Why do interviews intimidate people so much? The worst that can happen is that the company you are interviewing with will not hire you! If that is the worst that can happen, then how do you make an impression, say the right things and win the job?

Well, a good way to start is to turn the interview process in your favor.

First Turn. Do your homework. Research the company and its people. And most importantly, look at the news releases recently published. A great source for this information is OneSource.com,  and all candidates with CPI receive access to it through our web portal.

Second Turn. Prepare a dynamic positioning statement or two-minute presentation so that you can “tell them about yourself” when you get the inevitable first question.

Third Turn. Ask a final question at the end of the above statement. “Is that the kind of person you are looking for?’

Now you have turned the interview around so that  you are asking the questions, and the company interviewer is responding. You learn what the key requirements of the job are. If you have really good accomplishment statements and stories, you can convince the interviewer that you are the person for the job.

This process does not happen without practice, and the best way to get that help is to work with a “professional” career counselor. A good place to start is with your local career firm. Let me know what other tips you have to help turn the interview in your favor…

Jim Davidson

Over the past five years Dr. Don Hanratty, the President of Optimance has participated in the Grant Thornton Business Leaders Council. At the most recent meeting numerous company CEOs and Presidents met at Comerica to review the current and emerging business challenges. The leaders reviewed the results of a recent survey conducted by the Advanced Strategy Lab.  

With some comments of concern, and also of optimism, and emerging issues were categorized.  Those identified as most critical…  

Assessing where future growth might come from.        

Prioritizing capital requirements and planning.       

Rebuilding morale and recognition within the organization.       

Doing a serious audit on our people and  their skills.       

Developing a set of strategic planning scenarios for the next 6 to 18 months.      

Keeping things lean as business improves.   

We are interested to hear if these are your most pressing issues. Let us know what else you see on the horizon.  Don would be happy to speak with you.

In Dan Brown’s latest book (author of The Da Vinci Code) The Lost Symbol, the reference to bringing order out of chaos comes up again and again. While I was reading the book, a senior executive in transition made the comment, ”Now I see what I have to do; you have made it clear what I have to do. It was very confusing before.”

With so many people searching for the best way to find their “next best work” there is so much chaos out there that it can be overwhelming.

• TV stations are offering fast, 15-second tips on how to find a job.
• Local churches are holding career sessions on how to improve your resume.
• Monster, Career Builder, and a host of other marketing sites are using jobs to sell their space.
• Government has their “help” programs.
• Some companies promise to market you to major companies for ONLY $10,000!

Where should a person go to get the best advice? Well, if you are sick you go to the doctor. If you have a plumbing problem you go to a plumber, a legal problem you go to a lawyer. With career issues, the connection should be to the expert in the field, a career counselor.

When was the last time you did a search on Google to find useful information? Or, are you now using Bing as your decision engine? Whatever search tool you use, it has become common practice to search the Internet to find everything from a plumber to a movie time to the closest Italian restaurant. With the I-phone and the latest handheld technology, it gets easier every day as long as you know what to look for. We also have to become savvy searchers as not all the information we need is on the first page of our search results. I decided to look for “retirement planning tools” and came up with a very extensive list. Let me give you the first six sites.

• Fidelity Retirement Income Planner
• Financial Engines
• Morningstar Retirement Planner
• Vanguard Retirement Calculator
• T. Rowe Price Retirement Income Calculator
• ES Planner Plus

Great, but not what I was looking for. These are all financial planning sites to help you calculate how much you should be saving, for how long, and at what rate. All good information – but not what I was looking for.

I was more interested in obtaining advice on the many other things that have to be considered in retirement. What am I going to do to continue to stretch my mind? Where am I going to stay? What hobbies can I work on? What about the family? What experiences do I seek out when I travel? These and many other questions are not answered in the sites I mentioned above. To find this information you need to dig deeper into the web. You still will have a hard time finding what you want unless you look at the Career Partners New Horizons coaching program. Not only does this program help you to categorize various retirement planning areas, but it also helps you highlight where you most need to focus your attention to have a happy and productive retirement. Don’t get me wrong – money is important, but money does not always make people happy. New Horizons retirement planning is a great investment of your time and energy.

