171113 complimentary career guidance manual

8/14/2019 171113 Complimentary Career Guidance Manual

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The Career Guidance ManualA step by step guide to planning and implementing astrategy for taking your career forward

The content of this manual is entirely free to use. All we askis that if you do find it of benefit to you you consider makinga contribution, whatever you wish, to the Philippinesisaster !und Appeal www.dec.org.uk

"e would also like you to forward it to anyone who you feelmay benefit from it.

Thank you and good luck in your career
http://www.dec.org.uk/http://www.dec.org.uk/


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#ntroduction

This manual is designed as a step by step guide to planning a clear and well thought throughcaree strategy.

Why is this important?

Simply because we know from our 20 years in the industry, that many people spend more timeplanning their holidays, than planning their career! ob hunting" is only part of the process. #tis a tremendous temptation to think in terms of #f # lose my $ob, #%ll contact recruitmentagencies, apply for ad&ertised $obs and do a bit of networking." This may well work in the shortterm, but it%s effecti&eness as a process declines as time goes on. 'ou probably know of peoplewho find it harder and harder to get back into gainful employment as they get beyond acertain age. 'ou may well ha&e been affected yourself!

So what is the answer?

The answer is to treat the career &ery much as you would treat a pro$ect at work. #t re(uiresamongst other things planning, research, re&iew and implementation. )bo&e all it is &ital toproduce a robust strategy that matches your abililities and skills with the best possible

opportunities. *nce this has been done, then you can go into the tactical phase of $ob finding"

This does not mean of course that you should turn down $ob offers if there is an immediateneed to find gainful employment. Such $obs should be looked upon as stop loss" situations, bethey short term consultancy pro$ects, temporary $obs or other &ariations on the theme.+owe&er we emphasise the point again, strategy first and then tactics.

The process of building a career based on firm foundations starts with career planning. Thecareer planning begins when you start to write about episodes in your life where you feel youha&e achie&ed outcomes that ha&e been successful and also accomplished them easily.

These achie&ement stories should be documented as shown inAppendi$ %

When these ha&e been completed, take time to work through the other asignments

)lthough at first sight it may appear to be a bit of a chore to write aout 0 achie&ementstories, the stories themsel&es do not ha&e to be all work related. #ndeed, -0 should beabout leisure or hobby interests. #t may not appear rele&ant at first, but building a garden

patio is $ust as rele&ant as building a business in this conte/t. 'ou use the same intrinsicabilities, whate&er task you undertake.

We make the point again that career planning is about finding out what it is that we do wellwhat our uni(ue combination of abilities skills and e/perience are and where best to sell themin the marketplace. What pre&ents many people from achie&ing as much as they should intheir careers is that they are not as aware of their key abililities as they should be and moreimportantly how to e/ploit them to their full e/tent. This syndrome is often caused by thesimple fact that what we do well is instincti&e and therefore we may not realise theirsignificance.To better illustrate this point, consider this story about eorge 1ernard Shaw. +e was onceasked what he had dreamed of being as a young man. +is answer was ) great /plorer or)d&enturer" +is (uestioner then asked him if he had not thought about being a writer at that

age. The great man replied The writing came naturally, why should # ha&e thought about it?"

What are your intrinsic abilities that you take for granted, but which may well be the startingpoint for a new and better career?


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Therefore as the diagram in figure , below shows, the first e/ercise is to find out what you dobest by guiding you through a career and personal &uestionnairethat enables you toestablish your uni(ueness or in marketing terms 3ni(ue Selling 4oints.'ou then go on to complete a personality profile. This is important because your personalityprofile is a guide to so many aspects of your ideal career. )s an e/ample, people who are

e/tra&ert, ideas orientated, logical thinkers and $udgemental or 5T need to be in control oftheir work situations and are often found in senior management positions. 6ontrast this withe/tra&ert, ideas orientated, a logical thinker and percepti&e or 5T4. )lthough only apparentlyslightly different i.e. 47percepti&e8 as opposed to 7$udgemental8 in their profile, they are &erydifferent people and need &ery different types of role in their careers and life to be trulyfulfilled. 5T4s are happiest working in a world of ideas, such as an ad&ertising agency, whilst5Ts are hea&ily command and achie&ement orientated.

This is not to say that they cannot achie&e in other roles, but generally speaking, the cleareryou are about your profile, the more easily you will find the type of work you en$oy most. Thisis particularly important where 7as so many feel0 they are a fish out of water" in their currentroles. 'ou will see as you read further that we recommend a particular personality profile testwhich can easily be found on the internet. 'ou will also be able to access a detailed descriptionof your personality profile by looking it up, again on the search engines.

!igure %

9ore about completing the achie&ement stories

)s we ha&e said, go to Appendi$ %to startThe first task is ob&iously to sit down and list the headings. #f you ha&e difficulty in thinking of0 episodes in your life that you would consider achie&ements, then ask someone who knowsyou well to prompt you.

*nce again, although at first sight this may appear to be an onerous e/ercise, if you perse&ereand carry it through to its conclusion you will find it is one of the most liberating and fulfillinge/ercises you can undertake, particularly if you are not in work and ha&e suffered re$ection


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from $ob applications.

The format for writing the achie&ement stories, is to think of the situation you faced i.e. theproblem you had to o&ercome or the opportunity you were presented with, how you wentabout tackling the situation, and what was the end result.

The key to getting as much out of this e/ercise as possible is to use all the action words thatyou can possibly think of. :o not be modest!

)lso bear in mind that you should describe the actions you took in as much detail as possible.This will enable you to really dig deep and gain much clearer understanding of the type of workthat you do best, and &ery importantly how you go about bringing things to a satisfactory

conclusion. To help you in this task, you can go to the search engines and type in list of action&erbs" 'ou will find a number of sites where you can get ideas and in some cases download afull list of &erbs in alphabetical order.

*nce you ha&e completed this task and are happy with it, it is time to use the results to gainthat clearer understanding of your abilities. 'our ne/t assignments are listed in Appendi$ 'and should be followed step;by;step.

Assignment 'commences by asking you to identify the key action words you use and theirfre(uency 7< to =8 per story. The purpose of this e/ercise is to help you identify the type ofrole>$ob you en$oy and do well. Why is this so important? Simply because, unless we are doingthe kind of career role we ha&e a natural inclination for, we find work &ery demanding and hardto do.

