Career management

How to Regain Your Confidence and Recapture Your Mojo After a Layoff

Todd Cherches on May 13, 2013

I really loved my job. And then my boss walked in one day and informed me that I was being laid off. That was a little over three years ago. There’s a lot more to the story than that, but it’s what happened next that I most want to talk about.

Upon receiving the news that day, I felt confused, disoriented, shocked, lost. It was around 10:00am on a Wednesday morning, and after going to the same office every day for the past three years, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do with the rest of my day. Or my week. Or my life. I guess I was just supposed to go home. But the reality hadn’t really sunk in yet, and I wasn’t quite ready to face my wife with the news.

So I left the office and meandered aimlessly up Broadway with no specific destination in mind. Before I realized it, maybe an hour or two, and 50 blocks, later I somehow ended up at 81st Street and Central Park West, right in front of the American Museum of Natural History. So I went in and just wandered around Africa and Asia for a while, then the Planetarium, before settling under the big Blue Whale. Read More →

Confessions of a Job Hopper

Danny Flamberg on March 20, 2013

Very few us of are one-dimensional. Most of us have a spectrum of skills and interests which can be ordered, emphasized and monetized in different ways at different times. So far, I’ve had seven careers ranging from educator to government worker to journalist, consultant, publicist, Internet entrepreneur, and ad man. Who knows what will be next?

Job change is personal growth. But change needs to be carefully considered and actively chosen. I use three criteria for assessing new opportunities. Read More →

The Surprising Story Behind February’s Positive Job Numbers

Allison Hemming on March 11, 2013

February’s BLS Jobs Report landed on Friday, and the numbers were surprisingly positive. A healthy 236,000 jobs were added to the private sector, a whopping 71,000 more jobs than expected. While you might think this would be cause for celebration, the reaction among major news outlets was decidedly mixed. The Gray Lady — followed by scores of other outlets – unleashed a frenzy of upbeat articles, each presenting a rosy outlook for the still-wobbly economy. NPR was more measured in its coverage, being bold enough to give some airtime to the falling participation rate (this number measures the amount of employable adults actively engaged in the labor market). It also balanced Friday’s good news with coverage of the continuing challenges faced by the long-term unemployed. Naturally, The Wall Street Journal did what the Wall Street Journal does best: rain on everyone’s parade.

In short, the numbers are more promising than many observers expected, but change is still to come. Here’s what the situation looks like from our spot in the jobs space. Read More →

Just Say No: Declutter Your Career With These Three Product Management Rules

Lisa Schneider on March 4, 2013

“Perfection is attained, not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
-Antoine de St. Exupery

As a product manager, my job is as much about deciding what features don’t make it into a product as it about what features do. Sometimes it’s more about what not to put in, or — dare I say it aloud — what to take out. Stakeholders will bristle when their pet feature is headed for the chopping block, but product managers have to press on, because the simplest and most elegant solutions are often the most powerful. The same goes for your career.

Example: At a previous website (unnamed to protect the well-intentioned), everyone had an opinion as to what the content engagement efforts should look like: Most Popular. Most Recent. Most Commented. Most Shared. More Like This. Your Cat Would Like This. I inherited an article page that had seven of these modules crammed into a pretty tight circle around the main edit well (this was in the days when “above the fold” ruled, but that’s another post altogether). It was too much, too cluttered, and too unclear what we were asking the user to do next. Instead of driving more engagement, it drove — wait for it — a 60%+ bounce rate.

You, too, are a product manager. It may not be your actual job title, but you are the architect and manager of your career. And the last thing you want is a 60% bounce rate on your professional endeavors. Here are three rules of product management that can help you remove the noise from your career narrative and engage the user in a smart, effective way. Read More →

Five Tips for Entry-Level Job Seekers

The Hired Guns on March 1, 2013

One of the most difficult transitions you’ll make in your career is the switch from sheltered academia life into the dog-eat-dog world of corporate America. The Red Bull-powered all-nighters in university libraries and the professional work environment can seem like two irreconcilable worlds, but surely four years and $200k must be worth something more than one line on the resume. Entry-level jobs are also often hotbeds of user error: they’re where we screw up our work the most.

But entry-level jobs aren’t just for recent grads; often when switching careers, we have to restart at the bottom of the food chain to establish a new professional record. So wherever you are in your career, if you’re planning to enter a new industry, here are a couple tips to bear in mind, courtesy of LifeHacker. Read More →

Day 24 | Try Before You Buy: How to Hire Your New Boss

Allison Hemming on February 24, 2013

You’re finally at the offer stage. You’re thrilled by the role you’ve been handed. You adore the company. And know you can make an impact there.

