The answer is yes!

Define experience:  Experience can be defined as being placed in a situation, learning from the situation and applying that knowledge to impact the future.

During a recent seminar, I was asked the question:  “How can I sell myself to a future employer if I lack the 2 years of work experience they list on a job posting?”  The quick answer is that it depends on the job and the type of experience the employer is looking for.

Everyone has experience that they can leverage to impact the future.  Experience can come in many forms. I once was a captain of a football team and needed to motivate my team to beat the undefeated rival.  I once had to pull an all-nighter at Kent State to prepare for a Macro Economic test and finish a consumer behavior paper.  I once had to deal with an angry customer at the Italian Restaurant where I was a server. So, experience comes in many forms, you need to reflect and identify your experiences as they relate to the potential job that you are interested in.    

When employers ask for experience, they are anticipating that your past experiences will translate to future success.  This article is all about the experience you already have and how to identify ways to leverage it and sell it during an interview. 

There are two types of work experience: technical experience and general experience.  Employers often confuse the two when they are developing job descriptions for entry level positions.  Technical experience might be required for a new position where the employer needs very specific technical aptitude and ability such as software expertise, experience working with a customer relationship management system or ability to use a specific type of software.  General work experience is often the type of experience employers are really looking for in entry level positions such as the ability to work in teams, deal with conflict, time management, ability to multitask, communication ability, and organizational skills, to name a few. 

Consider your situation. You have spent a few years in college, been involved in social and professional organizations and adapted to different situations and working with people.  As an employer, that is what I am looking for.  If I hire you, will you be able to learn the job, adapt to the environment, get along with others and deal with different types of situations.  Within your professional organization, have you: 1) had to deal with conflict, 2) spent time motivating others, 3) communicated with or persuaded people, or 4) been required to work in a team environment?  What about school.  Have you had to learn new things and adapt that knowledge to a specific project or class? This is the general experience I recommend leveraging and selling during the interview. Do not sell yourself short, you have more experience that you think. 

A recent survey I conducted revealed the most important experience employers are looking for:

Communication skills: Writing ability, presentation abilities and ability to articulate well defined thoughts.

Ability to learn new things: The executives stated that they want new hires that can learn quickly in an evolving business world.

Flexible and able to adapt: In today’s economy, it is critical that you have the ability to adapt to new situations.  Jobs are no longer singular tasks.  Due to economic times, employers want to hire people that have the ability to do multiple things and be ok with it.  “that’s not my job” is no longer acceptable in today’s tough job market.

Multitasking: Have the ability to focus on multiple projects, tasks and activities.  There is no better generation that this generation.  You grew up with exploding technology such as interactive video games, the internet, texting and immediate communication. 

Organized: Time management skills, follow-through ability and a proven ability to finish tasks, projects and assignments.

Team oriented: Ability to get along with others, deal with conflict and team dynamics and work together to complete a task

Have you ever held a job or internship?  This could show your ability to work in an office environment which would involve business acumen, maturity, focus and attitude.

Internships can help students apply the skills and knowledge they have acquired through their involvement with professional or social organizations throughout their college career. Students may also learn new skills while on the job, under the guidance of a mentor or work team. Many companies have formal internship programs that help the intern acclimate to the firm, integrate into the team and better understand how projects get done as well as the skills needed to complete various tasks. This type of environment is especially useful for students to gain ‘hands on’ experience in a work environment.

Do you have a summer job? No matter what job you have, there are aspects of every job that can translate to experience such as teamwork, delegation, communication, time management, follow-through, ability to learn. 

Are you an officer in a professional organization?  This can reveal your ability to lead, motivate, communicate, accomplishment driven, ability to multitask.

Have you ever been a project leader for a school project?  This can show your ability to get things done, apply knowledge to solve a problem, delegation skills.

All of these provide a solid base of experience and can be utilized to position background and meet experience requirements.  The next time you read a job description or posting that calls for work experience, try to analyze the type of experience the employer might be looking for and apply your background to it.

About the Author:  Augustine is a nationally acclaimed author and professional speaker focused on career development and corporate people strategies.  He is the Author of the book How Hard Are You Knocking? and has been featured on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC and reviewed in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, The Chicago Tribune, and The National Association for Campus Activities.  He has made numerous radio and television appearances and has presented to over 300 organizations and 100,000 people throughout the United States.  He is a contributing writer to Inc. Magazine, Fast Company and Monster.com on topics pertaining to the people strategies of successful organizations.   His newest award winning seminar is titled “Landing a Job in a Difficult Economy”  To learn more about Tim, his books and seminars series, please visit www.howhardareyouknocking.com or contact him directly at 734-786-7162.

