Wednesday
Ho Ho Ho! Off to a new job you go!
Are the holidays a good time to change jobs?
According to a recent article in the Arizona Republican, a career change might be in order during the holiday season.
A recruiter quoted in the article suggests, ".. this is a time of real opportunity because of lot of your competitors are taking time off from their efforts."
I like that. Take advantage of timing for your career. The article also mentions that often, positions which have not been filled during the year, but have been budgeted, require an immediate hire.
Read the whole article here.
Who knows? You may find something you had not expected in your career stocking this year!
Sales
Advice
I work in Sales
I have a quota to meet each quarter and annually. I have to constantly build and maintain my pipeline. No pipeline means no sales this quarter or the next.
I hate coldcalling. Many sales managers like cold calling however. It makes sales people "look busy". So when I had a bad quarter earlier this year, my manager recommended that I start cold calling prospects.
Did I mention I hate cold calling?
My friend Frank has a new book on the subject of cold calling and has a few chapters available. Check it out at Never Cold Call. Guess what? He hates cold calling too, thus the name.
What's neat about Frank's book is the first 10 chapters are free. Which is too bad because I bought the book from Amazon when it first came out. Good for you.
Never Cold Call has the same philosophy as Marketing Me. Where portable people like us use Web 2.0 technology to market ourselves, Frank advocates using the same technology to increase sales leads and sales.
Remember, we are all in sales. If you are not part of the money process you WILL be part of the exit process. Everyone is a sales person sometime.
Tuesday
Right Place, Right Time
...the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects five out of the 12 fastest-growing occupations between 2004 and 2014 will be computer related.
But you knew that, right?
But you knew that, right?
Losers and Leaders
As you give thanks and reflect on the past year, remember this:
Losers Blame Others, Leaders Lead.
'Nuff said.
Thursday
Job Fair again
Advice
I was recently in a large town which hosts many conventions.
This place has thousands of hotel rooms and hundreds of restaurants.
One of the hotel chains was holding a job fair.
A crowd stood outside.
Some were dressed in suits, dresses and ties.
Others were in bluejeans and t-shirts.
There were multiple ethnicities and ages represented.
The crowd stood outside.
A banner on the roof of the facility proclaimed "X Job Fair".
The line for the entrance snaked around the building.
As fair attendees moved closer, uniformed attendants handed out paper forms for completion prior to entrance. In the wind, standing applicants poured over the forms, pulled identification cards and contact information from their wallets, and attempted to scrawl answers all while trying not to lose their place in line.
The crowd stood outside.
Eventually, a few would be admitted into what one can only imagine; a faceless room full of draped banquet tables arranged like a gauntlet for the job seeker to walk through.
Resumes would be brushed aside in favor of the company provided form... Questions from candidates would be kept to a minimum.
Applicants would be prodded towards a massive meeting room with a stage at one end, directed to folding chairs and given a glowing presentation by an HR representative of the chain.
No "one on one" interviews. No questions about the applicant's background or experience. No question or answer session for the moderator.
Instead, applicant forms were collected and the applicants shown the back door with the parting comment, "We will call you if interested. Please don't call us".
Joy.
This was not twenty years ago. This is right now. This is what job applicants think they HAVE to do. This is what is wrong with centrally controlled bureaucracies run by small minded thugs with little respect for actual hardworking people.
Why can't companies which hold these types of events be honest?
They might say in the fair advertisement "We are only looking to fill ten positions, all of which require at least two years of experience in information technology or accounts payable activities".
Instead, their "human resource" departments want the largest pool of attendees to pick through and play against each other.
This is why I loathe job "fairs" (even the name is a lie - they should be called cattle roundups) and encourage you to skip, no, to avoid attending them at all costs.
One day, this barbaric practice will be shuttled out the backdoor with a brief "Don't call us, we won't call you". But until then, keep using your intelligence, your network and all of the massive decentralized resources available, "thug free".
I was recently in a large town which hosts many conventions.
This place has thousands of hotel rooms and hundreds of restaurants.
One of the hotel chains was holding a job fair.
A crowd stood outside.
Some were dressed in suits, dresses and ties.
Others were in bluejeans and t-shirts.
There were multiple ethnicities and ages represented.
The crowd stood outside.
A banner on the roof of the facility proclaimed "X Job Fair".
The line for the entrance snaked around the building.
As fair attendees moved closer, uniformed attendants handed out paper forms for completion prior to entrance. In the wind, standing applicants poured over the forms, pulled identification cards and contact information from their wallets, and attempted to scrawl answers all while trying not to lose their place in line.
The crowd stood outside.
