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How to Hire Top Talent Millennials into Commission-Only Jobs: Chris Butsch – Keynote Speaker, Author, Millennial Expert
Hiring Millennials into paid positions is difficult enough; so how on earth do you attract them to commission-only jobs? What’s the secret to selling a full-time position with deferred payment to a generation who places high importance on instant returns and gratification?
The solution is two-part; you must first address the unknown, then spice up the value proposition. Remember: you’re competing with the comforting psychology of a guaranteed paycheck. As a result, setting clear expectations and an attainable vision of success during the interview process will be critical in recruiting top Millennial talent to your commission-only positions. You can do this in two stages during early conversations with candidates:
- Clearly lay out expected earnings potential.
Laying out earnings expectations for 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months out is an excellent place to start. The word “expectations” will help assuage concerns over the commission-only model. Then, a segue into earnings potential becomes natural and powerful. Some sample language you can use:
“At a salaried position, you have to wait until the end of the year for a bonus. Here, you can earn a bonus anytime. Furthermore, at a salaried position, there are limits on what you can earn. Here, your hard work will directly translate into higher earnings.”
Language like this helps Millennials see the potential, as opposed to the limitations, of a commission-only model.
- Play the role of mentor.At this point in the conversation, even a confident, entrepreneurial-minded Millennial will wonder “but what if I fail?” You can address this fear head-on by assuring them that you won’t let them.
[Tweet “Millennials grow with guidance and place a high value on experiential learning.”] 79% of us want our boss to serve as a coach or mentor, and 88% of us prefer collaborative to competitive work cultures. Plus, strong mentorship is the #2 strongest retention tool for Millennials, behind alignment with the company’s purpose.[1]
Certain key phrases will eliminate culture concerns and paint you as someone they’d desire to work for. Positive, supportive language like this will augment every interview you conduct, but works especially well with a young person:
“I won’t let you fail.”
“We’ll create work plans together.”
“You’ll get some of the best sales training on the planet; training that you’ll have forever.”
“My office is always open for questions.”
“I’ll turn you into a rock star.”
“Commitment goes both ways; you make a commitment to me, and I’ll make a commitment to you.”
In summary, mention of pay and mentorship are critical while recruiting Millennials. Assure them that if they work hard, they’ll succeed; and you personally won’t let them fail. Many employers forget to make the latter point so you can use a promise of mentoring and coaching to gain a competitive edge over other recruiters: even those hiring into salaried positions.
What’s your company’s current “Millennial Problem?” Recruitment? Retention? Engagement? Message me on LinkedIn and I’ll do my best to help.
About The Author
Chris Butsch is an expert on maximizing the Millennial generation in the workplace, Chris has directly advised Fortune 500 CEOs and delivered keynotes on three continents. Having built a reputation for offering managers free and immediate “quick wins” to maximize Millennial retention and productivity, Chris is organizing his latest findings in a new book called These Damn Millennials.
His business website is: www.chrisbutsch.com
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, Managing Partner
ITB PARTNERS
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Current Assignments
1. COO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
2. VP Operations – Southeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
3. CEO- Northeast-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – Completed
4. Corporate R&D Chef, Atlanta-based Home Meal Replacement Company – Complete
5. Area Supervisor – Legacy Pizza Chain, Carolinas – Completed
6. Operating Partners – Legacy Pizza Chain – New
7. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
8. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer: Complete
“Time is short! Find me a Specialist!”
“Time is short! Find me a Specialist!” Those may not be the exact words, but that is most definitely the message. My clients have specific needs that must be addressed and do not have time for a generalist to learn how to attack the problem. They want people who have been there and done it. Most of my clients are small to mid-cap companies. Many are owned by Private Equity Groups, (PEGs). The rest are a mix of privately held emerging brands and more established niche players. Virtually all are working to make their brand relevant in a very dynamic and challenging business environment. Time is of the essence, so their planning horizon is short. Certainly, shorter than for larger, Fortune 500-class companies.
