Wantrepreneur:

Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?

Business is picking up, and so are my networking activities. Of course, a lot of my networking lately is about creating "buzz" for my new book, "Fighting Alligators." Perhaps, you have heard about it. Creating buzz is an indirect way to attract new searches, consulting business, and help those people between jobs, so it is all good. One recent networking meeting was brokered by my friend Brownell who has been very helpful in the process of publishing my book. Brownell introduced me to Mark Myette. Mark is also in private practice as an Alternative Career Coach. He helps people determine if they have what it takes to become an entrepreneur and guides them through that process. He published his first book, Wantrepreneur, in February. Brownell surmised that our work is complementary, so she thought we would be able to help each other.

Mark and I scheduled an early morning meeting last week for breakfast at his club. As we are both Fortune 500 refugees with similar entrepreneurial pursuits, we connected immediately. We began by exchanging background information and our connection to Brownell. I told him about Fighting Alligators and its underlying thesis, and he presented the theme for "Wantrepreneur," which he described as the "One Minute Manager" version of becoming comfortable with franchising. The book's subtitle is "Do you have what it takes to become an entrepreneur?" Wantrepreneur is a clever bit of “word-smithing” that speaks to people who would like to be their own boss, but can’t or don’t know how to get started. Mark's book dovetails nicely with Fighting Alligator's message about building a career in the "New Normal."

To say that it was a productive meeting would be a gross understatement. Mark gave me a copy of his book and an intelligent bookmark he created as a marketing tool. He confirmed my thinking that the opportunity for speaking engagements would increase significantly now that I am published. We explored ways to collaborate, and help each other. Some follow-up steps were discussed and confirmed.

Over the next few days, I made a point to read Mark's book. He was right about the reference to the One Minute Manager. Wantrepreneur is a short read, but very much to the point. Much of the book summarized the current employment statistics and trends in small company formation and related career opportunities. He also broke down employment by industry sector with each sector’s contribution to GDP. He went on to talk about the general dissatisfaction many people have toward their jobs, especially the middle-aged. These folks are not happy with their careers and want to find a new situation, something more fulfilling. I am confident that job security is a major part of their angst. Mark spoke to an epidemic of addiction, depression, and suicides among this group, rooted in economic despair and hopelessness. People are looking to create a better life by "doing their own thing."

The remainder of Mark’s book is about defining alternate career options, including entrepreneurial pursuits, so the reader can better understand each path. Finally, he presented a template to assist in determining one's suitability for those options.

Mark did a thorough job describing the New Normal, without getting into cause and effect. The current economic situation is part of a much larger transformation as we move further into the Digital Age. Traditional employment is in a state of flux. There is no going back to an earlier time. Understanding the current playing field and one's options is a critical first step to building a successful career in the New Normal. Wantrepreneur is an excellent companion to Fighting Alligators, which I recommend to anyone who is serious about managing their career. Wantrepreneur by Mark Myette is available on Amazon.com.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so, please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com

May 12, 2016

Another Step Closer To…

Another week, and another step closer to publishing “Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal.” The artwork for the cover has been finalized. Actually, I hired a freelancer through Upwork to complete this task. Upwork is one of a number of on-line resources that connect freelancers to the market. Fiverr is another widely used service. I posted my job on Thursday afternoon, and by 10:00 a.m. Friday I had a finished product. Upwork operates like any other job board where employers post jobs for permanent hires with some notable differences. The service is menu driven, which is similar to Job Boards, but the overall feel is much more like a community. Think of Monster meets Facebook. UpWork is very interactive, unlike your typical job board.

Thursday afternoon I posted my job. The posting included a description of my need, my budget for this task, and my contact information. My project was open to all freelancers registered with Upwork. However, Upwork also provided me a list of highly qualified freelancers to consider. I sent those people a personal invitation to bid on my work. Within a few hours, 16 interested respondents had expressed interest in my job. These folks came from the four corners of the planet. The biggest concentration of applicants came from the U.S., the Philippines, Pakistan, and Eastern Europe. By clicking on their name, I was able to view their recent projects and references. Upwork helped the process by allowing me to archive people who were not a good fit and “like” candidates who I wanted to consider. I sent thank you notes to everyone I could. For those I considered serious contenders I sent a more detailed message and directed them to my web page. Imagery with an Alligator seemed obvious, but the cover still needed to be conservative, appropriate for my target audience. I also wanted a subtle reference to the digital age.

