What Kevin Durant can teach us about a job search

I heard over the weekend that Kevin Durant plans to fly to New York next week to host up to six teams and hear their individual pitches as he embarks upon free agency. I got to wondering how those teams may feel about it and what they will do to prepare.

While most job searches will look and feel nothing like that circus that will ensue, I did think of a few common denominators that may help in your individual situation:

1)  Be open-minded. While I truly believe there is a good chance Durant doesn't leave OKC (his current team), he wants to hear how other teams may better position himself for a chance to get his elusive NBA championship. As you consider career opportunities, at some point most people believe that not making a change is the easiest route. No one likes change. But if you have serious career goals that you hope to achieve, perhaps you need to wear your heart on your sleeve a little more and listen to new ideas.

2)  Be good at what you do. Let's be honest - the reason six teams are willing to go through with this charade is that they all believe they have a chance to make an offer Kevin cannot refuse. Those teams would not be pursuing him so actively and risking so much if he were not one of the best players in the NBA. Especially with this summer's free agent class. If you are good at your job, you will get noticed by others. You can use that to your advantage.

3)  Be likable. In addition to being a tremendous basketball player, Kevin Durant sure seems like a good teammate. It is one thing if you can be a good employee and do your job well. It is an entirely different thing if in addition to that attribute, everyone likes you. This is sometimes called the "X Factor" when companies look to make an integral hire. Possessing that skill will take you far.

4)  Make those around you better. Showing that you will impact the development of others is huge. The manner in which you contribute to the bottom line is exponential if you improve morale, teach skills, or mentor others. Far too often people watch out only for themselves. While that may work in the short term, it is always better in the long run to help others along the way.

The final thing is that if you can find a way to have six employers fly to one place at your request, you're bound to get the job you really want. Keep me posted how many of the six respond if you do go down that path.......HA!

How to deal with distractions in a job search

Many of you have probably seen the movie "Up" and recognize this picture for today's blog.  If you are anything like me with young ones at home, it also can describe your children at any moment.  Unfortunately it is also something that plagues candidates I work with on a daily basis.

Instead of squirrels, there is a laundry list of distractions that candidates encounter during an interview or job search process.  Personal issues, work issues (if currently employed), changes in an interview schedule, new opportunities that arise, comparisons of two (or more) job interviews, doubt, fear, surprises, concerns, questions.......the list goes on and on.

So how does one handle those external pressures and white noise to stay focused?  I turn to the world of golf for some answers.  For those of you that might not have seen the final round of the U.S. Open yesterday, something amazing happened that included one of the biggest distractions I have ever seen in a major championship.  Dustin Johnson was getting set to make a putt on the fifth hole.  The ball moved, he asked a rules official to come over to talk through a possible penalty, and they agreed that there would be no penalty.  He made the par putt and continued his round.  Only to have another rules official approach him on the 12th hole to let him know a possible one-stroke penalty could be assessed at the completion of his round.  They also let all other officials and golfers know so that they could strategize accordingly to finish their round.  Which obviously set up a chance for an enormous controversy depending upon how things shook out.  Fortunately for everyone, Dustin went on to finish three strokes ahead of the field, even with the one-stroke penalty assessed after the 72nd hole.

Here's how he did it:

1)  He controlled the controllables.  That is actually a phrase that one of the announcers (Paul Azinger) talked about during that treacherous six-hole stretch when the final outcome was in question.  Dustin never wavered, made some crucial par putts, and even birdied the final hole to put an exclamation mark on his championship.  The same can be said for a candidate in the midst of a changing interview process with plenty of distractions.  Do not become frustrated if the process goes longer than expected.  Do not waver in your professionalism if something goes wrong on your interview day.  If it rains and ruins your perfect hair going into the interview, stay in control and give your best interview.  It is much easier said than done, but such sage advice - control the controllables.

2)  He learned from his failures.  If you rewind a year, history will show that Dustin had a chance to win on the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open.  Instead, he three-putted the final hole, including a very short putt to force a playoff, and remembered that going into this year.  It is likely that your past interview history is not perfect, and that is okay.  Remember back to when something didn't go quite right and think about what you took from that experience.  Maybe it was even recent and you are still stinging from it.  Use that to your advantage to fuel your future job search activities.