But do you love your new boss?

Before you accept that job, you need to really ask yourself this question (and — for once –listen to your spider sense). If the answer is no, then you need to press on and find a boss you can jibe with.

Not picking your boss is a J.V. move that can negatively impact your career for years to come. Today, tenures may be short, but memories and reputations are long and back-channeling is just one click away. These days, it’s essential to show meaningful impact in your first 90 days. To achieve that, you need to have a boss under whom you can thrive, not just survive. Read More →

Day 20 | Your Secret Interviewing Weapon: The C.A.R. Technique

Allison Hemming on February 20, 2013

On Day 19, we covered why good story telling is essential to boosting your candidacy when it comes to interviewing. This, my friends, is easier said than done. That’s why it’s time to introduce the C.A.R. technique: a fantastic way to supercharge your interviewing chops and leave the competition in the dust.

So what does the acronym C.A.R. stand for? C = Challenge, A = Action, and R = Result. Together, they form a framework for your work experience that is logical and useful to the recipient. It’s easy to master, and it can be your best tool for making an impact during an interview. Read More →

Day 12 | Come Together: Choosing the Right Recruiter for Your Job Search

Allison Hemming on February 12, 2013

Remember back on Day 8 when I told you to do less job board surfing and more networking? Remember when I told you to budget 80% of your job hunting time for networking? You should be spending a solid chunk of that 80% finding, connecting to, and meeting recruiters. It’s a great use of your networking time and the payoff can be huge as you get more people advocating on your behalf. Learning how to work with recruiters is crucial, because love ‘em or hate ‘em, by the time you reach mid-career (and earlier if you work in Digital), you’re going to work with a headhunter or an external recruiter.

But not all recruiters are created equal. Choosing the right one can jump start your job search. Choosing the wrong one can derail your job search indefinitely. Read More →

Day 8 | The Internet is Ruining Your Job Search: How Applying Works in 2013

Allison Hemming on February 8, 2013

I you haven’t looked for a job in the last couple of years, you’re in for an extremely rude awakening. A lot has changed, even for the best candidates with the most in-demand skills. There are the added factors of online networking, learning to manage a profile, a brand new etiquette when it comes to approaching recruiters, and the list goes on.

One huge problem we see on the recruiter side is that it’s easier than ever to apply for a job. Features like LinkedIn’s one-click application turn the job search into impulse shopping, which means that everyone applies for everything, which means you’re just that much more likely to get ignored. The black hole of job hunting is bigger and darker than ever. It’s also exhilarating, dynamic, and the best source of increasing your wealth and fulfillment, if you do it right. Read More →

Day 7 | Make a Great First Impression: How to Write an Effective Cover Letter

Ryan Galloway on February 7, 2013

This could have been avoided with a good cover letter

Here’s a question: when does a job interview begin?

The answer isn’t “with the handshake” or “when you arrive at reception.” The interview process begins the second a recruiter or hiring manager receives their first piece of correspondence from you. In almost all cases, the first thing they see is your cover letter. The cover letter is the first test, and if you haven’t taken the time to prepare one that’s tight, compelling, and good at selling your skills, you’re already blowing it. Read More →

Day 6 | Don’t Play Catch-Up: How and When to Secure Great References

Ryan Galloway on February 6, 2013

It’s difficult to estimate just how many job seekers we’ve seen blow an offer, just because their references were in disarray. Whether they treated them as an afterthought, believed they were either too senior or too accomplished to be asked for them, or just forgot about them all together, job seekers at any level rarely put the necessary effort into selecting, prepping, and deploying references. This is a late-stage mistake that can easily throw a wet blanket on an otherwise successful hiring process. Nail down your references before you begin applying, or you risk playing catch-up down the line. Read More →

Day 2 | Less is More: How to Go from Being a Long Shot to a Sure Shot

Allison Hemming on February 2, 2013

In this economy, just showing up no longer counts. Jobs are no longer doled out to the deserving. Instead, they’re given to those that are the most qualified, the best prepared, and who prove that they want it the most.

This is my way of telling you not to start the job hunting process unless you’re willing to make it your relentless pursuit to end up in a hiring manager’s short list — the top three candidates of all the people who applied for a given job — every single time.

Tall order? Maybe. Achievable? Absolutely.

