Career Change Strategies At Work

You know you're in need of some serious career change strategies at work when... You have just discovered that your "wonderful" employer is about to "release" your entire department to SAVE expenses.
Labor costs can be slashed 90% by moving your job to a foreign land. As they say, your number has suddenly shown up on the "delete" screen.

First, don't get MAD, it shows up as a weakness in your psychic. Take a deep breath; look around, you're not alone; think about the BIGGER picture, even if it's fuzzy right now. Things will get brighter as your head clears up to see the many possibilities awaiting in your future.

Immediately, your thoughts RUSH beyond control and the mouth spouts out wrong vibs. Stay calm in spite of everything that's happening to you at this moment. It's not the time to freak out, save that until later.

Observe all that's going on around you. Notice how your co-workers are responding, help them to remain calm and think long-term. Your job or position is NOT you, even though many of us can't turn loose of titles and the perks we enjoy with the BIG daddy company in our life.

Let it GO!! Maybe today is a good time to go fishing; go bird hunting; or take the kids to a movie.... go to the park; go shopping. My favorite is to take a ride on the bright RED Harley sitting in my garage, maybe yours is the Honda Goldwing outback. Have some fun for a few days to clear out the cobwebs, it will do wonders for your perspective on life.

You've got to be careful. One big word of caution .... don't sign ANY papers until YOUR legal counsel comes to your aid. Too many X-employees think their upstanding employer would never fail them. You can be sure the BIG boss at the top, making $18 million a year, is very concerned about YOU and your welfare. Everyone laugh!!

Usually, there's a sugar plum to be plucked. Don't lay down and roll over to accept anything you're offered to leave quietly. Here's $5K or $10K, whatever it is, be sure there may be more if you kick a little.... just don't sign now. A little negotiating skill can go a long way, so take your time.

Values in the marketplace have changed. People, at least it seems to me, are no longer protected in their jobs, or career path. All of us are expendable if the almight dollar can be saved for the stockholders, the owners, or the big cheese at the top. Profits have become KING in the marketplace.

Some folks never recover from being terminated by an employer. It's an affront to their well being; pride; devestating to the ego; embarrassing and more. You must rise above these reactions of self-pride and see a better future. One day you'll look back and wonder why you didn't leave the losers sooner.

There's much to do, so don't waste time having a pitty party. When your paycheck stops, the bills keep coming. It's frightening, but you can't freeze in place. Life is still going on and the longer you delay taking ACTION, the worse it will get before things are better at your house. Begin today, sort it all out now.

Seek out those who can help. Get your network moving; find sources that know where the jobs are.... in key industries that are growing in your area.

Professionals are available to review your talents, skills for a new position. Head-hunters, staffing services are usually FREE services to you. Find a service that recruits employees for their clients on a fee paid basis, at no cost to you.

Other Strategies for Finding a Job

Targeted mailings, cold calling, job fairs, and occasionally other strategies work for some job seekers. Yet, only 5 to 15 percent of job seekers find positions using these strategies, so be mindful of how much time and energy you put into each. Any direct mail marketing campaign, for example, is considered successful if it generates from a 1 to 3 percent response (each batch of 100 letters yielding 1 to 3 replies). To get significant results from this strategy, you need to limit your expectations; even if you mail to hundreds of organizations, your response rate may be even lower than the industry average. Your goal is to meet someone who will talk to you when there is no open position.

Targeted Mailings
To be effective in a targeted mailing, choose the person you hope to report to or think is the key decision maker. If you correspond with someone much above or below the job level you seek, your letter could be forwarded directly to human resources for filing in the future reference drawer -- and never be read. (Job seekers have a special term for this place: the black hole, where all errant resume mailings go to oblivion. One industrious job applicant I know engaged in the great folly of addressing 700 resumes "To Whom It May Concern." How many people do you think ever read his resume? Oh well, at least he made the Post Office happy; many of his envelopes were sent via Next Day Air delivery.)

Compose a cover or marketing letter that will distinguish you and showcase your best abilities to contribute. Make your comments interesting, relevant, and creative, for example, "Resumes can't talk, but I can. I'm eager to speak to you about . . ." Then, follow up each targeted mailing with a phone call. Wait about two to three days after your mailing to call to be sure the letter has arrived; it is embarrassing to call too early and appear to be a pest, or too late and learn the letter got passed on to the black hole. Also practice some of the techniques presented here.

Mail your letters in batches of no more than 20 letters at a time. Remember your goal is an in-person interview, and there is no need to mail more inquiries than you can effectively track for timely follow up.