Most recently, my clients have been facing the following situations:
- Change of ownership
- PEG buy/sell transaction
- Pre-IPO
- Public to Private
- Chapter 11
- Debt Covenant Issues
- Turnarounds
- Start-up
- Joint Ventures
- Installation of Management Accountability Systems
- New CEO
- Major Systems Upgrades
Other searches have required experience in franchising, consumer packaged goods, and experience in family-owned businesses. Industry-specific experience is almost always required. I have even had searches requiring the candidate to move to remote, less than desirable locations. This parallels the demand for our consulting practice, but not as much.
Most people know that tenures have decreased significantly. Three to five years in position is not uncommon for C-level executives. Three years or less is common for other senior-level executives. Much of this is related to heightened levels of accountability due to intense competition. This level of senior-level turnover can affect the entire management team. Some of it, of course, is due to a change of ownership which often means a new management team, or changes for key executives. As the planning horizon shortens, the enterprise focus is on the best ways to enhance competitiveness. Companies in the small to mid-cap sector need people who can make an immediate impact. Generalists requiring a learning curve are eschewed over candidates with more specialized skills and experience. It has become an ad-hoc world.
The good news is that most of you have lived through the situations listed earlier. You have been through the break-up of Conglomerates. You have seen global competitiveness affect your employers. You have seen employee-led Leveraged Buy-outs. Without a doubt, you have seen the productivity benefits of technology. These global changes have resulted in right-sizing; down-sizing; re-engineering; and outsourcing. You have likely seen several ownership changes, IPO’s, and the public to private transactions, and probably have experience with PEGs. By now, you have a wealth of experience and skills for specific situations. Face it, with reference to Peter Drucker, we have been living in turbulent times.
The objective is re-branding oneself as a specialist, but not necessarily one specialty. If you look back on your career you will find common themes. You will notice that you have thrived in situations which have been identified in this post. Those situations can become the themes for your positioning as a Specialist. The good news is that word-processing programs allow you to have multiple resumes which you can tailor to a given specialty. It doesn’t mean that you are fabricating a career history. It means that each version of your resume puts more emphasis on the specialty (read skill-set) you wish to promote.
Time is short for small to mid-cap employers, especially for PEG Portfolio companies. They need specialists to help resolve immediate issues. Become the Specialist they seek for success in your job search or in your freelance career.!
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, Managing Partner
Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
Current Assignments
1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – Completed
3. Director of Biz Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Completed
4. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Complete
5. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. Complete
6. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New
7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer: Complete
Talent Acquisition: Put Out The Welcome Sign!
A week ago Thursday, my colleague David introduced me to the principals of a small design-build company. These folks have a bit of a conundrum. Last year they hired an individual to fill a key position, however that person is not performing to their standards. He requires too much supervision and follow-up. The principals are having to cover much of his workload. They've decided to replace him and wanted to talk to me about conducting a confidential search. These folks have never hired an executive recruiter so they are curious as to my background and method of operation. They also want to know the cost of my services.
During our meeting, they spent a lot of time talking about their expectations for successful job performance and the shortfalls of the incumbent. They talked about the process they used to recruit him, including compensation and qualifications. It was clear to me that there was a major disconnect between the strategic importance of the position, the experience and skill set required, and their compensation package. Frankly, this is not uncommon for a small company.
Note: Successful companies are always recruiting talent, even if it's nothing more than networking and cataloging potential hires.
The following Monday morning, David called to advise me that the prospective client had been presented with the employee's resignation. Now they are really in a pickle. This is a key position that needs to be filled immediately. Productivity will suffer along with customer satisfaction. Their P&L is sure to be affected. They are serious about a search engagement and wanted to schedule a phone call with me to finalize an agreement.
The fact that the incumbent offered his resignation came as no surprise to me. When the relationship between employer and employee becomes strained it is mutual. Surprisingly, many employers fail to grasp this fact. I am equally confident that if I was to do an exit interview with this employee, he would say the job wasn't what he expected either.
