Flexible thinking is an essential part of success in the professional world, no matter what profession you are in. ASK Mentor Vic Glowacki shares with us some of his flexible thinking tips for the job search process, as well as when you are a new hire.

As a side issue to flexible thinking, it would also be a useful approach when it comes to the dreaded job interview. In many environments, both public and private, the interview process may seem dreaded because there are no instant results from it; by the time a resume is submitted to the time a position is being offered can seem to drag on for upwards of 30 days. Keeping track, or attempting to, of several submissions is even more stressful. True, you are not earning any money in between, and as they say, there are no guarantees.

I realize there are various ways to submit a resume:

• There is the famous monster.com approach of putting it out there for the world to see; last I heard, once it is out there it is hard to update, so there is little or no control.
• There is also the now common e-mail approach, where you can control the content before sending, but the risk is it may wind up in the wrong person's "mailbox."
• There is the now old fashioned snail mail routine which some companies still use only because they don't have or can't afford the software for the e-mail transition. I would not shy away from the last one, but the risk here is the risk of the resume getting lost or delivered too late for you to be considered for the position.
• The straight telephone appointment prevalent in my day is probably a thing of the past as is the come in and fill out an application approach; with those, you never know what you will wind up with for a response on the employer side or even if the position exists. I have had that happen as well.

Regardless of the approach you use, I would strongly suggest that you have someone, preferably in your family, critique the resume before you hit the send button. It may be that constructive criticism may make the difference in the next step for you; it could be the need for one word or the deleting of a word or sentence that makes the difference. By all means, don't be more than two pages with the submission. The receiver won't read anything beyond that, no matter how promising.

If you don't have a family member willing or available, I would suggest taking the resume to a resume writing specialist. If you have no confidence or experience writing one, I would suggest start there. It is worth the dollars expensed for this service. I took my resume there for polishing up grammar and tips on what to accent.

 

As a precursor of what should happen next after you submit a resume for consideration, the window of a response is now on the side of the employer. The resume you send is one of maybe up to 40 others for the same position; it takes times to sort through and usually it is the personnel or human relations person who sees it first. I will call this person the screener in the following. When the finance department puts out a job opening, they will outline the general specification of duties and salary range most of the time and how to apply. Needless to say, there will be a screening process between the screener and the department head regarding who would be a good match potentially. It involves also the availability of the two to find time for this process, hence the time element delay. A typical scenario would be to narrow the field down to, say, 5 people to closely resemble the specs. However you are contacted, either phone or e-mail, the screener will usually set up the appointed day and time to basically fill in the blanks based on the resume.

Strictly as a suggestion, I have found that the best times for interviewing with such people is mid morning hour, no later than 11 AM and on a "early" day in the week, no later than Wednesday. I say this because the screener will not want to hear about your experiences late in the day, having heard others before you or after a few days of the same old, same old. After all, you are dealing with another human being. In some situations, there may be two interviews in one day or done on separate days. You won't know which one to deal with until you get there; again, flexible thinking is involved here.

I don't want to sound discriminatory here, but there is a difference in the interview process of speaking with a male or female screener. The same can be said regarding the department head. Let us assume a quadrant: male applicant, male screener, male applicant, female screener; male applicant, male department head and male applicant, female department head. For the male applicant, guess which one is the hardest interview to handle? Without a doubt, for me as a male applicant, it is the female screener. Without trying to sound bigoted, it is true of the Caucasian, African American, Hispanic and Asian screener. I have spoken to all. They are generally harder to convince that you are the "right" person for the job. From what I have heard about female applicants, the same line holds true: male screeners are tougher to convince; it is a nature of the person type of thing, I believe; it has nothing to do with you personally.

The screener has seen all types of individuals before you and they can spot very easily someone who tries to "BS" their way through an interview. That spells automatic rejection letter; sugar coating your experience or academic record won't get you very far, they can legally check whether you attended a given school; that is all, but it is enough to make a difference. The same is true about job experience; whether you worked there is all they ask, what they volunteer as a response can also make a difference. The screener looks for people, of course, for every department of the company, not just finance.

