Should you hug it out during a resignation?

This is mostly a rhetorical question, but I am going somewhere with today's blog topic.  You'll just have to trust me as you continue to read my post and ponder the question......

I tried to find the most awkward "work-related" hug picture I could, and this one really took the cake.  But somewhat relates to the inspiration for my thoughts today.  I had a candidate resign last week, and her boss hugged her and wished her well with the new position.  Three things came to mind right away - she must have really been loved and respected by her colleagues, she handled the resignation process well, and lastly she built lasting, impactful relationships at the office.

Let's explore each of these ideas a little further.  First of all, being loved and respected by your peers should always be a goal.  I'm not saying you have to be friends with everyone, and that idea could be its own blog topic in the future - how to separate personal from work.  Instead I am suggesting that to be loved and respected you had to have a good work ethic, a good attitude, or quite possibly both.  The idea of being missed when you leave a job should be celebrated.  I remember when I left my first job almost 20 years ago our department bought a cake, made a memory board, and wished the employee leaving nothing but the best.  That practice changed, however, when one employee left who wasn't really going to be missed.  No hugs, no cake, no fanfare.  Not so subtle message, but I'm sure it was heard loud and clear.

Secondly, handling the resignation process well is a lost art.  Far too often candidates are anxious and nervous to get through a resignation and end up regretting something they say or do.  Or possibly react to something negative that is said by a boss or Human Resources contact.  The best way to avoid that from happening is to prepare accordingly.  Think ahead of time of any possible landmines or turns in the conversation that would lead down a bad path.  And in the worst case scenario that it does happen, but sure to take the high road and not react out of anger, malice, or mistrust.  You might feel good for about five minutes, but then you will regret your actions for the long term.

The last point is the most difficult as you can't go back in time if you haven't already built these impactful relationships.  Even if you don't have this kind of relationship with your boss or someone in management, hopefully you have built it with your colleagues and those you work with closely on a daily basis.  And while you may not always get a chance to tell those people goodbye, it is okay to try and close those doors gently.  Mainly because you never know when paths may cross again.  I can't tell you how many times people have left Company A for Company B, only to have one of their former colleagues join them at the new company.  For that very reason it is important to remember those relationships during the resignation process.

So should you really be aiming for a hug when you resign?  I think by now you know the easy answer is no.  But if it is a natural result, I would argue you've done all three things well that I talked about today.  I can guarantee as well that it won't be as awkward as the picture depicted above.

Does #MarchMadness impact hiring decisions?

Before you scoff at the idea, really think about it.  Or walk down the hall to see if anyone quickly changes their webpage or slides a piece of paper quickly under their desk when you walk by them.  Many studies have shown how much work productivity is lost during the basketball tournament season.  This year you can add in St. Patrick's Day and spring break, and it should be quite an interesting week to see how many people call in "sick" at any point in time.......

I am here to argue that you could actually use this all to your advantage.  Here's why:

1)  With this much going on outside of the office, oftentimes the office atmosphere that is left behind is a little more loose and informal.  Which means you might be able to catch a hiring manager or Human Resources professional in a really good mood as they catch up on emails and pending projects.  If a hire is imminent, they may be willing and able to spend a little more time with you discussing the intricacies of the job.

2)  Other candidates are gone and distracted right now.  So if you make yourself more available and following up on postings or interview de-briefs, you are likely ahead of the curve.  While other candidates that are being considered are watching basketball, going to parades, and disappearing for a few days, you are staying on top of your search and hopefully on top of the pile of resumes.

3)  Use some bracketology to break the ice.  Seriously.  Even if you aren't a huge basketball fan, you should be able to Google some real basic tournament info.  Maybe you can find out that the hiring manager is a fan of a particular team.  If so, they are probably more than willing to tell you all about how their favorite team is poised to make a run in the tournament.

4)  Mention something much more valuable to the hiring process than basketball or Irish holidays - the nearing end of the first quarter.  I guarantee you that hiring managers are looking at the calendar and planning their staffing needs accordingly.  If they have a need they likely were hoping to add within the first three months of the year.  With only a few precious days left before the second quarter, they may be ready to put their foot on the gas pedal.  Help them with that, again while many other candidates are off doing other things.

