Author: Marcia Zidle

Since being promoted into the new position as manager of operations, I have detected an aloofness from my team. I feel like an outsider.

Congratulations on your promotion. I know that there will be a lot of challenges associated with your new job. One of them are the feelings of unfriendliness you have detected from your old teammates. Put yourself in your co-workers shoes.

They are wondering: What kind of leader will you be? What changes are going to be made? What are your expectations? Are you going to be a tough or easy boss? Will you continue to go out with them or are you going to get uppity and forget about them? How are you going to deal with them when they make a mistake, come in late or get chewed out by a customer?

You and your teammates are dealing with a change, and there are a lot of elements that are unknown right now. These include things like how you should handle your new responsibilities, what effect these tasks will have on the team, and what expectations people should have about your leadership style.

How to manage former teammates:

• Begin with a team meeting to acknowledge the change in the working relationship.
• Be upfront with the issue of uncertainty. Provide as much information as you can.
• Reinforce your team’s value to the organization. Help them realize their importance.
• Capitalize on the knowledge you have of your team’s strengths when planning new initiatives.
• Offer your support to the team. Investigate how much support–and what type of support–is needed.
• Don’t over-commit in your new role by making unrealistic promises either to your staff or your boss.
• Allow time to adjust. Your actions will go far in winning your team’s trust and respect and lessening feelings of leaving them behind in the long run.

Career Success Tip:

You are now managing people who you have worked with. This puts them and you in a situation of uncertainty. You want to maintain their friendships but now you’re their boss. You have the responsibility of managing, and even evaluating, their performance. Shoot for respect, not popularity. You can get both.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

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What’s the best way to find out about a career? Talk with those who do the work.

In workshops, I ask people how did they get into the work they’re doing today.

Some said: I just fell into it; I knew a company was hiring and thought it would be cool to work there; I needed a job and this offered the most money. Then I ask are you satisfied? Many say no. They now wish they were in another career field.

Recently a survey revealed that almost half of college-educated workers between the ages of 25 and 50 polled said they would choose a different major if they could do it over. The majority of college graduates will have switched careers at least once, and about one in five expect to switch in the future.

How do you make sure you’re not jumping from the frying pan into the fire?

The key is information interviewing. It’s a networking approach which allows you to:

• Gain first-hand, current information from professionals in the fields or careers you are considering
• Expand your knowledge of the job market in the field(s) you want to explore
• Target positions that best fit your particular mix of interests and skills
• Clarify what jobs are really like before you commit yourself
• Evaluate organizations that could be a good match
• Investigate career options – explore different career fields.

20 Questions

Don’t change careers until you know what you’re getting into. By asking questions of people who do the work, you will get the the reality, not some idealized version. Here are some sample questions to ask.

• On a typical day in this position, what do you do?
• What training or education is required for this type of work?
• What personal qualities or abilities are important to being successful in this job?
• What part of this job do you find most satisfying? Most challenging?
• How did you get your job?
• What opportunities for advancement are there in this field?
• What entry-level jobs are best for learning as much as possible?
• What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field?
• How do you see jobs in this field changing in the future?
• Is there a demand for people in this career?
• What special advice would you give a person entering this field?
• What types of training do companies offer persons entering this field?
• What are the basic prerequisites for jobs in this field?
• Which professional journals and organizations would help me learn more about this field?
• What do you think of the experience I’ve had so far in terms of entering this field?
• From your perspective, what are the problems you see working in this field?
• If you could do things all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? Why? What would you change?
• With the information you have about my education, skills, and experience, what other fields or jobs would you suggest I research further?
• What do you think of my resume? Do you see any problem Who do you know that I should talk to next? When I call him/her, may I use your name?

Career Success Tip

Information interviewing means meeting with people to ask for information, not a job. It is the career changer’s equivalent of market research. It helps you learn about career fields and job functions that fit your talents. It also helps you evaluate organizations that could be a good match for you. Readers, has information interviewing helped you either in job search or career change? Tell me how!

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

Searching for a new job is hard work. In fact, it can be the toughest “job” you’ll ever have.

That’s why the key to job search success is treating the entire process like a business. You are currently in the “job hunting” business. Like any successful business, you need a plan that has goals and strategies to guide you. Otherwise you’re just flapping your wings getting no where.

Jump-start your next job search with these seven job-hunting strategies:

1. Know what you’re selling.
Begin your job search by taking a thorough inventory of your interests, skills, accomplishments, experience, goals, and values. Make a detailed list. The key to a successful job search is recognizing what makes you a unique candidate and communicating this effectively to a prospective employer, both verbally and in writing.

2. Aim for the right target.
Try to match your skills, interests, and values with the right career choice. If one of your goals is to get a larger salary, don’t focus on career paths that traditionally pay low salaries. Do some research. Learn about different companies that interest you and target those that are more likely to have open positions.

