How to best explain career changes

One of the first questions asked when reviewing a resume is why the candidate has made career changes, especially recent ones.  Sometimes it is more evident than others - a relocation from another state for personal reasons, a company closing or being merged with another, a layoff, etc.  But other times it raises some serious questions.  If you have had basically the same position for ten years, but with seven different employers, it will make a person wonder why you have made all of the changes.

Here are a few basic tips to consider when explaining job movement:

1) Less is not always more.  Candidates falsely believe that providing as little information up front is okay as they can answer questions when their arise in the interview process.  Well, what happens if you never make it to interview stage?  Or if you do make it and the questions come up, but it is at an awkward moment in the interview after staring the discussion with some early momentum.  It can derail the conversation if you don't already have some basic facts outlined in a resume or even a cover letter.

2) Keep it positive.  Don't assume your audience knows why you would leave an employer that is perhaps notorious for high turnover.  Or that there wouldn't be a connection to that employer within the group of people interviewing you for a job.  It is a small world out there and only getting smaller.  If you bad mouth a former employer and hope that counts as an explanation for your departure, you are badly mistaken.

3) Keep it professional, but keep it real.  This line gets blurred sometimes when candidates outline details of a personal situation that affected job performance.  I had to chuckle thinking about this while watching a recent episode of "The Office".  There were some office break-ups that really affected the working culture within the office.  While it might make sense at the time, a prospective employer will not want to hear the gory details of a past personal relationship gone bad that led to your resignation or termination.  While on the other hand there are sometimes personal tie-ups that require a change in job or even some time away from the working world altogether.  You do not always need to be worried about what people will think of these situations as they may have been unavoidable and won't impact job performance going forward.

4) Don't blame others for failures.  No one wants to hear about a boss that stifled all of your brilliant ideas and prevented you from being successful.  People naturally want to hear about how you succeeded, and sometimes despite your working environment.  That is much more valuable to a prospective employer as opposed to you alluding to the fact that you'll need someone else to "set you up" in a certain manner as the only way to be successful.  While having resources and support is important, it is much more impressive to have new ideas and the desire for an open dialogue to finding avenues to succeed in the future.

The bottom line is that the vast majority of us will experience at least 3-5 job changes in their career, if not more.  I will never forget a college professor telling me that the average person will have 6-7 job changes after they graduate and before they turn 35.  At the time I thought he was crazy.  Now after ten years of recruiting I have to admit that he was spot on with his assessment.  Which makes this topic a pretty relevant one and something to keep in mind whether in active job search or not.

Contingency search - what is the difference between active and passive?

There are many ways to describe what I do for a living, but there are certain terms that I absolutely detest like headhunter, ambulance chaser, and the lesser known, yet equally offensive "noodle thrower".  By definition the last title is a reflection of some search firms that throw "noodles" or resumes against the wall just to see which ones stick.  What we do is quite different from that and can be better explained by digging into the difference between an active and passive contingency search.

An active contingency search is quite easy to define.  This is a company that is actively engaged both internally and externally with a search firm to fill an open position.  In most cases everyone is on the same page -- human resources, the hiring manager, and our internal team.  A great level of detail is known about the position and we have a lot of confidence in knowing what we are looking for.

A passive contingency search is much more complicated and many companies do not even attempt to wrap their minds around what this would look like.  There are three basic examples:

1) A position that is perpetually open.  The idea of hiring salespeople usually fits into this category.  You can also sub-categorize this into different levels such as a salesperson who can bring an immediate Rolodex, someone who is going to need some grooming, a veteran presence to mentor others, etc.  The bottom line is that a company will ALWAYS look at this profile no matter the situation.

2) A confidential search where a company may be looking to replace an employee.  This can be for performance-related reasons, bad culture match, or simply the desire to move into a different directions.  For this level of passive search, you must really trust the search firm you are partnering with so that the story is consistent and remains quiet until more detail can be shared.

3) An opportunity hire or a projected growth hire.  This is one of my favorites as candidates are drawn to these types of opportunities and companies.  The type of position that may be required in 6-8 months, but the company has enough foresight to plan ahead and find good talent before the need is too great.  

Although these definitions seem pretty self-explanatory, many organizations are hesitant to engage with an external search firm until they have exhausted all internal resources or simply get to a point of desperation with the search.  While we will still engage with a client at that point, it makes much more sense for us to be involved early on in the process.  We might have that "perfect" candidate in other discussions and you could risk losing an opportunity to speak with them if you wait too long.  Or perhaps the external search firm could help you tell the story from an objective third party perspective.

The bottom line is that we are trying to reach trusted adviser status with our clients and when that occurs, it could make a lot of sense to consider more opportunities to work is this passive silo more often.  Especially since the contract I am describing is 100% contingency involves very little up front risk.  Unfortunately there are some search firms that give the titles I described at the outset of today's blog a lot of validity.  But if you can find the right firm, the idea of true partnership should always be on your mind as well.

Would you agree?  Anything to add about the definition of passive vs. active searches?  As always, I would welcome your thoughts and feedback.

