Thoughts on people, teams, organizations, communities, effectiveness and success
The voicemail left on my phone was all-too typical. “Mike this is Kelwin. I just wanted to let you know that I’ve applied for a few jobs and you may be getting some reference calls. Thanks for any help you can send my way. I’m really hoping one of these jobs work out.”
Limp job references, like limp handshakes, are never a way to make a decent impression.… Read the rest
It’s a common challenge; how do you talk about what you’ve done if you’ve done well without sounding like the jerk down the hall who everyone calls a cleetus maggot?
In a world where Cheat Your Way to the Top seems to be a common workplace theme song, being accurate and correctly portraying yourself and your accomplishments is critical for getting your fair due.… Read the rest
The line from former US President Harry Truman, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen,” came to mind immediately.
“Would I do a reference call with my prospective new boss?” my former colleague “Kim” asked.
Though Kim had worked for three years at a division of a major US company, her potential new boss in a sister division wanted to talk with employment references from before her time with the current firm.… Read the rest
The current job market is generally a seller’s market: qualified applicants significantly outnumber available openings. Unlike the early part of the decade – a buyer’s market – it means that employers can be (and usually are) very selective in whom they hire, and buyers – job applicants – don’t have the ability to be very highly selective due to the undersupply of job openings.… Read the rest
There are a lot of ways for hiring managers to foul up their interview process, and the easiest one is to fall into what I call “the interview trap.” It doesn’t have to be that way, and with a little thought, and a little modesty to offset any natural hubris you carry, you can miss that trap and get more accurate data when you interview.… Read the rest
The title seems either simplistic or insulting: “How to Ask a Question?” Who needs to know that?
Turns out, plenty of people do, and the post below will walk you through some ways to make your questions, and your time, both more valued to others and valuable for you.
While we all learned (or should have learned) the grade school lesson of the 5 W’s and 1 H, the reality is that asking good, effective questions that surface information and quickly cut to the core of an issue is part art, part science.… Read the rest