Exit Strategies - Leaving A Job

So you have decided to move on from your job in search of a better opportunity or a career change.

Here are a few ideas to make sure that when you leave your current place of employment a bit smoother -

1. Be Honest.  Let your current employer know the real reason for your wanting to leave.  If it's for a good reason or for career development - that's great.  If the reason is you are unhappy or upset at least give your employer the chance to speak about the issues and try and reach a positive resolution.
2. Keep it sweet.  Don't burn your bridges after you have crossed them.  You never know when or where you may meet again with your colleagues and if you might need a favor from them.
3. Stay open to possibilities.  If you are a star employee there is every chance that the organisation will not want to lose you to a competitor.  Try speaking to your HR department and see what possibilities exist in other departments or sites before committing to leaving.

This cartoon was too good not to share. 

Going Global

I found this today and this will sum up my blog posts for the next week -

How to Assess If You're Ready for a Global Role

Being a high-potential employee in your home office doesn't necessarily mean you can make it on a global scale. If you're looking for a job with a more international view or you're considering taking an overseas assignment, be sure you have these three components of a global mind-set:

Intellectual capital. This is your capacity to understand how business works on a global level and includes a strong grasp on how the industry operates worldwide, as well as the ability to piece together multiple scenarios.

Psychological capital. To be a global leader you need to have a passion for diversity, a thirst for adventure, and the self-confidence to succeed in a culture completely different than your own.

Social capital. You need to be able to build productive relationships with people from other parts of the world. To do this, you'll need intercultural empathy and strong diplomacy skills.

 

(Source: http://hbr.org/2010/04/managing-yourself-making-it-overseas/ar/1?cm_mmc=npv-_-MANAGEMENT_TIP-_-JUN_2010-_-MTOD0603&referral=00203)

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/global2000/4378116185/)

Job Management - It's all in the way you market yourself

Traditional job seeking websites list positions that are put their by employers looking for the right kind of person.  This process involves -

• Having a position to offer;
• Knowing what you are looking for before you advertise;
• Having no idea who is going to apply or what the quality of applicant may be;
• Then spending hours and hours looking through and vetting CV's and reumes that were a complete waste of time.

What alternatives are there?

1. Hire people on short term contracts.  Make an initial contract no more than three months in length and watch how the person goes.  Are they a a fit?  Are they who you thought they would be?  Does their skills match their CV?  If not, you still have an opt out option.  This is fairer on them and you as well.  And if the person fits the organisation they already know the job and can continue on at full speed.
2. Use social media to source people.  Find someone who knows someone who has the skills you are looking for and find out before you hire where they are at.  This is also a great way to pick up people who may currently be overseas and are returning soon but don't want to commit in to big a way upon their return.
3. http://www.greensky.co.nz/  This website reverses the standard 'looking for employment' process.  Employers can browse over the CV's and resumes of potential employees and can pre-decide who looks like a great fit for the company.  It is also a great wat to see peoples CVs and work historys in advance.  This kind of self advertisement also takes a bit of nouse and ago which are probably both skills that your organusation needs.

Try it.  It works.

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfgallery/3537124962/)

Finding The Right Employee For Your Business

The great people over at Fuel Advertising know how to communicate to people.  They understand what you and I know but most marketers just don't get.

"People are human.  People have a sense of humor.  People are real."

So, Fuel needs a person to help create adverts.  Sounds simple enough?  Sure.  And that is exactly the level of person you would attract should you choose to advertise for someone with those skills.

What does Fuel do right?

1. 
   
   Make the position title legitimate and current.  'Ad Mechanic' now there is a job title that inspires and sets a level of expectation around the persons skills and capabilities.
2. 
   
   Give the applicants and position some respect.  The role is about the ability to use initiative, problem solving skills and mix them together with some creative flair and BOOM there you go - Ad Mechanic. 
3. 
   
   Speak to people in the same way you want them to hear you.  The message is clear and simple.  There is no ambiguity about what is going to be expected of you should you be the chosen one.

The next time you choose to look for people to join your team keep these ideas in mind.  I'm picking that the team at Fuel will have received a whole bunch of applications and there will be some great applicants too! 

So when we take the time to respect people, their skills and give them opportunities to develop there will be no shortage of people lining up to join your team.

CEO Interview - Laura Alber

Here is an excellent example of what anyone (male or female) can accomplish if they put their mind to it.

In this video Laura Alber reflects on her career and shares her thoughts on how to succeed in business.  There's also a whole lot of thoughts on how to be the boss and retain your own style and personality.

Try this video and see what you think -



Awesome!  The world needs more women at the helm.

The Important Jobs

Who defines for you which jobs are important and which jobs aren't?  Honestly - is there a rating system that defines what is mor important to be done?  Maybe, but I doubt it.  Especially not for managers. 

