Faith, Hope and Clarity – Three Tools for Successful Communication About a Job

Recently I read an interesting blog post by a guy who was evidently venting his frustrations as a hiring manager about why 99% of candidates will never get hired.

It was admittedly a little cynical but there was much of value and some real, practical insight clearly borne of experience and intended to inform and help candidates NOT do the things that will land them in the “no” pile before even a pre-screen.

The comments on the post were fascinating – a rant from the opposite perspective, followed by many others piling on, reviling the original writer and employers in general, basically wishing everything from misery to a terminal case of boils from head to foot.

Why so much frustration in both directions? How come there is so much misunderstanding and in many cases downright animosity between two groups who really need each other? Isn’t there a better way than trench warfare?

I couldn’t get the post, and the comments, out of my mind; and kept asking myself if there was a universal concept that would work for both sides in the hiring process. Plus, if you add in an outside recruiter, there are at least three parties really – and sometimes candidates’ uncooperative spouses or families, and politically motivated stakeholders at the hiring company, add even more divergent points of view.

So is there a single unifying principle that, if applied can really be useful to all parties?

I think so.

First – faith. What I mean in this context is that you HAVE TO believe that the right person is out there, the right job is out there, the right company is out there. That’s not being naive or cliched. It’s serious – too many people on all sides fall into cynicism and that often poisons what might actually be a promising opportunity. We’re all human beings, and the tendency to stereotype the “other side” will be felt as acutely by them as it will by you. And none of us responds well to that feeling. So even if the process is taking a while, it’s essential not to fall into the mental trap that expects a negative outcome. If you are looking for reasons to fault the other side, you will surely find them. Every single search I do requires the faith that the right match exists somewhere and it’s just a matter of finding it. If I lose that belief I cannot succeed. Conversely, an intentional, pro-active choice to remain in a positive state of mind allows ideas to flow and opportunities to become visible.

Second – hope. It’s closely related to faith but it has a different twist, perhaps the more personal angle: faith means I believe the right solution exists; hope means I am actively looking for it, expecting it, seeking it out and doing something to bring it about. Hope isn’t a tentative, cautious word here – it’s a robust, powerful and action-filled word. It’s putting movement behind your faith. Your communications all have not just objective content but also tone, and that’s where you can feel the positive or negative attitude. Hope is a positive attitude that’s attractive. You can feel the can-do power even in a short email or cover note; or in a brief communication about a potential hiring decision. Equally, the opposite is the kiss of death to a deal. It might seem small – but deals and hiring decisions in particular are, as I am fond of saying, sensitive plants; and you have to avoid even small cold draughts. Check up on yourself and you might be surprised what tone has crept into your communications. It takes continual attention to ensure you remain hopeful. Depending on the extent to which the outcome matters to you, it is worth evaluating closely. If you are a hiring manager, then a delay in hiring might not impact your life terribly – but it might impact your work satisfaction, the attitude of your team, your end of year results, or a hundred other things. Hope brings the possibilities back into focus. It’s worth paying attention to. And if you’re on the other side of the table, looking for a new position, then much more is at stake and paying close attention to attitude and tone is absolutely essential.

Third – clarity. It’s a bad pun but hopefully it got your attention. Because really, it’s critical, and lack of clarity in communication kills more opportunities than you may have ever realized. And all parties on the deal are equally at risk. I could probably talk for longer than you’d listen (in fact I’m *sure* I could talk for longer than you’d listen) about stories of hiring companies whose job descriptions gave me NO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR – and no idea what the person would actually do in the darn job anyway. And there are just as many resumes and emails written by six-figure executives where it’s impossible for me to figure out what the heck they have been doing for the last twenty-some-odd years, or what they want me to do for them. And I am trained to be able to figure that stuff out. Jobs requiring highly specialized technical knowledge are particularly common problems because often the HR connection who is responsible for managing the search process has no deep technical expertise and struggles to understand what is really required by a manager speaking jargon.

Kidding aside, it is sad but true that clarity in communications is often lacking and such a simple omission creates a significant disconnect in the hiring process. The question that needs to be answered is always “If someone who doesn’t know me/my job read this, would they be able to understand what I have done/what I’m looking for?” You have to get a different view of your communication, an outsider’s view, away from the jargon and assumptions that other people are familiar with the subject matter. Usually I entirely re-write company job descriptions to use in my searches, because they don’t tell a prospective candidate anything useful about what they will really be doing all day or how their success will be measured. They are usually so internally-focused that an outsider would have trouble figuring out the basics. I’m sure you’ve seen the kind of thing – “incumbent shall be responsible for managing the activities of subordinates to achieve divisional goals and meet (fill in the cryptic acronym) criteria…” And just today, I heard from a guy who has been a VP at a large company for several years whose resume was completely without reference to any markets, products or context for his skills and self-valuation. I literally have no idea what he did – but I know he believes himself a dynamic executive with vast transferable skills.

