Here We Are. Now What?

We Are Now In The Riley Guide!

2009-07-20T08:41:00.004-04:00

I'm happy to report that this blog, Here We Are. Now What?, has been featured at The Riley Guide, one of the foremost career sites on the internet.

The Riley Guide is "a directory of employment and career information sources and services on the Internet that also provides instruction for jobseekers and recruiters on how to use the Internet to their best advantage."

Here's what Riley Guide editor Margaret Riley Dikel wrote:

This blog by Terry Seamon offers advice on careers, work, dealing with issues in (and out of) the office, job search and career change, and other life/work topics. Among the many postings here are several dedicated to the job search which he has gathered together under the great title of Galvanize into Action. You'll enjoy these plus his many other ideas and suggestions. Scroll past his interesting list of links to other blogs to get to his full archive. You'll find some real gems in there.

Many thanks, Margaret, for the recognition!

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 20, 2009

Lesson of the Scarecrow

2009-07-17T07:04:00.005-04:00

At the Employee Engagement Network, moderator David Zinger asked, "How do you stay engaged with your work?"

This is a useful question in good times. In bad times, for example during a job search, it's a very important question.

First, it helps to be doing (or pursuing) work that you love.

Then, you've got to be able to recover after having a bad day. S__t happens, right? Things come along that knock you down. People come along who ruin your outlook.

To re-constitute myself after such set-backs, I've learned the lesson of the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz: stuff yourself back together.

In the scene where Dorothy is kidnapped by the flying monkeys sent by the Wicked Witch, the monkeys beat the crap out of the Scarecrow, throwing his innards all over the place.

Here's a snippet from the script:

SCARECROW: Help! Help! Help! Help! Help!

TIN MAN: Oh! Well, what happened to you?

SCARECROW: They tore my legs off, and they threw them over there! Then they took my chest out, and they threw it over there!

TIN MAN: Well, that's you all over.

LION: They sure knocked the stuffings out of you, didn't they?

SCARECROW: Don't stand there talking! Put me together! We've got to find Dorothy!

What happens next? His friends on the journey, the Lion and the Tin Man, join together to help put the Scarecrow back together. Then, with a clear sense of purpose, they go forth to rescue Dorothy.

What a lovely metaphor for the job search process.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 17, 2009

What's Your Story?

2009-07-15T10:56:00.002-04:00

What's your story?

Job hunting involves telling stories. The stories of your past deeds and accomplishments. These stories convey Who You Are. What You Can Do. What You Are Best At.

Let's look at the ancient art of story telling:

When you were a child, did you enjoy hearing stories? Do you have a kid of your own? Do you enjoy telling stories to him or her?

Stories, and story telling, are primal. They harken back to the most ancient times, when people gathered around a camp fire, to hear tales of how the tribe (and indeed the world) was born.

Stories can be spellbinding (great old word, isn't it?): to enchant, to fascinate.

Work on developing your storytelling skills. A tool for telling stories is CAR for Challenge, Action & Results:

- What was the challenge you faced?

- What actions did you take?

- What results did you achieve?

With all the competition out there these days for jobs, what will set you apart? One skill is your ability to tell your special story.

Keep this in mind: No one else has a story quite like yours.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 15,2009

Dead Wood. No Passion.

2009-07-13T08:17:00.007-04:00

Yesterday at a church picnic, I was handling the grill, flipping hamburgers for a big crowd. While gladly performing this role, I spent a couple hours chatting (and networking) with fellow parishioners. (Remember: Network all the time. Everywhere. With everyone.)

In one conversation, a friend who had recently taken on a senior management role with a growing company, told me he was having a very hard time filling a key opening with his firm. The problem was not quantity. There were plenty of applicants, plenty of resumes. No, the problem was, as he put it: "I'm seeing a lot of dead wood. No passion."

I was sorry to hear that. I wondered how many excellent candidates, with strong capabilities, were disqualifying themselves by coming across poorly.

If you are a job seeker, do you have any idea how you are coming across to hiring managers?

Here are five suggestions that should safeguard you from the perception that you are just "dead wood" with no passion.

