The following are some ideas you can use to edit your “resume content”.
I found this artical which would be valuable to review in relationship to YOUR resume. Remember, read it with a critical eye as if you were looking to hire yourself.
Here are ten of the deadliest resume phrases in use ("massive overuse" would be more accurate) and replacements for each one. You'll rewrite the replacement phrases to reflect your own accomplishments--and that's the key! We can't expect a timeworn piece of resume boilerplate to stand in for our own pithy, personal examples.
Kill this: Results-oriented professional
Replace with your own version of this: I love to solve thorny supply-chain problems
Kill this: Excellent team player
Replace with your own version of this: At Acme Dynamite, I partnered with Engineering to cut our product cost in half
Kill this: Bottom-line orientation
Replace with your own version of this: My accounting-process overhaul saved the company $10M in its first year
Kill this: Superior communication skills
Replace with your own version of this: I led a two-day offsite that yielded our 2010 product lineup and a $40K cost savings
Kill this: Possess organizational skills
Replace with your own version of this: Reduced customer-complaint resolution time from three weeks to one by revamping the process
Kill this: Savvy business professional
Replace with your own version of this: I'm a PR manager who's gotten his employers covered by Yahoo! and Time magazine
Kill this: Strong work ethic
Replace with your own version of this: I taught myself HTML over a weekend in order to grab a marketing opportunity
Kill this: Meets or exceeds expectations
Replace with your own version of this: Invited to join our executive staff at a strategy summit during my first year at the company
Kill this: Strong presentation skills
Replace with your own version of this: Was recruited to join Acme Dynamite after my boss heard me speak at a conference
Kill this: Seeking a challenging opportunity
Replace with your own version of this: I'm looking for a midsize manufacturer primed to grow its business in the Pacific Rim
Get the boilerplate lead out of your resume today, and replace it with concrete, visual stories that bring your power to life. Watch employers respond! You can't afford to send out another lifeless, sounds-like-everyone-else resume. Employers want the real you on the page. Try it!
--
Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, a former Fortune 500 VP, and an internationally recognized expert on careers and the new-millennium workplace. Connect with her at www.asklizryan.com.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Interesting perspective on Work/Life Balance?
Work/Life Integration To Weigh On Executive Retention Risks
Much has been written and researched on the emergence over the past decade of work/life balance and its influence on career management decisions and employee retention.
The results of ExecuNet's recent Executive Retention Report research, conducted jointly with Finnegan Mackenzie — The Retention Firm, reveal that although concerns about work/life balance have abated in the dismal management-hiring environment of the past 18 months, talented executives won't overlook work/life balance when it comes to assessing new career opportunities.
Yet the concept of work/life balance for senior-management executives itself may be somewhat of a misnomer, especially given the demands on their schedules and the increasing influence of technology as a communication- and decision-enabler.
ExecuNet Editor-In-Chief Robyn Greenspan, a leading voice on executive career management issues, contends that it is actually work/life integration rather than balance that will factor into executive decisions about whether to stay in or leave their existing leadership roles.
Greenspan says executives' sense for how they can effectively integrate their management responsibilities with their own personal lives/schedules will, in many cases, help guide their career decisions in 2010 and beyond.
Much has been written and researched on the emergence over the past decade of work/life balance and its influence on career management decisions and employee retention.
The results of ExecuNet's recent Executive Retention Report research, conducted jointly with Finnegan Mackenzie — The Retention Firm, reveal that although concerns about work/life balance have abated in the dismal management-hiring environment of the past 18 months, talented executives won't overlook work/life balance when it comes to assessing new career opportunities.
Yet the concept of work/life balance for senior-management executives itself may be somewhat of a misnomer, especially given the demands on their schedules and the increasing influence of technology as a communication- and decision-enabler.
ExecuNet Editor-In-Chief Robyn Greenspan, a leading voice on executive career management issues, contends that it is actually work/life integration rather than balance that will factor into executive decisions about whether to stay in or leave their existing leadership roles.
Greenspan says executives' sense for how they can effectively integrate their management responsibilities with their own personal lives/schedules will, in many cases, help guide their career decisions in 2010 and beyond.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
CFO opportunities are back.
Stan Taylor, CSAM
877-695-4688, ext 112
staylor@mrvancouver.com
Are you a CFO who is ready for a new challenge, or know one who is? After the last couple of years in the banking industry many are feeling it is time for a change, in fact 60% of employees are dissatisfied to one degree or another with their current company.