3)  He had support from others.  In an amazing display of professionalism, Lee Westwood (Dustin's playing partner for the day), patted him on the back after the rules official let him know of the pending bad news.  This is a competitor of his, vying for the same trophy, who just so happened to be in the middle of a terrible round where he played himself out of contention.  He encouraged Dustin to stay focused, was his biggest cheerleader during the final six-hole stretch, and even Lee's caddy made a gesture at the end praising Dustin's efforts.  If you have the luxury of a good support system around you with mentors, other professionals, or friends and family, you should absolutely lean on that in the midst of the distractions that come with a search.  If you do not have that luxury, try and find someone that could be that person for you.  Even if it is someone you don't know personally.  Read a good business book from a reliable author, check online for resources and ideas, or even look to social media.  There is so much content available on the "do's and don'ts" of a search or interview process that you'll be able to easily find a source of help or focus.

The world is full of distractions.  The sooner you acknowledge them and overcome them, the more success you will have in your search.  Or even life in general.  Here's to hoping that "squirrel" doesn't prevent you from achieving success!

How to be courageous in a job search

The great Muhammad Ali once said, "He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."  As we remember his legacy, those words ring true in many facets of our lives.  One of those areas is certainly our career decisions and pending job search(es).

Fear is undoubtedly one of the greatest obstacles to many candidates that I meet.  The fear of the unknown, the fear of change, the fear of loss, the fear of embarrassment, the fear of failure - the list could go on and on.  While fear can be an ally in certain circumstances, it is almost always an obstacle to be overcome.  So how does one do that courageously?

My first recommendation would be to face and embrace the fear.  There certainly is some inherent risk with reaching out to another employer while currently employed with another company.  It is likely, however, that on some level you are not happy with your current situation.  Otherwise you would not consider making a move in the first place.  Really spend some time thinking about why you are looking to leave, embrace the idea that there could be problems with a new employer as well, and begin early on building out a pros and cons list.  If the fear of leaving is stronger than the possibility of a greener pasture on the other side of the fence, perhaps now is not the time to enter into a job search or interview with other companies.

Next I would consider the risk factors involved.  Will my current employer find out that I am looking for another job?  What will they do to me if they read an email or someone sees me out interviewing at a restaurant or coffee shop?  You must be able to reconcile this if you are looking to interview for another job.  While there is no foolproof way to prevent your current employer from finding out, there are certainly precautions you can take.  Don't use your work email for communication.  Don't check your personal email on work time and on a work computer.  Don't tell colleagues about your search, even if you think you can trust them implicitly.  They might slip up and let something out inadvertently with no bad intentions.  Ask the employer you are talking with to please keep the conversation confidential.  Again, there is no 100% way to know something won't come out, but again if you weigh the risk/reward ahead of time and plan accordingly, things will go much more smoothly.

Another way to mitigate some of the risk or fear is to speak to a trusted advisor, business mentor, or good friend about your intentions to engage in a search.  If you can really trust one of these individuals, they will hopefully provide you with objective advice.  Sometimes hearing the truth hurts a little, but coming from someone you believe in could really help in developing your search strategy.  Oftentimes I even talk with candidates that I am not directly representing about how to handle turns and twists in the search process.  No two searches are alike, but over time I have learned some tips to navigate a bumpy and windy road.

Lastly, at some point realize that you just have to go for it.  If you really believe in something, you can control your own destiny.  I read an article about Ali and the author argued that Ali's legacy was GREATER because he stood up for something he believed in and did not enter the draft in the late 60s.  It hurt his professional growth at the time as he was banned from boxing for three years.  But in retrospect history is showing he was even more of a figure in our minds because of that decision.  I am certain he thought of all the advantages and disadvantages to his decision, spoke with those he trusted, made a decision, and went for it.  One of his other famous quotes is "It's the lack of faith that makes people afraid of meetings challenges, and I believe in myself."

If you believe in yourself, the idea of "going for it" should not be something to be afraid of.  Be courageous and bank on yourself.  It could be the best thing you have going for you!