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‘Fit’ Is the Ultimate Criterion

Ending the week by sharing a bottle of wine with a friend is most satisfying.  Especially, someone, you hold in high esteem.  Faith is one of those people.  She is a confidant and muse. She is my ‘go to’ person for a different perspective, including comparisons between dating and job search. Oh yes, there are many parallels as both activities are about developing relationships.   Her insight can be profound.  An added benefit is that we share the same taste in wine.  I always defer to her recommendation.   Sometimes, I need her help to sort out the week, to select the topic for my article.

I arrived a little early to secure a strategic location at the bar; then selected a favorite vintage and uncorked it to breathe.   Faith arrived shortly thereafter.  After she told me about her week, she asked about mine.  She was most interested to hear about my experience as a panelist speaking on “Alternatives to Traditional Employment.” Holding a good job is difficult today as companies struggle to adapt to the digital age.  Considering alternatives to traditional employment is worthwhile.  

I was invited because I left the corporate world to start my business and for my work supporting freelance consultants. We talked about the need to follow our passion when picking a business. We reinforced the need for confidence to strike out on our own. Perseverance through difficult times was recognized as a fundamental requirement.  We all agreed that the major reason for starting a business is to gain control over one’s life and career, especially in a highly volatile environment where tenures are short. 

The audience was mostly Baby Boomers. They’re generally healthy, competent, and technically savvy if not necessarily perceived as such by potential employers. They have solid interpersonal skills, more so than their younger peers, but don’t necessarily recognize this strength.

FENG Panelists 2-13-2019

One member of the audience surfaced the issue of age discrimination.  I told Faith I found that a bit odd for a discussion about alternatives to a traditional job.  Age discrimination is a significant concern for Baby Boomers, albeit overblown, in my opinion.  It is less of an issue during periods of full employment.  It is also less of an issue at smaller, emerging brands.  In many cases it becomes an excuse for difficulty finding a job.  After hearing the question, I thought the issue was less about age discrimination and more about his presentation. He lacked the image and energy employers expect from someone at his level.  

When I mentioned that point, Faith’s expression changed significantly, indicating an ‘ah ha’ moment. She had a flashback to a conversation with our mutual friend Hope. I was a participant in that conversation, well more like an interested observer. 

Hope was talking about a conversation with her brother who was puzzled that another romantic interest had fizzled. He was perplexed that she was still single as she’s an attractive woman with an effervescent personality.  However, she seems unwilling to risk being hurt again.  Hope said he asked if the guy had “crooked toes.”  I was clueless as to what that meant.  I have learned that these ladies often talk in code that requires a debriefing after the fact. As I think back, I remember that I listened to them as if they were speaking a foreign language.  I didn’t interrupt for clarification though, as the wine was awesome, and I was in the company of two beauties.  Besides, they were having a great time and I didn’t want to spoil the moment. I just enjoyed the fun.

Faith reminded me that the code-word, “crooked toes” means “unidentifiable, unspoken reasons one does not find the other attractive enough to continue dating.  Or, when one candidate is selected over another, when all else is equal or favorable for the candidate not selected.” In my world this means the unsuccessful candidate wasn’t the best fit.  Faith had done it again.  She found my topic for the week!

All things being equal, ‘fit’ is the ultimate consideration.  From an employer’s perspective, all new hires carry risk.  A bad hiring decision can be very costly. The more important the position, the greater the risk. Fit is the critical criterion, as all finalists will have met the quantifiable selection requirements.

Lack of fit means the hiring manager was not satisfied with the candidate’s personality, speaking skills, management style, presence, or energy level. As these details are seldom revealed, it creates a quandary as one doesn’t know how to become more competitive.  However, success in job search or romance, requires one to understand and address their weaknesses. The candidate may need professional help.  Recording a video of practice interview sessions will provide useful insight.  Videos may be painful for some, but it is worth the expense. Audio recordings can be an important tool as well.  A career coach will find solutions to overcome one’s weaknesses.

When a runner-up hears that the person selected was a better fit, it is a signal to seek constructive criticism. Find a professional, or a trusted adviser with recruiting and selection knowledge. You must get back into the game.   If you have crooked toes, fix them!

Thank you for visiting our blog.