When we had our conversation later that day, I got a clearer picture as to their thinking and how they wanted to proceed. I learned that they want to pursue a parallel path evaluating the acquisition of a W-2, regular employee, or a 1099 contractor. They also gave me a sense as to their cash flow situation and budget parameters for the search. I told them that I would outline a proposal for their review before noon the next day.
The smaller the company, the more critical turnover becomes. They typically have little excess staff. They are totally focused on work at hand and business development to the exclusion of an active recruiting program. This is understandable, if not something of an extreme case. An active recruiting program is an effective insurance program.
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Larger, more stable companies have the same issues as my perspective client. Working on an engagement last year, I quickly learned that the client underutilized the talent acquisition value of their web-site. They did not feature a “careers” tab prominently on their main menu. In fact, it was inconspicuously buried as a sub menu item. This company has had difficulty with ongoing recruiting, yet failed to put out a welcome sign for prospective team members. This was easy to correct. The follow-on step was to add a plug-in that collected resumes and job applications from interested candidates.
Minimizing the risk of turnover should be a priority for all organizations. Putting out a welcome sign to attract prospective employees is the starting point. A prominent page on the company website and on social media is ideal.
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 important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
Current Assignments
1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. Controller – Atlanta-based Consumer Products – Digital Company – New
3. Director of Biz Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Completed
4. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Complete
5. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. Complete
6. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New
7. Outplacement Assignment – Atlanta-based Manufacturer: New
More Questions About Working With Executive Recruiters
To complete the recap of my presentation and follow on discussion with the BENG Group earlier this month, it is appropriate to address the remaining questions posed to me. Those three questions are addressed herein below.
1. After all these years, why are educational credentials still an issue?
One would think that after thirty years of experience, one’s educational credentials would not be such an issue. Generally speaking, your education is less important over time because employers hire you for your experience and accomplishments. But, that is not always the case.
Recruiters and their researchers work off scripts. They are given Job Descriptions and Candidate Specifications by the client. In many cases, I help my clients write job descriptions. Education credentials are usually a baseline, not necessarily a deal breaker. For the mature executives with long careers, education becomes less of an issue than for someone beginning their career. For technical fields, where mastery of state of the art is required, academic credentials are more important. For most of these occupations, it is unlikely to have built a career without the proper educational credentials.
In the service sector, a formal education may be overcome by on-the-job training. Where interpersonal skills are more important than technical skills, educational requirements may be less relevant.
Sometimes educational credentials are a cultural imperative, especially if the company is a highly desirable employer. If you have a lot of people who want to work for you, increasing the hiring standards is a natural progression for selection. If there are a lot of candidates interested in the job opening, the hiring manager will be more discriminating. In this case, if not a match with the hiring criteria, one would be well-advised to look elsewhere,
The issue may not be confined to having a College education, but the prestige of the College you attended or the degree you received. Assuming a leadership role is easier if the employee has a more distinguished education, “street cred,” as it were. Window dressing or hiring managers with impeccable educational credentials is usually more significant for the most Senior Executives in Public Companies. However, there are exceptions to this rule as well.
[Tweet “All things being equal, your accomplishments; history of success, trumps all other criteria.”] Overcoming educational deficiencies later in one’s career may not be a productive use of time. However, a wise strategy for any career-minded person is to invest in continued professional development. Continuing education and professional certification may well mitigate a weak educational background.
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2. How much information should I include in my LinkedIn profile?
Recruiters use LinkedIn to find viable candidates. If you are looking for a new job, LinkedIn must become a prominent part of your job search strategy. I recommend that you step up to a paid subscription, as the added features will enhance your ability to find a job in less time.
You must leverage the value of LinkedIn. Ensure that your LinkedIn profile is a complete representation of your career history. It should include every bit of career information you present in your resume, and more. Use industry-specific terminology and keywords relevant to your functional discipline. Edit your status to indicate that you are between situations and actively looking. Make sure your contact details are available and easy to find. Make periodic updates to keep your network engaged.