Friday morning I was in a text conversation with Vanessa, a highly recommended freelancer from The UK. Upwork provides for instant messaging and video conferencing through their portal. While we were chatting it up, so to speak, Vanessa offered a few mock ups that were most impressive. It was her responsiveness and speed of service that made the difference. I made her an offer and she accepted. Working with Vanessa was fast and effortless. After we had arrived at the basic layout and the correct species of reptile, we worked on my need for a subtle reference to the digital age. Within minutes, she provided three more mock ups with a bit of a digital feel. I settled on the least obtrusive of the three, and the project was complete. I am very pleased with Vanessa’s work, and so far, all of the critiques have been positive.

Completing this task is a great example of employment options in the New Normal. In a brief period of time, I evaluated the work of potential vendors from all over the globe. I chose my preferred freelancer, and we worked together in real time, arriving at a finished project within an hour. As soon as I was satisfied with the end result, I notified Upwork that the contract was complete and authorized payment to Vanessa. With the project completed, we provided each other with references.

While evaluating the freelancers interested in my project I learned that many of these folks are gainfully employed, earning extra money on the side via Upwork. Others are full-time freelancers who are active over a number of platforms. This is the “Gig Economy” sector of the New Normal.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so, please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com

January 4, 2016

Your Recruiter’s Vetting Process: Other Activities

For the past few weeks we have explored the candidate vetting process via interviewing. Interviews are important, but hardly the only way candidates are evaluated. There is a lot of work done throughout the selection process that precede, parallel, and succeed interviews. To be successful you must understand the entire vetting process and prepare accordingly.

Most of my candidates come from my network, either as primary contacts or their referrals. I generally know a bit about them and may have worked with them in the past. The people in my network have established a certain level of trust. Candidates introduced by network members benefit as that trust attaches to them, more or less. Additionally, the referral source will provide much needed background information on their referral.

It is not uncommon to receive referrals from second and third level connections who I may not know. Or, for some searches I must actively network to find candidates. In these cases I am connecting with people I don’t know. Since they are unfamiliar to me, I must establish a comfort level to put them into contention. The basic process to accomplish that goal is:

Talk with people at companies where they have worked.
Review their on-line persona.
Conduct an Internet Search.

It really is a small world which technology continues to shrink. Since I focus on a limited number of industry segments my professional world is a bit smaller. If I have not crossed paths with someone, I know people that have. By using my network I can talk to people who have had direct experience with the job seeker. They will validate him, or not. These discussions are particularly helpful as I will uncover information not available through more traditional means.

One's online persona is important to explore. We have heard stories of bad behavior displayed on the Facebook pages of recent College Grads and younger professionals. Although this is less the case with more senior executives, there is still a lot to learn by reviewing their social media accounts. It may seem like an invasion of privacy, a little creepy even. The Internet, however, is the public domain and fair game. LinkedIn is particularly useful. The background information presented there is more comprehensive than most resumes. I can get to know the candidate's professional associations and affiliations as well as references provided by coworkers. If they are active in on-line groups I can evaluate their technical savvy and writing skills. If they are active on Twitter I can learn more about their interests. In summary, social media is an information gold mine.

I use Google to find news articles about or written by my candidates. There’s also a number of fee-based services available to collect highly personal financial information. I haven’t found the need to do so, but you can be certain that others will. You must know that the internet makes it easy to learn as much as one needs to know about job seekers.

Understanding the full scope of the recruiter’s vetting process is important to your success as a job seeker. Understanding the information the recruiter needs and how she finds that information will help you better manage your personal brand. Manage your public profile proactively to better support your job search goals.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email in-box. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

March 2, 2015

It’s Not Personal. It’s Just Business

It has been a very interesting week. Most are these days. It wasn’t because it has been snowing in Atlanta, although that has created its own issues. No, what made this week interesting was the extremes of networking results we encountered. My team was reminded that not everyone is a viable networking partner. That will never change.

While discussing our business development activities I told a colleague about my progress with a new partner. This contact, John is a referral from an associate who recently joined our team. John owns a Professional Services Firm whose model is very complimentary to ours. He is very personable and clearly understands the benefits to networking. After three visits to explore mutual interests and opportunities, with a handshake, we agreed to work together to exchange leads and referrals. In fact, both of us have already made connections on behalf of the other.