Perhaps as a point of backing up, I would suggest showing up at the designated office about 15 minutes prior, in case you have to fill out an application. Also, be prepared to show your license and social security card, for that could be part of the process or on the day of hire. For men, a shirt and tie would be minimum dress although a suit, as opposed to sport coat, would be a good thing. As they say, image is everything as well as good grooming. For the female, a blouse and black pants is a normal outfit; sorry, no party dresses or anything suggestive. Keep fragrance to a minimum; the last thing a screener needs is a walking Calvin Klein.

If the interview process involves a second interview on the same day as the screening, you will mentally need to shift gears (flexible thinking) regarding what to say to the department head. The focus of the questions will be more acute to the department and I suggest when you respond to the question to secretly count to 5 before you speak. Why? I learned long ago that even if you know the answer before the question has been finished, it makes the other person believe you are thinking about the answer; the department does not need and is not looking for a "smart ass" who thinks is above everyone in the department. After all, you have not been hired yet. At the end of each interview, be sure to thank the person for their time.

As to the idea of sending a thank you afterwards, it is up to you. I have seen plus and minus on this element; I don't believe it will make much of a difference if you wind up being hired based on that alone. Chances are both the screener and department head will have evaluated you compared to the others before you leave. It does depend on whether you are the first one interviewed or the last because the "bar" has already been established with the job description.

The basics of seeming calm and an occasional smile are in order, even though you are grimacing on the inside. I remember years ago when I was experiencing a sinus headache coming on during the interview; what do you do? You could plead for a continuance or plow ahead as I did. I was on the second interview with the controller when I asked him: What will I do for you? He was taken aback by the question, appreciated it, and recommended I be hired all because I asked that. I am not saying that will work in all cases, but it does not hurt to ask the question toward the end of the interview. I would up staying at that company for the next 3 years and work through 2 subsequent department heads and 4 supervisors in that same time frame.

You can also get the question, in so many words, about where do you see yourself 5 years from now. Of course, there is no standard answer for that, but I tried the line that I will be 5 years smarter, not older. I knew there was no chance of landing that particular job, but the interviewer appreciated the answer.

The inference for all this "advice" is that the position being offered is non managerial. The thought of applying for a supervisor or manager position is daunting. First of all, the qualification for such a post is a master's degree in many cases as well as at least 5 years of actual experience. The manager title does not refer to being a "shift manager" at a restaurant; they are looking for equal experience load and how you get along with other people. In that case, it is very hard to "BS" your way through that; there will also be less applicants for these positions because of the qualifications and the other element will be to find out if you are in it for the "long haul." After all, such a person will handle the day to day business within the department. That means spending at least 5 years with a group of fellow workers who will typically resent you because you are an outsider and adapting to the tried and true ways the trench people have had success with will be intimidating. Many times a manager will want to reinvent the wheel on contact with the group; that is the recipe for disaster; remember the flexible thinking points outlined already. The manager will, of course, have some set ways regarding his own internal functions; that's fine as long as they don't overlap into another worker's basic work. There must, out of necessity, be some give and take and should be established early in the relationship.

Since I have outlined the major points about team play within the department, and have included a ton about flexible thinking, the next tough step is in your court: the dreaded first day of work and getting along with fellow workers in your department and usually the other department heads or people you will be dealing with regularly. I was fortunate enough to get a welcome cake at my government job; that was standard for every new hire, regardless of department. You also got one for your last day, if you were there for any good length of time. Although, for my retirement, I insisted that no party be planned for me, I had been to too many other gatherings like that with people letting their hair down too much, besides the beers, and I said I don't need that. Instead, a retirement lunch with upwards of 30 people came to wish me well was the result, with my wife being a principal contributor. I will just say that it was gratifying to see a turnout.

Vic Glowacki is a retired professional with over 30 years of accounting and finance experience (15 yrs in government and 15 years in the private sector). He obtained a BS in Business Administration. To connect with Vic, and other mentors like him, please visit http://ask.depaul.edu. Questions? Call 312-362-8281 or email us at ask@depaul.edu.

