The death of the five-year career goal

I read an interesting article last week that focused much more on what you should be doing on a daily basis as opposed to focusing only on long term planning.  At first I really struggled with the idea, but the more I thought about it the author may have been onto something.  Let me explain.

First of all, focus on the things that you can control.  If you put together a great list of things you want to accomplish in five years but fail to execute the little steps along the way, I can guarantee you will be disappointed when that five-year anniversary rolls around.  The graphic I picked out for today was very intentional.  Goal setting should also include immediate and achievable ideas.  Otherwise you are just floating along and hoping to survive.

Secondly, be aware of your surroundings.  If you are not on a team that can otherwise support your long term goals, then perhaps something needs to change.  Conventional wisdom will tell you that staying at one employer for five years is a great thing, but I would argue otherwise if you are being held back in your greater career aspirations.  Don't hear what I am not saying - do not take this chance to chase new opportunities every six months to prove me wrong.  But rather just pay special attention to what is happening around you to see if it aligns with both your short term objectives and long term goals.

Thirdly, take some risks.  Far too often candidates and companies alike choose the safer route when making big decisions.  It could be related to staffing, strategic planning, infrastructure, and much more.  For candidates it is usually a decision to "stay put and make do" instead of making a career move that could be more rewarding.  For companies it is usually doing nothing that is the safest move, but provide very little upside.  Risk does come with some downside as things can go wrong, but the greater success must be kept in mind.  A risk right now might pay off to enhance your five-year goals and make them a reality.

Lastly, don't entirely forsake the five-year goal for the five-week or five-month goal.  Although I have made several points alluding to the "death of the five-year career goal", it was mostly to spark dialogue and debate.  With the holidays and inevitable New Years' resolutions around the corner, we all know what is going to happen.  We will put on 5-10 pounds from holiday eating, vow to work out more on January 1, stick with it for a few weeks or even a month, and then drop back into our regular routine.  If you really want to keep your weight down, make a plan now, execute it DURING the holidays, and simply continue the routine after the New Year.  Same can be said for goal setting.  Sit down and really determine where you want to be in five years.  And then don't waste another minute wondering how to execute those goals.  Make it happen now.  Even if you encounter some bumps in the road or fail on a short term goal, keep pressing forward every single day with new ideas.  Then in five years we can celebrate together for being in a better place.

What are your five-year goals?  Have you ever written them down?

Should you rehearse for a job interview?

Although you may not need to prepare an entire script ahead of an interview, I have seen from firsthand experience how a prepared candidate has much greater impact than one who wings it during an interview.  Lack of preparation is common blunder for first interviews especially as candidates get lulled into a comfort zone.  They are focused on providing a good "first impression" or aim to "be themselves".  While there is nothing wrong with that idea inherently, I am convinced that some rehearsal time can pay big dividends before an interview.

Oftentimes I will ask questions of candidates ahead of an interview just to see how they would answer.  I am surprised at how easy it is to catch someone off guard.  Sure you could argue that they will have their "game face" ready before the actual interview, but why not be prepared before that day even comes.  There are some common questions that even if you are expecting them can be answered with more precision if you think about your answers ahead of time and literally say them out loud.  It does not have to necessarily be in front of a mirror like the picture above, but small tweaks/edits can make all the difference in making the "right" impression instead of simply a "first" impression.

I thought of how simple this can be when driving my son and his friend to a basketball tryout this past weekend.  I told them that I felt there were really two things they needed to focus on during the tryout.  Instead of telling them what they were, I asked what they thought the two ideas could be.  They came up with one right out of the gates (which was to listen to the coaches), and between the two of them provided four really solid additional answers - have fun, stay hydrated, hustle, and be a good teammate.  Once they came up with the final list, I had them repeat the five ideas.  After practice I asked them how they felt it went.  Without pause my son answered, "We had fun, and I drank lots of water!"  His friend piped up, "We also hustled and listened to the coaches!"

So will they make the travelling team simply because of these five ideas?  Likely not for those reasons alone.  But were they more prepared and able to leave the "right" impression with the coaches?  Absolutely.  Lesson here is that if it can work for eight-year old boys who can't focus on much of anything for more than five minutes that it can absolutely work for professionals looking to make a career move.

What have you done to rehearse for an interview in the past?  And was it effective?

How to think outside of the box with your job search

This picture summarizes how many candidates approach their job search, especially at the outset.  They have likely read about some prescribed methodologies online and will move forward conservatively so that they do not break any "rules" early on.  While there are some benefits to this, I want to challenge the idea of going along with the crowd and show the benefits of thinking creatively with your job search.

First of all, think of every day like it is the day you could meet your new boss.  While the chances of this may seem quite slim, I have personally experienced it and benefited greatly.  Exactly ten years ago I started my new job with Capstone.  My boss reminded me of one of our first meetings when I was the insurance broker for Capstone as it opened its doors eleven years ago.  I brought doughnuts to that meeting and he liked the personal touch.  Simple, yet effective.  

