May
25
2010
Professional Development, Search Strategy By David Templeman | 2 comments

Lets put the “human” back Human Resources

Right out of the gate I’d like to say thank you to HR departments across the country.  You take a lot of flack from all angles and are generally looked at as a “necessary evil”.  You are charged with managing benefits, dealing with employee retention, listening to ridiculous (and not so ridiculous) employee complaints, keeping up with the ever-moving regulatory targets, you get to play “grim reaper” during downsizing.  You have to train the staff, manage employee relations, work with team building and organizational development, and on and on and on.  You guys (and gals) have a lot on your plate.  Oh, you also have to find people.  Talent acquisition.

One of our recruiters has a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management and I asked her how much emphasis was on talent acquisition in her program.  The answer didn’t shock me – virtually no time is spent on sourcing talent.  I’ve asked several people with HR degrees the same question and the answer is usually the same.  Very little to no time is spent in HR course curriculum on finding top talent.  The reason job seekers look at HR as a “roadblock” is because they have so many tasks that dealing with the influx of resumes often is not a priority.  Hiring managers are frustrated with HR because often (not always, but often) the HR person isn’t a trained screener.  They look for the right buzzwords and pass along unqualified people.  It happens every single day.  Its one of the reasons contingency & retained search firms exist – because they ARE trained to identify top talent.

If you’re a job seeker you’ve probably been counseled to do what you can to bypass HR and get direct to the decision makers.  And that is good advice. If you can sell the hiring manager you’ll get the job.  But you will have to deal with HR at some point.  The hiring manager may already have your resume, but HR wants you to fill out an application.  That’s SOP.  Don’t be annoyed.  When you get the job there’s going to be policies and procedures in place that you think are silly, but they are in place for a reason.  Believe me, potential employees are being judged at every step.  A poorly filled out application does not serve your purposes.   They’re going to have hoops to jump through and if you want the job you need to jump through them.

Job seekers – remember that the HR department is staffed by people, and for the most part people care and want to do a good job so don’t be too hard on them.

With that being said, no post about HR would be complete without voicing my opinions on how HR people can set themselves apart from the stereotype.  (Like it or not, there is almost a universal negative stereotype of HR).  My area of expertise is talent acquisition and that’s where my suggestions will focus.  Here’s some things I think HR can do to improve their reputation with both job seekers and hiring managers.

  1. Know what the hiring manager needs.  Don’t just look for buzzwords on the resume and pass it along, or worse yet, pass along EVERY resume you receive.  I know there is a lot of talk about “partnering” with your internal staff, but based on what I see out of HR departments in the form of job specifications there’s not a lot of that going on in the market.  Yes, the hiring manager can be as much (or more) to blame for that, but it is HR’s responsibility to find the best talent for an open position and that requires regular communication.
  2. Write a job spec that speaks to the actual job.  Don’t just list the necessary skills, describe the tasks & responsibilities of the job.  Tell job seekers what they would be doing in addition to the skills they’ll need to successfully perform the job.  The  more information you can provide a job seeker the higher quality of information you’ll receive back in the form of cover letters and resumes.
  3. Ditch the generic job post information.  “Must have excellent communication skills”  is in nearly every job post I’ve seen.  Are you going to hire someone that can’t communicate?  I didn’t think so.  If you want to attract the top talent you need to stand out from the other job postings.  Be creative.  Check out Lou Adler – that guy knows how to recruit talent.
  4. Understand you are the “face” of your company to potential employees.  If you want to attract top talent you need to be responsive.  Return calls & emails, even if someone isn’t qualified.  It goes a long ways in building your employment brand and guess what – that person who doesn’t fit the job may know someone who does.  Referrals are a great source for quality candidates.
  5. When someone applies to your company they want to hear back from you.  They’ve taken time to read your job specification & navigate your online application process.  Don’t just send a generic “thanks for applying, your resume is under review and we will be in touch if we feel you are a candidate worth considering” email.  In a small company the HR person should be able to personally respond to every application, and they should.  I understand in a big enterprise that’s not possible, however, you can have a well-authored email back to the person thanking them for their application and offering something that will help them.  Links to career services sites.  Links to professional & trade organizations in your industry.  Invitations to tour your facility (if those are offered).  Even though it’s an automated response, you can put their first name in the reply and make it sound more personal than the usual “thanks but no thanks” brush-off.
  6. For goodness sake, when someone comes in to interview FOLLOW UP WITH THEM.  Even if you’ve decided to hire someone else you can’t leave people hanging.  Go back and read #4 for the reason this is important.
  7. This is probably the most important bit of advice I can offer HR people in terms of talent acquisition.  Everyone has been unemployed at one point or another.  Understand the emotions, stress, and uncertainty of that situation.  Put yourself in the shoes of a job seeker and treat them like you’d want to be treated if the roles were reversed.  Your next professional relationship could be the most important one of your life.  Its a two-way street.