So… clarity is really about passing the litmus test of “can someone outside understand what I am saying?” Give the communication to your assistant, or someone not intimately involved in your job, and ask them for their view of what it says. Or give your resume or letter to your spouse or a friend and see if they can tell you what you are saying. If they can – you’re on the right track. If not – it’s likely that clarity is missing. The onus is always on the one communicating to ensure the message can be understood. “Good communications skills” doesn’t mean having an extensive vocabulary – it means ensuring the core purpose of your message can be understood by your intended audience. We all know that intellectually if we’ve reached any level of success in business, and yet it’s one of the most common mistakes I see in communications about jobs, from both sides. Often, a big part of my own role is to play translator; but there isn’t always a translator in the room when your message is received.

So, these three remain, faith, hope and clarity – but the greatest of these is clarity.



2 Comments by nicolatbi on January 31, 2012
filed in Hiring Process, executive careers
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How to Navigate Invisible Politics in the Executive Hiring Process

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes during the hiring decision for an executive position when things go quiet?

Most people understandably think of the situation from their own frame of reference: am I perceived to be the best qualified? Did I hit all the hot buttons with all the decisionmakers? Could the salary or relocation or contract terms etc. be deal stoppers?

All of those items are certainly a part of the decision. But there is another major factor that influences all final hiring decisions and has absolutely no objectivity to it at all. It’s something you can do little if anything to influence, and certainly nothing to control.

It’s the internal politics of the company.

But, while you can’t control those mercurial but inexorable forces, there are some key things you can do to at least optimize your chances and minimize potential negative impact.

There are some situations where you know from the get-go that politics will have an influence in the hiring decision – you pick it up in the interview process, whether from differing perspectives of hiring authorities, or from a recruiter you may be working with, or just that instinct you developed over years as a senior manager. In many cases, overt political differences between hiring managers are a clear red flag regarding the possibility of success in a position in the first place, and that is a whole other story! But there are times that political machinations or power plays may be entirely behind the scenes;  and in fact, as a candidate for a senior level position you’d do well to assume the speed and direction of the political winds will influence the final outcome even when you don’t directly see them.

I recently closed a search after a long and circuitous journey. The position required an exceptional level of specific technical industry knowledge including a PhD level education, combined with real leadership skills and significant personnel management experience. The (large) hiring company has a somewhat matrixed environment and there were many stakeholders in the decision, all with legitimate reasons for their individual needs, wants and desires in a candidate.

As we approached the final decision, I re-confirmed all the candidate requirements as far as salary, relocation, non-compete and so forth, and from an objective standpoint it was a done deal. There were no impediments. We were just waiting for the official paperwork to be generated. But a political storm came seemingly out of nowhere as a key internal customer – nowhere in the direct line of hiring authority, and working in an entirely different location in another state – expressed serious concern about the level of the job. Not that the individual candidate wasn’t good – but this VP felt that the job in question existed to meet her needs, and that unless they hired at a significantly higher level this would/could not occur.

There was, it turned out, some very real justification for that concern because of the needs of the internal customer’s organization and the past history of interaction with the hiring group; but there was also real internal pressure within the group, because of departmental structure and seniority, such that too much change to the existing plan would be counterproductive and might well create other, bigger problems. Those problems, however, were of no interest whatsoever to the internal customer, who voiced her dissatisfaction to the highest possible power.

The matter ultimately went all the way to the very top of the entire company to get a resolution. A good deal of wisdom was needed to bring about a solution that was acceptable to all parties. Meanwhile, part of my job was to keep the candidate warm and on board. All without her being aware of the blow-up, which had nothing to do with her candidacy directly.

Eventually there was a happy conclusion, the offer was made and accepted; but calming the political storm took several weeks, with back and forth discussions, review of previous candidates, review of salary level, pinpoint targeting of three specific companies to confirm the talent/salary landscape, and a flurry of activity to confirm that this candidate was, indeed, the absolutely best option available taking all needs and concerns into account.

This example is more dramatic than many, but it’s a true and recent story (a few details being changed to protect the innocent) and not unique by any means. Now let’s look at why it came out right and see what we can learn.

First, this deal absolutely would not have happened without the intervention of the CEO of the group of companies involved. It was his wisdom and his sensitive but strong touch that kept the deal from crashing and burning irretrievably by balancing and articulating the needs of the different parties. That is something you can neither control nor influence – you just have to hope there’s someone with good judgment in the right position if it comes to it!

Second, my involvement as the recruiter was significant. I needed to communicate with all parties at the hiring company; as well as having built and maintained trust with the candidate. Trust – which in the interviewing/hiring process comes from being proven trustworthy and consistent on the myriad small and large interactions during the course of a developing relationship – is mutual and doesn’t happen overnight. If you don’t trust your main line of communication to the company, you should seriously consider whether the opportunity is worth pursuing.  A recruiter or hiring manager may not be able to tell you everything that’s going on, and that is why trust is so important. Be careful to develop trust, but do so wisely. Misplaced trust can be disastrous. Act accordingly.

