Wednesday, November 6, 2013

RELATIVITY: ARE YOU MAXIMIZING YOUR TIME IN SEARCHING FOR A NEW OPPORTUNITY?

Late Wednesday night, October 30th, my phone began to ring incessantly, almost as if it was taking on a life of its own.  I knew deep down why the phone was ringing, but was surprised to learn who was calling at such late hours.  The Boston Red Sox were on their way to winning their 8th World Series, but it was the first Fall Classic that they were to win in 95 years, since 1918, at home at one of the last remaining older cathedrals of baseball, Fenway Park.  I received 37 phone calls that evening and answered every one.

The people that called me knew that I originally hailed from Boston.  In fact, I grew up in one of its sleepy suburbs south of the city called Hyde Park and to this day still possess one of the more distinctive and tell tale accents and dialects that exist in this great country.  It is amazing.  I can turn on the 'Kennedy' accent as I need to and those words ending in 'R' do not exist.  Ask me where I park my car and I will tell you it is parked in Hahvahd Yard.  People were calling and congratulating me almost as if I had something to do with the victory.  There were the obvious family members, friends and what was surprising were the people that I have helped in their job search over the years, updating me on their careers.  I finished my last conversation at around 2AM and it didn't even stop there.  I was obligated to watch the sports commentaries and talking heads and did not retire for the evening for hours beyond the conclusion of the World Series.

It was worth it; witnessing history.  Knowing what Boston had been through earlier in the year.  I have been a recruiter in one form or another for almost two decades, and talking to former clients and candidates years after the fact of helping them taught me a valuable lesson in work ethic.  People remembered the services that I provided and wanted to 'thank me' in so many words for helping them.  It meant a lot to me.

Searching for the right job could turn into a long and arduous process.  But the fundamentals are all the same: PREPARATION, MARKETING, NETWORKING, PERSISTENCE, CONNECTIVITY, CONSISTENCY and MOTIVATION are all part of the many variables incessant in a successful job search.  One of the people who called me last Wednesday night reminded me of a presentation that I gave years ago to a church group and how significant it was to him and others in the group.  Sometimes you don't realize how much of an impact that you might have on a person's life by giving 110% of yourself in a job that is done day in and day out.  It is that 'work ethic' again.

Years ago, I was the person on the 'other end' of the phone.  The company that I had worked with for years had decided to part ways with me and many others at the same time.  It was a 'wicked' layoff and one that was pretty devastating to me.  I even invited myself to many 'pity parties' that were held in my honor while I was the only one who attended.  The word must have got out that I was in a bad way and then one day the phone rang.  I was like a deer in headlights and had not yet begun the marketing or networking process.  It was my old friend John who had heard that I was laid off and wanted to check in on me to see how I was doing.  He took me in under his wing and counseled me through example, prayer and began a 5 week process to re-organize, re-design, re-build and re-develop my thought process.  He too had a story and an experience and was using me as a way for him 'to pay it forward' from the kindness and compassion that someone gave to him.

I never forgot that experience or his heart felt words to me.  He effectively brought me out of a dark place and gave me the encouragement, the confidence and motivation to move forward.  As usual, what John had done for me was not obviously apparent to me.  He had given me a book to read, which I still have today, and had nothing to do with a job search.  It was about growth and learning from adversity.  The name of the book, 'Tuesdays with Morrie' by Mitch Album.  Things were about to change.

The presentation that I had given years ago to that church group was now front and center again.  It was entitled:  

RELATIVITY and it was based on Professor Einstein's theory on relativity.  E = MC2. This was an equation derived by the twentieth-century physicist Albert Einstein in which E represents units of energy, M represents units of mass and C2 is the speed of light squared or multiplied by itself. Because the speed of light is a very large number and is multiplied by itself, this equation points out how a small amount of matter can release a huge amount of energy.  With that said, I wanted to re-design the formula to encompass the variables in a person's job search where a significant amount of energy or effort can produce a phenomenal end result.