Positive Energy - Although it's a bummer to be out of a job, you can't let it drag you down. Somehow you must master your outlook. Stop holding on to the past. Let go of the banana. Remind yourself that you are still intact, that you still have your strengths. Focus on your objective. Focus on the future.

Continuous Research - Anyone committed to their job search nowadays has to be in continuous research mode. In other words, make sure that your feelers are out for information about what's happening in (and around) the business world. If you are not already a news junkie, become one. Stay abreast of what's going on in the fields of your greatest interest.

Problem Solving - The employers that you would like to work for have problems. Do you know what they are? Do you see yourself as the solution? Can you convey that to them?

Lifelong Learning - When an employer looks at you, do they see Miss Havesham (the Dickens' character from Great Expectations), someone whose clock stopped years ago? Or do they see someone who is learning, trying new things, experimenting, and ever curious about the world?

Passion - Finally, let's look at passion. What is it? And how do you display it in your demeanor? Passion is strongly felt love for something, that shows up in your eyes, your face, your gestures, and your voice. You can't fake it.

If you've got passion for something, it'll drive the positive energy, the research, the solutions thinking, and the learning. It will be the fire that burns within your personal engine of success.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 13, 2009

Galvanize Into Action

2009-07-07T16:21:00.005-04:00

My mother, Ramona Dorfman Seamon, had a lot of sayings, some in English, some in Yiddish. When she wanted one of us kids to get moving, "Galvanize into action," my mom would say.

Galvanize: rouse, stir, electrify, fire, spur, animate

Galvanize: To arouse to awareness or action

Not sure where she got that phrase, but it's a good one.

What does it take to galvanize someone into action? What stimulus will startle, arouse, and impel you forward to action?

A downsizing will startle you. But will it galvanize you? Does it have the arousing and motivating effect that will produce positive action?

In general, I don't think so. Yes, some hardy and resilient people will galvanize into action and get going. But the rest? Many in today's recession have no idea where to begin or what to do.

Once downsized, it's up to the individual to galvanize herself into action. But does the person affected by a downsizing know what actions to take?

In the past few months, I've been writing about different aspects of the job search. Here is a round-up of 14 posts. I hope you find some value. Feel free to share with others who need to galvanize into action and find their next job.

Lesson of the Scarecrow

What's Your Story?

Dead Wood. No Passion.

Having a You Orientation

We Have Met the Enemy

Be Sure You Have A Strategy

You Are the Solution

Your Interview Dashboard
Part 1
Part 2

Marketing 101 for Job Hunters

Waiting for the Phone to Ring?

Fast Start to Re-Employment
Part 1
Part 2

On Networking

Transferable Skills

What's Your Personal Brand

Resilience

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 8, 2009

Improving Your Odds

2009-07-06T12:22:00.002-04:00

A job hunter sent me an email today asking for advice. He writes: "I see lots of HR and IT jobs posted on your Yahoo site, but nothing in my field. Any suggestions?"

My suggestion would be, Don't count on the job leads that you are seeing on this, or any other, job lead sharing site. The odds are too low.

Much better is to work your own network, both interpersonally and on LinkedIn. Let your contacts, both professional and personal, know what you are looking for. Tell anyone who will listen. Remember: you never know who they know.

At the same time, identify your target companies: the employers that you know and admire which could use your skills and experience. Once identified, pursue them, by networking into them. LinkedIn can help here.

Search for the likely hiring managers and send them a letter of introduction. Then call them.

This approach has much higher odds of paying off.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 6, 2009

Having a "You Orientation"

2009-07-04T15:17:00.004-04:00

Over the years, I've taken (and given) any number of training courses on presentation skills. But the one that I thought was the best was created and taught by a NJ-based businessman, author, song writer, and trainer named Robert "Bob" Max.

After a successful career, Bob started his own training company and specialized in teaching business writing and presentation skills to corporate audiences: salespeople, scientists, engineers, managers and administrative professionals.

One of the secrets to excellence in presentations is a concept of Bob's that he called "you orientation." Having a You Orientation means that you are audience-centered in your approach to the presentation you are getting ready to give. And, when you get up to deliver the presentation, having a You Orientation means that you stay audience-focused throughout the delivery.