So what can you do today that will make an immediate and positive impact on your job hunt? Start refining the jobs you’re going to apply for. Read More →

Day 1 | Should I Stay or Should I Go: Making the Decision to Find a New Gig

Allison Hemming on February 1, 2013

Not recommended

Be warned, friends: once you commit yourself to job change, it’s really, really hard to put the “new job” genie back in the bottle.

Once you’re on the hunt, the same-old, same-old of your current job will begin to wear thin and you’ll want out ASAP. Then, with every tweak to your resume, every interview you crush, and every new contact you’ve schmoozed, you’ll find yourself increasingly ready to jump into that sexy new opportunity.

But before you do, you need to be sure that you’re truly ready to pull that rip cord, and that you’re pulling it for the right reasons. Read More →

28 Days to a New Job: How it Works

Ryan Galloway on February 1, 2013

The day has come, folks. Every day in February — the next 28 days — we’ll be bringing you tips and lessons designed to completely prepare you for a killer job hunt. If you want to follow along (and you definitely want to follow along), here’s how:

Read each day’s post. If there’s suggested homework — there usually will be — take a crack at it. When you’re done, let us know you finished by posting a comment on our Facebook page or tweeting using our hashtag #NewJob28Days. Tell us how you did. Share what you learned and what you struggled with. Ask us questions. We’re here to help.

Next up: Ally kicks it off with “Should I Stay or Should I Go: Making the Decision to Find a New Gig.”

Why Working Parents Should Be Networking More in 2013 and How to Make it Happen

Jan Brown on January 22, 2013

Photo by van city 197

Working parents, I invite you to add another resolution to your list this year: do more networking. While networking is important for everyone’s career, I’m aiming this post specifically toward working moms and dads. Why? Because it’s something we often let slip. We working parents are often so focused on being efficient at work so we can get home to little Oliver or Sophie as early as possible that networking get pushed to the back burner.

Adding a little bit more networking to your routine, however, — or simply having a networking mindset — can add a lot to your career and personal happiness this year. Read More →

What is a Career in User Experience Really About?

Mark Hurst on January 17, 2013

This piece originally appeared on CreativeGood.com and is reprinted here with their kind permission.

In this new year it feels right to say something big, something about the meaning of life, and one’s career, and everything. I guess it’s been on my mind since last month, when I finished teaching a graduate class in user research. (It was here in New York, in SVA’s MFA in Interaction Design. Great program.) The class gave me a chance to get to know some very talented young designers, most of whom are just beginning their journey into the user experience field.

My main message to the class was that good user research isn’t a matter of learning the steps of some trendy methods, as though one were just following a cookbook. Instead, good UX work requires a genuine interest in observing, listening to, and learning from other people: primarily the customers themselves, but also the organization that owns the product. That observation, and that listening, must stem from a genuine human interest in people. Read More →

The Recovery is Here, Part II: Holiday Parties and Taxi Cab Economics

Allison Hemming on November 29, 2012

Photo from dkb827.tumblr.com.

Over the last several months, the conversation at The Hired Guns HQ has revolved around the feeling that the economy is finally rebounding. We’re getting more good news by the day. From improved housing stats to the Fed announcing in its most recent Beige Book that — wait for it — there are modest hiring shortages, particularly in high tech.

After a recession like the one we’ve just experienced, it’s like crawling out of a mineshaft after five years to find yourself staring at the sun: can a recovery really be true? While I am an optimist, I am also inherently skeptical and feel the need for constant gut checks. One thing I do is constantly talk to real people — especially job seekers — about how they’re feeling about the economy. Perhaps my best barometer for what’s in the air, as unscientific as it is, is what I call “The Taxi Cab Index.” Read More →

Introducing Boots to Bytes: A Digital Re-Skilling Program for Returned Veterans in NYC

Allison Hemming on November 15, 2012

Monday was Veteran’s Day. Today, unemployment for post-9/11 veterans still sits at a staggering 10%. That’s a pretty grim employment picture to return to after serving your country. Not only do you risk your life, but you also risk your retirement. It doesn’t seem quite fair, does it?

