Coaches can play a powerful role in a candidates’ job search by being aware of their personality temperament and which job search phase they’re in. Three good assessments that measure type and temperament are as follows:

• Golden™ Personality Type Profiler
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®
• Keirsey Temperament Sorter®-II

Based on temperament, here are suggested coaching questions to use with candidates to enhance their job search success.

1. Clarifies Job/Career Objective(s)

NT (Rational)
How do these options tie to your most important values, including your family’s desires? If you set aside all your criteria, what are some other options? Which jobs are you most passionate about?

NF (Idealist)
Which of these options fits you best? What are your most important criteria to use in determining your job objective(s)? What’s your short-list of jobs to pursue now?

SJ (Guardian)
How about brainstorming more job possibilities? As you consider your most transferable skills, what other possibilities are there? Have you considered (x)? Which job(s) will be a stepping stone(s) to your ideal job?

SP (Artisan)
What are your long-term objectives? What next job(s) will get you to where you want to be 5-10 years from now?

2. Plans Job Search

NT (Rational)
What practical actions do you need to consider taking?

NF (Idealist)
What other pieces of the puzzle might there be? What else?

SJ (Guardian)
What are the broad categories of your job search? What adaptations might you need to make to ensure a successful job search?

SP (Artisan)
What structure do you need in your search to keep you moving forward?

3. Markets & Communicates about Self

NT (Rational)
Which accomplishments involved building and maintaining relationships and/or working successfully with others?

NF (Idealist)
What are your strongest technical abilities? What impact did your accomplishments have on the bottom line?

SJ (Guardian)
How could you say that more succinctly? What are the key points you want to make? How can you connect your accomplishments to other jobs?

SP (Artisan)
What are some examples of how you applied what you learned to avoid future problems?

4. Networks with Others

NT (Rational)
How can you build and nurture your relationships? What are the best ways to show appreciation toward others?

NF (Idealist)
Besides friends and other like-minded people, who else could you to reach out to? What is the desired outcome for your meetings?

SJ (Guardian)
What are the most important things to get out of each meeting? How can you open and close each meeting in a personal way?

SP (Artisan)
What are your most important goals for networking? Which people are most important to talk with first? What did you learn from your meetings?

5. Finds Jobs

NT (Rational)
What companies and job titles are in your tiers 2 & 3? How can you network to get a warm lead to the decision-makers in these companies?

NF (Idealist)
Besides friends, whom else would be important for you to reach out to? What’s most important for you to get from these contacts?

SJ (Guardian)
What steps could you could take to explore the hidden job market?

SP (Artisan)
How can you build consistency into your job search activities? Whom else could you reach out to?

6. Researches Companies

NT (Rational)
With whom could you talk to learn more about these companies? What questions could you ask them to learn more about the company’s culture?

NF (Idealist)
What are some objective ways to gather information about these companies? Who else could you talk with to learn more details?

SJ (Guardian)
With whom could you talk to learn more about the companies’ management style, brand, and culture?

SP (Artisan)
What have you learned about the company’s’ culture? Do they give people freedom to get their work done?

7. Prepares for the Job Interview

NT (Rational)
How will you answer questions about your ability to handle conflict, motivate people, and build relationships?

NF (Idealist)
How did your work contribute to the bottom-line? What are your top competencies? How can you demonstrate that you’re task-focused?

SJ (Guardian)
What have been your greatest accomplishments and what did you learn about your capabilities? How could they be transferable to the job(s)?

SP (Artisan)
How can you show the transferability of your competencies to the job duties? What trends are impacting the jobs/companies?

8. Considers Job Offers

NT (Rational)
What impact will each job have on your lifestyle, family, etc?

NF (Idealist)
What other criteria are important to consider? What’s most important to do now? What do you like most and least about the job(s)?

SJ (Guardian)
How will this position further develop you to achieve your long-term career goal? What risks do you need to take?

SP (Artisan)
What else do you need to know about this job and company? What are the best ways to gather further information? How does this position tie in with your long-term goals?

9.Negotiates Salary

NT (Rational)
How could you engage the decision-maker in your negotiations? What’s most important to them?

NF (Idealist)
What facts could you share with the decision-maker? What do you like most (and least) about the compensation package?

SJ (Guardian)
How much are you worth? What value could you bring to the company?

SP (Artisan)
What information do you need to be successful in your negotiations?

10. Starts New Job

NT (Rational)
–Coaching Questions: What relationships do you need to build to be most effective in this job?