 

Does blogging seem like something you would enjoy? Choosing a topic to blog about is important because it builds your social media presence, either helping or hindering your job search. ASK Mentor Lynn Gibson shares her suggestions for blog postings.

Last time we talked about using a blog to gain an edge in effectively presenting your skills and strengths to a potential employer. If you would like to try your hand at blogging, here are a few ideas to get you started. Note: The “elements” sections list skills/strengths that might used/built/strengthened in the endeavor.

1. Become a recruiter for your volunteer/charitable organization. Write with the intent (goal) of encouraging others to volunteer by sharing the stories of the good that was done and the people who were really helped. Focus the stories on the results, not just on your own efforts. Elements to consider: Value of shared commitment; teamwork/leadership; interpersonal skills; listening skills; problem solving; collaboration; organizational skills; passion; and satisfaction in making a difference.

2. Students who work full time and go to school full time and have family responsibilities face an interesting set of challenges. A “documentary” blog on how to make it work might be an option. Elements to consider: Work ethic; stress management; effective prioritization; time management; problem solving; goal setting; mentor relationships; persistence; effective/creative use of all resources; and decision making.

3. Individual or Team Projects:

a. Rather than writing on the project per se, perhaps a “documentary” on the process would be worth considering. Elements to consider: Goal setting and progress measurement; delegation; teamwork/leadership; decision making; problem solving; collaboration; time management; listening skills; resource utilization; interpersonal skills(conflict resolution, consensus building); process management; project debriefing: what worked/what didn’t, what could have been done differently (and why), and what will be useful on future projects.

b. An information sharing blog for the team might be useful. This is a concept (i.e. wikis) that is being used more and more by companies for internal information sharing and collaboration. The results are impressive (but not surprising)…the companies that use information sharing most successfully, are the most successful in product development and revenue generation. Elements to consider: Experience and comfort with open-source project/process management; collaboration; teamwork/leadership; consensus building; effective/creative resource utilization; and debriefing (as above).

As mentioned last time, there are a lot of sites out there to post blogs – and some are definitely better than others. (I personally think my blog is on the best site ever!) So do check with your career advisor for suggestions. Next time, we’ll talk about interview questions…just in time for the job fair….

To connect with Lynn and other ASK Mentors like her, please visit http://ask.depaul.edu.

Questions? Call us at 312.362.8281 or email us at ask@depaul.edu.

Do you ever find yourself having to adjust your schedule to accommodate others? It is great practice for life in the professional world! ASK Mentor Vic Glowacki shares with us why it is important to be flexible in the workplace.

From ASK Mentor Vic Glowacki (Commerce '72)

 I have touched on this element a number of times already, but I believe it holds the key to how one can handle both tolerance and, ultimately, success in the financial world; I am referring to being flexible in not only your thinking but also in your approach to the position you hold.

As suggested, other people have likely been in your position and other people need to get used to “where you’re coming from.” This applies equally in private and government positions. The functions may be similar but the people are certainly not. In my view, it is harder to get along with people in the private sector; their stress level shows a lot more in governmental environs. People are too stressed in many instances to even acknowledge you, probably because many are professional multi-taskers. It is hard to get around that feeling, but that is why I presented the narration of tolerating before this point.

In the government sector, there is a time when stress level jumps up; that is when it is time to prepare data for next year’s budget. In this day and age, it is a glorified wish list and the way economics are and allocating from the state (practically non-existent) it is quite understandable. In our situation, at least the more competent finance directors will advise when the meetings will take place and what is his availability; there are occasions when the accounting manager sits in on these meetings so on occasion you will have to “wing it.”

 If availability is not in sight and as long as the building is not burning down, I’m sure whatever needs attention from a higher-up can be put on a side burner rather than the back one. When hired, the hardest thing to accept is the matter of procedure. It comes down to what is acceptable or how far you can go in a given function. The boss may say one thing but the actual practice may be something else. It is not to say the boss is wrong but more a matter of intent. I was instructed in my early days in government not to bother going into Internet sites; with what was on my plate, I never had time for that; that is why I read the “for dummies” book to catch up.