Eventually, a few would be admitted into what one can only imagine; a faceless room full of draped banquet tables arranged like a gauntlet for the job seeker to walk through.
Resumes would be brushed aside in favor of the company provided form... Questions from candidates would be kept to a minimum.
Applicants would be prodded towards a massive meeting room with a stage at one end, directed to folding chairs and given a glowing presentation by an HR representative of the chain.
No "one on one" interviews. No questions about the applicant's background or experience. No question or answer session for the moderator.
Instead, applicant forms were collected and the applicants shown the back door with the parting comment, "We will call you if interested. Please don't call us".
Joy.
This was not twenty years ago. This is right now. This is what job applicants think they HAVE to do. This is what is wrong with centrally controlled bureaucracies run by small minded thugs with little respect for actual hardworking people.
Why can't companies which hold these types of events be honest?
They might say in the fair advertisement "We are only looking to fill ten positions, all of which require at least two years of experience in information technology or accounts payable activities".
Instead, their "human resource" departments want the largest pool of attendees to pick through and play against each other.
This is why I loathe job "fairs" (even the name is a lie - they should be called cattle roundups) and encourage you to skip, no, to avoid attending them at all costs.
One day, this barbaric practice will be shuttled out the backdoor with a brief "Don't call us, we won't call you". But until then, keep using your intelligence, your network and all of the massive decentralized resources available, "thug free".
Offense vs Defense
Advice
All career counselors tell you to focus on money in your resume.
No, not how much you want to get paid, but the financial impact your hiring will have on the company.
There are two approaches.
The Saver - Your resume highlights your experience at saving money, cutting costs, cutting unprofitable product lines. This candidate believes the Franklin adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned.". I call this a defensive strategy.
The Rainmaker - Your resume focuses on your revenue generation ability. Increased sales, successful grant writing, increased market share, collections and closures.
I call this an offensive strategy.
I am a firm believer in the latter strategy rather than the former. Why?
Because there is only so much "fat" that can be cut before you end up with ribbons.
Revenue is a much more deep resource. Sell more shoes. Build more servers. Consult more hours or for more money.
Any business will look at a candidate much more seriously if that candidate has the ability to increase sales and market share of a product or service. It is that simple.
More money, not saving what is left, is what matters.
Be frugal. But focus on the work which increases your company's income.
All career counselors tell you to focus on money in your resume.
No, not how much you want to get paid, but the financial impact your hiring will have on the company.
There are two approaches.
The Saver - Your resume highlights your experience at saving money, cutting costs, cutting unprofitable product lines. This candidate believes the Franklin adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned.". I call this a defensive strategy.
The Rainmaker - Your resume focuses on your revenue generation ability. Increased sales, successful grant writing, increased market share, collections and closures.
I call this an offensive strategy.
I am a firm believer in the latter strategy rather than the former. Why?
Because there is only so much "fat" that can be cut before you end up with ribbons.
Revenue is a much more deep resource. Sell more shoes. Build more servers. Consult more hours or for more money.
Any business will look at a candidate much more seriously if that candidate has the ability to increase sales and market share of a product or service. It is that simple.
More money, not saving what is left, is what matters.
Be frugal. But focus on the work which increases your company's income.
Wednesday
Here's what's changing
Advice
What happens on the Internet today will affect the rest of the world tomorrow.
Think about it. It seems plausible.
Have newspapers, electronics stores, garage sales and auto dealers been affected by the Internet? What rock have you been under?
Used to be, companies put ads in newspapers or through employment agencies and filled positions. People were cogs in a growing machine of commerce and progress. People filled slots. Slots were filled by using centralized systems - "send out to personnel and get me 12 more engineers!".
The internet is content driven. Content is king. Websites make money from advertising. No content, no ad money.
People are content. We are provide value. Without people, companies have no product and thus no revenue.
However, because of the Internet, we no longer need centralized systems to place us where we are needed. We go where we want. We create positions and build revenue.
If there is any one thing you must understand, this is it.
Content is king. You are content.
What happens on the Internet today will affect the rest of the world tomorrow.
Think about it. It seems plausible.
Have newspapers, electronics stores, garage sales and auto dealers been affected by the Internet? What rock have you been under?
Used to be, companies put ads in newspapers or through employment agencies and filled positions. People were cogs in a growing machine of commerce and progress. People filled slots. Slots were filled by using centralized systems - "send out to personnel and get me 12 more engineers!".
The internet is content driven. Content is king. Websites make money from advertising. No content, no ad money.
People are content. We are provide value. Without people, companies have no product and thus no revenue.
However, because of the Internet, we no longer need centralized systems to place us where we are needed. We go where we want. We create positions and build revenue.