Putting the human back in Human Resources means everyone understands things from the other person’s point of view.  It means that we treat each other like we would want to be treated.  We don’t think of HR as a roadblock or of candidates & employees as a nuisance. We’re all in this together.

May
19
2010
Search Strategy By David Templeman | 1 comment

Stop Being Creative in Your Job Search

This is a great article I read today.  The original can be found here.

“Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.”

That’s according to economist and Harvard professor, Theodore Levitt.

And that’s absolutely correct.

Especially in job hunting, where too many people think too much and do too little.

Want proof?

According to surveys cited by David Wessel in The Wall Street Journal, “The unemployed in the United States spend 40 minutes a day looking for work and 3 hours and 20 minutes a day watching TV.”

This may explain why the average job search in America now lasts 33 weeks, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data from April 2010.

Thirty-three weeks — more than 8 months — is the longest it has taken Americans to find work in the history of this monthly survey, which dates to 1948.

Obviously, if it takes 8 months for the average person to find a job, something is seriously wrong with what average people are doing (or not doing) to look for work.

Can you afford to be average? I mean that literally: Do you have 8 months of savings in the bank to sustain an average job search?

If not, you need to go beyond the average and start doing new things. You need to start innovating.

While there’s no recipe for innovation that works for every job seeker, here’s helpful advice from author and radio show host Mel Robbins: “Innovation is about very small tweaks. It’s about taking a step to the right or left; it’s about experimenting.”

With that in mind, here is a three-step process to produce new ideas in your job search — and act on them, because action is the key ingredient in innovation.

  1. ) Think: Write down everything you have done that has produced at least one interview. (If your answer is Nothing, call people until you find one tactic that led to a job interview in the last 90 days.)Do: Use that tactic on three employers today. Track your results, tweak your actions (if necessary) and try again on three new employers in 48 hours.
  2. ) Think: Write down everything you have done that has produced no job interviews.Do: Tweak or stop doing those things, today.

    Hint: One fruitless tactic you’re likely using is to email your resume in response to advertised job openings.

    If that hasn’t worked, tweak it one way — mail, fax, or hand-deliver your resume for advertised job openings.

    Or tweak it another way — email your resume to employers who are not advertising openings; just be sure to send it to someone on the inside who can forward your resume to a hiring manager.

    Which leads to …

  3. ) Think: Write down every possible way to meet with someone at your target employers. Why? Because “meeting people” is the opposite of “emailing resumes,” which probably isn’t working, remember?

Two quick examples of how to meet people:

a) Ask the folks in your network for a connection to an employee, vendor, or customer of your target employer.

b) Dress up, get in the car, and drop your resume off with the receptionist. Say, “I’ve had trouble with email all week and wanted to make sure you guys got this.” Ask for his/her name. Then call the hiring manager and say, “I spoke with Cindy in your office yesterday. Did she hand you my resume?” Congratulations. You are now speaking with a hiring manager — the goal of your job-search efforts.

Do: Find a way to meet someone at your target employer this week. Today, if possible.

Note: You should write down your answers to those three “Think” steps. If you’re not writing, you’re not thinking at full power, because writing on paper — with a pen — instantly clarifies and improves your thoughts. Try it now.

How likely are you to do any of this? Not very, if you’re average. That’s why average is easy — you don’t have to do anything new. Mediocrity is comfortable … like sitting on the couch watching CNN.

But. If you want to stop being average and start getting more job interviews, stop trying to be “creative” — which is often no more than glorified daydreaming — and start innovating — which is doing new things.

Creativity only sets the stage. Innovation gets things done.