In the next post, I’ll share how flexible thinking can help you in the job application process as well.

Vic Glowacki is a retired professional with over 30 years of accounting and finance experience (15 yrs in government and 15 years in the private sector). He obtained a BS in Business Administration. To connect with Vic, and other mentors like him, please visit http://ask.depaul.edu. Questions? Call 312-362-8281 or email us at ask@depaul.edu.

DePaul Alumni Sharing Knowledge (ASK) hosts monthly networking breakfast events focused on various career-related topics.

If you missed our May 8, 2012 breakfast in O'Hare, ASK mentor shares her advice below.

Personal Branding
by ASK mentor Lynn Gibson

Tom Peters coined the term “personal branding” in 1997 (The Brand Called You) but the concept he was describing has always been around.

• One potential advantage of personal branding is that it helps focus our attention on our uniqueness – and thereby provides a basis to create an effective presentation of our value.
• We each have a brand – it is the essence of who we are and what we do, not in our mind’s eye, but in the mind and perception of others. It is what pops into someone’s mind when our name is mentioned…it is us in a nutshell, and it frames their expectations of us. It is our reputation…. It is not determined by a role (Washington, Lincoln, Kennedy, and Nixon all had the same role, but did they have the same “brand”?); it is not determined by our skill set (Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods – great golfers, but same reputation?); and it is not determined by our talent (John Lennon and Paul McCartney…both talented, but same brand?)
• Your “product” is your skill set – what you know how to do. Your “brand” is how you do what you do.
• The more similar the “product”, the more important the “brand.”
• Every job requires a candidate to have a requisite skill set. The successful candidate is the one who best creates the perception of value, effectiveness, or impact of his/her skill set in action.
• “Soft skills” like values/ethics/honesty, work ethic, open-mindedness, self control, loyalty, persistence, intuitiveness, being genuine/sincere, being likable/easy to get along with, passion/enthusiasm, – and a host of others – come into play in terms of personal branding. They are the components of how you do what you do. They determine how “who you are” impacts what you do.
• It is beneficial to spend time thinking about your “soft skills” – how all of the components of your character and experience come together to enhance the value of your skill set. Don’t overlook anything. What things about you do your family and friends think make you special? What do people always count on you for? Think about all of your experiences...what have you been through that you’ve learned from? What 2 or 3 things would anyone who has ever met you mention if asked about you?
• Once you have identified your skill set AND your “soft skill” set, begin to incorporate both into a resume. Your summary of skills and strengths can enumerate your list and then the individual bullets under your education, work experience, and volunteer activities can provide the “evidence” of your value. Consistency is the name of the game!
• Your “brand” is ever evolving…and you do have a great deal of control over that process. Many celebrities and companies have neglected to manage the evolution of their brand…don’t make that mistake with YOUR brand.

Here's a worksheet to help you start thinking about your brand.

To connect with Lynn and other ASK Mentors like her, please visit http://ask.depaul.edu. Questions? Call us at 312.362.8281 or email us at ask@depaul.edu.

ASK mentor Shreyas "JR" Patel shares his insights on the joys and challenges of being a small business owner.

ASK Mentor Shreyas "JR" Patel
BS in Finance & Management, DePaul University
President, Generation Group, LLC

What do you love about your job?

Do you have a blog? It is a great way to showcase your writing abilities and accomplishments! ASK Mentor Lynn Gibson has some great tips for bloggers.

Posting with a Purpose!

In any interview, candidates face the challenge of demonstrating their value based on their unique blend of skills and strengths. “Proof” is offered by relating what they have already done: educational credentials; work/internship accomplishments; and other relevant recognition for academic, work, or social/volunteer achievements. With the exception of professions that require portfolios, most, but not all, candidates rely on their ability to respond to questions (after practicing with an ASK mentor, of course) and, hopefully, use compelling, memorable stories to clearly establish themselves as a good fit for the position being offered.

