Decision strategies

I have been reading a book called "The Decision Book: Fifty Models for Strategic Thinking." The authors are Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschäppeler. I'm a big picture kind of guy, which means before I dig in to learn something, I like to understand the context and how it fits in with other things I am interested in. So, I love studying models that help me understand things.

One of the models in the book caught my eye because of how it can relate to job searchers. The model is called "The rubber band model: How to deal with a dilemma." A dilemma is usually a decision we have to make that seems evenly balanced for or against. The rubber band model shows how we are often pulled in two directions. Or more accurately, we are pulled toward something we want, but also held in place by other forces.

The resolution to this kind of dilemma is to identify what is pulling you (where do you want to go, what do you want to do), versus what is holding you back (fear, security, comfort zone). This is a little different from the usual list of pros and cons because it engages our emotions. 

Some of us are naturally motivated to pursue what attracts us. The clearer we become about what we want to move toward, the more excited we become. And this excitement allows us to overcome whatever holds us back. Others of us are motivated to avoid what appears risky, or scary or threatening, and this is what holds us back. 

Procrastination is essentially the problem of avoiding what we want to do or what would be good for us to do, because there is something about it that seems risky or threatening to us. Perhaps we are avoiding fear of failure, fear of embarrassment, fear of the unknown, or fear of commitment. But whatever it is if we can identify it, we can recognize that we are focusing on the negative value instead of focusing on the potential benefits of action. Whatever we focus on gets stronger, so it is vitally important during job search to focus on the positive in order to build motivation and overcome indecision, avoidance and procrastination.

So, if you find you have been avoiding your job search responsibilities, then list what is pulling you and what is holding you back. Then spend an hour focusing only on what is pulling you by listing all the potential benefits of pursuing it, and list how these actions utilize your strengths and talents. Imagine how things could be better if pursuing it works out positively for you.

If after doing this for an hour you still find what is holding you back to be stronger, then you may need to work on minimizing the feelings that are holding you back by understanding that fears are not reality. What if your fear never comes true? Was it worth avoiding something that could have turned out well because of something that is actually unlikely to happen?

Great research tool - ELM

We in Minnesota have a wonderful resource available to find tons of information through easy searches. It is called ELM for the Electronic Library for Minnesota. The URL is www.elm4you.org and it is a storehouse of information. It gives Minnesota residents online access to magazine, journal (academic or business), newspaper, and encyclopedia articles, eBooks, and other information resources.

Who can use it? ELM is available to any Minnesota resident of any age with any subject interest. For job seekers, it is a great tool for researching a company where you may want to work. You can get lots of industry and occupation articles and detailed reports on specific companies. For larger corporations they often have a MarketLine or DataMonitor Report, which are comprehensive summaries of business data about a company.

You can also find articles and PDF books on job search topics and lots of other random stuff. It is very cool and you can get lost in it for a few hours easily.

Have fun,
  --Mike

"People will never forget how you made them feel"

I was just sitting around waiting for summer weather to arrive in Minnesota, and was browsing a book I like called “You, Inc.” The author, Harry Beckwith, has a few paragraphs on what people value, and I think it is relevant to the networking and interviewing parts of job search.

He calls it “What people Value” and he summarizes from research that shows that where people put their money is what they value. For example, oddly enough on the average people don’t tip any more for prompt efficient service at a restaurant than they do for poor service. However, they do tip more for a server who makes them feel good.

This may sound trivial, but it is not. It is Maya Angelou’s quote that you may have heard, “People will forget what you said; people will forget what you did; but people will never forget how you made them feel.” So, as you interact during networking or during an interview, remember to treat each person in a way that will make them feel good. Listen carefully. Recall a good experience you had together. Show sincere interest. Smile with a twinkle. Touch them on the arm. Think of what makes you feel warm and good when someone does it to you and do that toward others. And most of all, find someting about them that you appreciate and show it.

Good luck,

Mike

The Body Language of Confidence

 As a hiring manager I know how important body language is for assessing someone’s state of confidence and positivity, but as a job seeker, do you know how to use this to your advantage? I was just watching a great TED talk by Amy Cuddy called “Your body language shapes who you are.” http://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are.html  

She has some simple suggestions to use before a job interview that will help you not only project confidence, but actually FEEL it. Research shows that when people feel confident they adopt body postures that are expansive and that take up more space. They are noticeably spread out and almost celebratory. For example, holding your arms outstretched above your head in a sort of victory pose. Arms on hips in a Wonder Woman pose. Leaning on a table like you own it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other side of the coin is that when people feel powerless, fearful, or insecure they tend to make themselves smaller by holding their arms folded or close to their body. They stand with feet crossed and they hunch a bit. They look downward more, and they make small gestures instead of grand ones.

 

     

What is important about Amy Cuddy’s research is that the mind-body connection is a two way street. Certainly our body often reflects how we are feeling inside. But more importantly is that how we stand, sit or gesture directly affects how we feel inside. So, we can turn things around by acting as if we feel confident until we do. It only takes a few minutes.

So, Amy Cuddy’s suggestion for job interviews are:

1)      Ahead of time go into a private area and stretch out your arms. Stand tall and spread out. Take up space. Act bigger and more expansive than you may feel. This will communicate to your brain to start feeling more confident.

