Candidate, Know Thyself.

There is all sorts of debate about how a job seeker can differentiate themselves during a job search. Candidates has access to plenty of tips and tricks related to tweaking a resume and/or a cover letter to catch a recruiter’s eye. Suggestions on how to successfully interview are also most certainly not in short supply. But if everyone knows how to write a great resume, or can have one written for them, how can a job seeker really stand out? And more importantly, how can they make their job search much more than just finding another job?

Consider this: the difference is not in the resume, the cover letter, or even in the interview. Recruiters will FEEL it in all of these things, but the actual differentiation comes long before the job search even begins. Enter the title of this post. A candidate who knows what they want out of life, and the role their job will play in this goal have a power that cannot be matched by a clever cover letter or immaculate resume. It is truly astounding how many job seekers don’t know why they want a certain job beyond the basic need for cash to survive. The LEAST a candidate could do is fake it. But that won’t work for very long either. Most recruiters can see right through that.

If a candidate cannot not convey a compelling reason for pursuing the industry or position they are applying for there is a slim chance of hire. OR, even more importantly, there is a slim chance of ever making this job more than just another job.

Without diving into the conversation of living life with a direction (that is a topic for another post), my advice to candidates is simple:
1. Find a direction.
--Seriously, just about any direction will do. If you aren’t sure, pick a direction
anyway. Wishy-washy candidates end up in entry level jobs and are passed up for promotions
on a regular basis.
2. Become passionate about your direction. (See 3 and 3a for some help on this)
3. Research, research, research.
--Find out what recruiters in your target industry/company etc are looking for.
Specifically. (Now comes the clever opening paragraph on your cover letter)
3a. Network.
--Don’t try to get a job from everyone you meet, use your network to learn even more about
your target industry/job/company(ies).
4. Be prepared to provide COMPELLING, honest reasons for why you have chosen your direction.
--“Because it seems fun” or “I am looking for a change” are not compelling reasons.
5. Don’t be afraid to dream, but be realistic.
--If you are making a career change, understand that it may take some time to reach your
end goal.
6. Believe in yourself.
--Sounds cheesy, but confidence combined with ambition and direction are a dangerous
combination. When I say dangerous, I mean in regards to the defenses of the sometimes
seemingly impenetrable forces of HR recruiters.

Bottom line: knowing who you are and where you want to go might very well get you there.

You are being watched.

Forgive the creepy title, but it is true. I don’t need to tell anyone that we are in an age of extremely high visibility. Most people understand that what they do at work is monitored, and that your name will most likely be googled by potential employers, business partners, clients and vendors. But how about the way you act in normal daily activities? These may have more impact then we realize.

Recently while driving to a meeting with a client, I looked up into my rearview mirror and saw a big, full size van bearing down on me. Now WAY too close for comfort, the driver was obviously irritated. I briefly debated a quick tap on the brakes, but instead opted to change lanes and let them pass. Almost before I had left the lane, the van came roaring past. The kicker? This van had a big, bright vehicle wrap on it. (Anyone relate with this story yet?) As I sat back in my seat wondering if I had ever heard of the business, one thing was for sure, I would never forget it. To top things off, the van made a left hand turn from the straight lane exposing both sides of the beautifully wrapped vehicle to the entire intersection. No doubt the vehicle wrap had just served the purpose of creating awareness. Although I can’t imagine the business owner had hoped the mobile advertising would lead to the business name being coupled with some of the words likely uttered under several of the observing drivers’ breath. Most likely, the driver of the van was in a genuine hurry. Perhaps they were behind on a delivery, or maybe a client needed an immediate service call. Regardless of the reason behind the overly-aggressive driving, the damage had been done.

The reality is, we are being watched. You don’t need to have a vehicle wrap to be recognized in traffic, or at a restaurant, and it takes only a moment to erode what undoubtedly took months or even years to build.

It’s not just about WHO you know, but HOW you treat them

We’ve all heard this before: “It’s all about who you know.” I am a firm believer in this statement. I have been influenced in the last couple of years by several “hard-core networkers” (the reason I decided to start a blog was largely due to function I visited where Paul Allen presented on blogging; and a good friend, Robert Merrill, has been coaching me along the way). I now have a profile on linkedin and I try to visit as many relationship building/networking functions as my schedule allows. As I have worked my way through the process of building a network, I have experienced an interesting phenomenon that is likely familiar to most. How many of us have felt this coming from a “contact” before?—“You’re importance to me is directly correlated to how much business (leads, job offer etc.) I am going to generate from our relationship. If I can’t sell you something then I am not interested in building a relationship with you…”

How differently should networking contacts be treated than sales leads? Are they the same? I don’t think so. Relationships take time, and people like to feel like they are important, and not just another business card in a rolodex.

So what can we do to show our contacts some love? Start by communicating with them without selling anything. After attending a networking event I often receive several emails from individuals I just met. Some of these emails waste no time jumping into the great deal this person can get me on their product. Not too long ago, I received an email from a new contact explaining the great deal I could get on a new fence for my yard. The problem? I don’t own a house. He didn’t know that because he hadn’t taken the time to get to know me yet.

Collecting business cards and building relationships are two very different things. Relationships are built on trust, and that can take time. You don’t need to take every contact out to lunch every week (but if you do, I am available on Thursday and Red Lobster just started their Lobster Fest) but you do need to show them you care about them. Personally. Perhaps one of the greatest ways to do this is to change your mentality from “what can this person do for me” to “what can I do for them?”

Innagural Post

Break out the champagne, sparkling cider, or for me a delicious otter-pop--any color will do. This blog has officially been christened.