Critical Notes

Yesterday I was at a network meeting and a guy said something like “I’m a very private guy, but I made a goal to tell 10 people that I’m in the market and what I’m looking for. Last week I found 10 people and told them.” I think its great to let others know your situation (unemployed, underemployed, whatever), but I think there might be a better way. Here’s an e-mail that I get from a buddy that is looking for a new position right now (note: the changes in blue are an attempt to keep him anonymous):

Jason,

I got a call in mid-January from a recruiter who knows me. He???s looking for a president of a $10 billion Salt Lake City based maker of widgets (the kind you see at Babys-R-Us, for example). The job looks like a nice fit with my goals, and the recruiter thinks I???m a good fit with the specification. I heard last week that my resume passed the first hurdle.

My lean manufacturing course is complete and I have submitted my project assignment. The final is February 22, so I???m reviewing and preparing.

This month I am particularly interested in high level contacts at widget manufacturing companies. Example targets include WidgetPros, WidgetMakers (owned by All Things Widgets), WowzeeWidgets, Widgiwidgits, AWC (Another Widget Company) and Acme Widgetry (just purchased by Widgipro Asset Management). If you know anyone at any of these companies, please let me know.

I???ll keep you posted.

John Doe
1234 Main Street
Small Town, UT 12345
Phone: (555) 555-5555
Email: john.doe@mail.com

Author of “Experts In Widgets” at: http://widgetexpert.blogspot.com

Ok, here are my thoughts on this:

1. I think its excellent that the guy I met yesterday personally spoke with 10 people - and he’ll probably speak with another 10 this week. But after 4 weeks how is he going to keep those 40 people (10 people each week) up to date on what’s going on? This is not a replacement for talking to people, but another tactic to keep your vast network updated.
2. I really like the length - this is not going to be a pain to read and digest.
3. The e-mail came personally addressed to me. I did not feel like I was getting spammed - this is a good friend of mine and I want to help him. Having my name there was an extra touch that I appreciated.
4. Telling me the position and size of company of a good prospect is critical - it helps me know what to look for. Huge difference between the president of $1M company and a $10B company, right?
5. In the e-mail he told me what the company does, and gave me a tangible example. This really helps me because so many company names are NOT descriptive of what the core business is, but now I can ask others who they know at widget companies.
6. Knowing that he is a LEAN expert is also important because it helps me quantify his skillset. This may be a transferrable skill, further helping me understand what this dude does.
7. When he says “this month I’m particularly interested in…” helps me udnerstand that part of the purpose of this e-mail is to help him. This is not a passive “we’re doing great - hope you are too” e-mail. Rather, this is a call to action.
8. Telling me the names of the companies (and even parent companies) is huge - now I can ask my network for specific information. The difference between “I’m looking for manufacturing companies” and “do you know anyone that works at Company X, Company Y or Company Z” is huge - and critical.
9. At the end of that last paragraph he calls me to action. Nicely, respectfully, but it is clear that he wants to know if I have contacts there.
10. His signature gives me ways to get in touch with him. I already have him in my JibberJobber database - we’re buddies! But he makes it easy for me to find his number - and if I want to forward this to anyone then they can have it too.
11. And, he ends with a link to his blog. This is an excellent way to remind me that he is a thought leader in something, and gives me substance that I can forward to my network. I’m sure you can include a resume with this e-mail also.

So there you go - another excellent example for you to follow. I did not do this in my job search last year but I see the value in sending this type of e-mail out to people to proactively work my network.

Who should this go out to? Everyone in your network. People care about you and your welfare. Include friends, family, past customers, past vendors, etc.

I can’t wait to get the e-mail that says “I landed my dream job! Thanks for your support during these last few months…“

I got an e-mail from a new friend in South Carolina a few weeks ago which basically said:

I hope that you could possibly offer me some advice. I live in Charleston, SC and I have read your article that was posted on the CharlestonJob Network and I have attempted to follow your advice to the tee, but without success.

I’m leaving out details, of course, but my reply listed the best practices that I could think of… I’d like to present these seven things to you so you can ask where you stand on each of these things:

