New job seeker paradigms

Finding and landing a job has evolved over the years and while many aspects of the process appear to be the same, some of the changes reflect a new approach to job seeking and job placement. Some of the rules appear to have changed and many will agree that there is a new paradigm in operation for recruitment and selection.

The following axioms are offered as a means of explaining some of these changes, and hopefully, in helping employers and job seekers become more effective in this frustrating business of getting the right people into the right jobs.

1.    Do not alienate your friends with poor networking techniques

Firstly you need to understand that successful job seeking depends more on who you know rather than what you know. Those who have the right qualifications should recognise that when faced with candidates of similar merit, the job selection decision comes down to who does best in presenting themselves as the best candidate. The critical element of the job search process then is about approaching the right people in the right way.

This is not about how good you are at building and working your people networks. It is more about involving others in your job search campaign using a non threatening approach where they can offer advice rather than feel imposed upon to help you find a job.

If you are targeting a specific position, organisation or industry, first look at your network to identify those who may have contacts in your target area. These people should be happy to meet with you and may be able to help you make a connection with your employment target.

The Golden Rule here is to NEVER ASK FOR A JOB. Instead, just ask for information and advice. Friends and associates will not mind sharing their wisdom and contacts and will generally feel good about mentoring you in your search. If they do refer you to someone, ask if you can use their name.

Armed with a list of qualified contacts, you can now proceed to arrange for some meetings. You should requested a brief meeting and it should not exceed a 15 to 30 minute discussion. Thank them personally at the end of the meeting and later send a thank you note, at least a pleasant email that acknowledges their time and assistance. Because these contacts are busy people, they may find it difficult to squeeze you into their hectic schedule, and so they might respond more readily to the offer of a breakfast or lunch meeting.

If you are not already using the business networking site LinkedIn, sign up now so that you can build up a contact database, and use these to start your networking campaign. I like to have only people that I know and who know me, as my LinkedIn contacts but you might want to include a wider field than this and extend your reach beyond your trusted associates and acquaintances.

2.    Do not waste time filling out job applications

When you understand that the primary purpose of applications and résumés is to eliminate you from consideration, you may start to think differently about all the time invested in composing that winning application. Consider how the job selection process works. Your application may be seen by a number of people and certainly in the early stages it will be screened to identify reasons to cull you from the list of applicants. Armed with this understanding, if you must submit an application, you will be better prepared to exclude those things that might disqualify you from selection. Therefore include only the facts that the reader wants to see.

Stck to the facts and use a minimum of hype (after all you are marketing yourself as the most suitable candidate). Put the most important items first and make sure they are well matched to the advertised requirements of the job. Use measurable data to convince the reader of your capabilities and experience, with references to revenue earned, cost savings, quality improvement initiatives, customer satisfaction metrics, and the budgets, people and resources you have managed.

Some principles to consider in preparing an application:

1.    Focus on the company’s requirements rather than your background

2.    List the most important things first

3.    Omit the irrelevant stuff

4.    Sell yourself early (in the upper third of the first page)

5.    Do not bury the application in a chronology of work details

6.    Use numbers, dollars, percentages, KPIs

7.    Keep the document concise (dot points are acceptable)

8.    Keep your address off the first page (contact details can go at the back)

9.    Aim for a two page résumé (anything longer is begging for the bin)

10.  Use an easy to read font (12 point Times New Roman or sans serif font)

Much more could be written about writing applications but this is sufficient for now, given that the application is really about ensuring you are a survivor in the initial screening process, rather than helping you land the job. Remember that hiring is a process that delivers the “last person standing” rather than the “best person for the job”.

3.    Do not waste time with cover letters

Contrary to much of the contemporary advice in this area, a cover letter is not the key selling document in which to pitch your claim for the job. They are seldom read and are mostly redundant because all the useful information is in your application or résumé. Apart from the HR people who might file this with your other documents, nobody else will read the cover letter and its most likely destination is the bin. If you must provide one, do not waste a lot of time with it. Just make sure it identifies the position being applied for and make sure it is flawless. You certainly do not want bad grammar or spelling in the cover letter to be the reason for rejecting your application.