Use LinkedIn’s full capabilities. Actively build your network by becoming linked to more people. Be involved in groups and follow target companies. Become a subject matter expert and publish articles relevant to your career. Ask for as many recommendations as you can.
3. How does one find an executive recruiter that specializes in my professional niche?
This was the easiest question to answer. Even so, it was a bit of a surprise. I assumed that this would be common knowledge for these folks. Lesson learned! The obvious places to find Recruiters that specialize in your industry sector include Trade Associations, The National Association of Personnel Services, and by old-fashioned networking. Additionally, you can locate this information by searching LinkedIn.
Kennedy Information Inc. and the Association of Executive Search Consultants publish directories and provide database services for a fee. Before making an investment in these services, check with your local library as they may be a subscriber.
Free directories to consider are RileyGuide.com, recruiterlink.com, onlinerecruitersdirectory.com, searchfirm.com and i-recruit.com.
The role and function of the Executive Recruiter are often misunderstood. One does not need to grope around in the dark, however, as there is information available to improve your knowledge base. All that is required is a few commands typed into your search engine. Or better yet, follow my blog for useful tips and insight.
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 important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
Current Assignments
1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Complete
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In-Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New
Free: Executive Resume Cheat Sheet
SEND ME THE FREE EXECUTIVE RESUME CHEAT SHEET!
I see a lot of resumes, believe me! It is a fundamental part of my job. Most of the resumes I see are dreadful. They are working against the job seeker, forcing them into a prolonged period of unemployment. Unfortunately, most job seekers don’t appreciate that their poorly written resume is hurting them.
If you are unemployed, you can only think of getting another job to protect your financial well-being. That is understandable. You might not know that your resume is working against you. That it costs you time and money, you cannot afford. It is hurting your career and your financial goals. Do you want to get back to work, or suffer a prolonged period of unemployment? The solution is in your hands.
From time to time I help my candidates craft an effective resume for a fee. My most successful candidates understand the need for an effective resume and are willing to pay a reasonable price for my help. No, resume writing is not my primary line of business, but I am happy to help when I can.
I understand that conserving cash is a priority for most unemployed people. I get it!
So, what if you knew the secrets to crafting a killer resume; one that would shorten your job search. A resume that will help you get the job you want. Wouldn’t you want to know that secret? Wouldn’t you want to shorten your time between jobs? I certainly would!
Fortunately for you, I have been presented with a fantastic resource which I can make available to you, compliments of my friends at CareerTuner. I have been authorized to share the secrets of the best resume writers, at no charge to you. That’s right. I am allowed to help you craft a killer resume at no cost to you. I have been granted the right to send you The Executive Resume Cheat Sheet, free. I wholeheartedly endorse this fantastic tool! It will ensure that you have a professional resume which will help you land that ideal job in the shortest time possible.
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Need a Resume for a Non-Manager Level Job?
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Need a Resume for a Career Change?
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Tips on Job Change To Different Industry
I talked with two very accomplished job seekers this week. Both have MBA’s from prestigious Universities and twenty-five-plus years with Blue-chip companies. Both are accomplished in their fields, having held senior level positions. Both lost their job due to a company-wide reorganization. However, the similarities end there. After a short hiatus, one found a new situation in a smaller, entrepreneurial company. The other is approaching two years in job search. The difference in their results is instructive.
In my last post, I wrote about the hiring criteria for senior managers in a tightening labor market. I wrote that employers looking to fill senior-level roles expect the new hire to have a very short learning curve. They are expected to make an immediate contribution. Adapting to the employer's culture should be the majority of their learning curve, a reasonable expectation.
Keys For A Successful Transition
1. Lead with your Leadership skills
2. Be the Specialist
3. Optimize your Network
Much of my work recently has been placing CFOs with Private Equity Groups' (PEG) portfolio companies. In case you have been disconnected from all economic news for the last decade, PEGs have been reshaping the economy, creating a lot of opportunities. These companies have a defined timetable to divestiture. Their time horizon is relatively short. During their holding periods, they maintain a focus on strategic initiatives to maximize terminal value. They need senior level managers who can help them achieve their goals within the holding period. They seek specialists.