- Kevin Donlin

Kevin Donlin is contributing co-author of “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0.” Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. For a free Guerrilla Job Search audio CD, visit www.MyNewJobHunt.com

May
13
2010
Networking By David Templeman | 2 comments

Hitting a Moving Target

When I was a kid our family made the annual pilgrimage to the Iowa State Fair.  My favorite part of the fair was always the midway.  We’d grab funnel cakes, buy our tickets and ride the Octupus and Tilt-a-Whirl.  But the best part of the midway was the opportunity to win prizes.  I’m sure my father spent hundreds of dollars over the years helping us “win” dozens of little stuffed animals.  There were two games I was really good at – the balloons you’d have to puncture with a dart and the clown game where you’d blow up a balloon with a water pistol.  But you know what I was terrible at?  That damn duck game.  They mocked me as they quacked around my BB shots.  I never could hit that moving target.

Earlier this week I went to the Kansas City Online Community May Networking event.  If you haven’t signed up as a member on this social site, it is well worth your time.  Chris Gould started this group several years ago and it’s grown into quite an opportunity to meet other professionals in the area.  Every month they have a “IRL” event and usually there a crowd of 300+ people there.  I’ve made many valuable professional contacts through the KCOC and I strongly recommend you get involved.

You might be asking yourself at this point – what does my inability to hit a moving target at the State Fair and networking have to do with one another?  The answer is simple – moving targets are EASIER to hit at a networking event.

I’ve always had a strategy in large group networking settings – I usually find a group of 3 or 4 people talking and will approach them and (in a very nice way) work my way into the group with a “Hi, my name is Dave and I’m that guy that butts into conversations to network”.  It might be a little rude, but if you keep it light and say it with a smile it works.  This month at the event I had a “networking epiphany” – the people that are walking by you aren’t talking to ANYONE.  So my strategy changed – as people walked by me I would get their name off their nametag, stick out my hand and ask “So, what does <name> do”?  People stopped – we engaged – we became the group of 3 or 4 people talking.  It was great.

Lets face it – many people are uncomfortable at a networking event, and those that are certainly would be uncomfortable “breaking into” a group conversation.

But here’s a little secret you may not know

PEOPLE COME TO THESE EVENTS TO MEET PEOPLE

They WANT you to engage in a conversation with them – that is their sole purpose for being there.  To tell you their story, to make you a part of their circle of influence, to help you, to be helped.

Those “moving targets” are prime candidates to stop, say hello, and make a new friend.  My new large group networking strategy is to stand near the door and as people walk by to stick out my hand, smile, and make a new friend or twelve.  Maybe next time I’ll bring funnel cakes.

May
7
2010
Search Strategy, Self-Promotion By David Templeman | No comments yet

Happy Siete de Mayo

That’s right – it’s May 7th and time to celebrate!  Why you ask?  Because everyone else was celebrating Cinco de Mayo – I’d rather be different.  How many Christmas cards did you get last year?  Do you remember everyone that sent one?  Did you get an Arbor Day card last month?  If you did would you remember who sent it to you?  And that’s the point of this post – you need to stand out.

I know this is not comfortable for some people.  They would much rather blend into the crowd than draw attention to themselves.  But the bottom line is, when you are searching for a job you have to do everything possible to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack.  For every open job there are six people looking.  Companies get hundreds of applications for a single position.  You need to get noticed.

Here are some “top ten” ideas for setting yourself apart from the pack

10.  When you apply for a job, follow up with a phone call to the company.

9.  Snail mail your resume to a specific individual with a $5 Starbucks certificate

8.  Show up at the company with cookies.

7.  Send your targets a card for whatever obscure holiday is near (trust me, there’s one every month)

6.  Shoot a video resume

5.  Write a professional blog

4.  Beef up your LinkedIn profile and direct people to it in your resume

3.  Join some professional organizations and look for opportunities to take leadership roles.

2.  Ditch the objective and grab the reader’s attention with the first sentence of your resume.  And make it unconventional.  ‘No doubt this is one of too many resumes you’ve reviewed today, but this is the one you’ve been waiting to see’

1.  Get personal.  The conventional line of thought is that because a resume and cover are professional documents you need to adjust your style of communication.  Don’t.  You may not know your audience personally, but you should write to them like you would write to your friends or family.  Don’t start with ‘To Whom it May Concern’ or ‘Dear Sir or Madam’.  Get a name, and if you don’t have a name start with ‘Thank you for taking the time to read my resume, I hope that it helps you get to know me’.

There are lots of other things you can do to stand out.  This article has some great thoughts about how you can separate yourself from the crowd.  If you’re running with the pack there’s already plenty of people who have crossed the finish line – its time to break away.