Many very good executives are looking for that change, a new challenge where they can be the catalyst, part of a dynamic executive team ready to be at the forefront as we come out of the carnage and uncertainty of the last couple years.
If you are one of those looking to become part of the strategic vision, “the catalyst if you will”, then this might just be the opportunity for you. Reality will still mean rolling up the sleeves as we rebuild and grow those critical functions to their needed levels…..and add the staff & technology to be at the forefront of the recovery.
One of the questions you need to be able to answer is do you know how to make your bank money?
The Ideal candidate will possess many or most of the following traits and experience:
• Strategic Financial Partner “Big Picture Person”, to the CEO.
• Yet still know the technical accounting pieces.
o Good GAAP & FASB knowledge.
• Be a leader to the Finance & Accounting staff.
• Partner to the business lines.
• Excellent Communicator, both written and oral;
o Able to convey complex financial information to the appropriate audience, whether it be the Board, management or staff.
o Good at speaking with the Analyst, Investors, Market Makers & Regulators.
• Be Approvable.
• Must have recent Community Bank CFO experience either in the:
o 300mm-2B or
o 1B-5B range.
• Good Energy level to fit the “team”.
• Regulatory reporting experience.
• Proven Decision Maker.
It would be beneficial if you:
• CPA or comparable experience.
• M&A experience (welcome to 2010).
• Public Offering experience.
• SEC/SOX experience.
• Understanding of Tax ramifications.
• Strong individual who connects well with the rest of the team, someone who adds synergistic value, not just your own skill level.
You know – Someone who has an ability to get things done, Makes a difference.
877-695-4688, ext 112
staylor@mrvancouver.com
Are you a CFO who is ready for a new challenge, or know one who is? After the last couple of years in the banking industry many are feeling it is time for a change, in fact 60% of employees are dissatisfied to one degree or another with their current company.
Many very good executives are looking for that change, a new challenge where they can be the catalyst, part of a dynamic executive team ready to be at the forefront as we come out of the carnage and uncertainty of the last couple years.
If you are one of those looking to become part of the strategic vision, “the catalyst if you will”, then this might just be the opportunity for you. Reality will still mean rolling up the sleeves as we rebuild and grow those critical functions to their needed levels…..and add the staff & technology to be at the forefront of the recovery.
One of the questions you need to be able to answer is do you know how to make your bank money?
The Ideal candidate will possess many or most of the following traits and experience:
• Strategic Financial Partner “Big Picture Person”, to the CEO.
• Yet still know the technical accounting pieces.
o Good GAAP & FASB knowledge.
• Be a leader to the Finance & Accounting staff.
• Partner to the business lines.
• Excellent Communicator, both written and oral;
o Able to convey complex financial information to the appropriate audience, whether it be the Board, management or staff.
o Good at speaking with the Analyst, Investors, Market Makers & Regulators.
• Be Approvable.
• Must have recent Community Bank CFO experience either in the:
o 300mm-2B or
o 1B-5B range.
• Good Energy level to fit the “team”.
• Regulatory reporting experience.
• Proven Decision Maker.
It would be beneficial if you:
• CPA or comparable experience.
• M&A experience (welcome to 2010).
• Public Offering experience.
• SEC/SOX experience.
• Understanding of Tax ramifications.
• Strong individual who connects well with the rest of the team, someone who adds synergistic value, not just your own skill level.
You know – Someone who has an ability to get things done, Makes a difference.
FIRST FRIDAY PREVIEW
As you will see in the First Friday Preview below, the good news is that we have had two quarters of continuous growth, and increasing growth at that. Q3 was 2.2% and Q4 was an impressive 5.7%!
In our industry we are seeing the beginning of the critical staffing recovery beginning across the country as Banks see a glimmer at the end of the tunnel, and need to be prepared to not only survive but begin to thrive.
MANAGEMENT RECRUITERS OF VANCOUVER
February 2010 |Volume 4 | Issue 2
GLOBAL
Today’s Proposals May Be Tomorrow’s Staffing Headaches
At the end of January, economists and world leaders converged on Davos, Switzerland for what is commonly labeled as spring break for economists, but more formally called the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. Last year’s meeting took place in the depths of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. This year, where we are in the crisis is the job of many of those at Davos to both determine and decide.