The second assignment takes the process further and forms the basis for what is put in the6areer esume. 9ore importantly it pro&es to you where you ha&e been successful and why.What you are in effect doing is using the data gathered from your achie&ement stories to &eryclearly understand $ust e/actly what it is you ha&e to offer the marketplace. *ne of the mainbyproducts, if you like, of this e/ercise is that you are gaining a great deal of confidence.5e&er again will you doubt yourself if challenged by someone as to your competence. 'ou ha&eidentified your key uni(ue abilities and more importantly pro&ed them.

Psychometric Profile

)lthough many people are dubious about the &alue of psychometric testing, in our e/perienceit is useful to ha&e at least a basic understanding of your personality profile. )s we alluded toabo&e, your personality profile influences a number of things in your day;to;day worken&ironment, including the type of work you prefer to do, how you engage with other people,how you &iew your work en&ironment etc. 4sychometric testing has become &ery popular as ameans of selecting candidates for career positions and because of this many people areconcerned about taking such tests. There are a number of personality profile tests that you cando online, but the one we ha&e used most is the @eirsey test, which once again, can be foundonline.

When preparing a career plan it is ad&isable to ha&e as much information as possible.emember you are planning for the rest of your career and a more attention you pay to thise/ercise and the more information you ha&e the better. *nce again you can find a number of


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sites on any of the search engines that will enable you to assess yourself and disco&er newpossibilities. #f you oogle the words Career drivers, you will come across a number of theseand they are well worth considering in terms of completing the $igsaw" as far as gaining amuch clearer understanding of your career options.

"e must emphasise at this point that you may well feel that you have (ideas), butnot concrete ob*ectives in terms of what you want to do. This is &uite normal.+emember that you are going outside your comfort one and this can be a stressfule$perience for anyone.

+est assured that the first part of your marketing process is to T-T these new ideasand possibilities in the real world. As you will see when we get to the marketingstage, you begin your marketing campaign by A/#0G people who are already in thattype of career *ust what T1-2 see as your options.

Always remember that this a step by step process that enables you to graduallyobtain a clearer and clearer understanding of34

"hat you are good at

"here you can best use your abilities and skills

1ow to develop and progress your career, rather than stay (stuck in a *ob)

But before we start the marketing part of the campaign you need a document to put in front of

people

In other words A C.V. or career resume

'our 6A is your sales prospectus" )s we ha&e said, always remember that 6A%s are notwritten in tablets of stone" and will often be modified as you test the market and update yourob$ecti&es.

The C.5.

The 6A needs to sell you and your strengths clearly and concisely. 5obody really likes writingthem, but here is a guide to doing so and we ha&e also pro&ided e/amples.

emember to use the work you ha&e already done to help you with your 6A or career resume

preparation. 1y documenting your achie&ements in such detail, you will ha&e a much cleareridea of what to write.

)lso remember that potential employers are interested in achie&ements rather than


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responsibilities. They want to see if you can either A5- or MA/- moneyfor them.

There are many e/cellent online templates you can use, but we list here some important thingsto bear in mind when preparing your document.

#t is also very important to remember that software is now used e$tensively to findcandidates both via the search engines and on C5 databases. A &uick tip 6 find

several advertisements for the type of *ob you are looking for, copy and paste theminto www.wordle.net7y doing this, you will find the words used most often8specially by recruiters9 in those adverts. Put them in your C5 and covering letters toimprove your rankings:

The C5;career +esume

. 4osition title and description. #n addition to your $ob title always pro&ide an e/planation ofyour duties. ob titles can be &ague or not accurately con&ey the nature of the position, so it isimportant that you pro&ide a description of what you actually did.

2. Bist your achie&ements! :oes any employer want to hire an a&erage candidate"? :oes arecruiter want to present an a&erage candidate"? 9ake yourself stand out from the pile by

including achie&ements you ha&e made in each pre&ious position 7or in6ollege>School>3ni&ersity8. )chie&ements can include anything for which you were awarded acertificate or recogniCedD sa&ing the company moneyD making the company moneyD assistingsomeone whomade>sa&ed the company money, impro&ed something within the company E such as aprocess, a product, a teamD performed well at a certain task7s8D carried out your dutieseffecti&ely. There are of course more types of achie&ements than we ha&e listed here, thissection is designed to get you thinking about your achie&ements E weF&e all got somesomewhere, use them to help you market yourself.

G. /plicitness. Bet the reader know the nature and siCe and location of your past employers,and what their business is. )lso it helps the reader if you (uantify your achie&ements. So fore/ample, if you worked in a bank in customer ser&ice instead of writing :ealt with customersdaily", a better alternati&e would be Sol&ed o&er H0 customer problems per day."

I. :efinitions. 4eople ha&e a habit of using words and phrases that are specific to pre&iousemployers without defining them on the 6A. When a recruiter sees something like this, he orshe gets confused and is more likely to mo&e on to the ne/t 6A. So, think about the languageyouF&e used on your 6A and define any terms that need to be defined so that the reader canunderstand what you are saying.

-. #mportance. What is the most important e/perience on your 6A? Typically itFs your mostrecent e/perience but this also depends on the type of position you are applying for. 3suallyyou would write more about your current position than a position you held ten years ago. )lsobear in mind the re(uirements of the positions that you are applying for. 'ou can use the

re(uirements to help you decide which elements of your pre&ious e/perience>positions aremost rele&ant.Jor e/ample, if you wish to be considered for a programming position, donFt write oneparagraph describing your current programming $ob, followed by two paragraphs about yourtechnical support $ob.


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specific and find out e/actly what it is. The more people you can ask the better. #f e&eryoneyou ask says the same thing about your 6A, or they ha&e similar comments, you know thatthatFs how your 6A comes across. 1etter still ask recruiters, when possible what they think ofyour 6A.

=. Skill and )chie&ement Summary. This section should ideally be near to the top of your 6A

below the ob$ecti&e. This section lets the reader see instantly that youFre a success and whatyour key skills are. The rest of your 6A will be &iewed through this window of success andrele&ant skills. emember to keep the most rele&ant skills>successes at the top of this section.The most rele&ant skills>successes for your 6A are the ones that are most rele&ant to theneeds>re(uirements of the types of positions that you are applying for.