As always I am interested to hear if you find something better.

Jim Davidson

Southwest Securities recently hosted The Dallas Business Leaders Council meeting at their offices on October 1, 2009. The focus of the meeting was a discussion on the challenges for business during tough economic times and this was attended by Dr Donald J. Hanratty, the President of Optimance, and 14 other company presidents and CEOs. A major focus of the event was an Input Session on Emerging Issues conducted by the Advanced Strategy Lab team which initiated major conversations on areas for concern as well as optimism. The issues were then ranked in order of importance and could form a basis for discussion in your organization.

The issues, in order of importance were

                Strengthen Customer Relations

                Increase Top Line Revenue

                Deal with Price Competition

                Relook at Branding

                Retain Key Talent

                Reassure the Organization

                Look for Acquisitions

                Relook at Succession Planning

We would welcome your thoughts and comments as to whether these are the issues that you are focusing on, or did they miss some!

I recently came accross an article by Steve Beseke which I felt was well worth sharing. We have all been knocked down in the past and with the state of the economy more people have had this happen to them recently. It is not time to give up however, and Steve raises some interesting strategies to combat knockeddownism.

Check out Steve's life resiliency article at http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-13474-Minneapolis-Career-Resiliency-Examiner~y2009m8d24-Being-Knocked-Down-Means-Getting-Up-Again-Stronger .

Recap of the Christmas Holiday JOB Rush

December 24^th – Candidate 1 received an offer at 7pm. To quote their words it was “The best Christmas gift ever received”

December 26^th – Initial phone interview for a position. Candidate 2

December 29^th – Face to face interview Candidate 2

December 29^th – Later in the day – Email offer to Candidate 2

December 31^st – Candidate 3 receives a call for a phone interview late afternoon.

January 5^th – Candidate 4 has a face to face interview

January 6^th – Candidate 4 receives the written offer

Change, change, everywhere we turn. As a top executive, you can’t delude yourself into thinking that your entire management team and employees really like it. While there are those who thrive on change, most people experience it as a stressor. To succeed, executives must become masters at transforming the fear associated with change into workplace creativity and enthusiasm. Therein lies a major challenge. If there’s fear anywhere in the executive boardroom, it often has little or no avenue for escape. Realistic or not, executive fears can be crippling when it comes to driving a business through this abysmal state of the economy.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (Nov 10, 2008) – In today’s tight economy, most of us know at least one person if not several who are out of work and looking for jobs. To brighten the holidays for these friends or family members, there are seven special gifts you can give, and they don’t cost you a dime.

Handling layoffs is a delicate situation and I have been involved over the years in many ways, as an impacted employee, as a manager doing notifications, as a VP of HR planning the event, as a Career coach assisting those being impacted and, as an account manager working with corporations to best plan the event. The bottom line is that the employees being impacted have to be the main priority, with those left behind being taken care of as well. So, whatever you do, and whoever you select, select a career continuation/outplacement firm to assist the employees and protect the firm.

I am going to finish that project!

I am going to try and finish the project!

Who do you think finished the project?

Well we sometimes defeat ourselves without even realizing it. How often have you said you will try to get to a meeting knowing that you have another event the same day? Or, when you say you will TRY to make a party and you really mean there is no way I will be there.

TRY is one word that is hard to erase from your vocabulary, but with coaching and practice it eventually disappears.

That makes you more straightforward in your speech. Makes you more respected in what you do. More confident in yourself as you know when you say something it is your word and you will stick by it. Others view you with more respect as they know where you are coming from. You even feel more confident saying, NO, I cannot make the meeting, but, I will have someone attend in my place. Or, I will follow up with you tomorrow to find out what I missed.