In the years since I took Bob's course, I have often recalled and applied this idea. It's one of those simple yet powerful frames that can really make a big difference in what you are trying to accomplish.

For example, let's apply it to job hunting.

In a job hunt, the job seeker is by definition extremely Me Oriented. But to make progress, she has to develop a complementary You Orientation.

~ The Me Orientation helps the job hunter get clear about her Objective, her skills and accomplishments, and her values and interests.

~ The You Orientation helps the job hunter to research the Target Companies that she has identified; to build a mutually beneficial network with others in order to get information, advice, and referrals; and to ask questions of hiring managers that elicit the goals and needs of the organization.

The most effective tool in the You Orientation is the "you question;" for example:

- What are you looking for?
- What are your goals?
- What advice would you give me?
- Who else would you recommend I speak to?
- How can I help you?

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 4, 2009

We Have Met The Enemy

2009-07-02T18:53:00.003-04:00

"We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us" - Walt Kelly, creator of Pogo.

In the last blog entry on strategy, I mentioned that the job hunter's greatest Enemy is the Self.

Let's look at that more closely.

Take the following test. The twelve items below represent twelve key ingredients in an effective job search. The more times you answer Yes, the more likely you will successfully land. The more No answers, the more likely you are sabotaging yourself.

For each of the following statements, answer Yes or No.

1. My job search is my full time job now.

2. I have a clear Objective for my job search.

3. I understand that I am now in a Sales & Marketing role, and that my Product is Me.

4. I am NOT going it alone; rather, I am reaching out to others to support me.

5. I am on LinkedIn.

6. I am busy networking every day, with everyone.

7. I have Target Companies that I am researching and pursuing.

8. I am NOT waiting for the phone to ring.

9. I have joined at least one local networking group.

10. I believe in myself.

11. I know my strengths (i.e. my skills and accomplishments).

12. I am developing a strategy to attain my career goals.

How did you do? Are you your best ally? or your worst enemy?

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 2, 2009

Be Sure You Have A Strategy

2009-07-01T16:24:00.004-04:00

How many business people have a strategy? My guess would be: Not Many.

It's not for lack of appreciating the value of having a strategy. No, it's mostly because people do not know what a strategy really is.

There is a very helpful article called "Are You Sure You Have A Strategy?" by Donald Hambrick and James Fredrickson, published in the Academy of Management Executive, 2001, Vol. 15, No. 4.

The authors remind us that the term strategy comes from the Greek strategos meaning "the art of the general." In a war, a general has an objective and a strategy for achieving it. Hambrick and Fredrickson identify several key elements of a strategy. Here's my take on their model:

- The Arena: Where will the action take place?

- The Enemy: Who are our competitors?

- The Vehicles: How will we get there?

- The Weapons: How will we win?

- The Staging: What will be our speed? What will be our sequence of moves?

- The Measure: How will we obtain our returns?

How might this apply to a job hunter?

First, a job hunter must have an Objective. Everything else in the strategy depends upon that.

The Arena is Where the job hunter wants to land. Ideally, the job hunter has identified Target Companies to pursue proactively.

The Enemy is the Self. A job hunter will defeat himself more surely than any external competitor. (More on this in a future blog entry.)

The Vehicle of choice for job hunters is Networking.

The Weapons are Self-Awareness (especially about one's own Skills and Accomplishments), Self-Belief, and Persistence.

The Staging involves Sequence of Moves as well as Speed. The warrior job hunter does not wait for the phone to ring. Instead, she makes her own moves and makes things happen, keeping a high level of activity each week of her search.

The Measure is three-fold: Interviews, Offers, and Starts. Until the job hunter gets an interview, there is no chance of an offer, and no way to start.

Now that you know the elements of a strategy, it's time to map one out. What's your Objective? How will you attain it?

Posted by Terrence Seamon, July 1, 2009

You Are the Solution

2009-06-30T20:47:00.002-04:00

Someone sent me the link today to a good piece on resumes by Alison Green where she asks: What is the Number One question your resume should answer?

The question Green has in mind is: What did you accomplish in this job that someone else wouldn't have?