4.    Do not use a résumé if a standalone letter will do

A lot of time can be spent fine-tuning a résumé to the requirements of a particular position, even though it is generally only a secondary tool for marketing your claim. A well written résumé is unlikely to warrant a rewrite, especially given that its primary purpose is to identify reasons for eliminating you from consideration. Your time is better spent crafting a well-written standalone business letter. Properly written and addressed, this letter is far more likely to penetrate through the defences of the HR department and land in the hands of the target person in the organisation. Even if it is intercepted, when sent in this manner it is far easier to locate if you are making a follow-up enquiry.

Your letter can best be used to initiate an information meeting between you and a person within the organisation, and will be more effective if you are using the name of the mutual contact who referred you to them. You will be aiming to meet someone connected to the decision maker for the job appointment or the decision maker themself.

In addition to responding to known vacancies, this letter can be taken in an opportunistic manner by recognising that an employment opportunity is likely to arise as a response to activities or changes in the organisation. In this instance you may also want to include your résumé or have the most relevant information included in your letter.

5.    Do not waste time sending out unsolicited résumés

The name of the game for the job seeker is rejection. No matter how good your qualifications and experience, unless these come with good connections, you are likely to experience a lot of rejection. Whereas sales people recognise that they will land a sale between say 5% to 20% of the time (depending on what they are selling), the percentage of success with job seeking can be around 0.005%. Yes, that is one in 100,000!

This could well be the success rate for unsolicited résumés, and that is why I am suggesting alternative approaches that are more likely to lead to a job. With this understanding of the new job seeking paradigm, you should be striving for a success rate closer to 0.5%, or one in every 200 attempts.

Before you throw your hands up in despair and abandon all hope of landing a job, be mindful that the percentages are working against you and even though you might be doing all of the right things, it may still take a while to achieve success.

6.    So tell me again, what should I be doing

There are many things that need to be done (and I have not even mentioned interviewing and negotiation yet), and all of them need to be done well if you are going to gain that job. Some of us are fortunate enough to have good connections whereby our job search is little more than expressing an interest and having someone offer us a position. For the rest of us though, you may want to consider the following strategies:

·         Develop a plan of action for your job search campaign, including how you are going to tackle difficult problems and how you are going to spend your time and energy.

·         Concentrate on using the Internet and writing well crafted letters.

·         Employ effective networking techniques to get attention, never asking for a job but instead requesting advice and information. Use LinkedIn and other sources to identify people to approach.

·         Review good interviewing and negotiating techniques and employ them conscientiously.

·         Keep at it. It is a numbers game and eventually they will work out in your favour.

Acknowledgement

Most of the ideas for this article came from the book ‘The real truth about getting a job’ written in 2012 by Dayton Conway. He is an American who who has worked in the executive search and recruiting business. His ideas have been modified to reflect the Australian situation.

Things not taught in an MBA

1.    Office Politics 101

Why is there no course of study to prepare graduates for the perils of office politics? It is all about power of course; who has it and who rises or falls because of their understanding of how power operates in the workplace. Unfortunately, it appears that most people learn about office politics the hard way, through experience. By observing what happens around you and reflecting upon why things happen, you will gradually acquire the ‘street smarts’ to guide your actions. In the early stages of your work life, or when starting at a new workplace, it is probably a good idea to spend time assessing the situation before stepping up to make your mark. Otherwise, your first big move might be right back out the door you first entered.

Take heart though that your employer has selected you for the job! They are making a big investment in you and your potential to contribute to the success of the organisation. They want you to succeed and should provide you with the support needed to make it happen.

2.    Always bank on self-interest

If you are ever in a situation wondering what is happening and unable to determine why, go back to first principles. It is a fundamental economic reality that your employer has hired you because they can make more money from your time and talents than what they pay you as a wage. What you have been told about the organisation’s values and principles may have merit and give you confidence that somebody cares for your well-being, but the best way to get to the heart of any matter is to look at who benefits from a particular course of action.

People do things for their own reasons, and if you can identify who is behind a particular action, the reason can usually be determined when considered from their perspective and how they will personally benefit. The principle is more commonly known as ‘what’s in it for me’ (WIIFM) and is generally applied by motivators and marketers that seek to understand our wants and needs. Use this principle to understand why decisions are made.

The principle can also be applied when seeking to sell your ideas. Any project or proposal will need to demonstrate the benefits to be gained by your boss. Do this in in a subtle manner so that is not it too obvious; your reasons and justification should clearly explain how the business will benefit. If you help the boss claim the proposed change as being their own idea, this is called a win-win solution.

