Be Something You Love and Understand

Guest post by Cathy McPhillips

Cathy McPhillips, Social Media, Digital Web Consultant, Media Planner

In October 1999, I made a decision to leave a job I loved, big accounts and fun clients. I left an advertising agency to stay home with our then one-year old son. After dealing with some health issues in his first year of his life, we made a hard, but obvious decision for me to stay home with him. I cried – selfishly for the job that I adored, for the friends that I was leaving, for the hustle and bustle on which I thrived.

Almost instantly, his health improved, leaving me happy but ready to take on more. With over five years’ experience in media planning and buying, I was actually in a great position to land some clients as a consultant handling their media. A home office was immediately set up in a spare bedroom, following all of the experts’ advice: desk, chair, computer, a door for this dedicated workspace. For 12 years, I have worked consistently with one full-time restaurant client at a time, but have also taken on side projects and accounts as opportunities arise and time permits.

Have there been downsides over the years? Of course. My goal of being an executive at an ad agency or restaurant company hasn’t been achieved. I never fully shut down for the day. I have days where I feel like an inadequate parent and spouse or unfocused employee trying to do way too much in a day.

Fortunately, the good has overwhelmingly outweighed the bad. I was able to walk my kids to and from school virtually every day in grade school. I volunteered as often as I could in the kids’ classrooms. We eat dinner at home together as a family almost every night. As long as my work doesn't suffer and is completed on time, my clients are happy.

It is certainly not for everyone, but if you are considering it, here are some words of wisdom I’ve collected on my consulting journey:

-Develop, maintain and nurture your business and personal relationships. Social networking makes this so easy. Get on LinkedIn and congratulate your connections on a promotion or job change. Follow them on Twitter and share articles, blog posts and news that you think they would enjoy. Nurturing doesn't have to be self-serving. 

-Meet peers in the industry for coffee, even if you are perfectly content in your job and not considering a change. It is career development and idea sharing, and if nothing else it is 30 minutes for you to step away and go back to work refreshed. 

-Are you in an industry that is conducive for telecommuting? I’m very fortunate to have a job where I am on the phone with reps, on my computer on social networks, or spending time on my laptop in Excel. I am very autonomous in my role. 

-Do you have the discipline to be in your home without falling prey to the many distractions? My TV doesn't go on until after dinner every day. My office is a room I love. Build an environment and set some rules. 

-Know that you are in control. Every client relationship isn’t meant to be. Know when it is time to stick with it, or graciously move on. Embrace the clients that challenge you and provide a great working relationship. 

-Mold your passion. I love media, but as media has evolved in 12 years, so has my role with each client. Every new client has been an exciting change with an opportunity for me to shape and grow my craft, which keeps me engaged and passionate. 

I recently made a career change in January, starting a contract with a new client after ending a contract with an amazing client. The decision was hard, but the time was right. In the words of Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Be something you love and understand” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mal4BUieno). I am excited for new projects, new relationships, and a life re-balance.

To learn more about Cathy, follow her on Twitter at @cmcphillips. 

Make Expertise Look Easy

I've often wondered how people wind up in their chosen occupation. Many people have a clearly defined focus.  They work hard with the intention of attaining a particular skill and, ultimately, stay the course towards their goals. 

Doctors, for example, don’t just stumble into their profession.  They work hard over time, from coursework and practical experience to interning and specialization, to reach a pinnacle where credibility and accomplishment collide.       

It doesn’t always happen as planned.  Some people start on one path, only to find themselves migrating in another direction.  This aspect of ‘career’ is of great interest to me. 

Call it an entrepreneurial spirit or ADHD, many successful people identify ways to build and leverage their skills and then take those skills across occupational or industry lines.  It’s no easy feat.  The ability to refine a particular competency or skill set to the point that it becomes expertise enables transference.  When skills transfer, the individual increases his/her potential for opportunity, growth, impact and influence.

Have you ever given thought to the expertise that must be developed in order to hit a Major League fast ball or to return a tennis professional’s first serve? How about the delicate touch needed to bake a soufflé? Experts make their expertise look easy.  It’s never really easy though.

