Who is your best Buddy in a job search?

I understand that oftentimes job searches are confidential and very few people know about your intentions or desire to leave a current job.  But at some point it is likely a good idea to seek counsel from a friend, a colleague, or a significant other.

The clear value in seeking out some of that objective advice is having another pair of ears and eyes to review the details.  Someone with a vested interest in your success, but also someone that will tell you what you need to hear.

Another person that you can count on to advise you during a job search or interview process is a third party recruiter.  It does not have to be someone currently representing you either.  Many times I am introduced to a candidate that I cannot directly help, but I eventually review an offer, de-brief after an interview, or prep them for a final meeting.

Whoever you have in your close circles, be sure they meet a few criteria if you are hoping for serious dialogue:

1)  They can be objective, especially when talking money.  One person that may not be able to do that is your spouse.  Don't hear what I'm not saying - I am not suggesting leaving your spouse out of this discussion.  They are the first and the last person to always talk to in these situations.  They may not, however, have as good of a pulse on the job market as a former boss or colleague.  Someone you trust inherently.

2)  They will tell you the truth, not just what you want to hear.  We all have friends that are eternal bubbles of optimism.  While we all need more people like that in our lives, they may not be the best ones to ask about a job change.  You need someone who will ask you directly why you are looking to leave your current employer.  Is staying possibly the best thing for you right now?  What do you know about a potential employer you are interviewing with?  Do they have a good reputation for a employee-friendly culture?

3)  They have experience with job changes themselves, have managed others, or have counseled others successfully through a job change.  I tell people all the time that I am not necessarily smarter than anyone else, but you see a lot in 13+ years of recruiting.  Maybe I have seen a familiar experience with another candidate that could prove helpful for someone else's current search.

The last thing I will tell you is that it is good to have more than one of these people in your life.  And preferably before you get in the 11th hour of an interview or job search.  No one person is going to have all of the answers and it is good to have more than one "Buddy" in your corner at all times.

How to avoid cold feet with a job offer

It is natural to have a few lingering questions when considering a job offer from a new employer.  Especially if you have been with your current employer for a long period of time.  So how can you ensure small doubts don't turn into cold feet and getting stuck in place?

The first thing I always recommend to candidates is to look back at the beginning of the interview process.  What were the reasons in the first place that you decided to look for another job?  Are those still viable reasons or not?  Most likely nothing has changed.  Which means it is much more about the job offer itself or something about the idea of change that has you spooked.  Which is a very natural feeling.  This confirms the idea that leaving is the right thing to do.  You now simply have to determine if the offer you have in front of you also accomplishes your long term career goals.

Which is actually the second thing I recommend when considering an offer - does making this move help serve the greater goal of progressing in your career?  If you are simply running "away from" a bad situation and not running "toward" a better one, then the offer may not be what you need it to be.  Take some time to reflect if this really gets you to a better place.  In some regards you should have already had some of these thoughts during the interview process, but now is when the rubber really hits the road with your decision.

Next I ask candidates what attracted them to this new opportunity in the first place.  Was it more money?  Was it a better commute?  Was it a bigger title?  Whatever it was, if that is still in play, then the offer will really boil down to the small details.  Which you have likely vetted out by the time it gets to offer stage.  If the basic tenets of the role are the same or better than when you first started interviewing, you likely have the answer you are seeking.

Lastly, I always tell candidates to go with your gut.  Again, it is natural to have some questions about the future.  Will this next move be your next ten-year stop?  Will it all be smooth as silk in the transition period?  Will I like my new colleagues and boss?  Many of these questions cannot be answered until you actually start working for your new employer.  So if you've done your research, enjoyed the interview process, and now stare down a good (or maybe great) offer, listen to what your gut says.  It may sound too simple, but simple is good!

Timing is everything in a job search

Is anyone else feeling a little out of whack to start this week with the time change?  In addition to daylight savings, this week is spring break for many schools in our area.  Add in St. Patrick's Day on Thursday and the start of March Madness, and this could prove to be an interesting week.

I am not ashamed to admit this year really threw me off with the time change.  I didn't roll into my usual coffee shop on the way to work until about 7:15 and figured I would face a long line.  To my amazement there were only four cars in the parking lot and there was no one in line.  Then I realized that many others were sleeping in and/or off on spring break.  It still felt really weird, and I wondered if I would face a quiet morning in the office.

Instead I found a long list of unread emails, several voicemails to return, and my phone has already been ringing off the hook.  This is a very happy problem and proof that people are still paying attention to their job search in an "off" week.  Here are a few reasons why this week could be incredible timing to follow up on an interview, check in with a prospective employer, or even embark upon a job search in initial phases.

1)  First quarter is coming to an end.  This is usually a time of year when employers make all kinds of hiring decisions.  This is the 13th first quarter I have seen come and go in the recruiting business, and it is the 13th in a row that is very, very busy for us.  Companies have a firm grasp on their financials from the previous year, they know what bench strength looks like for any replacement hires, and now is the time to execute on any strategic hires for the new year.  Especially in the insurance industry.