One thing that has become apparent is just how globally connected our economies truly are. Everyone from U.S. Representative Barney Frank to French President Nicolas Sarkozy has used Davos to call for initiatives that are global, not just in their thinking, but in their scope.
Frank proposed creating global bank regulations that would help prevent the international game of regulatory arbitrage multi-national banks have been able to play until now. His sentiments were quickly echoed by global central bankers who pronounced that more regulation is coming.
Sarkozy pledged to work towards a much more ambitious goal when France takes the presidency of the G-20 next year. He literally called for “a new Bretton Woods” conference, a reference to the 1944 convention of world economic leaders that set the framework for a new international monetary system after World War II. The boldest element of Sarkozy’s goal is a proposed global currency, removing a need for exchange rates and preventing countries—like China—from artificially altering their currency’s value.
“While Sarkozy’s proposals may be to the extreme of global changes that will actually come to pass in the next few years, there is little doubt that the landscape is in for some fundamental changes that will ripple beyond just banking,” says Tony McKinnon, president of MRINetwork.
“Companies trying to adapt to changes in either an industry or an economy need to be agile in their hiring, especially with so much uncertainty in the global economy today,” says Evan Davis, chief operating officer of MRINetwork. “While internal recruiting efforts may have created a deep catalog of candidates for existing needs, a change of direction or conditions requires a whole new lineup of candidates, something that can take months if not years to develop from scratch.”
In the United States, initial estimates for real GDP growth for the 4th quarter of 2009 released in January showed a 5.7 percent annualized growth rate. The second consecutive positive GDP reading indicates that the Great Recession did in fact end in mid-2009. Yet, with trillions of dollars injected into the U.S. economy, growth rates seem to lack some luster. In inflation adjusted 2005 dollars, U.S. GDP grew to $13.16 trillion, $254 billion more than in the second quarter of 2009, but still $260 billion shy of the GDP’s peak in the second quarter of 2008.
“While it’s impossible to say there is anything wrong with the strongest GDP growth in years, unfortunately it will take another one or two quarters to know if this is a spike or the beginning of something sustained,” notes McKinnon.
Recent MRINetwork® Analysis
Employers that want to retain their talented and skilled workers should be aware of what tends to make their employees happy at work. For some, that may be flexibility with their work schedules. Others cite a friendly, collegial environment. Rarely is compensation listed as what makes people happiest at work.
But with some employers handling layoffs poorly, the attitude is "when this market turns and I'm no longer fearful of losing my job, I'm going to be finding a new job," says Stacy Ethun, president of Park Avenue Group, the Orlando affiliate of MRINetwork.
Stacy Ethun, president, Park Avenue Group
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, January 13, 2010
A significant portion of the 5.7 percent GDP growth came from retailers and manufacturers replacing depleted stocks, not true growth in production or commerce. Whatever remaining growth after that is consumed by the $270 billion of the 2009 recovery package that has already been released into the economy. Once these effects wear off, economists predict real growth could fall to 1.5 percent by the end of the year.
With the amount of liquidity that has been put into the economy, inflation continues to be a concern. Over the last 12 months, the Consumer Price Index has risen by 2.7 percent. While inflation is factored into real GDP growth, a slight increase could wipe out most—if not all—of a small GDP growth.
“All these factors contribute to the vital need for a flexible workforce,” says Davis. “After a prolonged downturn like we’ve just seen, operating reserves for many companies have been drained, allowing little room for error. The firms that will perform best in this environment are those that are able to quickly adjust their workforce to both positive and negative events.”
U.S. Annualized GDP
(in billions of 2005 dollars)
Source: U.S. Labor Department
TURKEY The Eurasian Bridge Sees a Soft Recession
The land that now connects Europe to Asia and the Middle East has had its fair share of history. Around 1100 B.C. the Trojan War, if it in fact took place, was believed to have been fought on what is now Turkish soil. In 334 B.C. the Achaemenid Empire fell to Alexander the Great. The first crusade was launched after the Byzantine emperor appealed for help from Pope Urban II in the 1060s. The modern day Republic of Turkey came into existence with the fall of the 600-year-old Ottoman Empire after World War I.
While Turkey’s predecessors were often placed on the world stage through conflict, in recent decades Turkey has risen to prominence because of its economy. A founding member of the G-20 major economies, Turkey has maintained a strong and resilient global economy over the years.