Most importantly for this story, the candidate really was the right person for the position – not just her paper qualifications, but authenticity and the right attitude to succeed in the company culture. She built trust with me and with the hiring team during the process from the beginning, so that we really wanted to make this happen with her, rather than just throw up our hands in frustration and go back to the drawing board. I was able to advocate for her in good faith, confident that she was absolutely going to be able to step up into a more demanding role. In all her interactions throughout the process, she was  straightforward, clear, focused, and without the kind of ego that would have knocked her out when things got sticky. She was willing to say when she didn’t know something, or needed additional information. When it came to the offer process, she was patient but proactive – staying in touch with me consistently but not getting an attitude when there were delays; providing information right away when requested; expressing concern where she really felt it but not souring the process in doing so. In many small ways, without even knowing what was going on behind the scenes, she proved herself to be exactly the kind of person we needed for this complex position. She negotiated aggressively for the things that really mattered to her when it came to the tentative offer time; but was open to hearing alternative ideas, willing to trust the company’s word on some key areas, and – importantly – she was very well aligned with the job from a personal career goal standpoint, so that she genuinely wanted the position and was willing to work and compromise on non-essentials to arrive at an agreeable outcome.

The moral of this story is that you cannot stop the political winds from blowing, or change their direction: but you can be aware of their existence, create the most aerodynamic profile and minimize resistance! You don’t know what is going on behind the scenes with a hiring company; in many cases even people directly involved may not be aware of all the currents flowing around the hire. So don’t be too surprised by the bumps in the road, silences and detours that may occur. You can’t control everything; but you CAN show authenticity and the kind of attitude that makes you desirable above and beyond your paper qualifications for a position.



No Comments by nicolatbi on January 3, 2012
filed in Deals, Employment Offers, Hiring Process, recruiting
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The Executive Interview – Questions From The Front Lines

A senior executive currently in the job market emailed me some great questions today about the interview and offer process. His concerns are ones many people can relate to, so I thought it would be helpful to post the entire “Q&A.”

Q: I am always confused as to what are appropriate questions to ask the potential employer during the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd interviews.

A: Totally depends on the situation. There really isn’t a one size fits all answer. In general though, the questions should get more specific as the level of interview gets more in-depth. Think of it like drawing a map of uncharted territory. You fill in the big features first and then the details until you are confident you have a good overall picture of the landscape and the features, as well as the way to get from A to B. Think about what you want to know that you don’t know, and ask about that.

Assuming you have done basic homework before the first interview, that would be a good time to confirm or ask about any big-picture issues – more details on company structure, markets or channels or customers of particular interest etc.; strategic plan and your potential part in it; critical issues they face that are prompting the hire; what would be the definition of success in the position; etc.

During a second interview, assuming you have learned more about the details of the job, and the way it fits within the organization, questions would be more specific and detailed to help you fill in gaps in your knowledge that might be important to you in evaluating the opportunity seriously and providing relevant information to help the interviewers assess your fit with their needs.

After a third interview “What else is needed to make a hiring decision?” or “what is the plan/timeline for a decision” etc are critical. Move that up one if there aren’t three rounds of interviews. You want some clarity on their expected timeframe and any other steps in the process, so you can set your expectations accordingly. If they are going to make a decision tomorrow, well, you need to be ready. If they aren’t going to get together till Harry gets back from vacation three weeks from now, you’d better not be holding your breath.

And I always like to ask after every interview “Is there anything I haven’t addressed that you’d like to know about? Any of my answers that weren’t clear? Anything where you feel I didn’t answer the question you were asking?” – however you want to phrase it, something like that gives you a chance to go back at anything that you didn’t ace the first time round.

Q: When is it appropriate to hold out for more salary after an offer is given?  In other words, they have made you a good offer.  At that point are you almost “expected” to hold out for more?  Especially at the VP and above levels?

This is one of my soapbox issues :-) . Negotiating the offer should start before you interview. Not that you demand something – but that you demonstrate a strong value proposition that supports the eventual business case for why you are worth what you think you’re worth. Be clear about what you need when the opportunity arises and don’t be afraid to be proactive in discussing salary etc. If you are working with a recruiter, and you believe they are trustworthy (if you don’t believe they are trustworthy, don’t work with them in the first place), share your expectations at the same time you discuss the core requirements for the job – that way it’s balanced.

Most importantly, and I cannot stress this enough – be centered on “Does the offer meet my needs and desires?”, not on “Can I get more out of them?”. Those are two very different questions. One leads to positive and constructive discussion; the other is nothing but a negative and the kiss of death to a potential relationship. Know beforehand what you want, what you’d like, and what you’d walk away from. And do be prepared to walk – or adjust your floor accordingly.

Also, what are the aspects outside salary etc., such as relocation assistance if that is involved? Value of short and long term benefits? How does the offer compare with your own relative value coefficients for each? Then look at the offer in that light. And also make sure to consider all the non-monetary factors such as job satisfaction, culture, growth potential and so forth; and last but absolutely not least, any family considerations. If you can accept the offer, don’t get too clever. It’s not that I don’t care about the money – but as a recruiter I have just seen too many people outsmart themselves trying to negotiate a better deal and lose it altogether, or lose the honeymoon period because the company made what they felt was their best offer and the candidate turned them off by getting too aggressive. Especially in this market, you’d better believe there’s a “number two” choice in the wings. Deals are sensitive plants and you have to handle them accordingly.