If there is any one thing you must understand, this is it.
Content is king. You are content.
Here's what's changing
Advice
What happens on the Internet today will affect the rest of the world tomorrow.
Think about it. It seems plausible.
Have newspapers, electronics stores, garage sales and auto dealers been affected by the Internet? What rock have you been under?
Used to be, companies put ads in newspapers or through employment agencies and filled positions. People were cogs in a growing machine of commerce and progress. People filled slots. Slots were filled by using centralized systems - "send out to personnel and get me 12 more engineers!".
The internet is content driven. Content is king. Websites make money from advertising. No content, no ad money.
People are content. We are provide value. Without people, companies have no product and thus no revenue.
However, because of the Internet, we no longer need centralized systems to place us where we are needed. We go where we want. We create positions and build revenue.
If there is any one thing you must understand, this is it.
Content is king. You are content.
What happens on the Internet today will affect the rest of the world tomorrow.
Think about it. It seems plausible.
Have newspapers, electronics stores, garage sales and auto dealers been affected by the Internet? What rock have you been under?
Used to be, companies put ads in newspapers or through employment agencies and filled positions. People were cogs in a growing machine of commerce and progress. People filled slots. Slots were filled by using centralized systems - "send out to personnel and get me 12 more engineers!".
The internet is content driven. Content is king. Websites make money from advertising. No content, no ad money.
People are content. We are provide value. Without people, companies have no product and thus no revenue.
However, because of the Internet, we no longer need centralized systems to place us where we are needed. We go where we want. We create positions and build revenue.
If there is any one thing you must understand, this is it.
Content is king. You are content.
Monday
LinkedIn Again
Getting The Job Done
Still wondering if you should use LinkedIn?
While you are thinking about it, consider who is using LinkedIn as part of their career change.
Would a future Presidential Candidate convince you?
Or how about a hopeful past Presidential Candidate ?
With the Internet playing the major role in all things, astute politicians (or their handlers) have figured out the value of using Web 2.0 tools and sites to get their message out.
You should too.
The Squeaky Wheel
Advice
What is the Squeaky Wheel?
The SW is the person (coworker, customer, etc.) who makes the most amount of fuss and ends up receiving a larger allotment of attention.
It does not seem fair, yet it happens all to often.
At your place of work, there is a coworker who is the Squeaky Wheel. They always seem to complain the loudest and always seem to get their way. Perhaps they are complaining to you and perhaps you are accommodating them. Perhaps you are shorted by your employer because Squeaky Wheel is getting your time, attention or accolades.
What can you do about the Squeaky Wheel? Here are some solutions.
1) Ignore them. Let them complain to their heart's content. If they do not get what they want, eventually they will leave.
2) Give into them. Better to pick and choose your battles and win the ones which are really important.
3) Stand up to them. Carefully record their complaints and put it back in their face.
"I know what you are doing, here is the proof. Stop now or leave.".
4) Leave. If you are in an environment which caters to the Squeaky Wheel, do you really want to be there?
5) Migrate. Move to another role in which Squeaky Wheels are not welcome or is hazardous to their livelihood.
Squeaky Wheels are prevalent in every company. Remember, they typically congregate where they have the greatest effect, i.e. they get what they want. Eventually, they will die out as a species; in the meantime, find a way around or away from them.
Happy Monday.
What is the Squeaky Wheel?
The SW is the person (coworker, customer, etc.) who makes the most amount of fuss and ends up receiving a larger allotment of attention.
It does not seem fair, yet it happens all to often.
At your place of work, there is a coworker who is the Squeaky Wheel. They always seem to complain the loudest and always seem to get their way. Perhaps they are complaining to you and perhaps you are accommodating them. Perhaps you are shorted by your employer because Squeaky Wheel is getting your time, attention or accolades.
What can you do about the Squeaky Wheel? Here are some solutions.
1) Ignore them. Let them complain to their heart's content. If they do not get what they want, eventually they will leave.
2) Give into them. Better to pick and choose your battles and win the ones which are really important.
3) Stand up to them. Carefully record their complaints and put it back in their face.
"I know what you are doing, here is the proof. Stop now or leave.".
4) Leave. If you are in an environment which caters to the Squeaky Wheel, do you really want to be there?
5) Migrate. Move to another role in which Squeaky Wheels are not welcome or is hazardous to their livelihood.
Squeaky Wheels are prevalent in every company. Remember, they typically congregate where they have the greatest effect, i.e. they get what they want. Eventually, they will die out as a species; in the meantime, find a way around or away from them.
Happy Monday.
Thursday
Increased self funding
Think of yourself as a start up.
You have a product.
It nicely addresses a specific market, smaller of course, always being better.
