What's in a job title?

Have you ever felt like your job title did not do justice to what your actual position was within a company?  Or seen someone else's job title and felt it was not descriptive enough?  In my position I see everything from Director of First Impressions to CIO (Chief Idea Officer) to Head Cheese for a CEO.  While being creative in some industries can be good, in the world of insurance it is always best to say what you mean and mean what you say.

The problem with a job title is that it means different things to different people.  If you were to ask Monster you would receive one answer, while CareerBuilder would offer another answer, someone at Indeed or Linked In would provide another perspective, a third party recruiter would have a few thoughts, the HR/talent acquisition team at the employer would have an opinion, the hiring manager would like something completely different, the IT department would suggest particular key words in a specific order and font, and the job seeker would feel strongly about something that none of the aforementioned would understand.  So how do you decipher what is the best way to explain what your skill set is in just a title or two?  Or what your job is really seeking to fill?

This is a complicated question that oftentimes leads candidates to have multiple copies of their resume or online profiles.  Which I don't believe is necessarily a good thing.  It also can lead companies down the path of securing many resumes of people with a similar job title, but absolutely none of the skills they are seeking.  Over time we have counseled many companies and candidates to tweak things accordingly in their titles to make sure everyone is on the same page.  There are a few litmus tests you can apply to be guided in the right direction.

The first is securing some competitive intelligence.  Whether you are a hiring manager or a candidate, do some research into what others in the industry would call a particular position.  When I worked at a broker earlier in my career I was an Account Executive, but at the end of the day I was in sales.  I found over time that most other firms used the AE title to describe service instead of sales.  This hurt me when I was introducing myself to prospects as an AE because they were unaware of the fact that I was in sales.  We help clients all the time when deciding what title to use and/or NOT use based upon what we see in the market.

Next, determine the perception of the general public.  Will it help if a VP or AVP is added to a title?  Or perhaps the word "Senior" in front of an Account Manager or Account Executive title?  You can lean on my first point as a start.  Do other firms call an Account Manager with 5-7 years of experience a Sr. Account Manager to provide some oomph to the title?  If so, that might be something to consider adding to your repertoire to make sure you are attracting the right talent.  Also, think about how your team is structured internally.  If a senior level person is assigned to some indirect reports or higher level clients, it might make sense to add something to the title to show that line of demarcation both internally and externally.

Another easy question, but often overlooked, is how is the title going to fit on a business card or email signature line?  This may seem like a small detail, but if someone is an Assistant Vice President, Account Executive, Small Group Division that is a lot of information.  Would it be easier to simply call that person the AVP, Small Accounts?  In the day and age we live in with social media an exposure on sites like LinkedIn, these types of issues can help make a first impression.

Lastly, is there consistency over a period of time?  If you have had four different job titles for your four most recent employers, do you think that could be confusing to a prospective employer?  Or as a company if you have called someone doing customer service four different titles over the past four years, do you think that might be confusing to a job seeker?  This requires some long term planning, especially for companies.  Having a prescribed path that remains consistent can really help with this problem.  It can especially help with recruiting on the employer side as you can show candidates what the journey would be for advancement, career progression, and timing with each role.  Bigger companies tend to do a better job of this than smaller companies, but it can be a methodology used by all if it is a well thought our plan.

Have you ever been provided with a job title that didn't seem right?  Or hired a candidate that you really liked but didn't know what to call them?

Are you too busy to interview?

You have all likely seen a similar picture like this in the past.  Usually it is related to a salesperson trying to sell round wheels to the guys pulling a cart with square wheels who say they are too busy for a sales pitch.  But it resonates for today's blog topic as well.

One of the struggles of my job is getting everyone's calendars to line up when coordinating interview times.  Especially when both the candidate and the client contact are incredibly busy people.  I can completely appreciate that from both sides of the equation, but oftentimes people believe they are far busier than they actually are.  As far as I know, no one in the history of the world has won an award for being the busiest person in their office, their neighborhood, their zip code, or their family.  If such an award does exist, I don't believe it is one you should strive for.

If you find yourself telling a third party search firm or a prospective employer that you are "too busy" for that upcoming interview, consider these few tips for today:

There is a difference between being busy and having "busyness".  It is fairly easy to fall into the trap of thinking your day is filled with critical business and personal issues that cannot be shifted.  You are inherently telling me as a recruiter, or that possible employer, that what you have going on is simply more important than spending time with them.  I get it - you have to protect your current job before you secure another one.  But if there is a reason you would even consider an interview in the first place, you have to acknowledge its place of importance in the hierarchy of your calendar.