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com


Author of:  Fighting Alligators, Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

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On Networking: Get Into The Game

I find it useful to look back on a recently completed day, week, month, or year to evaluate my activities relative to my results.  It is a component of the problem-solving process which leads to adjustments ensuring that I reach my goal.  Without that evaluation, I will find myself off course with diminishing opportunity to reach my goal.  

After evaluating the week just passed, I found that my time was divided into two major areas.  About a third was talking with folks looking for another full-time situation while the balance was helping independent consultants with their business development efforts.  In each case, my time was devoted to coaching these folks about the importance of networking.  Of the job seekers, one is the Millennial son of a friend.  He just lost his job due to a change in strategy which caused a reduction in force.  I encouraged him to focus more time on networking and to consider joining the Atlanta Chapter of The Business Executives Networking Group (BENG).  The second is an older guy referred to me by a mutual friend.  He is in the market after thirty years with the same company.  Regrettably, his network is mostly within his past employer.  I advised him to get his resume to as many Executive Recruiters as possible but don’t try to build a relationship with them.   It is too late for that, however, if they have a search that matches his background, they will contact him.  Instead, I told him to focus his time on networking and to be open to contract work.  This will give employers more options to consider.  The third is a female colleague looking for an office manager/accounting role with a small company.  She is a Baby Boomer who understands the value of networking to find a job.  I told her the same thing I told the second gentleman; provide the employer with additional options to consider by indicating a willingness to take contract work or a 1099 situation.

Those discussions gave me an opportunity to refer back to my last blog post where I made the point that networking is like making friends and dating.  Most understood the idea of making friends, but the concept of dating generated interesting responses.  The guys just grinned and nodded their heads.  Obviously, they don’t understand women and didn’t want to pursue the topic further.  The ladies, all single, had a lot to say usually beginning with a groan.  They all agreed that there are far too many men who spend their time talking about themselves (selling) with little interest in learning about their female partner.  One volunteered that her policy is “one and done” for those types.  Another said that dating was a “nightmare,” as she meets far too many self-obsessed guys.  I suggested to one that we should create a skit to demonstrate the wrong way to begin a date, with a follow-on showing the right way.  Of course, this would be a useful opener for further discussion about networking in general.

I realize that making friends or networking doesn’t come naturally for some, especially those who may be somewhat introverted.  However, if you want to find that next job or romantic interest you must make the effort to overcome your fears.  Fundamentally, all these endeavors are based on interpersonal skills that are easy to understand and execute.  The rule is to learn about your partner by asking questions to qualify them.  It’s not about you, it’s about them.  Don’t begin talking about yourself or your business until you are asked to do so.  By following this advice, you accomplish two very important objectives: first, you determine if the other is a viable prospect and secondly, by showing interest in the other, you begin building a relationship.  That relationship will make the difference if your questions reveal the other to be a viable prospect.  I suspect that people who have difficulty making friends or networking are uncomfortable because they have the process reversed.

If you want to minimize your time in the job market or find a mate, get into the game.  You must get out of your comfort zone to get experience.  Experience builds confidence.  Confidence leads to success.  Joining a networking group like BENG would be a good place to start.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com


Author of:  Fighting Alligators, Job Search Strategy For The New Normal

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Your Elevator Pitch – By Invitation Only

I had an epiphany this week Thursday. Well, maybe it wasn’t an epiphany as much as it was an important reminder about the art of the elevator pitch. I was on a conference call with my Executive Leadership Team (ELT) discussing business development and the process of closing the sale. Specifically, the conversation became focused on understanding the needs of the prospect before selling our capabilities. I used the metaphor of a Family Physician, a General Practitioner diagnosing a  patient’s malady. The GP begins with questions to understand their patient’s symptoms. In another words, where does it hurt? Diagnosis is a systematic process which results in mutual trust, and the beginning of a relationship. It follows a logical sequence. Consultative selling is very similar.  It follows the same process.  By establishing sincere interest in the client, learning about their pain, we demonstrate our consulting methodology.

My epiphany was that building a relationship is confusing to many.   They become so focused on presenting their value proposition, they fail to connect with the prospect. Some people I know are honest about their lack of appreciation for networking. As a result, they, avoid it, having a more difficult time generating business. This recognition triggered me to address the issue head-on as it is so fundamental, it cannot be ignored.