You have a small client list. In fact, it is one customer. This customer however, orders regularly, let's say every weekday, and pays on time, let's say every two weeks.
One day, your customer calls you in their office and announces they are no longer going to be buying from you. Rather, they have chosen one of your competitors. They cite a number of reasons why your product is no longer desired and in the end, hand you a final payment for your product and send you away.
If you were a start up, you would either fold or get real busy finding a replacement customer. But wouldn't it be better to not get caught in that same bind again?
Would it not be better to have 2, 3 or 5 customers rather than one?
If so, then why are you still working for one company for one paycheck and hoping it will never end?
Pick something. Pick several somethings which you enjoy doing. Can you increase your revenue doing something else you enjoy doing?
Consider these options:
Writing - articles, ezines, etc.
Speaking
Consultant for friends or business contact's companies (don't conflict with your current job!).
Contract for certain fixed work.
Sell something - write an ebook and sell it online, or sell someone else's product on your website.
All of these ideas you can start today. Think hard. How can your company diversify its revenue and increase its self funding?
Worker shortages looming in all places..
India!
On Slashdot and Lou Dobbs, the alarm was raised, "Offshoring of IT workers to India is hurting the U.S.!".
Now, learn about a possible IT worker shortage in India which might affect their productivity and future growth.
India is home to over a billion people several of whom hold college degrees in IT related fields - all to meet the demand over the past decade from high technology countries many of which are based in the U.S.
Yet they may not be able to meet the demand.
Where will the overflow go? As demand rises, supplies increase. Rarely will an opportunity go unnoticed.
On Slashdot and Lou Dobbs, the alarm was raised, "Offshoring of IT workers to India is hurting the U.S.!".
Now, learn about a possible IT worker shortage in India which might affect their productivity and future growth.
India is home to over a billion people several of whom hold college degrees in IT related fields - all to meet the demand over the past decade from high technology countries many of which are based in the U.S.
Yet they may not be able to meet the demand.
Where will the overflow go? As demand rises, supplies increase. Rarely will an opportunity go unnoticed.
Tuesday
Election Day
Across the United States, the polls are open and citizens are flocking to pull the lever and cast their vote.
All admirable - vote early and vote often as they say.
As we get bombarded by the non-stop speeches, articles, soundbites and candidate phone calls, we will inevitably hear our politicians make reference to jobs at sometime or another.
Terms will be bandied about like "job creation" or "worker uncertainty" or something similar.
In the spirit of the election, let's remind our politicians about the new contributor to progress in the U.S., the self promoter and marketer. We are the future, and they had better listen to our platform.
1) Job creation is something self promoters and marketers always do. We make creative things happen where ever we work. Our employers, customers and cohorts will always find a way to keep us involved and onboard because of the incredible value we bring to the work place.
2) Job security happens when the offers keep coming despite our relative happiness at our current location and occupation. We market ourselves and talents and thus, are sought out from all corners. We use the Internet to advertise our personal brand and the calls come in. We feel very secure.
3) Worker benefits are the benefits we bring to our current place of work or to our customers. Because of these benefits, rewards come our way in increased personal funding for our efforts.
4) I am a successful, confident, active and remarkable contributor. I am not a victim or a statistic.
5) Self promoters and marketers always have their hand in a half dozen different projects. Layoffs and closings mean little to us because we work constantly towards self funding and foster multiple revenue opportunities. Adherents to self marketing often leave one job on Friday and start another on Monday.
6) You won't find us punching the clock 9-to-5, standing in line at a job fair or waiting for a callback from our old job. We make lousy soundbites or campaign footage.
As our politicians have been finding out (usually too late), that the world is changing. Work is changing and most of us have easily adapted.
That adaptability is our real strength and coupled with our ingenuity and resourcefulness, we are an unstoppable force in this ever shrinking, globalized world.
Happy Election Day, America.
All admirable - vote early and vote often as they say.
As we get bombarded by the non-stop speeches, articles, soundbites and candidate phone calls, we will inevitably hear our politicians make reference to jobs at sometime or another.
Terms will be bandied about like "job creation" or "worker uncertainty" or something similar.
In the spirit of the election, let's remind our politicians about the new contributor to progress in the U.S., the self promoter and marketer. We are the future, and they had better listen to our platform.
1) Job creation is something self promoters and marketers always do. We make creative things happen where ever we work. Our employers, customers and cohorts will always find a way to keep us involved and onboard because of the incredible value we bring to the work place.
2) Job security happens when the offers keep coming despite our relative happiness at our current location and occupation. We market ourselves and talents and thus, are sought out from all corners. We use the Internet to advertise our personal brand and the calls come in. We feel very secure.
