Hank London's Blog

There are lots of good resources for job seekers, but there are few as useful as industry specific directories.  For almost any professional endeavor these publications reveal vast amounts of useful information for job seekers and others already working in those fields.  Most industry specific directories are published at least annually, and some are updated periodically online at regular intervals.

In addition to basic information like company names and addresses, you will often find contact names of department managers, the business owners and the corporate hierarchy.  Of course you’ll find phone numbers and email addresses, as well as details about specialties, products and services.

The real value of these directories isn’t just the contact info, but the background details on what the companies do so applicants can apply for work where their skills will be most applicable and they can feel most appreciated for their relevant experience.   Understanding where your skills can best be put to use can make for a more fulfilling and engaging employment situation.

Some of this information is available online, but if you want to get your hands on an actual physical directory, you may need to either buy one, or contact your local public library to see if they have a copy.   If your local or regional library has a business resources or job search department, they might have an assortment of directories.  Give them a call to see if they have the directories most closely associated with your field.  If you’re really lucky, there may be more than one directory for your industry, giving you the opportunity to uncover that much more info related to your job search.

You many discover that some directories have moved entirely online.  If that’s the case, you may have to register to use them or buy a subscription to access the deeper recesses of their data and contents.  However, your library may already have subscriptions to the directories, so ask if they can perform a search for you.

Directories are typically organized by a number of categories, including geographic location.  Start your search in a particular State, then identify companies within a particular region or county, then target companies within your industry of interest in the closest areas to where you want to work.

A cursory search of the term “industry specific directories” in Google netted this list from the New York Public Library.  A wide array of industries are represented in this incomplete list, but you should be able to find at least one directory in each of these professional categories.

• Accounting
• Advertising
• Aerospace
• Air Lines
• Apparel
• Architecture
• Armed Forces
• Audio/Video
• Automotive
• Banking
• Beverages
• Biotechnology
• Broadcasting
• Brokers
• Building
• Careers
• Chemical Engineering
• Chemicals
• Clothing
• Computers
• Construction
• Consulting
• Cosmetics
• Education
• Electronics
• Energy
• Engineering
• Environment
• Environmental Engineering
• Export
• Fashion
• Film/TV/Radio/Theater
• Financial
• Financial Aid
• Food
• Foundations/Non-Profit Organizations
• Franchise
• Furniture
• Gasoline
• Government
• Graphic Arts
• Green Products/organics
• Hardware
• Health/Health Care
• Horticulture
• Hospitals
• Hotels
• House Furnishings
• Human Resources
• Import
• Information Management
• Insurance
• Internet
• Internships
• Investments
• Iron
• Lab Supplies
• Labor
• Lasers
• Law
• Leasing
• Leather
• Licensing
• Loan
• Lumber
• Mail Order
• Marketing
• Media
• Medical Supplies
• Medicine/Drug/
• Physicians
• Metals
• Minerals
• Mining
• Modeling/Advertising
• Music
• Nuclear Industry
• Office Equipment
• Oil
• Optics
• Outsourcing
• Paper
• Pensions
• Petrochemicals
• Petroleum
• Pharmaceuticals
• Photography
• Plastics
• Produce
• Public Affairs
• Public Relations
• Publishing
• Pulp
• Real Estate
• Recycling
• Restaurants
• Retail Stores
• Rubber
• Scholarships
• Securities
• Security
• Shipping
• Shoes
• Small Biz Investment
• Software
• Sports
• Steel
• Telecommunications
• Textiles
• Tobacco
• Trade Shows
• Transportation
• Travel
• Utilities
• Venture Capital
• Warehouse/Distribution/Storage
• Wholesalers/Export/Import
• Wood

Keep in mind that using industry directories to source companies and personnel for job solicitation is not an uncommon practice, and they have been used by job seekers for a long time.  In some fields the directories are the primary resource for ID’ing companies to target and finding the names of potential contacts.  As a result, it is important that you are able to distinguish yourself from other applicants.

Before contacting anyone, learn as much as you can about the particular businesses you want to target, about their products and services, and their leadership personnel.  Then figure out a way to emphasize the how and why you believe you and your strengths are a match to the target company’s needs. Create tight PAR (P(roblem) A(ction) R(esult)) statements extolling your professional attributes and experience.  Use language that you can easily verbalize in relevant conversation, as well as plug into resumes and cover letters to convey the value you’ll bring.

Whether you access industry specific directories at a public library, a bookstore, via the internet or from your smart phone doesn’t matter.  These resources can point you in the right direction of potential employment situations where you will feel like you can make an important contribution.  Having positive feelings about where you apply makes you a more attractive candidate and a more engaged employee.  And that’s what the employer really wants.

For more ideas about finding good job leads and other job search and career development topics, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

It is not uncommon for adults to take pride in their personal histories and the experiences that have shaped them into who they are at this point in their lives. Our accomplishments and the goals we have attained empower us to continue our careers, try things in new and different ways and continue to grow.  But do all of our past accomplishments remain relevant in a new job search, or are we holding on to yesterday a little too tightly?

If you’re presently looking for work and have been around the block a few times, there’s a good chance that your resume has some details that could probably fall by the wayside.  Yet some job seekers insist on displaying functions and/or positions performed a very long time ago that are no longer relevant to their current employment objectives.  To a new prospective boss, this could project a picture of career stagnation rather than one of career development and growth. Older stops along a career path might also conflict with the needs of future employer.

There is really nothing wrong with having pride in your work history and your past accomplishments!  The problem lies in how job seekers list their work histories without demonstrating concrete relevance to today’s efforts. Yes, you wouldn’t be where you are today without that history, but most employers today aren’t interested in what you did a long time ago, even if the historic details are the basis for your current job search.

I believe that maintaining a full work history is important for providing perspective of how you got to where you are now. But most of the time that unabridged work history should be for your own use, and not be the document shared with employers.  Yes, some of the training, positions or promotions you’ve had might help you focus on the most important aspects of your history as a reminder of what to emphasize to a prospective employer.  But if the information is over ten or 15 years old, chances are that little remains worthy of staying on your resume, and the older content will hold little interest to your next employer.

Even if you’ve been working for the same company for 20 years and are seeking another internal promotion, keeping all the details of long ago doesn’t say much about what you can do now, and that should be the real focus of your current resume. Many of the historical facts that are showing grey hairs on your resume might serve you better when mentioned in an interview or in a cover letter, to briefly remind an employer/interviewer that you do have the necessary background and experience to fulfill their needs.

Not surprisingly, those with the longest careers, particularly those who have been in the same industry or with the same company a very long time, are the job seekers who hold on to yesterday the tightest.  Whether out of fear of forgetting an important detail from their past, or maintaining pride in their experiences and accomplishments, there is this need to hold the reins of their past as tightly and show off too many details from their golden age.

So if you’ve got a long work history, and need to tighten-up the content of your resume, keep these things in mind:

Limit details to the last 10-15 years.

If your background includes currently relevant details that occurred over 10 years ago, briefly mention them in your cover letter or hold them for discussion in your interview.

Focus accomplishments on the skills and experiences most needed by the companies where you hope to be hired.

Try to convey that you learned something new and relevant within the last couple of years.

Demonstrate the relevance of your ongoing professional development.

Catch up on relevant industry and trade news, and maybe participate in professional online forums and chat rooms; learn about current trends and technologies that are impacting your industry and prospective employers.

Your past is important. And it does have its place in your future.  But your resume needs to be about what you can do for an employer now; it’s not merely about you.  Holding on to yesterday has its value in retaining an understanding of who we are and what we’ve done.  Just loosen up that grip on the long-ago past and display more of the recent history that an employer needs to see.  Your job search will benefit from the change in perspective.

When you are out of work, control isn’t something you generally feel.  But when you’re looking for work, you have more control than you may think!  There are many aspects to the job search where you, the job seeker, are in control.  And while you may need to exercise caution and respect exerting that control, there are times when the power is in your hands, and I’m here to encourage you to use this control to your fullest advantage.

One area that job seekers forget they can exhibit a bit more control is over the timing of your interview appointments.  Don’t be intimidated to accept the first time slot the scheduler offers you.  If you know you are not at your best at 8:30 on a Monday, don’t accept that as a time to meet with a prospective employer. Suggest an alternate time that works better for you.  Better still, offer your availability for multiple time slots to demonstrate that you are very interested in attending that interview. But be careful not to be too contrary.  Don’t say, “That time won’t work for me” more than once, or both your credibility and interest in employment with that company will be questioned. Be respectful and sensitive to the interviewer’s needs to manage her time, but be honest with yourself about what works best for you.

