Management Consultant, Author, Blogger, Skier, Husband, Dad, and Mini Cooper owner, but not necessarily in that order.
Corporate rookies: As the economy turns around, press your advantage
Office hook-ups: what you need to know (and what people don’t like to talk about)
Summer’s here… a time for visible tattoos, bathing suits, and outdoor alcohol consumption. Under normal conditions, we know these to be the ingredients for that popular dish, The Summer Fling. But add in a tension-filled (read: romance-free) economy, and don’t be surprised if people find even a brief courtship too filling. And that’s OK; people have proven they can live without romance.
Do This 1 Thing and I Guarantee—Yes, Guarantee—You Will Get a Job
When it comes to the job search, everyone’s with the lists: how to get a job; mistakes people make; ways to ace an interview; things you need to do today.
Enough.
There is a problem with all these lists. The problem is not that there’s not some good insights in some of them. It’s that no list will ever get you a job. Ever.
Know what’ll get you a job?
One thing: action.
Let’s do an experiment:
Right now, open a new browser tab/window. Go to your social networking site of choice. Think of a friend you haven’t spoken to in awhile—someone you don’t have anything important to talk about. Take however much time you need… when you think of that person, send him/her an invite to connect and a note that reads something to the effect of: “Just thinking of you; would love to connect when you have a few minutes and hear how you’re doing.” Then come back to this page.
I’ll wait while you go do that…
OK, now let’s review the experiment: did you actually do it? What would you have learned from a list, awareness that you should call? Hey: this ain’t “life appreciation class,” this is life itself. If you want something, you’ve got to move!
Others may care, but personally, I don’t give a hoot or holler about the proper etiquette for re-introducing yourself to an old acquaintance. I don’t give a flying fish about thank you notes or emails, either. Nor do I care about how awkward this all must be for you. All I care is whether or not you act. Because when you act, messing doesn’t matter. (As much.) When you mess up in your head, you stress; when you mess up in real life, you try again and improve. It happens without thinking about it whenever you refuse to give up!
I recently called a friend I hadn’t seen in 19 years. Out of the blue, just to say hi. That was awkward… for about a minute. Then we clicked and now I’ve 200 more people in my network. I called another friend, too… that conversation didn’t go as well. So? I lost nothing on that one. Ten minutes, maybe.
Now it’s your turn again: put down the list and go make that call. Bungle it. In fact, try to mess it up. You know what you’ll find? You’ll find you can’t. No more thinking about it, go do it!
Because they only way to guarantee that you get a job is to go out and get the job!
Why Your College Grad Doesn’t Have a Job Yet… & 10 Things You Can Do To Fix That
In addition to being managers and executives, many of my corporate clients also happen to be parents. If they happen to not only be parents but parents of college-aged kids or recent college graduates, what with the number of unemployed college graduates hitting historical highs these days, they can also, on occasion, be… kinda stressed out.
Why Your College Grad Doesn’t Have a Job Yet… & 4 Things You Can Do To Fix That
In addition to being managers and executives, many of my corporate clients also happen to be parents. If they happen to not only be parents but parents of college-aged kids or recent college graduates, what with the number of unemployed college graduates hitting historical highs these days, they can also, on occasion, be… kinda stressed out.
Sometimes, the truth is a pig.
Insisting that it wears lipstick, and then gushing over what a gorgeous shade those lips are, without acknowledging that they’re attached to a stinking pig, doesn’t change the fact that the truth is going to make a big ugly mess in your house.
Ha, ha, right?
Actually, this is exactly how many executives behave.
The thing is, after spending a number of years consulting to guys like Tim’s boss, I’ve learned something: this is pretty much exactly how the game works:
Sure, there are stretch assignments and “public speaking challenge” type things… but if you underestimate the importance of pushing back during those little interpersonal contests like the one Tim’s boss lays down for him here, you do so at your own peril. So here are your options:
4 Tips for Managing Millennials (Plus a White Paper!)
1. Don’t be afraid to be honest.
I often hear about the frustrations managers have dealing with “Millennials who expect to be vice presidents by the time they’re 28.” I’ve seen this in action. Nearly every time, the problem is a combination of of factors that includes, among other things, a manager who is afraid to be more than a friend to his subordinates.
My dad used to say: “You get more from this world with a smile and a gun then with a smile alone.” He meant that it helps to be nice and have power. Managers: have you forgotten that by virtue of your position, tenure, and network, you have significant power in this situation? Don’t get all jerky about it, but… use it. Start by delivering direct feedback in plain English that let’s your Millennials know exactly what’s expected of them and where they stand… even if it’s not good.