Here is the Fundamental Job Search formula:  E = (M + N) (C + P)2

I was trying to show the attendees that everything in your job search is relative:  from the way you dress, to the way you present yourself, your body language and right down to the way you speak and answer questions.  All these variables and many more will become 'what others perceive of you' and potentially your ticket to your next opportunity.  Let's further define my theory.

E = EMPLOYMENT  

The ultimate goal that we all have is gainful and viable employment and there are many ways to seek a new position in the marketplace with some being more efficient than others.  More importantly, one needs to understand how these job search variables are relative to one another and how they can make you successful.  If you 'eliminate' one of these variable or efforts in your search, your process becomes less efficient and may be limiting to attaining positive results in a timely fashion. It becomes what they call a 'two legged stool'.

M = MARKETING

Before one can begin marketing, there has to be a product to market.  Ultimately,that product is 
YOU.  A lot of things come into play in the marketing of YOU in the job search.  One needs a resume, or sometimes referred to as a CV (curriculum vitae).  This document is a 30,000 foot view of YOU on paper stating your objectives, the summary or key highlights of your career, your work and volunteer history and your education to name a few things.  Other documents involved in the marketing of YOU, are a cover letter, a 'one pager' (a synopsis of your resume concentrating on what you would like to do, who you would like to work for and what titles you are looking to achieve in the marketplace with less of an emphasis placed on your work history), professional references, (usually 3 or more are required), your '60 second commercial' (sometimes referred to as your 'elevator speech') and your ability to communicate by 'answering questions' from an interviewer, HR professional or recruiter.  These questions could be asked of you in telephone screening or in face to face interviews.

The Social Media plays a phenomenal role in the marketing process.  Having access to the internet is almost a staple in today's society.  Without it, you will not have access to job portals like Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, Indeed.com or individual company websites to name just a few.  The internet has made the 'job search' process more efficient in the marketing of 
YOU. Years ago, people had to buy expensive bond paper to print resumes and send them to employers through the mail while the internet allows people to apply for many jobs at many different companies at many different locations in a matter of minutes.  Linkedin.com and Facebook have become Icons for job seekers as well as two of the worlds largest opportunities for personal presentation.  As of this morning, I have over 16,500 connections on Linkedin.  The more avenues that you can use for the marketing of YOU, the greater are your chances of success.  Also, 'who I know' may be able to help you in your marketing and networking.    

N = NETWORKING  

There are people who still believe that the world is flat.  But, I have news for them.  Not only is the world not flat it is round and it is also a very small place when you come right down to it. People know other people and that is the job of networking.  To find the right people, who may be in a position to hire you, you need to be ready to introduce yourself at a moments notice with your '60 second commercial' or 'elevator speech'.  Let's face it, you meet people that you know and people that you do not know everyday.  If you are not a typical networking or talkative person, you may need to learn rather quickly how to engage people at the supermarket, gas station, doctors office of other places that you go on a daily basis.  This is a key strategy.  Force yourself to do what you do not like to do.  Talk.  Open your mouth and spread the gospel of that you are looking for a new job.

Statistics show that 70% of the jobs achieved in the marketplace today are through networking. Networking is connecting with those who you know, those you don't know or who someone else may know.  It is not complicated.  I encourage you to join a career group where networking is a must.  I belong to many groups and I belong to one group called 
BENG (Business Executive Networking Group) and it is designed for this purpose.  If you are in the greater Philadelphia area, check them out on the web at thebeng.org and join a chapter and begin your networking journey. There are many other groups that have a similar structure and you need to attend and determine if that group meets your needs as a job seeker.  Some groups focus less on networking and more on telling you what you need for your job search.  It doesn't take long to realize that networking is what is needed to move forward.

Have you set job searching goals?

