Patience and Persistence Will Prevail
In spite of recent efforts to improve the employment picture, it’s looking more and more like a job market recovery is nowhere in sight. Whether unemployed or underemployed, future prospects look and feel bleak. There is an emergent sense of anxiety and desperation for these millions and the many more that support and depend on them.
Career coaches teach their clients how to network and leverage their resources, how to build and market their skills, and how to remain flexible with their goals and plans. These strategies, effective in a “normal” job market, seem less so in the “new normal,” where there as many as five people available for every job opening. No wonder there is a growing sense of frustration and despair.
So, what does this mean for someone who is looking for new employment? The simple answer is to become very skilled at the art and practice of transition, with particular emphasis on being patient and persistent. This is neither new nor particularly profound advice, except to say that it is truer now than at any time in the recent past.
Patience is the ability to keep things in perspective and recognizing that things will work out over time. Being patient teaches us to not get caught up in the non-rational aspects of the transition process and to understand that how we move forward has a great deal of impact on our ultimate success. Some things to help with patience:
Ø Remind yourself that the process unfolds one step, one action at a time.
Ø Don’t put pressure on yourself and others to move things along faster than is normal and natural.
Ø Recall that you have been through challenges before and remember the lessons from those past experiences.
Ø When you are feeling discouraged, give yourself permission to take time away from the process.
Persistence is the behavior that combines discipline with an appropriate sense of urgency. This includes being active and focused every day, reaching out to others even when feeling unsure of oneself, and to act as if our actions will yield positive results. Some things to help with persistence:
Ø When you think you have finished for the day, take one more step, make one more call, send out one more resume.
Ø Remember that staying connected is important to the process; take steps to develop a disciplined follow-up practice.
Ø Don’t take “no” as the end of the process; instead, see “no” as an opportunity to ask one more question or make one more request.
Ø When you get frustrated or stuck, step back, take a couple of deep breaths, have a good laugh, and begin again.
In conclusion, remember that patience and persistence go hand in hand, and both must be appropriately tended to for the process to give you what you want.
Best wishes.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Q2 Job Market Update
Since my last entry in March we have not seen any changes to the job market. In March there was a sense that the market was getting better. In Q1 we did see more postings and client requests resulting in more interviews for potential hires.
Unfortunately many of these job openings/new hires have not really come to closure. Why is this happening?
Companies have many people to choose from and will see many candidates before deciding on who is best for them. The slow economic/sales growth allows this to happen because for the most part they are able to get by with the human capital already in place. Additionally most people who are on the market don't have many options so they are on the market longer, companies are not at risk of losing a candidate if they don't move quickly. Over time the ideal person is not identified or is lost in the process. Either the process starts over or the company decides to change the specifications thus creating a different job but not filling the orginial opening.
In other cases positions are created and filled but the process takes many weeks from the first interview to recieving an offer. The lack of turn over means more people are interviewing for the same role, a role that one person will recieve.
Unfortunately we don't see a change in the near term. One of two things need to happen - companies (most) need to see a clear increase in demand for products and or services before investing in human capital. OR - Capital markets need to support IPO's which will allow smaller businesses to invest in building their organizations. The Bay Area has many companies looking for the IPO window. Once the window opens and multiple companies go out we will see jobs opening up not only in the growth companies but the companies that support them and the companies that lose people to the new companies.
This summer may be as tough as last summer. If so you will need to work hard at finding your next job. Cross your fingers this is not the case. If we have a slow summer the demand should pick up in the fall and by then we hope to see companies and the capital markets take off.
Please feel free to reach me if you want to talk about your job search and how you can increase your chances of getting hired.
Happy hunting!
Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com
Unfortunately many of these job openings/new hires have not really come to closure. Why is this happening?
Companies have many people to choose from and will see many candidates before deciding on who is best for them. The slow economic/sales growth allows this to happen because for the most part they are able to get by with the human capital already in place. Additionally most people who are on the market don't have many options so they are on the market longer, companies are not at risk of losing a candidate if they don't move quickly. Over time the ideal person is not identified or is lost in the process. Either the process starts over or the company decides to change the specifications thus creating a different job but not filling the orginial opening.