I then recapped a list of people I had contacted to set up meetings in the coming weeks. When I got to a specific name my colleague stopped me. “Don’t expect any help from him. He is funny about referrals.” In other words, this person will accept your help, but don’t expect him to reciprocate. I was a bit surprised, to say the least. I was fascinated by my colleagues’ recap of several encounters that made his point.

It is a sad part of life that not everyone is interested in the give-and-take of effective networking. Some people, albeit a small percentage from my experience, are about taking, not giving. It may be conscious or not, but not everyone is blessed with the networking gene. It just isn’t in their DNA. I have seen this phenomena all too often in my work. I cannot count the number of people who would not give me the time of day when I called on them, only to find that I am their long-lost friend when they need my help. Clearly, not the norm. Over time it has been a source of amusement. I have recognized this to be a fact of life. It is a cost of doing business. It’s not personal. I have long had the policy of helping these “long-lost friends” as best as I can without expecting anything in return. Punishing bad behavior with equally bad behavior is a poor business practice which likely leads to bad Karma. It’s not personal. I took my colleague’s admonition to heart but still plan to follow through on our meeting. Who knows, it might lead to some interesting intel.

In life, I have learned that I cannot expect everyone to behave to my expectations. Networking is no exception. So, when planning your networking activities follow the 80/20 rule. Focus on those people who are adept at networking and avoid the takers. Help everyone you can without expectation. If they do not reciprocate, recognize their behavior for what it is, a cost of doing business. It isn’t personal.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

February 22, 2015

Lunch With Joe: Leverage and Networking Fundamentals

Two weeks ago I posted from sunny Tampa. I trekked down for the weekend to visit Joe, my protégé from The University of South Florida. Joe and I were paired as a part of the College of Business Administration Mentor Program. He is a non-traditional student which means that after 16 years of work experience he entered College to obtain a Finance Degree. He is also the first in his family to graduate College. My role in this program is to help him in the corporate acclimation process, to help him make connections, and to be a sounding board as he redirects his career. Basically, it is networking on steroids. I am not there to direct his activity but to answer his questions and help him stay focused.

Joe’s last class Friday ended at noon so we planned for lunch at a nice Cuban Restaurant near the campus. My goal for the meeting was to get an update from Joe and to understand his current issues. Also, I wanted to brief him on networking meetings I was working to schedule. During the check-in part of our discussion, Joe told me that his current internship was going well. Although he has mastered the job and is making a positive impression with the employer which will likely lead to a job offer, he does not think this is the direction his career should take.

After the check-in I asked him if he had any particular questions. I was gratified to hear him say, “I would really like to learn about you and your career.” I was pleased because Joe had just demonstrated his understanding of networking 101. Seek first to know and understand the other party to the networking meeting. Joe and I were likely paired because I also have a Finance Degree so learning about my career path is relevant. The next 20 minutes was about me. I told Joe how I started out as a Financial Analyst evaluating capital investments, particularly around real estate development and soon thereafter moved into Strategic Planning. We discussed completing my MBA while gainfully employed and then moving into General Management where I rose to become senior executive for one of my employers. Finally, I told him of my rationale for leaving the corporate world to become an entrepreneur.

Joe’s concern is that the Finance Department is heavily focused on traditional careers in Corporate Finance, Investment Banking, and Securities, not necessarily of interest to him. I told him that my view of a Finance Degree is that it is a great foundation to make good decisions which would support him in whatever direction he took his career. There are many different paths one can take with a Finance Degree. That was an “ah-ha” moment for Joe. He began to see new possibilities unfold. Good progress since his goal is to leverage his career via a Degree, not to start over in an entry-level job. Finally, we discussed a strategy to use further internships to gain new experiences to help him choose a viable way to re-enter the job market.

I like working with Joe. He is highly motivated, intelligent, and confident, a powerful combination. His natural instincts for effective networking will serve him well. I am confident he will be successful as he has the attributes to be a great employee. I suspect that as he continues his networking efforts he will remember our discussion and gain insight from the backgrounds of his networking contacts.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

February 16, 2015

“We Will Sell No Wine Before Its Time”

The Paul Masson brand is best remembered for its 1970s marketing association with Orson Welles, who promised for Masson: "We will sell no wine before its time." An infamous outtake for one commercial from the Orson Welles campaign features Welles attempting to deliver his lines while very severely inebriated. From Wikipedia.

