AN EFFECTIVE JOB SEARCH TOOL - THE "NEEDS/CONTRIBUTION STATEMENT"

I think one of the most frustrating aspects of looking for a new job is answering the questions:  “How do I get the attention of the hiring manager?” and “How do I let him know that I have the skills, background and experience he is looking for?”.

This is particularly important if you are in the networking phase of your search and you are writing letters to companies that you know are hiring.  It is also vital if you are writing a letter to a company in response to information about a particular position they have that you believe you are qualified for, and are interested in.

So, how do you let the hiring manager know you have the skills, background and experience, and do it so that when he spends 10 – 30 seconds reviewing your letter, he gets an effective snapshot of you?  And more important, how can you give him the immediate impression that you are the person for the job?

One very effective way, that has been proven successful, is to include a “Needs/ Contribution Statement”.  This is a two-column, one page listing of the typical needs of a particular corporate function, be it Sales & Marketing, Production Management, Human Resources, Finance, Quality Control, or some other business function.

For a Marketing Manager, for instance, the left hand column, labeled “NEEDS” might include the following:

• Effective Leadership
• Strategic Planning
• Business Development
• Sales Growth
• Profitability Improvement
• Cost Management
• Product Innovation

The right hand column, labeled “CONTRIBUTION” includes a short paragraph for each of the NEEDS that describes how you, the candidate, have met the stated needs during your career.  This is done with a general statement or the description of a specific achievement or activity that allowed you to meet the stated need.

Here are the CONTRIBUTIONS for the Marketing Manager example we have been discussing:

Effective Leadership

Over 26 years of successful demonstrated leadership and management experience, drawing on strengths in team building, problem solving and strong customer orientation to drive the development and implementation of programs that contribute to corporate growth.

Strategic Planning

Directed the development and supervised the implementation of detailed sales plans and market development plans for several products and product lines which resulted in establishing leadership, both in the total market and in strategic segments.

Business Development

Acquired exclusive rights to the distribution of a strategically important HVAC product, by negotiating a supply agreement with a manufacturer, which allowed participation in a profitable new $2.5 million market niche.

Sales Growth

Drove the effort to increase the number of markets and applications for which key products were sold.  As a result, sales grew by more than 19.1% over the previous year.

Profitability Improvement

Drove the effort to increase profitability of key products through increased sales and improved pricing and reduced product costs, resulting in an improvement of more than 28%.

Cost Management

Supervised the activities of a product quality council for a key product which successfully improved the quality of the products while decreasing the cost by more than 4.2%, and reduced the customer complaint frequency to less than 0.1%.

Product Innovation

Directed the development and market introduction of a new product, which redefined acceptable performance in its target market.  Sales for this product increased to $5.7 million by the end of the first year, with profits of $1.6 million, or 15.4% of all product line profit.

These needs listed here are targeted for a marketing position.  However, there is a similar list of needs that would apply to any function in a company or corporation.  If you are an accountant, engineer, human resources professional, or research scientist, or any other professional, there is a list of needs that you can create.  You can then list your own contributions that correspond with each listed need, and create a very useful sales tool for your job search.

Remember, the objective is to call attention to your ability to contribute to the growth and success of target companies, and to sell yourself as the best candidate.  For this reason, the Needs/ Contribution Statement can be a very effective tool in your search.

Include a Needs/ Contribution Statement with your next networking letters.  Try to cater the content of the Needs/ Contribution Statement to the needs of the company you are writing to.  You will be pleasantly surprised, I think, by the favorable response you get from prospective employers.

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know at execmgmt.search@gmail.com

WRITING AN EFFECTIVE RESUME - IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS FROM READERS LIKE YOU

I have written a number of posts about resumes, and how you can write a more effective resume. I also wrote about how a good resume can have a positive impact on the success of your search for a new job.

I have received a number of responses, from readers of my blog, to those posts and thought I would share a few of them with you.

I appreciate the feedback from everyone to my posts on “The Job & Career Career Search Maven” blog. I look forward to receiving more in the future.

Here are some of those notes from readers about writing an effective resume, that you might find useful:

Experience Experience Experience - nearly all that matters these days, and of course a format that is easy to read.

