How to stand out from the crowd in a job search

I was thinking about a blog topic this morning and almost titled one "Dare to be different during your search".  All the time people advise candidates and companies alike to differentiate yourself from your competition, be "out there", do whatever it takes to make an impression, go all out, or any other catch phrase you can think of to insert here.  I decided to tweak the title slightly, but did so very intentionally.

The problem with trying to be "different" from everyone else in an interview or job search is that you might be tempted to be someone you aren't or do something that is out of character.  If you do this just to get the job, your co-workers are going to be disappointed on your first day when they figure out that the person who interviewed is NOT the same person who shows up to work for the company.

Instead I would argue that it is better to stand out from the crowd as opposed to just trying to be different or something you are not.  To do this you really need to have a few things line up.

1)  You better know your crowd.  If you are trying to stand out, you better look around to see what you need to do to be remembered.  I think of the razor commercial that is pretty recent.  About six guys all wearing blue suits, white shirts, and similar colored ties are sitting against the wall waiting for their interview.  The one guy across from them looks above their heads, runs to the bathroom to shave his head, and it makes sense when the boss comes out to see the next interview and is bald himself.  The others were simply too focused on being nervous to have any idea what they might need to do to stand out.

2)  Put a smile on your face at all times.  Sure, this may seem cheesy.  But again, I chose the inserted picture for today very intentionally.  Just being happy when others aren't can be an advantage.  Have you ever notice if you smile at someone their natural reaction is to smile back?  You don't have to say a word.  Whether you are greeting the receptionist as you enter the building to interview, the HR person who speaks to you for twenty minutes before a panel interview, or even the CEO of the company as a final interview, start with a smile.  You will be amazed how it can put someone at ease.  Even on the phone your smile can come across.  I dare you to try it sometime. When you answer the phone or take a call for a phone screen, smile as often as possible.  It affects your demeanor in a good way and can even calm your nerves to focus on why you're better than everyone else for the job.

3)  Be consistent.  You can actually be "different" and have it be a positive contributor to standing out from the crowd.  That is if being different is something you do all the time.  I have another haircut example for you.  Sorry for two haircut stories in one blog.  My wife gives my son a mohawk haircut at the end of every school year going into summer.  I often worry just a little if we're sending the wrong message as people that don't know him may rush to judgment.  The thing is, now that he has done it every year for the past 3-4 years, people have come to expect it.  They ask him ahead of time if and when he is going to do it again.  Even his teachers and principals are in on it now.  They get a kick out of it and know that he is a good kid, a good student, and a true leader in his class.  He doesn't do it to be different and make any kind of statement.  He just thinks it looks cool, it is a fun way to mark the passing of another school year, and the positive response he gets from it far outweighs any criticism or friends jabbing him for his funky 'do.

At the end of the day I recognize it is a fine line to balance between being different for the sake of being different and standing out from the crowd.  What I can tell you unequivocally is that if you don't try to do either at some point you will simply be in the crowd.  I for one am not content with that idea.  Hopefully you are not either.

Have you ever done anything to stand out from the crowd during a job search?  

Three reasons to hire a "relo" candidate

There are a million reasons why candidates relocate to new towns during the course of their career.  It could be to move closer to family.  It could be their spouse's job taking them there.  It could be a "coming home" story after being away for a few years after graduating from college.  Sometimes it could even be just for the job.

Sometimes my clients are hesitant to even talk with candidates who are relocating.  It makes scheduling interviews more difficult, more expensive, and often more time-consuming.  Instead of an impromptu meeting for coffee or lunch it could be a process that stretches over weeks instead of days.  I am here to tell you, however, that relocation candidates can sometimes be the BEST candidates to have on your radar screen.

1)  They have no pre-disposed notions about your company.  We all know that in the competitive world we live in things are sometimes said about organizations that aren't true.  Those can be difficult to overcome if you are only sourcing local candidates.  But if you talk with someone that is moving from another market, you will not have this concern.  In the past I have even had candidates refuse to talk with a client based upon a rumor they heard that isn't anywhere close to being true.  If they are going to hold that over anyone's head during the interview process, that is not someone you necessarily want to be talking to about an opportunity.  Whereas a relo candidate is going to take the interview at face value and focus on the positive attributes of your organization.