You also have control over the timing of preliminary phone conversations.  If an employer or recruiter calls you at an inopportune time, don’t hesitate to ask if you can call them back in a few minutes when the environment is more within your control.  You don’t want to take a call from a prospective employer when you’re in a noisy or crowded space with no privacy.  At the very least, excuse yourself temporarily from your surroundings and find a quieter place where you can think and talk clearly.  And if that’s not possible, ask the employer if you can schedule a call-back at a time that works better for you.  Just don’t put it off too long!

Do you want to personally connect with a decision maker at a particular company? Of course you do!  But don’t just wait for your resume to be seen, or your phone calls to be returned.  Put yourself in control by doing all the research it takes to uncover that person’s name, then find out where you can meet this person face to face.  Not stalking!  But maybe you can find out what kind of events they attend (industry related or not!), or find out their favorite watering hole.  Be respectful and polite, but take control to put yourself in front of that person and introduce yourself.

You are in control of where you apply for work, and the impressions you make on the recruiters, HR personnel, employers and potential coworkers.  Treat them all with respect, be attentive to what they say, and get the most from your interactions, including acquiring direct contact and social/professional networking information.  You are in control and responsible for building the connections and broadening your network.

And your online profiles and social networking presence are also within your control! You are responsible for keeping them up-to-date, and accurately reflective of your experience, learning, skills, and contacts.  If there is something visible to others that even vaguely creates questions for a prospective employer, you are in control of removing that content.  Do any of your friends have pictures of you on their pages that might reflect poorly on your professional image?  If so, un-tag yourself, or ask your friends to remove those images.  This puts you in control to un-friend anyone who refuses to honor your request!

Where you work is also within your control!  The decision to accept a job offer is firmly yours.  If, during an interview or other interaction with an employer, the little hairs on the back of your neck stand up warning you that something isn’t quite right, listen to your gut.  Yes, you may really want/need that job, but if you don’t believe the position is a good fit for you, take control, and politely thank the employer/interviewer for their time, and reject their offer.  Or take control and negotiate a situation that is more to your satisfaction.

No, we can’t control everything!  And finding the inner strength to exert control is harder for some than others.  It takes a certain amount of assertiveness to survive and thrive!  But if you do your homework, do some research, know your options, and know your rights, the quality of the career decisions you make will increase exponentially.  And you do want to control your career, right?

For more ideas about gaining control and other job search and career development topics, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

A great concept, right?  Frequently, however, it is overrated, or at the very least, an illusion.  We attempt to have control over our lives, and just when we assume things are within our control, something happens that necessitates change.  Unless you live in an hermetically sealed bubble, on a daily basis we are subject to a wide variety of influences.  Positive and negative!  While some of these influences can be anticipated, often they come out of the blue and affect us in unexpected ways.

Rarely, in fact, do we have the control we want or struggle to achieve.  We can choose our careers, go to work at companies of our own selection, get up and head out the door at the same time each day, follow routines that we set or that are set for us.  We can choose where to eat, and select something appealing from the menu, reasonably confident that we will be served and complete our meal in time to return to work.  Then, the waiter drops the tray containing your order, or a car runs a red light and skids into the front window.  Stuff happens!  There goes the control you think you have, and there is little we can do about it.

At least that’s how the doctors and nurses at a Chicago hospital felt recently when they were fired for refusing to get a flu vaccine.  I might understand if a hospital insisted those who work in departments with the highest risk patients must comply with such an edict, but to threaten that all employees get a shot or lose their jobs is ludicrous.  With their firing, any sense of control these workers had from knowing they could pay their bills and take care of their families went right out the window.  I can understand that some people wouldn’t want shots for a variety of reasons, but for the employer to take away their choice in the matter also eliminates the workers’ control over what they are subjected to, what they put in their bodies, etc.

And then there’s CVS Pharmacy informing workers that they will be fined up to $600 per year for not revealing their weight and body fat index.  To some this may not seem like a huge amount of money, but to those who work retail this could disrupt the control they have of putting food on their table or paying their bills.  Using employees personal health information against them with threat of termination – especially in the case of those with pre-existing conditions like obesity and diabetes – is blatantly discriminatory. Is this practice legal?  In some states, yes!

Employers should not be allowed to remove qualified workers from their ranks because of any health issue!  Enabling employers to use worker health information as a cause for termination is giving the employer too much control.  Is the next step for employers to only hire those with the most “attractive” physical and healthy characteristics, rather than base hiring decisions on applicant qualifications?

Employers aren’t immune from making bone-headed moves in the name of saving money.  But it is offensive for them to claim that these personal rights violations are strictly in the interests of workers’ health, when in fact they are all measures to cut costs, increase corporate profits, line the pockets of senior executives, and keep employee pay as low as possible!

When staff are forced to reveal health issues, and employers start collecting and disseminating data about workers’ health, weight and other personal details – that have no bearing on workers’ abilities to do their jobs – it erodes employee confidence and trust, and separates them from control over their privacy!  When on the job, you want and expect any personal and private information that is shared “for the record”, to be safe, secure and tightly controlled, where nothing is revealed without explicit employee consent!

While we can’t control life’s unexpected mishaps and distractions, we try to make intelligent choices based on knowledge, experience and preparation that allow us to feel in control.  But there is one major consideration that must be remembered by all workers:  Know your rights!  Don’t just relinquish your sense of control or job security because the employer says you must do something.  Do some research!  Read the fine print in your employee handbook, employment agreement and health coverage programs.  Employers are required to notify their workers if there are any changes to these documents.

If you feel that the actions of an employer are infringing on your rights and zapping your sense of control, immediately talk to an employment counselor or an attorney.  Don’t let an employer intimidate you from asking questions or getting assistance to better understand your rights.  You have more control than you might think!

For more ideas about maintaining control and other job search and career development topics, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

There are all sorts of interviewers.  Some are much better inquisitors than others.  There are those who ask pertinent and relevant questions that delve into your knowledge and experience, and who understand the nuances their questions imply; and there others who ask traditional questions.  And there are those who ask the “off-the-wall” questions just to test your reactions.  But what are they really asking?  The last time you interviewed for a job, did you believe your interviewer fully understood the real meaning of the questions they were asking?

In many cases, for reasons both legal and logistical, many HR staffers tasked with interviewing job candidates, ask all applicants the same questions.  At the very least they ask all the interviewees applying for the same job the same questions.  Supposedly, this gives the employer a common frame of reference in assessing answers and whittling down the number of hopefuls.

An employer may have a preferred list of questions they feel comfortable asking of all candidates, and hope the responses they get will help them make a wise hiring decision.  But in asking all candidates the same questions,, regardless of position being filled, employers may not get the broadest picture of what makes one applicant more suitable to a particular job over another.  By not differentiating their inquiry, the employer may only learn who has the best answers to their questions, not who has the best and most relevant qualifications to fill that particular position.

Different types of questions should be asked to elicit different types of answers. Some queries are designed to prompt an emotional response.  The answers to other questions can provide clues to an applicant’s assertiveness, positivity, compassion or confidence. And there are questions that probe the applicant’s commitment to a position, industry or the company with whom they are interviewing.

Questions may be asked that encourage applicants to reveal things about their personal lives in an attempt to learn if the applicant will be a good cultural fit with the company or department.  Employers know there are many questions they can not ask for legal reasons, but in trying to be more conversational and personable, they hope the candidate will reveal something they can’t otherwise ask about directly.

Ironically, in their attempt to delve deeper into an applicant’s psyche, there are employers who completely forget to ask the most important questions – the ones that get a job seeker to reveal what they know about the job they are applying for, how they will fill that opening, and addressing the quality and specifics of their skills and experience.  Employers ask the “weird” questions – not because the answers reveal anything relevant or important – typically these questions have no right or wrong answers.  Some interviewers just want to see the interviewee squirm!  Not even necessarily to see if the applicant can think on their feet, but because they derive some bizarre pleasure from watching interviewees sweat.

