Now Hiring with Karla Williams

1984 in 2009 (CYA - Big Brother is watching!)

by Karla Williams

I wonder whether Orwell would see the parallel between the society that he described in his novel “1984” and the ability that our growing obsession with social media potentially gives to individuals and organizations to know all about us the way that I do. 

 

In his novel titled “1984” George Orwell described a society where everyone is under total surveillance by the authorities via tele-screens (combined camera/screens) and spies. The people are constantly reminded of this by the phrase "Big Brother is watching you".

 

You may be wondering what got me thinking about an old novel that was required reading in high school.  Sadly, it is because all too often lately, I am hearing stories about lost opportunities.  Opportunities that may have been realized had the victims been aware of the need to carefully manage their online activities. 

 

Recently a friend of mine called from DC to report that her daughter had not been admitted to the PhD program she had applied to.  Everyone was surprised because this young woman was an excellent student and a stand up girl as judged by those that really know her.  My friend’s husband, a retired Brigadier General made a few well placed calls and found out that while the university felt his daughter had excellent academic promise, her character was questionable.  Why?  They checked out her Facebook page and found self-reported drug experimentation in college in her profile.   (By the way – she also reported on Facebook that she hated the drug experience.)

 

In an era when jobs are scarce, cyber-stalking (fun and larcenous) is a hobby for many, and identity theft is on the rise - why would someone post this kind of information in cyberspace for everyone to see? 

 

It’s easier to do than you may believe.  Closer to home, I sent an email to a distant colleague of mine cautioning her sarcastic online remarks about her new employer.  Initially she was peeved at me and I could tell she thought I was paranoid, but I noticed the next time I logged on to Facebook those comments were no longer on her “wall”. 

 

The best advice I can offer is that if you wouldn’t say it to your mother or some other person whose opinion you revere – don’t post it online.  If that seems like too much of a violation of your right to express yourself – take the time to understand the privacy settings that all the social networking tools offer – and use them. 

 

Right or wrong – CYA (cover you’re a**). You may be sorry if you don’t.

 

By the way - the novel “1984: was written in 1948.  How strange is it that in 2009 tele-screens really do have the potential to allow anyone to watch you?

Remembering those who were fired and those who remain

by Karla Williams

Sometimes I am struck by that randomness of life.  Usually it is in a bad way.  Problems - a shaky economy, rising unemployment, troubling financial news. Worries - money, job security, healthcare.  Tragedies and Losses.  Mine and those of many around me.  All appearing in and out of our lives randomly.

But today my day has been touched twice before Noon by two individuals endeavoring to uplift all of us as we deal with the uncertainty of the market.  Somehow, it will be "ok".

If you are not spiritual, you can ignore this post with no judgment from me intended.

Ah, but if you are, click on the following link to a blog I came across while searching for candidates today.

In closing, Blessings.

The Hedgehog Exercise

by Karla Williams

The Hedgehog Theory is a great exercise to engage in to start or re-energize a job search because it encourages us to focus in on our “one great thing”.  Once we know what our “one great thing” is, think of how it simplifies the process.  You know the value that you bring to an employer, you know how to differentiate yourself from others that you may compete with, you know how to write a compelling resume that answers the question ”so what” and make people want to know more about how our “one great thing” contributes to their organization.

Want to find your one great thing?

Visit the author's laboratory and find an exercise to help you find your "one great thing"

Jim Collin's Lab

Looking for job security - it still exists - kinda

by Karla Williams

In this day and age, with offshoring, outsourcing, layoffs, and a tight credit market - job security is that elusive element that we all crave.  Whether we will admit it or not, most people I meet exhibit a kind of longing for the good old days we have all heard about from our parents and grandparents where companies and their employees were partnered for the long term.  In those days, if you got a job with a company of any size - part of your compensation was that intangible benefit described as security.  They would pay your health insurance, help you buy affordable health insurance for your family, give you a generous allowance of sick days and vacation days, and they wouldn't fire your or lay you off unless you committed a grievous act against their corporate fortress.

For reasons too numerous to discuss this type of partnership does not exist anymore - but there is a close alternative.  It is call working for a governmental entity. And guess what?  They are hiring in large numbers!

Right after I graduated from college, I was "lucky" enough to land a job with the government.  My family was proud, my future was secured.  And now in this economy, I laughingly joke with my friends and family that I should have kept my good government job as I would be able to retire with a pension in 10 years.  But for me there was one problem - I hated it.  I am a free spirit and  I like to call my own shots as much as possible.  This is not possible in any type of bureaucratic organization, but is particularly not possible as a civil servant. 

But now I hear that things have changed and the government is a little leaner and meaner that it was when I worked there.  The government has labored for the last decade at becoming more private sector like and apparently it is a challenging and rewarding organization to work for. 

In this era of stimulus bills, the government is reportedly going to hire in excess of 200,000 new employees. 

So where do you find out about these great jobs?  There are a few places.

Monster has a great overview of the stimulus jobs.