I know many people would disagree with me about that, and sure there is a better “testosterone score” in feeling you’ve negotiated hard above the original offer – but that doesn’t always truly equate to winning, unless you are totally coin-operated. That said, looking for something additional where you know there might be room is OK. This is not a win-lose, zero sum game – it is the perfect opportunity for a real win-win. There’s no harm in looking at areas you think they may be able to add something that has value to you and may not cost them too much. The more you know about what are strict policy limits and what is discretionary, the better, so ask your best source (recruiter or hiring manager – whoever you have been dealing with and have the closest relationship with).

Another aspect to consider is that what you ask for needs to be justified by the value you will bring and not by equality with your prior position, x% better than your prior position, your personal situation, spouse’s employment needs or whatever. That might sound obvious; but I have seen senior executives lose the deal because they ask for something without looking at whether truly the company will consider them worth it. Be realistic about it and try looking at your own request from the other side of the desk. What reasons or factors would actually count with you if you were the hiring decision maker, and why? Most of all – be authentic. Say what you want, and mean it. Be prepared to walk away. Never bluff. If you can’t trust the people on the other side of the desk to be giving you a basically good deal, don’t go for it anyway.

And once you have made your decision, stick with it. Don’t rehash or recriminate. Win or lose, go forward wholeheartedly.

Q: Should you entertain any counter offers you may get from a current employer?

A: No! NO! NO!!! NEVER!! Under no circumstances!! Whatever is motivating you to look elsewhere right now, if your current employer hasn’t already addressed the issue, they are only “buying time” if they counter offer. The underlying issue is still there. And if it takes the threat of you leaving to get them to do something for you, that’s not healthy either. Plus, the statistics on the number of people still with the company 12 months after accepting a counteroffer are something like less than 20%. Once you show that you’ve been looking elsewhere, that fragile bond of trust is broken and your loyalty to the company is forever in question. You can’t put that genie back in the bottle. If you’re leaving, you’re leaving. Know your reasons and just say no to a counter offer.



2 Comments by nicolatbi on August 17, 2011
filed in Employment Offers, Hiring Process, executive careers
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The Art of the Deal – Does a Win-Win Really Exist in the World of Employment Offers?

The key to making a truly good deal is understanding the prime motivators of all parties, and ensuring that they are addressed as effectively as possible.

Sounds obvious; but all too often, when it comes to employment offers – which are great examples of deals that can be either great or jaw-droppingly stupid – one or the other party forgets this, with predictable results.

Here are some recent examples of the good, the bad and the ugly from my own practice.

Hiring company A – a mid-size company – knew that their top candidate had a competing suitor. The candidate was very interested in them, but had to make a decision for the sake of his family and a secure income (prime motivator = need for security). They didn’t expedite their decision process sufficiently, and had no creativity about alternate meeting times or venues. As a result, the candidate took the offer he was less interested in rather than risk no deal from either company.

Hiring company B – an aggressive niche player with new top management, building a high-powered business development team for new initiatives – knew their top candidate for a VERY hard to fill, narrowly-defined, impact-player role (classic needle in the haystack) was close to their max in salary (prime motivators = better compensation combined with opportunity for career progression); but that their job presented a good long-term opportunity and they needed someone on the team who could really contribute from day one. The search had taken several months and they had rejected a number of candidates. Attempting to shave a few dollars in salary at offer time (less than 5%), they lost their candidate and it took 4 months to find another who qualified, and passed the test with many decisionmakers and stakeholders. How much time was lost that could have been used to drive forward the critical projects the position would work on?

Hiring company C – a major global player – made it plain that they were interested in their top choice and were looking for authenticity and commitment (prime motivators = cultural fit, integrity). They made a great offer; but the candidate attempted to negotiate it at the wire based on a competing offer, without ever having mentioned he was considering another opportunity during the entire process. He tried to be clever, mis-read the deal entirely, and lost it, not to mention burning bridges permanently with this company, a major player in his markets of choice.

Hiring company D – a small family company – had much at stake in the search for a key management team member, knowing that they were not able to compete with the “big guys” in their market on salary or benefits. They needed someone who wanted not just a job but a “home” (prime motivators = affordability, low risk, cultural fit).  The successful candidate had owned his own business and earned more in the past, but had to close it during the recession when major customers went bankrupt, leaving him with a need to find a secure opportunity to move forward, and tied to a house he couldn’t immediately sell (prime motivators = impact, security, quick decision process, concern about housing and relocation costs). He saw that the company was offering a true chance to make a difference. A quick but thorough interview process, combined with both parties clearly stating their wishes and concerns, led to a mutually happy outcome. The hiring company added to the package in the area of temporary living accommodations (avoided permanent salary hike that would have created an issue in the deal) and paid him the first month’s temporary living up front, to help offset the costs of getting himself across the country at his own expense to start work; the candidate took a lower salary than he had made before, to accommodate the company’s limitations, and was appreciative of their demonstrated support regarding his housing situation.  

Important to note – every one of these cases contained a potential deal-breaker. The one where each party truly heard the other’s need, and wanted to work out a solution, led to a positive outcome – against no smaller obstacles than the others, where one or the other party just “didn’t get it”.