Be interested…Not interesting

This year is going to be interesting.  As all of you head back to school, you are facing a challenging economy.  The business world is cautious about hiring new people, the economic conditions are weak and there is fierce competition in the job market.  If there was ever a time to develop a job or internship strategy, it is now. 
 
As many of you heard at Grand Chapter, my job search strategy is simple.  Assess what makes you unique, identify an industry that you like, identify your top 10 target firms to research, find positions descriptions to leverage, develop your resume and get the word out to your network.  It sounds simple when in paragraph form.  However, we all know that it is frustrating, time consuming and stressful most of the time.  Therefore, what can you do to minimize the stress and increase your success rate as you head back to school?
 
Network, network, network.
 
Based on research I conducted for my book and seminar “How Hard Are You Knocking”, I found that 91% of all of the successful business people I talked to, attribute their career success to networking.  More than 80% found their current job through their network of contacts.
 
How do you network?
 
With all the demands on our time made by our academic, professional and personal lives, it is tempting to assign a lower priority to networking as an activity designed to meet new people. After all, we have so many commitments at school and home — to professors, family and friends – that it is difficult to set aside extra time to bring even more people into our lives.

 This thinking would be wrong, however, on two levels. For one, we are constantly being introduced to new people anyway, every day, with no disruption to our schedules.
 
Secondly, by not consistently widening our circles of acquaintances and contacts, we may be severely limiting our chances to find opportunities and achieve success.
 
According to Joe Girard, “The World’s Greatest Salesman” by the Guinness book of world records, it is estimated that the average person knows about 250 people. And each of those people knows, in turn, another 250 or so people. This means that for each new person you meet, you gain access to a potential pool of 62,500 people separated from you by just two degrees!
 
Imagine the odds, then, that out of so many people, you would NOT find one person who would be a source of information about a better job, an internship or an opportunity.
 
Networking, therefore, is one of the most important activities in which one can engage. Fortunately, like any endeavor, one can get more proficient at it with practice. Moreover, it takes very little time or effort to get it right. 
 
Be Interested, Not Interesting
 
The art of meeting people is to genuinely be interested in their lives, job, activities and goals.  Too many of us like to talk about ourselves, make sure we get our point across and make sure the other person knows what we want.  The art of networking is listening.
 
The first skill in being a good listener is acting like a good listener. Life has taught us to tune out much of the information that is thrust at us. It therefore becomes important to change our physical body language from that of a deflector to that of a receiver. Facial expressions are a critical component of body language. 

 

A second skill is to establish eye contact. Our eyes pick up the non-verbal signals that all people project when they are speaking.  Eye contact completes the connection.  When the person has established eye contact, they are acknowledging the other person. An occasional nod of the head will indicate that you are following what the person is saying. This will also improve the level of concentration during the interaction. 

The final skill is to concentrate on what the person is saying. There is nothing more frustrating than when you know that the other person is not listening. A good listener asks follow-up questions and shows interest in the answers.  A good listener will ask questions such as “tell me about yourself, what type of hobbies do you have, tell me more about your job.” People love to talk about themselves.  You need to stop talking and use receptive language such as I see . . . oh really.  This will encourage the others person’s train of thought.

 

Be open minded.Greet each new acquaintance with an openness to learn more about that person, a willingness to help, and an offer to stay in touch. This approach is equally applicable to every form of networking, whether in business or social contexts, and whether the encounter takes place in person or online.

 

It pays to network in person, not only to meet new people, but also to keep your vital communications skills sharp. Practice making friendly conversation; even if no relationship develops with that person, he or she will likely remember you as a “nice guy/lady” if asked about you at some point in the future.
 
If you do network online, make sure you manage your online brand and perception.  If using facebook for instance, make sure your profile is the image that you want to portray to the world.  Many employers use Facebook as a reference check.  Make sure what you say, how you say it and the pictures you display give you a positive first impression.
 
Develop your target list of people you need to talk to:
 
 - Personal Friends
 - Family members
 - Family friends
 - Professors
 - Alumni
 
The list can go on and on.  The key is to be organized.  Develop a message for each type of person in your network and make sure you understand their needs as well. Networking is a reciprocal relationship.  The most fruitful relationships are ones that help each other.
 
What is your 30 second commercial?
 
As you head back to school and start meeting people, make sure you have a 30 second commercial when you meet people.
 