1. Have you read Never Eat Alone? Simple stuff, common sense, especially for a sales veteran. But there are lots of things in there that might be reminders, or something like that. It might be educational or motivational (for me it was both) ??? but it should be read. (Another great networking book I just finished is Thom Singer’s Some Assemby Required - different than Keith Ferrazzi’s book and style, I consider it very complementary)
2. Do you have a tight relationship with a recruiter? This can be someone local, or someone far away. But you need to be able to get coaching from a professional recruiter before an interview, after the interview, with regard to your resume, etc.
3. Would you consider a career coach? I “work with” or at least network with a few career coaches. I think that when you are in a state of despair its so helpful to have someone that can help you, hold you accountable, and their focus is to help you move on to that next step!
4. How effectively do you network locally? 30 interviews is a ton, and now you know some important people in lots of companies. Do you go to any networking meetings? I’m not talking about the job seeker meetings, but industry or niche associations? These are smaller, tight-nit groups that focus on their specialty, but the relationships there are usually really valuable. I never did this because I was too busy working, but now I’ll never NOT do it.
5. Do you work on personal branding? From what you told me you could be an established authority in the sales space. There are tons of specialties, like you mention (you are B2B software) ??? are any of them underserved, or can you transfer your knowledge from your specialty to help in another specialty? You would do this with a blog (see my Monthly Winners in my blog for excellent examples) or by writing articles. You need to be THE AUTHORITY, someone that is a superstar, and undisputed ??? and you can do this through your personal branding strategy.
6. Do you give service regularly? I had a blog carnival where I basically said “Yikes! You just lost your job and your network has been neglected ??? what do you do now??” Seth Godin replied with “Do service for 6 months!!!” It was an amazing answer, and I think many felt it was unrealistic, but doing service allows you to substantiate yourself, and rub shoulders with other execs, hiring managers and professionals that want to give back ??? these are excellent network contacts!
7. I think you are a prime candidate for a professional resume writer. I would have cringed to think about paying for that because its such a simple document, but you clearly have issues with your moving around (I don’t think they are issues but you have to figure out how to communicate it both on the resume and in an interview!). I could be wrong here because you have already had 30 interviews (which leads me to believe you need to network more ??? apparently getting an interview isn’t a problem), and you need coaching on the interview (and how to answer questions regarding moving/job changes). This is NOT insurmountable, and I wish I could tell you the answer, but it ain’t my thing.

This is stuff I didn’t think about a year ago, but might constitute my response for best practices in a job search. What do you think - are these things you need to reconsider?

Yesterday I announced Mike Schaffner as the You Get It winner of the month. I have been intrigued by Mike’s blog and the strategic thought that is behind it. I think you’ll find this interview interesting, I did…

Why did you start blogging?

Our good friend Kent Blumberg actually got me started. I saw what he had done and I felt it was a good way to ???brand??? myself and to communicate it. My brand is that I???m not your typical CIO (Chief Information Officer), I have a business background of engineering, finance/accounting, and manufacturing operations in addition to IT and that helps me to lead IT to achieve business objectives and support business strategies. Basically, a blog helps get this message out since it gives me a more open format to talk about this than you could ever do in just a resume alone.

How has blogging benefited you and your career?

It has helped in a number of ways. First, it has expanded my network. I now have a number of new networking contacts that I wouldn???t have had otherwise. Second, it has helped me refine my message. Having to think about the interaction of business and IT and then to articulate this on a frequent basis really helps you refine and strengthen your message. Third, as a form of ???pull??? marketing it helps in my marketability. For example, I was recently contact by a journalist for a major print and online trade journal. They will be publishing an article in April about blogging and will be featuring my blog. What fantastic exposure.

What kind of relationships have you made from your blog?

I???ve developed a number of great friendships with people that I???ve met through blogging. Not only has it expanded my network, it has expanded my circle of friends. What could be better?

I have a friend that wonders why a senior level exec would blog ??? he isn???t IT and you are, so he???d slightly discount your answer if it comes from an IT slant ??? why would you suggest that a senior exec has a blog (if you do suggest that)?

First let me say that blogging is not for everyone. You have to be willing to invest the time and effort to do this and you have to be dedicated to keeping it up. It needs to be your message and reflect your style and personality. This isn???t something you can delegate to an assistant. I think there are 3 basis reasons why a senior level exec would blog.

1. As I mentioned earlier it is a great way to brand yourself and is a great pull marketing technique. Even if you aren???t currently looking for a job, isn???t it nice to be known as someone knowledgeable on a particular subject.
2. It is a great way of communicating with an external audience. Bill Marriott has a great blog. What a great way to interact with your customers.
3. It is a great way for a senior exec to communicate with his employees. This is especially true where your people are widely dispersed. Blogging allows you to address topics on timely basis ??? no waiting until you can go see them in person and it allows them to ask questions. Plus everyone sees the same message.

If you???re willing to invest the time and effort blogging can be a very effective communication vehicle.

What are the downsides of blogging?

The only downside that I can think of is the time it takes to do it. It can take a significant amount of time. I spend at least 5 hours per week and frequently more. However as with anything you enjoy doing (and I do enjoy blogging), it is worth the effort.

I noticed that you don???t have your picture on your blog, why not?

One of the reasons I started my blog is partially an age issue. The general perception is that anyone over 40 can???t program their VCR/DVR much less use the computer systems that have become an integral part of the business world. By using new technology in an innovative way, branding via a blog, I hope to overcome the age issue by demonstrating mastery of and comfort with technology. This is a long winded way of saying it had to do with age.

My initial thought was why reinforce the age perception by putting up a picture of a gray haired guy? Since then I???ve decided I am what I am. Any one that reads my resume or sees me knows I???m not 30 so basically it was ??? get over it. Once I find the time and can locate a good photographer so I can get a good photo at a reasonable price I???ll post one.

In your humble opinion, what are some components of your blog that contribute to winning this award?

Well, I noticed you cashed the sizable check I sent. Seriously though, I hope it is based upon my using technology as a way to establish a personal brand. I try to stay ???on message??? without an overt effort at finding a job and I attempt to discuss technical issues in business terms without the technical jargon. Part of the reason I try not to push the job search effort is that I plan to continue it after I land ??? it???s fun.