2)  They are motivated to prove themselves.  Most good relo candidates understand the complexities of interviewing with a company that might be hundreds of miles away from where they currently live.  When the interview process goes well and the candidate is subsequently hired, they are likely to work with just a small chip on their shoulder to show the employer what a good decision they made.

3)  No one else knows about them.  If you can be the first to interview a good relo candidate, my advice is to always move quickly.  You have a huge advantage if you are an early interview.  Relo candidates are typically active candidates that are moving for a very specific reason, as I outlined above.  Knowing that, they are likely going to move quickly on any offers that come their way if it is a good career move.  Local candidates often want to talk with 3-4 employers before making a decision which can lead to counter offers, feelings of doubt, and maybe even a final decision to stay comfortable and stay put.  You won't run into that hurdle with a relo candidate.

Some of my favorite candidates over the years have been relocation candidates.  I could tell story after story of grateful candidates that turned to us for assistance when making a move, and it is always satisfying to know we can be a resource.  My clients are almost always pleased with their decision to hire as well.  Win, win!

Do you need to declare independence from your current job?

I was in Philadelphia recently for a conference and had the opportunity to go on a walking tour of many of the landmarks.  I also purchased some gifts for my children, including a copy of the Declaration of Independence.  It was my first time in Philadelphia, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Bringing that document home got me thinking about how candidates "declare independence" all the time through their job searches and career choices.

In the course of this declaration I have seen people do it many different ways - a few good and many not so good.  Far too often people think only of the future and fail to hold the present or the past in regard during their decision-making process.  Here is why all three are critical to the process being successful:

Past - if you fail to think back on where you have been in your career, you will bring no lessons with you to a new employer.  Just because you are looking to leave a job does not mean you cannot bring valuable knowledge, experience, or ideas with you.  You may have had a bad boss, undesirable colleagues, a bad commute, poor office working conditions, or a number of other things.  But you probably wouldn't have worked there at all if there weren't some good points.  Embrace those things and only leave the bad behind when you make a job move or interview for a new career option.

Present - the biggest part of living in the present is handling the final stages of the interview process and eventually resignation with dignity and respect.  I have recently guided a few candidates through precarious acceptances and subsequent resignations.  There were a lot of moving parts in each instance and fortunately the candidates were able to look at the bigger picture and stay in the moment.  Whether it be a bitter boss or an uneducated colleague, be certain to remain positive and professional when asked why you are leaving.  Do not say anything that may make you feel great for ten minutes, but ultimately you will regret.

Future - although this may seem like the easy part and full of excitement, there are a few tips to make the transition to a new job even easier.  First of all, stay in touch with your new employer.  If you don't start for 2-3 weeks, check in at least once or twice to ensure everything is handled administratively.  It also gives you a chance to reinforce the idea that you are excited about the move.  This leaves no doubt in your new employer's mind that you are committed to the move and looking forward to your first day.

In conclusion it is always good to know that you're not doing this on your own.  Just as our forefathers knew they would need support to send our country down a good path, a candidate looking to make a career move should always depend upon others to guide you to a good decision.  Maybe a mentor, a business coach, a family member, or a friendly recruiter (insert shameless plug) is what you need to get you through the journey successfully.

What's in a job title?

Have you ever felt like your job title did not do justice to what your actual position was within a company?  Or seen someone else's job title and felt it was not descriptive enough?  In my position I see everything from Director of First Impressions to CIO (Chief Idea Officer) to Head Cheese for a CEO.  While being creative in some industries can be good, in the world of insurance it is always best to say what you mean and mean what you say.

The problem with a job title is that it means different things to different people.  If you were to ask Monster you would receive one answer, while CareerBuilder would offer another answer, someone at Indeed or Linked In would provide another perspective, a third party recruiter would have a few thoughts, the HR/talent acquisition team at the employer would have an opinion, the hiring manager would like something completely different, the IT department would suggest particular key words in a specific order and font, and the job seeker would feel strongly about something that none of the aforementioned would understand.  So how do you decipher what is the best way to explain what your skill set is in just a title or two?  Or what your job is really seeking to fill?