Cold Calling
Most of your job search communication will be by phone. Here's where you get to be a phone fan like your teenager. Your goal is a face-to-face meeting or interview, and applying the phone strategy well will increase your number of interviews. Remember, you are competing for your contact's attention with many others who are selling -- real estate agents, stockbrokers, bankers, and other job seekers. Of course, telemarketing has a poor reputation, conjuring up images of frenzied callers interrupting dinners and barking about overzealous bargains. Nevertheless, in the pursuit of new work, effective telemarketing is a critical part of your marketing campaign.

To be effective, plan what you want to say, as you would any important telephone conversation.

• Develop a script and rehearse it, in front of a mirror, if possible.
• Craft a sequential list of meaningful questions, beginning with the most important. Ask questions that can actually be answered; people won't respond well to long, imposing, or confusing questions.
• Verify your research so you are knowledgeable and informed. Also, do your homework on the background of the person you're going to talk with, noting any special accomplishments to bring up, if that is appropriate, in the conversation.
• Relax and take some deep breaths. Even Olympic weight lifters do this before making a move!
• Mention your contact's name with your greeting.
• Check if it's a good time for the other to talk.
• Prepare answers for objections.
• Stay cheerful and focused on your objective.
• Take notes and listen carefully (confirm some facts if necessary).
• Ask specifically for what you want.
• Write down your follow-up steps -- and follow up on them.
• Meet your commitments, that is, don't assent to something you can't provide.
• Compose and send your thank-you note on the same day.

With cold calling, you do not always know the name of the right person to contact. You need to do your research and bypass the voice mail system by learning the names and numbers of assistants who can refer your call directly to a preferred contact. To find the correct name, try the company's main number first, and ask the operator for the name of the vice president of human resources or the manager of customer service. If the above information is unavailable, and sometimes it truly is, ask to be transferred directly to the specific department and learn the name of the department head. Verify the correct name spelling and address. If you're unsure about the gender of a name -- like Carol, perhaps -- or only have the first initial, make sure you learn the person's gender, too.

If you are working through a company phone directory, experiment using a catch phrase, such as, "I have some correspondence with Brent Nichols -- is he still your manager of customer service?" Try to get the name of your target's support person and use it if you can, too. Be clear and distinct when you give your name and number and alert her that you will be calling back. Your tone should be patient, courteous, and upbeat.

Finally, to increase your chances of talking to your target when you telephone, call during business off-hours: early in the morning, right before lunch, or late in the day. Your target is most likely to be at his desk then, not away at a meeting.

Practice your voice mail reply so that it is both brief and inclusive. Provide a time when you'll be available for a return call and leave your message citing your number slowly and distinctly. You've encountered fast talkers, not all of them selling used cars or leading an auction, so you can imagine how annoyed your contact will be if you leave a hasty voice mail that has to be played twice to hear the message correctly.

For incoming calls, be sure you have a quiet room set aside to talk, including a desk or table for your contact records, calendar, and resume (or accomplishment sheet), with paper and pencil handy. Alert family members who answer the phone to be prepared to note accurate information, and sound as polite as possible. Your four-year old is charming for family and friends, but might not be the best choice as an administrator to answer your phone call from a job recruiter, unless you're a day care leader. Make sure your voice mail recording is rational, too, and not overly cute or off the wall. (Let the kids' cell phones have the answering modes with rapper-recorded messages.) The following story is an illustration of this type of situation.

A freelance single mother of a ten-year-old girl asked me for advice on expanding her business. I returned her phone call one morning, only to hear the daughter's recorded voice singing a "hello" message before asking for return call information. I met with the freelancer to tell her that this was neither professional nor a business-friendly message and she should consider a separate phone line or a revised recording. She told me she was reluctant to do this, fearing she would damage her daughter's self-esteem if the message were changed, nor did she want to pay the extra cost for another line. One month after reluctantly changing her voice message, her business began growing again.

Job Fairs and Open Houses
Job fairs and open houses attract potential employees and help organizations fill a large number of open requisitions. Fairs are popular during periods of dynamic growth and even in downtimes draw those with can-do skills. Some job seekers see these as "cattle drives" to round up desperate people who will work cheaply, but others with a positive attitude like job fairs because the gatherings allow them to shop the companies they like.

Before the fair, you should practice your "reason for availability" or your 60-second infomercial/elevator speech, stay confident and positive, shake hands convincingly, and smile. Also, keep the following tips in mind.

