Job Search News From ITS
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Here is a random selection of recent press releases. Reload this page to see a new set. All our press releases can be viewed through the links here organized by month. We pack these with helpful insights and suggestions for those looking for a new job.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
How To Handle: High Earnings May Disqualify Part 1
Denver, CO — July 20, 2006
On the surface, this may not appear to be a difficult problem, and in most instances, it is not. However, if you have personally maintained very high earnings, it may be difficult to uncover comparable opportunities. There are many reasons why this kind of situation can occur.
The problem, of course, is that many employers will be skeptical of someone who is willing to take a financial step down. There are implied questions about whether you'd be truly happy in a lower paying position, whether you would leave the moment a better offer comes along, how motivated and enthusiastic you'd be, and at another level, whether a failure to achieve at previous levels has forced you to look for a job that pays less.
The actions taken to offset it will vary, and each situation needs to be viewed individually, though there are some common themes.
Mindset
It is important to remember that the only valid question in the hiring process is whether you are the best person for the job, based on previous performance, your possession of the right skills and personal traits, and the level of enthusiasm you bring. If in fact you are the best candidate based on those criteria, then you can overcome this liability, and in some cases turn it to an advantage, with clear, sincere communication.
Resume
On the resume, there is no need to address this issue, other than to make sure that, to the extent you can, your goal statement or positioning matches the position you are seeking. Also, if you had a title in a similar sized company that is one or more levels above the position you seek, do not use the title or, if you must use it, do not emphasize it graphically,
For additional information get our free book "The ITS Professional Job Changing System" by Bob Gerberg, contact Carter Scott at 1-866-304-6900 or visit http://itspersonalmarketing.com.
Our founders are high level executives, each with 20 year's experience in recruiting and career services. With an entirely new concept and substantial funding, we attracted other highly experienced professionals who have become major shareholders in the firm. The collective wisdom our career executives possess from managing tens of thousands of successful searches is considerable.
News Contact: Danny Clark
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
How To Handle: You've Been Passed Over Part 3
Denver, CO — August 6, 2006
Actions
Examine your contributions closely, and prepare several action oriented stories that get across your varied talents. Look for as many specific result indications as possible. Be prepared to give as much evidence as possible in these memorable stories. They will reassure the prospective employer about your ability to perform, apart from any questions about promotions.
Develop and coach enthusiastic references from your employer organization if possible, and from outside, e.g., customers, suppliers, sales reps, consultants, etc., who will be happy to attest to your abilities and achievements, your talents for getting along well with others, and the fact that you could justifiably have been promoted several times. Review your resume with them, and make sure they keep a copy available for reference when and if they are called.
This step will enable you to make the statement in an interview that, "You've heard about Joe Smith from Joe Smith, but you really need to hear it from some of the people who know me best, and I strongly urge you to call them." That will reinforce the notion that you are the type of performer who certainly deserved to be promoted many times, and are quite confident about your ability to deliver value, and that this view is shared by others who are in a position to know.
If you're searching outside your industry, conduct research on any industry and companies you are targeting, using the Internet and/or resources in the Business Reference section of a good library. You might even consider going so far as to write a small article about the major trends in that industry as they affect someone in your function, whether it is general management, purchasing, sales, production, marketing, finance, customer service, information systems, or any other function.
In this way, you are showing extensive industry knowledge and a lot of enthusiasm, which can together focus the discussion away from questions about past promotions, toward the many ways you might help the company in the future.
For additional information get our free book "The ITS Professional Job Changing System" by Bob Gerberg, contact Carter Scott at 1-866-304-6900 or visit http://itspersonalmarketing.com.
Our founders are high level executives, each with 20 year's experience in recruiting and career services. With an entirely new concept and substantial funding, we attracted other highly experienced professionals who have become major shareholders in the firm. The collective wisdom our career executives possess from managing tens of thousands of successful searches is considerable.
News Contact: Chad Carter
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
How To Handle: You've Questionable References Part 2
Denver, CO — August 9, 2006
Interviews / e mail / Letters
In interviews, if you have taken the action steps recommended here, you will be able to make a statement toward the end such as, "You've heard about me from me, but you really need to hear about me from people who were in a position to see how I performed. It would be to my benefit if you did, and I hope you contact them."