This is a complicated question that oftentimes leads candidates to have multiple copies of their resume or online profiles.  Which I don't believe is necessarily a good thing.  It also can lead companies down the path of securing many resumes of people with a similar job title, but absolutely none of the skills they are seeking.  Over time we have counseled many companies and candidates to tweak things accordingly in their titles to make sure everyone is on the same page.  There are a few litmus tests you can apply to be guided in the right direction.

The first is securing some competitive intelligence.  Whether you are a hiring manager or a candidate, do some research into what others in the industry would call a particular position.  When I worked at a broker earlier in my career I was an Account Executive, but at the end of the day I was in sales.  I found over time that most other firms used the AE title to describe service instead of sales.  This hurt me when I was introducing myself to prospects as an AE because they were unaware of the fact that I was in sales.  We help clients all the time when deciding what title to use and/or NOT use based upon what we see in the market.

Next, determine the perception of the general public.  Will it help if a VP or AVP is added to a title?  Or perhaps the word "Senior" in front of an Account Manager or Account Executive title?  You can lean on my first point as a start.  Do other firms call an Account Manager with 5-7 years of experience a Sr. Account Manager to provide some oomph to the title?  If so, that might be something to consider adding to your repertoire to make sure you are attracting the right talent.  Also, think about how your team is structured internally.  If a senior level person is assigned to some indirect reports or higher level clients, it might make sense to add something to the title to show that line of demarcation both internally and externally.

Another easy question, but often overlooked, is how is the title going to fit on a business card or email signature line?  This may seem like a small detail, but if someone is an Assistant Vice President, Account Executive, Small Group Division that is a lot of information.  Would it be easier to simply call that person the AVP, Small Accounts?  In the day and age we live in with social media an exposure on sites like LinkedIn, these types of issues can help make a first impression.

Lastly, is there consistency over a period of time?  If you have had four different job titles for your four most recent employers, do you think that could be confusing to a prospective employer?  Or as a company if you have called someone doing customer service four different titles over the past four years, do you think that might be confusing to a job seeker?  This requires some long term planning, especially for companies.  Having a prescribed path that remains consistent can really help with this problem.  It can especially help with recruiting on the employer side as you can show candidates what the journey would be for advancement, career progression, and timing with each role.  Bigger companies tend to do a better job of this than smaller companies, but it can be a methodology used by all if it is a well thought our plan.

Have you ever been provided with a job title that didn't seem right?  Or hired a candidate that you really liked but didn't know what to call them?

Are you too busy to interview?

You have all likely seen a similar picture like this in the past.  Usually it is related to a salesperson trying to sell round wheels to the guys pulling a cart with square wheels who say they are too busy for a sales pitch.  But it resonates for today's blog topic as well.

One of the struggles of my job is getting everyone's calendars to line up when coordinating interview times.  Especially when both the candidate and the client contact are incredibly busy people.  I can completely appreciate that from both sides of the equation, but oftentimes people believe they are far busier than they actually are.  As far as I know, no one in the history of the world has won an award for being the busiest person in their office, their neighborhood, their zip code, or their family.  If such an award does exist, I don't believe it is one you should strive for.

If you find yourself telling a third party search firm or a prospective employer that you are "too busy" for that upcoming interview, consider these few tips for today:

There is a difference between being busy and having "busyness".  It is fairly easy to fall into the trap of thinking your day is filled with critical business and personal issues that cannot be shifted.  You are inherently telling me as a recruiter, or that possible employer, that what you have going on is simply more important than spending time with them.  I get it - you have to protect your current job before you secure another one.  But if there is a reason you would even consider an interview in the first place, you have to acknowledge its place of importance in the hierarchy of your calendar.