2. Manage by career phase, not age.
I did a little study in 2008 about our attitudes toward “the Next Generation.” One thing I found was that the stereotype for a “Next Gen” employee was an arrogant ne’er-do-well in his mid 20’s, but reality was much more subtle. (Surprise, surprise.) 60% of respondents said Next Gen employees were defined by a combination of age + attitude, and over 50% of respondents weren’t even sure if they’d be considered Next Gen by coworkers.
The bottom line for managers: generational differences are complicated by a number of factors, of which one—career phase—is in your control. (The others are demographics, economics, politics, and technology.) Generally speaking, in the first career phase, an individual becomes a functional expert who’s great at doing something. In the next phase, that person stops doing so much and focuses more on organizing/managing people. The shift from the functional phase to the social phase will look different for Millennials than it did for you; be prepared by understanding what they’re up against and how to help.
I understand it’s alluring to want a one-size-fits-all solution for managing Millennials, but managing by maturity level/career phase should prove more effective. After all, making decisions based the date of people’s birth isn’t strategy. It’s astrology.
A note for Millennials: be aware, all that job-hopping may stunt your career development, and that would be bad for everyone.
3. Listen.
I had one client where the younger workers were asking about what career paths would get them to the VP role fastest. Management was up in arms at having to deal with such insolence. But a simple follow up conversation with the Millennials revealed that they were quite open to being told a VP-ship was still years away… they knew there were things they didn’t know, and asking about the career path was their way of asking, “What don’t I know about what’s ahead of me that I need to know?” They were more than willing to hear a direct answer.
Managers, beware: listening starts with understanding where people are emotionally. When you’re workforce shows up in the morning, you need to anticipate and accept their emotional realities, which aren’t always pretty.
4. Don’t label the issue.
Assume, for a moment, you have brown eyes. How would you respond if you overheard me talking about “the problem with those brown eyed people?” Probably, as this experiment showed, not well. The lesson here is that to some degree, “the problem with Millennials” exists because we talk about “the problem with Millennials.” Regardless of how vehemently you believe it, hush up. Talk about listening, career phases, and appropriate expectations, and watch the problem melt away.
Plus…
Curious about that study I mentioned earlier? Sign up for my newsletter today and you’ll receive my white paper, “Managing & Developing Next Generation Leaders: Answers to the Most Common Questions!”
Declining Gizmo Sales: The “Who Moved My Cheese” Analysis
CNET reports today that TV sales are down. The article closes with this line:
These kinds of slumping progress reports from all sectors of the technology industry have become practically commonplace. Declining revenues are particularly a problem in consumer electronics as shoppers are finding themselves with less discretionary income.
Today’s Live Chat on WGN, non sequitor bonus
For those of you who missed my live chat today on WGN in Chicago, here’s a taste of what you missed. It was great—the chat was buzzing with job-related Q&A for a full 90 minutes.
(Common questions: how do I handle a hole in my resume? Should I take that temp job/position outside my area of focus? I’ve doing x for 20+ years, is there still a market for that? I’m not getting any call backs, what should I do?)
Semantics matter: 3 new words I’d love to see
Maybe you’ve heard people say that what you give voice to is what becomes your reality? Maybe you’ve heard of “neuro linguistic programming?” Maybe you’ve had a vicious argument with someone not because of what they believed, but because of the way they phrased it? (We call this “being in violent agreement.”)
My thoughts on this subject: I think most of it, as executed, is baloney.
Put 30MM Narcissists in a LinkedIn group together… if someone speaks, does anyone else care?
“Hire me!!!”
“Help me!!!”
“Please give me feedback!!!”
“Please respond!!!”
“I’m looking for…!!!”
“My goal is to…!!!”
“I make enough money online…!!!”
Here’s a quote from the intro to this evening’s HARO email:
Did you ever get to the end of a book (or the end of a chapter of a book) and wonder, “How does this apply to me?” At the end of each chapter of [the book that sponsored tonight's HARO] there is an Application section that helps you apply what you learned in the chapter to your business.
I love HARO. Peter Shankman did a real service by putting it together. And allowing people to sponsor it is a win/win.
In front of the room
I recently spoke at an OutOfWorkChicago.com event. Here’s what it looked like. Here’s another view, and one of me talking to the featured speaker of the night, the venerable Bob Wright.
By the way, if you’re in Chicago and looking for work, you should be checking into this organization. The guys who run it, Patrick & Erik, are passionate about helping people find work, and a huge asset for any Chicagoan looking for a new job!
How to write an effective email
So, I may not be a huge fan of career top 10 lists, but when it comes to writing great emails, I think we need all the help we can get—top 10 lists and all. I particularly like this list of 15 elements of great emails.
Happy writing!