Returning servicemen have two really hard battles to win when it comes to job hunting. First, vets have to figure out how to translate their military skills to what’s needed in Corporate America, but in many fields — digital in particular — those needs are constantly evolving. Maintaining relevancy, by which I mean “applying your work experience to what’s needed in a new job,” is a challenging task for even the most seasoned of job seekers, so imagine what it’s like for a returning vet. I’ll give you a hint: darn near impossible. Read More →

Revive NYC While Networking Your Way Into a New Job

Allison Hemming on November 7, 2012

Occupy Sandy Distribution Center at St. Jacobi Church in Sunset Park

Like many offices in Silicon Alley and lower Manhattan, The Hired Guns was closed all last week due to Hurricane #Sandy. The good news is that even through rain, dark of night, and a near total lack of connectivity, our clients kept calling and emailing. We were lucky, because as a team we could work completely remotely (those of us who had power or didn’t have trees falling on our houses, that is). We were also very, very busy. Read More →

Salary Negotiation Isn’t Just About the Money

Jim Hopkinson on October 29, 2012

Let’s be clear. If I took a poll of all the students I’ve worked with and asked them why they signed up for my How to Negotiate Your Salary Like an FBI Agent class, the number one reason would be: “I want to make more money.” But when I talk to them after the course and ask them what they took away from it, they tell me so much more. Read More →

Promising Job Numbers and Resume Advice from an Unlikely Source, Plus What We’re Reading

The Hired Guns on October 5, 2012

Happy Friday, Guns. ADP and the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their monthly job numbers for September this week, and the overall outlook continues to improve:

BLS: “The unemployment rate decreased to 7.8 percent in September, and total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 114,000, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Employment increased in health care and in transportation and warehousing but changed little in most other major industries.”

ADP: “Employment in the U.S. nonfarm private business sector increased by 162,000 from August to September, on a seasonally adjusted basis. The estimated gains in previous months were revised lower: The July increase was reduced by 17,000 to an increase of 156,000, while the August increase was reduced by 12,000 to an increase of 189,000.”

In sum, growth is happening, if slowly. We’re seeing the first green shoots emerging from the soil after the spring thaw here. ADP’s hedging on their previous numbers makes this month’s performance all the more noteworthy. It’s also worth noting here that as we move into Q4, we’re likely to see sharp spikes in hiring due to temporary, seasonal jobs being added. That’s why September’s numbers are so crucial: it’s the last true measure of employment statistics that we’ll get for the rest of the year. And it looks promising. Read More →

What You Can Learn About Public Speaking from the Presidential Debates

Joel Schwartzberg on October 4, 2012

Whatever else you thought about the performances turned in by President Obama and Governor Romney’s during Wednesday night’s presidential debate (as well as that of Jim Lehrer, who had the nerve to keep interrupting them with questions!), the occasion was generally a study in good public speaking tactics. Though President Obama and Governor Romney shared a number of similar presentational techniques, the two did take some divergent approaches. Here’s a quick review of things they did right and not-so-right, as well as a few key takeaways that can help make you a better public speaker. Read More →

What the NFL Referee Debacle Can Teach Us About Salary Negotiation

Jim Hopkinson on September 27, 2012

via Gawker.com

The first three weeks of the 2012 NFL Season brought lots of excitement, with rookie Robert Griffin III tossing bombs, the Arizona Cardinals starting 3-0, and receiver Calvin Johnson already hauling in 9 touchdowns.

But none of that compares to the largest underlying theme of the season: the dismal job performance of replacement NFL referees, some of whom were fired from the Lingerie Football League (yes, that’s a thing and no, we’re not linking to it) for incompetence. The replacements botched call after call on national TV while the league negotiated a new contract for their regular full-time officials.

As the league finally reaches an agreement to end the embarrassment, what can we learn from their negotiation? Read More →

Why It Takes Moxie To Be In Digital

Sheryl Victor Levy on September 19, 2012

I recently spoke at Moxie Camp, a women’s leadership conference and I can say — and I think many of my digital colleagues would agree — it takes moxie to be in Digital. A lot of it. When I think of having moxie, it’s about having the courage to go into uncharted territory; being comfortable with having to say, “Let me get back to you on that,” and having serious get-up-and-go. Dictionary.com’s definitions for “moxie” are: “vigor; verve; pep; courage and aggressiveness; nerve, skill; know-how.”

Yep. That’s what I’m saying.

You’re paid to be an expert in “All Things D.” From digital strategy to CRM; from social media to product development. It’s a broad term, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

I can speak from personal experience as someone who works in an agency setting, but Ferris Bueller said it best (I paraphrase, obviously): “Digital moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Read More →

The Results of Our #6wordCV Contest Are In…

The Hired Guns on September 18, 2012

In case you missed it, The Guns launched a search for the best #6wordCV yesterday. We got a lot of really great submissions — some serious, some not so serious — from our Twitter network. It was a tough call, but Larry Smith, inventor of the Six-Word Memoir Project and the brilliant mind behind tomorrow’s What’s Your Story? class, has spoken.