While we’d like to believe that employers are too busy to be frivolous with their interviewing, the fact remains that non-traditional queries are occurring more frequently during interviews, particularly in the technology, media and science sectors.   Interviews are hard enough when traditional questions are asked, but in situations like these, when the weird questions are posed, it’s hard to feel confident about your answers, making an already uncomfortable situation that much more uncomfortable.

So, what are they really asking?  Well, I suggest that the answers to all questions in a job interview should reflect how the applicant’s skills and experience meet the needs of the employer, no matter what question is asked!  Because at the core of every interview that is what the employer really wants to know.  Do you have the ability to do the job you’re applying for?  Do you have the skills, the knowledge of the industry, or experience with the specific tools required to excel in this position?  Sooner or later every employer is going to ask something that isn’t directly related to the skills needed to do a particular job.  Yet the applicant should keep their attention focused on the reason the questions are being asked, and keep responses concise with details that encourage the interviewer’s confidence in their ability to get the job done.

If irrelevant questions are asked, you could refuse to answer. You could ask the interviewer why they believe the particular question is relevant to your ability to do a job.  You could make up an answer that is as off-the-wall as the question.  Deciding how to answer is one of the choices you’ll make in the millisecond after the question is asked.  Keep your cool, be patient, and remember that all they really want to know is “Can you do this job?” And of course, the answer is an unequivocal “Yes, I can!”

For more ideas about answering the hard questions and other job search and career development topics, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

These days, it’s more important than ever to talk with the people in your network and ask them about openings where they work.  In doing so, your next job may be closer than you think because increasingly employers are sourcing appropriate candidates through the networks of their current employees.  And more and more employers are providing incentives to their employees to find candidates to fill their openings.  This can be a win-win for everyone.

For many employers, the costs of traditional recruiting and hiring are very high.  Sourcing appropriate applicants through headhunters and agencies is expensive and slow.  Placing recruitment ads on job boards – whether on craigslist, Monster, Dice or other site – takes time and money that most employers would rather put into training and other necessities.  And even if a candidate makes it through a preliminary round of interviews, there is little way to confidently tell if s/he is a good fit for the position or the company.

But when an applicant is referred by a personal acquaintance who is aware of a friend’s skills and personal disposition, it can take some of the guess work out of the hiring process.  An applicant who already knows one or more employees of a firm is likely to feel more comfortable upon arrival, have a shorter time in acclimating to the company culture, feel a part of the team faster, and is more likely – as long as their friends remain – to have a longer tenure with that employer.

To unearth potential hires through current employees, employers have been utilizing multiple tactics.  It usually starts with an employer communicating with staff to announce openings and skill needs, and that referrals from their networks are actively being sought.  If special skill sets are needed, emphasis and encouragement should be conveyed to the current workers of the department where the opening exists or the new hire will be placed.

After some names are submitted, the employer might begin looking at the prospects’ social and professional networking profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn or other sites.  Since these pages are easily viewed by the general public, an employer can peruse these profiles and get an idea of a referral’s work history, specialty areas, and the types of environments in which the hire might thrive.  And precisely because these profiles are so easily viewed by potential employers, job seekers are encouraged to keep their pages up to date and free of images or content that could raise a red flag for an employer.

Some employers are even providing incentives to current employees to make referrals of their friends and other known professionals to help fill open positions.  These can take the form of cash and bonuses the employee can use any way they wish.  Bounties are being offered by some companies as contests to encourage referrals where resumes of qualified individuals are submitted by employees with a formal referral form. Other employers give promotions or leadership responsibilities to those making the referrals, demonstrating their commitment to the company and its growth by bringing in fresh talent.  And on occasion, the referring employee becomes responsible for mentoring the person they referred.  And because employers feel more confident when hiring those referred by existing staff, some will even offer signing bonuses to the new hires as an added incentive to make the process more enticing for all concerned.

Employers recognize that sourcing referrals from the ranks of their current staff can net major cost savings over traditional recruitment methods. Yet although more and more employers are utilizing referrals from current workers to fill openings, few are doing so exclusively.  Many firms are required by contractual obligations and/or state/federal employment regulations to publicly announce their job openings forcing employers to spend money they know they could save by recruiting internally.

So talk to the people in your networks about job openings where they work, clean up your online profiles and get yourself ready to be recognized as a valuable commodity who can quickly make a tangible contribution. Your next job offer (or candidate, if you’re an employer!) may be closer than you think.

For more ideas about mining your network for referrals and other job search and career development topics, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

Ah, the resume.  The most used and abused document in one’s job search arsenal.  I’ve seen great resumes, and I’ve seen really poor ones.  You can have the best skills, and the most extensive work experience, regardless of your industry, but if the written content of your resume is not organized and presented properly it will ruin your chances of being considered for that dream job. And even though the resume is no longer the first thing many employers see about a candidate, when it is finally presented, it’s either going to work in your favor, or not.

Among the major issues that distinguish a good resume from a bad one is the volume of content.  No matter how much experience is being represented in the resume, frequently the document is either too long or too short.  It either provides way too much detail, or not enough information about what the candidate can do to fill the employer’s needs.  Inexperienced job seekers tend to overemphasize minute details that have no bearing on the job being applied for in an attempt to make themselves look more professional and qualified.  Job seekers with long work histories often provide too much detail that is either irrelevant, outdated, unfocused or poorly prioritized. While a good resume doesn’t have to be restricted to one page, it should be tightly focused, and highly targeted to a specific employment situation.  If your relevant experience from the last ten years necessitates three pages of detail, just make sure that it is appropriately targeted and concise.

Another resume abuse happens when applicants misplace skills, experience and personal attributes under the wrong resume headings.  In simplest terms, your experience is defined by the accomplishments you achieved, large or small, simple or major contributions to the work that needed to be done.  Skills are the things you’ve learned how to do and used on the job; factors like specific software, equipment or language skills used in the course of doing your work.  Personal attributes are the intangible traits you bring to the job, like reliability, punctuality, friendliness, being respectful, professional, and personable. Occasionally some of these qualities can be interchangeably categorized, but for the most part, they are separate and should be distinguishable on the resume.

Most job seekers can be well served using a traditional set of headings in their resumes.  Briefly, these include, in order of appearance:

Objective – which states the specific title of the job being applied for, or a close description of the job you are after if the specific title is unknown.

Skills – a list of specific functions you can perform, or statements of proficiency and experience with particular hardware, software, or other tools of your trade.

Personal Attributes – are the most relevant work, cultural and personality qualities that you offer.

(Frequently, skills and personal attributes are combined into a single heading, or used in a Profile statement.)

Experience –details your accomplishments, and how you performed relevant tasks and specific functions on previous jobs, that are listed in reverse chronological order (most recent first).   Job title is listed first, followed by the company worked for, and the dates you were employed there.  It’s generally unnecessary to go back more than 10-13 years in your work history.

Education – is placed toward the bottom of your document, unless you graduated in the last two years in which case it could be inserted before the Experience section.  The school you graduated from and the degree received, along with the year course work was completed are sufficient.  Listing specific courses is unnecessary unless there is no work experience to convey the skills and training gained.

Awards and Associations or Professional Affiliations – can be listed if they are relevant to the position being applied for or the industry in which you plan to work.

Certainly there is room for variation to this basic formatting.  Things like length of work history and its contiguousness may necessitate the de-emphasis of some items and the addition or deletion of others.

And there are some industries where applicants will benefit from a less-than-traditional resume.  One and two-page mini portfolios are frequently submitted for jobs in graphics, illustration, fine art, photography and architecture.  Alternative page folds and landscape layouts are also used as attention-getters.  Attractive images in an eye catching layout can speak volumes about an applicant’s skill levels, and their ability to demonstrate an understanding of an employer’s needs.  With thanks to Bobby Fingeroth of bfcreative.net for finding and providing this link to some creative, non traditional resume samples:  http://blogof.francescomugnai.com/2012/12/22-new-insanely-cool-and-ingenious-resume-ideas/

Regardless of style, I believe that readability is THE major factor that distinguishes a resume from used or abused status.  If the reader’s eye can not easily spot what it needs from a resume, it will be quickly dismissed.

For more ideas and inspiration about resumes, job search, interviewing, networking and other career development topics, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

Recently, I read an article from Bloomberg Business Week about how many employers believe it to be more important for prospective hires to have a strong cultural match with a company’s existing staff, than it is for applicants to just have strong skills.  Really?  I guess I didn’t get the memo on this edict.  When did the quality of one’s skills and abilities take a back seat to their personality in hiring decisions?