I’ve had a reoccurring notion that we don’t take the time to truly listen and learn from one another; to truly understand the effort and focused attention necessary for success.  To make a strategic career move, however, you have to find out what a job is really like every day.  Understanding the realities of a job, and maintaining realistic expectations is an important factor in finding that next, best position. Many companies incorporate some experiential element in their interview and hiring process.  Job shadowing, shift follows, ride-a-longs and Chefs Tests are all designed to submerse an individual in an active environment. 

Candidates should not only anticipate this, but should proactively seek an understanding of the little nuances that make people in a particular role successful.  Learning about how they find success and satisfaction in their jobs, how they use their degrees or how they made a career transition from another field of work or from another occupation will all help to expand frame of reference. 

Try this simple exercise.  Choose 3 friends; people you’ve known for a long time.  Ask each 3 questions about his/her profession. 

• How did you get the job you have now?
• What advice would you give someone who wanted to do what you do?
• Aside from compensation, why do you go to work every day?

Then, based upon your existing knowledge and the new information, tell each friend what you think his/her typical work day looks like.  Then, ask your friend to fill in the gaps.

Talking through the details of a position, even in a different field, will help you to drill down to the bits of information that are most important.  Once you know the key attributes of a job you want, you can identify the best resources to enhance those attributes within your professional arsenal.  

A Business Plan for Your Career

Quite regularly, I’m contacted by candidates who don't realize they are candidates.  Most often, people consider themselves candidates only when they’re participating in an interview process.  They view candidacy as the point in time when an individual seeks a new role.

We are all candidates at some time.  Savvy candidates are always making connections, and are willing to listen to opportunities even when their situation is not desperate.   They recognize that the state of being a candidate is not exclusive to out of work professionals. 

You are the keeper of your career, just as a Chief Executive is the keeper of a business.  So, why not approach the management of your career the same way a leader manages his/her business?

Begin by allotting time to reflect upon your career to date.  Understanding who you are is the first step in developing a business plan for your career.  Think about the roles you’ve held, the companies for which you worked, and the people you’ve met along the way.  Write your story; not a resume, but a detailed review of your career.

Now, repeat this activity with a future slant.  Think about what you want your story to be in 10-12 years. 

The distance between your present state, and where you want your career to be, is the bridge you’ll have to cross. 

Establish a vision; your personal utopia.  Personal happiness and professional happiness go hand in hand.  Consider the successes you’ve had, and think about what an ideal scenario would be for you.  What job would you hold?  What type of company would you work for? 

Great leaders understand they must surround themselves with people that possess expertise that helps provide enhanced focus.  So, think about who influences you.

Make a list of friends, followers and connections that you interact with regularly.  Divide the list into 3 groupings.  The first group should include the people that inspire, motivate and educate you.  These are the people that shape your professional view; the people you most admire.  The second group should be comprised of people you find interesting, but you may still need time to better understand their competencies and motivations.  Finally, the third group should be made up of the people that act only in self interest.  This group often steals time and lacks integrity.  Once you’ve reviewed your lists, you’ll know where to allocate your time. 

The aforementioned exercises are the foundation of your career business plan.  With a vision and great people around you, you can accomplish whatever you set out to do.

Start by defining goals.  Be specific.  Goals should be realistic and measureable.  For each goal, create strategies with clear tactics and established success measures, so you know what success will look like.  If your goal, for example, is to work for a particular company, you should establish strategies that bring you closer to the company.  Perhaps a strategy would be to attend an event sponsored by the company.  Tactically, you may want to identify professionals in attendance that you want to speak with during the event.  Measured success in this case could be as simple as making introduction (or ascertaining contact information) with 3 people for future communication. 

Business plans evolve and so should your career business plan.  Start somewhere.  Review your plan throughout the year and adjust as appropriate.  Repeat.  

Picture This

A buddy of mine has been dating. He’s newly returned to the dating scene since his divorce and he’s trying to figure out how to feel less awkward.  He, like many people, turned to online options.  It’s been a running joke for us for quite some time actually; how many similarities there are between personal matchmaking and career matchmaking.