Key takeaways:

  • Be clear about your own prime motivators, (your company’s if you are the hiring decisonmaker) – know what is negotiable and what isn’t.
  • Be clear about the other party’s prime motivators. Many deals are lost because someone just won’t ask, or take the time to find out, what the other party truly needs to make it happen – and *why* these factors are important.
  • Be clear about the cost of NOT getting what you want. Ask yourself the question: does this mean more than what’s on the line? How important is my must-have, when compared with the possibility of losing the deal altogether?
  • Get pride out of the way. It’s never a good counselor.
  • Don’t be afraid of authenticity. It’s your friend. Embrace it.
  • Are the two parties’ critical needs mutually exclusive? If so, forget it and move on. It’s not gonna happen. If not – go make a deal!


No Comments by nicolatbi on February 1, 2011
filed in Deals, Employment Offers, Hiring Process, executive careers, recruiting
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Q&A: What About Activities Outside Your Job?

A great question came up regarding how – or whether – to include any information on your resume regarding what you might call “extracurricular activities” – business leadership positions outside your actual job, such as Board memberships, Association chairs, Advisory roles and what-have-you.

There was some concern that without such information, senior executives may not appear as attractive for high-level posts as those who have clearly shown leadership in other capacities. But, on the other hand, is it just going to get ignored by resume software, or worse, seen as distracting by an HR gatekeeper?

Everything depends on the individual situation and its complexities, including cultural factors – there is no one-size-fits-all answer just as there are no two identical companies, or people. Some places just see the “extracurricular activities” as irrelevant or distracting, while others look at them as key decision factors.

In general, include a small section on the resume that indicates something besides your straight job responsibilities. Customize the resume by bumping it up to the top if it’s highly relevant in a specific case.

I also recommend taking time to create a portfolio of documents, not just expecting the resume to do everything: create two or three one page case study/white paper documents that talk about individual scenarios from your experience – inside or outside the “Job” context – that can always be provided if the hiring authority has interest. These should also be accessible on your LinkedIn profile (via the box.net files application or Slideshare for example) so that anyone who has an interest can dig deeper and find more specific content, but you’re not bombarding someone with the info unless they want it. I have found this to be *very* successful in delivering more focused, in-depth content that may be of significant interest to a small audience. It complements your resume without overwhelming the main content. Rather like taking a pair of binoculars to look more closely at a landmark that is visible in the wider landscape (the resume).

The other advantage of this approach is that it never hurts to have some relevant stories polished and ready to tell in person, and the process of creating the documents does wonders for keeping you focused.



No Comments by nicolatbi on August 17, 2010
filed in executive careers, executive resumes
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Q&A: Cover Letters

A LinkedIn member asked about whether cover letters are worth writing or whether they can be a waste of time. Great question!

Much of a cover letter’s value (or lack of) depends on factors beyond your control, specifically how the communication is received – whether it is parsed into an automated system or arrives as an email that someone actually looks at first. If you know which is which, you can do some tweaking to make it more effective. Keywording never hurts, & can be an advantage in an automated system; it is also worth adding info such as whether or not you will relocate (if relevant), or other items not in the resume that can make it easier for the person viewing your info to see the fit.

If someone applies through our jobs portal I rarely read the cover letter until later, but if they email me a resume and the cover letter is in the body of the email I do read it (I have a real negative reaction to nothing in the email body or no identified position because I have to figure out what it is about, which impacts my workflow). Do put the cover letter in the message body, not as an attachment, if it is being sent via email; and keep it short & focused. I tend to read a brief note, but not a long treatise, and switch off early if there is any empty jargon (same with the resume). It’s a time management thing. I don’t have time for “empty calories” in a cover letter. But someone who clearly knows what I’m looking for, and can convey that succinctly, has an advantage.

Do identify the position you are applying for, and any information on the source by which you heard about it (unless there is a good reason not to). Recruiting for multiple positions at once makes for occasional confusion however efficient the system.

If emailing, do address the letter personally if you have the name of the person who will be receiving it: as a recruiter I definitely appreciate when someone personalizes a letter. If they are a *perfect* fit then I will contact them anyway; but many times that is not so clear, and then the small points add up. The approach of creating a custom cover letter is IMHO the right way to do it – a generic one is really not very helpful and could, in fact, hurt you. A personal letter allows your individual personality to shine through and can help separate you from the crowd – it may be risky but also may be a good strategy, you have to make the judgment call.

Be direct, use active language – “will” not “would” for example.

The suitably “appropriate” style of communication also plays a part here: as a PR professional, for example, there will be a different expectation on your communication than there would be for a CFO.

On the other hand, a lot of time spent on a cover letter that  wn’t ever be read can be a waste of precious time better spent prospecting for new opportunities. You really have to pick and choose carefully which ones to expend labor on. I recommend to coaching clients that they qualify the lead, via key questions such as:

  • How closely does the job fit what you *really* want and are good at?
  • Do you have a personal contact name or relationship?
  • Do you know if that person is a decisionmaker or a gatekeeper?
  • How much do you know about their culture via the web site or social media presence, etc?
  • Is the contact method itself personal or impersonal?

Then you can score whether it’s likely to be worth crafting a thoughtful cover letter or not. Spend the most time on the highest scoring opportunities and for the rest, use customized boilerplate, where the main body can remain the same and you can personalize it with the necessary details. I recommend 2 or 3 form letters to work from, so the result is still personalized, but doesn’t take all day to create.

Bottom line: qualify the opportunity. Spend time accordingly.