3.    Strategy is all about war

The basic premise of strategic management is that everyone is, or could suddenly become an enemy. After all, strategy had its origins in the battlefield, being the art of planning and directing overall military operations in a war or conflict. You may think that this is a rather Machiavellian view of the world but the reality is that even your best friends, partners or clients can quickly turn into worst enemies, competitors or litigants. Good strategy requires contingency planning and should be factored into your risk management plans. Failure to recognise the potential for strong alliances and smooth sailing to suddenly become a battle with enemies engaged in mortal combat, denies the reality of the fight for survival that business can become.

Too pessimistic a view? Take a look at Porter’s Five Forces; threats, rivalry and battling against the power of suppliers and customers. What about a SWOT analysis? You start by considering your strengths and weaknesses so that you can capitalise on any opportunities, but you need to be prepared for the threats that will arise as you seek to implement your strategy.

4.    Graduates start at the bottom and not the top

This will likely be your first lesson in Office Politics 101 because even if you are hired straight up as a consultant or have an important sounding title, you need to find out who has the power, and you should assume that everyone else has more than you. While your newly acquired degree may give you the warm feeling that you have a lot of knowledge and wisdom to share with others, even the receptionist will be better connected to the power networks that run the business, and that their opinion will be more highly valued than yours. Until you have survived the probationary period and served your apprenticeship, remain humble, accept good advice, and find a mentor or sponsor who can help you learn the ropes.

5.    Work may be a lot harder than you expect

If you are looking for a life filled with exciting challenges, regular rewards, recognition, fame and fortune, you may need to readjust your expectations. Even the best jobs have some elements of drudgery, boredom, disappointment and let’s face it, at times you will experience downright misery or despair. If it were not this way, it would not be called work. By understanding this from the outset, you can develop work habits to help you survive and even thrive in the workplace.

Yes, all the hours you spent studying to prepare you for your career and the world of work have not been in vain. Remember that in the white water environment of change that exists with all organisations these days, there are many opportunities and pathways to success. Skills acquired as a student may not always readily transfer to the workplace, but if you have learnt how to learn and continue to seek for understanding in all that you do, hard work and determination will enable you to shape the future you desire.

Your application has been unsuccessful

In the world of work there are a small number of very fortunate people who have obtained their jobs without having gone through a formal application process. The rest of us have had to submit job applications and these generally require writing a cover sheet and a resume to tell employers how wonderful we are and what makes us the best person for the job.

If we are successful with the application this will generally be rewarded with an invitation to attend an interview. Here we can really demonstrate how good we are and often this will require preparing to deliver a winning performance before an interviewer or a selection panel. For those who have undertaken this difficult journey, it is useful to understand what happens after the interview, when the applicant or candidate for the position is advised of the result.

It is always a good idea at the end of the interview to ask about what happens next in the selection process. You will likely be told the time frame for completion of the interviews and when you can expect to be advised of the results. At least now you will know how long you have to wait to find out if you have been successful or not.

If you receive a phone call this is usually a good sign. On the very rare occasion an interviewer may call and explain why you have missed out on the position, but more commonly a phone call is to personally advise that you have been selected for the position or for another interview.

There are some employers that choose not to inform the unsuccessful applicants that they have missed out on the job. If you have obtained a timeframe for the decision and hear no more from the employer after the advised time, you can safely assume that you were not selected. If you want a more positive confirmation, by all means you could follow up to check what has happened.

All other forms of contact, by letter, email, SMS or fax will be bad news. What you receive in this written communication follows a fairly standard pattern with four main elements:

1.     You did not get the job

2.     There were lots of other good people who applied and in this instance we chose one of them

3.     We appreciate your interest in the job and your efforts with the application

4.     Best wishes for the future

When you understand that any written message will be a rejection and that they all follow this sort of standard pattern, why bother reading them? Let me provide you with a few real examples of these messages and how to interpret what they are saying.

You did not get the job

There is no kind way to say this and therefore the message should be clear and brief. This does not always happen however as this example shows,

I'd like to thank you all very much for applying for the advertised position.  The panel has decided to offer one position and an order of merit has not been established.  Please contact me if you would like to receive feedback.

Firstly, it appears to be addressing me as ‘you all’ and I am pretty sure there that there were no American Yankees in the interview. Perhaps this message was written by the secretary who is a Southern Kentucky belle?