One point of amusement, in particular, is the profile picture.  We laugh over what he calls “angles” when discussing the photos that people choose to represent themselves online.  You know those photos…the ones taken from overhead, the side, or obscured.  Photos with angles are misleading.  They’re like those perspective pictures where a person is holding the Eifel Tower in his or her hand. 

In real life, people make decisions about you within the first 6 seconds of meeting you.  Fair or not, the way you carry yourself and the character you display only serve as validation for what the person you are meeting has already unconsciously decided about you.  When it comes to online introductions, profile photos are the first impression.  If it’s not good, what does it say about you?

Profile photos

Profiles, personal websites and resumes provide information that paints a picture of an individual’s background experience and/or work history.  Profile photos allow candidates to humanize that information because the image serves as a reminder that there is a real person behind the experience. 

Profile photos can be a differentiator.  They can convey confidence, professionalism and focus. 

LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are great tools that enable people to connect to one another.  A profile photo on either site allows for quick recognition, especially when following the individual’s stream. While it’s not a requirement to have a profile photo to use networking sites, it is human nature for people to want to know with whom they are communicating.  An image does increase the likelihood of connection.

Pros and Cons

The ‘pros’ include exposure, reinforcement of personal/professional branding, approachability and trust.

The ‘cons’ are really related to fear and perception.  People believe that photos could lead to discrimination in the hiring process.  I see this as an opportunity to provide interviewers with training to reinforce interview skills. 

In the hospitality industry, we are guest facing.  Essentially, no one is hired without being seen.  An image (or video) is a process enhancer because it helps to capture attributes like friendliness, helpfulness and courteousness; all of which are necessary for success in our business.

We are in a visual age.  Information is available and infographics provide us with easier means to understand massive amounts of data.  Images simplify, and the internet itself is evolving into a more visual tool. 

See you soon.

I See You

Anthony Djuren

With the continuing rise of social media culture, imagery is becoming an essential part of the overall experience.  We latch on to streams of information flowing in front of us, and we develop patterns that allow us to follow, friend and find whatever we seek.

We know our connections by their avatars, and we visualize data through infographics.  Our eyes gravitate to the familiar, and we are captivated by the free flow of activity.  Imagine if we could harness all of that action and direct it towards a greater good.

One way to maximize the impact of efforts online is to make sure that the brand image you are presenting is representative of you.

I recently asked noted Getty Photographer, Anthony Djuren, to share some insight.

YELLOWDOG:  Anthony, you are a professional Photographer with an extensive background in marketing and brand identity.  What, specifically, can an individual do to enhance his/her personal brand online?

Anthony:  In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to keep the message simple and direct. Take the time with your imagery and graphic design, and really hone your message.  Imagery is everything as we work in a consumer base that loves shiny objects and is easily swayed by cool pictures or video.  We also live in a society that increasingly would rather look at something, over reading about it.  This is why, when we push ourselves into the marketplace we want to do things that really make them take notice and pay attention immediately to what we have to provide them and to do it in the simplest of fashions.  The more direct and shorter the message, the better; couple that with stunning visuals and sound bytes (tag lines) that truly represent your brand, and personality, and you will have a successful campaign. 

Keep your personal brand marketing focused.  Sell your philosophy first; that’s the "why you do what you do".  Every business knows exactly "what" they do.  Most even know "how" they do it.  But only a few know "why" (purpose or belief) they do it.

Whether you make a better pizza, or build the most innovative personal computers in the world, share why you do what you do first.  Every business has a philosophy as to why they got into the business and why they do, whatever they do, better.  I’m not referring to profits; that’s a result, not a philosophy.  Apple is a perfect example.  People are drawn to the company because the company openly states what it is all about, and why its philosophy is what it is.  In this aspect, Steve Jobs will be forever missed.

Let your connections know "how" they can be part of your philosophy.  This is where Mac users are almost cultish, and why followers of certain bands are nearly the same way.  If you make the audience feel like they are included in your "why”, they will come in droves.  Everyone wants to be included in something great.  Don't be afraid to let them in.  People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it.  Share your motivation.