NF (Idealist)
What are some quick wins you could have to show your competence and impact?

SJ (Guardian)
What are your most important goals for the near-term and longer-term? What trends are you seeing in your industry? Who could you delegate some of your work to?

SP (Artisan)
What’s most important for you to accomplish by the 3rd, 6th and 9th months in the job? What’s the strategic plan for your business unit?

Will you let me know how these questions work and share with me your suggestions to improve them? You may reach me at nancy@workplacecoachinstitute.com.

Copyright 2010. Nancy Branton

It’s become common knowledge that networking is how the majority of people find jobs. Statistically, this applies to executives even more than those at other levels. When associations are sourcing for the ideal person to lead their organization, they are more likely to turn to their existing networks first.

Since getting hired as a result of networking can take time, it doesn’t always make it the most appealing option for busy executives and aspiring executives. While not a quick method, there are ways that you can increase the effectiveness of your networking and shorten your job search at the same time.

The key is to spend your time connecting with people in your industry instead of casting a wider net. Of course you can let friends and family know you’re looking, as people often find opportunities in unexpected ways. However, your dedicated “networking time” – connecting on LinkedIn, Twitter, and at in-person events – will be better used if you’re focused on what you want.

For example, let’s say you are looking for a job leading an environmental association. You’ll have better luck if once a month you attend a function attended by environmental leaders, rather than going to a “general” event once a week! Optimize these gatherings even more by determining who you need to come into contact with. Identify associations that interest you, along with names (if possible) of board members, hiring managers, and human resources employees. Then, when someone asks how they can help you, you’ll be prepared to ask for introductions!

Meeting new people is only half the battle–maintaining your network is just as important. Continue building relationships with existing contacts. Schedule regular lunches, coffees, or even brief telephone conversations to stay connected. For people outside of your geographic area (and even those within it!), keep in touch through social media, and always be a “giver.” This means letting your network know of leads or contacts they may be interested in, sending articles that may appeal to them, or just calling to see what you can do to help.

Building a strong network takes time, but it’s also an investment – your relationships can lead to opportunities at all stages of your career! Whether you’re actively looking for work, choosing new board members, or sourcing for employees, you’ll have a pool of contacts that you can tap into on short notice.

Yes, sometimes it comes down to what’s in a job ad or what a recruiter is sourcing for. However, if you’re proactively looking while employed, you may have the luxury of targeting associations that interest you the most.

Let’s assume for just a moment that you are an experienced executive director, and you get to strategically plan your job search–you’ll contact recruiters in your areas of interest, network with people in your target area, and apply to associations with missions that really speak to you–but what IS that mission?

There are a few ways to go about finding out:

• Look to your past work experience. What jobs did you enjoy the most? What tasks did you prefer spending your time on? What companies did you most like working for?
• Go back even further. What did you major in? As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
• Think about which causes are closest to your heart. What organizations do you donate money to or volunteer with? How do you spend your free time (sports, arts, travel, etc.)?

While these questions may not give you an immediate answer, you should gain clarity on what areas you’re most passionate about. For example, if the arts are a strong theme, start exploring associations that focus on arts in the schools, professional theatre, or art museums. Depending on your area of interest, there could be a variety of options out there. According to the ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, there were an estimated 86,054 trade and professional associations in 2004. While you may have to repackage your career marketing materials for your area of interest (if you’re breaking into a new industry) rest assured there are plenty of exciting possibilities within association management.

This blog is for career coaches and counselors along with others who help clients and students explore career options and for job-seekers and career changers who may want to consider other career choices. I’ll provide insight into the benefits and challenges of non-traditional careers, e.g., those that are either male or female dominated. And, I’ll share best practices, trends, case studies, and interviews of women and men working in non-traditional careers.

What is a non-traditional career?  A non-traditional career is defined as one where more than 75 percent of the workforce is of the opposite gender. Basically it’s a career that is either female-dominated or male-dominated. Some examples of non-traditional careers for women include: architect, carpenter, pilot, and mechanic. Non-traditional careers for men include: paralegal, nurse, dental hygienist, and elementary teacher.

For many years now, there has been a push by the government, including the Department of Labor and the Department of Education, to move more women into non-traditional careers. The main reason? Higher pay! These types of careers typically pay 20-30% higher wages (or more) than the traditional “pink-collar” jobs women most often pursue. More recently, men are being targeted to consider a non-traditional career. The growing number of baby boomers reaching retirement age has led to a critical shortage of nurses. Men can help fill that gap.