Recently, one of my best clients called to discuss an organization issue. The leadership was planning to terminate a key manager who was not meeting the expectations of the job. The partners, however, had different ideas as to how to fill the void to be created. Two of the partners were behind the promotion of a highly respected, but inexperienced employee. The CEO had another point of view, so he looked to me to provide an unbiased, third-party evaluation. His specific request was for a written report justifying our position.

The client company, a relatively new business, well-funded, it is headed by accomplished industry professionals. They have a proven concept and are moving into a period of rapid growth. In order to be successful it was our view that their key positions must be staffed with self-starters with proof of concept or rely on out-sourced solutions.

My first reaction was great pleasure to know that our firm was held in such high esteem to be chosen to complete this assignment. My next reaction was the realization that this request presented risk to our ongoing relationship. We would be touching on the political dynamics within my client’s culture. My goal was to give the client our very best advice packaged in a way that would be useful and accepted by all parties involved, a win-win-win. I was looking for a solution that would be a factual aid to the client’s decision; that would result in meaningful career counsel for their internal candidate; and which would demonstrate our integrity, protecting our long term relationship. After all, isn’t that the goal of any engagement? Especially since we focus on finding solutions that will ensure our clients long term viability.

The plan we developed consisted of six fundamental steps as follows:

Initial review of internal candidate’s experience vis a vis the client’s job description.
Personal interview with the candidate
Candidate’s completion of Career Insights Profile diagnostic to reveal personal strengths, orientation to work, and personal motivators.
Consultation with our associates to evaluate all relevant findings and craft the appropriate recommendation.
Recap findings and recommendations to the client.
Debrief key members of client’s team and internal candidate.

Our prep work revealed major gaps between the internal candidate’s background and the job requirements. Essentially she was too junior to have the skills and experience to perform the job.

My personal interview revealed that she is intelligent and articulate. She demonstrated her passion for the restaurant industry as a career choice, however she was uncertain about a specific path. She revealed stress related to less than clear communication and direction.

The results of her Career Insights Profile showed her to have a Supporter Style Profile. According to that profile, the candidate is “not outgoing by nature, they tend to rely on more assertive people to take the lead.”

Our team determined that putting this candidate in position at this time and without significant support and direction had a high probability of failure. We discussed the cost of failure to the client, both in financial terms and to their credibility as leaders. We spoke to the cost to the candidate’s ego and motivation to build her career. We believe that she will likely be a long term contributor given the proper positioning, training and development.

The debrief with the key players on the client team did not produce any significant challenges. Their decision now is to determine if they should initiate a search to fill the position in question, or to find an outside resource to manage that function. They must also give consideration to a development program for their internal candidate.

We were successful in this effort, accomplishing our goal for a win-win-win solution. We presented issues the partners had not considered. We were sympathetic to the needs of the internal candidate. We did not put on the hard sell to initiate a search or to provide the needed out-sourced solution. Our report was thoughtful and non-threatening. To successfully navigate any sensitive situation one must clearly understand the needs of all interested parties while maintaining one’s integrity.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

February 9, 2015

Jim, What am I Doing Wrong? IS Professionals in the New Normal

As I write this post it is a balmy 72 degrees with clear skies over Tampa Bay. Yes, life is good. I drove down yesterday to meet with my protégé as a part of the USF College of Business Mentor Program. Yesterday was down-time, so I caught up with friends and family. It was an interesting afternoon and evening that perfectly framed the “new normal.”

Upon arrival I enjoyed lunch, a few beers and a cigar with friends. Shortly after the arrival of our beer and a brief toast, Mark asked; “Jim, what am I doing wrong?” Mark spent 25 years with a global technology company, followed by 5 years with a local governmental body. Now unemployed, he is seeking his next opportunity. Mark is most adept at directing large teams, but not close enough to the actual technology. He is finding it difficult to gain employment in the same line of work. I reminded him again that those jobs don’t exist anymore and that he must explore other options. My comment to Mark was clearly hyperbole, but not completely. As in most recessions, employers have reconfigured their overhead to the chagrin of highly compensated executives. This time around, technology has created more options for employers, particularly out-sourcing. Everyone has heard about activity moving to “the cloud.”

Later that evening I had dinner with relatives. Christopher, a recent honors graduate, is learning his new job. He is literally on the front lines, using technology to help management make better decisions. Christopher is making a good salary and has some excess funds to save and invest. He had a lot of questions about investing, so we talked about 401ks, IRAs, and the benefits of mutual funds in general and index funds in particular. We also talked a little about advancing his career skills. He is like a sponge, soaking it all in.