Apr
28
2010
Self-Promotion By David Templeman | No comments yet

Class Clown

George Carlin’s most famous bit (the 7 words you can’t say on TV) was made famous by this comedy album.  I was the class clown.  I think the reason I wanted to be the class clown was as a kid I had a fragile ego and I liked the attention.  When it comes to my professional career being the class clown has been a double edged sword, it’s an asset and a liability.  It’s taken me years to figure out how to leverage the asset side and suppress the liability side of being a class clown.

Professionally my class clown has helped because:

  1. I like to be involved.  I’m not someone that sits back and waits for things to happen.  I want to make things happen.
  2. I can get people to react.   That has given me a good sense of how the other person thinks and what I might be able to do to influence an outcome.
  3. I get noticed.  While this has been a liability in the past, I’ve learned to focus the reasons I’m visible to positive things and it has helped me build a great network of professional contacts and great personal relationships.

On the flip side, the class clown can hold me back as well:

  1. I try not to take things too seriously.  When something is serious to someone else, but I’m cracking jokes it hurts.  It hurts them because I’m not taking them seriously and it hurts me because it weakens our relationship.
  2. I can get people to react.  Yes, this has served me well, but sometimes it backfires.  You have to be very cautious when trying to elicit a certain response from an individual.  You really need to be able to read the person and the situation.  The older I get, the better I get at this, but I still make mistakes.
  3. I like to react to situations.  Sometimes before I think through the consequences of those actions.

If you are a class clown you need to identify character traits inherent to that persona that will help you move forward professionally.  Traits such as:

  1. Willingness to take a risk
  2. Ability to think on your feet and react to situations
  3. Building quality professional and personal relationships
  4. Being approachable
  5. Being a leader and innovator
  6. Not taking yourself too seriously

Class clowns also need to repress character traits that can hinder professional growth.   Traits such as:

  1. The need for attention
  2. Gaining respect of some at the expense of others
  3. Not taking others seriously enough
  4. Being impulsive.  I think a lot of class clowns have a tendency to fire, ready, aim.

Even if you weren’t the class clown, there’s some lessons you can learn from us.  Don’t be afraid to speak up.  Go out and take a risk.  Get to know someone new everyday.  Don’t take life too seriously.

And as the late, great George Carlin once said “May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house”

Apr
22
2010
Misc By David Templeman | No comments yet

Tamara Lowe Rap – Worth Watching

Simply reminding us of what’s important in life.

Apr
22
2010
Search Strategy By David Templeman | No comments yet

Should You Try to Look Younger for Your Job Search?

untitledThis post was authored by Robin Ryan, author of “Over 40 and you’re hired”

Robin’s Blog can be found online at http://www.robinryan.com

Age discrimination. Ask any baby boomer who’s been job hunting for several months and he’ll likely tell you a personal horror story. Although the practice is illegal, many over-40 job hunters report that an employer was excited about them as a candidate – until they met in person, leaving the candidates with the sneaking suspicion that their age had everything to do with not getting hired.

Can age discrimination be hampering your job search?  According to the survey results of hiring managers conducted for and published in my new book, “Over 40 & You’re Hired”, many employers reported that they believe that someone under 40:

· Will work for a lower salary
· May seem more eager
· Shows more initiative
· Has a “fire-in-their-belly” attitude
· Has better computer skills
· Seems more adaptable
· Is less old-fashioned or stuck in their ways

My advice: Don’t look old!

I’m not just referring just to your image. Your résumé, cover letter, networking approaches and personal presentation and how you perform in the interview all must show you have a lot to contribute.

I had one 69-year-old client, Mary*, who came to see me for coaching on interviews and salary negotiations. Her hair was completely white, and her face showed the lines and wrinkles of age. Yet she was fascinating and vivacious and demonstrated exuberance for life. Her résumé was full of recent accomplishments. She went out to four interviews and got four job offers. Those four employers weren’t rejecting this 69-year-old woman, they were fighting over her. Mary had mastered the secrets to self-marketing and using her strengths and talents to prove to the employer she was an ideal candidate.

That is exactly what you must do to get ahead in today’s tough economy. Here are some key strategies and resources to implement:

1. Advertise recent results
Employers report that the typical résumé gets a 15-second glance. Focus on the last 10 years. State the action you performed and the accomplishments you achieved. Stress money earned, costs eliminated or time saved. Productivity enhancements get attention, so make sure you note any you’ve made. Be a skillful editor; keep your résumé to no more than two pages.

