Cover Letter Suggestion (Make it a Love Letter)

In working with one of my career coaching clients on their cover letter, I made the analogy that a cover letter is like an early-stage love letter (back in the day when I presume they were more common).

The objective of both a cover letter and a love letter is to communicate similar points:

1. You're interested in them and want them to consider you as a candidate
2. You have a lot to offer and would be a good match
3. They should contact you for a date/interview to learn more
   

While I've never created a cover letter this way before, it would be an interesting and creative approach to the dreaded task of writing a cover letter. Here's the format:

Quick introduction -

• We met at John's party on Friday night and your bright orange top caught my eye. / I saw your posting on Monster.com and have heard great things about your company.

Why you're interested -

• You seemed like a very interesting and fun person to get to know better. / From what I've read about Acme, you're working with some interesting cutting edge technologies.

Your strengths, accomplishments, and your unique value compared to other candidates (emphasis should be on the things that will appeal most to them) -

• I'm an accomplished road-biker, financially and emotionally stable, loyal, caring, supportive, and have been promoted twice in the last year in a prestigious consulting firm. / I'm exceptionally good at researching complex problems, working in teams, and staying on-task (last year, as Project Manager, my 5 primary projects came in early and under budget).

Flatter them by sharing what you think makes them special -

• Your smile is like a breath of spring, your voice is soft like summer rain./ Your CEO is a thought-leader, your client list is impressive, and your e-commerce strategy is second to none.

Explain why you'd be a good match -

• It seems like we share a common interest in athletic activities and would have fun together. / I concentrated in nanotech during undergrad and am a strong proponent in using it in the health sector.

Why you'd make their life better -

• I will make you laugh every day. / I will make your clients happy through exceptional project management.

Show them you're passionate and serious about them; ask for what you want -

• I have always been attracted to independent and dynamic women and I would love for you to accompany me to the next cotillion. / Ever since I was young, I've wanted to use technology to help people; I share Acme's vision and would be motivated to be a member of your team.

Remember to steer away from controversial or sensitive information up front and make sure they know how to get in touch with you.

Also, since they're a great prospect (naturally, you treat every one as a great prospect), and you're persistent, you should mention that you look forward to hearing from them and will be following up in a week if you haven't heard from them.

This love letter approach just might work... Oh, New Job, New Job, wherefore art thou, New Job?

Your Would-Be Employee...

If you were in charge of building a team, who would you rather hire?

• A thinker (who lacks follow-through) vs. A hard worker (who lacks intellectual muscle)

• Someone who produces mediocre, yet consistent, work vs. Someone who is inconsistent but will hit homeruns

• A high performer who will leave in 1-2 yrs vs. An average employee who will grow within the organization

• Someone who follows direction (but is quiet and deferential) vs. Someone who challenges everything (strongly opinionated and loud)

• Will break a few eggs to get ahead vs. Not motivated to grow professionally

• A risk-taker who tries new things (but makes mistakes) vs. Someone who sits on their hands and is risk-averse

• Someone who gets things done (but steps on toes) vs. A consensus-based team-builder (but doesn't do any heavy-lifting)

• A disciplined optimizer vs. A creative inventor

• Someone who wants to climb the ladder quickly (go-getter) vs. Someone for whom work is not their first priority (9-5'er)

• A perfectionist, but takes too long to complete a task vs. Someone who does "good-enough" work on-time, but it lacks polish
  

Take a second to write down your responses.

Go through the list a second time. What kind of worker are you?

Comparing the list of who you'd hire to yourself, do you look for people who are different or similar to you?

***

While there are no "right" answers for what to look for in a new employee, there are 2 critical factors to consider when determining a match: the work itself, and the team.

1. The work itself
- What characteristics would be important for the job description?
- What traits are valuable to the industry or type of business?
- What is important for the strategy and direction of the organization?

2. The team
- What characteristics will round out the team (in terms of strengths and weaknesses)?
- Can they help bolster your own challenges as a boss?
- Will they fit into your corporate/team culture?

Thoughts? Opinions? Experiences? Leave a comment...

LinkedIn

If you're looking for a new job or to change careers, hopefully you've heard of LinkedIn (if you haven't I strongly suggest checking it out!). LinkedIn is a great way to expand your network and find contacts that might be able to give you a great informational interview or possibly get you a job.

From a NY Times article (on 8/13), "The Social Network as a Career Safety Net":

While it lacks the glamour of more popular sites like MySpace and Facebook, LinkedIn “is the place to be,” said the JupiterResearch media analyst Barry Parr, if you want to make professional contacts online. LinkedIn is a “Chamber of Commerce mixer,” he said.

LinkedIn has more than 25 million members, and it is adding new ones at the rate of 1.2 million a month — or about one new networker every two seconds.