H. Bayouts and Jont. )&oid any font that is e&en slightly difficult to read. The use of coloursother than black on your 6A is not recommended. To be on the safe side, choose a standard,con&entional font such as Times oman or )rial. 3se white space effecti&ely so that your 6AdoesnFt look crowded and is easy to read.emember, if your 6A is too tough to read the recruiter will likely go on to the ne/t one.

The 7iggest Mistakes People Make "hen "riting a C5

Bearn to impro&e your 6A by looking at common mistakes and pitfalls.

:isco&er the one thing that holds back H0 of 6As, and learn what can be done about it.

Jind out what recruiters are looking for, and not looking for, in a 6A.

With #nternet and email usage still growing in the 3@, corporations and recruitment agenciesare literally being flooded with 6As. *n posting fi&e $ob openings to $ust one #nternet $ob boardrecruiters are likely to recei&e hundreds if not thousands of applications in a single week.

*n top of inter&iewing candidates and meeting with employers who hire the staff, all of the 6Asneed to be screened, often by software which does it automatically.

i&en the massi&e amount of 6As submitted that you will be competing with, how will you get

yours noticed and followed up?

Jortunately or unfortunately, as it were, there are many 6As that are far from perfect, some ofthese imperfections immediately eliminate the 6A.

'ou can greatly enhance your chances of getting inter&iews by a&oiding simple and all toocommon mistakes.

The following are the typical errors made when writing a 6A and our recommendations to a&oidthem.

Mistake number % 4 Thinking that your C5 is about you.

9ost people fall for this one. When writing a 6A most people are focused on themsel&es andtheir history. *rganiCations, employers and recruiters are not interested in your background in


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itselfD they are interested in how your background meets their needs. So think about the needsof the organiCations you are applying to and the re(uirements of the positions that you areapplying for. ecruiters are essentially looking for a match between your background and there(uirements of the $obD the nearer the match, the more likely you are to be inter&iewed.

Mistake number ' 4 money? :id you help increase re&enues?

Mistake 0umber 4 Bver4selling yourself

'es, of course you should sell yourself and present yourself in a positi&e light. 1ut, donFt betempted to e/aggerate on your 6A. 'ou could get caught out at the inter&iew stage, referencestage, or e&en worse, once you are in the $ob. So, present yourself in a positi&e light but donFtpresent details you cannot back up in an inter&iew.

Mistake 0umber 4


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Mistake 0umber E 4 0ot -nough #nformation

#f you ha&e o&er two years of full;time work e/perience, a one;page 6A wonFt do. Take up totwo pages and make sure you list your key responsibilities and ma$or successes on the $ob asthey relate to the re(uirements of the position that youFre applying for.

Mistake 0umber F 4 ifficult4to4read layout.

S(uashing lots of te/t together and using long paragraphs you will only make your 6A difficultto read.

1y using bullet points and short paragraphs you make your 6A easier to read which helps thepotential employer notice key information. )s your 6A typically only gets a few seconds ofattention, recruiters donFt want to be wading through lengthy paragraphs.

Bb*ective and !ocus

)t this point it is useful to step back and e/amine where you are. 'ou ha&e a much clearer idea

of your key abilities and ac(uired skills. The results of your personality profiling will ha&e builton this and if you ha&e used the career dri&ers, you will ha&e an e&en more complete picture.

+owe&er as we ha&e said before, you may not ha&e a completely clear and defined ob$ecti&e.This is nothing to worry about. To a great e/tent you may well feel that you are &enturingoutside your comfort Cone and for many people this can be a little daunting. 'ou may well say

This is all &ery well but # $ust want another $ob" and there is nothing wrong with that. Thetechni(ues that you will learn about in the ne/t section will certainly enable you to do thatbetter. We do say though that they are designed to help you achie&e whate&er ob$ecti&e youare pursuing much more efficiently than you ha&e done in the past. Whiche&er path youtake,be it to obtain the same type of $ob as you had before or to effect a complete careerchange, the process outlined enables you to e/amine alternati&e career options along the way

and the importance of that cannot be o&eremphasised. #n the current economic climate it is aswell to identify as many options as possible as to where you can best employ your talents.

#n one thing we would ad&ise is to set up a process that enables you to keep accurate andclear records of your progress in the $ob market. There are a number of such packages on the#nternet. *ne that we ha&e seen used often is www.$ibber$obber.com
http://www.jibberjobber.com/http://www.jibberjobber.com/


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'our $ourney of e/ploration begins here!

aunching your self marketing campaign

MA+/-T#0G CAMPA#G0 P+BC-

9arket Structure

9arketing 6ampaign :e&elopment

9arketing Tools

5etworking into the 3nad&ertised ob 9arket

)d&ertisements

ecruitment )gencies and +ead +unters

9oti&ating Betters

#nter&iews

Sensiti&e Nuestions

5egotiating


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Market structure

'.' MA+/-T CAMPA#G0 -5-BPM-0T

#n essence the first task in the marketplace is to talk to people in the new industry areas youha&e decided you should e/plore and to assess the &iability of mo&ing into this new industry orsector. 1y talking to people in those new areas you will be able to find out from the horseFsmouth L ;

o #f there are long;term career de&elopment opportunities?

o Which sectors of the industry are growing>declining?

o What companies are e/panding or changing?

o :oes the person you talk to see you as able to make the transition? )nd if so how?

o Which recruitment agencies operate in that industry?

o Where are the best $obs ad&ertised?

o 13T most important of all ; :*S #T T '*3 O6#T:?

1y talking to people in these newly identified career areas you can begin to make a comparison

Unadvertised

Jobs

Advertised

Jobs

Agency jobs


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choice and that is one of the most important decisions of all because it enables you to makethe right ST)T#6 career decision.

+owe&er to succeed the process must be structured and professional E$ust like any othermarketing campaign!

#0!B+MAT#B0, A5#C-, BP#0#B0

Aiews based on e/perience, knowledge and wisdom that e/pand the range of options to beconsidered.