Everyone else is busy too.  I know you don't want to hear this, but it is true.  I adjust my calendar all the time to take additional calls from clients and candidates.  Oftentimes it pushes back my dinner hour at home with my kids.  Or makes me late to Little League practice with my son.  Or forces me to work through lunch.  But if I don't make those sacrifices some of my calls would be postponed by weeks.  And you never know when one of those calls might be the one I really shouldn't have missed.  Same goes for an interview that you continue to postpone and put off.  Perhaps it isn't about your busy schedule, but about your fear of leaving a current employer, no matter how much you don't like the career path you are on.  It is okay to be honest with yourself and work through that obstacle.  If you don't do it now, you may regret it for a long time to come.

Being too busy can be a sign of poor time management.  Yet another point that you might not want to admit may be true.  I remember early in my career when working at a large insurance brokerage that everyone around me seemed so busy.  I wasn't nearly so "busy" and wondered if I was doing my job well.  Then I got to see how much time was wasted in most people's calendars that may lead to time crunches with a project or a proposal that had a hard deadline.  Not being able to manage one's calendar does not necessarily make someone busy.  Don't be that person that waits for the "perfect" week to set up an interview.  You may miss a window to make a first impression.  Or someone else could come along whose calendar is not nearly as busy to take that job you really wanted.

Squeezing in a meeting into a busy schedule shows the importance of the meeting.  Think about it for a second.  You have an opportunity to make a great first impression with someone if you can make it a point to schedule that interview that has been tough to schedule for some time now.  Don't make it a contest to puff out your chest and see who is busier.  Instead acknowledge that both parties are busy, but you are willing and able to make time for it because it is important.  Even if you aren't sure how truly "important" the meeting will be, you can inherently influence the process and send that very strong message to the prospective employer.

Take a moment now in conclusion and be honest with yourself.  Have you ever re-scheduled, postponed, or cancelled an interview purely out of convenience and made an excuse for being too busy?  And do you think the prospective employer really bought it?  Being busy in and of itself is a very happy problem.  Just don't make it the main problem, especially when considering a job change.

Why you should talk about the weather during an interview

I have the pleasure of talking with people all across the country for my job.  One of the first things I almost always ask about is the weather.  You would be surprised how many times I am surprised to find out that Iowa is warmer than Louisiana in February or receiving less snowfall than Atlanta during a freak storm in November.

There are many reasons to talk about the weather, most of which don't have anything to do with whether or not someone is qualified for a job.  Yet I will argue that it is a fabulous topic to discuss for a number of reasons.

First of all, it is NOT on the list of topics you aren't supposed to bring up at work.  You know what I'm talking about - politics, religion, age, etc.  It is an innocent topic that everyone is aware of to some extent.  Especially if the weather pattern on that particular day is abnormal - unseasonably cool, hotter than normal, drought conditions, pending blizzard......you name it and it is likely on the mind of the person interviewing you.  This gives you something to talk about to ease the tension without talking about something sensitive or polarizing.

Secondly, it allows you a glimpse into the other person's personal life without asking probing personal connections.  If someone were to ask me about the weather forecast this time of year I would inevitably start talking about my son's baseball season.  With an extra question or two you would quickly find out that I coach both of his teams and am passionate about the game.  Regardless of whether or not someone shared that passion with me, I am always willing and able to talk about.

Next, it can help set the tone of the interview.  If you ask about the weather and receive a curt answer with no additional banter, you will quickly realize this interview is going to get right down to business.  On the other hand, if you can go back and forth a little, you may see that the other person is willing to talk more freely and openly.  Which may include the culture of the company, details about other colleagues, what the view is on summer clothing options on casual Friday - the list could go on and on.  While this may seem trivial, I would say it is a great way to see the way people interact with each other at that particular company.

Lastly, it could provide an easy entry point to finding things in common with the other person.  Similar to learning about their personal life, you may find out that they are a morning person.  And that daylight savings is their favorite time of the year.  You may find out they like to wake up early to the sunshine and the birds chirping, and they take a walk to start their day.  If you do the same thing, it will provide an instant connection.  Basic human nature is that you want to be around people that share common beliefs or traits.  Heck, this could even spark a relationship that goes beyond the normal 8:00-5:00 working hours should you get hired.

Have you ever brought up the weather and have it turn into an entirely different conversation?  I bet you learned something if it did!

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.