With the benefits of non-traditional careers also comes its own set of challenges. As a project coordinator on a grant from the Dept. of Labor, I helped move more women into the auto service industry, as auto service technicians, aka mechanics, and service advisors (those that write up the repair order). When meeting with service managers at auto dealerships, I faced resistance to the notion of hiring women in these positions. One service manager actually said to me, “We hired a woman once and she didn’t work out.”  I was astonished. Apparently he felt that that one particular woman represented all women and forgot about the men who didn’t work out. Women aren’t alone in facing obstacles in regard to non-traditional careers. Gender stereotypes about what is considered “men’s work” and “women’s work” is still ingrained pretty heavily in our society. 

The bottom line? I think it’s important for individuals to be aware of all of their career options.

In thinking about the delay in BP’s PR response to the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, do you see an ostrich mentality? I can’t help but see parallels in the lives of executives, many of whom are current or former JobWhiz executive talent agent clients. These very accomplished professionals ignored the necessity for proactively marketing themselves when times were fine and their careers seemed to be in good shape. They did not continuously strive to promote themselves, didn’t purposefully network to enlarge their impact and develop new contacts, were not on the inside track learning about potential new challenges on a constant basis, and were not sought out for their recommendations and referrals. They thought they would be safe if they focused on the job to be done at their company. Meanwhile their world
unraveled while they failed to promote a positive image and make others aware of their potential. They did not protect their good name, their reputation, their careers.

Unfortunately for some otherwise successful executives, it is only when the handwriting on the wall can no longer be denied, like BP, that they finally, too late, start their “official” campaign. They rush to implement their personal PR campaign. They seek to renew dormant connections, furiously attend networking events, work the phone and make appointments to meet with former colleagues, headhunters, etc.  It is far better to dig your well, as Harvey McKay says, before you are thirsty. And IMHO, BP should have started their PR work right when the first drop leaked and not when it was obvious that the problem was huge and they owned it.

How many top leaders are guilty of ignoring their own career needs for self-promotion when everything is working out at their current job? Only when disaster strikes, like they have to acknowledge an impending layoff or are faced with a sudden termination, do they respond appropriately by reaching out to their network, polishing a resume, joining groups, participating in social media, etc. all of which are the right steps to help them identify a new job. Too little too late just like BP. The time to take preventive action or be proactive in managing a career transition is before all the facts are in when there is more time to influence and make new contacts.
I see similarities in how an executive gets caught up in the day to day and
relies only on their current employer to take care of their future or they
think they have more time than they actually do to prepare for their next
assignment. Is it just human nature/wishful thinking to roll along until we
are forced to do something? Do we lack initiative? Do we make excuses
because it is easier? For all those reading this and seeing themselves, wake
up!! Start to plan your next career move even if you would rather not put the effort into developing new
contacts, publishing your thoughts, sharing your ideas with those who are
not your immediate colleagues in order to promote yourself within your
industry. Is it human nature not to act until an outside party tells us we
have to move? You know very well how much better it is to always be
networking and creating a positive professional image. Don’t be a BP!!!!

Please comment with your ideas for what these two initials can represent like blind XX or
blatant XXX etc.

A visitor to my SalaryNegotiations.com website asked this question:  When looking on salary.com and other websites, they don’t have the specific job I’m looking for.  How do I give them a salary range without going over or under, but still getting the highest salary they can afford?:
My answer… and I welcome others’ comments.
TWO strategies.

First, let them go first and reply by adding 25% to their offer.  It’s unlikely that will leave money on the table, and you can come down from there to what you think is your best offer.

Second:  There’s also glassdoor.com, vault.com, payscale.com, jobstar.org, and many other sites to find a competitive salary on.

Negotiating in a tough economy.  Many people ask me whether they can still negotiate when it’s an Employers’ Market.  The thought goes like this:  If I start negotiating, I’m sending my potential new employer a message:  “I don’t accept the job [yet.]“  Isn’t that dangerous?  Couldn’t they lose the job offer?

In a Job Hunter’s market is’t save because the employer has little choice.  Negotiate or lose the candidate.  In an Employer’s market it’s more like, “You don’t want the job at that salary?  NEXT!”

My coaching encourages candidates make a trade:  give up a little negotiating leverage in trade for “locking in” the offer.   They can say, “Mr. Employer, the offer you just extended is firm, right?”  After the employer assures you that’s so, the candidate says, “Thanks, because there are  a few things I’d like talk about and didn’t want to jeopardize the actual offer as it stands…”  Comments from thought leaders?