Don’t get me wrong: Likability is important in a hiring decision.  HR and departmental managers need to feel confident that new team members will “fit in”.  But in my opinion there are far too many issues that can rear their ugly little heads when employment is based on non-work related traits.  Can “cultural fit” be formally considered an “essential function” in a job description?  I don’t think so!

One of the hallmarks of the most successful companies is the diversity of their staffs.  Bringing together people with divergent backgrounds, cultures and experiences, to work on common goals, creating corporate melting pots that congeal to create great products and services is what makes the best employment opportunities.  It’s what makes for great companies, not just here in this country, but worldwide!

While I agree there are positive aspects to making hiring selections based in part on cultural fit and like-mindedness, it may not be a suitable practice for all companies.  Certainly in smaller firms, say with less than 50 employees, where everyone has far greater opportunities to get to know each other, cultural fit can make a big difference in how well people work together.  When you see and work with the same people every day, common lifestyle experiences and references can have a positive effect on their productivity and their acceptance of one another.

But in a larger company with hundreds or thousands of employees, hiring predominantly based on cultural considerations opens the door for all kinds of age, racial and gender bias, cliques, and segregated work groups.  Anyone who sees themselves as different will truly feel set apart and excluded.

The phrase, “cultural fit” doesn’t have to represent sameness of employees’ personal backgrounds, ethnicities, geographic origins, or even their love of the same pop cultural references like tv, movies or music.  And smart employers recognize that hiring based on some of these criteria can present legal challenges they’d rather not face!

But there’s a lot positive to be said for cultural diversity in the workplace. The idea development and creativity that comes from working with people who see things differently than you do; who challenge the status quo that exists when too many in a work group think alike.

The challenge is for human resources professionals to bring in candidates who share common attributes in their creativity, sense of teamwork and cooperation, professional ethics, dedication, and knowledge of the work they are expected to do.  Creating a fit based on employees collective focus on goals and achievement, interest in the work being done, and the recognition and appreciation of their contributions makes for a stronger, more productive, collegial and engaging work environment.

By no means am I suggesting that HR people ignore the cultural commonalities that build community and consensus.  All the factors that enable people to work well together and that manifest and improve employee morale and engagement must be considerations! Employers want their employees to work well together and get along comfortably.  And if you’re part of that hiring decision, yes, you want to genuinely like the people you choose to hire and work beside.  But I believe the primary reason behind a hiring decision should be the candidate’s abilities to do a job.  Whether or not they are into the same social and cultural phenomena must be a secondary consideration.

Certainly from the employees perspective, spending eight or more hours each day with people you like and share common points of reference makes for a more fun, relaxed and congenial work experience.  And as long that conviviality doesn’t interfere with productivity, their bosses will be happy.

Does common cultural experience translate into a happier, more productive work force?  Does this same cultural fit present distractions and exclusionary behaviors for those who don’t share that commonality?  Do you want to work exclusively with people who think and behave just like you?

What is it like where you work?  Is hiring based on culture or capability?  I’d love to hear from you!

For more discussions, tips, ideas and opinions on job search, interviewing, networking and other career development topics, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

One of the things I think some people take for granted is the freedom with which we can make change to our work lives in this country. If you’re not happy on the job, feel you could be making more money, or have more control over the work, you are free to leave your job and look for another.  If the type of work you’ve been doing no longer interests you, you are free to pursue other avenues of employment totally unrelated to your previous endeavors.  This freedom to find fulfillment from our work, is one of those things we do in the pursuit of happiness.

In the pursuit of that happiness, there will certainly be obstacles when making these dramatic kinds of life changes.  Leaving the security of a job, one that you already know how to do – even if you’re not always comfortable doing it – is quite daunting.  Perhaps you’ll have no regular income while you go after a new vocation.  It may be necessary for you to qualify for new certifications, take classes or build new skills before embarking on a different employment objective. Or maybe you will just dive in and try something totally new with a positive can-do attitude and little concern for the hurdles that need to be overcome.  These are choices we can freely make.

But in my travels and networking over the years, I’ve learned to appreciate how lucky we are in these United States to be able to pursue our dream jobs, or to change the work we choose to do.  In many other countries, a lifelong commitment to a single profession is the norm.  Whereas in this country, it is likely that we will change careers at least 5 times or more in the course of our working lives.  Hopefully, those changes will be by personal choice, not imposition!

It is sad to think about it, actually, that in other parts of the world there is a lack of objectivity or acceptance that an individual might want to go after a new career, or that one can successfully reapply existing skills to new and different work environments.  Yet in many countries you are encouraged and expected to follow a singular career path for your entire life, and attempts to make a substantial change in vocational direction are met with disdain, disrespect and harsh criticism.

During the course of hiring here in the U.S., employers routinely look deeply at applicants’ work histories to determine if a candidate is a proper fit.  Human resources professionals will often look broadly at the diversity of an applicant’s background and experience to aid in their analysis of a candidate’s suitability to a particular position.  And career development professionals and other vocational advisors stress the importance that applicants convey their most relevant attributes to the needs of the positions they apply for, regardless of what they’ve done in the past.  Just because the last job didn’t have the same title as the new job, doesn’t mean the applicant doesn’t have the necessary or relevant and transferable skills needed for success.

That freedom to pursue the vocational objective of one’s choice is one of the primary reasons many workers come to the U.S. from other countries.  I’ve encountered many folks who were no longer interested in continuing the old path laid out for them in the land of their birth, who came to the States, and vigorously chased after new career opportunities and professional interests that would have been discouraged had they stayed put.  These intrepid souls faced many of the same impediments as those who were born here, and many additional ones, yet they persevered in their pursuit of that American dream of happiness.

On these shores we all have the right to pursue our dreams for work and life in general. It’s not easy!  For anyone!  Yet, if we make smart decisions that take into consideration the challenges we’ll face, do the research and planning that needs to be done, and ask for help with the tasks we can’t do alone, we stand a pretty good chance of success.  And whatever your definition of success, the Pursuit of Happiness is available to all, it just takes a lot of work to get it.

For more tips, ideas and opinions on job search, interviewing, networking and other career development topics, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

Happy New Year!

The phrase “The Coast Is Clear” was frequently used to advise seamen that the fog had lifted and the shore could be seen from out at sea, or that the oceans and shipping lanes were clear for smooth venturing onto open water.  Metaphorically, and on dry land, it also implies that it is OK to proceed, to move forward.  A great thought for starting the New Year!  And as you can see by the attached photo, today (New Years Day), the coast is indeed clear.

The Coast Is Clear.  The future is bright and clear ahead and there should be nothing stopping you from moving forward and proceeding.  Job Search, career advancement, life, relationships, personal projects – whatever!

It is time to clear the intangible obstacles – the ones you can’t touch – the emotional ones, the imagined ones; all that has kept you from making your way.  If necessary, talk with friends, family or seek professional help in getting past these blockages.  Clear that internal path.

And the coast is also clear to move past the tangible and real challenges and obstacles that have held you back in the past, whatever they are. Recognize them and move them out of your way, go around them, mow them over, start fresh.  Do whatever it takes to clear the way!  It may take time and a lot of energy, but those obstacles won’t remove themselves unless you make the effort and take the time.  Then, and only then will you know that it Is safe to proceed.

Yes, friends, the Coast Is Clear.  Venture forth into this New Year with renewed vigor and hope, with direction and purpose, with strength and fortitude.  And may nothing get in your way from achieving your goals, finding secure and safe harbor every time you venture forth.

Wishing you all the best in 2013!!  May your coast always be clear!

Don’t forget to join me in 2013  for more tips on job search, interviewing, networking and other career development ideas.  Please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

An old friend got in touch recently to ask about some people in my contacts list on one of my social networks.  She was digging through other friends lists as well in an effort to find familiar names from our common past.  Her interest, as it turns out, was to make a late stage career change, wanting to return to an industry where she made many contributions and had really enjoyed herself and the work.  Through cross referencing of information gathered from multiple connections, she was able to identify some movers and shakers in her target area that she believed might be the key she needed for returning to her roots.

But the search wasn’t easy, and not without disappointment.  Our intrepid career changer had to go back through her own history to unearth names of people she knew a long time ago, and hadn’t been in touch with for many years.  She hoped they would remember her and the fine work she did.  But because of all the time that had passed, she had to dig deep to locate those she knew, and those who witnessed and recalled her skills.  Many were no longer working for the same companies, and just as many were no longer in the same field.  Making the search harder was the discovery that some she had lost track of, and believed might be helpful, had passed away.