What Green is saying is, What has made you special so far in your career? What's your differentiator?

The clue is in the word accomplish. In an excellent resume, you tell a compelling story, about your skills and past achievements, that says to prospective employers, Here's what I can accomplish for you.

So, if the ultimate question in a job search is, Why should I hire you?, the answer is, Because I am the solution to your problem.

How do you become the solution and not just another dreary job hunter? The key is a mental adjustment, from pushing a Product to presenting a Solution to a Need.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 30, 2009

What Draws You In?

2009-06-29T06:18:00.003-04:00

With the help of sitemeter, I can view the locations of people who visit this blog. They come from all over; for example:

- Israel
- Japan
- Ireland
- Canada
- Norway
- Russia
- Palestine
- Netherlands
- South Africa
- Germany
- Spain
- India
and all over the United States

My wife asked me, What are they looking for?

Good question.

According to Google Analytics, the Top Content that my visitors look at includes:

- the series on Organization Development
- the series on Employee Engagement
- the post on 70-20-10
- the post on RASCI
- the post on "sense of agency"
- the post on the 3 things you like most about your job

What draws you in?

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 29, 2009

Your Interview Dashboard - Part 2

2009-06-28T07:20:00.007-04:00

In Part 1 of this series called Your Interview Dashboard, we started designing a "mental dashboard" that a job hunter can install in his or her head for use during interviews in order to smoothly steer through the challenging waters of the interview.

Here are a couple more gauges:

- Your Answers Part 3: Are you conveying your Skills and Accomplishments? To do so clearly, succinctly, and powerfully, tell CAR Stories, using the Challenge - Action - Results format. Start with describing the challenge or problem you faced; then describe the actions you took; then detail the results you achieved.

- Your Energy & Pace: If you have ever taken a training class on Presentation Skills, you probably learned that How you speak is as important, if not more than, What you say. This How is comprised of many facets, including Pace and Energy, both of which are important in an interview. Let's look at each element.

Each of us has a natural pace that manifests in our movement and in our speech. Some of us are fast moving, fast talking. Others more methodical, slower in moving, slower in speaking.

In an interview, it's important to find a balance between being yourself and matching the pace of the interviewer. It's like a dance and you don't want to drag your partner down, nor step on your partner's toes.

Participating in an interview is stressful, demanding an energetic performance from you. You may find as the interview goes along, that your energy level varies. If your energy is draining away from you, so will your enthusiasm. It's important to monitor your energy level so that you boost it as needed to energize your answers.

An interview can run as long as an hour or more. And it's not unusual for an employer to string several interviews together in one day. By the end, you could be wiped out. How do you maintain your energy level throughout such a grueling course?

The best thing you can do is train. Like a runner. If you are a job hunter, get in shape. Start training. Practice and rehearsal are key.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 28, 2009

Your Interview Dashboard

2009-06-27T11:54:00.005-04:00

Preparing for an interview is critically important. It includes many ingredients, including: researching the company, writing questions that you will ask, and making a "dry run" drive to the site you'll be going to so you don't encounter "surprises" that could heighten your anxiety.

But what about during the interview itself? How do you steer through the challenging waters of the interview?

I'd suggest installing the following "dashboard" into your mental space, and keeping an eye on the gauges:

- Your Answers Part 1: Are you answering the questions advantageously? In other words, are you positioning yourself as the answer to their prayers? Since a job hunt is a sales campaign, think of an interview as a sales meeting, part needs assessment (i.e., the employer's needs) and part solution building (and the Solution Is You!).

- Your Answers Part 2: Do you know if you are answering the interviewer's question? Try asking: "Have I answered your question?" Answering is a balance. You don't want to under-answer, nor do you want to over-answer.

Remember: If you are invited in for an interview, chances are very good that you are a finalist for the opening. Don't disqualify yourself. Use these dashboard items to perform at your best. And win the job!

In the next post, we will look at Pacing and Energy.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 27, 2009

The Development Pyramid

2009-06-26T13:58:00.005-04:00

At the ODNet listserv, OD consultant Roland Sullivan passed along a question from a student who asked:

"How would you integrate Executive Development, Talent Management and OD?"