Go ahead. See if you can stop yourself using the “TRY” word one time today. Two times tomorrow and so on. Make it a habit.

If you cannot do it yourself, get a coach. What else can a coach help you with?

We are proud to announce and introduce Sherri Elliott as the new President of Optimance Workforce Strategies.  Sherri immediately strengthens the Optimance team.  We will now enjoy expanded capabilities to provide an integrated range of time and cost saving business solutions.  Sherri and the OWS team will deliver Human Resource audits, compliance, outsourcing, recruiting and training programs.

How does your Human Resources function spend its time?  Putting out fires?  Responding to requests from Senior Management?  Listening to employee complaints?  Intervening on benefit related issues?   All of these very important functions of HR very often detract the HR Department from another key function which does not make loud demands until it is too late – compliance with regulatory statutes and creating an environment in which employees are not inclined to seek third party intervention.   If a disgruntled employee were to file a complaint resulting in your obligation to open your records and processes to those wishing to discredit and gain monetarily from you – how would your organization fare? In 2007 at least 82,700 companies were faced with just such a problem and they ended up paying over $290 million for failing to hear the call of the important, while focusing on the daily urgent. 

On a recent Southwest flight their “Numbers” article caught my attention. Now in our third year of running our Age Impact Seminar programs centenarians had never been mentioned. Here was new information. The story read that the number of centenarians living in the United States will rise to 160,000 by 2017, making the 100-plus the fastest growing segment of the population. That means that as many as 1 to 3 million of the nation’s 76 million baby boomers will have a shot at hearing Willard Scott announce their names on the today show. The odds are even better for whippersnappers. Experts predict that 1 in 10 girls and 1 in 20 boys born today will live to see 100. 

Our speaker at the first Age Impact Seminar in 2008 was further able to explain the impact of these numbers. Dr Ira Wolfe, President of Poised for the Future Company and author of The Perfect Labor Storm 2.0, provided some startling facts for all of us to consider. As an individual, employer, Boomer, X”er or Civic I think you will be challenged by his information. 

Do you agree with it? What can you do about it? What are your thoughts about his concluding questions? We look forward to your feedback. 

Click on the following link to access his presentation page and then download the Optimance pdf. 

www.perfectlaborstorm.com/Downloads/PLS2_optimance.pdf

The headlines offer lots of free advice.  There are many articles focused on how each of us can be smarter, happier, and healthier in 2008.  Some articles are focused on our money and what we ought to do with it.  Some articles are focused on our bad habits and how we can fix ourselves.  Then we have articles focused on how we use and waste our time. 

It’s the time issue that struck me as relevant today.  At our most recent Age Impact series, the question of how one leader used her time started a conversation.  What are some time management behaviors that seem to separate top leaders from others?  How do the best managers utilize their own limited time? 

The best take the time to manage down.  Top leaders take the time to connect with subordinates.  The best managers take the time to listen to those working for them.  Top leaders know what subordinates are thinking.

We have witnessed falling leaders and managers when they’ve lost touch with their subordinates.  We’ve seen leaders lose out when they’re focused entirely on their own superiors.  We’ve seen managers lose support from lack of communication with subordinates.

Sherri Elliott, SPHR of the Elliott Consulting Group, reports that exceptional leaders are rare.  “Leaders need to see the organization from the employee’s perspective.  They need to make it easy and rewarding for employees to express themselves and their ideas, and they need to figure out how and when to delegate responsibility.  Keeping your employees in the dark is not a good measure of control, it creates distrust, and managerial silence needs to be eliminated.” 

“It has been my experience that many leaders fail to recognize the positive impact of sharing their great moments–often called challenges or perceived failings,” says Sharon Roberts of Roberts & Roberts, Executive Team Development.  Sharon indicates “I urge leaders to immediately begin encouraging their subordinates.  It is so important for leaders to be totally present when interacting with an employee whatever the amount of time is allocated.”