“My name is Tim Augustine, I am a senior at University of Michigan and majoring in Marketing and graduating in May.  I am interested in marketing research focused on the software industry.  What about you?”
 
The last piece of advice as you go back to school, is to be open minded.  You never know the impact of your next meeting.  It could be with a future boss, a best friend, a wife / husband or co-worker.  Take advantage of your opportunity to meet new people and give back as much as you receive in your relationships.
 
Good luck

What do I want to do after Graduation?

 

With today’s economy, many soon-to-be graduates are asking these same questions.  Do I want to start looking for a job, stay in school and change my major or go on to graduate school? For the purposes of this article, I would like to focus on beginning your internship or job search.

 

Before I begin, I would like you to consider a few questions:

 

Is there an industry that interests you?

For example: Financial services, technology, real-estate, or health care?

 

What type of company would you like to work for?

      For example: Public or private, small or large, domestic or international

 

Have you developed a target list of firms that interest you?

            For example: Identify and research the top 10 firms that interest you.

 

What type of job motivates you.

For example: Do you want to be an accountant, sales person, financial analyst or marketing research associate?

What are your unique strengths?

For example: Develop a list of the skills you bring to a potential employer such as as time management, communication skills, ability to multi-task, listening skills, ability to get things done.

Where do you want to live now an in the future?

 

The actual job search can be time-consuming and frustrating. However, there are steps you can take to insure you spend your time wisely and efficiently. This article is designed to help you think about your strategy and target where to focus your energies.

 

The first step of the job search is to conduct a personal assessment,

 

Who are you and why should I care?

This is a critical question.  Before you can start a job search, you need to be able to identify what you bring to a firm.  What are your unique skills and what sets you apart from you competition?

 

Where do you want to work?  This question references the industry that interests you, the type of company you would like to target and the types of jobs you are interested in.  This question will point you in the direction to start your research.  As you answer these questions start thinking about the targeted list of firms that peak you interest and spend your time research each firm in detail.

 

What do you need to know? Below is a list of criteria that you need to understand.

 

• What industry is the target company in?
• How large is the company?
• Who are their competitors?
• What type of products does the company produce/provide?
• Who are the company’s customers / prospects?
• Is the company an employer of choice?
• What criteria does the company look for when hiring?
• Are these companies located in your geographic preference?
• Where do they have offices? (International)
• What is their reputation in the market?

 

Now that you have completed the internal assessment, it is time to document your job search strategy.  I have found through my experience that a well documented job search strategy can greatly improve your success, motivation as well as overall focus during your job search.

 

Job Search Strategy Example

Internal Assessment

 

Define your personal and professional goals

 

Personal:

What types of jobs motivate you?

I am motivated by technology and am interested in a job where I can be creative as well as use my ability to work in a collaborative team environment

Where do you want to live now an in the future?

                I want to stay in the Chicago area.

What type of job would make you happy?

                I am interested in a Marketing Role in a software development company

 

Professional:

What type of company would you like to work for?

                I want to work for a software development company in Chicago

What type of starting salary are you expecting?

                My salary expectation is $55,000 per year

Are you planning to get an MBA, MS or specific certifications?

I want to find a firm that has a strong Tuition Reimbursement Program that will help fund an MBA

 

 

What type of company environment do you desire?

I would like to work for a small private firm where I can wear many hats and learn about the business from various perspectives.  I want to be a big fish in a small pond.

What type of boss/manager motivates you?

I am motivated by a manager who is knowledgeable about the business and my role and will help coach and mentor me to reach my career goals.

 

Set your career target.

Where do you want to be in 5 or 10 years?

I want to be a Vice President of Marketing in a software company

 

Define the possible steps that will help you attain your career target.

What type of company would align with your career target?

I need to work for a small software company that is market driven and has senior level marketing support.

What type of education will you need to have?

I will need an MBA as well as Professional Certifications such as Pragmatic Marketing

What type of professional experience will you need to acquire to reach your career target?

I will need to acquire marketing experience in Technology Marketing, Product Marketing, Company Positioning, Marketing Communications, Marketing Research and Sales Support

               

Define your company criteria.

What are the most important attributes of your target companies?

I need to find a company that is Market Driven and provides an opportunity to learn and grow

What criteria should your target companies possess?

                My target companies need to be software development companies in Chicago

My target companies need to provide a learning environment and focus on Career Development of their people.

My target companies need to be team oriented and collaborative so that I can learn from others and provide my feedback if needed.

My target companies need to have strong software products align with specific industries

My target companies needs to be financial stable, have strong employment stability and a strong culture.

