by Karen P. Katz on September 10, 2009
A chain of posts through the Net Impact LinkedIn group led me to rant again about the disparity between the innovation that is taught in “better” business schools and the conformity that is foisted-upon new graduates.
Ivy League universities hire distinguished faculty to teach classes in “innovation;” these same professors rally around the need for change to compete in the global marketplace. Yet as students approach graduation and complete their exams, theses, and dissertations, it seems they are ushered into the back room to have the creativity beaten out of them. The Biz School back-room “whoopin” leaves new graduates wondering about their considerable investment of time, money, and faith.
Resumes must conform to a specific style to earn a place in the recruitment “book; ” cover letters may as well be automated, and networking is almost incestuous (maybe due to over-reliance on alumni). I shouldn’t complain, as many students seek the services of experienced career professionals to flesh-out their personal brand and manage their job search campaigns. (Look for CAN and other career strategists at the Sept. 17th PA Governor’s Conference for Women, as well as several MBA Career Expos and the November Net Impact Conference.)
The NetImpact group discussion led me to a related post by Matt Madden, a Presidio School of Management student who is writing a book tentatively titled Status Quo Values. The purpose of this project is to explore status quo value systems – economic, political and social values – and discuss the role these values play in our society’s aversion to change. The goal of the work is to define status quo values, discuss the historical roots of our institutional embrace of status quo values, examine the role our institutions play in promoting these values to individuals and investigate examples of institutions and individuals adhering to alternative value systems. Sounds like a continuation of the dialog started by Robert Reich in his Fast Company issue, Your Job Is Change. I’ll be looking for the book, Matt…
by Karen P. Katz on February 4, 2009
Godin, blogger and thought leader among personal and permission marketers, has re-framed the thinking of Richard Bolles, author and esteemed guru of career and life coaches.
I'm always looking for a topic that might add real value to the career space, so I was grateful to a friend who sent me Seth Godin's recent post, What are you good at? Taking a marketing perspective, Seth appropriately suggests that those looking for their next big gig" should consider the distinction between skills that can be categorized as "content" and "process."
Godin uses 21st Century terminology to make his point: "Content is domain knowledge. People you know or skills you've
developed… Domain knowledge is important, but it's (often) easily learnable." While Bolles' terms may not resonate with Millennials, his discussion of this topic is as relevant today as it was in 1980, when the Quick Job Hunting Map was first published. Bolles describes skills residing in the content domain as "I know skills" ,e.g."I know how to use SAP, "I know financial accounting," "I know movers and shakers in the logistics field."
Godin uses the term "process" to describe "emotional intelligence" – what Bolles would call "I am skills." When explaining process skills, a speaker is likely to start a sentence with "I am able to manage multiple projects," "I am persuasive," "I am adaptable," etc. These are the skills, abilities, and personal qualities that can differentiate a candidate from the many others who share their credentials and knowledge skills. As Godin says, the process "…stuff is insanely valuable and hard to learn." And I agree that these personal qualities are likely to be overlooked by screeners and scanners. All the more reason to dig-deep and seize control of your personal marketing campaign – to manage your career.
An infinite number of people share the same content domain, but precious few offer the same mix of process skills and personal qualities. Long-term career health, preceded by successful assessment, preparation of marketing documents, interview preparation, and offer negotiation, is dependent upon your understanding of these ideas.
by Karen P. Katz on September 24, 2008
While the business climate may be ugly, the economic recovery depends on people like you to turn it around. Perhaps you are one of the visionaries that can think outside the box – perhaps you have the connections needed to collaborate with others – perhaps you have the passion to set the economy on the right track.
The ExecuNet Report is well-regarded, and it points to a job market reality: companies need people to create business opportunities, sell products and services, and manage their operations. See below:
NEW: The Executive Job Functions Most in Demand
Executive Job Functions That Corporate Employers
Expect Will Create The Most Growth In 2008 Executive Hiring |
| Business Development |
14.8% |
| Sales |
12.9% |
Operations Management (including Quality,
Supply Chain and Logistics) |
12.9% |
| General Management |
10.3% |
| Finance |
9.1% |
| Engineering |
9.1% |
| Marketing |
8.7% |
| MIS / Information Technology |
6.2% |
| Consulting |
6.1% |
| Research and Development |
5.7% |
| Human Resources |
3.5% |
|
| Source: ExecuNet 2008 |
Demand for senior-level executives with significant business
development, sales, operations management and general management will
outstrip corporate appetites for management-level hiring this year.
That's according to the findings of ExecuNet's 16th annual Executive Job Market Intelligence Report survey of more than 250 employer organizations.
by Karen P. Katz on September 2, 2008
I belong to several excellent professional associations, Including Career Directors International (CDI), which has designated September as "Update Your Resume Month."
The fall is one of the seasons of the year that is traditionally associated with self-evaluation, work-life management, and change resolutions. This is a great time to seize the opportunity to manage your career and life situation: to be proactive rather than defensive, especially in the face of challenging economic times.
Many people call, asking that I tweak their resume; in most cases, a more complete revision is needed. What are some of the factors you should consider when considering how to proceed? Remember – the resume is a marketing tool that speaks for you when you aren't there…
- Does your resume make a convincing case for where you want to go – in the future?
- Do you use industry-specific keywords? Do you use terminology that helps to make a transition?
- Is your resume more than 2-pages long? How dense is your text? Is your writing style clear, concise, and compelling?
- Does your resume describe job duties or success stories? Does the text of your resume support your "brand" or "your SSP (special selling points)"?
- Is your resume relevant? Do you emphasize quantifiable and recent accomplishments; those that are relevant to your future goals?
- Is your resume an effective marketing tool? Never lie, and never market yourself in a cheesy or over-the-top manner… Know yourself: plan your campaign strategically; tell your story with understated enthusiasm, in writing and in-person.
See the archives of this blog for other posts on resume-writing; see CAN's tips to "Avoid the Round File" (Download 0405-TRIBUNE_EDITED_E-MAIL.pdf); see books by Enelow and Kursmark for current samples, including those by this writer.
by Karen P. Katz on July 3, 2008
If
you’re reading this article, you probably understand that job
successful job seekers talk about what they have accomplished in
previous positions, and 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 employers, 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.
Going forward, you need to re-frame this data in terms of what is needed for the specific position you are applying for.
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 online, 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.
Ironically, you’ll need to rehearse these responses so you can deliver them in a style that appears to be totally spontaneous! Rehearse
wherever you are alone and won’t feel silly talking out loud to
yourself, e.g., while driving, drying your hair, etc. Want to hear a supportive refrain while practicing? Try Frank Zappa’s 2005 The Classic Interviews ! 