How to stand out from the crowd

This weekend I attended the annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival for the fifth year in a row.  8,000 bacon-loving people bought tickets for the event in less than four minutes.  Then descended upon our infamous State Fairgrounds on Saturday morning to celebrate all things bacon.  Later on Saturday evening I enjoyed reading all of my friends posts on Facebook - many of whom I didn't even see during my six-hour bacon binge.  It was simply a sea of people meandering from booth to booth to try delicious bacon morsels.

I had tried to dress boldly by wearing a bright, light blue t-shirt with a funny design on the front.  That way if I was separated from my friends, they would know how to find me.  Unfortunately the volunteers for the day were all also wearing bright, light blue shirts.  So much for standing out, I guess.......

It did make me think, however, of what candidates attempt to do in their job searches to be noticed.  We get everything from crazy resumes to bold predictions in an email title of "BEST CANDIDATE EVER" to unique introductions on Facebook and LinkedIn.  Ironically the ones that try too hard usually end up in my deleted folder more quickly than any others.  So what gets my attention, or more importantly the attention of a hiring manager at a company you would like to work for in the future?  Here are three simple tips to consider:

1) Keep it simple, Stupid.  Yes the old K.I.S.S. philosophy.  And no, I am not talking about the rock band from the 70's.  Create a professional resume that clearly outlines your background, but isn't too flashy with twelve different fonts and accomplishments in bold, italics, and followed by ten exclamation points.  If the information is good, it does not require neon lights pointing them out.  A trained eye will be drawn right to them without all of the fanfare.

2) Keep it fresh.  Although you don't want to get too crazy, having a fun and colorful social media or online presence can be a great way to connect with your audience.  Again, just please don't advertise that as your primary method of getting your information out there.  Listing hobbies on a resume is somewhat of a thing of the past.  But the great news is that you can have that information on your LinkedIn or Facebook page.  I love posting stories and pics of me going golfing with my son.  Oftentimes I get people asking me how old he is, how long he has been playing, and ironically if he is better than me.  Not quite, but it won't be long.......

3) Keep it current.  Many people get too caught up about accomplishments from fifteen years ago.  While still important at some point in the conversation, it needs to be relevant.  I tell people all the time that I had some good success stories from my days as an insurance broker, but that was more than ten years ago.  If I approached one of my clients today proclaiming that I could replicate that success in a short period of time, they would likely ask me what I have done recently to prove that.  Have I sold a large account?  How have I kept up with PPACA and other relevant changes in legislation?  If I don't have good answers for that, my past experience won't do me too much good.

What other ways do you think are relevant to "stand out from the crowd" in a job search?  I would love to hear any stories or feedback!

Why I will be watching "The Job" on CBS......

With Mark Burnett at the helm, there is bound to be a lot of reality television predictability with this particular show.  But there are some very obvious reasons why it would be good for any job seeker to consider watching a few episodes of this show.

1) Never lie on your resume.  I caught a trailer that showed a candidate squirming as she had listed Spanish as a language she was fluent in on her resume.  When asked about it, she could barely say hello in Spanish.  You might think listing some skill proficiency will grab the attention of the company, but unless it is undeniably true, you will likely be called out at some point.  I know how to create an Excel spreadsheet and even a few formulas, but to say I am an expert is a huge stretch.  So I would never even list that on my resume.

2) There is a difference between like-ability and downright goofiness.  Again, in a trailer I saw it appears as though the candidates are going out of their way to outline their personalities.  While that is certainly part of a job interview (and eventually your job), please remember there is a time and place for everything.  The number one function of a job is actually doing the job.  Not getting along with everyone, showing how much of a chatterbox you can be, or even be up to speed on current events.  At the end of the day employers are going to hire based upon job skills and fit for the job.

3) There is ALWAYS competition for a job.  Just because an interview is going well and the hiring authority is showing all kinds of buying signals, there is always someone else being considered.  Including not even filling the position.  It is hard to imagine that is competition, but if a company is on the fence whether or not to hire you, they may choose leaving the position open over making a wrong decision.  So whether you think you are up against two or twenty candidates, be sure to put your best foot forward as if you are on the stage with others and you want to be memorable for all the right reasons.

At the end of the day you must keep everything in perspective.  I am not endorsing this show by any stretch of the imagination.  Their goal is ultimately to sell ad space.  But crazy things happen in the interview process all the time and this could be a good reminder to stay sharp so that none of the craziness ever happens to you!

Let me know if you end up watching the show - I would love to hear any reviews!

Don't put all of your eggs in one basket

This is one of my infamous lines going back to my days as an enroller for Principal Financial Group.  When talking with plan participants about their 401k elections, we always advised diversification.  Any financial adviser is going to do the same when viewing your investment portfolio.  So why should this advice not hold true when approaching a job search or an open position?

First let's talk about the candidate side of the equation.  I can't tell you how many times over ten years of recruiting I have seen a candidate get burned by being laser focused on only one opportunity.  They have made the decision they are leaving their current employer and want no other option than ABC Company, who seems to be equally engaged with the idea of hiring you.  The problem is that many things can change over the course of an interview process, even if it is in the eleventh hour.  Then when the company surprises the candidate by pulling out of the conversation, the candidate is left holding the bag.  Additionally, they are mentally checked out of their current company and job performance has declined significantly.