2)      During the interview adopt body positions and postures that take up space. Make slightly larger gestures and own your space. This is no time to be a shrinking violet. Sit up tall, lean forward make eye contact. Act like you belong there, and soon perhaps you will.

Go get ‘em tiger.

  --Mike Powers

Asking Powerful Questions

The question is a very powerful tool. It is deceptively simple but can evoke profound effects if used to our advantage. We often get ourselves stuck with closed-ended questions that get basic facts or yes/no answers. Here are three types of questions that you may find useful to propel you toward something useful. (Thanks to ideas from a book by Vogt, Brown and Issacs called The Art of Powerful Questions for inspiring this Blog.)

Questions for focusing attention

·       What question, if answered, would make the most difference to your job search?

·       What attracts you to certain parts of the job search process?

·       If you dig a little bit, what hidden opportunity might you discover in your present situation?

·       What assumptions do you need to test or challenge in your thinking about job search?

·       What would someone who knows and loves you say about your situation?

Questions for connecting ideas and finding deeper insight

·       What is starting to take shape for you? What are you noticing that is positive in recent events?

·       What is in the center of your life that you need to stay connected to?

·       What new connections could you make that will really help you out?

·       What seems easy for you during this process?

·       What has been the most interesting discovery for you so far?

·       What is it that you would love to discover soon?

Questions that create forward movement?

·       What will it take to move to the next level in your job search?

·       What brings you the most positive energy during the job search process?

·       What is possible here and who can help me get what I want?

·       What seed can I plant today that will make the most difference in my future?

·       Who do I need to have a conversation with to go to the next step?

·       What have I been putting off that I can do now to get some momentum?

Healing the wound

Healing the wound of a layoff

In any group of job seekers laid off from the very same company you will meet very different reactions. This is normal isn't it? We all have different relationships to an employer or a job. Some feel devastated to be laid off while some are disappointed, and others are nervously delighted. A few are downright overjoyed. Other feelings are disoriented, dazed, numb, furious, guilty, hurt, or sad.

No matter what the reaction is, it is important to heal any wounds quickly because there is a risk that these emotions will "leak out" during networking, or worse yet during an interview! Saying something negative about your previous employer is a major mistake, because the interviewer will hear it as a comment on you, rather than on the employer. They will not be sympathetic.

I can't emphasize enough that no matter how justified your feelings may be about the reason you were laid off, or the manner in which you were laid off, you need to resolve those feelings and put them behind you before you move into your full job search.

So, how do you resolve them? How do you heal a sizable wound?

Consider this: the opposite of LOSS is not GAIN, it is ATTACHMENT. The reason a layoff hurts so much is because we have an attachment to that job, organization, team, salary, status, title, responsibility, etc. It is the cutting of those attachments that hurts so much and causes the pain. The most important goal is to re-establish your sense of wholeness without that job.

As you process what it means to be whole, keep in mind that you were "you" before you ever took that previous job. You were already whole. You are not that job - so you remain whole without that job. You have all of the skills, knowledge, ability, attitude, motivation, work ethic and character that you had before you lost the job. You are a whole person.

Imagine for a moment what you left behind at that previous job. Your office/cubicle, your desk, your title, your chair, your routine with co-workers, your lunch pattern, your customers/clients. None of these are truly part of YOU. They can all be replaced. You haven't left anything of yourself behind. Be sure you realize that fully. Become aware of all of the wonderful parts of yourself that you have within you. They are still there - hold on to them, because you will need them during the job search and in your new job.

Let the other stuff go - let them drift into a memory and you will feel the lessening of the attachment and the lessening of the emotions as well. Do this exercise a few times until you feel you have let go of those attachments and emotions. And then focus on the future and the exciting things that lie ahead. Whatever you do don't keep telling yourself the "story" of your layoff, because that story had an unhappy ending and will only keep getting you upset. Start to tell yourself a new story that has a happy ending - you getting a new and perhaps even better job. The new story will provide the motivation and the positive feelings you need to get through this transition.

Take care of yourself,

--Mike

Beating the "Overqualified" objection

One of the major issues that "mature workers" have to face is that employers will see them as overqualified. Overqualified generally means having too much of something: more skills, education, or experience than the job requires. You might think that an employer would want to hire the best possible candidate for a given job, but the reality is that they want to hire the person with the best fit. They don't want an employee to feel above the job, unchallenged, underpaid, underutilized.

If they need a person with a BA/BS, they don't want someone with a PhD even though you might be willing to take it. If you have 20 years experience and apply for an entry level position, they probably won't give you a look.

I heard a new story last week. A job seeker said he was so prepared for a job interview that he really thought he had nailed it. When he was rejected, the feedback he received was that he was "too enthusiastic." I never heard that before. Could it have been another way of saying he was too old, or too qualified? Who knows, but too enthusiastic? Wow.

How can you overcome these objections? Some advise taking some skills or experience out of your resume. This may work to some degree and might be worth a try. I recommend applying to smaller businesses or non-profits. They tend to be less rigid about job descriptions and more willing to utilize all the skills you can bring them. If you can manage projects and can also maintain a website, this might be an extra that you can bring them that they don't currently have. Finding out about these potential needs through your networking and research can give you leg up.

You also need to make sure you address the over-qualification question even if it doesn't come up directly in the interview. If you have been a manager and are applying to be an individual contributor, explain why you want to make that career change. If you can allay their fears and doubts, you may open their minds to welcome you into your new job!