Here's to hoping both your brackets and your interviews get to the Finals!

Losing focus in your search?

I spoke with a candidate last week who has been active in a search since before the holidays.  Her job was eliminated before the end of the year, she took some time off for the holidays and only looked for something occasionally during the initial time off, and really started the search with gusto after the first of the year.  She had some initial success, even had a few interviews, and then the trail went cold.  She is now worried about the gap on her resume and wonders what to do next.

She admittedly lost focus and is trying to re-set her strategy.  Energy is low, the posting boards are quiet, and questions are beginning to form if it even makes sense to stay in the industry.  My advice to her was to simply re-focus and look at a few crucial things to get back on track.

1)  Re-visit your communication with prospective employers and networking contacts.  Hopefully you have kept track in some fashion of who you have reached out to.  Unless it was a negative response, perhaps it is time to send another email or make another call.  Just because a company said they didn't have any openings at the beginning of the year doesn't mean they don't know.  Perhaps someone quit since then.  Maybe an internal promotion.  Or growth occurred that means an addition to staff is necessary going into the second quarter.  You'll never know if you don't ask!

2)  Revise/update your message.  This can be really simple.  If the last time you reached out you were begging for a job or interview, this time provide some news from your end.  Something you have read recently about hiring trends.  Something you did to expand your knowledge base in your field.  Maybe even a continuing education class you attended to keep all of your licenses and designations current.  This shows you are moving forward and doing something positive in the midst of your search.

3)  Re-think what you really want to do next.  Challenge your thinking and expand your search.  Maybe not looking enough outside the box has prevented you from finding that "perfect" next career move.  Don't go too crazy here and attempt to find a position that you are not qualified at all for, but the job description sounds really cool.  Instead try and find something that will utilize your skills and professional experience, but may be slightly different than what you have done in the past.  Find people you know that have influence in these roles and companies, and try to learn more.

When things are out of focus it is important to find a balance between doing things you have done before and trying new things.  Just because something didn't work previously doesn't mean it was a bad idea.  On the other hand if you're doing the same thing over and over and it isn't working, perhaps it is time to branch out and try new things.  Either way doing nothing is not an option.  If you have lost focus and hope someone else can get you back on track you are in trouble.  You need to take the reins yourself, get focused, and go pursue something worth having!

The wrong way to leverage a counter offer

There are many ways to negotiate an offer when in final stages with an employer.  Some tactics are time tested and work well, while others are shots in the dark and can become epic fails quickly.  As a candidate you certainly want to watch out for your best interests.  You have to realize at the same time, however, that the employer is going to be doing the same thing.  The happy middle ground is usually where most deals get done.

Recently we had a candidate try to leverage a pending offer from another employer with his current employer.  It is a long story what happened from there, but timing was not aligned well and it got complicated quickly.  There are three basic assumptions that were made that were problematic:

1)  Not knowing market value for your position.  This is similar to thinking your house or car is worth more than it actually is when you try to sell either.  As a seller you always want more and as a buyer you always want less.  Even if comps in an adjacent neighborhood don't support your desires on a home price, many sellers will still act irrationally and feel like their home is worth more in their minds than any buyer or real estate agent.  The problem is that you're trying to balance fact with emotion.  The same can happen when trying to leverage a counter offer.  If you think you are currently underpaid and a position you are interviewing for has a salary range 20-30% higher than your current salary, that does not mean you'll automatically qualify for the high end of the range.  Plus if you come it busting out the high end, there will be no room for growth in the future.

2)  Not defining your motivation for leaving.  If you are only looking for a new position because of money, that can become a slippery slope.  Even more dangerous is making a job search or interview process about the money when it isn't really about the money.  You may be happy in a position, feel like you're not being compensated fairly and enter into a job search to see if more money is out there.  The problem is that if you can procure the money, but don't want the position, that isn't going to automatically make your current employer want to pay you more.  In fact it could backfire and they could question why you were looking to leave in the first place.