I'd define the terms as follows, and represent them visually like a pyramid:

The Base is OD where OD is everything the organization does, as it pursues its goals, to continually adapt, change, and renew itself in response to its environment.

The Middle is TM where TM is everything the organization does to continually replenish its people assets and capabilities.

The Tip is ED where ED is the ongoing process of strengthening the capabilities of current, as well as future, senior level leaders.

Though it wasn't posed in the question, I'd add another layer, just under ED, for Leadership Development, where LD is the ongoing process of strengthening the organization's leaders at all levels.

Development Pyramid

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 26, 2009

Marketing 101 for Job Hunters

2009-06-25T13:04:00.003-04:00

Today's job seeker has been thrust into a Sales & Marketing role that they may be completely unprepared for. The starting point, for a successful search, is self-realization:

~ the Product is the job hunter.

The job seeker has to develop a job search campaign, containing such elements as:

- an Objective: What sort of work does the job seeker want to do?

- a Target Market: For whom would the job seeker like to work?

- a Story: What "value proposition" will the job seeker convey?

To be successful in this campaign, the job seeker has to examine and get to know:

- the Self: What skills and capabilities does the job seeker possess?

- the Other: What does the prospective employer do? What does the prospective employer need?

To find and connect with prospective employers, job seekers must develop and utilize various skills, especially:

- Networking

- Communicating

- Consulting

If there's one person who has learned a thing or two about "getting gigs," it's today's job hunter.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 25, 2009

Raising Consciousness - Donna Coulson

2009-06-23T16:48:00.014-04:00

Recently I started a discussion on LinkedIn with this question: "How can we raise our consciousness and make the world a better place?"

I was inspired by another LinkedIn member, Lawrence Gelber, who had said:

"Consciousness can be raised in various ways, education being among the more obvious possibilities. Various meditative techniques have been found to elevate consciousness, and a committment to periodic self-review probably would not hurt. I am not a "guru" but it strikes me there are basic things we can all do to learn to accomodate each other with more grace, despite differences."

In a search for some of those "basic things" we can do, I asked my friend Donna Coulson to be a guest blogger. Donna is a coach, a consultant, and fellow graduate of Rutgers. Here are her thoughts, on some ways we can raise our consciousness, tailored for those affected by this recession.

Raising Consciousness by Donna Coulson

Although Change is in vogue and OK, you need to stop doing 32 things at once out of fear of losing jobs, losing money, and losing your self confidence.

You need to focus on Needs. Whether you’re new to a job or holding tight to an old one, be Conscious about the role NEEDS play in your life.

From a coaching approach, NEEDS are drivers -— not always positive. The need to find or retain a job is real. Is your need -—or fear-- driving you to work excessive hours or surf the net 24/7?

Key: Are you focused on the right things rather than just doing things right?

And you need Stillness. We need to still ourselves and make ourselves quiet for short stretches so we can gain insight into who we are, what impact we want to have, where we shine best at work in and in life and when we need to Say No or Say Yes to requests/work.

You need Perspective. Talk to a Great Generation person who lived through the 1930s Depression Era. They will tell you they have enough--food, money, friends and, if you will listen, they will tell you how to live through the toughest of times. 2009 is tough but this is the group that says about their youth, "We were poor and didn't know it." I find theirs a marvelous perspective and not at all insulting.

Finally, you need Direction. Are your needs driving you in the right direction? What’s your purpose and mission —-beyond finding/keeping a job-— for your life from this day forward?

Remember: You are a talented person of the universe! You didn't lose that in a Recession. Find the right place for yourself.

[Copyright 2009 by Donna Coulson. All Rights Reserved]

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 23, 2009

For Father's Day

2009-06-20T18:26:00.005-04:00

Consultant and blogger Mike Rogers asked a great Father's Day question at LinkedIn:

~ "What kind of leader was your father?"

My father, George James Seamon, was a leader: he was a policeman. A coach. An umpire. A teacher.

He had strong principles. He loved his family. He defended his country in WW II.

He was very handy and did a lot of home repairs himself. My knowledge (such as it is) of tools is all due to watching him at work when I was a kid.