Congratulations, @vdlr. Your #6wordCV took first prize:

“Digital storyteller igniting innovation, strategy, analytics.”

In Larry’s own words, “the specificity of it, as well as the art of what person can do for their clients” was the clincher. In addition to having something to lord over all her friends for eternity, she also wins free admission to Larry’s class tomorrow night. Read More →

Larry Smith: On Tomorrow’s Class, Knowing Yourself, and Keeping it Simple

The Hired Guns on September 18, 2012

We sat down with Larry Smith, our coach for tomorrow’s What’s Your Story? course, to talk about work, life, and presenting it all in just six words.

What is a Six-Word Memoir®?
Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. As the legend goes, he wrote: “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” In November 2006, at the online storytelling community I founded called SMITH Magazine, we gave the six-word story a personal twist, calling it a “Six-Word Memoir.” (And partnering with a little-know company called Twitter for what was supposed to be just a one-month contest to win an iPod). The idea is as simple as it sounds: tell the story of your life in exactly six words. Those six words can be an attempt to sum up your whole life — think of it as the title of your autobiography or epitaph on your tombstone, as Mario Batali did when he wrote, “Brought it to a boil often” — or one aspect of your personal life (“According to Facebook we broke up”) or professional life (“I tell amazing stories in PowerPoint”).

How does it help professionals refine their personal brand?
The parameters of just six words help you get to the essence of who you are and what you do best. Ever notice that the higher up you get on the ladder, the shorter your emails and meetings can be? Being brief, precise and very much in tight control of your own personal story is a boon for anyone in any part of their life — from your online dating profile to your resume. Read More →

Six-word CVs, Four New Classes, and One Chance to Win.

The Hired Guns on September 14, 2012

As impossible as it may seem, summer’s already over. It’s time to put away the board shorts and flip flops and start thinking seriously about honing your professional skills. But unlike your kids, your fall schedule has something to look forward to. This fall, The Hired Guns Academy offers four distinct courses to help you take the next step in your career.

First off is What’s Your Story? Master the Art of the Elevator Pitch and Harness the Power of Short-Storytelling. On Wednesday, September 19, Larry Smith, founder of SMITH magazine and author of It All Changed in an Instant: More Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure, helps you hone your “elevator pitch” and teaches you how to make it “flex” depending on the audience you’re speaking to and the stage of your career you’re in, so people remember your name and what you do best. Sign up here.

But wait – there’s more (yes, we just went there.) We want you to take a crack at crafting your own six-word CV. Make them funny, make them heart-wrenching, make them suit-and-tie serious — just make sure they sell you in just six words. Tweet them @TheHiredGuns using #6wordCV, email them to us at hired.guns.editorial@gmail.com, or just leave them in the comments below. The best six-word CV, as determined by our eminently qualified and highly vetted panel of celebrity judges, wins free admission to Larry’s September 19 class. We’ll share the best submissions on our blog, but only the best six words will win. Read More →

Extreme Truth, and Why You Can’t Escape It

Bruce Kasanoff on September 4, 2012

If you’ve been following the fall of Jonah Lehrer, the bestselling author and New Yorker writer and serial fabulist who got caught making up Bob Dylan quotes, you might think his tale has properly sensitized you to the perils of stretching the truth.

Not even close. Read More →

THG@SXSW: Last Day to Vote!

The Hired Guns on August 31, 2012

Last week, we told you about our very own Allison Hemming’s SXSW panel “Corporate Alums: Why Big Companies Invest in Ex-Employees.” The panel is an in-depth look at the future of corporate alumni networks and features some of the best minds in the field. This week, we find ourselves in the home stretch as voting at SXSW.com ends at midnight tonight! (Friday, August 31) We’d love your support! If our panel interests you, vote! (With only hours left, there’s no time for subtlety.) Read More →

THG @ SXSW 2013: The Future of Corporate Alumni Networking

Allison Hemming on August 21, 2012

SXSW voting is upon us and we need your help! The Guns’ panel, “Corporate Alums: Why Big Companies Invest in Ex-Employees” is up for voting over at SXSW.com and we’d really appreciate your support. Our panel, headed up by yours truly, is all about the increasing role that corporate alumni relations is playing and will play in the future of professional networking. My fellow panelists are amazing (and humbling) and head up the corporate alumni networks at companies like Morgan Stanley and IBM. Find out more after the jump. Read More →

