Career Management Alliance Blog

Occasionally a client will ask for help with tasks that I don’t offer as part of my standard packages. But, because we have a history, I will usually try to help whenever possible. In this case, it was assisting with the creation of two online job applications because the client “couldn’t get it to work,” assumed the problem was his/her lack of computer skills, and had no other choice as the employers said they, “required an online application for consideration.”

The next day – a scheduled day off – I planned on spending an hour to check my e-mail and help out the client. Two hours later, I was still struggling with the second application. The first one was fine. I uploaded the résumé, and it automatically filled in all the blanks. I made a few corrections, and voilà, I was done in 15 minutes. However, the second one didn’t work quite as smoothly.

I began by filling in the name, address, city, etc. Then, it asked me to add employment information into numerous boxes. This is the data that it usually populates from an uploaded résumé; however, there was no place to upload a résumé. About 20 minutes into the process, the application hung up as I clicked to advance the screen. After waiting for about five minutes, I spied a little box in the lower right corner of the screen that explained the application times out every 20 minutes for “security” purposes. I was supposed to click a button, which I couldn’t readily find. Hmmm. Finally, when I scrolled down, I found the button. This was the point where my client had given up. No wonder.

Anyway, after manually filling in the employment including EXACT starting and ending dates in the proper format (it wouldn’t advance the screens until they were in the proper format MM-DD-YYYY), I was finished. At least that’s what I thought, until the next screen popped up and I was asked to go through the entire process for the client’s education. Ugh. Another 20 minutes later and a couple more clicks of the “security button,” it proceeded to ask me a host of personal questions – including social security number and driver’s license – for which the client had provided me with all of the answers. Finally, when everything was completed, it asked me if I wished to upload a résumé! Good grief! When all was said and done, it took me an hour to fill out one job application!

After this process, I was empathetic to the frustration of my clients and fairly angry with the particular employer – well known, by the way. Not only does a job seeker battle fear, rejection, insecurity, and the like during a search; but, is forced by unthinking employers to navigate online applications that are minefields. And, let me also say, this particular client is a highly educated professional in a field that is currently very much in demand. In fact, there is a shortage of workers with this client’s particular skill set.

So, my advice to employers: get a clue! As the talent war continues to heat up, you’re not going to get away with this for long. The tables are turning. Your “talent pool” is shrinking and becoming more empowered. These individuals don’t have to work for you. In fact, because you have so disrespected them on the front end with your application processes, they will probably tell 10 of their colleagues what a bad experience they had with you. So, good luck finding qualified “talent” workers. They’ve moved on to your competition: the organization that doesn’t require an online application, or force them to jump through an hour’s worth of hoops just to have the “privilege” of applying for a job!

Posted by Michele Haffner

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Your job search is not about you. From an employer’s perspective, it is not about what you need, what you want, or what you expect.

It is totally about the value you offer him. What you can do for the company that goes right to the bottom line. How you can solve their pain, improve workflow processes, increase profitability and/or productivity, or otherwise make things better.

When you recognize your unique contribution (brand) and understand how to effectively articulate it, you will begin to compete on a playing field that has little competition. That is because,

––Your resume is value–driven rather than responsibility–driven.
––Your cover letter is clear about what you can do for the company rather than about what you want.
––You have built and constantly nurture a solid network by giving as well as receiving.
––You can “walk the talk” by backing up your experience with C–A–R (challenge–action–result) stories that speak directly to your value.

There are few job search candidates who take the time to do all four well. Those who do, have a distinct advantage over the competition.

Posted by Cindy Kraft

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A recent article in CIO Digest cited evidence that the percentage of women in IT has declined by almost eight percent since 2000, to 26 percent of all employed IT workers. Nobody at CIO seems to know the reason for the decline. Lynn Ellyn, Senior Vice President and CIO of DTE Energy, writes, “I think this trend is an indictment of the often abrasive experience women have in the IT arena. As I reflect on this disturbing trend, I recall countless incidences where women have been discounted and marginalized while struggling to balance family and work.” Also, she writes, “the image of the ‘computer guy’ is very unappealing to young women.” Ellyn, by the way, has been in the technology business for 30 years and currently oversees an 800-person IT organization.

I am sure CIO Ellyn is on to something. I also believe that our public education system might be a large reason for the trend. A long time ago (okay, about 20 years ago) I began a bachelor’s degree in computer science, and changed my major to business after only one semester. Why? Because it was really, really difficult. As much as I studied and received extra help (thanks Dr. Britton), I didn’t think in the same way as my professors and fellow students. Before college, I hadn’t received much training in logic and scientific thinking. In public high school, besides Algebra, Biology, and Chemistry, most of my required subjects were liberal arts. Certainly, one could say that I didn’t belong in a scientific field and was weeded out early. That is probably true. But, I wonder how many other girls (and guys) got weeded out and gave up altogether.