What type of company would have your target positions?

Most software development companies that are members of the Chicago Software Association have marketing positions within the firm.

 

External Assessment

Identify your resources to use to begin researching the target companies.

What resource should you use to conduct your research?

I have a strong network in the Marketing Field

I plan to use the job boards such as Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com

I plan to use the Internet to research my target companies through associations such as CSA.org, and Society for Information Management.  Once I have their names, I will visit and study their website

I plan to use the Naperville Career Center to help with my search

I plan to contact each target firm to conduct an informational interview.

Determine the type of information you need.

I feel all of these questions need to be answered and documented as part of my research.

• What industries does the company market to?
• How large is the company?
• Who are their competitors?
• What type of products does the company produce/provide?
• Who are the company’s customers / prospects?
• How do you define the target company’s culture?
• What criteria does the company look for when hiring?

 

Identify 15 companies that match your company criteria to begin your research

I have conducted some research for Chicago based software development firms on Chicago Software Association’s website (CSA.org) and found 15 target companies that match my criteria.

 

Develop a strategy to contact the company to set up an interview

How should you prioritize your target companies?

• I need to research each of these 15 and then prioritize those companies based on:

1)       My network’s knowledge

2)       Open positions posted

3)       Any past experience or competitive advantage I may have

How much time should you spend to research each target company?

• I plan to spend 1 day just researching each company.
• I will develop a schedule for each day as well as document my findings based on the previous criteria that I have listed as important.
• I will identify specific milestones such as 2 interviews per week, 5 resumes and cover letters sent per day, and 6 hours per day spent researching target companies.
• I will provide my schedule to my wife to motivate me to stay on track and focus.

What is your timeline to find a job?

• My goal is to find a job in 90 days.

 

In summary, as you begin your job search, you should plan a solid course of action.  Conduct an internal assessment to identify what motivates you and the types of environments that will help you thrive.  You should identify 15 companies that match your criteria and spend approximately one full day per company gathering as much information as possible. This information will help you develop a targeted resume, prepare interview questions as well as help you prepare your interview answers.

How to Find Urgent Industries

Landing a Job in a Difficult Economy Series:

By Tim Augustine

Author and Professional Speaker,

How Hard Are You Knocking?

The key to launching a successful job search strategy is understanding where and how to focus your efforts and time.  With today’s economic challenges, competition is fierce.  To be successful, you need to develop a game plan that will differentiate you from the competition and enable you to navigate through the job search process.  Your overall strategy should include:

1)      Conducting an internal assessment to identify your unique skills

2)      Identifying the industry and firms to target your search

3)      Utilize all available resources such as internet, network, career center to conduct your research

4)      Develop a powerful resume that combines your skills, abilities and experience with the specific industry and firm research.

5)      Prepare for the interview process including phone interviews, face-to-face interviews, group and/or meal interviews

6)      Understand your candidate image.  This includes dressing the part, first impressions as well as your on-line image with public domains such as Facebook and MySpace.

7)      Developing your negotiation strategy to win the job.

This process is extensive, but the job seekers that approach their search from this perspective typically land the jobs they want and build a rewarding career.  This month’s article explores the initial identification and research process for your target industries and firms.

As you prepare for your job search, it is critical that you identify and research target firms that drive your interest level.  However, before you identify the firms, it is critical to identify the industry.  This article is all about researching and finding urgent industries in today’s challenging economy.

As you begin your quest, focus your efforts on industries and firms that are growing, hiring, gathering public interest, and have financial stability in this economy.  These industries are called urgent industries. Urgent Industries are those industries that are growing in specific market conditions.  With the current economic issues face the US, there are still industries that are growing, providing opportunities and adding jobs each quarter.

For instance, during the next few years, you will see the baby boomer generation retire from their careers.  This is the largest generation in our nation’s history as well as the most demanding on our healthcare system.  With advances in medical technology, this generation is also living longer and placing a greater demand on our pharmaceutical markets and health care manufacturing which produce products such as artificial knees and hips.  That is a hot industry right now as the technology continues to advance.  Other industry opportunities that follow this trend will be senior living, non-medical senior care, and even specialized transportation services for the elderly.  Nursing, pharmaceutical sales, medical research, and biotechnology will continue to grow and add jobs during the next 15 years.

The alternative energy market is also a good example of an urgent industry which is expanding throughout the United States.  As America continues to trend toward green living and global warming receives attention, you will see renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar farm development receive capital, governmental incentives and job creation.