I have set goals for my job search and one that I have set is to attend at least 2 networking events per week. My question to you is:  What are you doing to market and network 
YOU or yourself to a new position?  Remember, taking one of these variables out of your job search equation will be detrimental to the success of your search.  Learn what others are doing in their job search, copy what they are doing for a period and then do you own thing.

How are you differentiating yourself?

C = CONTINUITY

You already know that marketing and networking are very important to a successful job search. But, it is also important to continue marketing and networking on a regular basis.  I have set a schedule and many goals for myself on a given week.  I have friends who are also searching for a job and they are busier that a 'one armed' paperhanger and their networking is starting to pay off.  One woman that I know has taken the concept of her job search and turned it into a new business.  Good for her in recognizing opportunity and taking on a little risk.

My goals?  On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I send out resumes in the morning and afternoon.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I spend a good part of each day following up with corporate HR reps and recruiters that I have sent resumes to as well as following up with the people that I have met networking from the previous week.  I also attend networking events at night.  So, I need to prepare a lot of resumes and one pagers in order to facilitate these meetings.  

Continuity, repetition and duplication of efforts are key and sticking to a schedule is paramount.

What is your schedule and what goals have you set for yourself?

P = Persistence

Persistence.  Never give up and stay focused.  It is very easy to fall into the doldrums of 'self pity' and allow frustration to run your life.  These feelings are common but they cannot be all consuming.  Remember that you need to be motivated for several reasons.  To provide for your family and to provide for yourself and to maintain your desire to be successful.  Continuity, persistence, marketing and networking go hand in hand.  You need to overcome your feelings of sitting before a TV and watching your favorite shows and persevere with your job search.

Working for hours on end can be draining especially when you are not getting feedback from the efforts you have put forth in finding a job.  Take a break and call someone that you would typically use for your support.  Vent, pass the time of day with someone, take a lunch and then get back to your job of finding a job.

Set goals for the day and for the week. Here are some important goals that I received in an e-mail yesterday that I felt were important in the 'persistence' category of the equation.

Set Ten Non Negotiable Goals for your Job Search

If you are not happy about the current results of your job search, take time to write down the specific goals you are attempting to achieve. It is powerful to write down goals and see them each day as you are conducting your search.

Write down TEN goals for your job search. After each goal write down three to five specific actions you will take in order to achieve each goal. Lastly, write down a specific date after each action item. Post these goals by your telephone so you stay focused on achieving all ten goals.

Here is an example:

GOAL #1 Increase number of resumes mailed directly to Hiring Authorities

Action Items:
  1. Identify 15 new prospective employers/targets (Daily)
  2. Identify the person who would be your bosses’ boss (Daily)
  3. Send a minimum of ten resumes by snail mail.  Handwrite envelope and put “Personal and Confidential” on the envelope (Daily)
  4. Create your follow up script showing employer the benefits they will realize if they consider hiring you (Daily)
  5. Call three days after receipt of your resume to schedule an interview or informational interviews (Daily)
These particular goals took actions that must be completed on a daily basis. Other actions items should be scheduled for completion on specific dates. Make a commitment today to get these ten non-negotiable goals written in the next 24 hours.

Other obvious goals could include:
  • Increase the number of interviews scheduled
  • Increase the number of informational interviews
  • Increase your professional network
  • Contact your references with additional information and to obtain leads
  • Improve your online reputation (Facebook, Linkedin Profile, Results of Google Search)
  • Identify and Contact New Targets
  • Specific target date to accept a job offer
  • Revise your Resume, Cover Letter etc.
  • Obtain interim employment (temp, contract, consulting, holiday employment)
Highlight goals as you achieve them which helps improve your overall attitude, self-esteem and daily motivation. Your attitude and expectations directly impact your search and achieving smaller action items will put new enthusiasm behind your search and will provide you will results. Post these goals where you can read them as you make your daily phone calls.

C2 = Mix it up.  