Don't hear what I'm not saying - if you really can balance the idea of being more of a passive candidate, then only interviewing with one company could work out wonderfully for you.  But you have to be prepared to stay put if you don't get the job. Without that key ingredient, you could even be setting yourself up to being fired by your current company, without another opportunity in the pipeline.

Now, from the client side of the equation there are some similar plot lines.  You have an opening that is critical, you find a stellar candidate, and you put all of your energy into recruiting that person.  You tell other candidates that have been through an initial interview that you have a finalist and should know more soon.  Well, what happens if that candidate falls through?  They become disinterested?  They review your offer, yet decide to stay put because of a counter offer?  Now you must go back to the second and third options with your tail between your legs and tell them that you have changed course and now would consider their candidacy.

There are, however, some differences as well with the client perspective.  As much as you might believe you have found "THE" candidate, perhaps there are qualities in other candidates that eventually supersede your perceived top candidate, or even better could add a dimension to the team in another role.  I have had clients in the past that ended up hiring multiple candidates, despite having only one opening.  When handled correctly, you don't even need to hire both at the same time.  Good talent is good talent and you don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes around.

Have you ever been burned by putting all of your eggs in one basket with a job search or company opening?  If so, I would love to hear your stories!

Is your recruiter a trusted adviser?

When I was an insurance producer the term "trusted adviser" was used in reference to the status that we tried to achieve with business owners.  They typically hold in high esteem a small group of individuals that include their accountant, their attorney, and perhaps a few other vendor partners.  Once you are in that inner circle it becomes a deeper and mutually beneficial relationship.  You go to a trusted adviser with critical questions knowing that you will get an objective and helpful answer.

So how does a third party search firm fit into that equation?  Unfortunately we are often viewed as a necessary evil or a transaction that occurs when there is no other option.  I am here to tell you that a good recruiting firm can provide so much more than that.

From a candidate's perspective a good recruiter can be a partner for career moves and choices for many years.  Our best candidate relationships are the ones that develop over time.  We may not even place a candidate after initial introduction.  That does not mean we cannot help that individual.  Perhaps they are already deep enough into the interview process that our clients will not be able to match timing.  But we can help with questions regarding compensation, employer comparisons, culture match, benefits, and so much more.  Then if that individual needs to make a career change later in life, they know that they can depend upon us for objective advice.  Or in some cases they even become hiring managers themselves and come back to us because they know the experience was good and we will treat other candidates with the same level of respect and attention.

For clients the same can be said - we can provide insight even if we are not actively engaged in a current project.  Perhaps a hiring manager would like some salary comparison in the market.  Or before embarking upon a search may want to know what our active pipeline looks like.  Or maybe some additional bullet points to round out a job description.  My best clients know they can come to me with those questions any time and receive my best professional advice and perspective.

I have even toyed with the idea of changing my title to "Trusted Adviser" so that I would never be lumped into the same category as lesser quality recruiters.  But over time I have realized this is not a self-appointed title.  I have to earn that right and privilege every time I get on the phone with a new client or candidate.  And it comes with the test of time.  Just saying that you want to be a trusted adviser does not equate to the actions necessary to achieve that status.

Who is a trusted adviser within your professional circle?  Would a recruiter ever make the grade?

Choosing a path to prosperity

      
Ah, the time of year when we all set New Year's Resolutions, think of how we can become better people in the next twelve months, and dramatically change the path of our life to lead to a better place.  While it is good to dream and set lofty expectations, how many of the resolutions that are set become reality beyond the first few weeks of the year?

In the past several weeks I have heard candidates and clients alike tell me about uncertainty for the future, fear that the economy may hold back growth plans, unhappiness with a colleague, or many other negative issues.  Yet very few of them have a solid plan in place to be drawn toward a better opportunity as opposed to simply running away from their problems. 

Ironically what shed some light on a possible solution for me was when I was watching the NFL playoff games with my seven-year old son.  He looked at me midway through one of the games and said he was changing his mind regarding his future football career.  He expressed interest in playing middle linebacker during his college career and then switching to running back in the NFL.  I began explaining to him that the average career for a running back in the NFL is not very long.  But a kicker could play for 20+ years under the right circumstances.  He thought about it for a while, took my advice to heart and asked if we could practice kicking field goals with a Nerf football.

The moral of the story is that you need set realistic goals, commit to a routine, execute a reasonable game plan, and see where it takes you.  Don't look at Adrian Peterson and wish you had his skills.  You simply don't.  You also don't have to compare yourself to him to know if you have been successful.  When looking for a career move or a new position the same theory applies - don't work outside of your core strengths and try to be something you aren't.  I also believe to truly look forward, you have to look back.  See where you experienced both success and failure in 2012 to help choose your path going forward in 2013.  Then use that as your foundation for where you want to be at the end of 2013.  Not where you want to be in February, but take a much broader look at your path to ultimately experience long term success and happiness.

I would love to hear from you if you have ideas you are implementing here in the new year to ensure prosperity and more success than last year.