3) Worker benefits are the benefits we bring to our current place of work or to our customers. Because of these benefits, rewards come our way in increased personal funding for our efforts.
4) I am a successful, confident, active and remarkable contributor. I am not a victim or a statistic.
5) Self promoters and marketers always have their hand in a half dozen different projects. Layoffs and closings mean little to us because we work constantly towards self funding and foster multiple revenue opportunities. Adherents to self marketing often leave one job on Friday and start another on Monday.
6) You won't find us punching the clock 9-to-5, standing in line at a job fair or waiting for a callback from our old job. We make lousy soundbites or campaign footage.
As our politicians have been finding out (usually too late), that the world is changing. Work is changing and most of us have easily adapted.
That adaptability is our real strength and coupled with our ingenuity and resourcefulness, we are an unstoppable force in this ever shrinking, globalized world.
Happy Election Day, America.
Monday
Professional Social Networking
Previously, I mentioned Hoovers' new professional social networking service, (with a name like Hoovers, I can't wait). I also frequently mention LinkedIn. A reader asked if I considered or tried some of the other sites and services available.
There are quite a few to consider.
Besides LinkedIn,
Ryze - I have not tried Ryze in more than a year. At the time, I was going through social networking overload.
Note: To the good people at Ryze, I will give it a try and report back my experience here.
Can You Connect - New. I have yet to give Can You Connect a try.
Ecademy - Ecademy is highly popular. I have a profile, but have not updated it in several months.
Note: I recently received several invitations to rejoin Ecademy which I will try and update my future experiences here.
Spoke - Spoke offers a great deal of information, but I quit using it after Spoke wanted to charge for continued service. I am reluctant about paying for professional social networking software because so many use our profile information (content) to generate ads (revenue). Free access for content for advertising is fine; just don't ask me to pay for the profiled.
Note: I will probably try Spoke again to be fair.
Konnects - Brand new and I will sign up and try.
There are many, many more available. The value of professional social networking is two fold; first to place an online profile of your value in as many reputable locations as possible. Second, to grow your network and name with companies and organizations searching for your career keywords.
Friday
The New Format for Portable People
I am rolling out a new format for Marketing Me which more accurately reflects my philosophy.
All of us are portable people.
The Marketing Me Manifesto determines that we work in a world where loyalty, conformity and mediocrity are no longer valued.
As such, it is up to all of us to market ourselves to potential employers, to have the right tools for the job and develop as many opportunities as possible.
The typical Marketing Me Maven works for one employer... provides contracted services to at least one other... and promotes multiple projects (primarily using the Internet) which generate additional leads, opportunities and revenue.
Like I said in my last post, the world is moving faster than ever. Each of us only has so many hours in the day to stay ahead of the competition and as such, needs every tool at our disposal.
Make the commitment today to reinvent yourself and your work.
Marketing Me's new format will focus on three areas -
1. Remarketing yourself and your work to the world. Positive changes you can make today which will reenergize your work search and life direction. This will never change.
2. Tools for the job. These include Internet sites and services, communications hardware and how-to books, audio and video.
3. Become self funding. Ask any startup, and unless you want to lose control of your dreams, self funding is the only way to go. The internet presents a GIANT opportunity to diversify our personal self funding through contracting, consulting, writing, speaking, and marketing.
I hope you will join me as we work together to discover the best ways for all of us to expand our opportunities and truly become an in demand product in the new world of work.
Jack
All of us are portable people.
The Marketing Me Manifesto determines that we work in a world where loyalty, conformity and mediocrity are no longer valued.
As such, it is up to all of us to market ourselves to potential employers, to have the right tools for the job and develop as many opportunities as possible.
The typical Marketing Me Maven works for one employer... provides contracted services to at least one other... and promotes multiple projects (primarily using the Internet) which generate additional leads, opportunities and revenue.
Like I said in my last post, the world is moving faster than ever. Each of us only has so many hours in the day to stay ahead of the competition and as such, needs every tool at our disposal.
Make the commitment today to reinvent yourself and your work.
Marketing Me's new format will focus on three areas -
1. Remarketing yourself and your work to the world. Positive changes you can make today which will reenergize your work search and life direction. This will never change.
2. Tools for the job. These include Internet sites and services, communications hardware and how-to books, audio and video.
3. Become self funding. Ask any startup, and unless you want to lose control of your dreams, self funding is the only way to go. The internet presents a GIANT opportunity to diversify our personal self funding through contracting, consulting, writing, speaking, and marketing.
I hope you will join me as we work together to discover the best ways for all of us to expand our opportunities and truly become an in demand product in the new world of work.
Jack
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