His father has a good, middle-management job with a global professional services company. He spoke about his relief to have passed a series of technical proficiency exams required by his employer. He clearly understands the importance of staying current in his career, so he welcomed the training, even if it was a bit unnerving. Interestingly, Mark, Christopher, and his father, are MIS/IT/IS professionals, and USF Alums. I can hardly think of better examples of the current employment situation.

I am reminded of two IS Professionals I met recently through a referral. Chris and Joe have backgrounds very similar to Mark but they decided to start a Consulting Group when they lost their jobs. These guys have a very clear understanding of the new normal, taking a proactive approach to achieve their career goals. They have developed a positioning strategy which they are diligently working to validate via client acquisition. As with any start-up, they are having their ups and downs. The key take-away is that Chris and Joe are in the game. They are learning how to be relevant to the market, making adjustments on the fly. I am confident that their abilities and tenacity will ensure their success. I hope to be helpful to them in this connection.

If you are going to be in the game, (my metaphor for gainful employment) be in the game! We live in a very competitive world which requires constant learning to find your niche and maintain a competitive edge. The game has changed in the new normal. You must adapt or plan to warm the bench.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

February 1, 2015

2014 Was a Tough Year for Faith.

2014 was a tough year for Faith. Displaced from a Fortune 500 insurance company early in the year, Faith finally landed a great job before the Holidays. Faith is not her real name, of course, but it fits her well. Faith is in her mid-50’s, single, with an excellent image and a solid work history. Admittedly, her last job was not a good fit to her profile. She is excellent at building relationships and supporting customers so she is much better suited to the Account Executive job she eventually landed. Faith is also the inspiration for many of my blog posts.

I have known Faith for over ten years. We are friends, and partners in a networking group. She considers me a mentor and I consider her my go-to person for information on insurance matters. She is a role model for anyone in transition. Faith was not surprised to have lost her job. Her employer had been through a lot of change and turmoil. She took the news in stride and was totally professional on her exit. She did not spend much time wallowing in self-pity, but got right to work. The first step in her journey was to develop a job search strategy.

She spent a lot of time with friends and colleagues, listening to their thoughts and advice. By the end of this process she came to understand that she was best suited to working with existing clients, building relationships that would keep them in the fold. This revelation become the foundation for her job search strategy. Since her entire career has been in the insurance industry, she focused on opportunities in that field. The insurance industry has seen many changes, however, new opportunities are emerging. Faith understood that she had many viable options. Crafting the right strategy led to a very positive result.

This is not to say that it was smooth sailing for Faith. It was a tough, grueling search. There were many ups and downs. Great opportunities came and went. Prospective employers took their time moving from one step to the next. In some cases, employers changed their thinking and canceled searches. The length of time involved in her search was a constant source of frustration. She knew she was doing all the right things. She knew that she could not control the employer’s selection process. That was what made it so frustrating. Their timetable was beyond her control. It is easy to say that you should not worry about that which you cannot control. It is something else entirely to live it. I am sure she got very tired of my reminder; “the employer does not work off your timetable.”

Faith’s coping skills were put to the test and then some. But she is well grounded and stayed true to her plan. She maintained a positive, optimistic attitude. She made optimal use of her network, gaining strength from their support and encouragement. Always enthusiastic about leading a healthy lifestyle, Faith maintained her exercise routine and diet. She also pursued opportunities to take on short-term assignments to help supplement her cash flow needs. She is a class-act and true professional. She kept the faith. Eventually it paid off. The lesson is to begin with the right job search strategy then work your plan. Stay focused, stay positive, and stay in the game.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

January 21, 2015

Developing your Job Search Strategy: Specialists are the Rage

As I draft this post I am reminded of three current clients. One is a small, growing enterprise trying to optimize its resources to aid in profitable development. A second is an established manufacturer reorganizing itself for sale. The third is a large company which has made a number of acquisitions that must be integrated into their core business. Each of these businesses compete in diverse industry segments following different strategies to achieve their objectives. As one would surmise the experiences they look for in potential hires is distinctive. You can be certain, however, that the hiring managers in these companies are looking for senior executives with experience that matches their particular situation. Call it situational experience.