One key task of a manager is to figure what is important in their role.  There are few set ratings or 'star-system' for measurement (unless you have these as KPI's).  However I think we can create categories that define broad aspects of our work.  Those catagories look a little something like this -

1. People - internal.  I value internal people higher than externals.  Many would disagree but as a manager I believe we should be coaching/working with/empowering our people first so then they can go and serve the external people.
2. People - external.  External persons are not just customers but any person who is not in your department, office or area of influence.  People are the most crucial aspect of a managers role.  get the people part of things right and you are well on your way to success.
3. Compliance - internal.  Sticking to the rules and ensuring that the requirements of the organisation are met.  Creating budgets that balance, updating project management reports, customer interaction reports.  They are all important.
4. Compliance - external.
5. Any tasks not already covered above.

No single area is not as important as another area but there is a hierarchy.  When the internal people know what to do and when that frees you up to deal with customers external and the compliance issues and requirements of your role.




There are very few unimportant jobs in an organisation.  What defines a task as being important or not is the emphasis you place on it.

Human Capital Management

PeopleStreme.com have made this awesome video and posted it onto You Tube.  I have put it here and will add my contribution further down the page.

What value do you place on your work?  What value is placed on you?  Do you rate yourself or not?

Conversely - What value do you place on others work?  What value do you place on others?  How do you measure that value and is that measure relevant or accurate?

Here are a few facts of life as far as organisation's go -

• Size matters.  The bigger the organisation the less they know about you.  What happens is the more layers in an organisation the more removed you will be from the central services.
• Front Line Managers matter! The relationship between you and your direct manager is always the most important relationship you will have.  This is true if you are the cleaner all the way through to if you are a Director of the Board.  You must work with your boss!
• The HR Department matters!  Admitted in most organisations the only time you most people will interact with HR is when they are hired or if they are fired.  But it doesn't have to be that way!  Go out of yur way to meet the staff and make sure they remember who you are (for the right reasons of course).  It pays to make friends and keep them for as long as you can.
• The skills and abilities of your staff matter!  Update them!  Watch your staff.  Learn from them.  Be open to having your staff tell you where they think what sklls they need to work on and develop.  If you disagree you can help steer them in a better direction.  Create an audit or questionaire to work through at appraisal time to help lead and guide your discussions about where peoples skills are at.
• Coaching matters!  The best time to coach someone is when they are reflecting and considering their performance.  If your manager doesn'tdo this for you - tell them or look for another manager.

PunkRockHR posted a great piece on employee engagement a few days ago which ties in nicely with this post.  Head over there and check it out - WARNING: it will provoke a response.

People who are paid to do work will do a better job when they feel valued, understood and have the freedom to do what they have to in a way that makes sense to them (while adding value to the organisation).

Don't Leave Your Job - Here's Why

This 'Management Tip of the Day" from Harvard sums up my present feelings absolutely.

MARCH 24, 2010, 3 Reasons You Shouldn't Leave Your Job

You may be unhappy, fed up, and ready to bolt from your job. Instead of running out the door, take a deep breath and consider these three reasons to stay where you are — at least for now:

1. Relationships matter more than money. You may think you can find a job that will pay you more, but you will be leaving behind a wealth of relationships. When weighing your options, don't forget the value of the network you have now.

2. It's less urgent than you think. Job seekers who are desperate to get out of a job tend to do less research about potential employers. Strategically plan your next career move instead of running away.

3. You're likely overestimating yourself. Research shows that most job seekers overestimate their skills and prospects. Before you leave, take the time to do a realistic assessment of what you have to offer.

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This is one area that I battle with quite a bit.  Whenever things aren't going quite right, the politics are too much to handle or I just get sick of the BS my first inclination is to look elsewhere for employment opportunites.  That is the subjective view.

But when I sit back and take stock objectively of where I am at as far as career development and the opportunities afforded to me -  I am actually in an excellent place of work right now.  Am I thinking of leaving - no, probably not.  I think I'll just wait and see what comes along.

The Missed Position

So you applied for a position within your company - one that you really wanted or coveted - and didn't get it. What do you do?

Well you can either - get bitter or get better!

Here's what I did for the person who got the job over me -

1. Congratulations. I offered them congratulations and wished them well.


2. Support. I offered and gave as much support as I could to enable them to be the best at what they have to do.


3. Integrity. I speak highly of the person when I am talking to others in the staff room or on other occasions.

Remember - you reap what you sow! Here are some questions I use to self relect -

1. Role size. Was the job the right shape/size for my abilities? If I didn't get the job because of a lack of skill - then get started and work towards fixing those areas of lack.


2. Philosophy. Did the job role and company philosophy suit me and vise versa? If not then great - I don't have to deal with those issues in the future.


3. Interview. What questions did they ask? How do I feel I answered them? Could I have handled the interview any differently?

So you didn't get the job. Don't get even - get better!