What do you think?  Is it appropriate for managers and leaders to spend 20% of their time, 40% of their time, or 60% of their time connecting with subordinates?   Should managers set aside a portion of their schedule for subordinates?  What portion of each day should leaders dedicate to subordinates?  Would you agree that managing down is critical?

Here’s to better leaders in 2008.

The Optimance Team wish you and yours all the best for a Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.

The holidays are not the time to search for a job?  WRONG!

The conventional wisdom is idiotic. Who says, "companies don't make decisions at year end"? Who says, "no one's around"?This may be the best time to make your drive into the company of your choice. Put your resume aside, start thinking about intelligent topics to discuss, and get on the phone now.

Asleep at the wheel
While other job hunters are out of the picture, make your calls to companies and people who aren't being deluged with the regular requests for interviews and information. This is a time of less competition. Capitalize on it!

The switchboard is dead
And the receptionist is bored. With fewer calls coming in, it's easier to strike up a conversation with the person who answers the phones. Ask for information, names, advice and contacts. And get the receptionist's name -- when you call back in a couple of weeks, you won't be a stranger.

I know you're alone
Lots of managers work through the holidays -- and so do lots of their team members. The place is quiet. Nerves are calm. Information is more easily had. A tactful, no-pressure call from you can yield a useful discussion -- and valuable advice and insight.Do some research, we use One Source, and be prepared to have an interactive discussion with the manager you'd like to work for. Try to stick to one subject: the work that you and the person you're calling both do. Do not ask for a job outright -- but do explain that you're considering a job change in the New Year. "I've heard a lot about you. Your company is one I'd want to work in, and I wanted to learn about the organization. By the way, congratulations on winning the XYZ deal. I read about it in ABC magazine."If the manager responds well, ask if you could stop by in a couple of days for "the cook's tour" and maybe a bite of lunch in the cafeteria. (This approach works best if a company insider refers you to the manager, but it can work regardless.)

Dr Ira Wolfe will present the next Age Impact Seminar at Gleneagles on January 22^nd 2008

Many companies spend a lot of money on programs to develop their workforce without knowing if the program is working. They have no way to track the progress of the initiative. Some companies feel okay about this as it is all about how much they spent, not on the results. Others look at it as a requirement to spend so much per head. This is then tracked year to year. Right? Wrong? Who can say, it just is. Sometimes Human Resources and Training personnel spend the money for the sake of it as they are concerned budgets will be cut the next year if all the money is not used up. All sorts of variations exist on what the money should be spent on.

When we look at what the money should be spent on OUR starting point is the Company Strategy. Our focus is on a five step process, not on a whim. The five steps are Define, Identify, Deploy, Develop and then Engage. Without the focus on the company strategy you could be heading off into the desert without a compass. I bet you know where that will take you! If you want to see if your strategy is passed down to employees check out Eaglesflight.com and look at their program called "Gold of the Desert Kings".

In addition to the five step process you need to have a tool to view the results of your expenditure, who stayed?, who left?, why?, what worked?, and what didn't? Many companies use a tool like this to great effect. Do you?

There is a big difference in the way an X'er and a Boomer communicate. After all, they grew up in different worlds. A recent cover on Fortune magazine had a picture of two twentysomethings with the headline "MANAGE " US? puh-leeze... followed with a tagline "Today's twentsomethings have their own rules. You just don't understand them :-) "

Did you like the little smiley face? Do you know how to make it wink? If not the article in the May 28, 2007 Fortune may be for you. The Boomers raised them so now they have to be manage them, but twentysomethings have different views on everything! Probably more extreme views that the 60's generation, now the Boomers. Loyalty has a different meaning to this new generation. Most likely their loyalty is to family, friends, communities, co-workwers, and obviously themselves. Did I forget company! Well it comes after all the others. Can you blame them? No, they have seem their parents, family friends, and others cast aside by companies that only have a bottom line focus. No longer are they willing to give everything to the company, which in turn changes what motivates them , and hence the communication required to get them to perform.