Do something different in your job search each day.  Make sure that you maximize the time that you spend and that you are not doing things that will cause you to be lazy.  Make a concerted effort to complete your goals.

There are jobs out there and unfortunately, there is also competition.  Find ways to 'differentiate' yourself in your marketing, your networking and your interviewing. This is also the World Series of your life and this is where professionals are doing what they have to do to get themselves before a hiring manager and achieving a job.

This is all about giving back and paying it forward.  I would like to see everyone achieving their goals by attaining their next opportunity.  The next time we talk either by the internet or by phone, tell me how your efforts are paying off.  Surround yourself with positive people and tell them how your efforts are making you more confident. Remember to be humble in your approach.

If you have not achieving success, or receiving phone calls from HR professionals or recruiters there has to be a reason.  This is the time when we have to sit down and begin the re-engineering of your job search.  If one approach is not working, then try another.  It is important.  Use me as a resource in your job search.

My best,

Steven B. Morris, Sr.
Hyde Park Search Strategies
smorris7912@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/48morris



Saturday, October 26, 2013

ARE YOU WORKING WITH A HEADHUNTER OR A RECRUITER?

My question is:  are you working with a headhunter, recruiter or someone that will help you design your job search, evaluate your resume, provide recruiter & job leads and help prepare you for those phone screens and ultimate face to face interviews?

Believe it or not, I have been called everything from 'headhunter', 'recruiter', 'connector', 'career coach' and more importantly, 'friend'.  I attend a lot of career groups, constantly make new friends and develop candidates into the people that they are trying to become and ready for interviews.  It is funny, because when I was 'out of work' years ago, I went through the psychological ups and downs that many people go through and if it wasn't for a good friend who pulled me aside and over the course of many weeks, gave me what I needed psychologically and physically (resume, cover letter, one pager, 60 second elevator speech and contacts) to march into the corporate interview jungle, I may have not found the career and position that I am to this day enjoying.

After getting the help I needed from my friend, I have made it a part of my mind set and part of the many services that I offer to candidates, who come to my company's table looking for direction, to 'pay it forward' with the same compassion and sincerity that I had received many years ago .  I guess the key word is 'organization'.  Most of the people that I meet are professionals and often times feel that they do not need the ancillary help with their documents or interview speak.  But we are not all the same, there are those professionals who need the extra mile of coaching to achieve that comfort level to get them back on track.

Typically, I either meet or talk to candidates on the phone and ask them a few of the infamous questions that occur when they step up to the plate at an interview.  It is mainly to see what level of interviewing skills that they may have and where would be a good place to begin the coaching process.  People do have trouble with 'watermelon' (easy) questions, like:  "tell me about yourself".  If someone cannot answer that question, then the following questions will become extremely difficult almost as bad as climbing Mt. Everest in a sweatshirt and a pair of shorts.  The word is 'Preparation'.

Before I send candidates to my fellow recruiters or to Human Resource professionals, I engage and ask 5 easy but key questions which will determine if further help is needed on the interview process and I grade the answers:  (Scale of 1 to 10)

1.  Tell me about yourself.
2.  What have been your greatest career challenges and how did you overcome them?
3.  What is your greatest weakness and how are you overcoming it?
4.  Why do you think that you are qualified for the position that you are interviewing for?
5.  Why should I hire you?

These are basic questions that need to be addressed and studied prior to parking your car in the company's lot 15 minutes before your interview.  Some people are better than others in answering these type of questions, and then there are those that tell me that they are not good at interviewing.  When I hear that, I immediately send them the '25 questions and answers normally asked at interviews', a document that I have prepared with the help of other experts on the internet, and then tell them that they have a week to prepare. Also, it is very important to go onto the internet and look up the top 'behavioral interview questions and answers', which are a bit different than the average questions and a direction where most interviews usually go.  Recruiters and HR professionals want to know how your brain works and this is a good way to prepare for their questions.