It Takes More Than Buzzwords to be an Expert

Lisa Schneider on August 8, 2012

The other day I took part in a hysterical exchange on Facebook: After watching AMC’s The Pitch (think Mad Men meets reality TV), my friend Deb Gabor, who heads up Austin-based consulting shop Sol Marketing Concepts, posted that she couldn’t stand hearing the contestants talk about “about mind spaces, brand platforms, value propositions, empowering consumers and other sundry bullsh*t.” She followed that with a comment along the lines of, “I’m afraid I sound like this at work – please help me.” Of course I jumped in with a snappy and equally buzzword-laden response, as did a few other folks. We cracked ourselves up. (I know, I need to get out more.) Read More →

Give ‘Em a Taste and Leave ‘Em Wanting More: Your Job Search and the Little Pink Spoon

Todd Cherches on July 12, 2012

Mint Chocolate Chip

It’s all about the Little Pink Spoon.

One of my all-time favorite summertime pleasures is going to Baskin-Robbins and trying out a few new flavors with those little pink spoons of theirs. Ninety percent of the time I just end up getting Rocky Road, but I always enjoy tasting a few other flavors before ordering my cone.

Why is Baskin-Robbins so willing to give away their product for free? It’s obvious: they hope that by giving us a free taste, we’ll end up buying a cup or a cone or a pint or a gallon. So they gladly give away millions of little pink spoonfuls in order to make many millions of dollars more in return. It’s the same reason movies show trailers, cosmetics companies offer samples, and car dealers offer test drives: people want to try before they buy.

So, how do you bring the Little Pink Spoon Principle into play in your job search? By giving a prospective employer a “free sample” of what you have to offer, you’ll dramatically improve your chances of success. Here are three ways to do it … Read More →

Seven Smart and Savvy Ways to Start Your New Job Off Right

Danny Flamberg on June 11, 2012

Congratulations on starting a new job. You’ve got a new outfit, a new attitude, and a new paycheck. Be sure you start things off right by being conscious of your surroundings and by managing your expectations. It’s not easy being the new guy. You’re psyched. They’re psyched. But nobody knows what’s really coming next. You radiated energy and intention in all those interviews. They did too. Everyone was on their best behavior. Now you’ll see them in their native habitat.

Some of your coworkers will maintain the facade longer than others, but soon you’ll get a glimpse (or a massive dose) of reality. Nobody ever really knows what they’re getting into until they are in place and fully present, with all their political and emotional sensors on high alert.

To ensure you get off to a smart, savvy, and successful start, focus on these seven factors. Read More →

Four Tips for Making the Most of Your Internship or Temp Job

Todd Cherches on June 6, 2012

It’s the classic Catch-22: You can’t get a job or change careers without the necessary experience … but how are you supposed to gain experience if no one will give you a chance?

The answer: find an internship or temp job! And this advice applies not just to recent graduates, but to ANYONE at any age, at any stage of their career. Read More →

Why Good People Can’t Get Jobs

The Hired Guns on June 5, 2012

There are still lots of unemployed or underemployed workers out there, but many companies say they just can’t find the right employees to fill openings. What’s behind this seeming paradox?

To get some answers, The Wall Street Journal talked with Peter Cappelli, a professor of management and human resources at Wharton, who just wrote the book Why Good People Can’t Get Jobs. He argues that some companies are obsessed with getting people with the perfect experience and stats, so they end up with no one: “for every story about an employer who can’t find qualified applicants, there’s a counterbalancing tale about an employer with ridiculous hiring requirements.”

Cappelli also lays the blame on overly rigid screening software, which is rejecting people who might actually be qualified: “applicants rarely talk to anyone, even by email, during the hiring process,” so there’s no way to clear up confusion over experience, job titles, job-history gaps, or anything else.

Monster to Mentor: 5 Tips for Becoming a Great Manager

Mandy Gresh on May 30, 2012

Our newest blogger, Mandy Gresh, is a coach and strategist devoted to helping others hone their plans for their career. Which parts of your current job are the most important for your future? Why is it so important to think like an entrepreneur? And how do you know when it’s time to head out on your own? These are the kinds of questions she’ll be helping us answer….

Becoming a manager is a little like becoming a parent. Although you can do a lot to prep for the job (reading books, observing others, coming up with lots of mental notes, thinking about best practices), it’s not until the day you actually have a staff that you get a clue what it’s really about.