3)  Not seeing the bigger picture.  Keep in mind that if you attempt to leverage a counter offer and it doesn't work, you may alienate yourself from both parties.  If you have a third party search firm or consultant involved it can go even deeper.  You don't want to bite the hand that feeds you as the world is such a small place any more.  The reward may seem worth the risk at the time, but you really have to balance everything between fact and emotion carefully.

The bottom line is that there is nothing wrong with being unhappy or feeling underpaid.  Many people are trapped in conditions that are unfavorable, do nothing about it, and are unhappy for a long time.  Just keep in mind that as you enter into a job search that you may have to make a decision on an offer or counter offer and you are bound to disappoint someone.  The fewer people you disappoint the better for your long term career options.

Have you ever seen a counter offer situation go badly?  If so, how was it handled?

What we can learn from Lorne Michael's hiring practices

Regardless of how you might feel about Saturday Night Live, it is pretty amazing to think that it has been on the air for 40 years.  In some regards they have had to continue to adapt and evolve over time to cater to the needs of a changing audience.  While in other regards they have done the exact same thing for those 40 years and it is a magic formula that continues to work year after year.

What exactly is it that provides that kind of staying power?  I think a lot of it comes straight from the top with Lorne Michael and his hiring practices.

First of all, he is not afraid to look back and regret NOT hiring some pretty amazing people.  Oftentimes employers move on from a candidate after an interview as if they had no ability to contribute to their organization.  I have had clients get a second opportunity to hire someone after some success and a select few are willing to do so.  Far too often, however, if they passed the first time they will pass the second time.  You will never get them all right, but some honest self-reflection on candidates you missed out on can help the hiring process going forward.

Secondly, he doesn't laugh during interviews.  Which if you think about the thousands of auditions he has seen makes you wonder if he let out the occasional chuckle.  He wanted to see how the comedians would push through the awkward silence.  Far too often I see employers gush over a candidate, promise them way too much, and then after some true careful consideration they pass on the candidate.  It is confusing, disappointing, and frustrating for the candidate when they receive so much affirmation during the interview, only to get shot down afterward.  There is nothing wrong with letting people know the truth at the conclusion of an interview.  Let the candidate know exactly where things stand without the promise of next steps that might not be fulfilled.

Next, he often gave second chances.  Whether it be another audition or an invite back in a following year, he kept audition tapes and was never afraid to look at them again.  As I mentioned in my first point he did regret not hiring a few key people.  He learned from that mistake and tried to always keep an open mind.

He also fought through some objections.  Jim Carrey was interviewed last night during the pre-show, and the question was asked if he knew of someone who tried to kibosh his hiring in the early 80s.  He didn't go into a lot of detail, but it sure seemed like there was someone that did not want him to be hired.  Lorne was not afraid to bring him in to host even though he was not selected as a cast member.

Additionally, Lorne knew he had to hire gifted writers and let them do their thing.  There are many stories about changing things at the last minute with scripts or skits.  He knew he had hired capable people and although he was incredibly organized and wanted lots of rehearsal time, he could also let go and allow those writers to shoot from the hip.  He knew that was exactly why he had hired them.

Lastly, he was not afraid to do what it took in a pinch.  Martin Short said that he didn't even interview for his spot on the cast.  In the mid 80s they simply needed a spark with some big names and Lorne signed several to a one-year contract.  They did so many amazing sketches that it seems like they were on for more than one season, but they weren't.

I would love to talk to Lorne some day and ask him who he thinks he best hire ever was.  Think he could narrow it down to only one person?

Do you need "fact-checking" on your resume?

We have all had those moments in life where we "mis-remember" something or a memory is fuzzy because it is so long ago.  I just caught up with a former colleague from a job that was 17 years ago and our re-collection of events was similar, but not exactly the same.  So I'm certainly not here to judge anyone.  But the recent events surrounding Brian Williams' account of something in his past have stirred quite a nationwide controversy and discussion.  How can this relate to your job search?