No Comments by nicolatbi on August 4, 2010
filed in Uncategorized, executive careers
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Power Balance In The Executive Interview: What It Is And Why it Matters

What does “power balance” make you think of in this context? A successful, driven executive negotiating an incredible deal for themselves? An interviewee going through a panel interview with the Board, nuancing their level of assertiveness? Maybe… but this post is intended more as a reminder of some fundamentals, and an encouragement to those who find themselves “between opportunities” for longer than they would have wished or imagined prior to the recession. So if you need a bit of cheering up and motivation – read on!

“Power balance” here really means that intangible sense of who is selling whom in the interview process – where is the greater need? As an example, a caller on a recent phone-in career coaching session described an interview situation and asked for advice. This individual is an executive, with many years of successful career accomplishments, but has been in transition for a number of months and is understandably feeling her confidence begin to falter. For the first time in their career, she is the one in need. She has been on numerous interviews, but no offers – despite a great track record. Sound familiar?

The description of the interview situation was not unlike many – showing why and how she could contribute meaningfully to the company’s bottom line, where she can add value, all the “right stuff”. But there was one critical part that was clearly causing her some serious problems when it came to being the successful candidate: the power balance in the interview. She had done such an effective job of trying to mold her experience to the needs of the company that she had unwittingly created an environment that made it hard for the interviewers to get a sense of her own self. She did not come across as being the equal, but as being the subordinate, despite the great examples she gave of how she had succeeded in solving similar challenges to those the company faced. I’m not talking organizational hierarchy here, I’m talking simple people dynamics.

Simply put, she came across as too needy.

That’s not to say that you should try to dominate the conversation, play “hard to get,” or use any type of manipulative approach – far from it – but there is a temptation when trying to sell oneself to a prospective employer, to do too good of a job of selling in that direction, without the corresponding qualifying on the other side: is this really the right company – and the right job within the company - for me? What’s the culture, the expectation of a new person? How important to the company are the things that are important to me? What are the company’s mission and vision, and do they align with mine? Is there a corporate values statement of some kind and if so, how seriously do people take it? Does the company (if it’s large enough) have any good or bad comments on sites like www.glassdoor.com? What kind of training or mentoring opportunities are there for continued growth? How long do people stay? Does top management have confidence in their workforce, and how does the workforce perceive top management…? These sorts of questions are a critical part of the mutual discovery process.

That may sound obvious in principle, but a re-centering after a number of bloody noses and near misses is always helpful. It is easy to forget that there has to be a balance of power, a mutual respect in the conversation. That comes from a groundedness, an assurance of your own value and a clear perspective on your contribution.

And that assurance, in turn, comes from a frame of reference that recognizes that the interview is really a two-way conversation. They have a career opportunity; you have skills and expertise the company needs – or they wouldn’t be interviewing! Back in my post about vision and focus , we looked at why you need to be clear about your greatest assets and capabilities. This is one setting where that clarity makes the difference.

Early in my recruiting career, I made the mistake of over-selling because I needed to develop my client base. I learned the hard way that sometimes, you need to be careful what you wish for! The smarter approach would have been to take a more balanced and critical view of the potential opportunity in order to make the right decision for both parties – including the chance to air concerns. The fear of missing an opportunity, that causes people to try to stuff a resume with everything they’ve ever done, is the same fear that can creep into an interview, disrupt the power balance, and inhibit one’s critical faculties.

Openness, authenticity, and real communication open doors that no amount of just “selling” can do. In fact, the best sales people are those who qualify their customers early and often! So take a read of that focused resume again, make a list of what tangible and intangible items are your top priorities, remember you are an expert in your niche, and qualify any prospective employer on those critical topics.

Remember that power balance, and you’ll be happier – and save a lot of time and soul-substance you would otherwise have spent on pursuing things that might not be at all  right for you.



1 Comment by nicolatbi on July 30, 2010
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Q&A: How to Get Selected for Board Positions

Steve asks via LinkedIn: What is the best way to get selected to serve on a board of directors? What are the general requirements? Are there consultants/headhunters which specialize in placing people on boards?

There are indeed headhunters and others who specialize in Board appointments but the better way to get what you are looking for, IMO, is (a) to leverage your existing connections with people who may have influence on Board selections – attorneys, bankers, CPAs, PE investors, etc. –and (b) make sure you have good collateral that clearly conveys how you would add value to a Board.

You need to be able to demonstrate that having you on a Board will provide value to the company, so examples of how you have already had an impact on the strategic direction of an organization, created meaningful value in top and bottom line, etc., are the things to spell out. This will be a different document from your resume, and should be targeted specifically at the type of accomplishment that is more relevant to a Board position. Check some of my other blog posts for ideas on how to put content together and create an authentic value proposition.

As with many other career matters, experience is always the best way to get more experience – so, finding a way to get a “foot in the door” through things like unpaid Board seats, advisory board roles, non-profit board participation, etc., are all good and helpful.