Another interesting industry that is experiencing growth is specialized manufacturing and services.  Industries that cannot be outsourced are also seeing significant growth such as HVAC, plumbing contractors, and electricians.  Service industries will continue to innovate and maintain a dominate force within our economy.

The top 5 urgent industries in today’s market are:

• Healthcare and Life sciences
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Medical devices
  • Instrumentation
  • Biotechnology research and ancillary services
  • Medical Professionals and medical administration
• Alternative energy (Wind, Solar)
• Government sponsored markets:
  • Homeland security and defense
  • Infrastructure development based on gov’t stimulus package / investment
• Advanced manufacturing / Services Industry
• Management consulting – niche expertise to support outsourced workload

Here are a few steps to follow as your build your job search strategy:

1)            Study market conditions:  Read and study media and publication resources to understand which industries are growing and investing. 

2)            Identify a target list of firms:  Choose 10 – 15 firms that interest you and align with your passions. Try to identify target firms that are within the category of urgent industries.  First, make sure you are interested in the industry, the products / services supplied by the industry and firms within the market.  Choose a limited number of firms to increase your time and efficiency as you conduct your research.

3)            Leverage your network:  Talk with your network of peers, professors, family and friends about your list of firms.  Ask them if they have any connection, knowledge or data about the firms that might help in your search.

4)            Research company web sites and conduct informational interviews with your network or actual firm’s employees to learn more about the industry outlook, the various competitors and its national and global opportunities.

5)            Thoroughly research each firm:  Understand the firm’s overview and history, markets they serve, their products / services, customers and competitors and finally their projected growth in the next few years.  This information can be gathered on the web, periodicals, magazines and interviews.  

In short, you want to identify industries that align with your passion and interests, which provide local opportunity, financial reward, and stability in today’s economy.  Find an industry that matches your skills and abilities.   Choose an industry that is aligned and well positioned to grow in these market conditions. 

This is just the beginning of your quest.  Once you identify your target firms and conduct your research, take the next step and start preparing your resume, interviewing skills and strengthen your ability to win the job offer. 

About the Author:  Augustine is a nationally acclaimed author and professional speaker focused on career development and corporate people strategies.  He is the Author of the book How Hard Are You Knocking? and has been featured on ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC and reviewed in USA Today, Wall Street Journal, LA Times, The Chicago Tribune, and The National Association for Campus Activities.  He has made numerous radio and television appearances and has presented to over 300 organizations throughout the United States.  He is a contributing writer to Inc. Magazine, Fast Company and Monster.com on topics pertaining to the people strategies of successful organizations.   His newest award winning seminar is titled “Landing a Job in a Difficult Economy”  To learn more about Tim, his books and seminars series, please visit www.howhardareyouknocking.com or contact him directly at 734-786-7162.

Grow Your Future Leaders

 

Show new and potential employees the growth opportunities in your business by building a program that cultivates leaders from within.

 

By Tim Augustine

 

Seventy-six percent of the executives I surveyed said that it is better for a firm to grow their leaders rather than hire them externally.  The executives surveyed felt that cultivating existing staff would provide opportunity for advancement, build loyalty and help maintain the firm’s culture, values and overall vision. However, of the 76% surveyed, only 25% had a dedicated leadership development program focused on growing internal leaders.  These employees are often referred to as fast-trackers or high-potential employees. If your goal is to grow internal leaders, start building the programs today that will bear fruit two to three years from now.

 

For the intent of this article, let’s refer to the program that grows internal leaders as the High-Potential Program. Your High-Potential Program should identify and select those individuals who have the abilities and desires to develop into leaders. This program should assist in grooming your best staff for future leadership roles.

 

To develop your program, consider taking the following steps.

 

Step 1: Define your program.

What is your vision of the program? For example, your program should be for employees whom exemplify your firm’s personality and cultural fit, and have the potential to be a significant part of your company’s growth. The program should be designed to elevate the company’s awareness of key employees within the company, provide opportunities to learn leadership skills as well as provide one-on-one communication with the senior leadership in your firm. 

 

Step 2: Develop a rigorous nomination and selection process.

Participants should be nominated by senior leadership with a goal of identifying a specific number of participants.  For example, a firm employing 450 employees may consider selecting 30 people for the program. I have found that smaller groups more frequently increase group participation and teamwork.  Develop a High-Potential Program committee that reviews the nominations and selects participants.  Focus your selection criteria on the personality and cultural fit of the individual.  (The actual skills of managing and leading are often learned by education and mentoring, but personality cannot be taught.)