Before ever sending you're resume read it - I'm amazed the number of resumes I read that still have the most basic of grammatical errors in them. Laziness really, and my attitude is if the author cannot afford to correct it I cannot afford the time to read it.

Posted by F M

In my recruiting role, I prefer to see accomplishments rather than duties.

When describing duties, keep the words "managed" and "responsible for" to a minimum, especially if the job title was Manager.

Get to the meat at the beginnig of the line and resume because after 10 seconds it will be decided if your resume goes in the Hot or Cold pile.

Posted by U M

Position(s) you are qualified to fill.

Summary of Qualifications.

Areas of expertise.

Professional Experience

Educational background

Training and skills,

Affiliations

Posted by M M

I had my resume professionally rewritten a month ago. Amazingly, the writer did everything listed in this article. (http://careersearchmaven.blogspot.com/2010/01/best-resume-is-snapshot-of-you.html) If you haven't updated your resume format in years, as I hadn't done, and you don't feel comfortable rewriting it yourself, I recommend hiring someone to do the revision. I did and, according to this article, it was worth the cost.

Posted by S B

I worked with corporate HR Ops and met many recruiters in my lifetime.

1st they look at summary (don't be over creative)

2nd your work experience

Other sections are secondary. Education is a must, but awards, skills, etc is up to you.

Hope this helps.

Posted by S I

There are a number of ways to write a resume. There is no one right way, but hopefully these will provide more ideas for you to improve your resume and make it more effective in promoting you as the best candidate for the job.

If you have more ideas, I would like to hear them…just write me at execmgmt.search@gmail.com

WHEN WRITING YOUR RESUME - KEEP IT SIMPLE

When it comes to preparing an effective resume, there is one overriding rule, in my opinion: Keep it simple.

Too many candidates feel that they need to get their entire professional lives in their resume. In fact, simple is best. Avoid the frills. Avoid the temptation to provide too much detail.  If your resume is too busy and too detailed, you are risking that the reader will get lost, frustrated, confused and disinterested. This you do not want!

Only include the bare essentials in your resume. You want to call attention to the major skills and experiences you possess. The details you can talk about in your interview. Also, if you focus the reader’s attention on the skills that are critical to the position you apply for, you increase the probability that you will be granted an interview.

It is during the interview that you have your greatest opportunity to embellish your experience and skills, and the chance to provide details that would otherwise fill the page and make for a crowded and unreadable resume.

Certain principles apply to the writing of a resume:

• Write your resume so that the reader can look at the first page and quickly get an idea of what skills and experience you bring with you as a candidate. Remember, the reader is not going to take more than about 10 seconds to glance at your resume and decide if he/ she wants to read it in more detail.

• Use as few words as possible to describe your background and experience in a summary at the beginning of your resume.

• Use bullet points wherever possible. This will help point out the important accomplishments in your career and your applicable skills. It will also draw the eye of the reader to the page.

• Use single sentences or short phrases to describe your skills and accomplishments. Each bullet point should not be more than one sentence.

• Use statistics to describe your accomplishments. If you grew sales in your territory, the prospective employer wants to know by how much? If you are a researcher, how much did you save the company in formulation costs by substituting an alternative raw material? If you are in production, how much was the increase in efficiency or the decrease in the number of rejects?

• If you have published, do not list all of your articles…only those that might apply specifically to the job you are applying for. And then, only list 3-4. You may include something like “Published several other articles on process safety in professional journals since 1993”, eliminating the need to list them all. If the employer is interested, he will ask to see them.

These are just a few suggestions. Remember, there is no need to write “War and Peace”.

Leaving out detail in your resume is not always a bad thing.  It gives you the opportunity to talk in detail during your interview about your skills, accomplishments and experiences.  It also avoids the possibility that the reader, in reading a detailed resume, will jump to conclusions or overlook something important, both of which could mean that your chances of getting the job are compromised.

So, KEEP IT SIMPLE. Less is more very often when it comes to a good resume. Your resume is a “tease”…a “preview of coming attractions”…and advertisement for you. It is not your biography, or a detailed description of your entire career.