This phase, as we ha&e said is all about e/ploring options. #n order to begin the process youneed to contact people 7networking, to gi&e it its familiar name8 1ut # donFt want to goaround asking for fa&ours or trying to o&ertly sell myself. 1esides # am not a sales person some people will say.

:onFt worry. Try to think of this phase as similar to asking anyone about a holiday &enue youlike the look of, but ha&e not yet tried. What is the first thing you do ? /actly, you go and talkto someone who has been there. The same thing applies if you need a plumber or electrician

or to know which school to send your children to. 'ou see, we use networking all the time, we$ust donFt realiCe it.

1ut where are these people and why should they talk to me. 4eople lead busy li&es these days

This is where we ha&e to become &ery professional. BetFs learn the ground rules.+uman nature is a funny thing. 'ou usually find that

- People like to say yes

- People appreciate sincere respect and honest recognition

- People love to give advice

- People respond more favourably if approached gradually and in a

- businesslike manner

- People like to repay favours to a friend

1. Prepare a list of potential contacts. The following list will help to do this.

clients, Suppliers1ankers>Jinance, Sales people, 9anagement consultants, Solicitors, 1usiness

e/ecuti&es>owners, #nstitutions>Jellow members, Jriends, relati&es etc.


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Point to note

'ou may well be asking why we ha&e not mentioned using social media at this stage.6ertainlywe recommend using social media sites, especially inked #nto &astly increase your contactnetwork. +owe&er it is far better to start this e/ercise by speaking to people you already knowor ha&e some relationship with. The main reasons for this is that it will gi&e you &aluablepractice in talking to others about yourself, your ideas, your ambitions etc. as you progress

you will become more and more efficient at holding these referral meetings". 'ou will then bethat much more accomplished when you communicate with people &ia social media sites.

This manual is not designed to co&er areas such as social media, primarily because there areso many good books out there. 1ut two such books that we would recommend for Binked #n

are 1ow to +-A2 use inkedin)by Jan Vermeirenand Bert Verdonck or Linkedin

marketing an hour a dayby Viveka von !osen"

#0!B+MAT#B0,A5#C- A0 BP#0#B0 ...CB0T

"rite a letter;send an email to the contact ee Appendi$ 4 etter to primary referral

#t is important to understand what this does.

#t acknowledges their e/pertise. 7&eryone likes to talk about what they do8.

#t takes the pressure away. The disclaimer # am not asking you forPPP. 79any peoplewould like to help but are more embarrassed about discussing the situation, say ofedundancy, with you than you are with them8.

#t gi&es them a chance to help. 7That makes people feel good8.

#t gi&es you a chance to practice talking about your abilities and skills E useful for inter&iews!

Make the telephone call

- )gree date > time > place of meeting

- nd the con&ersation

) little general ad&ice. We ha&e all been taught to smile when talking to someone on the

phone, stand up while speaking etc. 1ut the key to this e/ercise is to practice and record bothwhat you want to say 7ha&e a written script by the side of the phone8 and ha&e a prepared listof who you are going to contact as below.

5ame of person > company > telephone number > contact Eyes>no > call back time > action.

'ou will find this of enormous benefit in recording your acti&ity and seeing yourself makeprogress.

)nother point. )lways ha&e some sort of answer facility on your contact numbers. #tFs amaCinghow many people forget that when they start their campaign, other people will want to ringthem back and there is nothing more frustrating for a potential employerFs point of &iew thannot being able to lea&e a message.
http://www.how-to-really-use-linkedin.com/authors-linkedin-speakers-sprekers/jan-vermeiren/http://www.how-to-really-use-linkedin.com/authors-linkedin-speakers-sprekers/bert-verdonck/http://www.how-to-really-use-linkedin.com/authors-linkedin-speakers-sprekers/jan-vermeiren/http://www.how-to-really-use-linkedin.com/authors-linkedin-speakers-sprekers/bert-verdonck/


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#mportant point to note here

T1-+- # 0B


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+-!-++A #0T-+5#-" K


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-CB0 P1A-

!BC


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; Cultivate new career opportunities

; #dentify possible target companies

;


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'.> +ecord /eeping

'ou will be ha&ing a number of con&ersations with people during the course of your networkingcampaign. 5aturally, recei&ing a lot of information it is &ital that you keep accurate records.5ot only of the people you ha&e seen, but also of the content of the con&ersations you ha&ewith them. The referral meeting report form 8see appendi$ 9is an e/tremely useful way ofL

;

o ecording the information

o 5oting your progress 7this is important as you begin to see yourself becoming better at

the networking process and hence become aware that you are being proacti&e andtaking control of e&ents8.

And remember www.*ibber*obber.com

The 0etwork Tree

Nuite a lot of us like a &isual representation of things. The network tree is an e/tremely usefulway of assessing your situation at a glance.
http://www.jibberjobber.com/http://www.jibberjobber.com/


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>. A5-+T#- PB#T#B0

)s a conse(uence competition for ad&ertised posts is &ery intenseD howe&er they also ha&e a&alue beyond indicating a current $ob opportunity.

- They pro&ide up to date information on the latest trends in the particular market sector,which firms are e/panding and what e/perience > (ualification is being demanded.

- They also pro&ide up to date information on recruitment agencies and their industry >functional specialisation.

egular and detailed study of ad&ertisements will pro&ide benefits far beyond identifying aparticular $ob for which you wish to apply. &en if an ad&ertised position is not (uite right for

you, the 6ompany or )gency may well be worth approaching either &ia your eferral 9eetingcontacts or through a Target letter approach.

Therefore, one of the first actions in 4hase of your 9arketing 6ampaign is to build up a list ofpublications rele&ant to your own search to read on a regular basis ; these can normally beaccessed through the internet, or failing that your local library.

The timing of your reply to an ad&ertisement is important ; if possible reply within one day ofthe ad&ertisement appearing, before the floodgates open.

This does not mean that you should not reply if you cannot do so immediately, particularly ifyou are a &ery close match with the company%s re(uirements, but a late response does lessen

the chances of your application being seen by the recruiting manager before it gets into theadministrati&e sie&ing procedure.

Point to note

To &uickly find *ob advertisements in one place, use the *ob aggregation sites such asworkcircle, simplyhired or indeed.

