.

Employment Laws
Equal Employment Opportunity listing of laws which prohibit job discrimination.

WomensHealth.gov
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides information for women with disabilities, caretakers, health professionals, and researchers.

Workforce Recruitment Program
The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a resource for Federal agencies and private businesses nationwide to identify qualified temporary and permanent employees from a variety of fields.

Disability Employment Policy
The Office of Disability Employment Policy, at the U.S. Department of Labor, provides national leadership by developing and influencing disability-related employment policy and practice affecting the employment of people with disabilities.

Ticket to Work Program
The Ticket to Work Program provides most people receiving Social Security benefits (beneficiaries) more choices for receiving employment services. Under this program the Social Security Administration (SSA) issues ticket to eligible beneficiaries who, in turn, may choose to assign those tickets to an Employment Network (EN) of their choice to obtain employment services, vocational rehabilitation services, or other support services necessary to achieve a vocational (work) goal.

Disability Resource Center
The Disability Resource Center supports the U.S. Department of Transportation in the employment, advancement, and retention of people with disabilities through the use of state-of-the-art technology and proactive customer services.

Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment
The Department of Veterans Affair's Veterans Benefits Administration's Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) service is vested with delivering timely, effective vocational rehabilitation services to veterans with service-connected disabilities.

The US Office of Personnel Management provides this excellent information. 

Big Outplacement's Recent Contribution to the Issue of Social Networking

One of the nation's "top" outplacement firms publishes this on the front page of their website. They go on to offer you their "white paper" but of course that is not available. But what is available is this vague, mish-mash on the issue of social networking:

(Start of their brilliancy)

How social networking and your “e-reputation” affects your career in a Web 2.0 world

Managing your personal brand is becoming increasingly important to advancing your career. It is also increasingly an online endeavor — and one that presents significant challenges. LinkedIn and similar social networking web sites are useful and fast becoming a necessity. This paper explores the use of a wide range of social media tools for online identity management, job search, and career advancement and makes specific recommendations for their effective use.

(End of their brilliancy)

Now remember this folks who entrust big outplacement with millions of corporate dollars - It is also increasingly an online endeavor...THANK YOU! I can now figure out the maze that is social media. Great comment.  

This reminds me of one of the greatest, quietly disturbing movie scenes (not just Clint Eastwood movie scenes) from The Outlaw Josie Wales. It's when Chief Dan George talks about how the Indians were treated by the US Government. The advice to the Indian chiefs by the US - Endeavor to persevere. 

Woefully inadequate. Vague advice. Disjointed thoughts. PR and half-baked surveys to cover their inadequacies. Don't expect too much more from your big outplacement program and you won't be disappointed!

Breaking News from Big Outplacement! LinkedIn and similar social networking web sites are useful and fast becoming a necessity. Wait! Was this published three years ago? Nope. This is their advanced view of today. 

Good luck with your online endeavors! Remember that social networking has now become an "increasingly online endeavor" for you. Did you even know it? Man!

 

pic from zuguide.com
 

Do You Need a Cover Letter?

Recently, I replied to a career services industry leader when they posed a question to "thought leaders" about cover letters. I can hardly believe that in this day in age of constant communication we are having this debate amongst peers of mine. Innovative career services people understand that every piece of writing and communication must be effective. Hiring a career services professional should mean that they are open to and can lead you to effective ideas that work. 

My reply can be seen below. Yes, this is how I talk to my friends.

Here is the bottom line - it's what the audience wants, needs and expects. Or it is up to you to break the rules and send something influential and amazing. For example, look at what your thought leader Susan Whitcomb says about writing reference sheets. Innovative coaching. I use her ideas her on some clients and have originated some twists to reference information passing that I have seen nowhere else.

We can have a chitty-chat debate on all the pros and cons of cover letters. Is this a question at all for "thought leaders" or should this be covered in career services 101? Feel free to chat it up but as "thought leaders" the discussion should be focused on how innovative writing moves people to take action. If the audience expects or the computer system needs nothing more than resume type language and facts then give it to them. But if you can coach or originally present your clients do it.

If you are communicating with a person or if you have a chance to influence someone with a writing sample then send an innovative, targeted letter. Call it a cover letter or something else. Does it matter? Do you think anyone receiving it really cares what our career services industry pet title is to a professional letter? I don't. Do they? I would suggest they care about content, following through on expectations set by demands of the announcement or other considerations.

Let me give you an example that might help illustrate. The question was raised at a career conference a couple years ago to recruiting directors from Google and Starbucks. The Google hiring person said "we don't care about cover letters" and moved on. Don't worry. The discussion then centered around the sacred cover letter issue for another ridiculous 30 minutes. The Starbucks person said they would be influenced by a well-written introductory letter. Don't worry. Another in the business for 23 month person corrected the Starbucks person and told her that "we" (career services people of course) call them cover letters. I wanted to disappear.

Federal Jobs and the Federal Hiring Process (Part 1)

Federal agencies process applications in a very thorough way. Clients that we work with and advise work very hard on every application. In one of our most recent success stories a client (James) transitioned with a branch of the federal government. The entire hiring process required a lot of patience, extensive application preparation and several time intensive workshops on behavioral-based interviewing.

We helped him write, design, strategize and perform each and every phase, including his well crafted thank you letters and his reply/final negotiations to the offer.