“People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.”  Maya Angelou

Networking for business development, qualifying prospective clients, isn’t much different than making friends or courting a prospective mate. Again, some are better at this than others. People who are good at making friends demonstrate a sincere interest in the other person, the target of their interest.  These people ask questions to learn the other’s background and interests to identify common ground. Similarly, my single female friends say that the best prospect is one who shows sincere interest in them. One who asks questions to learn the lady’s background and interests, to identify common ground. Prospecting for business, or networking, works the same way. When your prospect is confident that you understand their needs they will invite you to present your bone fides.  Great!  Now you can deliver your elevator pitch. If there is common ground and a foundation for trust, the ability to consummate the sale is enhanced. The similarities between prospecting for business and dating looms large.

Making friends takes time and patience.  As an Air Force Dependent, I’ve had a lot of experience moving from place to place and making new friends. My best friendships developed over time.  I learned that often the wrong people were the first to reach out to me. It wasn’t because I was a magnet for those folks, but I encountered them with every move.  They were overly aggressive, inappropriate even, which made me uncomfortable.  I learned to be careful with these folks.  During my corporate career, I moved around quite a bit as well.  I experienced the same issues, although I was much better equipped to deal with them as an adult. I am confident that my experience, making friends is fairly commonplace. I am sympathetic to the trepidation of business leaders on the receiving end of one’s business development efforts. And, they should be wary as the stakes are greater.


The advice to my colleagues is to be respectful, to show interest in the prospect, and build a relationship. When your prospect feels there is mutual interest and respect, they will ask to hear what you have to say. In other words, don’t lead the conversation with your elevator pitch ask questions to get to know your prospect. 

Qualifying your prospect is the same process you use to make friends or to find a mate.  Make them feel that you understand their pain and will be a good partner.  Demonstrate your respect for their situation and a sincere interest in helping them improve their performance.  If you are in a more traditional networking situation, spend the bulk of your time listening and asking relevant questions.  You will be rewarded with more business.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com


Author of:  Fighting Alligators, Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
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Make Networking a Win-Win Proposition

This past week was a good one.  Well, suffering through the remnants of the prior week’s Cold wasn’t fun, nevertheless, it was a busy week with many accomplishments. My time was devoted to coaching and mentoring my clients, recruiting new consultants, and a lot of networking. It was a good mix of productive activity that makes my work interesting and enjoyable.  

My recruiting discussions included people interested in opening new offices for ITB Partners across the country and signing new members for our Atlanta team.  One of those discussions was with a trusted colleague I have known for many years. It was a good opportunity to compare notes on the business environment and to catch up on each other’s progress.  I even made an indirect pitch to sell her on the idea of joining our network.  I am confident that my discussions will lead to follow-on contacts, creating more business opportunities.

I also learned how to create a survey in constant contact, and how to conduct a ZOOM video conference.  I have a keen interest in learning, especially about leadership and the use of technology to improve my productivity.  The value of ZOOM is to make our routine meetings more productive, eliminating drive-time for face-to-face meetings.  The Constant Contact Survey Function will support the work to complete our 2019 Strategic Review.  As we are using Constant Contact for our email marketing outreach it seemed to be unnecessary to pay for another service like Survey Monkey.

The highlight of my week was a luncheon meeting with a friend and one of my colleagues. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce my colleague to my friend, whose company could benefit from his expertise.  After making the introductions, throughout most of the luncheon, I listened to their conversation, taking notes for follow-up introductions and networking.  During that discussion we learned that her company’s updated business strategy is focused on acquiring an operating company.  This gave my colleague an opportunity to talk about his strength in helping companies navigate significant changes, such as a change in ownership.

As she described their acquisition criteria, I made notes listing people she should meet.  Naturally, I thought of people who could be helpful; two investment bankers, and a colleague who just helped her client with an acquisition.  In this case, my colleague ran the due-diligence process for the acquiring company as a consultant.   When the transaction was completed, she become their CFO.  Having had recent M&A experience, especially with a CFO’s perspective, I know she can be very helpful to my friend and her company.  Later that afternoon, I made those connections for my friend via LinkedIn.  As I write this post, they are in the process of scheduling introductory phone calls.

I even thought of another client, who is prepping their business for sale, that may fit their criteria. This client is owned by a Private Equity Group (PEG) that is interested in realizing the increased equity they have created during their holding period.   I mentioned that company in general terms, telling her that I will get back to her with more information. That led to a phone call with the target company’s CFO who promised to connect me with their advisory firm.  We also talked about scheduling a dinner meeting to discuss future opportunities.