A0A2# B! T1- LB7 A5-+T#-M-0T

6reating a good application is neither easy nor (uickD it can take 2;G hours to analyse thead&ertisement, satisfy yourself that you meet the re(uirements and prepare an attention

catching response.

#dentify the three aspects of the *obL

- Person +e&uirements; i.e. all those stated regarding the person.g. )bilities, /perience, Nualifications, 4ersonality 7pay particular attention to wordssuch as %will ha&e%, %essential%, %necessary%.

- Lob +e&uirements ; i.e. the oles or )cti&ities to be undertaken by the applicant.

- Assumed +e&uirements ; eductions ; this in&ol&es carefully reading through thead&ertisement regarding what the company says about itself and the $ob opportunity,

and reading between the lines to identify what other things are likely to be in&ol&ed.3se your imagination and decide whether you ha&e additional> complementary skillsand abilities that would be of benefit to the organisation e.g. language skills, knowledgeof 1S-K-0 implementation, and e/perience with Trades 3nions etc.


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#f the ad&ertisement contains an in&itation to telephone for further information or to ha&e aninformal discussion, always ensure that you ha&e fully completed the analysis before makingthe call as it is probable that the informal discussion will actually be a preliminary inter&iewwhich begins with the (uestion %Why do you think you are particularly suited > (ualified >e/perienced for the role?%

T+


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I. MBT#5AT#0G -TT-+.

This is one area where a letter rather than an email should be sent.They are sent to the 9 :or 6hief /ecuti&e of organisations with the sole ob$ecti&e of moti&ating the recipient to seeyou or ask one of his heads of department to see you.

The organisation to which they are sent may be di&ided into two broad categories.

Target Brganisations ; carefully selected following information > research which pro&idedconfirmation of the rele&ance of your (ualification, abilities, e/perience etc. to their needs.

The identification of Targets most fre(uently arises from network contacts who know of a&acancy but do not wish to be identified as the information source, newspaper articles >ad&ertisements or as an organisation of specific interest to you into which you ha&e beenunable to get a direct referral.

0on 4 Targeted Brganisations ; the criteria for their selection is much less specific and isfre(uently based on their location, siCe, products > ser&ices pro&ided etc.

With such organisations the rele&ance of your past e/perience is not so ob&ious and thecontent of your approach letter will necessarily be less sharply focused to their needs.

)lways discuss with your consultant before commencing a Target or 5on;Targeted 7speculati&e8letter campaign and remember that they are not an alternati&e to 5etworking.

ee Appendi$ for /amples of 9oti&ating Betters


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'" AGENCIES AN SEA!C" C#NS$L%AN%S

There are hundreds of recruitment agencies and consultants catering for different $obs andprofessions. There are specialist agencies for finance staff, nurses, facilities, personnel,contract labour, human resource staff and teachers, and many others. et to know which caterfor your profession, sector and geographic preferences.

A list of Head-hunters and Agencies relevant to you and your job search can be

obtained from Search Engines

)gencies get paid by employers trying to fill &acancies. 6ompanies use agencies because theyha&e specialist knowledge of the market concerned and where good candidates might befound. 'ou are therefore a saleable product to them. #f they can place you (uickly, you win,your new employer wins and of course the agency wins!

+owe&er, if the agency cannot place you (uickly, your &alue to them will diminish. #t istherefore not only important that you ha&e the best 6A you can produce but also you mustculti&ate a good relationship with the agencies you deal with.

et to know one of their people by name and keep in regular touch to find out what they cando for you. #f you donFt, you may fade from their &iew after a while and your 6A will be filed, ifnot scrapped. 1ut remember that if they do keep your details on fileF, the chances are thatthey will be entered on a database that is searchable electronically and may therefore be easily

retrie&ed if the right $ob turns up. #deally, good agencies should offer to meet with you todiscuss what you are looking for, but many donFt ha&e time for speculati&e applicant meetings.

1ead4hunters

+ead;hunters often operate at board le&el only and tend to target named people for &erysenior posts, including 6*, salaries M00@ plus. They do not ad&ertise but employ researchersto approach known people. +ead;hunters are retained by companies for assignments on a splitfee basis, typically G0 of &alue of first yearFs remuneration 7including benefits8.

-$ecutive earch

/ecuti&e Search companies look for senior e/ecuti&es, typically M


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*nce a good rapport has been established, your role is to listenacti&ely. #f you free yourselffrom the pressure of ha&ing to make the saleF on this first inter&iew, you will find it mucheasier to concentrate o making an impression that will assure a second inter&iew. 9ore thatone inter&iew is needed to get a good offer, so it is unrealistic to e/pect one on the firstinter&iew. #nstead, the goals of the initial ob #nter&iew is to get a second interview.

apport is established by acti&e listeningF, responding with interest to what the inter&iewer issaying and asking appropriate (uestions. When you gi&e the inter&iewer information, makesure it is rele&ant to particular problems or needs. emember, you will ne&er con&ince a futureemployer of your potential &alue unless you are able to relate your abilities and e/periences tothe organisations needs. #n short, you want to be the solution to the organisations problems.

)ppropriate (uestions co&er a range of possibilities 7see Nuestions 'ou Should /plore :uringthe ob #nter&iew 4rocess8, but include finding outL

What responsibilities are in&ol&ed?

Where the position fits into the organiCational structure+ow the inter&iewer e/pects the position to contribute to plans for growth ande/pansion, andWhat specific problem areas the position will address

ach inter&iew is different of course. 'ou can think through all the (uestions you could beasked before you go on a ob #nter&iew 7refer to the list supplied8. Such (uestions will help theinter&iewer gi&e you the information you need to make an effecti&e presentation of yourpotential contributions. emember that inter&iewers themsel&es may often ha&e a limitedunderstanding of their own needs or ha&e difficulty &erbaliCing them. 1y asking intelligent(uestions, you will enable the inter&iewer to define specific needs and purposes more clearly.

Some inter&iewers may start by saying Tell me about yourself". #n answer to this fre(uent(uestion, you use your FI second presentation. This will help bridge the gap between theinter&iewers understanding of what you ha&e to offer and what the organisation needs. #f youare making a career change in either function or industry, this is particularly imperati&e.Without such a connection your position and that of the organisation will seem permanently atodds. Second, cite specific, if possible, tasks or areas of application. These would include suchthings as new product de&elopment, group facilitation, and market analysis and pro$ectmanagement. Third, emphasise particular achie&ements. These should anchor the skills andapplications and enhance your credibility as an employee who will make a difference.