Fast-forward twenty years or so and not much has changed. I have a 14-year-old entering a top-notch public high school next fall (it’s famous because Oprah went there for a semester). Interestingly, as a freshman he’s required to take a semester of health and a foreign language, but science is not a requirement. In a survey conducted by Bayer of the 100 fastest growing U.S. science/technology firms, the CEOs assigned an average grade of “C-” (2.87) to the U.S. pre-college or K-12 education system for the job it is doing engaging and nurturing girls and minorities to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers.

So what does this mean? Of course we need to do a better job of preparing our kids and augmenting science education at home. However, from a careers perspective there’s tremendous opportunity for girls and women who wish to enter or transition into the field. With so much attention given to this trend, you can bet that forward-thinking firms will want to attract and retain women into their technology departments.

Posted by Michele Haffner

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Okay - we understand that the selection process is reciprocal, meaning that the candidate and the potential boss assess one another to determine if they are likely to be compatible. This week, Joann Lublin, the WSJ Managing Your Career columnist , reported on a new trend - involving the hiring manager’s executive coach in the final selection process.

Your first response to this may be “ugh, yet another layer…,” but upon reflection, both parties may derive some value from this.

* An executive or manager who consults a coach demonstrates that he or she is self-reflective. It is a fair generalization to claim that one who is engaged in coaching is demonstrates a commitment to both their professional vision and their personal lifestyle.
* Successful candidates are self-reflective as well - they demonstrate the ability to learn from previous experiences and plan for change and growth.

The example described in the April 3rd WSJ Marketplace column refers to a non-profit organization, specifically one where the founder was still functioning as the Executive Director (E.D.). The E.D. (Carol Shapiro) was grappling with issues related to growth and sharing the power to manage a 33-person organization she had founded 11 years ago (Family Justice). She turned to Kathleen Pogue White, an executive coach and leadership consultant, who urged Shapiro to become more collaborative with staff associates.

The task of choosing between excellent candidates for the position of Chief Operating Officer became easier once Shapiro suggested that her coach meet the two finalists. Elisabet Elkind, the new #2 with Family Justice, showed herself to be both unflappable and insightful in handling the potentially uncomfortable interview with the coach.

* She was secure enough to reschedule the meeting 2x, due to her own work-related demands, and she asked questions that revealed her keen observation and insight into the FJ culture.
* Elkind revealed an understanding of her cultural disconnect with her most recent assignment, and offered a credible analysis of her preference for operational vs. executive duties.

Without the involvement of her coach, the E.D. may have selected someone with whom she was more personally comfortable - another enthusiastic visionary - instead of the more complementary Elkind. This is an interesting extension of the role of executive coaches, one that is suitable for corner offices in corporate, academic, and non-profit arenas.

See previous posts, e.g., “Do Well by Doing Good” for links to other nonprofit career listings.

Job Listings and Internships with Family Justice (located in NYC)

Posted by Karen Katz

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The thought of attending a large networking event when you are in job search might feel a bit overwhelming to some. Even though many job seekers recognize that networking is a necessity for a successful search campaign, they don’t relish the activity and many avoid the situation altogether.

Job seekers are often reluctant to talk to people they don’t know. They fear that they will be judged or it will quickly be “found out” that they are in search mode. Job seekers sometimes lack self confidence and mistakenly believe that they have nothing of value to add to the conversation. They may feel that they have little in common with the people at typical networking events or feel they are presenting a false image of themselves at these gatherings.

But what if job seekers took off the job seeker hat for a moment and replaced it with another hat? The hat of a role they are comfortable with…mom, golfer, bookworm, dog owner, political activist, movie buff…you get the picture. What if they sought out communities that revolved around their interest in an activity, rather than their job search? That might not only be comfortable, it might actually be personally satisfying and fun. Participation in online affinity groups based on personal interest, rather than job function or industry can be a great place for reluctant networkers to start.

Several online communities have popped up over the past year catering to people’s personal interests. Here are a few…

Spout for movie lovers

Athletefocus for sports enthusiasts

Boompa for car lovers

Fatsecret for people interested in diet tips and low fat recipes

If you are in a job search, find ways to connect with people through your interests. This allows you to feel like an authentic and valued contributor and by building relationships through people who share common interests, you may just find someone who can also help you in your job search as well.

Posted by Barbara Safani

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