2.Brighten up
Too many mature workers show up looking weather-worn, tired, defeated, desperate, just plain old and worn out. You must have an enthusiastic attitude that radiates energy to reassure an employer you are ready and able to do the job. Look vibrant and contemporary. A warm smile, a firm handshake and great eye contact are an absolute must. Dress in a fashionable suit in a flattering color and style. Fit is critical — don’t wear anything dated, too tight or too loose. To take some years off your appearance, try a new hairstyle, dye your hair, switch to contemporary eyeglasses and get your teeth whitened.  Men should be  clean-shaven; women should go light on the  makeup.

3. Network  backward
Your professional reputation is really other people’s perception of you, your work strengths, image, passion and personality traits. Track down and network with old bosses, former employees and colleagues. They can outline what you are good at, build your confidence (often necessary after a firing or layoff) and be a terrific link in helping you meet potential hiring managers.

4. Be sharp for the interview

Your next boss can be younger — maybe a lot younger — than you. Know the challenges and trends in your field. Research not only the company but what its competitors are doing. Take steps to modernize your vocabulary so that you can come across as current and flexible. Offer examples of recent accomplishments. Emphasize that you are a quick study and constant learner. Write out answers to potential questions.Rehearse your answers and keep them brief. Employers lose interest fast, so never talk more than 60 seconds when responding to a question.

5. If you don’t have it, get it
Skills and certifications need to be up-to-date. Check job ads and see if you are lacking any skill today’s employers ask for when hiring people for your type of job. Computer skills are essential! If you are over 50, expect to get some questions and even a test on your computer ability. Many employers stated they do not accept what you tell them at face value — they test you. So go to class, read books, use the tutorials and practice using these skills — nothing will make you look older than not knowing how to attach a file to an e-mail.

Apr
21
2010
Attitude By David Templeman | No comments yet

Waiting

I am not a patient person.  If we are going somewhere it takes me all of 30 seconds to change from gym shorts & a t-shirt to slacks, a dress shirt and shoes.  If necessary, I can be out of bed and out the door within 4 minutes.  I’m ready.  Lets go.  I hate waiting.

When you’re engaged in a job search there is a LOT of waiting.  You see the PERFECT job posted so you send them a fantastic cover letter and resume that promotes you as their #1 candidate and wait.  You follow up with a phone call and wait.  If you’re lucky they’ll call you back and agree to interview you.  And you wait.  Then you interview.  And you wait.  You follow up with another call.  And wait.  They seem to be ready to make an offer, and you continue to wait.

Waiting is simply part of the job search process, a difficult part of the process.  But there are ways to make the waiting easier.  First of all understand that people are busy, especially those who source & screen employees.  They might not have time to return your call or reply to your email that day.  Be patient.  And persistent.  If you have established a connection with someone and they haven’t returned a message within 48 hours call them again.  And follow it up with an email.  Don’t be “snippy”, just be nice.  “I left a message for you earlier this week and I know you’re busy, but I wanted to follow up on the position we discussed”.  In sales it will often take 5-7 “touch points” (email, voice mail, card, letter, “pop-in”) until you get a return.  Don’t make 7 attempts a week – you don’t want to stalk the person – but be persistent without being a pest.

Another way to make waiting easier is to have other plates spinning.  If you have identified the perfect position, or perfect employer, and have focused all your energy on that one opportunity the waiting will drive you nuts.  Keep your calendar full of job searching tasks & appointments.  If the next appointment is your last all your eggs are in that basket.  You need to have something to look forward to while you’re waiting.  You need to keep rolling full steam ahead until you’ve signed your new employment agreement.

Finally understand that sometimes the waiting pays off, and sometimes you’re waiting on nothing.  If a person consistently disregards you it’s time to quit waiting and move on.  That is going to happen.  It really has nothing to do with you, it is more about THEIR attitude towards others.  If they don’t call you back they’re probably not calling anyone back (unless that person can advance their agenda).  You’ll run into people who are rude, and in my opinion if you have established a connection with someone it’s rude not to at least communicate.  Write it off and look for someone else who is willing to help.

You’re going to wait.  What you do with your time while you’re waiting is up to you.