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@eep in mind this rule of thumb, if you do not say it, it ne&er happened". egardless of thebreadth of your achie&ements or the dynamism of your resume you cannot assume anything.1e prepared to articulate all rele&ant areas of you e/pertise and e/perience. Where possiblesubstantiate your (ualifications with brief e/amples, such as the accomplishments listed onyour resume. #f you are well prepared, you can describe your work history entirely in terms ofaccomplishments, results, and successes. Such a description will assure keeping yourinter&iewerFs interest.

#n a ob #nter&iew, the inter&iewer is primarily interested in assessing two points about youLyour competenceand your compatibility. +iring decisions are based not only on theinter&iewerFs rational analysis of your abilities, accomplishments and potential, but also uponthe chemistry between the two of you. #t is simply a fact of life that the inter&iewerFs emotionswill play a &ery strong role in the hiring decision. +ence, your attitude is an e/tremelyimportant factor.

(ually important is the manner in which you demonstrate your approach to problems. *neway in which an inter&iewer may try to determine your attitude and problem;sol&ing style is by

asking (uestions of a sensiti&e or difficult nature.

#n most cases, such (uestions are asked not to make you feel uncomfortable but to getinformation and to assess your compatibility.&ery hiring decision in&ol&es risk. Theinter&iewerFs aim is to reduce this risk as much as possible. #nformation contained in youranswers is not, by itself, ade(uate for answering such (uestions asL Will you fit into theorganisation? 6an you pro&ide leadership? 'our first consideration in answering these and allother (uestions is to demonstrate a positi&e attitude and to reassure your inter&iewer of thepositi&e nature of the match.

1e sure you ha&e heard the (uestions, and take time to think through your answer beforeresponding. When an inter&iewer (uestions you about specific problems, resist the temptationto offer immediate solutions off the top off your head. #t is easy to offend someone byproducing answers, right or wrong, in fi&e minutes. +owe&er, it is appropriate to suggest to theinter&iewer that your e/perience makes you a likely person to help sol&e such problems whenyou are on the $ob. 'ou might say something like thisL # donFt know enough about yourcompany to recommend any immediate solutions, but #Fd like to tell you about the approaches#F&e used in the past to sol&e similar problems."

There is a list of (uestions most often asked our clients below. )lthough they are most likelyto occur in a screening inter&iew 7generally conducted by a +uman esource Specialist8, some,particularly those of a situational or problem sol&ing nature, may occur in later inter&iews as

well. #f you can answer each of the (uestions on the list positi&ely, you will be able to answer&irtually all (uestions of a sensiti&e nature to your inter&iewerFs satisfaction.


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)fter you ha&e had your first inter&iew, send an email or write a thank you letter telling yourinter&iewer that you ha&e been listening carefully and are prepared to help sol&e theorganisations problems. When possible, remind the inter&iewer of particular areas discussedwhere you can make a significant contribution. 9ake this letter as enthusiastic as is compatiblewith your personal style. #t may be appropriate at this time to follow up with a focus piece

E.1B" TB CB- A LB7 #0T-+5#-"

The first thing you need to recogniCe is when the inter&iew is about to end. The inter&iewer willdetermine the agenda and conse(uently, when the inter&iew is about to close. The way you

can be alert to this is typically by the kinds of (uestions asked or the statements mad. Jore/ample, you may be asked, Jred, do you ha&e any (uestion of me?" or Jred, is thereanything more you would like to tell me?" #n each case you should answer enthusiastically andpositi&ely. This will allow you to gain some control o&er the inter&iew as it winds to a close.

#f you would be told something like, Well Jred, that is all we need for today. #f we needanything further, we will be # touch with you." :onFt panic. #t is not the time to allow yourselfto be crestfallen. Try to turn to a more positi&e agenda. )sk if it is alright to ask a few(uestions. #f you can mo&e to a (uestioning mode, you will be able to lay the groundwork forclosing the inter&iew and establishing follow;up stages. 9ore specifically that in&ol&esL

A. A/#0G #0T-#G-0T K company > organisation, o&er the last twoyears?" )sk future orientated (uestions to get a clearer perspecti&e of the organisationFsdirection, for e/ample, What do you consider to be the greatest challenge facing thisorganisation in the ne/t three years?" or, :o you ha&e established growth plans for the ne/tfi&e E ten years?"

#f you are talking to the person who might be your direct report, you might askL Where doyou see yourself in the ne/t three to fi&e years?" )ny other (uestions that seem appropriate toask about the big picture 7again as long as they are not too probing or too sensiti&e for theinter&iewer8 are appropriate to ask as this point. 1e sure to respect the time element! *nceyou feel you ha&e established that you are &ery much interested in the organisation as well as

your own indi&idual function in it, begin a positi&e summation.


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-0#0G A T1A0/ 2B< -MA#;-TT-+

)t this point you want to lea&e the inter&iew 7and as in any inter&iew8, go home andimmediately send a thank you email. Jor e/ample, Thank you &ery much for the opportunityto discuss the position of Widget 9anager with you this morning > afternoon." The secondparagraph should help focus the matchL # appreciate &ery much the opportunity to discussyour needs > challenges > problems, 7whate&er8 in the areas ofP." +ere specify three or four

things that you know are &ery important to the organisation. 'ou could balance the paragraphby stating, # am &ery confident that # can meet your needs in these areas becauseP." )nd&ery briefly state your e/perience or achie&ements that corroborate your statements. The thirdparagraph should pro&ide reasons for continuing the dialogue. Jor e/ample, you might write

)dditionally, # would like to opportunity to learn more about your plans to do 7something8 asmy e/perience doing 7similar things8 might be beneficial to you" or, )dditionally, # would liketo tell you more about my e/perience doing 7something8 because # can see how that mightassist you in your plans to do 7whate&er8." emember this is a crucial link in the process.