Despite being hit hard in 2009, the Istanbul Stock Exchange proved to be the second best performing exchange in the world, behind Argentina’s.
Since the start of the Great Recession, unemployment rose just under four points from 9.5 percent to 13.4 percent in the 2nd quarter of 2009. By the 3rd quarter of 2009, the most recent available period, unemployment had already declined to 13 percent.
“The first half of 2009 was when we really felt the recession hit,” says Metin Uludag, owner of Global Danismanlik, an MRINetwork office in Istanbul, Turkey. “But by the end of the year we started to see some real change and now high-level job orders are starting to come in again.”
One stabilizing influence in Turkey’s economy is the Turkish banking system that had minimal subprime exposure and survived the downturn without having to tap government capital. In fact, Turkey is one of the only G-20 nations to have not yet had to prop up any banks, leaving the government better able to provide stimulus funds in other areas.
Recently, declaration of the recovery in Turkey’s economy has come from none other than its most famous native economist, Nouriel Roubini. He notes though, that since much of Turkey’s foreign trade is with European countries, the pace of an E.U. recovery will largely determine the speed of Turkey’s.
On the horizon for close to five years now has been Turkey’s entrance into the European Union itself. Turkey entered into a customs union agreement with the E.U. in 1995. It then began negotiations to join as a full member in 2005. The process has been delayed for many reasons, including immigration concerns, the country’s Islamic heritage and whether Turkey can even be considered a part of Europe.
“For an ever growing number of products, Turkey has become a hub, a logical distribution point between Asia and Europe,” notes Uludag. “Be it FMCG, chemicals, or oil, as soon as the flow of goods increases, we’ll see that impact Turkey. In fact, the process may have already begun.”
FLORIDA Seeking Growth After the Bubble
For a few years now, Florida hasn’t been quite as sunny as people remember it. Home prices that seemed in an eternal upward rise have plummeted and the jobs that were created to support a growing population and tourist market have dried up.
“Florida’s population actually decreased for the first time in memory, as people who had moved here from the North were unable to find work and had to return to the cold,” says Jeff Dentz, president of The Dentz Group, an MRINetwork office in Bradenton, who himself escaped Wisconsin.
The financial crisis has impacted employers of all kinds in the state. Aside from sliding sales, the latest blow is a massive increase in the cost of unemployment insurance. In an effort to stabilize an exhausted unemployment insurance fund, the minimum per employee price of unemployment insurance has risen from $8.40 in 2009 to $100.30 this year.
Nonetheless, Florida’s Governor Charlie Crist is expressing optimism, claiming that Florida’s lull, not just the recession, is nearing its end. In his 2010 budget, he has proposed a 4 percent increase in spending, the first increase since 2006, though he is relying on federal stimulus dollars to bridge a budget gap.
“What is most worrisome for employment on the whole is that companies that have already tightened their belts may be slow to loosen them again,” notes Dentz.
In our industry we are seeing the beginning of the critical staffing recovery beginning across the country as Banks see a glimmer at the end of the tunnel, and need to be prepared to not only survive but begin to thrive.
MANAGEMENT RECRUITERS OF VANCOUVER
February 2010 |Volume 4 | Issue 2
GLOBAL
Today’s Proposals May Be Tomorrow’s Staffing Headaches
At the end of January, economists and world leaders converged on Davos, Switzerland for what is commonly labeled as spring break for economists, but more formally called the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. Last year’s meeting took place in the depths of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s. This year, where we are in the crisis is the job of many of those at Davos to both determine and decide.
One thing that has become apparent is just how globally connected our economies truly are. Everyone from U.S. Representative Barney Frank to French President Nicolas Sarkozy has used Davos to call for initiatives that are global, not just in their thinking, but in their scope.
Frank proposed creating global bank regulations that would help prevent the international game of regulatory arbitrage multi-national banks have been able to play until now. His sentiments were quickly echoed by global central bankers who pronounced that more regulation is coming.
Sarkozy pledged to work towards a much more ambitious goal when France takes the presidency of the G-20 next year. He literally called for “a new Bretton Woods” conference, a reference to the 1944 convention of world economic leaders that set the framework for a new international monetary system after World War II. The boldest element of Sarkozy’s goal is a proposed global currency, removing a need for exchange rates and preventing countries—like China—from artificially altering their currency’s value.