Here are observations based on our frontline work with clients and according to our sources and information available from USA Jobs and other internal contacts:

1. Applicants may contact and connect with the agency directly for job information and application processing.

2. Private industry employment law has and will continue to influence the federal hiring process but what governs Federal employment are laws, executive orders, and regulations.

3. We were the only company based in North Carolina that is still in existence today that has more than an 18 year history. What has changed? Candidates used to have to pass a civil service test to be put on "eligibles" list maintained by OPM - no more. Candidates then had to suffer through the SF-171 application (now thankfully considered obsolete).

4. Today, the federal process has become easier and less cumbersome. It's also become easier to screw up your application and sloppily apply for jobs. Just because applicants can fax, apply online or use their Federal resume or OF-612 (recommended if you don't want to do the pain of writing a resume) doesn't mean the quality of their application works.

5. There is no rating (by OPM) needed by applicants for non-clerical vacancies and very sparingly is a written test required for positions.

Federal Jobs and the Federal Hiring Process (Part 2)

There are two classification of jobs in the Federal Government:
A. Competitive Service jobs are under OPM's jurisdiction. These jobs are subject to the civil service laws passed by Congress. These laws ensure that applicants and employees receive fair and equal treatment in the hiring process. They give selecting officials broad authority to review more than one applicant source before determining the best-qualified candidate based on job-related criteria. A basic principle of Federal employment is that all candidates must meet the qualification requirements for the position for which they receive an appointment.
B. Excepted Service agencies set their own qualification requirements. These agencies are not subject to the appointment, pay, and classification rules in Title 5, United States Code. However, they are subject to veterans' preference. Some Federal agencies, such as the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), have only excepted service positions. Other agencies, may have some divisions or even specific jobs that may be excepted from civil service procedures. Positions may be in the excepted service by law, by executive order, or by action of OPM.

In filling competitive service jobs, agencies can generally choose from among (3) groups of candidates:
1. A competitive list of eligibles. This record lists the applicants (in rank order) who meet the qualification requirements for a specific vacancy announcement.
2. A list of eligibles who have civil service status. This list consists of applicants who are eligible for non-competitive movement within the competitive service. These individuals presently or previously served under career-type appointments in the competitive service. They are selected under agency merit promotion procedures and can receive an appointment by promotion, reassignment, transfer, or reinstatement.
3. A list of eligibles that qualify for a special noncompetitive appointing authority established by law or executive order. Examples of special noncompetitive appointing authorities include the Veterans' Readjustment Appointment (VRA), the special authority for 30% or more disabled veterans, and the Peace Corps.

Agencies in the competitive service are required by law and OPM regulation to post vacancies with OPM whenever they are seeking candidates from outside their own workforce for positions lasting more than 120 days. (Agency, in this context, means the parent agency -- i.e., Treasury, not the Internal Revenue Service.) These vacancies are posted on OPM's USAJOBS and in America's Job Bank (AJB). Excepted agencies are not required to post their job announcements in USAJOBS. To learn about their job opportunities you must go to their websites.

The area of consideration, listed on the vacancy announcement, is the source from which the agency will consider candidates. The agency may designate whatever area of consideration it considers appropriate. A candidate who is outside the area of consideration will not be considered.

Veterans' preference recognizes the economic loss suffered by citizens who have served their country in uniform in times of strife, restores veterans to a favorable competitive position for Government employment, and acknowledges the larger obligation owed to disabled veterans. Historically, Congress has reserved preference for those who were either disabled, who served in combat areas or during certain periods of time.

Outplacement Facts from The Wall Street Journal

Here are some facts and excerpts about big outplacement as detailed by Phred Dvorak and Joann S. Lublin in an article Outplacement Firms Struggle to Do Job:

The American Management Association and Institute for Corporate Productivity states that the average per-employee cost for outplacement is $7,518 for Executives, $3,793 for Managers, $2,615 for Salaried Employees and $1,472 for Hourly Employees.

Right Management, the Manpower Inc. unit (nation's largest) posted a 36% rise increase in second quarter revenue to $158 million.

Right also claims that its research sales that 95% of the people who used its services in 2008 were satisfied.

Lee Hecht Harrison, a unit of Switzerland's Adecco SA, jumped 57% to $119 million.

Employers say they offer outplacement to protect their reputations, forestall lawsuits and minimize unemployment-insurance payments.

Unfortunately the article details some of the truth behind big money outplacement firms and the comments following the article are even more disconcerting.

Here is one disturbing story from the article:

Damian Birkel, a career coach, joined Right in June 2007, initially as a contract counselor and later as a full-time employee. He primarily worked from home, but spent at least one day a week in Right's office in High Point, N.C.

Mr. Birkel says Right assigned him 60 people, a minimum of 15 a day, to coach by phone or online. One month of outplacement included no more than four hours of counseling, he says, a limited number of online seminars and access to a portion of Right's Web site. Most users received one to three months of services, which often ended before they found work, he says.

Mr. Birkel says Right fired him in August 2008, after he extended counseling time for people whose outplacement had expired. One was a single mother who'd missed appointments while trying to retain her foreclosed home. "I wasn't cut out for over-the-phone, fast-food outplacement," according to Birkel.

Do employers bear responsibility for quality outplacement decisions? Yes.

Do outplacement firm clients need to take ownership and responsibility for their search? Yes.

Does big money, boiler-plate and cookie cutter big outplacement need to be fixed? Yes.

Pic is from wonderfullywacky.com.