The final paragraph should e/press the ne/t stepL # look forward to discussing these and othermutually beneficial area with you and will call on Thursday, 9ay 2, to arrange another meetingat your con&enience." 4ick the date that you think is the most reasonable time in the decision

making process. This has to be after all the candidates ha&e been inter&iewed, but before thedecision has been made. That is why you try to determine the window of decision" before youlea&e the inter&iew

-.!BB"


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clarify your position. )t this time, if you choose to continue this path, it is important that youe/ercise the utmost tact and diplomacy. #f you can o&ercome the ob$ections or if you feel youha&e gi&en a good e/planation, then ask for that ne/t inter&iew. 'ou could say, # still think itwould be mutually beneficial for us to get together again. # would hate to see either of usmake a decision that is not in the best interests of the organisation in the long run. # really feelthat # ha&e what you are looking for. Will you gi&e me one more opportunity to con&ince you?When can we set that up?"

Thank the inter&iewer for the phone discussion. @eep the tone upbeat and positi&eD try to keepthe door open and try to show yourself as a &ery professional person. 9ake sure you always letthe inter&iewer know that if the other people donFt work out, you want to be considered. 1eremembered as acti&e and asserti&e about finding a position. #t will make a good impression.The put the personFs name into your calendar, and make certain to follow up at regularinter&als.

#n summary, you want to close a $ob inter&iew with as much control as possible by showing agenuine interest in the big picture and by offering a positi&e summation reflecting yourunderstanding of and interest in the organisationFs problems. eiterate that you heard all the

things that are most important to them, and you are &ery confident you can do the $ob thatneeds to be done. Then refine your (uestioning to find out what the ne/t step is anddetermine when the decision will be made in regard to mo&ing to the ne/t step. Always,always, always, write an immediate thank you summariCing your insight, your confidence,and your interest. Jollow up with an action close where you try to get that person back on theline before the final decision is made. )sk for the ne/t inter&iew!

Final Footnote emember!

You have nothing to lose going into any interview situation, because you dont have the job

when you go in the door. There is always something to be gained from every interview. Youcan create the next step and gain something from it. Go into every interview situation

positively and leave in the same manner.

Takeand maintain controlof your career choices!


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/#0 B! K


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T1- #0T-+5#-"3 -0#T#5- K


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positions? +ow did you sol&e them?2H.When was the last time you felt enthusiastic about helping a colleague or staff

member succeed? /plain.G0.:id you e&er make suggestions to management? What happened?G.What do you think management could do to make you function more

effecti&ely?G2.What has kept you from progressing as fast as you would like?

GG. Tell me about the best > worst boss you e&er had?GI.What do people criticise you about?G-.What are your pet pee&es?G


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1. Whether there is a consistent interest in a specific &ocational area or careerob$ecti&e.

&. Whether your employment history, education, and other de&elopment showconsistent application of your energies.

'. Whether, lacking the specific background desired, your e/perience includes some ofthe same acti&ities for which you are being considered.

(. Whether in your discussion of past employers and your reasons for lea&ing youre&eal maturity and a realistic attitude.

). Whether your responses to (uestions show stability, maturity, and responsibility aswell as progress and achie&ement.

+-M-M7-+ 6A"A2 P+--0T T1- 7-T PB#7- #MAG- CB0#T-0T "#T1 T1-T+


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! shebeing replaced? +ow long was he > she in the it?:id he > she succeed? What led to his > hersuccess > failure? +ow many predecessors werethere? What happened to them? Why? +ow wouldyou describe the ideal candidate for the position?

P-+B00- G. Who are the people with whom # will work? Who ismy immediate super&isor? 9y staff? 9y associatesin related departments? What is the title, history inthe company, pre&ious background, education, age,personality, and reputation of each?

T1- -PA+TM-0T I. :oes the company ha&e any long range plans forthis department? rowth or consolidation? :oes thedepartment ha&e its own budget? Who controls it?+as the department been successful? What is itsreputation in the company? 7#n the opinion of the

inter&iewer8, is there sufficient staff to handle theworkload? +ow is the morale of the staff? #s thereanyone on the staff who e/pected to be promotedto this position but was by;passed?

T1- B+GA0#AT#B0 -. Where does this position fit into the companyFsorganiCational plan? )re the reporting channelsclear? #s there more than one boss"?

B+#-0TAT#B0 T+A#0#0G8#0


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the company ha&e an /ecuti&e :e&elopment4rogramme? *ther training programmes? What areits facilities? What resource does it utilise? :oes thecompany sponsor courses at uni&ersities? )tmanagement associations or industry conferences?)re suggestions welcome?

T1- CBMPA02 K. +ow long has the company been in e/istence? Whatis its corporate culture? #ts mission? :oes it ha&e astrategic plan? Who owns it? #s it family dominated?+ow long has its present management been incontrol? What has been its gross sales and profit7or loss8 pattern during the last ten years? Ji&eyears? Two years? 5ow? :oes the company ha&e agrowth plan? 7See annual report8 What do thecompanyFs annual report and the :U1 report showabout its credit rating and financial history? #f thecompany is publicF, what do recent stockbrokersF

reports say about its management and itsprospectsV? +ow does the company and its productsrate in its industry? What is the economic trend ofthe industry?

T1- CBMMher family? :oes the company arrange employmentcontracts? What is the companyFs policy regarding

&acations and sick lea&e? When and how is salaryusually paid? What is the companyFs policyregarding employment agencyFs fees? :oes thecompany ha&e a periodic employee appraisal orperformance re&iew? What are the prospects forsalary increases? 4romotion? Will there beopportunities for greater responsibility and broadere/perience?

-HP-CTAT#B0 0. What is e/pected to be accomplished during thefirst rating period? +ow is the position e&aluated? )twhat fre(uency? +ow are performance and raises

tied to performance criteria? What is the currentsalary range for the position?