Age is relative and the definition of an “older worker” is expanding. The labour market is dramatically shifting into a new phase, with the percentage of Canadians in the workplace who are over 50 doubling every decade. If you are an older worker, you are quickly becoming a valuable commodity in a market that needs your expertise.

Older workers have much to offer the current Canadian marketplace. This is very meaningful for you, as it indicates that qualified workers are already highly in demand, and the need for experience is only becoming more prevalent.

Consider yourself as a product and your next employer as the purchaser. In the past, older job seekers often reported that employers sometimes seemed discriminatory, in that they appeared to favour younger candidates over more mature ones. But this is all changing.

There are two key forces in action that are shifting employers’ perception of older candidates:

1. The supply of experienced workers is decreasing. As boomers retire from the workforce in greater numbers, we are creating a talent drain within our labour market.
2. The demand for experience in the labour market is increasing. The talent drain is creating an unprecedented need for people who have applied knowledge and expertise.

As the pool of knowledgeable workers is dwindling, if you are skilled and qualified through actual work experience, you are quickly becoming indispensable. According to a labour force projection study published this year in Statistics Canada’s Canadian Economic Observer, although many baby boomers will retire from the workforce by the year 2021, we can expect the proportion of people in the labour force who are 55 and older to double what it was during the mid-1990’s, to up to 20% of the workforce. This dramatic increase will predicate your future potential within the Canadian job market.

The laws of supply and demand tell us that if there is a shortage of highly experienced employees, then you, as a mature candidate, are worth more to employers than less experienced workers. You are now heading from a buyer’s market into a seller’s market where you maintain quite a bit of power. The excess of demand over supply in the coming years will work to your favour.

Employers want to hire older workers because older workers often have many qualities that younger workers cannot offer. There is great value that comes from maturity. You bring:

1. Experience from a lifetime of work.
2. Adaptability coming from the transitions in your career.
3. Expertise with a deep understanding of your industry.
4. Professionalism to present a favourable first impression.
5. Maturity to deal effectively with tough business issues.
6. Leadership to mentor other employees.
7. Integrity that is displayed through your values.
8. Dedication shown through your reliability.
9. Commitment to remain loyal to your job and employer.
10. Vitality that comes from loving the career you are in.

The laws of supply and demand naturally put you in a better position to negotiate your employment terms, compensation, and benefits. You offer an excellent return on your employers’ investment. By hiring you, employers will decrease the costs associated with recruitment, training, and turnaround. Plus, you will be able to create almost immediate results in increased productivity and profitability because you know the job so well. You have a powerful voice. Start taking advantage of this great opportunity right away – you won’t be sorry.

Outlook 2010, a national survey conducted by Graham Management Group determined that agism is considered a primary barrier for six-figure Canadians. Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist. For a summary report and analysis of the Outlook 2010: Competitive Career Intelligence Survey email info@grahammanagement.com

When I first entered the careers field as an executive talent agent a decade ago, I asked those with expertise and experience for their words of wisdom and advice. Universally, at some point in the conversation, the colleague offering advice about executive careers would say that the candidate’s resume could make or break their campaign. I carefully researched and discussed differing resume writing styles with experts and soon found out what made some writers better resources, in my opinion, for my executive clients. Along the way, I learned to recognize different stylistic preferences and grew to respect, even revere, various approaches.

During the intervening years, the world of executive career management including recruiting, and in turn the role the resume plays in a job search has been changing. I think it is not an exaggeration to remark that we are living a revolution. Dramatic changes in communications, technology and the economy all have shifted the relationship between prospective employee and potential employer which in turn, are forcing career industry professionals to adapt. The Career Thought Leaders Consortium is one fine example of this trend

Many in our profession have recognized this sea change and have polished their skills, updated their knowledge, added new services and transformed their businesses.  They  continue to push our field forward and provide the high quality  services that more sophisticated clients demand. Executive clients today are more knowledgeable.  They can get information via Internet search, through virtual communities and online discussions.  Unfortunately for some,  they master this arena by spending their own time in the job market while in transition.

What I am getting around to is that today we are light years away from the olden days of paper resumes and are living with a complexity beyond the days of broadcast faxes and mass emails. Today, a candidate’s competitive advantage is not just a great (but static) resume documenting a fantastic track record of accomplishments. Their future career success stems from how an individual communicates and distributes and makes available their reputation and unique problem-solving capabilities to those who can hire them and offer them additional opportunities to learn and grow their success.  Sounds like a networking process doesn’t it?  Sure, the individual has to have the goods, but just putting it in writing is not enough, just communicating this in one well-crafted document is too little and just sharing this when asked is usually not enough to ensure  a career.