After some extensive research, all that digging paid off.  My friend found the names of two people at the same company, who were in positions that control the functions she wants to perform – the ultimate hiring decision makers.  I’m told it was a “lot of work and many hours to find, ID and cross match all the information,” and then she had to verify its accuracy and up-to-date-ness.  To do this she matched the contacts on other friends’ social networks and started calling her best connections to see who could arrange introductions to the people she had identified.  (We all know that in online networking – professional or social – not all of one’s contacts are truly close personal friends, and not everyone feels comfortable making introductions.)  In calling around to her connections, she felt that at the very least it was good exercise in getting up to date with people she hadn’t spoken to in a while.

My friend made sure her contacts were aware of her goals and the functions she most wanted to perform so when introductions were suggested, the referrals heard only the most relevant details of her professional activities that could be passed along.  This made her more confident in what her objective would learn/hear about her.

Here are some things to keep in mind as you go about digging through the contacts of the people you know:

Let your best contacts know that you are looking for work, that you want to troll their online contacts list, and your objective!

Ask your contacts if they will provide a legitimate and appropriate introduction if you do identify one of their associates whom you’d like to meet.

Tell your contacts that you want to have a personal meeting with the person you have identified, so they can effectively communicate your desire to meet face-to-face.

If you have close personal contacts with folks who do not show their online networking contacts, ASK them who they know.

In fact, don’t forget to ask everyone you know the two most important networking questions:

Do you know someone?

Do you know someone who knows someone?

Remember that it’s not always a good idea to insinuate yourself on a total stranger without an introduction.  Just because you know someone in common doesn’t always clear the way for self-introduction.  Be circumspect.

And it probably goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway:  Be respectful of your contacts, and their connections.

Look, I’ll admit I’m not the biggest fan of the old axiom “It’s not what you know, but who you know.”  I prefer to see people judged on the quality of who they are and the work they can perform, not by the names on their contacts list.  But, my feelings aside, who you know is very important when you are looking to advance your career, in the same field or when seeking an early or late-stage career change.   Who you know does matter!  Regularly reaching out to your own contacts, and mining your networks’ connections can reap positive rewards, so don’t forget to dig deeper!

For more tips on job search, interviewing, networking and other career development ideas, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

When clients tell me they aren’t sure how they did during an interview, they usually talk about all the things they claim they told their inquisitor.  Granted, knowing what to say is important.  But frequently, the success of an interview can hinge on what you don’t say.  And sometimes, what you don’t tell your interviewer can have as much impact as the things you do talk about.

Yes, it’s very important to explain to your interviewer how your skills and experience meet the needs of the employer; in fact that is paramount.  However there really are things you don’t want to reveal in an interview, particularly during your first face to face contact with a prospective employer.

At the top of the list of what not to discuss are the topics that by law an employer should not ask, but some occasionally err by doing so.  These include questions about your age, religion, marital status, sexual preference, disabilities, and place of birth.  In the course of establishing a rapport with the interviewer and becoming conversationally comfortable, it frequently happens that we reveal things that have no bearing on our ability to do a particular job, and these topics reveal nothing about your capabilities.  In fact, they can do more harm than good!

Keep in mind that you are under no obligation to reveal anything about your personal life.  This includes talking about your family background, siblings, children, spouses, aging parents, roommates, etc.  In doing so, your interviewer might be making all kinds of judgments based on the personal information you reveal.  For example, if you mention that you have young children, the employer might then be concerned with their frequency of childhood illness, school meetings, sports and band practices, recitals, and the other work distractions that come with parenting.

Employers must comply with the Family Medical Leave Act (FAMLA) that affords time off to mothers and fathers to stay home with their newborns, or to those caring for sick parents, or other lengthy health issues, but they don’t have to like it.  Employers who know that you are facing one or more of these life-events could decide against hiring you in favor of another candidate they don’t believe will incur the anticipated absenteeism.  The perceived lack of productivity and increased costs to obtain replacement personnel during your absence is a deterrent for employers, so don’t give them a reason to select someone else.

You also don’t want to reveal any difficulties you may have getting to work, dealing with the length of your commute, dependence on public transportation or others for getting to work.  If an employer believes you can’t dependably be there on time every day, they will continue their search until they find someone they believe can!

There’s a certain level of insensitivity to the needs of the individual in business.  An employer doesn’t really want to hear about your personal life and tribulations.  They want to be comfortable with the assumption that you’ll be there to work the specified hours (or more!), and don’t want to deal with the reasons you may miss work, especially if they know this before you get hired.  And the sad reality is that most employers aren’t going to specify the true reason you’re being passed over for the job you want. All they need to say is, “we selected a candidate who more closely matches our needs.”

Once you bring up a topic that is best not discussed, you open the door for the employer to delve more deeply into the matter, whatever it is, because you made the decision to reveal personal information.  If you don’t want that personal information to be part of an employer’s hiring decision making process, don’t bring it up!

Certainly there are exceptions to these rules.  Under certain circumstances there are things you may want to discuss with an employer as condition of being hired.  After all lit is your choice to accept an offer of employment, or not.  You may feel you really need an employer’s understanding and cooperation with your personal situation in order to make the job work out for you.  But 99% of the time, most of the areas discussed here, and others, are best brought up after you are hired.  Once the decision is made to bring you on board, and you start the job and they make you a part of their team, it is difficult for an employer to legally dismiss you once they become aware of your challenges, as doing so opens them up to major legal action which they want to avoid.

So while there’s a long list of things you should talk about during your interviews, remember that sometimes, what you don’t say is also important!

For more tips on job search, getting through your interviews, and other career development ideas, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

Not everyone who gets laid off from their job sees the layoff coming.  Sometimes these things happen with little or no warning.  And the warning signs are frequently not obvious to many workers, even management.  However, there are some warning signs to watch out for, and steps you can take to make sure you’re prepared for the unexpected.

If you work in the public sector, for the state, federal or local government, a social services agency, not for profit corporation, or any area of employment that is funded from outside sources, layoffs typically happen during certain times of year.  Depending on whether the annual funding cycle is based on the calendar year (January through December), fiscal year July through June, layoffs usually occur in the final quarter before the end of that cycle.

So for example, if grant filing dates aren’t being met, you can expect layoffs.  If the programs you work in are receiving less funding due to budgetary shortfalls or cuts from the funding sources, expect to see layoffs.  If work is based on fee-for-services arrangements, and fewer hours are being billed or fewer services are requested, there will be layoffs. Sometimes the layoffs are swift as a cost cutting measure, and other times those being cut will receive some advance notice.

In the private sector, things are a bit less predictable, but there are still some signs.  If major contracts aren’t renewed, there will be layoffs.  A sharp decline in profits and/or stock price usually results in layoffs.  When production benchmarks or goals aren’t met, when product release dates are pushed back extensively, and when other metrics or standards and expectations aren’t met, you will see layoffs.  If you’re hired for seasonal work, when the season is over you can expect to be laid off.

Should you worry about whether your position is in jeopardy?  Maybe not worry, but try to stay aware of what’s going on that could affect your employment status. Even productive, rule-adhering employees can unexpectedly get the ax. Public or private sector, typically there is a reverse hierarchal chain that must be applied: last hired, first fired.  An employee who may produce less revenue but who has longer tenure with the firm frequently stands a better chance of job retention than a new hire.

And while there isn’t much you can do when circumstances beyond your control necessitate that your employer make staff reductions, there are some actions you can take to better prepare for the unexpected.  And these are generally good ideas regardless of your position.

Put as much money aside in an emergency fund as possible, and start doing so now while you are employed. You’ll accrue a larger amount the sooner you start saving.  Open a separate emergency savings account and designate a portion of your deposits be directed to that account, in the same way you would to put money away for your kids’ college education, a new car or any other major expense.  Make regular deposits into this account and don’t touch it for any reasons other than emergencies.

Be prepared to make sacrifices, like eating out less frequently, cut unnecessary expenditures, and save on your regular bills and costs whenever possible.  Is there something you’re regularly paying for that you can do without?  Put that savings into your emergency savings account.

If possible, start car-pooling or taking public transportation to cut down on commuting expenses. Your employer may offer a pre-tax deduction for the purchase of commuter bus or rail passes.