Overall, last week was a very productive week indeed, especially from a networking perspective.  My orientation is that effective networking meetings begin with an objective and a good strategy.  One must have a win-win mindset with a primary focus on helping the other party in the discussion.  Good net-workers understand that reciprocity is the unspoken rule.  By helping my friend find a viable acquisition target, I am confident that my colleagues and I will benefit from contracts with her company.  Knowing her as I do, I am equally confident that she will provide us with outstanding references leading to additional business.  I would call that a win-win proposition.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com

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Your Network Is Fragile: Handle With Care!

I awoke this morning to find an email from my friend and associate, Bill.  He recently accepted a job as a Chief Marketing Officer, (CMO) and will be relocating to the frigid north within the next six weeks.  The CMO position carries a big risk of short tenure/high turnover, so I am sure that Bill received an offer he couldn’t refuse.  He suggested that we get together for a Cigar and Whiskey prior to his relocation.  He also asked about continuing his membership with my networking group as he feels unable to make a meaningful contribution.  Bill’s question is common for people that have landed full-time employment.  I hear it often, especially from Baby Boomers.   I happily accepted his offer with plans to answer his question while indulging our favorite pass-time.

During my 20 years as an Executive Recruiter, I’ve seen a vast number of my peers lose their jobs and high salaries to be thrust into the job market. They weren’t ready to retire, maybe they couldn’t.  They may have had the benefit of an out-placement program, which is a good thing, but often they didn’t.  They got to work on their job search. They updated their resumes, bios, LinkedIn profiles, and other collateral material. They became reacquainted with online tools to research prospective companies and seek opportunities. They may have joined a networking group or two. Some even took to blogging.  

They faithfully executed of their plans, scheduling coffee meeting after coffee meeting and attending networking meetings. Their job search may have lasted six months, nine months, or sometimes over a year. Eventually they reconnected. They found a job that met their requirements and went back to work.  Life was normal again.

They didn’t care for unemployment, so they worked hard to ensure success at their new jobs. They invested extra time and effort on behalf of their employers. Before long, they had little free time available for networking.  That’s where their problems began. As they backed off their networking activities, their networks began stagnating.

But that’s not the end of the story.  Often, I saw those same people starting a new search, sometime within months, often within a year.  It is happening more frequently today. In some respects, a short tenure may be a blessing in disguise. It probably means that one’s network is still intact, available to be resurrected without much effort. That may be something of a paradox.  Unfortunately, the longer one is gainfully employed, the greater the likelihood their network will wither and become unproductive.

Job tenures are getting shorter and shorter, especially for Baby Boomers. The labor market is more volatile and dynamic than ever.  Today, a two-year tenure is the norm for a baby boomer’s next job. In many respects, two years isn’t that long. However, it is long enough to render one’s network so unproductive that significant time and effort is required to re-energize.   The market is dynamic. It continues to change.  Without constant attention the value of your network will become a diminished asset.

My recommendation is to reserve enough time to maintain and enhance your network when you find your next job.  Try to remain active with one or two networking groups to maintain your skills.  Professional Associations rank high with me as they offer professional development as well as networking opportunities.  If possible, seek out leadership roles to further enhance your visibility and resume.  LinkedIn should remain a high priority.  Make sure that your profile is always current, especially your contact information.  Engage with one or two groups, commenting on posts, and consider creating original content for publication.  Finally, be a resource to other job seekers by accepting their meeting requests.  

It’s a bad idea to stop networking after landing your next job!  It is a fundamental mistake I frequently encounter with job seekers.  Your network is a major asset, but it’s fragile.  Handle with care!

Thank you for visiting our blog.

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

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New Year’s Resolutions – Seriously!

It’s that time again. A new year. The hope for new beginnings.  Time to make New Year’s resolutions.  Is this really meant to be a serious activity? I wonder.   Many take it as a joke while others see it as an important opportunity. I suppose it depends on the individual.  The most ubiquitous goals seem to be about our personal health and well-being. Usually, that means losing weight and going to the gym.  As I recall, fitness center memberships always spike at the beginning of the year, then taper off throughout the year.

The genesis of creating New Year’s resolutions goes back, at least 4000 years to the Babylonians.  They celebrated the New Year by pledging loyalty to their King and promises to the gods to repay their debts.  If they faithfully fulfilled their promises, they expected to receive favor from their gods.  The Romans, and Early Christians had similar traditions.  Today, it is largely a secular practice.  Approximately 45% of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions, with an 8% success rate.  