The lack of industry-specific experience is another obstacle facing Baby-boomers in transition. There are many factors in play in this situation; however, this bias is not absolute. To be sure, a transition into some industries is difficult. Job functions like CEO, COO, and senior level marketing positions may require significant industry experience. Hiring a senior manage without relevant industry experience is usually unwise, but not always. Typically, there is somewhat more flexibility regarding specific industry experience for other job functions.
If you want to change industries, focus on your leadership skills. Senior-level jobs are about directing and managing teams, leadership. As a serious job seeker, you will research new industry segments to become familiar with revenue models, customers, and operational
challenges. That work will help nullify a lack of industry experience. However, in competition for any job, you must sell your strengths. As a senior executive, leadership should be your greatest strength. As a candidate for a senior position, focus on accomplishments which required effective leadership, then translate those situations to the needs of the employer.
As an effective leader, you will have developed “street cred,” specialized skills. You did not get to this point without becoming proficient in a particular discipline or activity. In the New Normal, employers are looking for people with specialized skills. For example, some people are great at turnarounds, whereas others may be adept at penetrating new markets. Some executives are good at building new companies where others are skilled at protecting mature brands. If you look back on your career, you will find common threads for your success. Do you have particular strength in re-engineering, business development, or maybe, systems implementation? If so, these are your specialties. Your next step is to build a resume that highlights these skills so as to match the job. Skill sets that are transferrable to other industry segments are highly desirable.
Referring to the two Executives mentioned at the beginning of this article: the difference in their results is due to the quality of their networks. More to the point, the successful job seeker (a CFO type) has a contact that is well-networked into the community. His contact made an introduction to a CEO who needed a CFO. The referral source was highly credible, which led to a positive hiring decision. The other candidate’s networking efforts have not been as successful.
Since most job seekers find employment through networking, managing your network is vital. However, the size of your network is not as important as are high-quality, highly-motivated contacts working on your behalf. They must understand your search strategy to best present your capabilities. Actively manage your network to ensure its effectiveness. Make sure they know how to help you.
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 important to me so; please leave a comment.
Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
JimWeber@NewCenturyDynamics.com
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
Current Assignments
1. COO- Atlanta-based Casual Dining Restaurant Company – New
2. Director of Business Dev, Atlanta-based B2B Professional Services Company: Complete
3. Payroll-Benefits Manager, Atlanta-based Retail Company: Offer extended.
4. Senior Accounting Manager – Atlanta-based Manufacturer. In Process
5. Controller – Atlanta-based Restaurant Company: New
What Is Your Story?
I’ve been spending a lot of time pouring through resumes this week. It has been a disappointing effort. It hasn't been disappointing because the quality of candidates is poor, far from it. It hasn’t been disappointing because the formats are poor, generally speaking, they are fine. It hasn’t been disappointing because the candidate's contact information is missing either. Well, one resume was missing an email address. They are disappointing because the content was poorly structured and tedious. The prose lacks critical information making the resumes less than compelling. It also costs me more time! Looking at resumes is fundamental to my work. I see a lot of them. It’s the resumes from two current assignments that are giving me angst.
One of my searches is to find a new Financial Controller for a small, but successful company. The job specs call for someone with Controller experience in the restaurant industry. Many of the candidates have experience with companies I don't recognize. No problem. I don't know all of the employers in the market. The problem is that these folks do not provide a description of their employers . Their resumes lack company revenues, product lines, years in business, and industry sectors. This is a problem because it makes the reader's job much more difficult. The other problem is that these resumes don't make a clear distinction between roles and responsibilities and accomplishments. That creates, even more, work for me. I might not like reading resumes that are poorly constructed, but I know from experience that good candidates don't necessarily have the best resume. I have also seen excellent resumes from candidates I would not present to a client. I will invest the extra effort to find viable candidates for my client. On the other hand, I am confident that many of these poorly constructed resumes are going into the circular files of other recruiters.