3. Be assertive and proactive.
Don’t wait around for opportunity to come knocking on your door. While cold calling on potential employers can be intimidating, it remains a powerful strategy. It’s important to get through the door first, before your competition.

4. Do some sleuthing.
One key is understanding the “hidden” job market. Many job openings exist only in the minds of directors, vice presidents, and other company bigwigs long before the job is finally advertised in newspapers or on the Internet. If you can present yourself as the perfect candidate at this early stage, an employer may snap you up without looking elsewhere.

5. Work your network.
Networking should be at the center of your job search strategy. Get the word out to friends, trusted colleagues, and even relatives that you are actively looking for a job, and ask them to keep their eyes and ears open for any opportunities. Expand your network by joining professional organizations, signing up for job search newsletters and e-mail blasts, contacting former professors and classmates, and by participating in Internet discussion boards.

6. Get professional help.
Employment agencies come in all shapes, sizes, and price ranges, and they can be an excellent resource for job leads. Some specialize in very specific occupational areas, and many often have exclusive arrangements with large companies. If you’re interested in the services of an agency, investigate it carefully. Determine what the agency will do for you and how much it will cost.

7. Be temporarily flexible.
Temp jobs are a great way to learn skills, gain experience, and earn money while looking for a permanent position. They are also a way to prove your worth and be first in line when a full-time position does open up. Working as a consultant or independent contractor in a company can also eventually lead to steady, full-time employment.

8. Say it clearly.
When sending out resumes, catch the prospective employer’s attention with a brief and concise cover letter / email that spells out clearly how your qualifications match the job requirements. Connect the dots for the reader, making it obvious why you’re the perfect candidate for the job.

9. Keep careful records.
Keeping track of the progress of your job search is important. Maintain a detailed record of all the jobs you have applied to, including communications, interviews, referrals, and follow-up actions. This will help you build a network of valuable contacts both for your current job search and any future ones.

Career Success Tip:

Job search is hard work and there are times when you will become discouraged. Just keep in mind that everyone has been through the same grind at one point. Keep a positive attitude about the whole process and look at your job hunt as a business that you need to invest in. Good luck!

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

How many of you in college or graduate school had a course, or even a workshop, on managing your career?

I bet not many because too many young professionals and emerging leaders come to me for guidance with all kinds of career situations: Advancing in a corporate career, getting along with their boss, taking on the right kind of assignment, dissatisfaction with their career choice, etc.

Out of a recent leadership and career development program, came 20 real world practical ideas about managing one’s career. This career intelligence is relevant no matter what your job function is or what kind of company you work for. Everyone needs to know how to succeed in today’s workplace.

Which one’s resonate with you?

1. The boss isn’t always right, but he’s still the boss.
2. Confidence comes from success, knowledge comes from failure.
3. Perception is reality – whether it’s true or not – it’s their reality.
4. The workplace is about business and profitability, not about you.
5. Don’t panic and do something stupid in anticipation of a bad event.
6. Pay as much attention to relationships as the work that has to get done.
7. It’s OK to say I don’t know as long as the next thing you say is I’ll find out.
8. When you have problems with others, look inside yourself first for answers.
9. Pay attention to small details, the big ones are obvious and get taken care of.
10. It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it, when you say it, and why you say it.
11. If you’re not passionate about what you’re doing, you won’t be successful at it.
12. Know that ideas without action are like being all dressed up with no place to go.
13. If you’re miserable, quit and do something else. If you’re still miserable, it’s you.
14. It is impossible to know where you are going if you don’t know where you’ve been.
15. If you don’t know, say so. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, stop talking
16. Invest at least 40% of your time managing yourself–your ethics, character and purpose.
17. Whine and complain all you want; nobody gives a crap. Get off your duff and so something.
18. Don’t burn bridges. Something you said or done may comes back to haunt you later in your career.
19. Think before you act. Ask yourself: Could I be misinterpreting what’s happening? If you answer yes, stop before you jump into the water.
20. Go with your talents. Spend 80% of your attention to your strengths and about 20% to your weaknesses. It’s easier to kick a rock downhill than one uphill.

Career Success Tip:

Perioidically look back and reflect on your experiences in your life and your career. What lessons did you learn? No matter what career stage we’re in, we all have lessons to learn and, at times, be relearned.What’s the best way to find out about a career? Information interviewing. 20 questions to ask to find out about a career field.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

If you’re getting a new boss in your existing job, consider getting ‘hired’ all over again.

How many bosses have you had in your present job these past couple of years? I’ve asked this question in my career management and personal branding workshops. I heard everything from “my boss seems to hang on” to several who have come and gone to the unbelievable 5 new bosses in two years. Wow!

