Management Craft

Management Craft on the List for Top Career Blogs

I was pleased to find that Management Craft is on the list of the top 100 English language career blogs from Career 100/Rise Smart. You can see the full list here. There are some great blogs on the list! Although career development is not the main focus of this blog, I do write about it often. Also, for managers, building your craft is an important way to build your career.

Remembering that we are messing with people's lives... HR and Hiring and how to avoid having your resume rejected on the first pass

I have done and still do some recruiting and I try to remind myself that there are people worrying about how I will respond to their resumes or interviews. I try to appreciate that there are some folks with knots in their stomachs because the wait is excruciating. I try to remember that my decisions have a huge impact on other people's lives.

Sure, it can be annoying, or inconvenient, to get dozens of phone calls asking for updates. I emailed my resume last night and want to know if you have had time to review it. I try not to let the messages impact my review of their resumes because I don't know their circumstances. Who knows, it might be this job that will enable him/her to stay in his/her home.

When we are waiting for the call from HR or the hiring manager, many of us are a bundle of nerves. This is why I try to be upfront with people if I think they are not a good match for the role. I tell them they will not get and interview, or an offer if they have interviewed. I think the pain of hearing this is less than the waiting and ultimate pain. And perhaps they will get into action on other job options.

And it pains me when I see candidates make very bad decisions about how they apply for jobs. You will read blogs post that tell you to buck convention to get noticed. I would agree that doing extra - more - can be good. But never do less than what employers request. Here's what I mean:

• Always completely fill out the application. Yes, this is a pain in the neck. But DO NOT write in the previous job section "see resume." There is a reason HR people want you to fill out the application. Your resume does not include all the information we seek - namely your salary history and the reasons you left each position. Take the extra time to fill out the application.
• If the job posting says to submit a cover letter, resume, and application, do all three. The cover letter is important for many jobs, particularly those that require writing. In addition, if you would not be the logical choice (a nurse applying to work as a webmaster), you can take the opportunity to address why you think you are the right person in your cover letter.
• Write legibly. If you cannot write legibly, type it. Better yet, learn to write legibly. Your application will get no attention if it cannot be read.
• Update your resume. I cannot tell you the number of times I have gotten a resume that did not include the most recent job. When I say, "so you are working at IBM," and you say, "oh, no, I left IBM, I am now working at ADP," this tells me that you did not care enough to update the resume (and makes me wonder if there might be a reason you did not want to mention this).

Here's why this is important. The HR person gets 100 applications, but you decided it was a pain in the neck to complete the application and send only your resume. You are now competing with 100 people who cared enough to do what was asked. The HR person MIGHT send you an email asking for the application, but it is more likely that your resume will be filed away and you will not be considered.

Case in point. I was reviewing this woman's applicant package (email, cover letter, application). The cover letter was short, but told me she had some experiences that we sought and her current employer was in the industry. The resume did not list the most recent employer that she mentioned in her cover letter. So I went to the application, where she wrote "see resume" in the previous employers section.

Because I know that I am messing with people's lives, I looked everything over a few times - precious time I did not have to spare. And then I put her application aside. Why? Because I had a huge stack of applications from people who took the time to send me the information I requested. Also, if someone is this careless when seeking a job, she is likely even more careless when doing other tasks.

The hiring function is dramatic and life changing. Each little decision we make about who is out and who is in affects someone. The bottom line is that we have one job and 100 people - we need to get from 100 to 1. Make sure you do not get ousted in the first pass. If you are seeking work, please take the care required to respond to jobs in the way the job posting requests. Know and embrace the fact that you are likely competing with dozens of other people.

P.S. For those of you applying for higher level jobs - yes, this applies to you. Often, like when working through a recruiter, you will only need to submit a resume. BUT, if the job posting - for even the $150,000 per year job - asks for an application, fill one out. Bottom line: do at least what is requested, and perhaps more, when applying for jobs.

What NOT to say during a job interview.

I interview a lot of people and I hear a lot fast talking. Here is something that happened recently. I share it so that you won't make the same mistake.

I was interviewing a women talking about her previous jobs. I generally ask the candidate why he/she left each job because I like to know the types of decisions they make and get a feel for where he/she wants his/her career to go. This one woman proudly shared - for two jobs - that the reason she left was that she was not able to do quality work. When I pressed for more information, she said that management decisions compromised her ability to take the time to do her best work.

I think she thought she was communicating to me that she had high standards.

But what she communicated to me is that she was a high maintenance employee.