In other cases positions are created and filled but the process takes many weeks from the first interview to recieving an offer. The lack of turn over means more people are interviewing for the same role, a role that one person will recieve.
Unfortunately we don't see a change in the near term. One of two things need to happen - companies (most) need to see a clear increase in demand for products and or services before investing in human capital. OR - Capital markets need to support IPO's which will allow smaller businesses to invest in building their organizations. The Bay Area has many companies looking for the IPO window. Once the window opens and multiple companies go out we will see jobs opening up not only in the growth companies but the companies that support them and the companies that lose people to the new companies.
This summer may be as tough as last summer. If so you will need to work hard at finding your next job. Cross your fingers this is not the case. If we have a slow summer the demand should pick up in the fall and by then we hope to see companies and the capital markets take off.
Please feel free to reach me if you want to talk about your job search and how you can increase your chances of getting hired.
Happy hunting!
Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com
Monday, May 3, 2010
Texts and Tweets and Profiles--Oh My!
From cover stories in Fortune to millions of everyday interactions and conversations, social media and their role in the job search and career transition process seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. Besides the obvious enabling aspects of these tools and their particular strengths and quirks, one persistent question comes up over and over: Do these build stronger relationships or are they more transactional, making us feel that we are building something meaningful that may ultimately be something far less than that.
There is no question that these new tools, when used well and as part of a disciplined approach to transition, are powerful and help the process to move along more smoothly and quickly. They do, however, have the quality of lulling us into thinking that these connections are as real and meaningful as those we have created through face to face meetings and interactions. The reality is that they do not.
We believe that meaningful connections take time to create, requiring a mindful and nurturing approach to building a longer-lasting relationship. Social media allow us to be and feel connected, but they are not designed for, nor do they encourage the building of real relationship. Instead, their use (and overuse) can create a dependency, a laziness, if you will, that actually can inhibit the building of strong relationships. Furthermore, in our experience, it is these deeper relationships that are key to finding and keeping meaningful work.
As many who are searching for meaningful work realize, social media have a powerful and growing place in how we drive the process. We encourage the adept and savvy use of these tools to support and even accelerate a well thought out job search or career change. However, if your plans do not also include a vigorous commitment to “traditional” networking, including regular face-to-face and voice-to-voice connections with old friends and colleagues and new contacts, all the tweets, texts, and well-written profiles will probably not get you where you want to go.
Best wishes.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
From cover stories in Fortune to millions of everyday interactions and conversations, social media and their role in the job search and career transition process seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. Besides the obvious enabling aspects of these tools and their particular strengths and quirks, one persistent question comes up over and over: Do these build stronger relationships or are they more transactional, making us feel that we are building something meaningful that may ultimately be something far less than that.
There is no question that these new tools, when used well and as part of a disciplined approach to transition, are powerful and help the process to move along more smoothly and quickly. They do, however, have the quality of lulling us into thinking that these connections are as real and meaningful as those we have created through face to face meetings and interactions. The reality is that they do not.
We believe that meaningful connections take time to create, requiring a mindful and nurturing approach to building a longer-lasting relationship. Social media allow us to be and feel connected, but they are not designed for, nor do they encourage the building of real relationship. Instead, their use (and overuse) can create a dependency, a laziness, if you will, that actually can inhibit the building of strong relationships. Furthermore, in our experience, it is these deeper relationships that are key to finding and keeping meaningful work.
As many who are searching for meaningful work realize, social media have a powerful and growing place in how we drive the process. We encourage the adept and savvy use of these tools to support and even accelerate a well thought out job search or career change. However, if your plans do not also include a vigorous commitment to “traditional” networking, including regular face-to-face and voice-to-voice connections with old friends and colleagues and new contacts, all the tweets, texts, and well-written profiles will probably not get you where you want to go.
Best wishes.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Networking Tips
Below is a recent e-mail about networking, followed by my response:
Question: Up until now, I have been very successful in my career. Now that I’m between jobs, I find myself shying away from doing what I understand is key to transition, that thing called networking. What can I do to get over this and how can I be more effective in my networking?