Make sure your resumes, cover letters, online profiles and professional networks are all in order so that when you start looking for that next job, it will be easy to reach out to the right people.

There are probably a lot of other steps you can take based on your personal circumstances and needs, but doing some advance planning is always a good thing.

Work and life can throw you some unexpected curves.  Whether you know the work ax is going to fall or not, take these cautionary steps to soften the blow, should the worst happen.  Ben Franklin said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”  If your income suddenly stops, you’ll be glad to have some savings and some contingency plans.

Making a living from an artistic endeavor these days is a tough road, and it takes – among other things – a good deal of fortitude to make it a sustainable endeavor.  I’ve had the opportunity to attend a number of art fairs and shows in several different cities over the past few months.  Speaking with artists from a wide variety of disciplines, it was obvious that a good many of them do their art on a part-time basis, finding it difficult to fully support themselves on their art alone.

As it turns out, many of these creative individuals have day jobs that to one degree or another contribute to their creativity.  Some are lucky enough to use many of the same skills from their art in their day jobs, and vice versa.  Certainly there are artists whose crafts, paintings and graphic efforts have no obvious connection to their paying gigs, but many have found ways to incorporate some of the same skills from one discipline into the other.

For example, I spoke with one painter who preferred to create still life images employing extreme perspectives of depth as if the viewer were looking through a window at something distant, or looking down from a balcony.  When I asked the artist if he was able to sustain himself from his art alone, he told me he wished he could pay his way via his art, but by day he is an architect who specializes in generating plans for home remodeling and residential interiors.  He said he frequently considers “all the angles” in his architectural drawings for the remodels, so that the property owners and building crews fully understand his visions of what that space can be.  He uses that same sense of creating spaces in his paintings.  And from the pieces he had on display, he appeared to be successful at doing so.

Another artist I came across was displaying hand crafted silver and glass jewelry.  She told me she was inspired in part by her day job working in a stained glass factory, but was working from others’ designs and needed an outlet for her own creativity.  She started by taking a single class in jewelry making from another local artist, and thought she’d give it a try.  Having access to wide variety of leftover glass from which to work, and her experience shaping metals, using extreme heat and working around sharp edges, she started fusing her own pieces in a kiln and through a process of trial and error came up with some earrings and pendants.  Wearing her creations in public, she got positive feedback from total strangers for her designs and craftsmanship.  She now exhibits and sells her work at crafts and street fairs, and has gotten a couple of retailers to take her designs on consignment.  And while she’s not making a lot of money from her art, yet, she does make a small profit, and hopes to continue to expand, and eventually leave the stained glass job behind.

At one art show, I met a disk jockey whose main job is to assemble constant streams of music that keep people dancing in nightclubs and at events.  But his other gig is creating soundscapes for a troupe of performance artists.  Working within the particular parameters of the performers was much more restrictive than just spinning dance music, he told me, and he really enjoyed the challenges of using his sound mixing skills to complement something very specific. That he already owns the tools of his trade, his cash outlay for jobs is negligible, and he is literally able to profit from these side gigs.

The idea that you can create additional revenue streams for yourself by reapplying your pre-existing stills can be translated to office and other work areas as well as the arts.  There are countless office workers who do freelance writing, copy editing, typing and data entry as a sideline to their regular gigs.  And while it may not seem obvious, for some there is an art to working with documents and data, creating letters and spreadsheets that become attractive presentations. There are those who take their passion for writing and create short stories for themselves or do ghost writing for others.  What are your strongest skills, or the ones you are most fond of using?  Can those same skills be applied outside the 9-5 workplace?  Maybe the artists way can be your way too!

For more tips on job search, getting hired by a winning team, and other career development concerns, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

Note One:  For the last time this season, let me extend one more reminder that Election Day is just over a week away.  Please don’t forget to vote on Tuesday, November 6th!

Note Two:  Congratulations to the San Francisco Giants on their incredible four game sweep over the Detroit Tigers to win the World Series.  Both teams displayed tremendous team work and played hard, worthy of baseball’s season finale.

Recently, I was talking with a new client who asked about careers in sports.  He told me he played football; competitively but not professionally, while in college. But I was pretty sure he was asking about jobs behind the scenes in pro sports.  As we talked, he revealed himself to be a devoted fan of several competitive sports, and has deep knowledge, not just about the games being played, but the inner workings of the teams, their management and corporate operations.  It became fairly obvious that if he has other requisite skills, combined with his passion, he might actually be a good candidate for a behind the scenes position in the very wide world of sports.

In part, our conversation was fueled by it being autumn and we are in the midst of the baseball playoffs, a quarter of the football season is complete, the NBA is in pre-season, soccer is happening (somewhere on the planet all year long!) and hockey isn’t.   The other reason for the discussion was the guy’s interest in doing something that would connect him more closely to his passion, sports.

The typical professional sports organization isn’t that much different from many other corporate environments. You’ve got the business management and corporate executives; the legal department, the advertising, sales, marketing, branding, licensing, merchandising and promotion departments; customer relations; administrative and clerical support people; the web development staff; documentarians and archivists; artists and graphic designers; you’ve got accounting and finance specialists; performance analysts; computer, networking, technical and mechanical crews, landscape architects (groundskeepers) and, and … (apologies if I didn’t name your profession!).

In sports, you also have the atypical positions: the ticket sellers, athletic trainers and sports medicine pros and nutritionists, the coaches and uniform specialists; the announcers, broadcasters, audio and video crews.  And of course you’ve got the players/athletes. And last but not least, the customers: a.k.a. the fans.

And there are myriad other sports-related careers that are external to working for the teams themselves:  Sports representatives and agents; statisticians; jobs in the stadiums such as facilities management and operations, vendors, food and beverage franchises; sports writers, reporters and commentators, photographers and videographers; uniform outfitters, designers and suppliers; security; and of course those who referee, judge and umpire the games.  There are probably a lot more!

Typically, most people who want non-playing careers in sports would pursue these jobs in their younger years, driven by their passion for one or more of the sports they have followed closely since their youth.  Some jobs are filled by former players, professional and collegiate, whose love for their game doesn’t wane when they stop playing, and they wish to continue being around the excitement of competition. Many people get into sports careers because they want to help nurture athleticism and physical fitness/wellness in young people, helping them build the competitive spirit by getting into coaching (amateur, collegiate and professional), maybe start by overseeing a Little League or Pop Warner team.  They spend their careers encouraging young players and promoting team spirit, a positive and cooperative attitude, and a will to win.

Some combine their love for sports with their other strengths and are happy to work in the background, indirectly involved with the playing of the games, yet remaining deeply entwined in the business of sports.  A strong set of business or other professional skills is an absolute necessity for success in a sports-related industry, just like in any other career.  Good management and leadership skills, math aptitude, stellar organizational skills, the ability to retain a lot of detailed and complex information, and a deep understanding of your chosen side of the industry are some of what’s needed to be part of a winning team.

But the unfortunate reality is these jobs aren’t particularly plentiful, at least not in pro sports. There are only 32 pro teams in the National Football League, 30 teams each in Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association and National Hockey League. The semi-pro, minor league and farm teams have much more modest organizations and budgets, but can still be a good starting point from which to build a fulfilling career. And there are also gratifying opportunities in collegiate athletic departments.

Regardless of whether you consider yourself an athlete; whether you play on a team, play an individual sport, or not, passion, skill (athletic and business) and a winning attitude will be key to your success. The world of sports and its affiliated industries is indeed wide, and there are lots of opportunities for those with the same drive and determination it takes to thrive in any industry.  So go ahead, play to win, and don’t forget to take that victory lap.

For more tips on job search, getting hired by a winning team, and other career development concerns, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

There are certain kinds of people who suck the life out of your day.    On an airplane, a screaming child can ruin a flight for even the most seasoned traveler.  Surly passengers and transit operators with negative attitudes won’t help get your day off on the right foot.   In the work place, a coworker or customer with a bad attitude is equally distracting and just as enervating.  They’re called cry babies!   Those constant complainers who bitch and moan about everything if you give them half the chance.  And frequently, they just can’t be avoided.

There’s not much you can do about an unhappy child on a plane.  You can wear earplugs or noise cancelling headphones, distract yourself with the onboard entertainment, or if you’re lucky, move your seat (a rarity these days!).   But ultimately you have no control over the situation!