Leverage the power of LinkedIn groups, also, and make sure you state clearly in your profile that you are interested in Board opportunities. You may even want to put it explicitly in the contact settings section. Besides participating in Q&A on relevant subjects on LI, offering expertise and giving your assistance free on a limited basis, you may want to expand that line of thinking to things like other small business forums, startup business assistance, etc., because these are places where people are actively looking for help and Board opportunities may be easier to find. The same is true of the non-profit side. The key in these situations is to do your due diligence to ensure that the Board itself is a true independent Board and not just a puppet of the founder or owner or main shareholder. And, make sure there is Board insurance.

The other important question to ask yourself is exactly what you want to get out of a Board role, before you set off to get one. This will dictate the best course of action and the type of contacts you will need to make. Sounds obvious, but it’s often overlooked.

Bottom line, there are any number of ways to go about finding a Board seat, but ultimately they all come down to knowing what you want and why you want it, and figuring out how to convey value to your intended audience so that they *want* to bring you on.

Check out www.fastpitch.com and www.partnerup.com for a couple of places to make the right sort of contacts – there are plenty of others but these are a place to start and see what’s out there.



No Comments by nicolatbi on June 15, 2010
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Q&A: Resume, Bio & Executive Presentation

Don asked about his executive presentation – the format of his resume/biography, how to deliver it during the interview process, and whether an executive should deliver more than just the resume and biography. Great questions!

In today’s world of electronic communications, hard copy materials are less and less the central focus. A few years back, the subtleties of the unwritten rules of resume paper choice, variable print quality on personal printers, etc. were important and sometimes seemingly arcane aspects of executive presentation. But these days, it’s so much more about ease of access to content, via electronic media. Of course, you need good paper when you do print your resume; and matching fonts, decent layout and so forth are still important in creating an impression suitable for a business leader; but too much emphasis on the hard copy materials without corresponding attention to a variety of content type and accessible electronic formats creates a perceived imbalance, and can actually hurt you, making you look like a dinosaur.

The world moves at the speed of twitter these days. 140 characters to get your point across, make it easy to understand, quickly. Visibility and accessibility of information are just as important. Content is king – and in the current highly challenging executive job market, you need to be able to show clearly exactly where your value lies, without the hiring manager or recruiter having to mine your resume to find out.

That leads to the question of whether more is needed than a resume and biography. The answer is – YES! We are in an age of information packaging for consumption. There is SO MUCH info out there, and people want to know exactly what they want to know, right now. Targeted, specific data is what it’s all about. This plays into a hiring company’s natural desire to see the exact right fit in a candidate’s background. Targeted detail is readily available on almost any topic you search for – just google your search string and voila, someone has probably written an article about whatever obscure combination of things you want to know about. You don’t want to wade through reams of information to get the individual pieces and then have to put them together  –  you want to go right to the answer that is at the intersection of the various criteria you define.  

 The same is true for hiring managers and recruiters. There is a huge amount of candidate data available and the ones who get that critical foot in the door are often the ones who can most closely align their content with the stated need, making it easy for the recruiter or hiring manager to see their value in the unique situation.

This really boils down to market segmentation. The better you can define your target market and create collateral that shows your value to that market, the more likely you are to be successful in getting interest from your audience. So, it pays to create additional documents such as presentations, white papers, case studies etc. – they don’t need to be novels, and can in fact be as short as a single page – but each one highlights a specific area of expertise and value that you bring to the party, preferably illustrated from a specific example to maximize impact and credibility. A good executive portfolio should contain a variety of types of information, centered on the resume because that is still the single common denominator in recruiting. Online and electronic documents are essential for ease of communication: hard copy information will likely be filed and forgotten, but electronic documents can be stored, searched and retrieved, and easily forwarded to multiple parties, increasing your visibility.

If you think of your resume as the overall landscape of your career, these other documents are like taking a pair of binoculars to individual bullet points and zooming in on the detail. They don’t replace the resume, but they give a much clearer picture of what is between the lines.

The choice of subject and presentation format are often a challenge when first starting out. I recommend 2 strategies: pick a case study on an accomplishment of which you are most proud, or a topic on which you have a particular expertise, and write on that. And, use a particular job opportunity that you are currently pursuing to choose a relevant example that you can then save for other opportunities in the future. Use it as a starting point, and add further examples to build out your executive portfolio. As to medium, use the presentation format that you are most comfortable with. If you love to write, use a Word document. If you’re a PowerPoint junkie, use that. But make sure the content is compellingly presented and tightly composed. And, an advantage of a slideshow is that you can promote it on SlideShare for example.

Don’t deluge a hiring manager with all this info – keep it available for when, or if, it’s relevant during the process. But DO post it to your LinkedIn profile, and any other social media you use, so that it is available for someone interested to explore. That way, they can see as much as they want at their own convenience and establish interest before reaching out to you.  And make it easy for someone to find you by including your contact information on each document individually.

A well-thought-out executive portfolio will add to your credibility and greatly increase your perceived value. You already have the accomplishments and the knowledge, but it’s essential to make it easy for someone else to see that. Let the goal be your guide in content creation.