Answer: Networking is the way most professionals get re-employed and find meaningful work, and though most know this, many are still reluctant to practice “purposeful” networking. This means developing a disciplined process of connecting with others that is in line with your natural style that you can do with clarity, authenticity and enthusiasm. Here are a few tips:
Develop a brief and compelling elevator pitch that focuses on who you are, what you do, how do you do what you do, and what kind of help you need from the connection.
Follow your curiosity: What is it that you need to know or learn? What advice do you need? What information will help you move forward?
Practice reciprocity: Be in a position to offer your help, ideas, advice, even if this will be given later.
Start with the people you know and move out from there: Everyone who knows you will probably say yes to your request for help and is also likely to have their own interesting set of connections and relationships that you can tap into. Implied here is that you must ask everyone you meet for referrals to other connections.
Develop a disciplined approach: Make networking integral to your transition activities and be sure to continue purposeful networking for the rest of your work life.
Best wishes.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
Below is a recent e-mail about networking, followed by my response:
Question: Up until now, I have been very successful in my career. Now that I’m between jobs, I find myself shying away from doing what I understand is key to transition, that thing called networking. What can I do to get over this and how can I be more effective in my networking?
Answer: Networking is the way most professionals get re-employed and find meaningful work, and though most know this, many are still reluctant to practice “purposeful” networking. This means developing a disciplined process of connecting with others that is in line with your natural style that you can do with clarity, authenticity and enthusiasm. Here are a few tips:
Develop a brief and compelling elevator pitch that focuses on who you are, what you do, how do you do what you do, and what kind of help you need from the connection.
Follow your curiosity: What is it that you need to know or learn? What advice do you need? What information will help you move forward?
Practice reciprocity: Be in a position to offer your help, ideas, advice, even if this will be given later.
Start with the people you know and move out from there: Everyone who knows you will probably say yes to your request for help and is also likely to have their own interesting set of connections and relationships that you can tap into. Implied here is that you must ask everyone you meet for referrals to other connections.
Develop a disciplined approach: Make networking integral to your transition activities and be sure to continue purposeful networking for the rest of your work life.
Best wishes.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
Friday, April 2, 2010
Whining Your Way to a Meaningful Job Search
I recently facilitated a job search strategy session for a group of 15 mid and senior level professionals and managers. It began with a great deal of complaint about how bad the job market is and how it’s probably going to stay that way for the foreseeable future. After a fair amount of ranting, a couple of participants commented that the “whining” was counterproductive, as well as being annoying to listen to. Once that was acknowledged the whining shifted to a whole other level: Even when I get my next job, it will probably not be what I really want . . . it might pay less . . . it might not be a long commute . . . and so on.
Before long the whole group realized that the energy they were expending in whining was feeble and a-not-very-effective way to connect to what they hoped their next job or career would be like. So, we began to discuss how their whining was distracting them from their efforts to express their values, their desires, and what they really wanted. This lead to a discussion about how they needed to reframe their story from a lament (I hope I get something . . .) and a complaint (I’ll take anything at this point . . .) to a coherent and authentic statement of what is important (This is who I am . . . , what I can do . . ., what I want . . .) and then make necessary adjustments and compromises from there.
They began to see that experiencing the job market as a victim (and hence the continuous whining, as in, ”Why don’t they ever return my calls?”) was counterproductive and started to recognize that a more powerful stance was to see themselves as co-creators of their future. For some people in the room, this was a relatively easy shift—they saw that their previous way was ineffective and, being pragmatic, they could justify making a change; others were at a stage of readiness to hear a new message and were open to considering that there are other ways to conduct their job search. Nearly half the group, however, stayed stuck in their whining and being a victim, and even though many examples were offered to contradict their positions, many became louder and more adamant in their whining.
The bottom line is that each of us always has choice in the matter of how we look for work or change our careers. We can do it the way we always have done it, and “hope for the best,” whining all the way. Or we can step back and look for new options and possibilities, and choose a different path to achieving our goals. By the way, when the session ended, most were still whining as they left the room.
Best wishes.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
I recently facilitated a job search strategy session for a group of 15 mid and senior level professionals and managers. It began with a great deal of complaint about how bad the job market is and how it’s probably going to stay that way for the foreseeable future. After a fair amount of ranting, a couple of participants commented that the “whining” was counterproductive, as well as being annoying to listen to. Once that was acknowledged the whining shifted to a whole other level: Even when I get my next job, it will probably not be what I really want . . . it might pay less . . . it might not be a long commute . . . and so on.