Secondly, connect with people that might be impactful for your search.  As the world gets smaller and smaller each day that you meet more people, it is valuable to know who knows who in that sense.  You may connect with someone today at a networking event, a LinkedIn group, an industry-related convention, or any other number of places that could become a co-worker, boss, or ally in a job search.  Be memorable in those meetings as it could be a tipping point later on in an interview process.

Lastly, think like a child.  All three of my own children are fairly shy, but there is no stranger in their world.  If you give them five minutes to warm up to anyone they meet, they will quickly chat up a storm and share details of their day or recent past memories.  Very seldom is it something negative.  It is usually related to something fun we did as a family, a recent summer vacation, a fun story about a friend, or a general happy thought.  Far too often candidates are guarded and don't want to make a personal connection during a job search.  While you don't want to go overboard listing forty hobbies on your resume, these small details can make a good impression that could lead to your next job.

Bottom line is that once you stop listening to others telling you what NOT to do during a job search, the sky is the limit on what you CAN do.

What experiences do you have from a previous or current job search that were "out of the box"??

Choosing a job from the best of the worst available

I will do ANYTHING to get out of my current job.  I hate my boss right now.  The working environment is so hostile that I can't take another day!  These are all phrases I have heard from candidates recently as they embark upon a job search.  They are so miserable with their working conditions that any option sounds better than staying put.  There are some obvious dangers with this line of thinking.

First of all, I would never recommend taking another position just for the sake of getting a different job.  I can tell countless stories of candidates that have done so, only to find out that they weren't actually in the worst working environment.  They manage to find something even worse!  You may think that doesn't happen very often, but it is becoming an epidemic.  Finding the "right" job is harder than ever these days.

Secondly, if you have to talk yourself into all of the reasons to take a new position and refuse to look at any downsides, you are doing yourself a disservice.  We have all made the infamous "T chart" to compare strengths and weaknesses of a potential employer, but how many of us have taken that exercise seriously?  If you are anxious to leave a bad employment situation are you really looking at both sides of that chart, or are you completely focused on the minimal "good" aspects of the position just to fool yourself into taking the job?

Thirdly, are you actually comparing the good and bad aspects of your current job with the one you are about to take?  Or are you simply hatching your escape plan and only considering your job now to be 100% bad?  Candidates often reach out to me AFTER taking a job that would fit the category of "best of the worst" and lament about how the new employer doesn't have something that the former employer did.  No matter how bad this now former employer was, there was likely something you liked about the company.

Lastly, how are you approaching the interview process?  If you are walking into any prospective employer's door hellbent on telling them how awful your current employer is, do you really think they're going to outline some of the negative aspects of the role or company?  You just gave them a perfect excuse to tell you everything you want to hear and leave out anything that could potentially be a reason to not take the role.  I tell candidates all the time that in an interview you must always focus on why you are running TOWARD another opportunity and not AWAY from your current position.  See the small difference?  This change in philosophy could end of being the difference between taking a job because it is the best available in a bad market or really remaining patient and finding the right opportunity.

Have you ever known someone to take a position just to say they got out of a bad situation?  How did it turn out?

The best way to scare away a possible recruit

Quite often I hear from candidates after interviews who have had a bad experience of some kind.  The person they were supposed to interview with was thirty minutes late.  Or even worse totally forgot about the interview.  The hiring manager was unfriendly.  Or even worse asked an inappropriate question.  Once I even had a candidate run into someone they knew in the lobby that was also interviewing for the position.  At the exact same time with the exact same person.  Awkward!

I could share hundreds of stories like these from my ten years of recruiting, but there is one thing in particular that seems to consistently send candidates running for the door.  It is when a current employee speaks poorly of the company during the course of an interview.  Seem unbelievable?  While it should be, this happens way more often than it should.  Don't hear what I am not saying - this is not always intentional or even intended to cause harm when discussed.  It can absolutely be prevented though with just a few simple steps.

This problem stems from something more systemic in most cases.  Very few companies have a consistent process when it comes to interviewing a new candidate.  Which means they don't discuss HOW to interview a potential recruit with the internal team ahead of time.  Or they don't sit down as a team after an interview to discuss what went well and what did not go so well.  Most people are not professional interviewers, and that is an okay thing.  Your employees will probably spend less than 2% of their time ever interviewing someone else.  Which could be the question "What difference then does it make?"

The issue here is that candidates will talk after an interview.  You know the old saying - if someone has a good experience they tell one person, if they have a bad experience they will tell nine people.  So if you have no plan of action before, during or after an interview, you are exposing yourself to liability to your brand and what the market is saying about your company.  If you let a current employee interview a possible recruit and they do not have a course of action to take they could vent about a boss who is difficult to work with.  Or how the benefits really aren't that good.  Or maybe there is a lack of flexibility to work from home and this person really wants a part-time schedule.  These are all pitfalls that can be avoided.  Or mitigated if there is a better plan in place ahead of time.

One of my best clients actually has HR meet with a candidate last.  They will come into the office, interview with 2-3 people on the team, and THEN sit down with HR.  They will discuss how the interview went.  What does the individual think of the company after the interview.  What was discussed in the course of the interview?  It is a brilliant safeguard to ensure the message about their company is consistent.  Seems like a simple concept, but very few companies care enough about the actual process to make sure possible recruits are not running for the door after a bad or even mediocre interview.