I’m speaking from experience, on the management side at least. At 26 years old I was handed a team in a foreign country, with my manager in New York. The truth is that I was a nightmare to work for: micromanaging, with a very top-down style; only telling people things on a need-to-know basis; keeping track of when people arrived and left…. in other words, the exact person you don’t want to work for. Read More →

Get Those Lies Off Your Resume (and Keep Your Job!)

The Hired Guns on May 23, 2012

Ousted Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson is only the latest high-profile example of an employee let go because of lies or inaccuracies on his resume or CV. Telling whoppers is risky business: a survey by Findlaw.com found that a full 25% of those who lied on their resume got fired because of it.

But if you’ve been less-than-accurate on your resume, how can you remove those ticking time bombs without causing more problems for yourself? The HR Capitalist has a game plan for setting the record straight — and doing it without getting fired.

Don’t Get Fooled Again: Be Ready to Freelance

Allison Hemming on May 15, 2012

We’re not all the way out of the woods yet with this up-and-down, on-again-off-again economic recovery. But the news is a little bit better each day. We’re feeling the tide turn here at The Hired Guns, which is a good sign, but it’s been a long slog for us, and I’m sure for many of you. So whether or not things are headed up and up from here, let’s collectively make a pact that “we won’t get fooled again.” What I mean is, let’s act now on the lessons we’ve learned, so that whatever the economy does in the future, we won’t be blindsided next time.

1. We are all Hired Guns now.
You are the master of your own career. It’s no secret that company loyalty is dead. Along with it died the notion that someone else was going to take care of us. For the last 50 years employees have outsourced career ownership to their bosses; the trade seemed fair when security was on offer. Without that available, there’s a trade imbalance between employees and companies, which is why everything is out of whack. Read More →

Tonight at the Hired Guns: Help and Advice for Working Moms

The Hired Guns on May 8, 2012

A quick reminder that tonight at 6:00 we’ll be hosting “How Does She Do It?” — a panel set up by and for working moms. It will be a forum to discuss working-mom challenges and successes around career management.

Becoming a mom is a pivot point in many women’s careers. We believe that through great coaching, mentorship, and community, career missteps can be averted in favor of successful work/life balance. At tonight’s event, we’re hoping that our panelists will help unlock some smart strategies for getting ahead — at whatever stage you are on on your working-mom journey.

To find out about the event panelists and the full agenda, and to register yourself, head here:
Hired Guns Panel: How Does She Do It? Hope to see you there!

How Do You Respond to a Job Rejection?

The Hired Guns on May 7, 2012

Nobody likes emails that basically say “thanks but no thanks.” But what do you do when you get them? Do you just trash them, or do you write back?

Chances are that whatever you’re doing is a lot better than Ask A Manager’s examples of what NOT to write, such as “You’re making a mistake; I’d be a great candidate.” Or the equally pushy “I’d think I’m at least worth an interview.” Read More →

Meet the Mentors: Laura Lubman Hamburg, Communications Pro

The Hired Guns on May 3, 2012

When both her kids were in their teens, Laura Lubman Hamburg left a major job working in communications at IBM. She’s now the head of her own communications agency, with an eye toward later working full-time in a new career. Here’s a taste of what she’ll have to say about re-entering the workforce and similar hot topics as part of next week’s Hired Guns panel for working mothers .

Do you have any advice for working women who are about to be moms? What should they be doing NOW if they plan on going back to work later?
People will ask if you plan on coming back immediately. Say yes, even if you aren’t sure. You may decide to stay home for a while. You may go back right away. Don’t play your hand. You want to have the option, not them.

Before you take maternity leave, transfer all email contacts to your home computer. Be sure to put them in a “@company.com” format, not in the internal-address format. Bulk up your Linkedin profile with recommendations, if you can do so without being obvious. Follow your industry news, and if you see something, send a few key emails mentioning it. Read More →

Meet the Mentors: Jacqui Stafford, Fashion and Style Maven

The Hired Guns on May 3, 2012

Next up in our series of interviews with the accomplished women who will be sharing their expert advice and ideas in next Tuesday’s mentorship panel for working mothers is Jacqui Stafford. You may recognize Jacqui from one of her many appearances on TV, or have read the style and beauty advice she’s given in the pages of Vogue, Town & Country, Cosmopolitan, and many other magazines. She’s also the mother of a four-year-old adopted daughter.