According to the article, one of the ways to find valuable connections (or to become a valuable connection or candidate yourself) is to ask for recommendations to build your credibility and your profile.

“The only way to get recommendations is to go out and ask for it,” Mr. So said. “It’s kind of a weird system. I typically go to my bosses and peers and say, ‘Do you mind?’ ”

The flipside of that system is that it behooves you to be generous. Jeremiah K. Owyang, senior analyst at Forrester Research, has watched the growth of online social media since 2005 and advises social-networking users to follow an 80-20 rule. “Give information and answer questions 80 percent of the time, and 20 percent of the time ask for help,” he said.

When a contact asks for a recommendation, write it graciously and promptly. If you think that person isn’t worth a recommendation, think again about being connected to that person.

Great suggestion. Here's a deal - starting September 10 (when I get back from vacation), if you're interested in a recommendation, I'll be happy to write one (provided we've worked together or I've seen you in action). Make sure to find me on LinkedIn.

______

Here's another suggestion I came across regarding LinkedIn that I thought was helpful (by way of a Networked Recruiter newsletter):

Bypass Needing LinkedIn Connections and Use a X-ray Search:

• Search inside a site with a simple but powerful formula via Google.
  
• Try it on linkedin, here is an example. site:Linkedin.com (developer and C#)

• 
  

This could help both job seekers and employers. I haven't tried it yet, so if it works for you, please let me know in the comments!

Marketing Your Professional Story Via Your Resume

From Guest Blogger Annabelle Reitman Ed.D. (bio below):

As an overachiever, you have a variety of accomplishments, experiences, skills and other information that can be included in a resume. What to incorporate? What should be omitted and filed away for a future job search? With your outstanding and interesting background, rich in many examples to illustrate your qualifications, the dilemma is selecting the best and most relevant information.

Keep in mind that first and foremost, a resume is your most important marketing tool. The primary purpose of a resume is providing your credibility as the most qualified candidate to accomplish the job, thus enabling you to make the cut for the first round of interviews. Furthermore, your professional story needs to truly reflects your authenticity, individuality and style – that you feel ownership of the resume. The objective is to have the reader come to know you as a real, multidimensional, and highly competent person.

Creating Your Professional Niche
A professional niche is a customized bundling of selective skills, knowledge, experiences and accomplishments – in essence – the summary of your professional story. Its purpose is to engage the reader from the first sentence of your resume and sustain it so that the details are read.

How do you create a focused and targeted summary statement? How do you choose from the array of your qualifications? Putting it all together into a professional niche or package requires first thinking of the position or consulting assignment that you desire. Then match the strongest parts of your background to the requirements of the position or consulting assignment and the organization’s needs.

The steps to pinpointing and assessing strengths for a particular work opportunity are listing the following items:

1. Your work content competencies- skills and knowledge related to a specific profession, field, or industry. They incorporate a specialized vocabulary and subject matter required for working in a particular occupation.
2. Your transferable skills – set in a broad range of work functions. The most widely used are: administration/management, communications, design/planning, human relations, information management, operations, and research/analysis.
3. Your work and personal experiences and achievements from within the last five years – brief concise statements of successes gained through paid and volunteer work. This information establishes credibility and demonstrates competencies and expertise.
4. Review and select no more than five work content skills and five transferable skills listed in priority order.
5. Chose seven to ten achievements that support the information listed in #4. An achievement can illustrate more than one skill or competency. Describe in no more than five bulleted sentences.
6. Write your professional niche descriptive statement. Integrate information generated in steps #4 & #5, selecting items that most clearly markets you and says you are the best match.
7. Ask some people to read the paragraph. How does it sound? Does it convey the present professional story that you want to tell? Will it engage a prospective employer? Edit as necessary.

A professional niche statement is the summary of a resume – the intro to your professional story. All the information that follows, illustrates that you can do what you said you are capable of doing.

Annabelle Reitman Ed.D. Career Management Consultant & Writer - Specializes in a) resume development targeting clients’ individualized professional stories, and b) short-term coaching for clients in career/professional transitions and changes. In addition to online and print publications, books authored include Career Moves: Take Charge of Your Training Career Now! (ASTD Press 2006) and High Level Resumes (Career Press 2005). She can be reached @ anreitman@verizon.net

What Do You Want From Your Career?

I've always admired those people who know what they want in life and in their career. It seems so easy - they'll say "I want to be a _______" and then through a lot of hard work they achieve their goals and reach success. There are a few varieties that probably sound familiar:

The "Always Known"
These are the artists, musicians, inventors, writers, etc. who have "always known." For as long as they can remember, they've really enjoyed doing their trade and wanted to use their talents and would be forever happy if they could be immersed in these industries. I think this group is especially lucky because they rarely second-guess themselves about their future goals and allows them to assume that they'll be outside of the mainstream anyway and should just make up their path as they go along.