2)  More people are working this week than you might think.  Take myself as a prime example.  My three kids are at home this week, my Iowa Hawkeyes are playing on national television later this week, and the weather forecast in Iowa is fantastic.  But I'm here at the office taking advantage of the time to really catch up on some items.  Which means I will be readily available for phone calls, emails, and candidates checking in.  Chances are that other employers are in the same boat.  Whether it be the hiring manager, someone in talent acquisition, or even the finance department - now could be a GREAT time to check in with these folks.

3)  You have many ice-breakers to start the conversation.  We could start an entirely different discussion about how to approach the topics I mentioned earlier (NCAA tournament, St. Patrick's Day, daylight savings, etc.) but each provides a natural conversation starter.  And with this week being a more relaxed week, it could be more natural than other weeks.  Why not give it a shot?  You might find out you have something in common with the person on the other end of the phone.  Heck, I just spoke with a candidate whose son played in the boys' high school state tournament final on Friday night, and it turned out this small school in Northeast Iowa is where one of my colleagues went to high school, and she knew some of these family members.  What a small world!

4)  Important decisions could be made this week.  I don't want to be too melodramatic here, but this week could be a tipping point in making hiring decisions.  They could be made in a quiet office, or even over a few beverages at a local restaurant during a March Madness game.  Don't miss out on the opportunity to be a part of that.  Check in with an employer who is interviewing you, circle around on your references to see if they have been contacted, look at job boards that might be updated this week.  The list goes on and on for reasons to check in and stay on top of your job search.

The bottom line is that timing truly is everything when it comes to a job search.  Take advantage of the extra hour of daylight this week and make hay while the sun shines!

When to "hang it up" in an interview

You have likely heard the saying "hanging up your boots" in retirement.  Or possibly hanging up your shoes for a sports' analogy.  I had that come to mind twice yesterday - once when I heard Peyton Manning was announcing his retirement and again when my son concluded his youth basketball season.  The second one was a little bit more humorous as my son literally thought I was asking him to hang up his basketball shoes in the closet.  I don't think he appreciated the metaphor for what it was, at least not at first.

There is some contrast between what Peyton is doing and what my son is experiencing.  Peyton is likely to never play another snap of professional football.  Heck, he may never even take another snap in a charity flag football game.  Whereas my son is simply taking a break between seasons.  He already has camps planned for the summer and is eagerly anticipating next season already, less than 24 hours removed from this season.  How can this apply to an interview process?  In many ways.

Oftentimes I hear from a candidate who is exasperated with an interview process.  Perhaps it is taking too long between interviews.  Or even an initial response from submission of a resume that looked certain to quickly turn into an interview.  Maybe they were told that everyone loves them, but three or four days have passed from the last meeting and no additional feedback is forthcoming.  Or everyone in a meeting claims to "love" your background, yet they want you to go through a battery of personality profiles, online testing, and independent psychological review to be sure.  Even recently I had someone who thought they were close to receiving an offer when some more questions came up that even turned into a request for more meetings/interviews.

So how do you know when it is time to "hang it up" and walk away from an interview?

1)  NEVER.  To quote the great Jim Valvano, "Never give up.  Don't ever give up."  Is this a little extreme?  Absolutely.  But it is predicated on a few factors, so hear me out.  First of all, we have to make the conclusion that you are interested in the job you are interviewing for.  Because if you're not, the first minute you agreed to an interview was when the waste of time began for all parties.  Secondly, how a company interviews is NOT always how they are going to conduct business.  So just because an interview process may be lengthy and laborious, it does not mean the company is a bad place to be.  It is very difficult to have a perfect process because there are many moving parts.  This doesn't mean I am advocating putting up with crazy requests or shutting things down if it goes in a bad direction.  Just don't let little hiccups make you question the job until you've made it through an additional step or two.

2)  When you find out the salary range is entirely unacceptable.  This one may be more of a gray area then we have time to explore in a blog, but it is an objective factor in a subjective process.  If you need to make $75,000 to consider a move and the role you are interviewing for cannot go above $50,000, that is a gap.  If you handle this correctly, you still may be in the running for other opportunities down the road with the same employer.  Honesty and transparency communicated in a professional manner can help with this.  Employers will appreciate that more than you can imagine.

3)  When the job description or role changes in such a manner that you know you could never accept an offer should it come.  One example I can think of is if you were told at the outset that working remotely from home could be possible.  Then you find out you need to move your family three states away instead.  Unless you are willing and able to consider that, it is likely time to walk away.  The game has changed enough that it is time to move on.

4)  If you are asked an inappropriate or even illegal question.  Your gut is always your best guide on these, and it should not happen very often.  But I have absolutely had candidates follow up with me feeling a little uneasy about something.  It should never be a difficult decision - if you have had it happen to you, it was probably easy to walk away at the end of that interview.

If you notice, the general theme here is that there shouldn't be a long list of reasons why you should leave an interview process too early.  I know from direct experience that it happens all the time, and I wish candidates would have a little more patience and faith in the process.  Far more often good would come of it than not.