I don't always plug technologies that go into promoting businesses, but a corporate phone product that we switched over to, Shoretel Sky, has been a game changer to my opinion of excitement for new business tech, without the need to buy the latest handset. ShoreTel Sky honestly wasn't a product I wanted to buy. My company's VoIP provider was another company acquired by ShoreTell and I didn't really care as long as my phone quality was the same. I was really surprised by a group of products my previous provider never offered for us to use:
1. Mobile integration. I can use my business number and have my office phone work just as if I'm at my desk. So I can give out my work number and the call goes to my desk, then cell of I want. No need to give out my personal number and I can call out and take I coming calls as of I'm in the office. No need to think of your desk phone and cell phone (or personal and work cellphones)- you can have your exact office phone functions separate on your personal smartphone.
2. Slick reporting. I like to see how my sales team is making calls and managing phone time. Included is a suite of reporting tools that monitor a large amount of reports, several of them I had not thought to measure myself. My sales team checks their own reports to see how they can improve their phone time to their best benefit. A great surprise and huge amount of useful tools I was not expecting at all.
I have been very pleased with our company switch to Shoretel Sky, even If at first I had no idea I would switch to them.
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Friday, September 13, 2013
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Yes you have 25 years experience but no I'm not going to hire you
I am often asked for advices from friends and family members in the Baby Boomer generation, typically in their 50's and 60's, on advice when searching for a new job. The most common thing I hear is something in the nature of "I have 25 years experience, have interviewed for 10 different jobs that I could do in my sleep, yet cannot land a job anywhere." They are given many reasons for not being offered the position, common phrases that come to mind include "overqualified," "not a company fit," or worst yet you never hear back but know some late-20's candidate was selected for the position. Unfortunately many employers go for the younger candidate because, although they will require ramp-up time and mentoring, they feel they can mold them into a long term investment for the organization.
It can be frustrating but the truth is almost all organizations need people with extensive experience, just in different capacities than you may be used to.
So how do you tap into this market of jobs where employers really are looking for individuals with decades of experience? You need to reinvent yourself and your job search to reflect the job market. When you finished your education you had to reinvent yourself to navigate into the job market right? Well now you are reinventing yourself in a post-career, pre-retirement state of employment. This will take some flexibility and creativity, but considering some different options could land you in a great gig and past the brick wall of the job search.
First of all seriously consider contracting and consulting opportunities even if they are only 3, 6 or 9 months to start. Contracting and consulting jobs are usually for an estimated period of time (temporary) and are for a specific project that must be completed. Why is this a great market for you? Many of these contracts are project based with deadlines that must be met. So do you hire someone young that is going to require ramp up time, mentoring and direction, or someone that can hit the ground running, has a track record of completing projects on time, and that might just be so experienced they could "do the job in their sleep?" Of course you hire the latter! Someone that can come in, be reliable and get the job done.
Just recently I placed a contractor, who is in his mid-60's, for a client that fits this example perfectly. He had worked at a major auto manufacturer for more than 15 years performing compliance and quality assurance and was laid off. My client happens to be a smaller OEM manufacturer for a very similar auto company that needed a Quality Assurance Engineer to get a product out to the market with some tight deadlines. They needed someone that lived and breathed the process and compliance associated with the product launch, not someone that needed to learn the process and hope the compliance is correct. This was a 3 month project and he has been performing so well his manager is already discussing other projects to put him on through 2012 or longer.
Another issue to consider, especially for contracting, is being open to relocation - at least temporarily. Since contracting is typically for a specified period of time this does not mean you have to sell your house and move yourself across the country. You find yourself temporary housing, such as an affordable apartment, and budget this additional expense into the hourly rate you earn. In addition it seems like companies offering the largest amount of contract work are in some excellent metro areas such as San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Austin and New York. Why not pack up your stuff for 6 months, travel to some great destinations and make some good money in the process?
One major change that can give you an edge in the contracting market is to set yourself up on an incorporated basis. This means you create a company, such as an LLC or S-CORP that is essentially just yourself. This can be very desirable for employers because you are officially not a W-2 employee in any capacity. The employer does not need to pay employment taxes, disability insurance or other (of the many) costs associated with employees. They are simply hiring you as a service and just need to cut you a check without all the additional burden. One unknown fact that is that many departments have separate budgets for "employment" and "services". So if a department runs low on employment funds (which is where a lot of companies are trying to save money) they can tap into separate services funds to get the work performed since they are using you as a company, not an employee. This will require you to have decent business skills to make sure you cover your own taxes and really run it as a business, however, if you do decide to temporarily relocate for a project you can write off all your expenses such as housing, flying home now and then, and even food and basic supplies. Just make sure to keep great records and have an excellent tax accountant ready at the end of the year.
So yes, finding a job when you have decades of experience may be a very different experience than it was 20 years ago. You may have to be flexible; you might be searching for a new gig every 3-9 months. You might have to move around geographically. You might even have to start your own one-person company.
Wait one freaking minute.... Technically I'm saying it is possible to work in ever-changing environments with new projects, start your own company, travel around the country and make good money. Why the hell am I waiting 20 years to do this? Oh yes, because I DON'T HAVE 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE!