• Research the companies attending -- and also consider organizations not previously on your radar list.
• Dress professionally (tie and jacket for men; skirt/dress slacks and blouse for women). Save the Speedos and sweats for at-home networking. And always wear comfortable shoes.
• While at the fair, ask good questions of the recruiters and show enthusiastic interest in the organization. Take company literature available for future study/research.
• Write down the name of the person you meet and jot down the context of your conversation on the back of his business card. You may find, however, that some companies hire recruiters just for the day and instruct them to withhold any personal identification.
• Bring an ample supply of resumes (25 to 30 copies). Some astute product marketers fold their resumes in thirds to have them stand out in a file; others enclose them in plastic sheaths to distinguish them.
• Distribute your business card.
• After the meeting, follow up with the recruiter or hiring manager by telephone. Wait three to five days for smaller events, five to ten days for events with more than 100 attendees.
• If the lines are long and the waits are tedious, introduce yourself to others in line and start one or two new relationships. People looking for work could have friends and contacts at companies that interest you, and you can often learn from them about the company's culture, salary range, and hiring needs.

Other Sources
There are numerous sources to help you find a job. Below are just a few for you to consider.

Job Hot Lines. Some large organizations, universities (and colleges), and government agencies have 24-hour job hot lines. They have recorded messages with current openings that include brief job descriptions, a few key requirements, salary ranges, and dates for submitting applications. Treat your responses as you would a published listing.

Computer Networks. Some institutions use a national computer network for their job listings and accept resumes online. Be sure to follow all of the directions to log on and to access the system exactly. There is always the danger that your paperwork will be cut off at the end of a couple of minutes or after 200 some odd words. Make sure your resume has key words that are used in the job description.

Interactive Voice Mail. Some firms are experimenting with a new interactive voice mail software. Here you are asked to submit your qualifications by touching your telephone keys (push 1 if you have an MBA, push 2 if you have a Ph.D.). It is used mostly as an elimination tool, so, again, follow directions precisely to avoid a mistake that could take you out of the running. Also, supplementing this with a follow-up mail response or direct phone contact with the hiring manager is a very good idea.

Faxing Your Resume. Never hesitate to fax your resume when asked or to use the medium to further distinguish yourself. One marketing executive created her own fax form, with her unique experience and skill set noted in the borders. She also took a risk when she faxed her resume and marketing cover letter to a key number of important directors of marketing. Some offices do not welcome unsolicited fax communication, even from a candidate where creativity is expected.

Beat the Post-Vacation Blues Before They Begin Strategies for Getting Back to Work After Going Away

Summer vacations -- or vacations taken at any time of year -- are good for business. Workers get to recharge their batteries with rest and relaxation, and their employers usually reap the benefits. But no matter how much you love your job and how much you unwind on your vacation, you still may feel anxious about your initial return to work.

Why? Blame it on a backlog. According to a new survey from The Creative Group, one third of respondents claimed to dread getting back to the daily grind because of "the work awaiting their return." However, half of those surveyed admitted that vacations made them feel happy and refreshed. So how can you keep your post-vacation afterglow upon re-entry to the professional world? Use the tips below to reduce the work that will accumulate in your absence and enjoy the lasting effects of your time away.

Help Someone Else Step Up

Do you know someone who's waiting for an opportunity to spread her wings? Maybe a junior team member or an assistant has been chomping at the bit for a chance to move up. Megan Slabinski, executive director of The Creative Group, reveals, "High-potential employees who are being considered for management roles may welcome the chance to prove themselves while their supervisors are away."

To help your new protege be most effective, she advises professionals to "ensure their second-in-command understands the resources available and has a good framework for making decisions." Take time to bring your charge up to speed so she will succeed in your stead.

Spread the Word

You can put out fires and lessen your load while you're out of town with the push of a button (or two). Says Slabinski, "Leave outgoing messages on your email and voicemail to let others know you are away and whom to contact in your absence." Not only will this immediately direct people to connect with your newly named second-in-command, but, adds Slabinski, it "will reduce the number of calls and messages you must attend to on your return."

(Enabling an auto-response with Yahoo! Mail takes only a few moments and a couple of clicks. Learn how here.)

In Case of Emergency

If there's a pressing issue or pending deal that you need to be involved with even if you're away, say so. Addressing a problem as it arises could save you time and heartache when you're back at work. However, warns Slabinski, "Clearly communicate if and when you want to be contacted about business matters while you're away to help minimize disruptions and ensure a peaceful break." Setting boundaries ahead of time will make sure you're not being bothered unnecessarily.

Hire Extra Help

You're probably not the only person in your department or even on your team who's taking a vacation this summer. So why not make life easier for everyone by bringing in some hired guns on a temporary basis?

"Hiring freelancers to augment your team during staff vacations can prevent remaining employees from becoming overburdened," says Slabinski. It will also keep the work that awaits you to a minimum.