Have you ever experienced something that sent you running for the door?

Is your recruiter full of bull?

I had a candidate reach out to me recently that I am actively working with regarding her search for a new position.  She had received a call from another recruiter who claimed to have found her resume online and knew that she was looking for a job.  It freaked her out a bit as she has NOT posted her resume to any boards and very few people know she is considering a move.  I reassured her that this individual likely found her on LinkedIn or a company directory and it was a pure cold call.


So how was she supposed to know this individual was "full of bull"?  For a little clarification, I have chosen this title for two reasons.  First of all I did not want to use the other half of the word commonly referred to in the shortened version - B.S.  Secondly this week is the great Iowa State Fair, so you knew I was going to find a way to incorporate that into my blog.  The photo above is of a former "Big Steer" champion.  This year's winner was quite similar to this one and weighed in just over 3,000 pounds.

Now that you have your fill of State Fair stats, here are some great ways to know if your recruiter is full of bull or knows what they are talking about:

1)  Do they really have an opening?  Oftentimes larger recruiting firms have staff that are dedicated to nothing more than casting a wide net and collecting candidate profiles.  On the surface there is nothing wrong with this idea.  The problem is that you will likely be thrown into a database with hundreds, if not thousands, of other candidates.  They may or may not code your professional experience correctly and subsequently you could get random calls in the future about openings that are not even close to a match.  Or even worse someone else in the office could send out your resume unbeknownst to you and breach your confidentiality.

2)  How much do they know about their client?  We try to know as much as possible about the details of an organization when we are partnering with them.  If a recruiter calls you up about an opportunity and struggles with the details, that is not a good sign.  They might be piggybacking off of a posting they saw online and only guessing at who the employer is.  Once they gain access to your resume, they will THEN use that information to track down a client and hopefully secure the permission to send over a resume.  It is backwards logic and again could breach your confidentiality.

3)  How did they get your contact information?  If a recruiter is initiating the contact, they should be able to tell you where they found your information.  Even if it is simply a cold call from finding you on Linked In, that is not necessarily a bad thing.  Especially if the first two questions above can be answered with confidence.  That means that some research was completed ahead of the call to ensure a good match for the potential opening.

Have you had an experience where a recruiter tried to call you and sell you a line of bull?  How did you react?

I got the job - now what?!?

A common question I get after a candidate interviews for a job is "What is the next step?"  Most interviews go in a linear progression that end with either a job offer or an eventual declination.  During the course of the interview process I have discussions all the time with candidates and clients alike regarding appropriate communication before, during and after each step.  But one area that is often forgotten is that time period between acceptance of an offer and a candidate's first day.  How much communication is necessary?  Who should initiate the communication?  Is any necessary at all?

In ten years of recruiting I have seen a wide spectrum from very good to very bad.  From candidates not showing up for their first day to clients forgetting a person's start date, it is not a good sign if things start off that badly.  On the other hand I have seen clients invite new employees to company picnics before they even start, go out for dinner with a prospective client the week before a start date, and one time even had a candidate help someone else in his new employer close a deal before a start date.

I have three simple suggestions to ensure your first day on the job is as good as possible:

1)  Speak with HR at least once before your start date.  You will likely have communication during the acceptance stage to exchange paperwork, run a background check, and coordinate details with I.T. to get your work station/office arranged.  But I am suggesting even one more email or call.  Perhaps the week before you start.  Ask if there is anything else you need to bring on your first day.  Confirm what the dress code is on a daily basis.  Show some excitement about the start date.  Outline your general plan for your first day, week, and month to show some forethought.  All of this will show a high level of engagement on your part.

2)  Ask to come into the office once before your start date.  This may or may not be necessary, but most people bring some personal belongings to the office.  Whether it be pictures of your family, basic items to have at your desk, or even something to hang on the wall.  These are all things that can be taken care of after you start, but you might as well knock it out ahead of time if the employer is willing to allow it.  This creates a sense of buy-in and sends a strong message that you want to be ready to focus on work the minute you arrive the first day.  You won't need to move six boxes of personal items in the first morning instead of attending training or meeting some of your colleagues.

3)  Do something for your new boss.  Connecting on a personal level can be a fabulous way to gain trust and generate excitement.  Hopefully during the interview process you learned something about your boss that will help in this regard.  Maybe he/she is a big fan of a particular coffee or bagel shop.  Bring in a dozen bagels from that bakery a week before your start.  Perhaps there is a team that individual follows.  Send an email or call about a recent game that you watched and thought of them.  This does not have to be done on a grand scale and I always recommend being creative without going overboard.

As you can see, none of these suggestions are rocket science.  A surprisingly small number of people, however, even think for a second about any of them.  All of these (and many more if we had more time to discuss) can serve as a reminder to your new employer why they hired you in the first place.

Have you ever employed any of these tactics?  Or perhaps have one not listed here that worked well?