The specifics of searching for the right contract is a whole other article. Let me know if you want me to write it!
It can be frustrating but the truth is almost all organizations need people with extensive experience, just in different capacities than you may be used to.
So how do you tap into this market of jobs where employers really are looking for individuals with decades of experience? You need to reinvent yourself and your job search to reflect the job market. When you finished your education you had to reinvent yourself to navigate into the job market right? Well now you are reinventing yourself in a post-career, pre-retirement state of employment. This will take some flexibility and creativity, but considering some different options could land you in a great gig and past the brick wall of the job search.
First of all seriously consider contracting and consulting opportunities even if they are only 3, 6 or 9 months to start. Contracting and consulting jobs are usually for an estimated period of time (temporary) and are for a specific project that must be completed. Why is this a great market for you? Many of these contracts are project based with deadlines that must be met. So do you hire someone young that is going to require ramp up time, mentoring and direction, or someone that can hit the ground running, has a track record of completing projects on time, and that might just be so experienced they could "do the job in their sleep?" Of course you hire the latter! Someone that can come in, be reliable and get the job done.
Just recently I placed a contractor, who is in his mid-60's, for a client that fits this example perfectly. He had worked at a major auto manufacturer for more than 15 years performing compliance and quality assurance and was laid off. My client happens to be a smaller OEM manufacturer for a very similar auto company that needed a Quality Assurance Engineer to get a product out to the market with some tight deadlines. They needed someone that lived and breathed the process and compliance associated with the product launch, not someone that needed to learn the process and hope the compliance is correct. This was a 3 month project and he has been performing so well his manager is already discussing other projects to put him on through 2012 or longer.
Another issue to consider, especially for contracting, is being open to relocation - at least temporarily. Since contracting is typically for a specified period of time this does not mean you have to sell your house and move yourself across the country. You find yourself temporary housing, such as an affordable apartment, and budget this additional expense into the hourly rate you earn. In addition it seems like companies offering the largest amount of contract work are in some excellent metro areas such as San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Austin and New York. Why not pack up your stuff for 6 months, travel to some great destinations and make some good money in the process?
One major change that can give you an edge in the contracting market is to set yourself up on an incorporated basis. This means you create a company, such as an LLC or S-CORP that is essentially just yourself. This can be very desirable for employers because you are officially not a W-2 employee in any capacity. The employer does not need to pay employment taxes, disability insurance or other (of the many) costs associated with employees. They are simply hiring you as a service and just need to cut you a check without all the additional burden. One unknown fact that is that many departments have separate budgets for "employment" and "services". So if a department runs low on employment funds (which is where a lot of companies are trying to save money) they can tap into separate services funds to get the work performed since they are using you as a company, not an employee. This will require you to have decent business skills to make sure you cover your own taxes and really run it as a business, however, if you do decide to temporarily relocate for a project you can write off all your expenses such as housing, flying home now and then, and even food and basic supplies. Just make sure to keep great records and have an excellent tax accountant ready at the end of the year.
So yes, finding a job when you have decades of experience may be a very different experience than it was 20 years ago. You may have to be flexible; you might be searching for a new gig every 3-9 months. You might have to move around geographically. You might even have to start your own one-person company.
Wait one freaking minute.... Technically I'm saying it is possible to work in ever-changing environments with new projects, start your own company, travel around the country and make good money. Why the hell am I waiting 20 years to do this? Oh yes, because I DON'T HAVE 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE!
The specifics of searching for the right contract is a whole other article. Let me know if you want me to write it!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Good at multitasking? Don't be!
I often cringe when I have clients send job descriptions with "must be good at multitasking" as a required skill. Why do I cringe? Because everyone is bad at multitasking. It is a very ineffective way to complete the many tasks that are required in a day. People that follow time management would agree that trying to multi-task is one of the single greatest time wasters when given a series of tasks to complete. We all have multiple tasks to complete in any given day, however, Let's review a simple scenario why multitasking is downright ineffective.
You have just completed running a load of dishes in the dishwasher and need to put them away. Multitasking is the same as grabbing a single spoon, walking across the kitchen to put it away, walking back, grabbing a single plate, walking across the kitchen, putting it away and repeating until all dishes are done. How long would it take to empty a simple dishwasher this way? That's right, ten times longer than normal. But the whole time you were multitasking; you were able to switch gears between silverware and plates at a moment's notice and maintained a rapid pace.
Of course that's not how you empty the dishwasher. You group similar tasks together in a block of time to complete it. You do not grab a single spoon to put away, you grab the whole silverware basket and put it away at one time. You move onto plates, stack them up, and carry them to the cupboard. You repeat this process with each task individually until the entire dishwasher is empty.
Many people do not realize how often they operate on the first example of putting one spoon away at a time while at work or while completing other tasks at a time. You read an email, take a call, get a cup of coffee, talk to a co-worker and repeat all day long. At the end of the day you feel like you have been full-throttle busy yet not all of your tasks have been complete. Not only is this stressful (since the tasks have to be complete later that night or have to catch up the next day) but also lack the gratification of having your tasks complete.