So what do some candidates do that most do not? They look for creative, but professional, ways to gain an edge. They expand their “proof” from one dimensional (verbal) to two dimensional (verbal and visual) by borrowing the portfolio idea but tailoring it to support “soft” skills/strengths. This can be an effective tool for most any candidate regardless of their experience level. It can be particularly valuable to younger candidates who don’t have much, if any, real work experience but still need to be able to be convincing about their skills and strengths.

One way to create a soft skills portfolio is by blogging. The most obvious skill on display is your writing skill – which, by the way, could be important because some recruiters say, if all else is equal, they hire the best writer! What to blog about? Internship/work experiences, class projects (team or individual), original research work/papers, community/campus volunteer activity, and social/business club involvement all provide great material for a blog! What kinds of soft skills can you showcase? Applying knowledge/information, setting/achieving goals, process management, meeting deadlines, teamwork (including delegating, conflict resolution, collaboration, leadership), decision making (being a “decider” not a “drifter”), critical thinking, and the list goes on! Basically, you can blog about any skill or strength that you use to make the contribution you make!

Being able to include a link to your blog on your resume gives you an opportunity to offer more in depth verification of the strengths highlighted in your summary than could ever be accomplished by even the best resume bullets. In the initial screenings, most recruiters won’t take the time to read all of your posts, but many will be curious enough to at least take a look so you just may score some points for creativity, initiative, and strategic thinking. And at this point in the process, that might be enough to earn you an interview. Once you make the first or second cut, your blogs may very well be read considering the interest in knowing everything possible about candidates. At the very least, you can reference them during the interview as a point of differentiation and to add weight to the case you’re making for your skills and strengths.

Of course, that all depends on the effort you put into your blog!

Here are some guidelines to consider:

1) Focus all posts on your activity only. You demonstrate integrity by respecting the privacy of others at all times (project team members, classmates, professors, bosses, co-workers, mentors/mentees, and friends).

2) The blog must be well written. Find someone capable of editing it to proof it before you post it!

3) There are a lot of blog sites and some may be better choices than others depending on your field – so check with your career advisor for suggestions.

An added plus about blogging is that it will make you more keenly aware of how you’re using your skills – which will help you be able to more effectively explain how you add value. Remember, it’s not what you do, it’s how you do what you do that matters!

In my next post, I’ll provide a flexible outline that might help you get started on posting with a purpose!

Oh, one last thing…check out my tweet (@thegibsonbridge) linking to an article on “deciders and drifters”. You definitely want to be a decider.

 

To connect with Lynn and other ASK Mentors like her, please visit http://ask.depaul.edu. Questions? Call us at 312.362.8281 or email us at ask@depaul.edu.

Do you love helping others, being creative, and working with children? Maybe you should become a teacher! ASK Mentor Joan Thiry shares with us why she thinks teaching is such a rewarding career.

Why? Because it’s richly rewarding, exciting, and constantly challenging, and because you’ll love it! You’ll love the challenge, the involvement, the ability to create your own unique style and approach! You’ll be endlessly creative! I know, and vouch for all this because I began teaching in September 1945, right after World War II ended. I am still a teacher, happy right now to be a mentor to DePaul students who contact me through the ASK program. I shall always be a teacher, but I shall also be a student, still learning so I can share yet more.

For example, I read part of Collin’s The Hunger Games, when it first came out. I quit reading it because I could not stand the gruesomeness of the whole idea. Now I’m reading newspaper articles about it, and trying to understand why so many teens and young adults are inspired by it, or identifying with it. Even Donald Sutherland, who is closer to my age, said he was willing to be part of this movie because he believed it inspired HOPE.

Two summers ago, I told a group of DePaul students at an ASK gathering that they needed to read books like The Hunger Games so they would understand better what inspires young people today. A former pupil of mine is ordering me the first Percy Jackson book by Rick Riordian in his The Hero of Olympus series. I am delighted that young people are still inspired by the Greek gods and their stories. They have inspired me since childhood. Just for the record, I am also a great Harry Potter fan who has read all the books and seen the movies. I have never been a vampire fan. I have been a Narnia (C.S. Lewis) and Lord of the Rings devotee since the 1950’s. I have shared these stories with many students. Frodo’s adventures have been a parable for my own life for many years.