 Where does that leave you? Some companies ignore it and keep up the same communication time, and time again. Eventually there will be no one to communicate to. Others are looking at involving the different generations in strategic planning and giving them the respect they deserve. This is what we advocate and we use a generational audit to help find out what should be done. Do you have any great ideas on how to get the generations to communicate more effectively?

The traditional resume doesn’t work any longer. A more targeted and flexible approach is needed to succeed in the current job market .

What is a resume? 5 pages of your work history? Okay, 2 pages. Is it important? Sure it is but not in the way you probably think. 80+% of the population now look to the job boards to find their next work hoping that some keyword will catch the eye of someone looking to fill a position. Better luck could probably be found at gaming tables.

So what does work? Recently the networking bio has emerged as the best tool to get you in front of the right people. You still have to take the information from head and heart but it is used to help you get in front of the "right people."

What do you want to do? Take your luck at the gaming tables or get in front of the hiring manager. I know where I want to be. What else is working out there?

The shortage of skilled workers in the U.S. presents a critical challenge to companies. In order to meet this challenge, companies must create an integrated strategy that encompasses the entire life cycle of their employees.

Do employees have a life cycle today? Where did company loyalty go? So should we really bother about this topic? Some executives only look at their tenure as being short term, 3 years or less, so they are not worried about long term. They will move on to their next assignment and let the next person worry about the number of available workers.

Smart companies are taking a proactive stance on this issue and we believe that some out of the box thinking is required. First things first. Make sure it is tied in to company strategy. Then look at the overall talent issue. Do an age impact audit. Where are your people today? What do you need for the future?

Most companies look at the career life cycle the same way you would look at a graph where the career starts at the botton left and ends at the top right. When retirement hits, the line drops back to the base line and work is OVER. My view "OLD THINKING." Everyone loses.

New view. Look at the life cycle as two bell shaped curves overlapping. Imagine one curve being the start of your career, at say age twenty, peaking at fifty, and falling off as you age. The other curve starts at fifty and slowly increases as the work curve falls. This is your volunteer curve, associations, not for profits, part time jobs, etc.

Does this mean your career is over at fifty. Not at all! It just means that companies now have to plan to reduce your workload, stress, involvement, and leadership after fifty. Companies that do this will find that the older worker will stay around longer when they are given considerations. Younger workers can then move in to more senior and responsible positions breaking through the grey ceiling. Benefits for all, company, older employees, and younger employees. The longer you can keep an employee gainfully employed during times when the workforce is shrinking you are winning.

Obviously there is a lot more to an integrated strategy but this is one approach we recommend. Start looking at what you can do to change your company culture. Start with the Age Impact audit. What else works? Let us know.

Today’s reality tells us that companies have to change to remain viable in the marketplace. How a company changes matters! It can be done with or without respect.

 At the end of twenty three years a worker is thanked for his services, handed a box with his desk contents and shown the door. Is that the way someone should be treated? No, but it is the way many employees are being treated as they exit a company. Would it be better to try something else? Possibly?

Another approach is to identify functions or individuals in the company that are becoming obsolete. Inform those people that their jobs are going away but they will have a chance to find a new job in the company and they will receive training to accomplish that job. In addition someone from HR will act as their advocate internally to make introductions for them and represent them. In addition career coaches will be brought in to help with interviewing, negotiation, resumes and all the other aspects of a career search. Why is all this needed? Well, after twenty years these skills are pretty rusty. Is this too idealistic? No, there are companies doing this already.

And you should too! In the coming years the talent shortage will continue to increase so the old hire and fire mentality will not work.

Growth, and in many cases survival, will be predicated on doing the right thing.

RESPECT will be the winner.

But you make your choice, and good luck.