Also check out a site called Making a Difference that talks about governmental opportunities that will help our world.

And if employment with Uncle Sam sounds like something you want to explore, visit the government's central job board, USA Jobs.  But as a former Federal insider, beware.  Applying for a government job bears little to no resemblance to applying for a job in the commercial sector.  Look for me to host a webinar on this topic in the not too distant future to help those wanting to explore Federal jobs opportunities.

The Time to Act is NOW particularly when looking for a job!

If you have recently lost your job, resist the urge to wait too long to begin your search for re-employment. No one is arguing that you will need time to adjust to the fact that you are without a job, because whether you were fired for cause or separated from your employer in a company wide reduction-in-force – the effect on your mental state is the same.  You feel abandoned, betrayed, even frightened.  A large part of our sense of self comes from the type of work we do and the contribution that we feel we make to society, to our families. 

By all means, take a few days to process what has happened in your life.  But lick your wounds quickly – and then get back out there and begin your search.  There are two reasons why speed is of the essence.

Concerns About Hiring Contractors/Entrpreneurs

I could fill a book on all the misconceptions that employers and employees operate under – and maybe I will some day. But for now, I want to give my take on why many managers in conventional, well-established companies are skeptical of hiring former entrepreneurs and independent workers and offer a few ideas how independent workers can allay these fears and become productive, content workers in the conventional employment sense.

Some of the most common reasons employers look askance at non-traditional workers follow.

1. The best and brightest employees choose to work for highly successful companies. They plan their careers carefully, from the schools that they attend to the companies that they work for as well as the positions they will accept. Who would work for themselves or start their own company and take on all that work and uncertainty if they were good enough to get a job?
2. The employees we want on our team don’t take jobs strictly for money, they aren’t overly concerned with work/life balance, having control of their own destiny and they don’t take unconventional risks such as choosing to work for themselves or as contractors/free agents.
3. Corporations value loyalty, teamwork, and conformance to many rules, regulations, and customs – most unwritten but certainly firmly in place. People who work for themselves are believed to be free wielding renegades who are unaccustomed to working within the confines typical companies have in place. And companies fear they can cause dissension in the ranks.
4. What is this person hiding? Why have they been working on their own – by choice or because no one would hire them.
5. What have they been doing out there on their own? Am I going to be able to verify their reliability, productivity, and competence since there is no personnel department to check with?
6. Why is this person now looking to go back to work for someone else after being on their own? Once the current situation is resolved, or they become eligible for COBRA health benefits or the economy improves they are going to go out on their own again and my company, my team and myself will have wasted all the time and resources that go along with bringing a new person on board. This will ultimately be bad for the career of the person that brought them in to the organization.
7. If they were competent and successful as a self- employed person, they wouldn’t need my job because they would still be successful as an entrepreneur/contractor.

These are not the questions, concerns and doubts of bad people out to get you – these are simply the questions of people who may not necessarily understand why anyone would want to be on their own any more than many independent workers understand why someone would want to be chained to an employer. Your job, if you seriously want to join the ranks of the conventionally employed, is not to argue with these perceptions, but to be aware that they are prevalent among the conventionally employed population. Once you understand that these are the stereotypes that you are fighting – you can set about developing a marketing plan that will get you the job you want.

Combatting Contractor Bias

So what are the elements to a successful job campaign after a stint as an independent worker?
1. Create a clear and compelling value proposition explaining how you can contribute to the organizational mission, solve problems, build teams, and increase profits. As proof, cite how your experience in a variety of industries solving a variety of business challenges brings them a fresh perspective only gained through the experience you have had. This is a delicate balance because you don’t want to come across as if you believe you are there to “save the day” but you want to indicate that you are confident you can make a valuable contribution.
2. Be able to explain in terms that an organization may value as to how you ended up as an entrepreneur or contractor. Examples include unparalleled opportunity to work on a project you had always wanted to work on, opportunity to support a well-respected organization on an exciting project.
3. Have a truthful reason as to why you are now seeking full time employment that does not cite the bleak economic outlook. If you miss working with a group, say so. If you have a genuine interest in the company’s mission, state it. If you find an area exciting, use this as your reason. Keep you personal needs out of the equation.
4. If you have had long term engagements, highlight that fact. It will indicate that you have the capacity to commit to an organization for the long term.
5. Have references ready. The best and most believable references are people you have worked with, clients and partners on your various projects. Coach these individuals so that they understand the concerns employers have about hiring former independent workers.
6. Look for temp to hire opportunities. This gives the employer the opportunity to “date” you before they allow you to “marry” into their organization.
7. Consider smaller to mid sized organizations. They are typically more forgiving than your so called “A” players.
8. Be prepared to answer the following tough questions.
a. Have you thought about what it will be like to be part of a structured environment after being an independent agent?
b. Are you sure you can make this transition?
c. How do I know that as soon as you save up some money or the eonomy gets better you won’t leave to go out on your own again.

Work with a qualified recruiter that can help you overcome these challenges and land the job you need and want.