Before long the whole group realized that the energy they were expending in whining was feeble and a-not-very-effective way to connect to what they hoped their next job or career would be like. So, we began to discuss how their whining was distracting them from their efforts to express their values, their desires, and what they really wanted. This lead to a discussion about how they needed to reframe their story from a lament (I hope I get something . . .) and a complaint (I’ll take anything at this point . . .) to a coherent and authentic statement of what is important (This is who I am . . . , what I can do . . ., what I want . . .) and then make necessary adjustments and compromises from there.
They began to see that experiencing the job market as a victim (and hence the continuous whining, as in, ”Why don’t they ever return my calls?”) was counterproductive and started to recognize that a more powerful stance was to see themselves as co-creators of their future. For some people in the room, this was a relatively easy shift—they saw that their previous way was ineffective and, being pragmatic, they could justify making a change; others were at a stage of readiness to hear a new message and were open to considering that there are other ways to conduct their job search. Nearly half the group, however, stayed stuck in their whining and being a victim, and even though many examples were offered to contradict their positions, many became louder and more adamant in their whining.
The bottom line is that each of us always has choice in the matter of how we look for work or change our careers. We can do it the way we always have done it, and “hope for the best,” whining all the way. Or we can step back and look for new options and possibilities, and choose a different path to achieving our goals. By the way, when the session ended, most were still whining as they left the room.
Best wishes.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Q1 Job Market Update
Do you hear the job market is getting better? I read a Mercury news artical that CEO's plan to hire more than fire in 2010 (http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_14507315?IADID). That is a good sign! But it is all talk at this point, we like to see action. We need companies to pull the trigger on making hires rather than just say they are going to hire.
From last summer to December we were at a all time low in terms of job opportunities/search work. The market has picked up from that point, I tell people when you are at or near zero it only takes one or two things to creat significant growth. We have that going on right now in terms of jobs to talk about (search work is up >25% from December). We have seen an increase in our temporary work force as well. We hope this continues and companies start hiring the people they interview not just interview and find a way not to make a hire.
If you are wondering what industries to target I suggest looking at where the Venture Capital money is going. As I have mentioned in previous blogs The PWC Money Tree is a good resource (https://www.pwcmoneytree.com). The Bay Area leads the country in terms of raising capital for new companies. Last quarter more than 34% went to Bio-tech and Medical Device, more than 19% to Software,11% went to industrial/energy and nearly 9% went to media and entertainment. When doing search industry background is important to employers, if you have an opportunity to jump into one of these industries your market value increases. If you are not in one of these industries we can provide guidance on how to break into them.
Next quarter I hope to report a better employment market with hard evidence that we are moving in the right direction. If you have questions or like to talk about your employment search please call or send me an email.
Happy hunting!
Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com
From last summer to December we were at a all time low in terms of job opportunities/search work. The market has picked up from that point, I tell people when you are at or near zero it only takes one or two things to creat significant growth. We have that going on right now in terms of jobs to talk about (search work is up >25% from December). We have seen an increase in our temporary work force as well. We hope this continues and companies start hiring the people they interview not just interview and find a way not to make a hire.
If you are wondering what industries to target I suggest looking at where the Venture Capital money is going. As I have mentioned in previous blogs The PWC Money Tree is a good resource (https://www.pwcmoneytree.com). The Bay Area leads the country in terms of raising capital for new companies. Last quarter more than 34% went to Bio-tech and Medical Device, more than 19% to Software,11% went to industrial/energy and nearly 9% went to media and entertainment. When doing search industry background is important to employers, if you have an opportunity to jump into one of these industries your market value increases. If you are not in one of these industries we can provide guidance on how to break into them.
Next quarter I hope to report a better employment market with hard evidence that we are moving in the right direction. If you have questions or like to talk about your employment search please call or send me an email.
Happy hunting!
Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com
Monday, December 7, 2009
Creating a Great 2010 and Beyond
Time magazine’s cover story of December 7, 2009 cover labeled the years 2000 to 2009 as “The Decade from Hell,” noting that:
“Bookended by 9/11 at the start and a financial wipeout at the end, the first 10 years of this century will very likely go down as the most dispiriting and disillusioning decade Americans have lived through in the post-World War II era. Call it the Decade from Hell, or the Reckoning, or the Decade of Broken Dreams, or the Lost Decade. Call it whatever you want—just give thanks that it is nearly over.”
Regardless of how your recent past has been, I’d like to suggest the following six commitments as the keys for achieving your goals in the years ahead:
1. Be Responsible
While this may be obvious, taking responsibility for our work lives is harder than it sounds. It begins with the recognition that we always have choices and it also reminds us to focus energy and attention on those things and actions over which we have control.
2. Stay Relaxed and Alert
Anyone who does an activity requiring hand and eye coordination will recognize how important this is to achieving excellent results. It also means developing a pace that honors the best interplay between important and urgent. And finally, as we work toward our goals, it is critical to stop and rest when needed.
3. Keep Your Goals Focused and Diffused
As important as it is to be focused, it’s also important to see that there is always more than one way to achieve our goals. Not only does this help us to be more creative when confronting inevitable barriers and challenges, but it also allows us to recognize that what’s right in front of us is often prelude to what’s ahead on our path.
4. Trust the Process
The journey toward our goals is best fueled by a disciplined approach to the process. Through focused attention on small and specific steps, a momentum is created that carries us forward. Furthermore, as we open ourselves to the process, we build our capacity to create elegant solutions for getting unstuck.
5. Keep Your Sense of Humor
The capacity to laugh as we work toward our goals allows us to experience joy along the way. It is recommended to have at least several good laughs a day, with one or more of those being a hearty laugh at ourselves, thereby keeping our sense of self-importance in check.
6. Allow for Moments of Inspiration and Awe
Taking time in our day for silence, meditation, or prayer allows us to become grounded in what’s ultimately most important, giving us an opportunity to experience our sense of the “bigger picture.” And, finally, stay open to those moments of grace and beauty that are around us all the time.
With these commitments firmly in hand, best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2010 and beyond.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
Time magazine’s cover story of December 7, 2009 cover labeled the years 2000 to 2009 as “The Decade from Hell,” noting that:
“Bookended by 9/11 at the start and a financial wipeout at the end, the first 10 years of this century will very likely go down as the most dispiriting and disillusioning decade Americans have lived through in the post-World War II era. Call it the Decade from Hell, or the Reckoning, or the Decade of Broken Dreams, or the Lost Decade. Call it whatever you want—just give thanks that it is nearly over.”
Regardless of how your recent past has been, I’d like to suggest the following six commitments as the keys for achieving your goals in the years ahead:
1. Be Responsible
While this may be obvious, taking responsibility for our work lives is harder than it sounds. It begins with the recognition that we always have choices and it also reminds us to focus energy and attention on those things and actions over which we have control.
2. Stay Relaxed and Alert
Anyone who does an activity requiring hand and eye coordination will recognize how important this is to achieving excellent results. It also means developing a pace that honors the best interplay between important and urgent. And finally, as we work toward our goals, it is critical to stop and rest when needed.
3. Keep Your Goals Focused and Diffused
As important as it is to be focused, it’s also important to see that there is always more than one way to achieve our goals. Not only does this help us to be more creative when confronting inevitable barriers and challenges, but it also allows us to recognize that what’s right in front of us is often prelude to what’s ahead on our path.
4. Trust the Process
The journey toward our goals is best fueled by a disciplined approach to the process. Through focused attention on small and specific steps, a momentum is created that carries us forward. Furthermore, as we open ourselves to the process, we build our capacity to create elegant solutions for getting unstuck.
5. Keep Your Sense of Humor
The capacity to laugh as we work toward our goals allows us to experience joy along the way. It is recommended to have at least several good laughs a day, with one or more of those being a hearty laugh at ourselves, thereby keeping our sense of self-importance in check.
6. Allow for Moments of Inspiration and Awe
Taking time in our day for silence, meditation, or prayer allows us to become grounded in what’s ultimately most important, giving us an opportunity to experience our sense of the “bigger picture.” And, finally, stay open to those moments of grace and beauty that are around us all the time.
With these commitments firmly in hand, best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2010 and beyond.
Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com
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