So read what young people are reading and thinking about. Consider reading what wise adults consider the best books for children – the Newbury Award winners. 

Teaching will never make you rich, but it can be most fulfilling and rewarding. Don’t let your handicap stop you. I am dyslexic; I still invert numbers and words. My dyslexia helps me be a better teacher. It makes me determined with students who have problems and patient with them also. I try to give them the self-confidence they need to succeed despite their handicaps. Remember, Einstein was dyslexic. So were many other creative people.

As Joseph Campbell csaid, “Follow your bliss.” Use your creativity and imagination and you will find it to be the most rewarding part of being a teacher.

So ask yourself if you love and respect children enough to want to challenge, inspire, and support them in their learning process, would you perhaps like to be a host or hostess in a child’s sacred introduction to God? Would you like to inspire gratitude as a life-long attitude in your students? Would you like to have a student you taught 50 years ago keep in touch with you on a weekly basis or a student you taught 25 years ago keep you abreast of new books? Then become a teacher! It’s a rewarding career, it’s fun and it’s forever. 

Here is an evaluation by Joan's former student, Marlene Leonardi:

Why was Joan Thiry a great teacher?

Joan Thiry always approached her subjects with enthusiasm and vigor. She would engage her students on the college level, to use all their senses to acquire the knowledge she chose to impart.  In the subjects of Theology, Creative Writing, or World Religions, I learned much from Joan in ways I never did before. We went out to the garden in spring to be inspired in our writing classes. We were encouraged to experience another religion in World Religions through the country's history, cuisine, traditions and even their teas, wines, or spirits.

I enjoyed all the classes Joan taught that I attended. I have never forgotten what she imparted in these unique classes, even after the 20 years that have passed

 Marlene's son Nick also became a teacher.  He is the Head of the Science Department at North Pointe Academy, a charter high school in Phoenix, Arizona. He teaches AP Physics and all kinds of math. He is also the school rep for their Chess Club. Here is the reason he loves being a teacher:

"I am happy as a teacher because I have a chance to influence students not only academically, but also as people. The teenage years are when adult personalities are shaped, and by developing strong relationships with students I have a chance to influence them in the long-term.

As for advice, I would tell students to pick a subject they are passionate about and teach that. There's no substitute for passion, and picking a subject just because it's in high demand and/or easier to find a job in will not make you as happy as being able to teach something that truly interests you."

To connect with Joan and other ASK Mentors like her, please visit http://ask.depaul.edu. Questions?Call us at 312.362.8281 or email us at ask@depaul.edu.

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ASK Mentor Anthony M. Williams
BA in Political Science, DePaul University
Chairman & Chief Consultant, Connection Group LLC

Connection Group provides directional counseling, academic advising and workforce development training and seminars to individuals and groups. Our goal is to assist clients in identifying their life, education and career goals.

What do you love about your job?
1) I have the ability to connect people to their purpose
2) I enjoy working with people from all walks of life
3) There is never a dull moment in my work

What are some of the challenges that you face in your job?
1) Limited resources/referrals because the job market is steady
2) You never know who will work with and whether you have the ability to help them
3) Limited funding to help everyone who you come in contact

What skills are needed to succeed in a job like yours?
1) You must enjoy working with people
2) Be a great listener and communicator
3) Have an open mind and; be equally passionate about helping someone accomplish their goals, as they are to reach them.

What advice can you give to students interested in a career like yours?
“The moment you impact someone’s life is when a difference is made. That moment defines who you are and who you have the ability to reach.” -Anthony M. Williams

The financial aspect of a career does not define you. Its the passion behind what you're doing and your abillity to both challenge then change a life. That's what's important.

To connect with Anthony and other ASK Mentors like him, please visit http://ask.depaul.edu. Questions? Call us at 312.362.8281 or email us at ask@depaul.edu.