After a particularly promising interview, you might consider asking one or two strong references to e mail or write the interviewer directly, reinforcing several positives and citing your enthusiasm about the position and the company.
If the negative reference is a past boss who will surely be contacted, you can sometimes defuse the negative by explaining that differences of opinion existed. Keep your explanation objective and unemotional. Do not imply any negatives, just an honest difference of opinion.
Actions
There are several steps you need to take. First, develop and coach several "new" positive, enthusiastic references from selected individuals you can trust inside your employer organization, if possible, but if not, from outside of it, e.g., customers, suppliers, sales reps, consultants, etc., who will be happy to attest to your "people skills" and your ability to deliver results.
If necessary, as a last resort you can convert social references to business references if the individual has a reasonable amount of business knowledge, by reviewing your resume with them and relating examples of how you have contributed. They can then honestly say that the know you, and as an experienced businessperson, they are aware of several of the good things you've done, even though they do not work directly with you on a daily basis.
Review your resume with all references, and make sure they keep a copy available to scan when and if they are called. If you can, give them "special assignments," where in addition to an overall enthusiastic endorsement, each of them will be expected to emphasize a different personal strength or ability in a special functional area.
This step will enable you to make the statement in an interview that, "You've heard about my achievements, but only from me. You really need to hear it from people who have seen me in action. Experience in Function X is important to you, and for that I suggest you contact Mary Jones. Experience in Function Y is also essential, and for that you'll get good input from Phil Mite. Personal traits A and B are needed for this job, and the people who would know best about that are Sue Griffith and Tom Robbins." It would be to my benefit if you contact all of them, and I hope you will."
Such a statement will impress the interviewer that you have several knowledgeable, enthusiastic references. If they also check other references you have not provided who are not positive, these references will at the very least balance that negative input, and may override it. Depending on your level, you may even be able to develop positive "status references" to offset the negatives. These might be prominent people in your field or company, public figures, congressmen, mayors, authors, Board members, etc.
Depending on a number of factors, you may benefit by taking the initiative to contact the negative reference or references, puffing a more positive light on your relationship than you remember, and asking if they could be a positive reference for you. If a person states they can, it will usually stifle any tendencies they may have to say something negative. You may even succeed in "recreating a positive memory" as described earlier.
Check questionable references by having people you know call to find out what is being said. If they are negative, you will need to confront them directly and advise them that their input is keeping you from winning a new position and making it impossible for you to support yourself
If this does not result in at least a neutral statement, then you may have to imply you are being forced to seek a legal remedy. In that case, you can consult a lawyer on what actions can be taken, or confer with the company's top Human Resources official, who may intercede.
If you need to offset a negative reference, almost any positive will help. In that regard, if you aren't already familiar with them, you would be well advised to conduct research on any industry and companies you are targeting, using the Internet and/or resources in the Business Reference section of a good library.
It will be to your advantage to write a small article about the major trends in that industry as they affect someone in the function you are targeting, whether it is general management, purchasing, sales, production, marketing, finance, customer service, information systems, or any other function.
In this way, you take the focus of the discussion away from less than enthusiastic references, and toward specific ways you might contribute to the potential employer. The anticipation and excitement that is often generated in such future oriented and constructive discussions can go a long way toward dissipating any negatives surrounding the issue of references.
Also, examine your past contributions closely, and take sufficient time to prepare and rehearse several action oriented stories that demonstrate your talent for moving rapidly to got results in the types of situations that resemble those likely to be faced by the person who wins the job you are seeking.
Look for as many specific result indications as possible. Be prepared to give a wealth of evidence in the form of these memorable stories. They will reassure the prospective employer that you have performed in a manner that should have resulted in highly enthusiastic references.
For additional information get our free book "The ITS Professional Job Changing System" by Bob Gerberg, contact Carter Scott at 1-866-304-6900 or visit http://itspersonalmarketing.com.
Our founders are high level executives, each with 20 year's experience in recruiting and career services. With an entirely new concept and substantial funding, we attracted other highly experienced professionals who have become major shareholders in the firm.. The collective wisdom our career executives possess from managing tens of thousands of successful searches is considerable.
News Contact: Chad Carter
ITS
info@newcareersonline.com
http://itspersonalmarketing.com
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