 

To evaluate whether participants represent your firm’s values and culture, consider whether they exhibit the following qualities.

 

Strongly self-motivated

Conscientious

Exhibit persistence and follow-through on commitments and deadlines

Exhibit strong initiative evidenced by extra-curricular activities and accomplishments

Adept at helping and teaching others

Flexible and versatile

• Exhibit a willingness to work long hours when necessary
• Respond well to frequently changing demands or priorities
• Are willing to travel

Interested in continuing education

Find and overcome challenges and obstacles

Capable of working independently as well as with others

• Able to work with minimal direction from others
• Able to recognize priorities and act on them effectively
• Ability to work in a self-directed, team environment

Display the desire to improve processes in job, group, and overall company

Possess the desire to work in a cooperative vs. competitive environment

Exhibit integrity

• Demonstrate professionalism and trustworthiness
• Know the difference between right and wrong
• Display ethical behavior and honesty throughout personal and professional life

Have a professional appearance

Focused on achievement

• Demonstrate a strong drive for results
• Possess high standards for self and others

Are customer focused

• Able to develop and provide effective customer solutions
• Provide ongoing customer contact and support
• Display enthusiasm and excitement

Once selected, the participants should complete a leadership profile to establish a benchmark of prior education and career advancement.  The leadership profile is, in essence, a living resume that documents work experiences, educational milestones, specific strengths of the individuals, and documents past roles and responsibilities the selected employees have experienced.

 

Once the program is ready to launch, a formal invitation and announcement should be communicated to the high-potential candidates as well as the firm, in order to congratulate the selected employees.

 

Step 3: Identify and develop content, facilitators and internal mentors.

 

As part of this program, I recommend conducting a 360-degree survey for the participants.  Identify specific questions focused on competencies and skills, and ask the individuals, their supporting leaders, their peers, and their internal customers or suppliers for feedback. There are a plethora of tools that you can use to develop your 360-degree assessment. Just make sure your questions provide you with the guidance needed to develop training content, and identify skills or competencies valued by your organization. 

 

Questions you use to develop this 360-degree survey should help uncover the employees’ knowledge and competency in a number of areas, including:

 

Knowledge of the Company

History

Direction

Mission

Vision

Values

            Understanding of its organizational structure

 

Products, Service & Market Knowledge

                        Product/service overview

                        Industry overview

                        Client relationships

 

Leadership Traits and Competencies

                        Personal Effectiveness     

                                    Business writing

                                    Presentation skills

                                    Proposal writing

                                    Negotiating

                                    Interpersonal communication

 

                        Financial Knowledge         

                                    Interpreting financial reports

                                    Strategic finance

                                    Accounting reports and analysis

 

                        General Leadership Skills 

                                    Mentoring and coaching

                                    Team effectiveness

                                    Delivering feedback

                                    Conflict resolution

                                    Interviewing skills

                                    Delegation

 

Identify internal mentors or coaches for each of these traits such as a financial executive to provide financial expertise or a marketing executive to provide products / services knowledge. In addition, identify and use outside vendors to supplement additional traits such as leadership, conflict management, negotiation etc. Executive coaches could also be leveraged on an individual basis.

 

Step 4: Provide structure for the program.

As you launch your program, make sure it is flexible enough to adapt to individual schedules as well as organizational fluctuations and conditions. The program should be a combination of one-on-one mentoring sessions with senior leaders in the organization, as well as group sessions to enhance interactive learning. 

 

After you conduct your 360-degree assessment, meet with each participant individually to review your findings and begin to identify their skills gap. This meeting will also identify specific areas that mentors / coaches could be used. At Atwell-Hicks, we identified 10 of our senior leaders and scheduled two-hour individual monthly meetings for each participant.  Each leader met with two participants a month to help open the lines of communications with the individuals and discuss their respective roles.  In addition, we provided monthly opportunities for high-potential candidates to attend leadership and educational sessions. Finally, the Training Leader or Human Resources team should schedule weekly, monthly or quarterly touch points with the leadership participants to gather feedback and continually assess their growth.

 

The above is an outline of a proposed structure for a leadership program. However you determine to do to structure your own program, make sure it is a blend of developmental opportunities as well as opportunities for participants to show their initiative and drive to grow.

Selecting a Headhunter

 

As you grow your organization, you might find the need to engage an executive search firm (aka Headhunter) to assist in attracting, interviewing and hiring mid-level to senior-level associates.  This article will help you identify and select the appropriate search firm that meets your needs as well as provide an overview of the recruitment process. Before you hire an executive search firm, it is important to understand the different methods of engagement with recruitment firms, establish a clear understanding of the skills and attributes for the specific position and approach the relationship with the recruiter as an extension of your firm. 