I trust that the experience that I put people through is an educational one and given all the competition in today's marketplace, gives them the confidence that they need to effectively interview and attain that viable position.  It is the little things that people remember and the journey they went through to attain the prize. It is then that I get the 'Referrals', and am able to put others through the same process.  The cycle repeats and repeats and it is very fulfilling.  Depending on the needs of the candidates, I have referred many away to other career coaches who specialize in defined areas.  There are many career coaches in the marketplace with value and expertise who have carved out niches for themselves and for their candidates.  It may help you to interview a few career coaches and determine which one may fit your specific values, expertise that you need and your pocketbook.  It comes down to one word:  'Results'.

The better prepared a person is, the better they will perform in an interview.  Preparation instills 'confidence'. Like I said, I currently belong to many career oriented groups in the Philadelphia area which provide great 'fundamentals', 'organization' and 'support' for a person's job search.  These groups grow over time to be like an extended family where other things come into play like 'encouragement', 'motivation' and 'constructive criticism' and really inform people what they need for their job search. Imagine attending a group that will give you time to introduce yourself, network with others and then have members or attendees present you with helpful contacts or even job leads.  The bottom line is that you have to choose a group that you feel comfortable with and one that you can extract something from at every meeting that you can apply instantaneously to your job search.

What is helpful to bring to these groups are the following:
1. A 'positive attitude' and an 'open mind'.
2. A 'one pager', which defines your accomplishments, your target companies and titles you are seeking.
3. Bring 20-30 of these 'one pagers' so that you have enough to hand out to everyone.
4. The template for 'one pagers' can be found on the internet if you don't already have one.
5. Your resume in the case you are asked for it.  You may meet a CEO.  (Your CV should be two pages.)
6. Your 'networking' personality.  Be ready to talk and to listen.  People will be very eager to talk to you.

'Keywords'.  Do not forget to tailor your resume for each job that you apply for.  Start with your original resume and save it to your hard drive.  When applying for a job, copy your original resume to a new file and give it a new name:  ex:  Resume2.  Then, review the job description and take many of those 'keywords' and put them into your resume and cover letter before you apply for the job and send out your CV package. Realistically, you may end up with 30 or 40 resumes or more before you find that great position.  If you do not use the job description's keywords, then your CV may end up in a recruiter's '(ATS) applicant tracking system' and no one would know it is there.  A recruiter may key into his computer a specific key word and all those resumes with that word would appear.  That is terrible.  All your hard work and no one is able to look at your CV.

Know your resume, your background and know how to convey and explain 'keywords' that may be on your CV.  Remember, recruiters statistically take less than 20 seconds to evaluate your resume to see if they want to review it further at a later time.  There have been people that I have interviewed in the past and they could not effectively explain some of the 'nickel words' that were used on their resume.  That could mean, that they did not write the resume or the truth has been embellished using unfamiliar terms. So, know what is on your resume and study the information.  Practice your 30-60 second elevator speech so you can spit it back to yourself in your sleep or practice it in front of a 'friend' many times.  You never know when you are going to have to introduce yourself to someone who just may be in a position to hire you.  I hear many great stories of people in the most unique places meeting a CEO or an HR Director and the well rehearsed 'elevator speech' got them the opportunity to interview. Remember, when presenting your elevator speech, try not to sound like a robot.  Use the King's English and be upbeat, conversational and 'ask for the order'.    

What does 'ASK FOR THE ORDER' mean?  It is one of the most important concepts in sales.  I have interviewed many people who interviewed very well.  But, they never asked me for the job.  If you are in sales, you know that asking for the order is one of the most important elements of the sales game.  If you are interviewing for a position, you are 'selling yourself', so ask for the job!  If you are at one of those places where you are fortunate enough to meet a CEO, HR Director, Corporate Recruiter, Manager who is in a position to hire you, ask for the opportunity to follow up this meeting with a resume and a potential meeting to discuss opportunities.  I like to refer this kind of an event as 'alpha destiny'.  It is the beginning of an opportunity which could lead to something greater.  A new position.  It came about because you had your 'networking personality' hat on.  Everybody that you meet from this day forward, whether it is in an office environment or not, should be considered an interview for your future.  Your 'networking' hat should always be on and ready to go.  If you do not have a 'networking personality', you may have to find one while you are networking for a new position.