Talent - what do you do with it?

Every employee you have and person you know has a particular talent and tons of potential. The key is to figure out - what is that talent and how do you make the most of it?

Talented people generally are on the move (either upwards or sideways) and think they know where they are going. What you need as a manager to do is to provide a balance between untried ambition and actual skill. Provide a balance between new challenges and the development of new skills as well as the refinement and strengthening of current skills. Getting the balance between the two is hard - but the results are also very rewarding both for your business and the person concerned.

The other idea is to make every employee a CEO of something. Make them completely responsible for an idea or project. Give them a budget, authority and the right amount of support to make it happen.

Talented employees also need feedback and reflection time. The reviewing of KPI's and goals is a powerful motivator. Keep the KPI's short and aggressive. By doing this you, the manager, keeps close to the talent and you can gauge their growth. Where growth is quick - you can set higher targets and more complex problems. Where growth is slower - this provides a good time for both you and the talent to catch a breather before proceeding.

Note - not all talent is under 30! Some of the most talented people you have are over 30, settled into their jobs and are quite possibly bored. the mission is to identify them, lure them out of their secure place and unleash their hidden skills on the world!

Education, Trends and Job Currency

In order to be relevant and to keep relevant you need to keep in touch with current trends, philosophies and approaches.

How can you do this? Here are the simple methods -

1. Read. Join your local library and borrow books. Readers lead and leaders read. Good libraries update their books often. If your library doesn't - ask! Your local librarian might just need some good ideas of what people want to read.


2. Surf. Jump on the Internet and seek out teaching and lessons from the top leaders of our time. There are a lot of websites that exist with top content.


3. iTunesU. Download the latest lessons from the worlds best Universities every week!


4. Listen. Often times the language that is being used by the 'guru's' doesn't take long to permeate into everyday language.

If you are able to keep current with modern thinking and activities - you position yourself well for tomorrow.

Job Hunting Advice

Looking for a new job isn't always easy. Sometimes - it's darn right hard!

Here are a few ideas that might help you -

1. Spell check all documents you are sending out! A spelling mistake is not a good look.
2. Make a plan. Decide what you want and start working towards getting there.
3. Ask friends. Ask friends to ask friends. Network.
4. If they say no - ask why. Why didn't I get the job? What could I have done differently?
5. Don't give up. Having someone say no - doesn't mean it's the end of the world.

Here are a few more tips from Career Services and some more from TV3.

Job Life

In the same way that careers have determined lengths of time on them so too do jobs.

The question is - how long will the job you are in last? What will you do when your current job disappears?

Change is the only constant. Jobs change, technology changes - do we change with it?

Do a stock take on your current job asking these questions -

• If I wasn't here would anyone notice?


• Could anyone do my job?


• What parts of my job are specialised?


• Which parts of my job are generic?


• What parts of my current job will help me to gain employment in the future?

Interesting huh. By knowing what the length of life our current roles have, this can help us to focus on what to do next.

MBA or NBA?

What to do in 2010?

• Complete my studies with Waikato Uni and complete the MBA program
• Or - knuckle down and get into the NBA instead?

It is important for us that Vanessa finishes her degree to allow her career promotions and a university qualification. I'm fine with that. However, it will may mean that I have to go into limbo for a year.

The other part of my conundrum is - will doing an MBA get me anywhere in my current organisation? I wonder about the value of an MBA if there is going to be no value at the end of it.

So even if I get an MBA will that mean I have a clearer line through to second tier management? I highly doubt it. Am I capable of operating at that level? Absolutely.

One of the dangers of staying within an organisation is being labelled and boxed in by other peoples perceptions.

When I was doing my chef training I distinctly remember Chef saying - "Trainee chefs should only stay in 1 job (kitchen) for 6 months, and older chefs no more than 2 years".

There is some value in that statement. The great chef Mossimo also said

"Once you know everything about your job, quit and get a new one".

Here are a few points on what I believe are the "Crucial elements of employee engagement" -

• Employees must be dependable and appear to be stable in a role is an important element of career advancement;
• Also important is the employees ability to grow,
• Their ability to know there is a purpose is what they do,
• They must be being adequately challenged,
• And they must be rewarded for their efforts at work - both internal job performance and external personal development.

Sure - I'll have a go

A couple of roles have appeared in the classifieds section of the newspaper today. They are at a multi-national in a far bigger role than I am in now.

Will I apply? Yes.
Am I ready for it? Maybe
Am I confident of having a go? Hell yeah.

After spending time on the MBA program I can confidently say I am ready for more. Yes I do need more management training. Yes - I do need mentoring. Yes - I am nervous as hell.

But whats the worst they could say? No? Come on - nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I also have a couple of meetings with other Directors at my current place of work, and I want to see what their thoughts are about career development and opportunities at my current place as well.

As I always say - watch this space.