He was a great singer, who sang in choirs, which stimulated my love of singing, which has now been passed down to my son Dave.

Proud of his Irish heritage, he was a faith-filled Catholic who never missed Mass.

He never spoke much about his experiences in the war. Though he never liked camping as a result of what he went through over there in Italy.

His idealism and his experiences as a city cop gave him a very cynical view of politicians who he deeply distrusted.

Yes, he was somewhat resistant to change. But he had a very big heart, and went out of his way for his friends.

I miss him.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 21, 2009

Waiting For the Phone To Ring?

2009-06-20T17:47:00.003-04:00

Are you "waiting for the phone to ring?"

Currently, I am working as a career transition consultant, helping people, who have been "tossed out" by their employers, to galvanize their job search.

One of the principles we try to convey is "Don't sit around waiting for the phone to ring."

It's part of a larger philosophy about change, in the context of career transition, that says:

~ Take Charge.
~ Be proactive.
~ Identify your target companies.
~ Research them and identify their needs.
~ Pursue them.

We teach our clients to craft their personal brand. To adopt a sales & marketing attitude about themselves and their search.

We say, "When you are in a job search, you are in Sales. And the product is You."

Today, I've been a participant in a conversation on the OD Network's main discussion list, called "Why Don't More People Call Us?" In other words, why is the phone not ringing?

The question itself is a symptom of what's wrong. OD consultants need to alter their outlook.

They need to galvanize into action, as my mother used to say.

They need to get hungry, like job hunters, and pursue their quarry.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 20, 2009

Fast Start to Re-Employment Part 2

2009-06-14T11:59:00.006-04:00

Continuing the "Fast Start" series, here are a few more ideas for galvanizing a job search.

5. Objective - Do you know what you want to do next? For whom? Where?

>> Fast Start Idea # 5: Set a job search objective that includes Role, Company, and Geography.

6. Positioning Statement - There are a lot of job hunters on the market right now, some with skills and experiences that are similar to yours. Do you know how to differentiate yourself?

>> Fast Start Idea # 6: When you are asked "Tell me about yourself," be prepared to deliver a positioning statement that goes like this:

~ About You Professionally (e.g. "I am a Human Resources professional with over 15 years experience in leadership roles...")
~ About Several of Your Key Capabilities (e.g "...with key capabilities in Training & Development, Performance Management, and Change Management...")
~ About Your Objective (e.g. "...looking for a challenging Talent Development opportunity in the pharmaceutical sector in NJ.")

7. Profile - With so many people on the market right now, hiring managers are being deluged with resumes. Do you know how to make yours stand out?

>> Fast Start Idea # 7: Have a strong professional profile statement, on the top of page one, right under your name and contact information, that follows this outline:

~ About You Professionally (e.g. "Seasoned HR leader with over 15 years of leadership experience...")
~ About Several of Your Key Capabilities (e.g. "...with key capabilities in...")
~ About A Special Quality or Achievement (e.g. "Author of..." or "Recognized winner of..." or "MBA from...")

8. Business Card - Do you have a professional business card ready to go when you are networking or interviewing?

>> Fast Start Idea # 8: You can get business cards for free at vistaprint.com or 123print.com. All you pay is shipping and handling.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 14, 2009

Fast Start to Re-Employment

2009-06-13T08:47:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I got an urgent request from someone who just lost her job. So I offered four "fast start" ideas:

1. Target Companies - Is there a company or other organization that you would like to work for next? Several? Do they know you are interested?

>> Fast Start Idea # 1 - Go directly to these employers and communicate your interest. Identify key decision makers inside these companies and send them an introductory letter. Then call them.

2. LinkedIn - Are you on LinkedIn.com? If not, consider doing so right away. It's the world's largest online professional business networking platform. And it's free. It provides you with a way to connect with others, research companies, look for jobs, and more.

>> Fast Start Idea # 2 - Connect on LinkedIn with people you know and then connect to people they know who can help you network into your target companies.

3. Indeed - Do you use an aggregator job search site like Indeed or SimplyHired? With thousands of job boards on the internet, the aggregators are a one-stop site that spiders over all of the others and delivers consolidated results that match your search terms. And it's free.

