The Career Buzz blog is Karen Kodzik's frequently updated source of news, information,
tips and insights concerning job search, career management and planning, and human resources.

Texting: Job Search Strategy or Misstep

By Karen Kodzik | Published: June 2, 2017

Given this day and age of mobile access, using our mobile devices to access information and people, it is a good time to talk about the roll is plays in job search.

Obtaining the name of a key networking contact, recruiter or hiring manager is gold. Obtaining their direct email, phone number or cell number is platinum!

So how do you use these judiciously to get in front of them without overstepping?

First is to keep in mind the context of your outreach.  Job search occurs within the context of business.  A good guideline when deciding whether to text a hiring manager is to ask your self would you do this if you worked in the same office with them?  Think about it, would you text your boss or the CEO of your company?  This is appropriate only once a relationship is established and an understanding of preferred communication methods has been agreed upon.

Job seekers often feel the pressure of time and want to land a job as quickly as possible so they want things to happen fast, so texting someone to quickly get in front of them or get a response seems to be the way to do this.  However what happens instead is a business etiquette misstep for the following reasons:

  1. Text messages are designed to be short meaning context can easily be lost.
  2. Text messages often have “mystery senders” if the person does not indicate who they are and assumes the recipient will recognize their phone number.
  3. Text messages are often written too casually and often with slang and misspellings which does not leave a good impression.
  4. Text message inappropriately assumes the recipient wants to communicate with you through this mean.

So the next time you are contemplating if you should just send ” a quick text”, think twice before pushing the send button and consider starting with an email.

 

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What to do when your company is in crisis?

By Karen Kodzik | Published: May 3, 2017

Crisis can come in many shapes and forms for organizations.  Sometimes a company’s crisis is brought on by a leadership change, a cultural shift, an economic downturn in their target market or by a public relations scandal.

So what are workers to do?  Sit tight and see if things stabilize or scramble to get your resume dusted off?  This is a tough spot to be in not to mention stressful with all the unknowns lingering in the air.

For some bolting quickly is their first inclination.  But this is just running from something not running to something.  It often puts you in the position of job searching from a place of desperation and therefore not presenting well as a job seeker or a desirable candidate.

Others may sit tight saying to themselves “the grass is never greener.”  These people run the risk of acclimating to a toxic work situation that ultimately affects their health and wellbeing.

The best approach when your company faces a crisis is to step back and ask yourself the following.

  1. How long am I willing to wait for things to change or improve?
  2. What does improvement look like?  How can I measure it?
  3. Will change bring opportunity?
  4. What’s values I am unwilling to compromise?
  5. What pieces do I have control over?

Don’t allow yourself to get sucked into the eye of the storm during a company crisis.  Using this method will allow you to approach this time more objectively and in a way that puts you in the drivers seat.

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What Workers Want

By Karen Kodzik | Published: April 4, 2017

Generally said career consultant’s help workers find  jobs by  helping them prepare to enter the job market with a sense of clarity, direction and game plan to compete in today’s job market.  But career counselors also help working professionals assess the source of job dissatisfaction and discontentment by getting to the core of their disengagement.

It is in getting to the real reason is where we start to determine what they ultimately want in a job.  One would assume that money or compensation is central to job choice and satisfaction.  But truth be told it is never about compensation.  Whether they make $50,000/yr or $500,000/yr, more money does not foster job satisfaction. The reality is everyone builds their lifestyle around what they make and the more they make the more trade offs and constraints come with it.  So more money is not necessarily what workers want.

A few years ago there was a flurry of research done on the importance and impact of a positive work culture and how it contributes to job satisfaction.  Some research even suggested that workers will bypass higher compensation for a better work culture.

But what about culture is key to understanding what workers want?  Consistently when we ask our clients what they value most in a job the number one answer is ……….flexibility!  It is the ability to come and go without being scrutinized.  It is knowing they have the trust of their employer that the work will get done.  It is the assurance that their performance will be evaluated based on outcome instead of face time.  It is the confidence that their commitment to the work won’t be questioned if they have to run home to a sick child.

This is not where I advocate that employers implement flex schedules and telecommuting.  The core of what workers want goes deep than that, it is about being trusted that they will get the job done.

Let us know what you want and value most in a job.  Feel free to join the conversation on LinkedIn.

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Are You Ready?

By Karen Kodzik | Published: March 1, 2017

Readiness is a funny thing, especially as it relates to change.  People will readily say they want change, but are they really ready?  Wanting something to change whether it be in your life or career is very different from being ready. People will tell me they want their careers and ultimately their life to change for the better, whether it is better pay, better balance, or a better boss, and my job as a career counselor and consultant is to first and foremost assess readiness for change.  So let’s take a closer look at the continuum of readiness.

I have seen models ranging from 4-9 stages within the continuum of readiness for change.  The most straight forward model includes the stages of pre-contemplation, contemplation, planning, action and maintenance. As it relates to career management and career decision-making here is what to look for in each stage.

Pre-contemplation is really an internal restlessness sometimes manifested as boredom, malaise, or even irritability.  It is when you begin to dread Sunday nights before the work week or are just going through the motions while at work.  It could surface as a struggle to rally around projects and initiatives you once looked forward to or welcomed. It is the feeling that something just doesn’t quite fit anymore.

The shift from pre-contemplation to contemplation is often subtle and occurs when the emotions are examined through cognition.  It is when you start to daydream about the “what ifs” of what “better” could look like.  It is when you find yourself ruminating about alternate plans and even start to take it a step further and begin surfing the web, researching job postings, and compiling information about professions or industries.

When the information collected starts to take shape and gets run through a reality check you will shift into the planning stage.  Sometimes there is a trigger that pushes people into the planning stage.  It can be expedited by a change in job, boss, or personal circumstance.  This is when you will identify and access resources to validate your ideas and formulate your plan.  You may reach out to others who have navigated a similar change, or recruiters or a career consultant. This can be an exciting time as it mobilizes what once was just frustration.

It is right at this intersection of the planning stage and action stage I get a clear idea of people’s readiness for change.  It is when I assess how ready someone or what trade offs they are willing to make in order to really create change.  Wanting to change, being ready to change and actually committing to change is a process that each person goes through at their own pace in their own time.  But it all starts with taking the first step.  Are you ready?

 

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The Sharpest Business Professionals Make This Mistake in Job Search

By Karen Kodzik | Published: January 25, 2017

I am often in awe of the sharpness, experience and business acumen of my executive clients.  Regardless of the circumstances that led to their transition it is easy to how they garnered the respect of their colleagues while working.

After almost 20 years working with professionals in transition I am equally amazed at how quickly they seem to abandon the basic instincts that undoubtedly were the cornerstone of their success in the “corner office”.

As job seekers these professionals and executives seem to lose the ability to evaluate and discern large amounts of information including sometimes conflicting information.

The job search process involves consuming large amounts of information whether found on the internet, in networking groups or seminars, or given by well intended connections or “arm-chair coaches”.

The mistake I see made frequently is job seekers accept much of the information as fact without scrutinizing it to the level they likely did while working. Their ability to distill, decipher and assess information is often not applied for some reason in job search.

I see them discount the source of the information, consider points of view without a well presented business case, or neglect to consider the credentials, perspective and background of the advise giver.  This never would fly in the work place at any level.  My hope and reminder to all job seekers is to apply the skills you already possess and apply them to your job search.  Lending a critical eye to information gathered along the way will not only serve you well in job search but also when you return to work.

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