Apr
19
2010
Misc By David Templeman | No comments yet

A Rant

Let me start this post by saying I don’t want to use this site as a bully pulpit to espouse my opinions of the injustices in the world.  I generally am an optimistic person and tend to think there is more silver lining than cloud.  I’ve never thought to use this medium as a forum to rant about  strong opinions on whatever topic seems relevant at the moment.  I want this site to be a place where you can get useful information that can be applied to your professional life.  I’ve “consumed” two pieces of news in the past 24 hours have prompted a rare rant, and one that I think is relevant to a topic close to my heart – jobs.  So indulge me if you will.

Last night I watched a piece on Dateline NBC about the situation in Detroit.  I knew it was bad there, but I had no idea how bad.  Some of the video shot from the air reminded me of another city that I have visited and supported since 2006 – New Orleans.  Entire blocks of homes either abandoned or bulldozed.  The only word I could think of while watching the video was devastation.  Detroit’s story is eerily familiar to that of New Orleans after Katrina.  A mass exodus of citizens.   A police force decimated and trying to contain criminals ruling the streets.  A school system in complete chaos.  Corrupt politicians looking out for their own interests rather than that of their constituents.  People whose hearts are broken because of a tragedy.  People hanging on by a thread.  Then I ran across this article at CNBC today which got me to thinking, what’s so great about the “Fortune 500″?

GM is Detroit.  GM is (well, was) bankrupt.  Detroit will never, ever be the same again.  And it’s not just GM, but the hundreds of businesses that supported GM.  Much like New Orleans after Katrina, the economic “perfect storm” left Detroit on life support.  It’s heartbreaking.  What’s even more heartbreaking is unlike Katrina, the executives of these large corporate entities in conjuntion with the “wizards of Wall street” created the hurricane and walked away with billions while the rest of us were left with the destruction.  Manufacturing has been on the decline for decades in the US.  I am not going to get into the “why” its declining, I would rather ponder why GM and so many other big companies were unable to adapt.  And its not just the auto industry.  Why in the world does Amtrak still run trains across the continental US?  Sure, in the urban areas where trains are used for commuting it makes sense, but why are we wasting our tax dollars trying to keep a dying company afloat?  Why aren’t we figuring out better and more efficient uses of that money?  hy can’t big companies innovate?  Do you think if GM would have focused on producing cars that require little or no fossil fuels twenty years ago they’d be in the position they’re in?  Maybe, maybe not.  Instead all they cared about was marketshare. 

If you want my opinion the people who were in charge really only cared about their executive bonuses, their plumb jobs and multi-million dollar lifestyles.  And therein lies a big problem with business today – people are self centered.  They’re also greedy.  In the article I read today it sounds like the financial giants are recovering and I’m sure they’re all patting themselves on the back in New York congratulating themselves on how smart they are.  But they really haven’t done anything besides get a government handout.   Goldman Sachs recently was in the news for promoting an investment to some customers, and telling other customers to short-sell.  It sounds like the fall guy is a 31 year old VP.  My question is this – how does a 31 year old get to be in charge of something so critical?  And these are the people our government mortgaged our future to save.

I’ve always worked for a small company so I am not the best person to speak to how a large enterprise operates, but all the merger & acquision activity of the 80’s & 90’s seems to be screwing us now.  Locally Sprint is a great example of a mis-managed enterprise.   In the 10 years I’ve been in IT here in KC I know for a fact they have spent nearly one billion (with a “B”) dollars on initiatives that for the most part have been scrapped.  $600 million for ION alone.  Yet Bill Esry, Ron LaMay, Gary Forsee and several other “select” C-level guys have walked away with millions while the stockholders are left with virtually nothing.  In 1996 when PCS launched they had to be FIRST TO MARKET in an effort to be the #1 wireless provider, costs & profit be damned.  The Nextel merger, initiated to gain marketshare, was a fiasco.  The Embarq spinoff, initiated to allow Sprint to focus on the core wireless business, left both companies weaker.   This exercise has been repeated elsewhere in KC and throughout the country.  Local company Utilicorp United, with a 90 year history in KC, was left in ruins by two brothers who wanted to be the next Enron and then bailed out with their golden parachutes.  Shame on them.  WorldCom, Enron, Tyco, ImClone all brought about changes in governance yet eight years later we have the financial and auto industry in Washington with their hands out for taxpayer money. 