Well, there are some adults who are equally colicky, who display a continuous attitude of negativity that you just can not get away from.  They come in all shapes, sizes ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds.  Some want you to solve their problems for them, and they become agitated when you can’t or wont fix their problems.  Some just want someone to listen to them, and get ticked off when you’re not interested or otherwise don’t want to deal with their issues.   And there are those who wont directly confront the cause of their own dissatisfaction, and just want to complain about things.   Most irritating is when the problem is minor and they could solve the issue themselves, but would rather complain than fix it themselves.

Cry babies are just generally miserable people.  They are unhappy in their personal lives and their misery is transferred to almost everything they do.  They whine, complain and moan that everything sucks and they continually express their unhappiness and dissatisfaction with the world and their lives.  These people are genuinely toxic.  Their proclivity for unhappiness will cast a pall over everyone around them.

So what do you do when you run into these people on the job?

Well, again, if you’re lucky, you may be able to steer clear, move to a different work space, change desks, or pass the crying customer to someone else (not recommended).

But too frequently cry babies infiltrate your life and it takes more than a shuffle of work spaces to steer clear.  A tactful approach will prove a lot more effective overall, even if you can’t make these people disappear from your life.

Frequently all the cry baby really wants is a little attention and acknowledgement.

Try to be polite, even when the cry baby is being intrusive.  Any rudeness you display will only make the situation worse and give the complainer something else to kvetch about.

Though you may not have the time or interest in listening to the complainer, express your regret the other person is going through tough times, but clearly state that you do not have the time to give them at present, and apologize for being abrupt. Then simply make yourself scarce.  If you’re compelled to listen, make them set an appointment with you so their issues don’t interfere with your work or other responsibilities.

If you can put a door between you and a cry baby, do it.  Sometimes, not always, that closed door will dissuade an unwanted interruption, and you’ll stand less of a chance of being the sounding board for their venting.

If the cry baby presents an ongoing disruption, don’t try to handle it yourself.  Let a supervisor or HR manager know a coworker is interfering with your ability to do your job, and let the higher-ups handle it.  Put your concerns in writing because not all supervisors will see an immediate need to get involved.  Remember that if the situation is making your workplace hostile or otherwise uncomfortable you have the right to express your concerns and firmly request that management intervene.  The employer may need to insist the cry baby attend counseling, or get help through the employee assistance program (EAP).  In a worse-case-scenario the employer may be forced to let the cry baby go.

Negativity from a cry baby breeds contempt, distractions and disruptions that make work and life difficult for all around them.  Don’t let others’ negativity affect you or your ability to retain your calm and productive workday (or any other part of your life!).  Solicit the participation and guidance of HR, management or, if necessary, legal council, and let the professionals deal directly with the cry babies.  The temperament and productivity of everyone will benefit.

For more tips on navigating around the non-producers at your job, improving your job search, and other career development concerns, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

As I reminded everyone last time out, we have a national election coming up in less than two months.  And as a result, we are seeing a lot of personal opinions and arguments expressed about the various referendums, ballot measures and candidates running for office.   Many of the views are provided by reliable and knowledgeable resources with lengthy backgrounds covering politics for legitimate news organizations.  And thanks to the proliferation of social media many more opinions are coming from individuals merely expressing themselves with the passion allowed by our Constitution.   That’s all well and good until someone disagrees, or decides that one person’s opinion doesn’t matter.

Well, I’m all for freedom of expression!  We all have the right to voice our political views!  But there are people who will attempt to stifle views that differ from their own.  And increasingly, this is happening in the work place.  To a degree, it is understandable that employers do not want heated discussions about politics (or other topics) that they believe are distracting to their workers and their productivity.  But it should not be an acceptable practice to dissuade reasonable discourse.  Sadly, people have recently been fired for expressing their political views.

Employers, like their employees, have the right to support the candidates and political perspectives of their choice, but to insist that employees share their views at the risk of termination is illegal on so many levels.  It is one thing to “unfriend” someone on Facebook who doesn’t share your love for a particular politician or viewpoint, but for an employer to threaten job loss is something else entirely.  Doing so is a violation of the employee’s constitutional rights.

This political season is as highly charged or more so than any in recent memory, and the opinions being expressed are just as charged.  The ability for any individual to reach a wide audience is unprecedented through our latest technological delivery methods.  Having a one-on-one conversation with a coworker should be a normal part of being in a work environment, but broadcasting your opinions via the internet, blogs, tweets and social networks is a powerful means of expression.  An employer certainly is within their rights to discourage the dissemination of political opinion when it’s done on company time, and from company owned equipment.  But the people who were recently terminated for expressing differing opinions from their employers did so on their own time, after work hours and from their own computers.   Even if the employer is a financial supporter of a candidate and erroneously believes that an employee’s opinion reflects their own or their company’s, there are no legal grounds for dismissal here!  I am confident that the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) will get involved in this case and fight for the rights of the affected employees.

But topics such as politics and religion are touchy subjects for many people who hold their beliefs as sacred, even when they are wrong or misguided.  Opinions are like belly buttons; everyone has one.  And right or wrong, they have protected rights.  But because these and other topics are so sensitive and people’s attachments to their beliefs so staunch, we must be careful where, when and how we choose to express ourselves.  Certainly it should not be on company time, even if you work for an open minded employer.

Simply put, with anything we post on the internet these days, we should be circumspect.  Make certain that what you post is done as a personal expression of opinion and not posed as though it comes from your employer, even if/when they openly agree with you.

Certainly there are people who like to be provocative and stir things up in an attempt to rile up those who disagree with them.  But employers rightly recognize the disruptive nature of such behaviors and are within their rights to minimize them.

So if you want to be provocative or controversial, it’s best to do so on your own time, on your own dime, and your own computer.  Doing otherwise could prove quite touchy indeed!

And no matter what your political beliefs, don’t forget to vote this November!

For more tips on surviving another political season at work, your job search, and career development, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

If you are employed, hopefully this Labor Day you are enjoying a day of leisure; a day off from your job.  But you’re probably not giving a lot of thought to all those who must work today.  Not just those who devote the working part of their lives to retail, emergency services like police and fire personnel, hospital and medical staffs, but the journalists, broadcasters, gas station attendants and others who toil while the rest of us have time to chill out.  And you’re probably giving less thought to those who came before us who fought for fair wages, reasonable working hours and safe working conditions.

However these are circumstances we shouldn’t take for granted today.  Those who fought for worker rights in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s would be amazed by the changes to workers’ rights and employment opportunities we share today.  And they would be saddened at today’s high unemployment rates, the loss of jobs to foreign countries, and the decimation of benefits and pensions.

As little as twenty five years ago, over 65% of workers had employer-paid retirement benefits and post-retirement pensions.  Today, less than 25% of employers outside the public sector provide post-retirement benefits.  Our forbearers would be dismayed at this decline in employers helping devoted and loyal workers prepare for their and their families’ future.

And contrary to what many younger job seekers believe these days, retirement benefits are not a guaranteed perk of employment, though we all wish they were.  Nowhere is it written that employers must provide benefits, retirement or otherwise.  And sadly, with the cost of living rising faster than pay increases and bank-deposit interest rates, any financial perks you might receive today in the current economic climate will certainly not be enough for your future.

So what can we do to make things better?

By no means do I have all the answers.  I don’t!  But I’ll say this much:  If you’re an employer, do everything you can to create new jobs and new positions.  Instigate job sharing programs and flexible hours.  And do everything in your power to keep the workers you already have.  (Yeah, I know this may mean offering fewer benefits to keep people working.  Ironic, isn’t it?)  And keep the jobs in America!  Stop outsourcing the jobs that can be done here at home!

If you’re working, give your employer their money’s worth.  Put in a full day’s work for a full day’s pay.

Employer or employee, do everything you can on the job to keep the cost of operations down.  This means cutting down on waste, conserving resources, recycling, and finding ways to make your job and work place more efficient.  This could include using internet telephony instead of landlines; conserving energy by using compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent and long tube fluorescent lighting, turning off lights in unoccupied spaces, low-flow toilets, etc.  It also means not using your printer unless you really need a hard copy of a document.  And if you’re still using a fax machine, convert to an email based fax system so only the documents you really need get printed.