The "what" is your end result.  Because people believe in your "why", and feel included in your "how", the "what" is the icing on the cake.  

You don't have to be the best at what you do; you have to be the most inspirational at what you do. The same components in Apple computers are used in nearly every computer on the market.  Yet, Apple has been able to develop a following because what it does, why it does and how it does, resonates with its audience.

People want to be inspired to take action.  If you can inspire your audience, and get them to believe in the "why" you do what you do, they will flock to your side and never leave it for as long as you continue to inspire them.

YELLOWDOG: LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook have proven to be effective tools that allow users to be found.  What factors should be considered when selecting an avatar? Does background or dress affect viewership?

Anthony: I like truthful advertising, because I'm still a believer in the notion that honesty goes a long way in society.  For your avatar, you should have an image that not only show you in a great light, but gives viewers a great snap shot of who you really are.  Don't be afraid to use humor, as long as it isn't crass, or offensive.  Use an image of your brand, logo, or yourself, even if you are not a model.  Be straight forward.  Don’t be obscure.

YELLOWDOG: What 3 things should every novice Photographer know?

Anthony: First, know your camera.  Break it down and learn everything you can about it.  Know its weaknesses and its strengths.  Not only read the owner's manual, but get the thing in your hands, put it on "manual" mode, and learn how it works.  After that, your artistic expression is much more easily conveyed, because you will know how to make the camera do what you want and need it to do.  Start by taking 10 pictures every day, using different exposures and depths of field.  You'll see your pictures get better every day, and you'll also start to develop your own style.

Second, lighting and composition are everything. Take the time to review the details. 

Finally, if you have the money, invest in lenses. Pro level lenses usually start at around $750, and go to $16,000.  Depending on your needs and abilities, the better quality the glass in your lens, the sharper and clearer the image will be.

YELLOWDOG: Technology continues to advance, as does accessibility.  What predictions do you have for the future of personal and professional branding?

Anthony: Wow, the way technology is going, and as rapidly as it is advancing, that is very hard to predict. 3D has become the big thing right now.  After that, who knows, maybe holograms?

The key to success is to stay on top of the technology wave.  It's only going to get crazier and more complex.  Don't be afraid to move beyond traditional approaches and learn how to embrace the coming tidal wave.  While I’ve been known as a stick in the primordial ooze when to come to using certain new approaches, I'm changing quickly.  We all learn every day.

To learn more about Anthony, visit his website at http://www.anthonydjurenphoto.com/ or find him on Facebook. 

What Keeps You Up At Night?

I recently had an opportunity to participate in a Blog Talk Radio Program, Drive Thru HR with William Tincup and Bryan Wempen.  The show focuses on real life human resources related activity, and is a great forum for industry practitioners to share insight.  Every show begins with the same question as a launching pad for the discussion.  The question is “What keeps you up at night?” 

First and foremost, I don’t sleep much.  Like most recruiters, I wear multiple hats, and I support different people at different stages of their careers.

I’m a candidate advocate.  I want candidates to have a fair and equal process.  I want every candidate to have an opportunity to find a position that will fit his or her needs.  I want the candidates we support to be given every chance to be successful.  With that said, I never lose sight of the fact that we have clients, the companies we support, and we have to meet or exceed their needs too.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I see as an imbalance in the job market today.

I think there is a serious skills gap.  There is a mismatch between the skills that are needed, and the skills possessed by many underemployed, unemployed or unhappily employed people. 

I wrote about this recently on our blog (Mismatch).  There needs to be a more focused effort on how skills and competencies can transfer to different roles and different environments.

Related to this, is the perception that there is unemployment discrimination happening.  There is a lot of generalization going on…an assumption that if candidates are out of work, they must not be the best at what they do.  This is unfair.  People lose jobs for many reasons, not just lack of performance.

We can all do better.  Candidates must interview better.  They must invest more time in preparation.  They must take every step in the interview process seriously. 

Company representatives must also conduct interviews better.  They must understand the skills necessary for the successful candidate, and they shouldn’t be afraid to drill down and ask more questions…to engage further conversation…to get to know the candidate better.