It occurs to me that this is a fair representation of the “new normal.” The career opportunities are declining within large established companies. Major corporations have learned to be more efficient with less. They offer fewer opportunities for middle managers and highly compensated, over-50 aged candidates. However, the organizations currently looking for people are emerging companies or those working to find a relevant niche. Emerging brands, PEG portfolio companies, established companies repositioning themselves and those experiencing major change are looking for people with experience that closely matches their situations. These situations may be more risky but they can be very rewarding. Private Equity Groups want C-level candidates who have experience working with PEGs. If the employer is a start-up, they will be looking for people with start-up experience. If they are preparing for an IPO they are looking for people with IPO experience, especially CFOs and controllers. You get the point. Today, employers are looking for specialists who can make an immediate impact. They are looking for people with situational experience. Generalist backgrounds are not in demand so much, especially for the 50+ age group.

There are three primary components to one’s career positioning strategy: Job Function; industry segment; and your pay grade. All of these components are fairly straight-forward. Begin by evaluating your experience to understand where you have particular strengths and experience which can be packaged as a specialty. Seriously, this task cannot be that difficult. After all, personal experience gained with LBOs, mergers and acquisitions, rightsizeings, and re-organizations are all great examples of situational experience. Perhaps you have been involved in implementing new hardware and software solutions to automate processes. Or you have been involved in re-engineering activities to help employers become more efficient. Experience gained in involvement with a company turnaround can be invaluable.. Maybe you have been in a family-owned business or experienced an IPO. Maybe you have been involved in a successful Chapter 11 reorganization. There are many employers today who face those same issues. They are looking for you!

Hiring managers have become very particular in their requirements. They seek industry-specific candidates with situational experience. The key to a successful job search is to position yourself as a problem-solver who will assuage the hiring manager’s risk aversion. The Over-50 job seeker must have a career story which speaks to high-value, specialized knowledge and experience. The flexibility of today's word processing software allows you to create resume versions tailored to emphasize certain parts of your background, positioning you as a specialist.

Think about your career. Find those common threads that you can position in a compelling way to fit the new normal.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

January 4, 2015

Track Your Metrics For an Effective Job Search:

For the past 6 years, I have been working very closely with a number of Private Equity Groups, (PEG). Many of my assignments for these clients have been for Chief Financial Officers. In every case they want a CFO who can help the business by establishing a set of relevant performance indicators which can be tracked and monitored on a routine basis. They know that by tracking the right metrics and keeping the management team focused on that data improves the likelihood of achieving their goals. I am confident that while employed, your supervisor required you to make periodic reports on certain metrics. If it works while on the job, it will surely work to help you land that next job.

Doubtless, we all agree on the importance of planning. We all know the planning cycle. Set your goals and objectives; formulate strategies; develop tactics; track your results; reassess; make adjustments. How will you know where you stand if you don’t have a scorecard? Will you know if your plan is on track, or even if it is viable? What adjustments should you make? Are you comfortable making important decisions about your career without important data? Probably not!

So, as you are developing your job search plan for 2015 consider the key metrics, performance indicators, that you believe are vital to success. Your prime objective is to land a new job. Key to landing that new job is to gain the interest of hiring managers who will invite you to interview. The metrics you will want to track are the activities you complete that move you closer to the goal, getting that interview. Some jobs are posted, so it would make sense to track resumes sent to posted jobs. As we all know, however, up to 80% of people land their new jobs via networking. If that is the case, as I believe it to be, then you will want to develop a set of metrics that track you networking efforts. Those efforts include phones calls, information interviews completed, networking meetings attended, and follow up with your network. Since social media is an important platform for job search you may well develop metrics to track your efforts on LinkedIn. Contributions to Interest Group discussions and additions to your list of connections may be appropriate.

I have also recommended that you start a blog, if you have not already, with a goal of posting once a week. This is a great strategy to promote yourself at LinkedIn or Google+ Groups. Additionally there are a vast array of Professional Associations and Groups who encourage members to post to their websites. Everyone is looking for relevant content!

You should also set goals for personal and professional development. A diet or exercise metric may be appropriate.

Tracking a handful of key metrics related to your search activities will keep you on track. Keep it simple. Pick six to eight of the activities prioritized by those you deem most important. If you need more than a 3 by 5 index card to track your metrics you probably have too many.

The best of plans are useless without accountability. There can be no accountability without measurement. So, if you want to ensure the success of your job search plans, identify the key metrics to track and do so regularly.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search