Making New Year’s resolutions is easy! I do it every year. Accomplishing my resolutions, however, requires effort.  I was curious to know how others view New Year’s resolutions, so I polled my colleagues on the subject, which I recapped in the following paragraphs.

Don told me, “The only New Year’s resolution that I’ve ever been able to make and keep (so far) I made 35 years ago, and that was not to ever make another New Year’s resolution. All kidding aside though, as each year passes, I find myself reflecting on who I am, what drives me, and how I can grow a stronger servant spirit to those I interact with. Therefore, I’d say that an ongoing resolution is to strive to be a better person, to realize & attempt to improve on the areas I fall short, and to always remain open to opportunities to utilize my life experience to help others whenever and wherever I can.” 

Sue said, “My POV may be a bit different than others as well.  I tend to take a more philosophical approach vs. the bucket list…So, it’s more of an inventory of “what really matters? and structuring strategies to get there” and the tactical issues tend to fall into place.  With so much (and needed) focus on Leadership qualities and when put into practice the potential positive impact on the lives of others, this approach resonates with me.”

Don and Sue believe in big general goals.  Their interest is focused on affecting the lives of others. They understand the need to create specific tactics to achieve those broader themes.

Mark wrote, “Life is an ever-changing beautiful puzzle. The best way to make your wonderful life puzzle is to visualize your wanted future experiences and share them with others so they can participate and improve them with you. Setting temporary resolutions or goals may be the wrong puzzle pieces to build your better life. See bigger than simple puzzle pieces for your life. At work, setting goals for projects is good. But for life, goals are too small and rigid. Be flexible and evolve your life puzzle picture.”

John told me; “January 1 is the milestone to turn over a new leaf, go forward with that idea that’s been stuck in your head for months, lose the bad habits that are keeping you down.  Don’t listen to the naysayers that don’t believe in resolutions. I say even if it fails, at least you’ve given yourself an opportunity to feel optimistic, good about yourself and belief in your future. And from there, on to the next resolution, do your best to make it stick. Write it down, tell someone, make a daily commitment to remind someone what your goals are. Find daily quotes for encouragement, “even if you don’t feel like it, get up, dress up, show up and never give up”

Mark and John are serious about creating bold Resolutions.

Richard is focused on execution. “Format your New Year’s resolution in terms of a SMART goal. Especially the part about measurable and time bound.  Share it with friends who you will want to know how you’re doing.”

Eric has a tightly focused Resolution.  “As I mentioned, my New Year’s resolution is to focus on effective communications.   As the old saying goes, tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool, then to speak and remove all doubt.”

Personally, I like to fast forward 12 months to visualize where I want to be, then determine how to achieve that result.  For example, I want to become a more effective leader.  I plan to achieve this goal by listening more; to be more positive; and be more supportive in my personal relations.

If you aren’t serious about improving your situation, making New Year’s resolutions is pointless. If you are serious, it means replacing unproductive habits with productive habits.  In other words, creating new habits.  If you are reading this post, I am confident you are serious about action to improve your situation.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

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Small Changes, Big Results

Originally Published July 16, 2016

I am up to my neck at work.   I have a full-plate of search assignments and a consulting gig.  I have a major presentation to deliver in September.  I am talking with a client about beginning a C-level search. That is the good news!   The bad news is that I am six months behind on some tasks, like completing my expense reports, and three months behind in balancing my accounts.  Am I worried?  No!  I learned a valuable lesson (not sure when) that eliminates the stress of dealing with past due work.  Now, don’t misunderstand, these tasks are not customer related.  They are merely administrative; important, but not urgent.   The secret I learned and came to embrace is that a little effort, over time, can support big results.  By investing just ten to twenty minutes a day, I will be back on schedule.

You may be wondering why I am completing expense reports given that I own my business.  Well, honestly it is a hold-over from my corporate career.  It is a useful discipline that I have maintained in my executive search business.  Quick Books allows me to print out weekly expense recaps which make it easier to compile my expense report.  Of course, those reports do not include cash expenses or mileage.  

I have learned that investing a few minutes a day on important but not urgent tasks improves my effectiveness.  It might not seem like much, but, I continue to become more productive.  It is far better than procrastinating until one is forced to make an investment in time to tackle the issue.  When I look back, I am reminded of a habit I developed early in my career.  I began each day by reading a chapter of a non-fiction business book, or the Wall Street Journal.  That practice helped me steadily advance my career.