Do you have any style or fashion advice for working women who are about to be moms?
Look for uncomplicated, fuss-free separates that don’t require much thought in the morning. Go for coordinating colors that make getting dressed really easy. Punch up your “wow!” factor with statement necklaces, scarves, and a great bag rather than over-trendy clothes. Read More →

Meet the Mentors: Kelly Day, CEO of the Blip Video Network

The Hired Guns on May 2, 2012

Next Tuesday, May 8, The Hired Guns will be hosting How Does She Do It? — a panel and discussion that we believe working moms at all stages of their career will find inspiring and fun as well as incredibly useful. We’re interviewing each of the panelists to find out where they’re coming from. Today we chatted a bit with Kelly Day, who has two daughters and whose husband is the primary caregiver. Recently appointed CEO of the web network Blip, Kelly has a career that comes with a hefty amount of travel….

How do you deal with all the business travel you do? How do you make it all work?
I’ve always traveled a lot, so my family is fairly used to it. I work hard to try to condense my trips as much as possible. I (almost) always try to make sure I’m home for the important things — school plays, recitals, etc. And I try to be as engaged with my kids as possible on the weekends, when I am home. I’m also a planner. I make sure that on Sundays everything is ready to go for the week — lunches planned, homework checked, appointments on the calendar, etc., to avoid as much chaos as possible while I’m on the road. Read More →

Free Speech at Work? Maybe You Should Exercise Your Right to Remain Silent

Fran Slusarz on April 19, 2012

Frances Codd Slusarz, an attorney based in Stamford, Connecticut, will be blogging for us about the complications, confusions, and, yes, legal issues that can arise in the workplace.

The confessional parting shots that Greg Smith and James Whittaker aimed last month at their former employers (Goldman Sachs and Google, respectively) might have made you itchy to share your own workplace gripes with the whole interwebs (or at least your Facebook friends). You’re a brave soul and a leader, just like them, and how else will you change what is wrong? How else is everyone going to know that you are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore?

Let me make a suggestion: keep your mouth shut. Read More →

It’s Equal Pay Day: How Are You Going to Get Yours?

Allison Hemming on April 17, 2012

Today is Equal Pay Day. Right now women workers earn an average of 77 cents for every dollar paid to men (this is according to the National Partnership for Women & Families, a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group working for equal pay and benefits in the workplace). So in addition to it being Tax Day, today also marks the number of extra days in 2012 that an average woman needed to work to earn as much as a man did just working in 2011.

It’s tempting to just want to complain. But instead of kvetching and working ourselves into a lather about companies taking advantage of women, we can actually do something about it by owning the situation and not taking it anymore. Read More →

What Freelancers Can Teach Traditional Workers

The Hired Guns on April 16, 2012

Roughly a third of all American workers are contractors, temporary workers, self-employed, or some other kind of independent, or “contingent,” worker. And that rate seems to be going up with every year.

Even though it’s a smart bet to think that you might be on your own at some point in your career, lots of us act as if we’ll always be doing more or less what we’re doing now. But if and when you suddenly find yourself out of work — or your job description changes rapidly — it can be a major challenge to try to figure out at that point how to get your career moving again.

The consultant and writer Alexandra Levit, an old hand at working for herself and dealing with the challenges of being a contingent worker, has some advice to help traditional workers get comfortable with doing what it takes to be their own boss. It’s mainly about building skills: Read More →

The Hired Guns Academy Announces Its New Series of Panels on Mentorship

Allison Hemming on April 12, 2012

When you’re a Hired Gun, it’s you who needs to manage your own career. But that doesn’t mean that you need to do it all alone. A network of like-minded peers can be invaluable when it comes to navigating today’s confusing world of work. That’s why we’re so happy that we have that very kind of network right here at The Hired Guns, one made up of outstanding executives who have survived and thrived throughout their careers.

The idea sharing in our community is unbridled. In the last year, we’ve been unlocking it with our blog, and now we want to unlock it further with our new series of mentorship panels. Here we’ll tackle head-on all the most important aspects of career management by looking to the best and brightest people we know. Read More →

The Power to Change… to Get the Power You Need

Todd Cherches on April 12, 2012

One of the main reasons we hesitate, procrastinate, or fail to take action is that we feel like we lack the power to act.

When we’re out of work or stuck in a dead-end job, or struggling to get others to buy in to our ideas, or even to return our phone calls or emails, it sometimes seems as if we have no leverage at all.

But guess what: You have a lot more power than you think!

Last month I introduced the Five Levels of Proactivity model and discussed the key reasons why we may not be as proactive as we might like to be -– and how you can go from being inactive and reactive to super-proactive. Now I’d like to show you how to give yourself the confidence boost you may need to proactively take your game — and your career — to the next level. Read More →