“While Sarkozy’s proposals may be to the extreme of global changes that will actually come to pass in the next few years, there is little doubt that the landscape is in for some fundamental changes that will ripple beyond just banking,” says Tony McKinnon, president of MRINetwork.
“Companies trying to adapt to changes in either an industry or an economy need to be agile in their hiring, especially with so much uncertainty in the global economy today,” says Evan Davis, chief operating officer of MRINetwork. “While internal recruiting efforts may have created a deep catalog of candidates for existing needs, a change of direction or conditions requires a whole new lineup of candidates, something that can take months if not years to develop from scratch.”
In the United States, initial estimates for real GDP growth for the 4th quarter of 2009 released in January showed a 5.7 percent annualized growth rate. The second consecutive positive GDP reading indicates that the Great Recession did in fact end in mid-2009. Yet, with trillions of dollars injected into the U.S. economy, growth rates seem to lack some luster. In inflation adjusted 2005 dollars, U.S. GDP grew to $13.16 trillion, $254 billion more than in the second quarter of 2009, but still $260 billion shy of the GDP’s peak in the second quarter of 2008.
“While it’s impossible to say there is anything wrong with the strongest GDP growth in years, unfortunately it will take another one or two quarters to know if this is a spike or the beginning of something sustained,” notes McKinnon.
Recent MRINetwork® Analysis
Employers that want to retain their talented and skilled workers should be aware of what tends to make their employees happy at work. For some, that may be flexibility with their work schedules. Others cite a friendly, collegial environment. Rarely is compensation listed as what makes people happiest at work.
But with some employers handling layoffs poorly, the attitude is "when this market turns and I'm no longer fearful of losing my job, I'm going to be finding a new job," says Stacy Ethun, president of Park Avenue Group, the Orlando affiliate of MRINetwork.
Stacy Ethun, president, Park Avenue Group
South Florida Sun-Sentinel, January 13, 2010
A significant portion of the 5.7 percent GDP growth came from retailers and manufacturers replacing depleted stocks, not true growth in production or commerce. Whatever remaining growth after that is consumed by the $270 billion of the 2009 recovery package that has already been released into the economy. Once these effects wear off, economists predict real growth could fall to 1.5 percent by the end of the year.
With the amount of liquidity that has been put into the economy, inflation continues to be a concern. Over the last 12 months, the Consumer Price Index has risen by 2.7 percent. While inflation is factored into real GDP growth, a slight increase could wipe out most—if not all—of a small GDP growth.
“All these factors contribute to the vital need for a flexible workforce,” says Davis. “After a prolonged downturn like we’ve just seen, operating reserves for many companies have been drained, allowing little room for error. The firms that will perform best in this environment are those that are able to quickly adjust their workforce to both positive and negative events.”
U.S. Annualized GDP
(in billions of 2005 dollars)
Source: U.S. Labor Department
TURKEY The Eurasian Bridge Sees a Soft Recession
The land that now connects Europe to Asia and the Middle East has had its fair share of history. Around 1100 B.C. the Trojan War, if it in fact took place, was believed to have been fought on what is now Turkish soil. In 334 B.C. the Achaemenid Empire fell to Alexander the Great. The first crusade was launched after the Byzantine emperor appealed for help from Pope Urban II in the 1060s. The modern day Republic of Turkey came into existence with the fall of the 600-year-old Ottoman Empire after World War I.
While Turkey’s predecessors were often placed on the world stage through conflict, in recent decades Turkey has risen to prominence because of its economy. A founding member of the G-20 major economies, Turkey has maintained a strong and resilient global economy over the years.
Despite being hit hard in 2009, the Istanbul Stock Exchange proved to be the second best performing exchange in the world, behind Argentina’s.
Since the start of the Great Recession, unemployment rose just under four points from 9.5 percent to 13.4 percent in the 2nd quarter of 2009. By the 3rd quarter of 2009, the most recent available period, unemployment had already declined to 13 percent.
“The first half of 2009 was when we really felt the recession hit,” says Metin Uludag, owner of Global Danismanlik, an MRINetwork office in Istanbul, Turkey. “But by the end of the year we started to see some real change and now high-level job orders are starting to come in again.”
One stabilizing influence in Turkey’s economy is the Turkish banking system that had minimal subprime exposure and survived the downturn without having to tap government capital. In fact, Turkey is one of the only G-20 nations to have not yet had to prop up any banks, leaving the government better able to provide stimulus funds in other areas.