No doubt the person who sent the message thinks that the applicant might be interested in the process the panel used to make its decision. What a pity there is no clear indication of where the applicant was ranked in this order of merit. Sure ‘we’ would like some feedback. Isn’t that the purpose of this message? Start with a clear statement saying that ‘we’ did not get the job!

Another common approach, no less frustrating, is to hide the bad news, presumably in an attempt to soften the blow. Consider this example where the message is placed at the end of a long winded sentence.

I refer to your application for the above position. Your claims to the position have been considered in relation to the selection criteria against which all applicants were assessed.  I wish to advise that on this occasion, your application has been unsuccessful.

The more of these messages that you read, the more likely you are to become sceptical of the amount of truth they contain. This next example is a classic piece of writing from a Government Department. Not only does it make one feel sorry for having applied but also a little embarrassed about exposing their financial troubles.

This email confirms the advice given to you earlier this week that we have decided to suspend the selection process for the advertised positions. The decision reflects a tightening of our budget and allows us to focus on finalising recruitment in other priority areas.

Pending a favourable review of the funding situation later this year, we may readvertise the positions. I will retain your application and advise you either way.

Thank you for your understanding.

If this first message been given clearly and with some sensitivity, then the reader may want to continue to see what reasons are provided for failure to land this job.

There were lots of other good people who applied and in this instance we chose one of them

The art and craft of writing rejection letters is demonstrated in the different ways that this message is stated. Consider the following examples, along with some commentary which suggests alternative interpretations that can be made from reading between the lines.

The relevant Hiring Manager has considered the applications for the available role and decided on a preferred group of candidates to progress. It is regrettable that not all the talented contenders can move forward, and I am writing to say that we will not be pursuing your application further at this time.

This appears to provide good feedback but on closer inspection says very little that can help the applicant understand the current decision or what might be improved for future applications. At first glance it seems to suggest that the applicant was considered ‘talented’ but a closer inspection shows that there while there were some talented contenders in the group, you may not necessarily be one of those. All that is clear from this message is that the applicant has been dropped. There is no reason provided.

The next example says the same sort of thing and offers an almost apologetic philosophical perspective.

We have carefully considered all applications for this position and decided on a preferred applicant group. Regrettably, not all applicants can be progressed, and I am writing to advise that we will not be pursuing your application further at this time.

A common thread is observed with selection panels that undertake a process of narrowing down the field of potential candidates and then placing them in a ranked order. The next example demonstrates how the applicant was considered suitable for the position but was not ranked as highly as the preferred candidate.

Whilst we have found you suitable for placement, unfortunately we are unable to offer you a position as vacancies have been filled by higher ranked applicants.

An alternative to this approach seems to be to reject applicants that do not closely match the specifications for the ideal candidate. These three examples demonstrate this theme.

Your application has been reviewed in detail and assessed according to the requirements of this role.  Unfortunately in this instance we have received other applications that better match these requirements, and as such we will not be progressing your application further.

The Selection Committee considered your claims against the selection criteria and decided that, on this occasion, there was another candidate whose credentials more closely matched the criteria we were seeking for the position.

Although the position is yet to be filled, I regret to advise that, on this occasion, we are working very closely with another candidate who more closely matches our requirements.

Apparently even this process lacks some precision or objectivity, even when the culling process is undertaken by a recruitment agency, as shown in this example.

Other candidates at this stage appear to more closely suit our client's requirements; accordingly, I regret to advise you that your application has been unsuccessful in this instance.

The process of creating a short list of candidates or selecting the preferred candidate for a position is not an easy one.

We received a number of applications for this role and selecting the shortlist for interview proved a difficult decision.

And the enormity of this decision appeared to be beyond the capabilities of some.

The number of highly qualified applicants was overwhelming and consequently made this a very difficult decision.

This recruitment process appears to be a lot more difficult and time consuming than one might imagine and it is comforting to read that those making the selection appreciate and acknowledge the time and effort taken by the person applying for the job.

We appreciate your interest in the job and your efforts with the application

A heartfelt word of appreciation is always welcome when your best efforts have proven unsuccessful. The easiest way to convey this message is to start with a word of thanks.