Keep your resume simple. Get the attention of the hiring manager. And then, discuss the details in the personal interview.

DEALING WITH AN INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE JOB SEARCH ENVIRONMENT

 

There is no doubt that it is difficult to find employment or a new job in today’s economic environment.  It may be more difficult for job seekers who have limited experience since they are faced with more competition (others looking for a new job) that are being considered for the same position. 

A number of employers are seeing that they have a choice of more senior or more experienced candidates than they would have in a better economy.  So, how do you make sure that you are given the most favorable consideration possible by a potential employer?

The answer lies in taking a targeted approach to your search.  The answer does not lie in responding to as many on-line ads as you can, writing to as many companies as possible, or broadcasting your resume to dozens of search firms. 

Taking this approach will use up a lot of time and effort that would be better spent doing research to find companies looking for the specific set of skills and the professional experience you have.  Now, don’t get me wrong.  I am not saying that you will be able to find a 100% match to your skills and experience, but the closer you match a job you are applying for, the better your chances, even when others with more experience are applying as well for the same position.

To increase your chances of getting favorable consideration as a candidate, and land the interview, you may consider the following steps:

1)       Customize your resume.

Write your resume in such a way that it is easy to edit.  This way you can substitute specific experiences, accomplishments and skills that will be of value to the employer you are contacting.

If you are a marketing professional with experience in both catalog sales and B-to-B industrial sales, make sure that you include the catalog sales experience and leave out, or minimize, your B-to-B experience.  This will allow a focus on targeted skills that are of value to the prospective employer.

2)       Simplify your resume.

Make sure your resume is no more than 2 pages long.  But, if you need to, do not make it more than 3 pages long.

In addition, be sure that you describe your accomplishments as bullet points – no more than 4 for each employer.

Consider a functional, rather than chronological resume, that will focus the reader’s attention on your experience, accomplishments and skills that will be seen to have value to the company.  Also, highlighting your skills and experience this way can call attention to what you bring that might be viewed more favorably than what other candidates offer.          

3)       Look for opportunities that match your background

You should not apply for every job listed.  If you are a research chemist, don’t apply for every chemist position you see.  If you have a specialty in polymers and you have 10 years experience, then apply for polymer chemist positions and apply with employers looking for candidates with 10 years experience.

Applying for jobs for which you are under or over qualified can be a waste of your valuable time.  You are going to be better off applying for fewer jobs that you are specifically qualified for, than for many that you do not have any chance of getting.

4)       Research the company you applying to for a position.

Focus your letter writing campaign on companies that are in the industry or industries that match your background.  Find those companies by spending time in the library and talking to networking contacts and doing detailed research on the companies and their needs.

5)       Contact company executives in your targeted function.

This should be part of your networking strategy.  If you are looking for a marketing job, contact the marketing executives at those companies in industries that match your background and experience.  This could well result in you being considered for a marketing position before there is any competition from others for the same job.

The object should be to set yourself apart from others being considered for a job, and to limit the number of other job seekers that might be seen as equal to you as a candidate.  If you take a targeted approach, do your research, focus your resume and limit your applications to a few companies, your probability of success in your search could be significantly increased.

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know at execmgmt.search@gmail.com.

HELPFUL COMMENTS ABOUT PREPARING FOR AN INTERVIEW

I received a number of e-mails with additional ideas and approaches that others have used in preparing for interviews/ Here are two that I think might be of interest:

I always try to research the company, so that I can learn what issues they are currently facing. I then focus on how I can help them. Always have a list of questions ready for the employer. It is important to remember that you have just as much responsibility as they do to ensure that the position is a good fit. - JK

Regarding the sales interview: Absolutely I consider the entire interview process a sample of how that sales person is going to potentially conduct their effort on my behalf. Have they done their research on me? Are they delivering the value proposition? What are the differentiators? Do they ask for the close? - KP 

I hope that these are helpful.

I invite you to sign up to follow my blog, and to e-mail me with any stories or anecdotes about your interview experiences.

PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO A SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEW

There is a lot of discussion among people looking for new jobs about how to find opportunities and how to get interviews with companies they would like to work for.  However, there is little corresponding conversation about how to prepare for the interview they have worked so hard to get.

It is important that you prepare for your interviews by doing research into the company you will be talking to, about the position you are a candidate for, and the people you are going to be talking with during your personal visit.

In addition, it is equally important that you make a good, and lasting, impression on those you talk with during your interview.  That impression will be partly influenced by how prepared you are, and how knowledgeable you are about the company and the job.  It will also be influenced by your appearance, attitude, and enthusiasm.

RESEARCH THE COMPANY

One of the best ways to spend your preparation time for an interview is to do research on the company you will be visiting.  What business or businesses are they in?  Who is their major competitor?  (You might want to research that one yourself.) What market share do they enjoy?  Are they a leader in the industry, or are they an “Avis” (“we’re number 2, but we work harder”)…a strong and formidable #2?  How has their business performed for the last 5 years?

These are the kinds of questions whose answers will help you in an interview.  There are likely others, but you will have to tailor your preparation for the industry and position you are interviewing for.

You will be pleasantly surprised how positive a response you get from interviewers when you express knowledge of their industry and company.  Being prepared in this way can make the difference in your interview being a success.  Knowledge of the company shows interest, which goes a long way in communicating your enthusiasm for the opportunity.

WHAT ARE THE CRITICAL CHALLENGES AND ISSUES FOR THE COMPANY?

When you research a company, be sure that you include reading any articles in the press about them.  Have they had management changes recently?  Have they increased production?  Are they dealing with quality challenges?  Are they facing economic challenges as well, or have they had record profits recently?  Has a competitor gained market share or made an incremental improvement in technology that is now a challenge to the company’s own products?

They are just a few of the possible issues that companies face, and issues that you as an employee can help address. 

If you have researched the challenges and issues facing the company, you can be prepared to offer suggestions during the interview for ways to deal with them.  This can demonstrate your creativity, you management skills, and your enthusiasm for prospect of being part of the company’s team.

PREPARE QUESTIONS FOR THE Q&A PORTION OF YOUR INTERVIEWS

In an interview, there will always come the point when the interviewer will ask if you have any questions.  To not have any at this point will not kill your chances of being hired, but it will not help. 

Being prepared to ask a meaningful question will certainly enhance the impression you make on the interviewer.  It shows interest in the job, interest in the company, and knowledge on your part of what skills are necessary to be a success and what challenges the company faces.  All give an impression of your level of enthusiasm to the interviewer and leaves him/ her with a positive impression.

Get information on who you will be talking with during your visit (we will go into in the next section), and based on your research, prepare 2-3 questions for each person you will be meeting with.  You should be prepared with marketing or sales questions for the Director of Marketing, for instance.  Or production-related questions for the Manufacturing Manager.  You can prepare 2 or 3 questions about the future of the company, and career opportunities you might have, if you are going to talk with the President of the company.

Showing interest in each manager’s area of responsibility will always help in making a good impression during an interview.

ASK FOR AN AGENDA FOR YOUR INTERVIEW

Few candidates talk to only one person during a visit to a company for an interview.  If you are working with a recruiter, ask them to get a copy for you from the company.  If the interview is the result of direct contact by you, ask the HR Manager or Hiring Manager for a list of those you will be talking with.

Use this list as a guide to targeted research about the company so you are prepared for discussions with each manager.  Also use the list to prepare questions for each discussion, focusing on what you can find out might be the issues or interests of each manager you will talk with.

USING VISUAL AIDS

Few candidates think to take visual aids with them to an interview.  If you have done your research and find an issue or subject that you have a particular knowledge of or experience in, then why not point it out?  And if you are going to point it out, why not do it as effectively as possible and in a way that will create a lasting impression?

These days, many candidates take laptops to interviews for this purpose.  (No, you will not be looking at strangely for having brought one!)  Often, they have prepare a PowerPoint presentation which they can then show a manager or managers on the laptop screen.  This gives the interviewer an opportunity to see you make a presentation, observe your communication style, and see more detailed knowledge of the subject than they would otherwise observe. 