           

Selecting and Engaging a Search Firm:

 

Before you engage a search firm who will represent you and your firm in the market, it is important to select the right one. You should find a firm in your industry that has the experience placing individuals similar to your open position.  As you interview different firms look for industry experience, recruitment strategies, network and reach.  In addition, find a firm that will represent you and your firm’s culture in an ethical and honest way.  Finally, make sure that you understand the fee structure and the firm’s overall recruitment process.

 

There are typically three different types of firms and fee structures used by search firms which include contingent, retained and container.

 

Contingent firms work on a percentage (typically 20% – 30%) of the candidate’s first year total cash compensation. Contingent firms are transaction-oriented which means they are paid only if you hire a candidate they present to you and generally focus on mid-level to lower level positions. It is imperative that your hiring managers provide timely feedback to contingent firms thus illustrating your firm’s commitment to hire a candidate.  As with any service based business, contingency firms will focus their efforts based on the real potential to generate revenue and will prioritize their time and energy on realistic opportunities.

 

Retained firms are paid a percentage (Typically 30% – 35%) of the estimated first year compensation regardless of whether the candidate is hired.  A retained search firm typically has an exclusive relationship with the employer and is hired for a specific period of time to find a candidate to fill a job. Most assignments are paid in three installments typically 1/3 of the total fee to initiate the search, 1/3 when quality candidates are presented and interviewed and 1/3 when the position is filled. Retained search firms are often more focused on a consultative relationship and invest the appropriate time to learn about your company, the details of the position and the characteristics of the right candidate and provide a research team with various resources to assist you and your firm with the search.  Retained firms are best-suited for senior-level management positions where there are fewer qualified candidates.  

 

The third type of search firm is a Container firm which blends the fee structure of contingent and retained services.  Container firms are paid an upfront fee, typically $5,000 – $8,000 to initiate the search and require a percentage (typically 20-25%) of the candidate’s first year compensation once the position is filled.

 

Qualifying the Search Firm:

 

Once you have identified the type of recruiter you need to fill your position, it is critical to qualify the recruiter and check references.  I recommend contacting both corporate clients as well as candidates actually placed by the firm.  You should contact corporate clients to better understand the quality of candidates presented, integrity, track record of search competency, timely feedback and representation that the recruiter provided to the market.  I also recommend contacting a few candidates that were placed by the search firm to better understand the candidate’s perception, how the opportunity was presented, the representation of the firm and offer, business acumen and the honesty by which the recruiter represented the opportunity.

 

In addition to conducting reference checks on the recruitment firm, I also recommend understanding the firm’s efficiency metrics.  The best recruiting firms measure:

-          Days to first submittal

-          Days to fill a position

-          Submittal to Interview efficiency ratio

-          Interview to Offer efficiency ratio

-          Offer to Close efficiency ratio

-          Diversity Ratio

-          Retention Percentage

-          Average Salary of filled positions

 

Once an executive search firm has been chosen, it is critical that the role, responsibilities, qualifications and appropriate experience needed for the position are clearly understood. The recruitment firm should dedicate the time to gather firm knowledge, understand the key selling features of the employer, their business culture and employees.  In addition, the recruiter should cultivate an understanding of the specific personality, cultural fit, skills, knowledge, and education that the employer needs in a potential candidate. This information should be reflected in a detailed position description that will be utilized by the search firm.

 

The Recruitment Process

 

Finding your candidates (Sourcing): It is important to understand the recruiters sourcing strategy and resources they utilize to locate candidates.  The recruiter should leverage an extensive resource network that includes industry research, internal research teams, candidate databases, competition, and varied Internet tools to help them identify the target market. Make sure there are clear expectations of firms the recruiter can and can not target as part of their search.

           

Screening: The firm must be able to qualify potential candidates by conducting telephone and personal interview screens. Some firms utilize selection assessment tools that are benchmarked against your firm’s criteria as part of their screening process.

 

Firm Interviewing: The recruiter should present a short list of the best candidates for the position and facilitate a face-to-face interview with you and your firm. It is critical to encourage a strong flow of candidates to provide accurate comparisons. Prior to scheduling any interviews, the recruiter should present and review specific interview notes, the candidates’ qualifications and expectations for the firm and position.   