1 Comment by nicolatbi on May 27, 2010
filed in executive careers, executive resumes
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LinkedIn Etiquette: 5 Top Tips For Executive Job Seekers (And Just About Anyone)

There are probably two zillion Linkedin “experts” with a variety of angles on how to use the rich features LinkedIn offers. My posts will focus predominantly on you as a senior executive and how you can make the most of LinkedIn for professional career networking. As a confessed LinkedIn junkie since 2005, I spend more time sourcing candidates – and business, for that matter – on LinkedIn than anywhere else. And I’m not alone. There are many LinkedIn groups for recruiters that look at new ways to source candidates using LI features, as well as other social media resources, and LinkedIn is a major source for us. So, my posts on the topic are based on years of experience, not just theory.

I’m going to assume you have some basic knowledge of LinkedIn, how to set up a profile and so forth. If not, LinkedIn has good basic training at http://learn.linkedin.com – and you may also want to follow them on Twitter and catch their blog (http://blog.linkedin.com) that contains info on new site updates and features, among other things. Whether you are a newbie or a veteran on LinkedIn, I recommend these resources to get up to speed and keep abreast of new developments. If you want personal training on the use of LinkedIn – basic or advanced – do contact me.

OK, now we’re squared away on the basics, the first thing we’re going to cover is etiquette, because it is, IMO, one of the ways more potentially qualified people lose out on job opportunities than any other. As a recruiter, I receive many job inquiries via LinkedIn and it is *amazing* how few are well crafted.

Here are 5 essential  LinkedIn etiquette tips:

DO pay attention to the person’s contact settings.

It’s interesting that LinkedIn puts this info at the bottom of the profile not the top – but it’s very important. If you read my contact settings, you’ll see I am pretty open to contact but I request a message to explain the reason. Not really a surprise – I get a lot of unsolicited inquiries and it is helpful for me to understand what the person is looking for, how we know each other, etc. But less than 20% of people seem to bother to have read this. As an example, if you are looking for a position, and your target contact’s contact settings do not include job inquiries, you will need to take a softer approach to the contact or choose another. Do take the time to scroll down to read this part of their profile – not doing so suggests a lack of care.

DO use a personalized message.

The canned LinkedIn sentence does NOTHING for you!!! This is so important. You are (probably) reaching out to someone you don’t know, or don’t know well, so the burden is on you to introduce yourself and explain the purpose of your contact. Don’t make the recipient have to work to figure it out – they may not come to the right conclusion! This very first contact is your best chance to make a good first impression. Don’t waste it. Take a moment to introduce yourself and how you know the person, who you have in common, what groups you share, what it is about their profile that prompted you to reach out – whatever it is, establish some personal contact point in common. This is one of my top screening tools – if someone can’t be bothered to let me know why they want to talk to me, it sends a strong message. Conversely, a personal note opens my door in an instant. This is just an extension of normal, real-world social interaction. If you walked into a cocktail party, you probably wouldn’t just go up to your target and ask for their card (unless it’s a speed networking event!), you’d find a way to introduce yourself and some common ground to start from. It’s the same on LinkedIn. It doesn’t take long to look at the person’s profile and craft a decent little intro – and you’ll be amazed at the results.

DON’T invite the person to connect the first time you contact them.

Use a message through a group, or reach out via an introduction; if you have a paid subscription, use an Inmail; whatever you do, don’t just go for the jugular right away. That feels intrusive. Just like WRITING IN ALL CAPS  MAKES THE RECIPIENT FEEL LIKE YOU’RE SHOUTING AT THEM, sending a connection invitation right away (and ESPECIALLY  without a personal note) is like asking for, well, too much on a first date. Just don’t go there. You have nothing to gain and a lot to lose. The whole topic of open networking is something we will get into later, but for now, you definitely can’t assume that someone will accept your connection request without some warmup conversation. If only a few people give you the dreaded IDK (I Don’t Know this person), you could be kicked off LinkedIn altogether; but even if not, it’s just not cool and, IMO, not a winner’s behavior. You may be able to develop a nice correspondence with someone just going back and forth via LinkedIn messages, later moving to emails or phone. Nurturing that little seedling that germinates from a first contact is very important.

DO be authentic.

Avoid jargon, avoid overwordiness, anything that creates distance between you and the contact you’re speaking to. Imagine you’re in a room with them. How would you approach? Direct, friendly, open – these are all good descriptors. Don’t be too formal – social media isn’t your grandma’s letter-writing – although for business purposes, there’s a certain tone that is too informal as well. If you are a senior executive, approaching another senior executive, the best technique is like dress – business casual works well. But most importantly, be yourself. Let the person see a bit of your style. This first impression should draw them to want to click the link to look at your profile. A little humor

DON’T just be “me-centered”.  

As a recruiter, I get many unsolicited contacts on LinkedIn, and I welcome meeting new people. But at least a superficial attempt not to just use me is appreciated! If you have valuable connections, mention one or two and offer to share them. If you have expertise that the person might find valuable, offer that. If the person’s profile says they are looking for something and you know where they can find it – tell them you can help. The common thread here is that in any relationship there has to be something for both sides to gain. Nobody likes to feel used, and in any social interaction the rules are really the same. Avoid over-use of first person pronouns. Don’t start every sentence with “I” (that goes for cover letters too!). Make sure you try to put yourself in the other person’s shoes for a moment and think what they might find valuable. This is basic good manners and the key to success in many areas of life; but often people forget about it when they use social media.



3 Comments by nicolatbi on May 11, 2010
filed in executive careers, social media
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