The "Long-Hauler"
The people in this category typically pursue a well-defined path, with a strong commitment to a long-term timeline in the hopes of attaining a high-level position. They might not say it outright, but you know that they're looking to be a VP, partner, tenured professor, chief cardiologist, CEO, etc. For most "long-haulers," this decision was made during or after college - either to pursue a professional path or to immerse themselves in a given industry. In some cases this decision was made arbitrarily, but their dedication to the track (whether out of stubbornness or enjoyment) still shows that they know what they want and are pursuing it whole-heartedly.

The "Career Changer"
This is the category that has gone through the wringer - they've had to clarify what they know they want, what they don't want, and then have the courage to make the leap. It might be the computer programmer who goes into musical theater, the middle-aged manager who decides to start a non-profit, or a recent Harvard grad who becomes a car mechanic. Not all career changes are that dramatic and anyone who has made a leap from one job/career to another knows how important it is to clarify their intended future direction.

In all 3 categories, their drive and motivation to excel come from their underlying desire to achieve their goals. This sense of purpose allows them to stay focused and achieve greater success.

But what if you don't know what you want? Chances are, you're probably in the majority who doesn't. Maybe you're sticking it out in a given job because you don't see many compelling alternatives. Or maybe you just haven't found anything that would excite you professionally.

What happens if we don't know what we want? Logically, if we can't clarify what we're looking for then it will be very difficult to get there. From Alice In Wonderland:

Alice: Oh, no, no. I was just wondering if you could help me find my way.
Cheshire Cat: Well that depends on where you want to get to.
Alice: Oh, it really doesn't matter, as long as...
Cheshire Cat: Then it really doesn't matter which way you go.

As we begin to think about what we really want, we must ask ourselves some "serious" questions and be prepared to invest in reflection and introspection. To get the ball rolling, grab a pen and complete the following sentences (be specific!):

• At this moment, I would like a job that _________

• I'd like a career or job that gives me _________

• In my professional life, I find meaning and fulfillment in ___________

• In 5 years, I'd like to be __________

This is just scratching the surface, but figuring out what you want is the first (and most difficult) step towards a fulfilling career. If you'd like to explore these questions with a bit more guidance and structure, you might consider coaching.

Check out my career coaching services at www.overachievercoach.com or email at leeknight@overachiever.com and discover what you REALLY want and then take action to get there!

Indexed: Wisdom in Math Form

Thoughts and insight drawn mathematically on index cards...I love it! Jessica Hagy brings us wisdom, perspective, humor, and insight on a 3x5 canvas. Check out her Change This manifesto, "Indexing a Career: A Career Path in Pictures"

Also, be sure to check out her blog Indexed. Definitely check out the site...there are a lot of funny ones on different topics. Here are some good ones that relate to career, success, and development:





I haven't read her book "Indexed" yet, but I'd definitely endorse if from what I've seen from her so far. Funny, insightful, and mathematical - thanks, Jessica!

• What wisdom would you put on a 3x5 index card?

Career Workshop: This Saturday (2/16)

Overachiever Coach is hosting a Career Workshop in the DC area this Saturday!

It's only $15 (which is a steal for coaching services!) and you'll get a great session to help you figure out what you want from your career - - whether it's getting more from your current job, changing jobs in the same industry, or thinking about a completely new direction:

Whether you want to get more out of your current career, change careers, or figure out what would make you happier, join us as we explore your skills and interests to get back in touch with what brings meaning to your professional life. Create an action plan for moving boldly toward what you want in both the short- and long-term.

For more information or to sign up online, check out my Overachiever Coach Workshop Schedule.

If you have friends who have been struggling with figuring out their career, please point them to my website (www.overachievercoach.com) or have them email me directly (leeknight@overachievercoach.com).

You can help them be happier and make the most of their career!

Careers: Women on Wall Street

My guest blogger JLB had a link to this NY Times article, "Wall Street's Women Face a Fork in the Road," from August 2006 that was an interesting read (although a bit long for my taste). It talks about women and Wall Street- some want to get back into the financial world after taking a break, some who are in it want to explore other opportunities mid-career, MBAs have reservations in working 80 hr weeks, and work-life balance has become an overall area focus in recent times.