Not long ago, I took some advice from Bill O’Reilly, the host of The Factor on the Fox News Network.   Mr. O’Reilly caught my attention when he suggested that a glass of water with a lemon wedge before every meal would help prevent overeating.  It was not the first time I had heard that, but I was receptive to the idea.  I had lost control of my weight and knew I must make some changes.  I tried it, and it worked.  Creating that habit was a small step.  It led to additional dietary changes.  Over time I shifted toward more fruit, vegetables, and protein.  These adjustments have allowed me to maintain my weight without spending time in the gym or on crash diets.  Significant changes begin with a single step.   

Last week I met a CMO, who noted that I had recently published my first book.  He asked me how long it took to write.   Somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I told him that it took five years of weekly blog posts.   The book did grow out of my Blog, so my response wasn’t entirely facetious.  My colleague Stan, and I have a running joke about ideas for his book.  I ask him why he doesn’t start by writing a blog.  He tells me that his working style is to sit down and bang it out all at once.  I just laugh.   We both know he is too busy to block out that amount of time, so I keep poking him.

In my view, productivity improvement is all about replacing less than optimal work habits with more productive behavior.  Technology is very helpful.   The voice to text service on my landline eliminates the need to check my voice mailbox. Using the “rules” option in Outlook helps me organize my email by topic, client, and assignment.  It is another valuable time saver.    My iPhone has been a major productivity enhancer.   I even found an app (MileIQ) to automate the capture and documentation of my automobile mileage.   It is a fabulous tool which eliminated that irritant.   Well, you get the idea, on to the elimination of the next irritant. 

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

I hope you enjoyed our point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com


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Job Search In The New Normal: Three Perspectives; Originally Published February 13, 2016

My activity during the last two weeks has included three networking meetings with prospective candidates.  Two of the meetings were face-to-face at Starbucks, and the third was over the phone.  Their experience and individual situations ran the gamut.  The first candidate I met, Matt, is a referral from a solid networking connection which I have known for many years.  Matt had gone to school with my friend and had worked together earlier in his career. He was in town for a few days prior to leaving for a boys-skiing weekend.  Matt is an established Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) professional employed in a good job with a major company.  He and his wife want to get back to the Atlanta area to be closer to their extended family.  His objective is to find a good job first and then move.   I found Matt to be very affable and professional.  Little surprise as his background included a private school education and Ivy League college degree.  Additionally, he had earned an MBA from a prestigious, top-tier University.  Matt is a very polished guy who knows how to communicate.  His intention was to establish a relationship with me and to explore some options.  Although a preliminary discussion, I enjoyed our visit and will work to help him achieve his goal.  Clearly, Matt is well grounded for a job search in the “new normal.”

My second meeting was not as positive.   John has had a difficult time finding a new job.    Also, a native of the Atlanta, he has been out of work for eighteen months. John has lived out of state for the past 16 years working in a small company.   He moved back to Atlanta to be close to family after the failure of a business venture. After earning an Ivy League Degree, he worked as a manager for established restaurant brands, later transitioning into the small company sector. In his most recent situation, he was in charge of administration for a small company which included the responsibilities of a CFO, a CIO, and Director of Construction. John was not comfortable during our meeting.  He was visibly nervous and a bit awkward.  We discussed options he has considered including consulting and project work. His references were very positive. However, his experience is not resonating with prospective employers.

Mark was my third networking encounter; this meeting was via telephone. Mark was referred to me by a CEO contact who had to terminate his employment as part of a company restructure.  Mark is a middle manager who has worked his way up the ladder to middle management without a college degree.  He has not had to look for a job for a very long time as he has been recruited from one job to the next by people who know him. Mark is well spoken, and his resume is solid.  Now unemployed, he really does not know how to look for a job in the new normal.  I suspect his network needs to be rebuilt as well.  We scheduled a phone call to trade information, but he made little effort to prepare for that call.  He did not review my background by visiting my website or checking out my LinkedIn profile.  As a result, we spent too much time on fundamental issues without learning how I could be helpful to him.  After our conversation, I made one referral on his behalf.  I need to follow up with Mark to more fully understand his needs and aspirations.