>> Fast Start Idea # 3 - Use the refinement filters on the left side of the results pages to find your target employers or similar organizations.

4. Recruiters - Do you know a few good recruiters (aka headhunters or executive search firms) who specialize in your field and industry? If not, ask your trusted colleagues who they would recommend.

>> Fast Start Idea # 4 - Contact several specialist recruiters to find retained searches.

In the next blog entry, I'll continue the Fast Start process with a few more ideas.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 13, 2009

Give to Get

2009-06-10T16:58:00.003-04:00

The Buddhist concept of karma says, in part, that all of our deeds have effects. These effects are the fruits of our actions. And we may not realize the far-reaching nature of these fruits.

In the West, there's an old saying, "What goes around, comes around" that I think has a resemblance to karma.

The karma of the job search says, If you want to receive something, first you must give something. Freely give your time and talent to others. Give without expectation of getting anything back.

My wife will often say, "You reap what you sow." Again this bit of wisdom has a resonance with karma.

And the lesson for job hunters is clear: You must give to get.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 12, 2009

Volunteering

2009-06-10T16:34:00.003-04:00

Under the heading of "areas that job hunters overlook," a high-value activity is volunteering. This can take many diverse forms...

- from offering your time at a soup kitchen
- to serving on a committee at your place of worship
- to heading up a subcommittee in a local chapter of your professional society (e.g. ASTD, ODNet or SHRM for a Training & OD Guy like me)
- to starting your own local job search support group
- etc

Or all the above.

I have found in my own personal experience, that the more of the above that you do, the more you get from it, in relationships, connections, visibility, and ultimately job leads.

Fellow HR & networking expert Abby Kohut has a great blog entry on this.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 11, 2009

Terrence Seamon's Job Search Tips

2009-06-10T15:56:00.002-04:00

I have started a new feature on twitter where I'll be tweeting tips on the job search. The first one is:

~ Get Busy. Stay Connected. Be Visible. - #seamjobhunt

Each one will be followed by #seamjobhunt so that you'll be able to search for the unfolding list of tips.

Feel free to add your favorites.

Here at my blog, Here We Are. Now What?, I'll expand upon the cryptic nature of these tweets with more info.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 10, 2009

Lay Me Low

2009-06-09T07:53:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was a sad day, with the news that someone from my church congregation had died. A fifteen year old who, without warning, passed away while sleeping.

Last night, my wife Joan and I attended a concert by Caritas, a wonderful a-cappella choir from our area. They sang a solemn yet lovely old Shaker hymn called "Lay Me Low," that goes like this:

~ "Lay me low, Lay me low, Lay me low, low,
Where Mother can find me,
Where Mother can own me,
Where Mother can bless me."

I don't know whether my interpretation is correct, but the feeling I get from this tune is that of a mother laying her baby in a crib. Lovingly. Carefully. Soothing her child to sleep.

As a parent of two boys, I remember the experience, when they were little, of laying them down to sleep. It's a sweet memory that I cherish.

Now, my friends are getting ready to lay down their son to eternal rest.

Rain is thundering down on central New Jersey this morning as I write this entry. It's dark and stormy, the rain pounding on the roof.

In time, however, the clouds will roll on, and the sun will return.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 9, 2009

On Networking

2009-06-08T06:46:00.004-04:00

Much is being written about networking these days. And it's a good thing because networking is a critical part of an effective job search campaign.

But networking continues to be a challenge. Many don't understand it. Some are afraid to do it.

To help overcome this, and encourage job hunters to give it a try, here are three basic ideas about networking.

1. It's not about asking someone for a job. Networking is not begging. Rather it's about asking someone for information, for advice, and for referral.

2. It's an exchange , a conversation where each party participates and benefits. You are seeking to learn about the other person's organization or industry. They are seeking to learn about you and your goals.

3. It's a two-way engagement. It's connecting and the synergy can benefit both parties.

Think of networking as sowing seeds. Lots of them. All will bear some sort of fruit. Some will be opportunity.

Posted by Terrence Seamon, June 8, 2009