Here are some highlights from the article:

WOMEN’S aversion to intersecting with Wall Street appears to be mounting: Generation Y, also dubbed the “Millennials,” say they value balance more than financial security, suggesting fewer will gravitate to the cutthroat environs of the Street. Bank executives say fewer female M.B.A.’s are choosing careers on the Street, and the banks also say they have had limited success stanching the flow of women who leave midcareer.
***
...current female undergraduate and graduate students at top universities express hope that Wall Street will be both a manageable place to work and a melting pot. But those two characteristics do not describe the reality behind the largely 24/7, white male environs of the world’s financial capital. “It’s not looking that great for the investment banks if you think that the new generation is interested in social responsibility, high ethical standards and work-life balance...
***
Investment banks and brokerage firms typically lose women when they are in their 30’s, executives say. Expected to ramp up to reach coveted managing director jobs, many women feel that midlevel jobs offer them little while demanding a lot. Pulled to have children and pushed by a less-than-rewarding workplace and often uninspired midlevel management, they leave.
***

Generation Y cares less about money if it comes at too high a price, throwing a wrench into Wall Street’s past assurance that it could demand cultlike devotion from employees in return for fatter paychecks than any other profession.

***

“It’s hard to work for four years, go to business school, spend three years slaving away in an investment bank or consulting firm and then try to leave to start a family,” said Thomas Caleel, director of admissions and financial aid at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. “They haven’t achieved the seniority they need at that point.”

***
Women are not the only ones seeking balance, either. Students and executives say that men — the bedrock of the Street’s work force —are also increasingly shunning 80-hour workweeks, even if they love and are devoted to banking careers.

I can't speak about being a woman on Wall Street, but I do know that many men and women in my generation are increasingly interested in having a fulfilling career that allows them to live more well-rounded lives.

Once we get to our late 20s-early 30s, living "a good life" becomes much more important. We begin to think about our future and what we want it to look like; we look at our lives and see the things that we have sacrificed so far, with the realization that the clock is ticking and 2 years can quickly turn to 10 if we're not intentional with our life choices.

Happiness, balance, relationships, health, etc. are more compelling than 80 hr workweeks or jobs that aren't a perfect match. As young, educated professionals, we believe that it's important to work, make money, and have a career, but it shouldn't come at the expense of living life.

There will always be people willing to accept intense careers and singularly-focused lives, but I think those overall numbers are dropping. The companies and industries that will succeed are those who can recognize this trend and respond accordingly.

Lead With Your Strengths

I just finished an interesting (and quick) read – “Now, Discover Your Strengths”, by Marcus Buckingham. The premise of the book is that you will be most successful in your career and life if you are able to use your natural strengths regularly.

Most companies and individuals (especially overachievers like us!) focus on addressing “weaknesses” in an effort to bolster performance. Time, money, and energy are spent to improve ourselves through training and personal development, but with very little return in performance.

The basis for the book was research done by The Gallup Organization where they surveyed 198,000 employees and asked them this question:

“At work do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?”

Not surprisingly, few said yes - 20% globally and 40% in the US. As part of their research, they discovered that top performing companies are those that are best able to assess their employees strengths and then match them to the appropriate job or role.

As individuals, we spend much more time focusing on our weaknesses that we usually have a good handle on what those are. But our strengths are more of a mystery, and far more interesting. As part of “Now, Discover Your Strengths”, the reader is able to use the online StrengthsFinder diagnostic (the book gives you an access code), to see which of the 34 themes (strengths) he/she possesses. The exercise is similar to the Myer’s Briggs, but the book takes it one step further by explaining how people of each trait like to be managed (since good managers know that each person is different!). The important thing here is to use your strengths in what you do everyday. You’ll be happier, more fulfilled, and be more successful with less effort.

My top 5 themes/strengths are: Futuristic, Ideation, Relator, Significance, Strategic

Based on the premise of the book, I’ll be successful if I can match these strengths to a career. Interestingly, my previous career as a Strategic Planner and my current path as an Entrepreneur are both well-suited to my strengths.

• Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?
• What are your strengths?

It’s worth buying the book just to access the StrengthsFinder test. There are other related books that also have the code for the online test, the most recent one being Strengths Finder 2.0, which is basically an update of the book I read. It's definitely an interesting way to learn more about yourself, particularly when thinking about your career.

Test-drive a Career: Vocation Vacations

A company called Vocation Vacations lets you shadow a professional in a field of your choice, see what goes on behind the scenes, and even get your hands dirty for about a week (or more). Their programs include brewmaster, actor, dude rancher, chef, meteorologist, record producer, veterinarian, wine sommelier, and many others! See all their available programs here.

This seems like an awesome idea that lets you sample a career for a week or two. It sounds like a good option for overachievers who are either curious about a new profession or just want to take an interesting vacation and learn something at the same time.

As a sidenote, if you’re thinking about changing jobs or careers, I would recommend the book “What Color is Your Parachute?,” by Nelson Bolles. It’s the most popular career-change book that’s been published and a great starting point with exercises to help you through the process. Or you could also hire me to help you! We all know you can do it on your own, but there’s nothing like a “personal trainer” to give you guidance, keep you on task, and make sure it’s a priority.

• Anyone out there thinking about a change in job or career?