Your Relationship with Change and Growth

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Happy New Year!

I am often asked for my “best” career advice. People want to know what will help them succeed in their job, the interview, their annual review, etc.

This comes up a lot. Especially at the start of a new year.

Of course, my responses change depending on the topic and the employment environment at any given time, but right now I’m seeing a lot of missteps when it comes to one thing:

Change and Growth Orientation

Increasingly, top employers are looking for agility and action. They are most interested in job candidates who can demonstrate a track record of action (via an outstanding resume and stellar interviewing skills) and who are actively taking steps to become better and better at what they do.

Simply put, employers want to know that you have fresh ideas and are currently engaged in growing your career and knowledge base.

When I am consulting to help a company with a high-level hire, this is an area that will often separate the “good” candidates from the “excellent” candidates.

Ask yourself:

• Am I aware of current cutting-edge practices in my field?

• Can I demonstrate my domain expertise and am I prepared to speak to the aspects of my field that have my attention right now?

• Am I able to communicate a passion and a distinct point of view regarding where my field is heading.

Remember, the demand for organizations to rapidly evolve demands that they have talent who can lead that change. So, hiring someone who knows where any given domain is headed isn’t just a nice to have; it is critical to a company’s success. Be that person.

Welcome to 2019. Remember, if you need help with the next steps in your career, change starts here at Tandem Powered!

Happy Holidays and Thanks

You’re viewing an archived post. This post was originally published by The Change Laboratory, which is now part of No Vacation Required — our platform for Everyday Fulfillment. While this content is archived, it’s still full of solid advice and timeless insights.

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I find a great deal of fulfillment every day in working with best-in-class companies and talented, hard-working individuals who are striving to build fulfilling careers and lives. I find joy in learning about the work my clients do, often quietly, to make things better for their organizations, their customers, and – most importantly – themselves and their families.

Again this year, as I celebrate the holidays and toast the new year, I will be thinking about how grateful I am to work with such incredible people and how fulfilled I am in helping people make positive steps forward in their career. 

Thank you and happy holidays!

Here are three questions to consider as you reflect and prepare for the year ahead:

1. What did I like/dislike about my career in 2018?

2. Do I have a vision for what I want my career to look like in 2019?

3. Have I outlined steps and actions to make progress toward that vision?

Do I Need to Send a Cover Letter with my Resume?

You’re viewing an archived post. This post was originally published by The Change Laboratory, which is now part of No Vacation Required — our platform for Everyday Fulfillment. While this content is archived, it’s still full of solid advice and timeless insights.

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There is one question that I get from almost every person I work with.

“Do I need to send a cover letter with my resume?”

I’ve written about cover letters more times than I can count, but there are clearly factors – likely misinformation on the web and outlier hiring practices being promoted as standard practice – that are confusing readers and prompting this question. So, let me definitively answer it (again): Unless a job posting specifically requests that you not send a cover letter (a very rare occurrence), a cover letter is both expected and important. Here’s why:

Protocol – I know from my experience “on the other side of the table” – both as an HR professional and the current consulting I do with business clients – that the cover letter is (in most cases) still a key part of the candidate selection process. 

Perspective – Many clients share that they wish hiring managers knew more about them than what is just on the resume. The good news is that hiring managers want to know more too, and the cover letter is designed to provide that additional perspective. Take advantage of the opportunity to share more about yourself – your skills, your passion, your interest in the specific role – and help decision makers understand what differentiates you from other candidates.

Process – Selecting job candidates is typically a multi-stage process of whittling down qualified applicants. Throughout those conversations and series of decisions, information you provide in a cover letter can make all the difference. Simply put, the cover letter will become meaningful in different ways as your application makes it through the multi-stage selection process.

When applying for a position, don’t eschew standard practices or pass up the opportunity to share more about why you are an ideal candidate. Send a cover letter.  

How to Handle Video Interviews

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If you read this blog regularly, you know I take on a lot of business consulting projects around the globe. The trend of video interviews is becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, many candidates are handling them miserably, so I want to share a few key pointers so that you can nail it when / if you have a video interview in your future.

1. Keep your answers brief. Video interviewing is uncertain (and new!) territory for most candidates. When something is uncertain, it’s human nature to either freeze up or blab. Video interviewees know they can’t choke, so most tend to go on and on (and on). The majority of video interview platforms do not allow for second chances. Go in thinking: Direct. Succinct. On topic.

2. Position yourself in good light. Rearrange lamps, move your table, open blinds. Position yourself in strong light with no shadows. You’ll look better, and it completely changes the psychology of how the hiring panel will view you.

3. Smile. It’s very disheartening to see a video interviewee looking sad and scared. Because this is uncertain territory for so many people, it’s tough to not look sad and scared. Organizations don’t want to hire people that look terrified. I hear a lot of “If they can’t handle this confidently, how are they going to handle leading a team?” sorts of things. Breathe. Sit up straight. Smile as though you see a friend in the distance (not like a crazy person).

Realistic Expectations

You’re viewing an archived post. This post was originally published by The Change Laboratory, which is now part of No Vacation Required — our platform for Everyday Fulfillment. While this content is archived, it’s still full of solid advice and timeless insights.

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Recently I received an email from a client who is in a highly-specialized field. In that email, he shared that – despite feeling very confident about his qualifications and job search documents – he was feeling really distressed about his overall job search.

I shared some tips with him, outlined below, that I think others will likely find helpful, even readers who are not in highly-specialized fields.

Keep your expectations realistic: Stress is a common response to being in the job market. Even when it goes well, it is just not a fun process. However, that stress can be compounded by unrealistic expectations. First, When you are in an exceptionally specialized field and / or have a lot of clarity around the kind of role and work environment that will suit you (i.e., you are being picky), you are naturally limiting your options. That’s not a bad thing, but you must be prepared for a more protracted job search. Also, keep in mind that the lifecycle for organizations to source candidates and fill positions is – in most cases – quite lengthy. Don’t hit the panic button if you aren’t contacted within a couple weeks of submitting.

Consider a headhunter: Having someone working the field on your behalf can be a smart idea. She or he may have unique insights into opportunities that just aren’t going to show up on, say, Indeed. I strongly encourage you to use your existing network to find a trusted resource with specific expertise in your field. Needless to say, old fashioned networking should be a priority regardless of whether or not you work with a headhunter.

Broaden your scope: Start to think about ways in which your specialized skillset could add value to different organizations. Pick an organization that interests you and challenge yourself to think about the unique value you could offer. You may find that you’ve been narrow-scoping and what you identify might just surprise you.