Consider grouping your tasks the same way as the dishwasher. Instead of checking an email everytime a new one comes in, close your email and check it every hour or two so you can respond to a dozen of them at once. Likewise, when you are checking your email turn off your phone. We have voice mail for a reason. Think of the last time you were in the middle of typing an email and took a call. How long did it take after the call to re-read the email and get your mind back on track where you left off? Repeate that twenty times in a day and you have wasted at least an hour or more doing the multi-task dance. Identify your tasks in a day, create blocks of time to complete each task, and stick to doing each one during its designated block of time. You will be shocked when 4:00pm comes, everything is complete, and you are already planning out the next day of activities.
If I were to be asked in an interview how stong my multitasking skills are I would be proud to say horrible at best. I would explain that my multitasking skills may be horrible, however, I typically get more accomplished in a day than three or four people combined because I am able to complete many tasks in their designated blocks of time given the deadlines required.
Like any new habit it is hard at first. Give it a try for just two days and see how much more accomplished and stress free you feel by abondoning a multitask mentality and instead completing many tasks in their own designated block of time.
Unless, of course, you work for the DMV. Then I'm sure you follow multitasking like a preacher follows the bible. (Written while waiting 2 hours to write a check for my registration).
You have just completed running a load of dishes in the dishwasher and need to put them away. Multitasking is the same as grabbing a single spoon, walking across the kitchen to put it away, walking back, grabbing a single plate, walking across the kitchen, putting it away and repeating until all dishes are done. How long would it take to empty a simple dishwasher this way? That's right, ten times longer than normal. But the whole time you were multitasking; you were able to switch gears between silverware and plates at a moment's notice and maintained a rapid pace.
Of course that's not how you empty the dishwasher. You group similar tasks together in a block of time to complete it. You do not grab a single spoon to put away, you grab the whole silverware basket and put it away at one time. You move onto plates, stack them up, and carry them to the cupboard. You repeat this process with each task individually until the entire dishwasher is empty.
Many people do not realize how often they operate on the first example of putting one spoon away at a time while at work or while completing other tasks at a time. You read an email, take a call, get a cup of coffee, talk to a co-worker and repeat all day long. At the end of the day you feel like you have been full-throttle busy yet not all of your tasks have been complete. Not only is this stressful (since the tasks have to be complete later that night or have to catch up the next day) but also lack the gratification of having your tasks complete.
Consider grouping your tasks the same way as the dishwasher. Instead of checking an email everytime a new one comes in, close your email and check it every hour or two so you can respond to a dozen of them at once. Likewise, when you are checking your email turn off your phone. We have voice mail for a reason. Think of the last time you were in the middle of typing an email and took a call. How long did it take after the call to re-read the email and get your mind back on track where you left off? Repeate that twenty times in a day and you have wasted at least an hour or more doing the multi-task dance. Identify your tasks in a day, create blocks of time to complete each task, and stick to doing each one during its designated block of time. You will be shocked when 4:00pm comes, everything is complete, and you are already planning out the next day of activities.
If I were to be asked in an interview how stong my multitasking skills are I would be proud to say horrible at best. I would explain that my multitasking skills may be horrible, however, I typically get more accomplished in a day than three or four people combined because I am able to complete many tasks in their designated blocks of time given the deadlines required.
Like any new habit it is hard at first. Give it a try for just two days and see how much more accomplished and stress free you feel by abondoning a multitask mentality and instead completing many tasks in their own designated block of time.
Unless, of course, you work for the DMV. Then I'm sure you follow multitasking like a preacher follows the bible. (Written while waiting 2 hours to write a check for my registration).
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Tip for Gen Y - keep your ring back tone normal when searching for a job.
I recently called a candidate with a very professional looking resume. Instead of hearing a normal ringing tone I was "treated" to Britney Spears' "toxic." Totally changed my first impression of the candidate before even exchanging a single word of conversation. I could care less what type of music a potential candidate enjoys. It's more the fact that the individual chose this to broadcast to potential employers making an initial contact.
If you are searching for a new career drop the Britney Spears. Besides, Britney was so 2000. Katie Perry is obviously much more relevant when on the job search.
If you are searching for a new career drop the Britney Spears. Besides, Britney was so 2000. Katie Perry is obviously much more relevant when on the job search.
Welcome to my blog!
Welcome to my blog! The goal of my blog is to bridge the growing gap between the Baby Boomer generation to Gen Y, explore the 11% to 2% unemployment rates that vary between industries, locations and demographics in this rapidly changing economy we live in as well as explore and provide insight from people that seem to always have in demand skills for those that cannot land their next dream career move.
I also hope to provide some comical relief and light sided and sometimes not politically correct perspectives to the staffing industry to help make your next career move a fun exploration of endless possibilities instead of a negative grind of Rejection. I hope you enjoy!
I also hope to provide some comical relief and light sided and sometimes not politically correct perspectives to the staffing industry to help make your next career move a fun exploration of endless possibilities instead of a negative grind of Rejection. I hope you enjoy!
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