There are interesting similarities between these gentlemen.  They are all about the same age and have enjoyed success in their chosen fields.  Their circumstances are very different, however.  Matt is in the best position as he begins the process to understand his options.  John is in a difficult position as the time between situations is taking a toll on his psyche.  He must reboot his search.  Mark will be fine.  He will need to rebuild his network, but his skills and experience are highly marketable.  I suspect that he has a suitable severance package.  He can ramp up his job search quickly and will likely be reconnected by summer.

The one thing they have in common is that they are learning to adapt to job search in the new normal.  Their ultimate destinations will take them down different paths, but each will need to engage in the same activities.  Matt and Dave will have more options to consider than Mark whose background is exclusive to restaurant operations.  Nevertheless, each must assemble and nurture an effective network, their team, to identify appropriate opportunities.  They must craft a viable personal positioning strategy to evaluate opportunities presented.  They must be able to convince hiring managers and recruiters that their experience and skills match the job requirements and that they are a cultural fit for the enterprise.  And, when employed again, they must get off to an effective start by taking ownership of the onboarding process.

Of the three, which represents the situation you would aspire to?  Matt’s of course!  He is proactively directing his career, building from a position of strength.  He is working on a plan to make a career move before circumstances force the need.  More than ever before, one must be vigilant in the management of their career.  Nurturing an effective network is the starting point.

Thank you for visiting our blog.

I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox.  Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so; please leave a comment.



Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com



Posted on

The Middle-aged Salesman

A friend recently contacted me regarding her husband’s need for help finding his next job. Jerry, (not his real name) is an accomplished sales manager in his own right whose experience has been in the commercial printing industry. Now in middle age, he has become sidelined in a dead-end job. Jerry is someone I have spent time with over the years and found him to be affable and witty. I had no reason to doubt his networking abilities. He is a salesman after all. Networking is about building relationships, the most fundamental part of sales.

 So, I happily arranged a coffee meeting with Wendy, a friend who has a business helping companies find optimal solutions to their print marketing needs. Since they were both professionals from the Printing Industry I thought this meeting would be a natural. Wendy is an excellent net-worker with very strong connections in Jerry’s target market. I could not have arranged a better connection for Jerry. This meeting looked to have great potential benefit for them both. Well, at least that was my thinking.

We all know that good networking includes the productive use of time. Get to the point. Let me know what you are trying to accomplish. How I can be helpful? The 30-second elevator speech is at the heart of the process. Unfortunately, as the meeting progressed, I saw that Jerry’s goal was to tell Wendy his life story. Jerry’s single-minded intent was to follow through on that objective. Had Wendy been an Executive Recruiter, like me, learning about Jerry’s full history might have been useful. Being a potential networking contact, Wendy’s knowledge of Jerry’s life story was not only irrelevant, it wasn’t a productive use of her time. In the process, Jerry learned absolutely nothing about Wendy. Doubtless, Jerry would not be a very useful networking contact for Wendy.

Frankly, I was astonished. More than once Wendy stopped Jerry to ask him what he was looking to do and how she might be helpful. This irritated Jerry. He did not answer her question but continued on with his story. It was excruciating. Wendy politely cut the meeting short, indicating that she had another meeting to attend. Jerry and I went off to have lunch and debrief.

During our lunch, Jerry expressed his frustration with Wendy. He was completely baffled as to why she continued to interrupt him during his soliloquy. I tried to address his fundamental misunderstanding as to how networking is conducted; i.e. time is of the essence, and the process is meant to be a two-way exchange of information. I explained that Wendy had tried to get Jerry to come to the point, but he refused to budge from his script. I went on to explain that over time, in order to build relationships, it may be useful to reveal more of one’s life story. It is totally inappropriate, however, in an initial networking meeting. My final point was that the message to Wendy was; “it was all about Jerry.” I think Jerry got the message, but I cannot be sure.

 I am still unclear as to why Jerry conducted the meeting as he did. It was not only strange, but it was also a little creepy. At his age and with his experience I expected a focused and productive presentation. I had been with him in a number of social settings and always found his behavior to be appropriate. His meeting with Wendy was totally unexpected. Could it be that Jerry was just a very poor salesman? I was beginning to wonder.

