Self Perspective

Technology is one of the hottest business sectors. The top graduates, once lured to gilded hallways of wall street and hedge funds, are now, metaphorically speaking, going west to seek their fortune.  Technology, investment baking, the law – they all seem to take precedent over some other notable and important career paths like teaching, social service and healthcare.  Healthcare has never been a top destination for graduates from top tier schools like Harvard, Penn or Stanford, which I think is a bit odd.  Which begs the question, which business is harder to manage – a technology company or a hospital? 

The Curse of Knowledge makes it hard for you to communicate knowledge or information to less informed people.   Just think of a business consultant with vast knowledge and expertise who is unable to understand how little you know about an issue so he or she uses so many abstractions, so much industry jargon, that you cannot possibly understand the essence of what they are saying. Candidates for executive positions frequently struggle with this Curse of Knowledge. They stumble in an interview because they fail to communicate impact points in a succinct manner.  They do not comprehend how little the potential employer appreciates their career accomplishments or potential value to the organization.

Within the dynamic of a good, productive relationship is the key element of feedback.  Radical Candor is a great way to deliver feedback to those with whom you work, and to those who work for you. Mastering this process is key to becoming a better, more effective manager. 

"I am sorry, you were not selected to advance in the search." That is a call that everyone who has ever been recruited, or looked for a job, hates to receive.  In this episode, executive recruiter John Self provides 5 recommendations to avoid getting that call.

Since most of us will work for several organizations over the span of a lifetime, which means we will go through several job searches and suffer through many interviews, developing and updating the resume will be a fact of life. So, today let’s spend 8 minutes to review a few questions regarding the structural basics of the resume.

Today we are going to take a look at the importance of self awareness in the management and executive interview process.   We begin with some important questions every candidate should be prepared to answer with focus and compelling impact.  Listen and share your thoughts.

The job market for managers and executives is changing -- dramatically so. Today's podcast is a followup to other blogs and podcasts that John has posted this week.  Today he provides some suggestions for getting prepared for the job interview -- ideas that will help you differentiate yourself from the dozens of other equally qualified candidates.  

As the economy evolves, executives are finding that the pressure to deliver positive outcomes in their day-to-day job duties is being replicated in the time and effort they must now put into managing their career.   In today's podcast, John shares three important points for executives seeking to strike the right balance between performance in their jobs and performance in managing their careers.

When executives and managers change jobs, they frequently ignore important cultural and style markers. The trust their instincts and the formula for what helped them succeed in the past.  But our research over the past 20 years shows that an executive's reliance on their tried and true formula for achieving success will not work in every organization. In this podcast John offers executives taking a new job  some advice on how to adapt and avoid some nasty pitfalls. 

Today John shares some thoughts on our current rambunctious Presidential election and how words have consequences for the nation, our families and our friends.  He shares his experiences as a crime reporter in one of the nation's fastest growing cities and how his experiences helped shape his life today as an executive recruiter. More importantly, there is an important underlying leadership lesson, so listen and think about your own life.

Today's podcast is part of a continuing series on the inner workings of the job search/recruitment process. Today, John focuses on internal recruiters. He provides five Action Points to help you succeed.  

In today's podcast, John highlight's the differences between contingency and retained search firms. Most candidates are not aware of some of the important differences. He provides 5 quick points to help you navigate the process. 

Today's career management tip:  When dealing with recruiters, it is a two-way street. John explains how the candidate networking process works, and how you can use it to build ties with search firms, even if you are not personally interested in the job they are calling about. This is one area of the job search process that many candidates do not understand. They miss an important relationship-building opportunity by ignoring the call, or not being helpful.

Have you seen people in the airport so overweight, in such poor health, that they struggle down the concourse?   Earlier in their life, they did not eat properly or get any exercise.  They were content to lounge in a recliner with a case of beer and an unlimited supply of Chocolate Oreos.  When they could have made a change, they chose not to.  There is a strong parallel between those unhealthy people who failed to change their bad habits until it was too late and those who fail to make a career plan.  Now is the time to make a plan.

In today's podcast, John shares a story from a candidate interview about a brother's love and doing the right thing. There is an important life's lesson, an important career truth, in Frank's story.

Today John is following up on Wednesday's blog post, When Outplacement Becomes A Guilt Payment.  In today's podcast, John argues that companies which invest heavily in hiring the right people but then scrimp on outplacement costs, are making a big mistake.  They are hurting their recruiting brand. The secret is not the money spent on outplacement, but the quality of the firm -- their industry-specific experience and their commitment to the departing executive's future success.