How do you deal with this phenomenon – management churn – the revolving door strategy of managers in some organizations?

Most of you who are reading this post are not at the level to change this strategy. That doesn’t mean you do nothing about your situation. A recent Harvard Business Review article suggests that you must look at each new boss with the notion of getting “hired” all over again. In other words, start making a good impression immediately. Here’s why.

Most managers feel more invested in people they’ve hired personally. They reviewed the resumes, conducted the interviews and made the ultimate decision to hire the person. They are invested in that person. They want the person to succeed so that they will “look good” to their boss.

But a new boss, who has inherited a team, needs to size up quickly each of his or her direct reports. Some people, with a new boss, keep doing what they’ve been doing waiting for the boss to tell them otherwise. But there’s another career strategy. That is, get ‘hired’ all over again by taking these three positive actions.

1. Set up a short, perhaps 20 minute, meeting with your new boss.
You can approach it as wanting to find out about her goals for the team so that you can make sure what you do is in sync with those goals. If the response is “I’m planning to do that with the whole team”, then say “great and perhaps after that meeting, we can meet to go over the specific responsibilities of my position.”

2. Think about what you want your new boss to know.
Develop a short presentation focusing on your accomplishments – the problems encountered and how you and the team handled them. If possible, pull together some samples of your work – reports, presentations, prototypes, brochures, whatever demonstrates your capabilities. Also be prepared if he or she asks you about present and future challenges for the department.

3. Treat the meeting like a job interview.
Start by saying, ‘Let me tell you about my role’. Review the presentation you prepared, highlighting your own achievements and those of your team. Don’t let this be a one-way conversation. Hopefully your boss will have questions so that you can go more in-depth about what you bring to the table. Then you ask your boss about her priorities for the department. Now start making the connection between the priorities and how you can meet them.

Career Success Tip

Somebody on the team may end up being the “go to guy or gal”. You might as well give yourself the opportunity to show that you could be that person.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?

Careers are like life, they don’t stand still. They progress from one stage to another.

Here are career stages that you are going through, have been through, or hope to go through. Pay attention to the potential roadblocks – they can make or break your career advancement.

Stage I – Apprenticeship: Learning the Ropes

You are fresh, most likely young or starting over in a new career. You are hungry for knowledge and seek out guidance from others. At first you are most likely part of a team with specific tasks. You may be closely supervised until your boss has confidence in your abilities. Your “job” is not only to do the work assigned but also to learn about the culture, the company, and the colleagues you work with.

Potential career roadblock: Settling into your current role.
As you develop your capabilities, you may become too comfortable. You’re no longer the new kid on the block. You know your way around. This is the most important time to grow in your career. Ask for more assignments that will expand your expertise and experience. Keep moving ahead.

Stage II – Independent Contributor: Establishing a Reputation

Now you are a doer. You are taking on more responsibility and developing technical depth in assignments. You re also given more autonomy – making decisions that you boss made earlier in your career. You may be part of a committee that makes recommendations on the best software or ways to increase customer satisfaction. This is an opportunity to stand out and shine.

Potential career roadblock: Indecision about your next career move.
Most of us in this stage could steer our careers in several directions. If you are not sure where you want to end up, you may never move toward the goal. So assess if you want to expand your expertise with more challenging assignments or start leading projects or teams in order to develop your managerial abilities. See Generalist vs Specialist.

Stage III – Leader: Developing and Managing Others

You have the title of supervisor, manager or director. As you progress in this position, you have staff under you. It could be 5 people or even 50. You now get things done and get results through others. You are assigning tasks, managing their work efforts and coaching them to improve or enhance their performance. It may be difficult for you not to be so hands-on since your hands-on skills are what got you here.

Potential career roadblock: Not focusing on your interpersonal skills.
Management is dealing with all kinds and levels of people –subordinates, peers, boss or bosses, other departments or business units, even other companies and the list goes on. It’s important to have well developed communication, negotiation, team building skills. If you don’t, your career growth will be in jeopardy.

Stage IV – Executive: Exercising Power

You have significant organization responsibility. Your focus is not on day to day operations but on strategy – the future of the organization. Your role is to be proactive – to anticipate change, plan for it, initiative it and lead the organization as it goes through it. That requires dealing more with the external environment and making tough, hard decisions.

Potential career roadblock: Not using the real influence that you have.
By being indecisive and not pushing strategy forward, you may appear wavering or lackluster. People look to their senior leaders for vision, guidance and encouragement especially in these very changing times.

Career Success Tip:

By knowing what career stage you are in, you can focus on the key tasks and avoid the key roadblocks so that you are most effective. Also by knowing the next career stage, you can anticipate and prepare for your next position. In that way you will be proactive, rather than reactive, in your career management.

Do you want to develop Career Smarts?