Recently, declaration of the recovery in Turkey’s economy has come from none other than its most famous native economist, Nouriel Roubini. He notes though, that since much of Turkey’s foreign trade is with European countries, the pace of an E.U. recovery will largely determine the speed of Turkey’s.
On the horizon for close to five years now has been Turkey’s entrance into the European Union itself. Turkey entered into a customs union agreement with the E.U. in 1995. It then began negotiations to join as a full member in 2005. The process has been delayed for many reasons, including immigration concerns, the country’s Islamic heritage and whether Turkey can even be considered a part of Europe.
“For an ever growing number of products, Turkey has become a hub, a logical distribution point between Asia and Europe,” notes Uludag. “Be it FMCG, chemicals, or oil, as soon as the flow of goods increases, we’ll see that impact Turkey. In fact, the process may have already begun.”
FLORIDA Seeking Growth After the Bubble
For a few years now, Florida hasn’t been quite as sunny as people remember it. Home prices that seemed in an eternal upward rise have plummeted and the jobs that were created to support a growing population and tourist market have dried up.
“Florida’s population actually decreased for the first time in memory, as people who had moved here from the North were unable to find work and had to return to the cold,” says Jeff Dentz, president of The Dentz Group, an MRINetwork office in Bradenton, who himself escaped Wisconsin.
The financial crisis has impacted employers of all kinds in the state. Aside from sliding sales, the latest blow is a massive increase in the cost of unemployment insurance. In an effort to stabilize an exhausted unemployment insurance fund, the minimum per employee price of unemployment insurance has risen from $8.40 in 2009 to $100.30 this year.
Nonetheless, Florida’s Governor Charlie Crist is expressing optimism, claiming that Florida’s lull, not just the recession, is nearing its end. In his 2010 budget, he has proposed a 4 percent increase in spending, the first increase since 2006, though he is relying on federal stimulus dollars to bridge a budget gap.
“What is most worrisome for employment on the whole is that companies that have already tightened their belts may be slow to loosen them again,” notes Dentz.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
I wanted to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving. It is a time to look back on the past year and look at the blessings, the positives in our lives.
Given the media and the economy it is sometimes easy to forget the good things, the little victories we all have. This is definitely a time to remember and reflect on those victories, big and small; to set the stage for not only a great holiday season, but to get recharged for a recovering positive 2010.
Sincerely,
Stan Taylor, CSAM
Given the media and the economy it is sometimes easy to forget the good things, the little victories we all have. This is definitely a time to remember and reflect on those victories, big and small; to set the stage for not only a great holiday season, but to get recharged for a recovering positive 2010.
Sincerely,
Stan Taylor, CSAM
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Seven Rules For Succeeding As A Brand-New Leader
Michael D. Watkins 11.04.09, 5:05 PM ET
The actions you take during your first few months in a new role have a major influence on whether you ultimately succeed or fail. Transitions are pivotal times, in part because they are when everyone expects change to occur. They're also times of great vulnerability, when new leaders lack established working relationships and detailed knowledge of their new roles. If you fail to build momentum during your transition, you will face an uphill battle from then on.
What does it take to make a successful transition into a new role? My research has led me to compile seven rules that can help any newly appointed leader take charge more effectively:
Rule 1: Leverage your time before entry.
Your transition begins during the selection process when you're being picked for the job, not when you formally enter the organization. If you fail to use the time before your move effectively, you'll undermine your ability to get on top of the job right from the start. It's a priceless period for absorbing information about your new organization and beginning to plan. Wise new leaders therefore use the time between the decision to take a new position and the formal start date to jump-start the transition process.
Rule 2: Organize to learn.
Taking on a new role can feel like sailing into a dense fog. You can see only a short distance and must exercise great caution as you strive to get your bearings. Because expectations for you are high and your time is precious, you must be an active learner. This means organizing to learn as efficiently as possible everything you need to learn about your new role. Plan early on to focus on three distinct types of learning: technical, political and cultural. Technical learning means understanding products, markets, customers, strategy and operations. Political learning means assessing how decisions are made, understanding who is most influential and identifying key sources of power. Cultural learning means understanding your new organization's norms and values, its accepted ways of working and all the habits that make its character unique.
Rule 3: Secure early wins.