So what is the solution?  There isn’t a solution.  As long as our country is governed by people beholden to special interests as opposed to the people nothing will change.  You see, even in a recession the people making decisions for our future are rich.  So what can we do?  Continue to keep a positive outlook on our life, looking for the good every day.  Like sitting on the deck on a beautiful night while your kids throw the football.  Savor the things that are important.  Don’t dwell on the negative.  Look for opportunities to innovate, find a company that shares your values, make a difference.  Pray for the unemployed.  For those who have lost their home.  Revel in the human spirit – be thankful for people like Cordette Gramley who is featured in the video, our future should be in her hands, not in the hands of the executives.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Apr
16
2010
Professional Development By David Templeman | 1 comment

Tick Tock….

Time Management.  I have reviewed tens of thousands of resumes and interviewed thousands of people.  Themes have developed.  I say “Tell me about your strengths”, they respond “I am detail oriented, organized and have good time management skills”.  I’ve heard that answer (and variations) hundreds of times.  It’s an exchange similar to walking into a retail store to browse and the salesperson asks “Can I help you” and you reply “I’m just looking”.   Automatic response.  Hint: a recitation of three or four characteristics demonstrates to me that you are unprepared (to interview), not terribly articulate (because you’re just scratching the surface) and lack creative ability (because if you were creative you’d be telling me a story).

But today’s post is not about how to interview, that nugget was a freebie (and proves a point that I will get to in a second).  Instead, lets talk about one of those traits – Time Management.   When it comes to that topic I will be the first to admit that at the end of every day I can look back and think of half a dozen things I should have done but didn’t.  Part of the reason for that is I have mild AADD. and you’ve just experienced a good example of how it manifests itself in my thought processes.  I sat down to compose this post about Time Management.  So I naturally started out with a story about generic answers I hear from candidates I interview.

Ever heard the phrase “time is money”?  When I was working a retail floor I could walk out of the store to grab a sandwich and by the time I got back the other salesperson was on their way to making a $500 commission on the customer I should have served.  The time I took to eat cost me $500.  But I always knew that another customer was coming in so I could make that $500.  You can always make more money, but I never got the time back.  That’s why some people put so much emphasis on spending time with their families.  Or friends.  They should.  You can never watch your kids grow up again.  That is not so much a time management lesson as it is a life lesson.  Time isn’t money.  You can always make more money.

There are plenty of time management gurus out there.  Steven Covey (First Things First), David Allen (Getting things Done) & Mark Hurst (Bit Literacy) have all written fantastic books that can teach you how to manage your time.  Each one of them is convinced that their way is the best way.  I’ve found that sometimes the right way for someone else isn’t the right way for me.  Covey (and many others) advise you to write your short and long term goals down.  I write down short term goals all the time – phone calls that I need to make, tasks I need to accomplish, people I need to meet.  But I have never written down my long term goals.  I know how many calls & meetings it takes to get to where I want to be on a monthly basis.  If I’m off one month I can review my efforts and make adjustments.  Perhaps that’s the nature of a sales & commission driven career – we live month to month.  It works for me.  It might not work for you.  Where do I want to be in 5 years?  My hope is I work for RiverPoint and can continue to be a key player in some of the strategic things we’ve been discussing.  My goals (professionally at least) are aligned with the company.  Personally I am going to start paying for college soon.  My wife and I have been saving for years for that very reason.  We’ve been blessed with good kids and reasonably steady income.  I never wrote this stuff down, I just knew it had to happen.  I align my written short term (daily & weekly) goals with my “thought-based” long term (monthly & annually) goals.

I have a daily time management strategy.  I don’t know about you, but I get 24 hours in a day.  There’s one day every year I get 23 hours but that’s offset by the one day I get 25 – and every four years I get a whole extra day!  But of the typical 24 available hours I’m asleep for seven and I’m at work nine to eleven of them.  That gives me 6-8 hours of alert & awake time every single weekday to spend with my family, enjoy the outdoors, get my honey-do’s done, watch TV, read, blog, volunteer, and even handle the urgent matters at work.  I have never lived a 9-5 professional life.  If stuff needs to get done I’m doing it.  One of the perks of having 24×7 access to my desktop at work, and one of the drawbacks.  I know what needs to be done when I go to bed at night and it’s done.  I often wonder where the time has gone, but I rarely wish for more of it.

Time management is all about priorities.  Where do you need to be?  What is it going to take to get there?  Are you going to make the time to take the journey?

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