by Karen P. Katz on February 12, 2009
This is an amazing opportunity for those whose entrepreneurial ideas are ready to launch, similar to the government's criteria for "shovel-ready" infrastructure projects.
Cuban offers venture capital to those who can meet his 13 criteria. The competition itself will spark innovative thinking; the process will be public, and therefore inspiring; the winning business plan may spark a stimulus of innovation. The time frame is NOW – its all about responsiveness and accountability.
Need help writing your business plan? If I can't help you, I'll find someone who can. Check-it-out…<http://tinyurl.com/djwbbu>
by Karen P. Katz on February 10, 2009
…at a column written by Stefan Stern, a columnist for the Financial Times. While readers of this blog expect career and job search wisdom, I feel compelled to "out" this columnist. I hope to feed his "hot air" to my readers who are proponents of sustainable enterprise* and corporate social responsibility*.
Stern's flippant muse was caught by a LinkedIn Net Impact Group member, Joseph Hollak. Joseph quoted Stern's opening comment, "Thank goodness, now the recession’s here we can forget all that
nonsense about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and get back to
trying to make some money." When last I checked, the question had not taken on much of a life, so I raise it here to raise a ruckus…
My two-cents is simple: CSR is not a conspiracy to pick the pocket of shareholders in the name of "good deeds." CSR is an approach to profitability that promotes free enterprise while at the same time, promoting respect for the planet and dignity for consumers. Profitability and higher principles can certainly work hand in glove. Surely Mr. Stern has witnessed what happens to those who blindly seek profits at the expense of their community. When he emerges from his rock, I hope he'll settle in a pleasant green pasture.
*A note to students of sustainability and CSR – the Wikipedia definitions need your input.
by Karen P. Katz on November 11, 2008
Veterans perform tasks and achieve a variety of successes in environments that civilians have trouble understanding. In honor of Veteran's Day, I'd like to offer some basic training to help Vets make a successful transition to the civilian workforce.
Veterans are like all candidates: it is imperative to demonstrate that their skills, abilities, and areas of knowledge are transferable to the needs of civilian employers. Vet's can talk about what they have accomplished in the military and in previous positions. Like other candidates, it is important to present a "mini-business plan" to relate to the
needs of a prospective employer. Review the following list to be sure
you are prepared to interview successfully:
- You have
clearly and concisely described one – two "success stories" for each of
your previous positions, using the Problem (Challenge) – Action -
Result model.
- You have analyzed your accomplishment
stories to identify the personal qualities, skills, and areas of
knowledge that made it possible for you to achieve your successes.
Step #1
- Study the job description and organization to identify the criteria
for the job (not "requirements"). The criteria are likely to be "soft
skills," e.g., flexibility, team orientation, interpersonal skills,
etc. Create a grid, with the criteria on the left and your previous
employers across the top.
Step #2 – Fill-in the cells
with a note about each employer/accomplishment that addresses the new
job criteria. (Without the ability to post a table on-line, I can't
provide a good-looking sample – contact this author for a complimentary
copy of this worksheet..)
Step #3 – Once you've
completed this "homework," use your notes to prepare for questions and
conversation with the interviewers. Be careful to limit your responses
to three – four crisp sentences, using the Problem (Challenge) – Action
- Result model.
SimplyHired, an on-line aggregator of job postings, has created a Vet-Friendly filter that may make it easier to complete local labor market research. I found 124 potential leads with the keywords, "Operations Manager" in my 5-digit zip-code. The idea is to use these leads to develop a list of target organizations and keywords/job titles – don't become obsessed with "cutting and pasting" in response to postings. Use the Internet to conduct a proactive campaign: Vet-friendly organizations are a great place to start!
by Karen P. Katz on November 8, 2008
Readers know that I'm a career-politico and a student of the 2008 Election. The last two years have offered many lessons for those seeking new jobs and/or engaged in career transition. I've shared my own perspectives during the last year: check out the views expressed by Harvard Business Online (The Managerial Triumph of Barack Obama)
John Quelch's post in Business Week is one of three "ivy-covered" views of Obama's victory. It reads like a comment on my Lessons from the National Interview; here's a summary of his points that circle back to inspire anyone involved in personal marketing:
- Obama's personal attributes were fleshed-out and visible to voters: interpersonal & communication skills; composure; his compelling story
- He engaged support from the ground-up; perhaps the Harvard-educated Obama was inspired by the idea of the "learning organization," advocated by a professor on the other side of Cambridge, MA – Peter Senge.
- Dominated the use of technology – multiple websites; the blogosphere, You-Tube, podcasts, and an incredibly effective infomercial (33.5 million viewers)
- The campaign targeted an inclusive array of voters; went beyond likely voters and discovered the power of early voters.
- Message of hope delivered during time of doubt and despair resonated with possibility
- Obama had some noisy gremlins in his closet; he dealt with them early-on and in a poignant and transparent manner. When the Republican Party of Pennsylvania pulled them out of the closet In October 2008, they were marked as "past season."
- TEAM – The team Obama assembled to market his candidacy and run the campaign was outstanding. Quelch rightly points to the selection of Joe Biden as VP – a choice that filled Obama's foreign policy gap and reassured voters about Obama's judgment.
by Karen P. Katz on November 1, 2008
Studs Terkel died in Chicago yesterday at age 96. He enjoyed a full life to be sure, with the possible loss of an opportunity to cast his ballot for a fellow community organizer, Barack Obama. Click here to read an excerpt from an October 23rd interview with Studs about Election 2008.
As one whose first "professional" job was with a community-based employment development agency... …with two sons who work to repair the earth, one through higher education and another via social entrepreneurship/BOP…whose family has walked the talk, I join Studs Terkel and Barack Obama in celebrating the value proposition that "community organizers" can bring to the workplace.
Some may scoff or snarl at the idea that "do-gooders" offer value to the traditional world of employment (e.g. Rudolph Guiliani at the Republican National Convention), but with the perspective of an interviewer like Studs Terkel, let's look at what a hiring manager may find:
- Excellent interpersonal skills – listen twice as much as they talk to people who are not often heard
- Needs assessment ability – understand the needs that are underneath the expressed frustrations
- Problem solving/Resourcefulness – able to identify needed resources and people
- Project/Program management – ability to keep a lot of balls in the air, all headed for home-plate
- Sales/Marketing ability - accountable for outcomes; identify continued and new funding sources
- Communication tools – written, verbal, print, visual, audio, Web 2.0, and in several languages
The service that community organizers perform is as valuable as that offered by our military, our teachers, our police officers and fire-fighters, and by journalists, broadcasters, and interviewers like Studs Terkel, who respectfully chronicled American workers since 1957.