This can serve as a good reminder for any candidate who is looking to polish up a resume or is preparing for a search for a new role or career challenge.  One of the first things I see on resumes that is a gray area is dates of service.  There are two ways this can be misleading if you're not careful.  The first is when you list through "present" on a resume when you really left that employer.  The reason is irrelevant.  If you are no longer with a company, you should indicate that on your resume.  The second way that can be meant to mislead is if you don't explain gaps in time on your resume.  This is often done by not including the months as well.  Let's say, for example, that you have a couple of 6-8 month gaps during the last 4-5 years.  I have seen candidates simply put in years, leave out the months, and then have to explain themselves later.  It is much easier to just have all of the information accurate from the start.

Another common problem I see with resumes is regarding education.  If you are working on a professional designation, but don't have it yet, don't list it on your resume as something that you have.  I know this seems like common sense, but I have seen it many times where someone is only one credit or one class short of something, they are in process, and they go ahead and put it on the resume.  It may never be checked, but that is a slippery slope toward lying about something.  Or if you have not received your Bachelor's degree but list your dates in such a way that makes it look like you do, that is a problem.  We were close to offer stage on a candidate recently who made it appear as though a college degree was received, and the employer required that for the position.  At the end of the day there were a few classes shy, and the employer pulled the offer.

Finally, I see numbers being stretched and manipulated to make things look more attractive.  In the world of insurance one statistic that is often transposed is premium instead of revenue.  If you are working on accounts that represent $100,000 in premium that is entirely different from an account that generates $100,000 in revenue to a retail agency.  That is a pretty easy one to ferret out, but I am surprised by how many times people try to inflate that number.  We also see it with number of accounts assigned, number of direct or indirect reports, annual goals, and much more.  Don't ever guess on that or you might be held accountable later.

What else have you seen in the past when "fact-checking a resume?  Happy to hear your stories as always!

Three things that let the air out of your search

The hype over #DeflateGate may subside now that the Patriots won the Super Bowl.  I do have to admit it was fun to watch all kinds of companies create advertising campaigns around the conflict.  I saw some creative ways to attach products to all of the hype surrounding the story.

It also got me thinking about how a job search can begin to look like these sad, under-inflated footballs if you aren't too careful.  Here are three classic mistakes that people make to let the air out of their search:

1)  Lack of interest.  I have seen people just stop caring when things don't go well during an interview or a search process.  It is usually someone else's fault, they just hope fate intervenes to turn things around, and they do nothing pro-active to turn their situation around.  It may seem unlikely, but I have seen it over and over in the past.  Maybe they haven't had to look for a job before, and it is tougher than expected.  Or one minor setback puts them into a tailspin that they can't break out of.  The bottom line though is that if you don't care, no one else will either.

2)  Lack of communication.  Somewhere along the lines in that game for the Patriots there were not proper checks and balances to make 100% sure the balls were inflated correctly.  Similarly during an interview or search process you have to make sure you are checking in, making yourself available, and saying what you are thinking.  You certainly don't want to over-communicate, but I had to admit I appreciate too much communication over not enough nine times out of ten.  I can't tell you how crazy I get when I try to check in with a candidate before or after an interview, only to get the silent treatment.  It doesn't send a good message that you are engaged with the process.

3)  Lack of effort.  You can telling when someone simply isn't trying.  You ask for something ahead of an interview and get nothing.  You advise someone how to prepare for an interview and know that they didn't.  Employers and hiring managers will tune into this and vet it out quickly.  It can happen before, during, and after an interview.  Once again, I am okay with trying too hard and it backfires on you much more so than deciding to not try at all.

The solution to combat all three of these is quite simple - be interested, or at least feign interest.  It isn't that difficult.  Stay in touch with the company and/or recruiter throughout the process.  It doesn't have to be over-done, but to the point.  Lastly, show me some hustle.  If you are in a job search you have to go out and get it.  The right job isn't going to come knocking on your door.  And even if it does, you still have to open the door!

Have you ever had the air let out of your search?  If so, what did you do to stop it?