By the end of your first few months on the job, you will have to have made substantial progress energizing people and focusing them on solving the business's most pressing problems. It is crucial that people see momentum building from the start. Tangible improvements motivate employees, encouraging them to try for still more and better. So plan to secure early wins by identifying significant problems that can be tackled in relatively little time. Their solutions must yield identifiable operational and financial improvements in performance.
Rule 4: Lay the foundation for success.
Early wins will help you get off to a good start, but they won't suffice for continued success. You must also lay a foundation for the deeper changes that can bring sustained improvement in your organization's performance. Your efforts during the first six months to lay that foundation must focus on building the team, transforming key structures and processes and developing all the skills you yourself will need to achieve your goals.
Rule 5: Construct a personal vision.
To get people to buy in and go the extra mile, you need to conceive a personal vision for your organization and make it a shared vision. You do this through cycles of observation, imaginative visualization and clarification. The new leaders best able to formulate a vision of what they want to accomplish are those who observe most carefully how their new organizations work. Thoughtful observation of the situation at hand, and hard-headed assessment of potential threats and opportunities, enables you to imagine--and communicate--what might be.
Rule 6: Build alliances.
You can only transform an organization if powerful people and groups find that helping you do so is in their own interest. New leaders can learn and plan, but they can achieve little on their own. Armed with knowledge of the political landscape, reach out and consolidate potential sources of support. Strive to convince those who can be convinced. Early in the transition, many people will be neither dedicated supporters nor implacable opponents. They will be indifferent or undecided--and, hence, persuadable.
Rule 7: Manage yourself
Finally, knowing and managing yourself is as important as knowing and managing the organization. The physical demands of a transition are high as you log endless hours traveling and attending meetings and face ever more work. The emotional demands are also great as you try to cope with not only challenges at work but also disruptions in the usual rhythms of life at home. You must therefore prepare for the emotional burden of transition by developing ways to maintain your equanimity. The key is to build the right networks for advice and counsel that can help you to exercise clear-headed judgment, stay focused and maintain emotional evenness.
It's up to you.
Success in putting these seven rules into practice won't guarantee a smooth transition. Even the best-laid plans can go awry. But care in planning and carrying out a transition can substantially improve your chance of success--and your chance to get opportunities to make further transitions in the future.
Michael D. Watkins is the author of Your Next Move: The Leader's Guide to Navigating Major Career Transitions. He is co-founder of Genesis Advisors, a leadership development firm in Newton, Mass., that specializes in transition acceleration programs and coaching. His previous books include The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels and The First 90 Days in Government: Critical Success Strategies for New Public Managers at All Levels.
Forbes.com
The actions you take during your first few months in a new role have a major influence on whether you ultimately succeed or fail. Transitions are pivotal times, in part because they are when everyone expects change to occur. They're also times of great vulnerability, when new leaders lack established working relationships and detailed knowledge of their new roles. If you fail to build momentum during your transition, you will face an uphill battle from then on.
What does it take to make a successful transition into a new role? My research has led me to compile seven rules that can help any newly appointed leader take charge more effectively:
Rule 1: Leverage your time before entry.
Your transition begins during the selection process when you're being picked for the job, not when you formally enter the organization. If you fail to use the time before your move effectively, you'll undermine your ability to get on top of the job right from the start. It's a priceless period for absorbing information about your new organization and beginning to plan. Wise new leaders therefore use the time between the decision to take a new position and the formal start date to jump-start the transition process.
Rule 2: Organize to learn.
Taking on a new role can feel like sailing into a dense fog. You can see only a short distance and must exercise great caution as you strive to get your bearings. Because expectations for you are high and your time is precious, you must be an active learner. This means organizing to learn as efficiently as possible everything you need to learn about your new role. Plan early on to focus on three distinct types of learning: technical, political and cultural. Technical learning means understanding products, markets, customers, strategy and operations. Political learning means assessing how decisions are made, understanding who is most influential and identifying key sources of power. Cultural learning means understanding your new organization's norms and values, its accepted ways of working and all the habits that make its character unique.
Rule 3: Secure early wins.
By the end of your first few months on the job, you will have to have made substantial progress energizing people and focusing them on solving the business's most pressing problems. It is crucial that people see momentum building from the start. Tangible improvements motivate employees, encouraging them to try for still more and better. So plan to secure early wins by identifying significant problems that can be tackled in relatively little time. Their solutions must yield identifiable operational and financial improvements in performance.