Everyone else is busy too.  I know you don't want to hear this, but it is true.  I adjust my calendar all the time to take additional calls from clients and candidates.  Oftentimes it pushes back my dinner hour at home with my kids.  Or makes me late to Little League practice with my son.  Or forces me to work through lunch.  But if I don't make those sacrifices some of my calls would be postponed by weeks.  And you never know when one of those calls might be the one I really shouldn't have missed.  Same goes for an interview that you continue to postpone and put off.  Perhaps it isn't about your busy schedule, but about your fear of leaving a current employer, no matter how much you don't like the career path you are on.  It is okay to be honest with yourself and work through that obstacle.  If you don't do it now, you may regret it for a long time to come.

Being too busy can be a sign of poor time management.  Yet another point that you might not want to admit may be true.  I remember early in my career when working at a large insurance brokerage that everyone around me seemed so busy.  I wasn't nearly so "busy" and wondered if I was doing my job well.  Then I got to see how much time was wasted in most people's calendars that may lead to time crunches with a project or a proposal that had a hard deadline.  Not being able to manage one's calendar does not necessarily make someone busy.  Don't be that person that waits for the "perfect" week to set up an interview.  You may miss a window to make a first impression.  Or someone else could come along whose calendar is not nearly as busy to take that job you really wanted.

Squeezing in a meeting into a busy schedule shows the importance of the meeting.  Think about it for a second.  You have an opportunity to make a great first impression with someone if you can make it a point to schedule that interview that has been tough to schedule for some time now.  Don't make it a contest to puff out your chest and see who is busier.  Instead acknowledge that both parties are busy, but you are willing and able to make time for it because it is important.  Even if you aren't sure how truly "important" the meeting will be, you can inherently influence the process and send that very strong message to the prospective employer.

Take a moment now in conclusion and be honest with yourself.  Have you ever re-scheduled, postponed, or cancelled an interview purely out of convenience and made an excuse for being too busy?  And do you think the prospective employer really bought it?  Being busy in and of itself is a very happy problem.  Just don't make it the main problem, especially when considering a job change.

Why you should talk about the weather during an interview

I have the pleasure of talking with people all across the country for my job.  One of the first things I almost always ask about is the weather.  You would be surprised how many times I am surprised to find out that Iowa is warmer than Louisiana in February or receiving less snowfall than Atlanta during a freak storm in November.

There are many reasons to talk about the weather, most of which don't have anything to do with whether or not someone is qualified for a job.  Yet I will argue that it is a fabulous topic to discuss for a number of reasons.

First of all, it is NOT on the list of topics you aren't supposed to bring up at work.  You know what I'm talking about - politics, religion, age, etc.  It is an innocent topic that everyone is aware of to some extent.  Especially if the weather pattern on that particular day is abnormal - unseasonably cool, hotter than normal, drought conditions, pending blizzard......you name it and it is likely on the mind of the person interviewing you.  This gives you something to talk about to ease the tension without talking about something sensitive or polarizing.

Secondly, it allows you a glimpse into the other person's personal life without asking probing personal connections.  If someone were to ask me about the weather forecast this time of year I would inevitably start talking about my son's baseball season.  With an extra question or two you would quickly find out that I coach both of his teams and am passionate about the game.  Regardless of whether or not someone shared that passion with me, I am always willing and able to talk about.

Next, it can help set the tone of the interview.  If you ask about the weather and receive a curt answer with no additional banter, you will quickly realize this interview is going to get right down to business.  On the other hand, if you can go back and forth a little, you may see that the other person is willing to talk more freely and openly.  Which may include the culture of the company, details about other colleagues, what the view is on summer clothing options on casual Friday - the list could go on and on.  While this may seem trivial, I would say it is a great way to see the way people interact with each other at that particular company.

Lastly, it could provide an easy entry point to finding things in common with the other person.  Similar to learning about their personal life, you may find out that they are a morning person.  And that daylight savings is their favorite time of the year.  You may find out they like to wake up early to the sunshine and the birds chirping, and they take a walk to start their day.  If you do the same thing, it will provide an instant connection.  Basic human nature is that you want to be around people that share common beliefs or traits.  Heck, this could even spark a relationship that goes beyond the normal 8:00-5:00 working hours should you get hired.

Have you ever brought up the weather and have it turn into an entirely different conversation?  I bet you learned something if it did!