Key Learning: To help facilitate a productive networking meeting I use email to introduce my contacts and exchange their information. Exchanging resumes and LinkedIn profiles is a very useful part of the process to prepare for an effective meeting. This gives the participants the opportunity to learn background information prior to the meeting so the focus of the meeting can be on the present. It puts the meeting in context. A “good networking meeting” is a productive exchange where all parties leave with clear knowledge as to how to help the other.

 In this case, I should not be too hard on myself. I had enough experience with Jerry to expect a good outcome. I did exchange biographical information in advance. Jerry, Wendy, and I are all about the same age so there are a lot of similar life experiences which made the connection easier. I was surprised that Jerry did not grasp the fundamental concepts of mutual benefit and the productive use of our time. He learned nothing about Wendy and how he might be able to help her. Sometimes, even with the best of intentions and solid preparation, things don’t go well. That’s life. Suck it up and move on. As with last week’s horror story our efforts to help Jerry ended with that meeting.

My balance sheet with Wendy is very much in the positive so there was minimal damage to my credibility. Life goes on. Fortunately, my failed networking meetings continue to be a very small percentage of the total. Work in Progress:

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com

Posted on

A Tale Of Two Holiday Networking Events

In last week’s post I spoke about maximizing one’s effectiveness at holiday networking events. The primary message was as follows:

  • Time is short. Be strategic! The objective is to meet influential people, gain their interest, and schedule a follow-on meeting. 
  •  If the event is for business networking, stay focused on business. If the event is a social gathering, be sociable.
  • Remember to thank the host before leaving, and later, send a thank you note. 

This week I had an opportunity to take my own advice as I holiday networking events on Tuesday and Thursday.  Both were scheduled between at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.  They were open house come-and-go-as-you-please events.  On Tuesday I attended the CFO Round Table event.  Thursday’s event was hosted by an Investment Advisor who hosts a monthly Lunch With Four Interesting People, (LW4IP). I wrote about the latter group in September.  Of course, each event reflected the host’s personality and networking strategy.

There were many similarities between the two events.  Neither required a cover charge, and both provided an ample selection of luscious hors-d’oeuvres. Beer and wine were served at one, and the other was wine only, a Cabernet and a Chardonnay. Of course, one could enjoy sparkling water if preferred.  They were held in different types of venues and included a different mix of people.  

The CFO group was overtly business-related. The members of this group pay an annual fee and meet periodically throughout the year.  Although I let my membership lapse, I was invited as a guest of the moderator.  The attendees were coming from work, so they were dressed appropriately for their respective work environments, mostly business casual. Few neckties were observed.  It was an older crowd, as it takes significant career-development time to become aChief Financial Officer.  At least three were people looking for a new job. 

The LW4IP event was meant to be more social than overtly professional.  The attendees were a more diverse group, both by gender and age, sporting a wider range of attire.  I must say, the ladies were much more stylish. The gentlemen, on the other hand, ranged from very casual to professional business attire. As I am more old-school, I decided to dress more businesslike. For the event with the CFOs, I wore traditional gray flannel slacks and a blue camel hair blazer. No tie, however.  For the event on Thursday, I went full ‘Brooks Brothers,’ complete with a white pocket square and a popular red necktie. I say popular as I received a few compliments on my tie, including one from a lovely young lady. I wore a white cotton dress shirt with French cuffs for each event. It’s my signature look.  My mother impressed on me as a young man, that it is always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed.  While I wasn’t overdressed, I did make a positive impression.

My plan for the CFO event was focused on my Executive Search Business, as much of that work involves CFO searches. The Thursday event gave me an opportunity to talk about the consulting part of my business, ITB Partners.  Surprisingly, there were a lot of  freelancers attending the LW4IP reception.

As I reflect on these events, I did a  respectable job of taking my own advice.  I had a plan and executed it well.  I focused on getting know others with less talk about me.  I enjoyed the food and beverages in moderation.  I collected a lot of business cards and distributed many of my own.  I expanded my network, and plan to renew my membership with The CFO Round-table.

Each event was well executed and well-attended. The CFO group was impacted somewhat by weather and traffic issues in the Atlanta area, however.  I enjoyed both events.  I knew more of the folks at the Tuesday event as I have been active with that group. I knew only a few people at the Thursday event.  This gave me an opportunity to make new acquaintances and to expand my network. Almost immediately, we arranged to become connected on LinkedIn and began scheduling coffee meetings.  It was fun and productive.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is important to me so; please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, Managing Partner

ITB PARTNERS

Jim.Weber@itbpartners.com