The best possible resume is a good starting point for discussion; a better strategy is not only to build a strong reputation (good resume content,) but to also be visible.  Achievements have always been necessary and still are necessary, but are not sufficient for success.  How an individual communicates their value has broadened from just a “dam good resume” occasionally distributed when the candidate was actively looking or asked to submit their credentials to being a full time, non-stop personalized PR campaign.  This means being visible and searchable online.

We’ve been learning that having a personal website or online portfolio or Linkedin profile alone seldom attracts enough attention or generates enough desired contacts from prospective recruiters or hiring managers. These online pieces are major parts of a larger effort that includes an online resume, a marketing presence that is vibrant, updated regularly and contains relevant data differentiate those who get noticed. Think: what did you do today, what will you be doing tomorrow that demonstrates your abilities. It is said that past performance is no guarantee for the future. To be competitive, executives have to prove themselves, visibly speaking, in real time. In addition to producing results, they engage others.  They develop new connections. They interact. They give to others. And when the timing is right, they learn about a new position and make a move. In other words, the resume is now an important part of the overall marketing plan implementation process.  There is an intention to attract attention and pull opportunities towards the candidate.  Contrast this to when all career marketing/job searching efforts were designed to push the candidate to potential employers.

Today’s environment means game-changing strategy and a new style for executing an effective search for candidates and the modern career industry professionals who support them.  The best solution is for every employee to always have the mindset and behaviors of a potential candidate:  maintain their visibility with up to date information and messaging. There’s no worry about anyone discovering they are looking for a new job because they are always open to new opportunities that are able to find them even when they are not actively looking for leads to a new job. They never are out of “job search mode” but their standard MO is inviting connections, sharing  ideas and being approachable.

Recently, Canadian recruitment professionals Head2Head, in partnership with LinkedIn, performed an informal survey. They asked recruiters to tell them how they found candidates. The results were quite telling.

In short, 69% of Canadian recruiters surveyed use LinkedIn for recruiting and 44% use Facebook to find and investigate candidates. A small percentage of recruiters use other online venues as well including blogs, Twitter, YouTube, and Craigslist to mention a few.

Clearly, there has been a noticeable shift in our marketplace. Recruiters are moving away from spending money to post jobs on job boards. This is because the time and energy that it takes to weed out undesirable candidates has increased in leaps and bounds.

In the early days of the Internet, one effective posting produced a manageable number of corresponding resumes. Now, in some cases, hundreds of resumes flood the recruiter and the work required to find one good candidate is no longer worth the effort. Cyberspace has allowed a much more interesting and cost effective way to find the best candidates – by actively mining for them.

So, what does this mean for you? Rather than spending most of your valuable job search time seeking out jobs, you should be building and managing your online presence. It is now clear that your visibility is critical to your short-term goal of finding a role, but also your long-term career success.

If you want to cultivate your career prospects, then you should not treat social networking sites as entertainment. Rather, you should be treating every activity online as a potential career maker or breaker.

Step 1- Clean up your internet presence

Start by eliminating bad press. Go through your social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace and remove all inappropriate content. Be assured that if you don’t, your folly will come back to bite you during any background checking process.

Step 2- Create your brand identity

Flesh out your value proposition – the compelling message that you will be delivering to recruiters. This should be the same brand message as you deliver in your resume and other supporting career documents. If you create a memorable picture that sets you apart from the competition, you will be found and selected.

Step 3- Implement your online strategy

As an executive, it is in your best interest to develop and execute an effective online strategy. To market yourself on the internet, you must deliver a consistent brand message. Leverage sites like LinkedIn, VisualCV, Plaxo, and Twitter to your benefit.

Outlook 2010, a national survey conducted by Graham Management Group determined that 62.5% of six-figure professionals have a targeted online networking strategy that leverages LinkedIn. If you are not participating, you may be missing significant career opportunities. 77% of the Canadian recruiters surveyed by Head2Head said that online recruiting improved their ability to connect to passive candidates. Don’t you want to be recruited too?

Sharon Graham is Canada’s Career Strategist. For a summary report and analysis of the Outlook 2010: Competitive Career Intelligence Survey email info@grahammanagement.com