Also at this time, I am working with a Senior Executive to help him craft a new resume and rebuild his LinkedIn page. He is a smart guy who knows that he needs help. He is willing to hire a professional to solve his problem. His issue is similar to those of my Controller candidates as he doesn't showcase his accomplishments as distinct from his job responsibilities. His biggest issue, however, is that his verbiage is confusing and doesn’t position his capabilities appropriately. I will fix his resume and dramatically improve his digital presentation.
We all know that recruiters and software quickly scan resumes. Job Seekers have precious little time to make an impression that will lead to an interview. Putting extra effort into the quality of your resume is vital to your success as a job seeker. Make sure to provide a short sentence that describes your employer by industry segment, sales volume, and whether it is public, private, or a PEG portfolio company. Provide a short sentence or two to describe your job responsibilities. Use bullet points to list your accomplishments at each job. Also, it can be very helpful to mention the circumstances for leaving you employers.
Your resume is not just a job history; it is your career story. By describing each employer, your job responsibilities, and accomplishments your story is revealed. Your strengths and interests become evident. In all likelihood, you will find a common theme to your work, your positioning statement. You will become a compelling character in your play, stimulating interest on the part of the reader.
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 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
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
Jump Start Your Job Search in 2015: Reflect – Recharge – Regroup
The New Year is upon us. This is the season to take a break; enjoy time with friends and family, and prepare for the New Year. One can easily lose themselves in the hustle and bustle of shopping and celebrating. It is also a time to assess our progress for the year; to express our gratitude to family, friends, and clients; and to make resolutions for the New Year. So, why wouldn’t you want to align your job search with the cultural expectations of the season? You may be new to the job market, or you may have been in search for many months. Whatever your situation, this is a great time to reflect, recharge, and regroup.
Reflect
Evaluate your Job Search Strategy for its relevance. Is your target Job/Industry Sector still viable? What about Plan B and Plan C? Are your plans still viable? This is a good time to validate your job search strategy. What activities were most helpful? Which were not? Who has been helpful to you? Have you been spending your time wisely? Make a point to do more of those activities that seem to be getting you closer to your goals, and less of those that aren’t.
Re-charge
Take a break, enjoy the season. Don’t quit all job search activities, but dial it back a bit to have time to gain perspective. Managers don’t stop their recruiting during the holiday season, but they do slow down their activity. Likewise you should change your priorities a bit. Make time for friends and family. Re-charge your batteries so to speak.
I know many people, employed and unemployed, who use this season to reach out to people who have had an impact on their lives. Sending Greeting Cards is an obvious way to say thank you to people who have been important to you. If you want to really make an impact try a phone call or a face to face meeting. I have been a bystander to one such call when I was doing a market tour with a subordinate. I can honestly say that the impact on my subordinate was profound! Reach out to your network to thank them for their support and to update them as to your plans.
Regroup
Ensure that your resume and cover letter is still relevant and pithy. Make sure that your Internet presence is current. Are you a participating member in relevant Industry/Career Interest Groups? Is your LinkedIn profile complete? Have you checked your Face Book account to ensure that it is aligned with your goals? God forbid that your Face Book account is counter-productive. You should consider starting a blog, even if it is just a chronicle of your job search. Set new goals and objectives for the completion of daily, weekly, and monthly activities. Have a system to track activities and measure progress toward your goals.
In summary, use the waning weeks of 2014 to reflect on your efforts; recharge your emotional account; and regroup by developing a revised plan for 2015. Express your gratitude to those who have been helpful, especially friends and family. Take stock of your efforts of 2014. Do more of those activities that took you closer to your goals, and less of those that did not. Develop revisions to your plan to include a system to track your efforts and your effectiveness. Align your job search to the traditions of the season to ensure a successful job search.
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Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com