There should be a greater emphasis on screening in candidates, not screening them out.

A constant reminder, for me, is that we’re all experts at something.  Recruiting and hiring (and internal organizational movement too) should be about figuring out how to better navigate talent within companies once they’re there. If companies do that, they give their recruiters a chance to build relationships proactively and in an inclusive way; not just recruiting from the competition, but also identifying pools of talent to invest time with.

There is a long road ahead which requires focus, innovation and creative thought, but all of that becomes a lot easier when you get a good night sleep. 

To listen to the show in its entirety, please click the following link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/drivethruhr/2011/11/11/lunch-with-david-rose-and-drivethruhr

Mismatch

I went to see a new doctor last week.  He’s a specialist and is, apparently, sought after.  Prior to my appointment, I stopped in and completed all the necessary paperwork and provided my insurance information.  I thought I was being proactive and I’d save time the day of my actual appointment.

I arrived for my scheduled 3:00pm appointment at 2:45pm. I noticed the dim lighting and the 1980’s style furniture.  As I approached the frosted glass window, and without thought my eyes scanned for the clipboard to sign in, I saw a printed message taped adjacent to the glass window.  The sign said that they do not accept credit cards for payment…cash or check only.

After scrambling to find a nearby ATM, I returned to the office at 3:00 for the appointment.  Right on time, and no one in the office waiting room, I sat and waited.  At 3:10, I was called back to a private room.  The Doctor’s office was right next door, and I could hear him directing his assistant to search for some information on the ‘world wide web’.

The Doctor came to see me at 3:40.  He never introduced himself.  He never looked me in the eye.  Then, he told me that the Office Manager misplaced my file and they needed me to complete the paperwork again.

The Doctor decided to order some blood work.  But, they don’t draw blood in his office.  So, I was sent to Lab Corp.  When I arrived at Lab Corp, I discovered a packed waiting room.  While waiting, an elderly man arrived.  He was loud and it wasn’t hard to gauge his frustration from his tone.  “I need to make an appointment,” he said.  The Receptionist responded, “Sir, we don’t make appointments here.  You have to go online to do that.”

The man asked, “Where’s the line I need to stand in?”

The Receptionist responded, “No, sir.  Not a line to stand in, on the computer.”

The man, almost at a boiling point said, “I don’t have a computer.  I don’t know how to use one, and I don’t have the money to buy one.”

The Receptionist asked, “Do you have any grandchildren?  They’ll be able to help you.”

The man left. 

Something’s just not right.  I was frustrated by my experience because the Doctor didn’t embrace technology to the degree I feel comfortable with.  Yet, just down the road was a man who was very frustrated because of the shift towards increased technology. 

This is not dissimilar to our current job climate.  There are many great people who are out of work and are ready to dedicate themselves.  Unfortunately, many of those people don’t possess knowledge of, or comfort level with, technology.  It’s a skills mismatch.

So, what can be done?

Invest in mentor/protégé programs.  Seasoned pros have a lot of information to share.  They have a much greater frame of reference and can shed light on previous outcomes and tactics.  Up and comers can help ease those people that are uneasy with technology through learning curves. 

Mega companies, those with many divisions, sectors or brands (Think: Darden, Compass Group, etc.), are really in a fortuitous position.  They already have the size and scope of the business worked out.  They should, however, allow…better yet, invite and encourage, movement within the company and across those divisional lines.

How much more loyalty and long term performance could be generated if, for example, a Kitchen Manager in one division could progress into a Kitchen Manager, Chef or Executive Chef in another division while remaining with the same company? 

What if companies created company mentoring programs?  Large organizations partner with smaller organizations to develop minority partnerships all the time.  This allows for tremendous information sharing.   What if 2 restaurant companies partnered to develop and share talent? 

There is no overlooking the inherent competition within the industry.  However, companies that are not direct competitors could work together for the betterment of the industry. Couldn’t they?

Skills can and do transfer.  Why not invest in the right people, the right training and the right succession planning?  Creativity and focused effort, supported by innovation and technology, can really impact all of us.