Background.  If there is something in your background that is causing you concern, the only thing that I can say to you is to be 'honest' about it in the interview process.  I have always felt that it is better to be honest about transgressions in your background upfront at the interview rather than having to explain the issue after a background check is performed.  You know your background and if you feel certain things will appear on your background check then they need to be discussed.  Quickly, matter of factly and get off it and move on to the next topic.  I remember interviewing a person, when asked the question 'tell me about yourself', the person began with the topic of  "I am a divorced parent of two and my spouse is a jerk".  This is not something that should have been communicated at the interview.  Because I believe in second chances, I told the person to "stop speaking.  I was going to go and get a cup of coffee and will be back in 10 minutes. When I get back I will ask you the same question again, and I expect you to be on point".  That person had a great background and when I returned, I asked the same question and a received a stellar response and ended up hiring the person.  In the interview process, you may not get that second chance.  Be honest. Know what you need to discuss and stay on point.  Practice your elevator speech and interviewing  with a friend.

Now, lets look at all the keywords from this article that you should keep in mind:
* 25 Questions and answers
* Alpha destiny
* Applicant tracking system
* Ask for the order
* Behavioral questions and answers
* Career coach
* Compassion
* Confidence
* Connector
* Constructive criticism
* Elevator speech
* Encouragement
* Friend
* Fundamentals
* Headhunter
* Honesty
* Keywords
* Motivation
* Networking
* Your networking personality
* Open mind
* Organization
* Pay it forward
* Positive attitude
* Preparation
* Recruiter
* Referrals
* Results
* Selling yourself
* Sincerity
* Support
* Watermelon (easy)

All these concepts are important to understand and are very relevant to your job search.  No matter what career group that you attend, what type of person that you use for your job search development, what education you have achieved in the process or the time it takes you to get the job that you want,  my hope is that you will see the value of what you have learned and that you will adopt the 'pay it forward' mentality and help someone with the same 'compassion' and 'sincerity' that you received from those that made it possible for you to move forward with a new position.

My best,

Steven Morris
Hyde Park Search Strategies
smorris7912@gmail.com
www.linkedin.com/in/48morris




Wednesday, October 9, 2013

HYDE PARK SEARCH STRATEGIES IS READY TO HELP YOUR FIRM WITH YOUR EMPLOYMENT & TALENT SEARCH NEEDS!

I am an independent recruiter based in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania and my firm is called Hyde Park Search Strategies, LLC. 

After spending years as a corporate recruiter, I opened my own firm in 2011 to assist firms in the Philadelphia, Southern NJ and Delaware areas with their specific hiring needs. 

I specialize in Accounting, Finance, Financial Services, IT, Management, Office Administrative, Clerical, Executive Assistants, Sales & Marketing positions and have candidates ready to present to you in many of these areas if there is a need. 

I will negotiate my fees and provide you with a guarantee on the candidates that I present to your firm. 

Most search firms are charging in the neighborhood of 20% -25% for quality placements. 

If your firm is in the Philadelphia tri-state area and are in need of quality talent in any of the above fields and more, I would be very happy to talk with you.  We are in challenging times and often it is the firm with the best contacts that is able to help the most people, and that is my passion.  To help as many people as I can find the to right position for them.

I thank you for your time and look forward to hearing from you. 

My best, 

Steven Morris 
Hyde Park Search Strategies 
smorris7912@gmail.com 
(610) 259-6929 
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/48morris 

"Out of the box thinking for your employment staffing needs!"