All companies have rules and practices and sure, half those rules and practices are stupid and counterproductive. We all want to change the world, but be careful about how you answer these questions in job interviews. Think about what an employer is looking for - someone who will provide feedback and share ideas, yes, but also someone who will be a pleasure to work with. Someone who can be successful within our dysfunctional organizations and help improve them without getting on a righteous right/wrong podium.

Other "red flag" answers to, "why did you leave that job," include:

• Conflicts with management
• Personal differences
• No opportunity (if listed more than once, it is likely the person, not the company)
• Mutual agreement
• Advancement (and the next job is an obvious step down)
• New challenge (and they were at that job for less than a year)

Red flags are not always bad, just a prompt to explore the reasons further.

Fireside Chat with Michael Volpe

Is there a "War of Talent?" Maybe not. Check out this podcast!

During this 20 minute podcast, I chat with Michael Volpe, HR Knowledge Manager and Editor of iWorkwell, about the supposed War of Talent. Michael makes the argument that there is no war for talent based on how we make hiring decisions. The podcast ends with some sage advice about how we approach attending to our business challenges.

You can listen to my podcast with the Michael Volpe by clicking here:

You can also download an MP3 version of the podcast here.

And just a reminder.....

Here is the Podcast Feed for the entire Fireside Chat podcast series:

To see the complete list of podcasts in this series, select the Podcasts and Webcasts category on this blog or see the list on my main website here.

You can also find this series on iTunes (and several other podcast sites), just search under my last name for Fireside Chat.

Fireside Chat with Alexandra Levit - Dream Jobs

What's your dream job and how do you get it? Listen to find out.

During this 22 minute podcast, I chat with Alexandra Levit, author of How'd You Score That Gig: A Guide to the Coolest Jobs-and How to Get Them. We talk about which jobs her research revealed to be the coolest, how we can get from where we are today to doing our dream job, and how to discover the type of job that will be a great fit for your strengths and interests (your Passion Profile). Alexandra's book highlights 60 cool jobs - including a realistic look at the good, bad, and ugly of each. This is a fun conversation and a must-not-miss for anyone wanting to improve their career happiness. You can find Alexandra's blog here.

Alexandra also has a podcast called, 30/20 Vision, which is a monthly series for the 20-something woman who wishes she had a couple of big sisters to clue her in on the ins and outs of life after college. It features young authors Christine Hassler (20 Something Manifesto), Alexandra Levit (How'd You Score That Gig?), and Lindsey Pollak (Getting From College to Career).

You can listen to my podcast with the Alexandra Levit by clicking here:

You can also download an MP3 version of the podcast here: MP3 Download

 

And just a reminder.....

Here is the Podcast Feed for the entire Fireside Chat podcast series:

To see the complete list of podcasts in this series, select the Podcasts and Webcasts category on this blog or see the list on my main website here.

You can also find this series on iTunes (and several other podcast sites), just search under my last name for Fireside Chat.

Fireside Chat with Dan Pink - The Adventures of Johnny Bunko

What has Dan Pink's book got to do with the Rocky Horror Picture Show? You'll have to listen to this podcast to find out!

During this 23 minute podcast, I chat it up with Dan Pink, author of The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You'll Ever Need. Dan's book is the first American business book written in manga - a Japanese comic format. The book is a gas to read and the career coaching is timeless and immediately implementable. We talk about manga, we talk about strategic career advice, we talk about how Marcus Buckingham is a bauble-head, and we talk about Diana. Who's Diana? Listen and find out. Check out the website for Johnny Bunko here and check out a super cool movie-type trailer for the book here.

Dan's last two books are well known and likely on your bookshelf. They are A Whole New Mind and Free Agent Nation.

You can listen to my podcast with the Dan Pink by clicking here:

You can also download an MP3 version of the podcast here: MP3 Download

 

And just a reminder.....

Here is the Podcast Feed for the entire Fireside Chat podcast series:

To see the complete list of podcasts in this series, select the Podcasts and Webcasts category on this blog or see the list on my main website here.

You can also find this series on iTunes (and several other podcast sites), just search under my last name for Fireside Chat.

Land Your Dream Job

Love this quote from Randy Komisar, Harvard Business Review March-April 2000

If you want to land the job of your dream – even if you want to become a CEO – rid yourself of raw ambition. Avoid promotions that make perfect sense. Accept work based on Friendship alone. Trust your gut. Then watch what happens; prosperity of the heart, soul, and – yes – the wallet.

Rid yourself of raw ambition. Hmmm. I wonder how many of us know how ambition shows up in our lives and daily actions and decisions.