It also enhances their view of your interest and enthusiasm.  If you are interested enough to take time to prepare a presentation, then they will likely know that your desire to join their team is great.

We will talk more about visual aids for interviews in future posts.

TRAVEL THE NIGHT BEFORE

Getting to your interview can be an adventure, a challenge and an opportunity.  I suggest that, whenever possible, travel to your interview location the night before.  This will give you a chance to get a good night’s sleep and be refreshed and alert during your interview – ready to make the best impression possible.

Enlist the help of the recruiter or the HR manager in making your arrangements.  Almost all companies will pay for your transportation, lodging and meals during your trip.  Personally, I would suggest that whether you fly or drive to your interview, plan to arrive in the early evening or afternoon.  You do not want to get in too late, and not get a good night’s sleep because you have not wound down from the stresses of your trip.

Also, be sure that you arrive at the plant office or reception desk about 10 minutes before your first meeting.  You do not want to be late, and showing up early connotes interest.

BRING YOUR RESUME

Be sure to bring several copies of your resume with you.  Bring originals…not copies.  And if you are going to be seeing several people, assume that none of them have a copy of your resume.  Bring a copy for each one of them plus 2-3 more in case they add people to your agenda.

WHAT AM I GOING TO WEAR?

This is a question that always comes up, and one that candidates often have difficulty with.  I think the answer is easy:  Men should wear a suit and tie (dark suit being preferable) and women should wear a stylish suit or conservative dress.  You make a lasting impression on an employer within the first 30 seconds of meeting them.

There are exceptions…sometimes.  You can ask if there are any expectations regarding dress.  Should you wear steel-toed boots?  Should you avoid wearing heels?

Another thing…men should always shine their shoes.  Believe it or not, one of the best ways to determine whether a candidate cares about the job, the company and about the person he is talking to is to see how well he takes care of himself.  Paying attention to a detail liked freshly shined shoes says a lot about your willingness to pay attention to detail in other areas as well.

In general though, even if there is an expectation of informality, business dress is advised.  You may want to wear a jacket and tie, if you feel that it will be less formal, so that you can remove your tie, if invited to.  Women should wear dress shoes, but bring sneakers or less formal shoes to wear on a plant tour, for instance.

The bottom line is dress up.  Dress like a successful business person.  You can always remove a tie or a suit jacket if the situation becomes less formal.  Remember it is the positive first impression that is most important.

PREPARATION IS KEY

So, take time to prepare for each interview you have.  Do your research, prepare yourself, and you will not only enjoy the experience but increase your rate of success as well.

Please let me know if you have any questions:  execmgmt.search@gmail.com

SELLING YOURSELF IN YOUR SEARCH FOR A NEW POSITION

You should treat your job search as a job. You are self-employed in the business of finding new employment for yourself. Your products are your skills and experience. You should take a sales and marketing approach to promoting yourself, your skills and your experience.

Consider your job search in the same way sales and marketing professionals think of the products and services they sell. Marketing professionals first look at the features and benefits that the products bring to the customer. What about the product gives it value to the customer?

They then consider the best way to communicate the most valuable attributes of a product to the potential customer.

So why not take a similar approach to your search for new employment? 

Ask yourself what about your background and experience is going to be most valuable to a potential employer. If you are looking for a new career in a new industry, be sure that you consider highlighting and promoting different skills, experiences and accomplishments, that will be meaningful to companies in that industry. The accomplishments and skills that you point out in your resume will likely not be the same as those that are meaningful to your original industry. 

At the same time, it would be wise to look at the format of your resume also. For some industries or professions, a functional resume should be used.  For others, a chronological resume will work best. 

The content of your resume should be considered in the context of advertising yourself, as well. Sales and marketing professionals are constantly aware of the features and benefits of their products and competitive products. Think of features as attributes of your skills, experience or accomplishments, and benefits are the value that an employer gains from having a person with your skills and experience join their company.

If you promote the right skills and accomplishments in your career, then a prospective employer in any company or any industry will be see that you can bring value to their business, and contribute to the future success of their company.