Rule 4: Lay the foundation for success.
Early wins will help you get off to a good start, but they won't suffice for continued success. You must also lay a foundation for the deeper changes that can bring sustained improvement in your organization's performance. Your efforts during the first six months to lay that foundation must focus on building the team, transforming key structures and processes and developing all the skills you yourself will need to achieve your goals.
Rule 5: Construct a personal vision.
To get people to buy in and go the extra mile, you need to conceive a personal vision for your organization and make it a shared vision. You do this through cycles of observation, imaginative visualization and clarification. The new leaders best able to formulate a vision of what they want to accomplish are those who observe most carefully how their new organizations work. Thoughtful observation of the situation at hand, and hard-headed assessment of potential threats and opportunities, enables you to imagine--and communicate--what might be.
Rule 6: Build alliances.
You can only transform an organization if powerful people and groups find that helping you do so is in their own interest. New leaders can learn and plan, but they can achieve little on their own. Armed with knowledge of the political landscape, reach out and consolidate potential sources of support. Strive to convince those who can be convinced. Early in the transition, many people will be neither dedicated supporters nor implacable opponents. They will be indifferent or undecided--and, hence, persuadable.
Rule 7: Manage yourself
Finally, knowing and managing yourself is as important as knowing and managing the organization. The physical demands of a transition are high as you log endless hours traveling and attending meetings and face ever more work. The emotional demands are also great as you try to cope with not only challenges at work but also disruptions in the usual rhythms of life at home. You must therefore prepare for the emotional burden of transition by developing ways to maintain your equanimity. The key is to build the right networks for advice and counsel that can help you to exercise clear-headed judgment, stay focused and maintain emotional evenness.
It's up to you.
Success in putting these seven rules into practice won't guarantee a smooth transition. Even the best-laid plans can go awry. But care in planning and carrying out a transition can substantially improve your chance of success--and your chance to get opportunities to make further transitions in the future.
Michael D. Watkins is the author of Your Next Move: The Leader's Guide to Navigating Major Career Transitions. He is co-founder of Genesis Advisors, a leadership development firm in Newton, Mass., that specializes in transition acceleration programs and coaching. His previous books include The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels and The First 90 Days in Government: Critical Success Strategies for New Public Managers at All Levels.
Forbes.com
Friday, November 6, 2009
WORKERS READY TO MAKE A CHANGE!
It is taken form the Gilbert Gazette newsletter.
- Note the projected number of folks heading back to India and China.
- These are typically your highly educated people.
Surveys Shows Workers Are Ready to Make Changes
Several recent surveys show that the recession is having a profound impact on workers and employment trends worldwide. Even though they measure different things - global hiring, immigration repatriation, and career trends - the theme is the economy is global and when it recovers, things will not go back to the way it was.
Reverse Immigration: More skilled immigrants are pursuing careers back home, raising concerns that the U.S. may lose its competitive edge in science, technology, and other fields. "What was a trickle has become a flood," says Duke University's Vivek Wadhwa, who studies reverse immigration.
Wadhwa projects that in the next five years, 100,000 immigrants will go back to India and 100,000 to China, countries that have had rapid economic growth.
Monster poll: Workers in North America and Europe showing 89 percent would consider or would make a career change if it meant finding a new job. While only 11 percent of the 22,444 of Monster site visitors in Europe, Canada, or the U.S. said they wouldn't change careers, while 49 percent said they're ready to change careers now.
The 'Global Snapshot' survey from international recruitment firm Antal asked 7397 companies in major markets such as western and eastern Europe, Africa, India, China, and the USA if they were currently hiring at professional and managerial levels. The survey shows current hiring across the globe is up from 46% of respondents to 50% now. Organizations intending to hire is up from 44% to 48%. Organizations intending to shed staff has fallen from 35% to 25% now.
In the US, the percentage of organizations hiring has risen to 55% from 43% in April and of those intending to hire in the coming quarter to 56% from 34%. Furthermore firing levels are down, albeit marginally from 38% to 34%. In the U.S., 55 percent of respondents report hiring, with the same percentage planning to hire next quarter. By Joan Runnheim Olson
This article speaks to what I have been seeing in the market. Activity is picking up, more and more banks are backfilling & topgrading talent than at any time in the last two years.
Stan Taylor, CSAM
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