Thank you for:

·         your interest in our company

·         taking the time to express interest in this position

·         the time and effort that you took in preparing your application

·         taking the time to apply and share your credentials with us

·         the chance to understand more about your skills and experience

·         applying for the position and participating in the interview

·         your attendance and thoughtful comments at interview

These words go a long way to lessening the disappointment of failure and they provide the unsuccessful applicant with some assurance that the organisation appreciates the time and effort taken by the applicant in applying for the position. Sincere expressions of regret tend to indicate that the organisation is perhaps not so bad after all, even though they may not have made the best selection in the eyes of the applicant. Sometimes there is an even an offer of further feedback.

Should you wish to obtain feedback, please send an email and we will then be in contact with you to arrange a suitable time.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or another member of our team by email.

Since there is little chance of changing the selection decision, why would you want to waste more time and effort with this process? Is an extended feedback session going to provide you with any useful insights not already provided or do you just want to extend the hope (prolong the agony)? These offers are really just rhetorical questions. You are not meant to respond to them because there is nothing to be gained from the exercise.

Now we proceed to the end of the message and it always ends on a positive note so that you think well of the organisation and might even be encouraged to apply again if another opportunity arises.

Best wishes for the future

The message may include apologies and will typically offer hope for the future.

I apologise for the delay in conveying the outcome of the process.

I take this opportunity to wish you success in achieving your career aspirations and thank you once again for your patience and interest.

Thank you once again for your interest in our organisation, and best wishes for continued success in your career search.

We wish you success in your future career endeavours.

We wish you every success in the future and should one of our future advertisements interest you, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Alternatively you may register your details at our careers website to stay abreast of new opportunities within our organisation.

Now that we have considered all of these comments, are there any lessons to be learnt?

What can one learn from all of this?

If the message appears to be a standard letter with the only personal bit being your name and address, then there is nothing useful included besides being told that you did not get the job. However, when somebody has taken the time to compose an individual message for you, there may be some comfort provided in knowing that somebody cares about your situation.

If a little levity and creative writing are used, then this shows that there are people involved in the process and perhaps they understand the pain of receiving a rejection letter. Above all, do not be discouraged when you read that your application has been unsuccessful. Somebody was successful, and next time it might even be you.

How to become a good manager

A manager is measured by how well he can do his work and rather than trying to define a list of essential characteristics or qualities of a manager, a better focus is on their results and how they are achieved.

In 1955, Robert Katz wrote an article in the Harvard Business Review titled ‘Skills of an effective administrator’ and identified three basic skills for managers; Technical skills, Human skills and Conceptual skills. A follow-up article in 1974 reaffirmed the importance of these skills for the effective performance of managers and rather than trying to identify or develop particular personality traits, managers should apply themselves to developing these three skills.

If we can assume that managers are responsible for the achievement of certain functions or objectives and that they direct the work of others in pursuit of those objectives, it is useful to look at what the technical, human and conceptual skills are, consider how they interact and what can be done to improve these management skills.

Technical skills differ according to the type of work being done but typically involve specialised expertise, knowledge or experience for a particular work environment.

Human skills are those required for working with other people and have been referred to as ‘soft skills’, and primarily involves leadership, communication and an understanding of how others think, feel and behave.

Conceptual skills are more cognitive, requiring an understanding of strategy, and the ability for creative thought and action.

Managers will possess varying levels of these skills and different work environments and levels of management will determine the relative importance of each as shown in the diagram.

If we consider technical skills to be mostly concerned with ‘things’, human skills are all about working with ‘people’ and conceptual skills are more about ‘ideas’. Technical skills are most important at lower levels of management where supervisors and team leaders are largely concerned with processes, procedures and techniques and tools for the achievement of work outputs. At higher management levels managers need an appreciation of the various functions of an organisation, what they contribute, and how they need to interact to achieve the desired work outcomes. Additionally they need the conceptual skills that require an awareness of the external environment; the political, economic and social forces that impact upon and are affected by the organisation. All levels of management require human skills so that they can work effectively with, for and through other people.

The good news for managers and those who aspire to become good managers is that these skills can be learnt, acquired and applied. Technical skills are the most concrete and are those typically learnt through vocational and on-the-job training programs. In this technological age such skills are becoming increasingly specialised and require many years of further education. The conceptual skills for managers are those typically covered in an MBA type program with courses such as strategic management, marketing, information systems, human resources, finance and operations.

As for the human skills, arguably the most important, there are many different types of leadership programs and management development activities available to help improve the ability to manage yourself and others. These will be considered in another discussion.