How to Interview the InterviewER - How to Interview Potential Managers

I had an email today that brought back the information from a post I did years ago called, How to Interview Potential Employers. If you are seeking a job or if you interview people for jobs, check it out.

Also, I have a free e-book download called, Interviewer's Secrets Revealed here.

I do a lot of interviewing for jobs at all levels of the organization and I am still amazed at the LACK of good questions I get from candidates. Making a bad job decision is a major thing, so it seems to me that candidates would want to check out the company and hiring manager very thoroughly.

But I guess it depends on your situation, right? If you are gainfully employed, perhaps you can be pickier than if you are unemployed and worried about paying the mortgage. That said, I get few good questions from employed people.

How do you make the decision that a job is right for you? How important is the fit with the company and hiring manager? If important, do you ask lots of questions or do you go with your gut - with chemistry.

I value chemistry a lot, but still ask lots of questions.

Oh, and here is a list of interview questions I like for middle managers and above on the org chart (This is my latest list):

1. Each member of a leadership team brings unique strengths and weaknesses. For the last/current leadership team you belonged to:
A.    Describe the team – size, members
B.    What unique skills and talents did you bring to the team BEYOND your functional knowledge?
C.    In what ways did you rely on other team members for coaching and advice?

2. What are the key reasons for your success?

3. Describe a time that you asserted yourself at a regular leadership team meeting. What was the situation? What did you say? What were the results?

4. Describe the two contributions you made in the last year that you are most proud of. How have these contributions helped the organization?

5. Beyond your functional projects and tasks, in what ways have you helped the company improve it’s ability to manage, execute and react to change?

6. Tell me about a peer that you have the most difficulty working with? What made it difficult? What did you do about it? What were the results?

7. If we were to ask your current/last peers and manager to describe the greatest strengths you brought to the company, what do you think they would say? Why?

8. Over the next two years, how would you like to grow as a leader?

9. Over the last year, what was the largest problem you were faced with solving? How did you approach it? What did you do? What were the results?

10. Describe your leadership and management style. How do you approach ensuring everyone on your team is working on the right stuff? How do you communicate? What is your belief about what makes people perform their best? Describe your direct reports in terms of each person’s, strengths, weaknesses, and how you managed each to perform their best.

11. As a member of the senior team, you need to communicate fully but appropriately with your teams, peers, and managers. How would you approach this responsibility? What, if anything, should be off limits? What do team members need to know and what do peers and managers need to know?

12. Tell me about the staff meetings you called? What was the focus? Who ran the meetings?

13. Selecting and developing a strong team is important. What do you look for when selecting a talented professional (other than the needed functional skills)? Tell me about a hiring success and a hiring failure and what you learned from each.

14. How do you approach ensuring everyone on your team is working on the right stuff? How do you communicate what’s most important? What is your belief about what makes people perform their best work?

15. Tell me about your hot buttons. What stresses you out or frustrates you?

16. Which areas of your work have been criticized most over the years? By whom? Why?

17. Based on what you know so far, what’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of this position?

Total Compensation

Many people focus on base salary or salary and bonus potential when looking for a job. It's natural, we all want money and money can make life more comfortable.

Challenge: Small organizations don't pay market, or many don't anyway. They can't - the economy of scale does not always work. And to be fair, the jobs are often different. In a Fortune 100 company, a call center manager might manage 100s of people and a budget of 10s of millions. In a tiny company, the call center is three or four people.

But here's the rub - the total work experience is often better in small companies. You can have a lot of impact, blur job description boundaries, and be a part of tight and caring teams. Sure, you might experience this in a larger company, but probably more so in small companies.

The benefits at small companies are generally less. This is just the facts. You should still expect health care coverage and basic vacation pay benefits, but not much more. Small companies often can't offer a lot of upward mobility or fancy training programs. That said, outstanding performers might find that they get promoted more quickly if there are openings (small companies are more willing to roll the dice on high potentials and not get hung up on things like years of experience and degrees or certifications).

Here's the rub #2 - the intangible benefits are higher in small companies. Small companies are often more flexible, personal, and colorful.

What if the most amazing job experience you could encounter this year comes with a pay and benefits package lower than what you think you deserve? Would you consider a role that offers 1/3 less in compensation and 50% more in satisfaction and enjoyment?

Food for thought as we reflect on 2007 and plan for a great 2008.

Time to Change Careers?

Passion Catalyst Curt Rosengren offers this Career Change quiz. If you think it might be time to think about a change, go take this now. Here's one question (out of 15) that we don't often ask:

My work is a good fit with who I am.

Good stuff. Take the quiz even if you aren't thinking about a career change, it will be revealing and fun.