 

Evaluation and Selection: Follow-up communication is critical to a solid relationship with a recruiter. Many firms maintain service level agreements which establish specific parameters of communication and conduct for the relationship such as response time and evaluation within 48 hours of resume receipt or interview.  A strong partnership cultivates open feedback about your company such as competitiveness of your salary structure, incentive programs, new competitors, and market perception.

           

Hiring: Prior to presenting the offer, many recruitment firms conduct reference checks, background checks including criminal and education and verify professional licensure. Work with the recruiter to determine who will present the offer and close the candidate and use the notes from the interviews to address financial questions and expectations, opportunities within the firm and the future outlook of their career growth.

 

In summary, the best search firm partnerships that I maintain are founded on trust, open communication and a commitment from each party. Invest the time up-front identifying and qualifying the best firm for your needs and establish clear and realistic expectations to fill your positions.  Cultivating a true partnership with a recruiter will enable you and your firm to attract, hire, and retain the best people in your industry and provide an effective recruitment solution which will perform as an extension of your firm.

Don’t Blow your summer

The summer months are a great time to earn extra money, meet new people, expand your network, learn new skills and have some fun away from school.  As you approach your summer, there are a few things to consider that will not only help you earn more money, but also prepare you for your full-time job search after college.

What type of job do you want to do?

Whether you are seeking an internship in an industry or target company or landing a job with a relative or close personal friend, it is important that you find a job that you will enjoy.  There are three criteria that I always recommend. 

Find a job that is personally satisfying. 

Find a company or team where you enjoy the environment, the people and the atmosphere.  A culture where you feel respected and enjoy going to work.

Find a job that is professionally challenging. 

Find a job where you can learn new skills, grow your experience and achieve something extraordinary.

Find a job that is financially rewarding. 

Make sure you are paid a fair market wage and have the ability to be rewarded for the effort you put into the position.  In some cases, this might include bonuses, tips or commissions. In addition, I have found some employers that provide college students with scholarships, end-of summer bonuses or a guaranteed job next summer.

What type of skills can you develop on your summer job?

This is the most important goal for the summer.  As you approach your summer job, finds ways to learn new skills or build on the skills you already have.  Employers are looking for two types of experience.  The first is job specific.  For instance, if you are interviewing you’re an accounting position, job specific experience might include accounts payable experience, accounts receivable experience or experience working with balance sheets and income statements.  The second type of experience is general business skills which could cover a wide variety of skills and abilities that a candidate will need succeed in the company or on the team.  These experiences could include.

• Time management skills
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Communication skills
• Ability to multitask
• Ability to learn new things
• Ability to add value and help generate revenue
• Ability to deal with conflict and problem solve.

Whether you are working as a server in a restaurant, mowing lawns and landscaping or working on an internship, you have the opportunity to learn new skills and leverage these skills in your career search.

How can you meet new people and build your network during your summer?

Summer is a great time to meet new people.  Whether you are meeting people during your summer job, on your summer vacation, during church activities or at the golf course with friends, remember that first impressions can go a long way.  Here are a couple of tips to consider. 

Have business cards printed. 

You can use free services like vistaprint.com or have professional cards developed.  This is a great way to keep your name in front of potential employers, potential business colleagues or new friends.  Make sure the cards include your name, email address, cell number and home number.  In some cases, I also recommend placing your major and school name on the cards as well.  You never know when you might meet a future employer.

Develop a 30-second commercial. 

Develop a short story of who you are and what type of job, career, or industry interests you.  Based on my research,  I found that 75% of new college hires, found their jobs during summer internships or from their personal network.  Use this story to introduce yourself and land that first impression.

For example. “ My name is Tim Augustine and I am a marketing major at Northwestern University graduating in 2010.  I am interested in the technology industry and have completed internships with Microsoft and Apple focused primarily on market research and customer experiences. Tell me about yourself”

Make sure you practice your 30-second commercial and adapt the story as you gain new experiences.  This is a great tool to land the first impression and get the word out about who you are and the types of jobs that you are interested in.  You will be surprised how receptive people will be to want to help you in your quest for a new job once they know where your interests are.

Be Interested, Not Interesting.

The final point I will leave you with is to make sure you are interested in other people.  Ask questions and be genuinely interested in learning about other people.  This is a critical skill that I have used in coaching hundreds of executives and leaders.  The key skill is to listen.  Don’t always talk about yourself.  Ask about their career, job, family, hobbies and interests.  People love to talk about themselves.  Use this technique for icebreakers, meeting new people, encouraging teamwork and making people feel included and respected.