And the other thing you can do, employer, employee or unemployed, is VOTE.  We’re just 2 months away from a major election, and you can let your opinions be known by voting for the candidates (local and national) you believe will work to create jobs and job training programs and other resources.  Look for a candidate who supports small independent business and entrepreneurship, the employment sector that creates the most jobs.

Collectively, were all these actions performed by more of us, we could have a direct and positive impact on the nation’s job growth and employee retention rates.  No, these are not the whole solution, but they can be contributing factors to many companies’ ability to keep some, if not all their valued and loyal workers, reduce layoffs, and keep providing key health and financial benefits.

Even though our economy appears to be rebounding somewhat, unemployment rates are still way too high.  Those who are working are taking on heavier workloads, have less support; and more responsibilities.  The fight for worker’s rights and protections is a long way from over!

So on this Labor Day 2012, take a moment to remember the men and women who came before us, who worked long, hard hours of labor, who toiled.  Remember those who built our roads, buildings, and infrastructures.  And recall those who fought hard, made great sacrifices, and who helped establish our unions, labor laws, standards and safe guards, which many of us know today, but that we still can’t take for granted.

Here’s to our labor force!  Blue collar and white collar.  Then and now!  Enjoy YOUR day!!!

And for another piece on Labor Day check out http://hanklondon.com/blog2/?p=44

For more tips on job search, career development and giving props to our labor force, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

Periodically, just about everything needs a little tune-up.  You know?  Maintenance!   Not necessarily a major overhaul, but the kind of routine attention that keeps systems working as optimally as possible.  The first thing that requires a tune-up is our bodies so they can serve us for many years to come.  Our cars and other transportation devices need regular tune-ups to get us where we need to go.  But you should also remember to give a tune up to your resumes and professional profile every now and again too, to make sure they represent the progress you’ve made over time and improve your chances for career growth and development.

I’m not referring to updating your status on your social network of choice, although a little humble bragging about a professional achievement is worthy of posting!  But keeping your resume and professional profiles up-to-date – even if you’re not actively looking for a job – will convey your recent activities, successes, your mastery of new skills, professional memberships and your participation in their related activities, promotions you’ve received, and relevant education, learning, certifications, and honors .

Why is it important to maintain these things, even if you’re not actively looking for a job?

In many fields, employers are doing more and more recruiting by looking at the online profiles, LinkedIn pages, and even the websites of their competitors to source potential hires, even though they may not have any openings.  Increasingly, hiring managers and human resources staff actively recruit employees from other companies, called “poaching”, to lure workers that have the skills and experience an employer needs.  If you’re building your credentials and trying to make a name for yourself within your industry, having an updated and finely tuned profile is a good way to help employers understand what you do and the experiences you’ve had that may be relevant to their goals.

In this age of social networking, the importance of nurturing real-world connections and communication should not be discounted.  Not everyone is lucky enough to already have the direct contacts needed to attract the recognition that gets them hired.  All the more reason to keep up your face-to-face networking, no matter where you are in your career!  It’s not just the people you know, but the connections of your contacts too.  You can’t be shy about letting others know who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for.  And it’s just as important to encourage others to do the same for you!  If one of your personal contacts, through someone you don’t know, becomes aware of a position for which you qualify – even if you already have another job – your acquaintances can direct their contacts (the employers and recruiters they know) to look at your profile to gauge your appropriateness to fill their hiring needs.  If your professional profiles are out-of-date or incomplete, not only do you present an incomplete picture of what you can do for prospective employers, you also potentially cause embarrassment to the person who spoke on your behalf.  Neither benefits you!

Before you post anything or distribute a new version of your resume, write down all the skills and experience you’ve gained, and accomplishments you’ve achieved since you last update.  This could be a long list if you haven’t tuned up your documents in a few years!  After you’ve gotten it all noted, choose the accomplishments most important and relevant to your career objectives, and merge this new information into your older versions. Maybe you’ll need or want to take out the oldest or least relevant information to make your document as strong as possible, or comply with special considerations.   To make your life easier, the professional networking sites have tutorials to walk you through the process and provide clear examples of how and what to post.

If you are among the long-term unemployed, you should still tune up your documents.  Add comments about your own professional growth and learning, or any positive thing you’ve done that relates to the type of work you’re looking for, including volunteer efforts!  If you haven’t done anything to update your skills and experience, start doing so as soon as possible.  Take a class at your local community college, get a certificate from an online training course, create a blog or become a regular contributor to online discussions about your industry.  Join an association or a committee in a local service organization if you can’t find something that’s industry related.  You’ll be able to add things that indicate professional growth and development in no time.

Luckily, giving your documents a tune-up doesn’t require professional intervention.  Sure, you can get help from career development specialists (like yours truly), but in most cases updating your profiles and resumes doesn’t require an advanced degree.  So spend some time giving your documents a tune-up.  And don’t forget to check under the hood (read:  remember to change your oil and get that colonoscopy)!

For more tips on job search, career development and giving your documents their proper tune-up, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com

The ebb and flow of populations moving in and out of urban centers has a direct effect on the growth of our economies.  It seems that at present, our cities are seeing an influx of people.  Some folks move to the cities to find work, others for education, or to find better access to healthcare and treatment, and others for the proximity to transportation, family or personal conveniences and to improve their quality of life.   But does moving to a city increase your chances of finding work?  The answer is a qualified, “Yes”.

Sure, if you career goals relate to agriculture, farming, animal husbandry, manufacturing or similar pursuit, your job prospects might be a bit reduced within the confines of an urban center.  Certainly there may be educational opportunities to study these professions in or near city centers, but the actual jobs in these fields will usually be well outside of the urban area.  Manufacturing and distribution will frequently be within reasonably close proximity to urban centers to facilitate getting their products to the people.

Not all cities nurture the same kind of industries.  For example:  In the San Francisco Bay Area, there are a lot of computer technology, bio-tech and pharmaceutical industries, in addition to the usual urban jobs in banking, healthcare, construction, international trade, and tourism.  This isn’t to say that you can’t find these kinds of jobs elsewhere, just that they tend to be more prevalent in larger cities.

As some cities grow, the influx of new people brings the development of new ideas and new businesses.  In Bend, Oregon, for instance, the major industry was once lumber and logging.  This makes sense when you consider the town sits on the Eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains.  But the biggest lumber mills closed in the late 70’s-early 80’s, which could have led the town to ruin and blight.  Fortunately, today, through the insight of urban planners, and the smarts of business owners who recognized all the area has to offer, Bend is fast becoming a tech center with an entrepreneurial spirit similar to that of Silicon Valley 20 years ago.  Bio-tech, pharmaceutical, telecommunications, and outdoor recreation industries are all experiencing rapid growth.

The people who are building new companies and creating job opportunities in places like Bend are able to find and attract employees who have the skills and talent they need to foster success.   Some skilled professionals move there from relatively nearby or distant urban centers for new challenges, as well as the wide array of outdoor recreation options available.  Students are attracted to the area by the partnerships between local universities and local industries to offer curricula focusing on the skills needed for success in these new endeavors.  The value of their education increases because it is current and directly related to the industries and needs within their community.

Other geographic areas experiencing similar growth in jobs and new business include Salt Lake City, Utah; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Omaha, Nebraska; and Las Vegas, Nevada.  New businesses flock there because of cheaper rents, economic development incentives from the municipalities, and opportunities for growth in energetic and supportive environments.

Yet some communities do everything they can to keep growth slow or at a minimum.  Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Taos, New Mexico; Telluride and Aspen Colorado will not see the “urbanization effect” because there is little new business construction or expansion areas, as well as a conscious effort by those communities to maintain the surroundings, and keep things at their same laid-back level and pace.  Ironic considering that a few of these places have economies steeply based in tourism and hospitality.

Certainly one’s chances of finding employment are greater within the cities and urban centers than in smaller towns simply because there are more opportunities in the more densely populated areas.  However, the kind of work that interests you may no longer be dependent on a specific geographic location.  Certainly the latest telecommuting options and remote access to networks facilitate one’s ability to locate where the work is.  It’s possible that your next job might be waiting for you in some “out-of-the-way” town.

Thankfully there are many work-life balance benefits to living in the smaller urban areas.  And in many of them the work opportunities are keeping pace with the growth of those communities.  Big city?  Urban Center?  Small Town?  I’m sure you’ll make the choice that is right for you!

For more tips on job search, career development and choosing the location that is right for you, please search this blog and visit:  hanklondon.com