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#f you are like most buyers, you would be loathe to acknowledge you paid the asking price. Soit is with compensation negotiations. #n the &ast ma$ority of cases there will be items you willwant to negotiate, yet if you do not initiate or e/tend the process, you will not get what youdesire. There is &alue in negotiating, and it is reflected in, among other things, hard numbers.Jor e/ample, letFs assume you were offered a salary of MI-k that could ha&e been negotiatedto M--k. )ssuming annual salary increases of I 7and disregarding the time &alue of money

or more astute in&esting practices8, the original M-k discrepancy escalates o&er time asL

2ear Accepted Bffer 0egotiated Bffer ifference

0 MI-k M-k M-k- M-Ik


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3nfortunately, there are many areas o&er which you can e/ert little or no control, and theseha&e a powerful cumulati&e effect. anging from the general health of the economy toparticular functional industries, and locations, these will help define the parameters of yourmarket &alue. conomic issues such as inflation affect the real &alue of your income as thegeneral ebb and flow of the workplace dri&es the demand for specific functions 7salespersons,engineers, and so on8 and industries 7home, electronics, health care, and the like8. The greaterthe demand, the greater the &alue in the marketplace. Succinctly, make certain that you can

place your current specific situation, in conte/t with the large, general one in order to get thebest estimate of your market &alue.

Junctions, companies, industries, and geography also help to define your market &alue in moredirect ways. ) particular position, +uman esource 9anager for e/ample, will ha&e a differentmarket &alue relati&e to how it is percei&ed in each of these categories. )sk yourself thefollowing (uestionsL

+ow is the function &iewed 7i.e. prestige8 in each category?

What is the siCe and strength of the organisation?

+ow does the organisation rate its compensation programme?7#n de&eloping a total, integrated programme a 6ompensation 9anager may placesalary range for particular positions within the framework of the categories here, thendefine that as the top third or (uadrant, middle third or (uadrants, or upper third or(uadrant of the a&erage.8

#s the industry in a state of growth, static, or decline?

What is the cost of li&ing in the area?7There are many good sur&eys here, including those published by local and nationalrepresentati&es of the 6hamber of 6ommerce.8

#f the +uman esource 9anager position were percei&ed as critical to the organisation, in afunction recogniCed for its contributions, and at a pi&otal moment in the organisations historyDthen its market &alue would be at a premium. 4ut the same position in an area with a high costof li&ing and the market &alue increases accordingly. The in&erse is also true, howe&er if the+uman esource 9anager position were percei&ed as a perfunctoryF one necessary to fend offlawsuits but an obstacle along the path to profitability E especially in a struggling organisationE then the market &alue would be correspondingly low. 4lace the position in a low pay area ofthe country and the &alue would decrease e&en lower.

esearch salary sur&eys, and other compensation barometers to fine;tune your understandingof the market. :onFt o&erlook any information, but be careful to e&aluate the credibility andconte/t of the source. Jor e/ample, there are a number of printed salary sur&eysL some moregeneral, some more specific, some more current. 9ake sure you are aware of factors thatmight skew the &alidity of the data. 6heck to make certain the work is current, possesses alarge enough sampling, and is as ob$ecti&e as possible.

There are hundreds of salary sur&eys a&ailable, ranging from more sweeping studies, such asthose published by the :JD to more industry specific ones, the annual salary sur&eypresented by the representati&e industry bodies for e/ampleD to ones particular to a gi&enfunction., the annual sur&eys published by #ndustry )ssociations for instanceD to those linkedto a specific geographic area, such as those published by a local chamber of commerce. #twould be helpful to look at two or three studies, at least, to arri&e at a more completeappreciation of your market &alue.

#f you are unable to get the (uality of compensation information you re(uire or if you wouldlike to test your data in a more immediate application, turn to the #nternet and your network.There is an abundance of information a&ailable in both places, and you can direct it more


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toward your specific interests. Jor e/ample a client was e/pecting an offer for a position of@nowledge Specialist. Since this was a new position in the emerging information consultingindustry, it had yet to appear in any of the published sur&eys. The client, a 4h: from one ofthe top ten schools in the nation, had an e/cellent research and product de&elopmentbackground, but was not sure if he could carry his current salary in making such a careerchange. +e went back to his network to ask a few indi&iduals what they thought the positionshould be worth. 5ot only did he recei&e some e/cellent input directly, but one indi&idual

referred him to a @nowledge Specialist who had conducted a sur&ey of his colleagues acrossthe #nternet. )rmed with this point of reference the client was able to negotiate a package thatnot only met his current salary le&el but included a future bonus package as well.

The last ma$or step before the negotiations proper is to de&elop a strategy. 9ake surewhate&er approaches you take is one that you will be comfortable with and one that iscompatible with your personal style. e;e/amine your o&erall goals for both your career andthe negotiations process to make certain all priorities are in sync.

#f you are going to use the position as a bridge to change functions, for e/ample, you willprobably want to structure your negotiations # such a way that skills and responsibilities youfeel are essential to the ne/t step are brought to the fore. 'ou may accomplish this in a &ariety

of waysL by e/panding or emphasiCing particular areas of the $ob description, by constructingbonuses or incenti&es tied to these areas, by laying the ground work for future mo&ement, orby linking fre(uent performance re&iews and salary actions to critical skills and responsibilities.

Timing is critical. 1oth parties will want to choose the optimum time to negotiate. 'ou will, ofcourse wish to negotiate when you ha&e the most momentumL when the future employer ismost desirous of purchasing your ser&ices. *n the other hand, the potential employer will wantto negotiate when you are in the weakest position and a &ariety of potential employees are stillin the running for the position. That is why you want to negotiate at the moment the positionis offered, while the employer wants to address salary issues at the beginning of the firstinter&iew 7or before, as in a re(uest in an ad&ertisement to state salary re(uirements, salaryhistory8.

#n the early stages of the first inter&iew, the inter&iewer has little or no commitment to youand holds the dominant position. Jurthermore, it is often a screening inter&iew with thepurpose of sorting out candidates who seem not to fit the company profile, or the companysalary structure. 6onse(uently, you can e/pect a series of (uestions that will try to pinpointyour compensation e/pectations. 'our most effecti&e strategy at this point re&ol&es arounddeferring all salary discussions until a position has been tendered, while assuring theinter&iewer that compensation would not be a problemD moreo&er, you would like todemonstrate what you can do for the organisationD and you would like to e/plore thepossibilities of a match in greater detail.

When you are asked such (uestion, make certain your responses are consistent in terms oftone, le&el of sophistication, and point of reference, with your personality and o&erall deli&ery.

Some possible (uestions you may encounter, as well as potential responses, would include thefollowingL

K. "hat kind of salary are you looking for 1ow much do you want to make "hatincome do you e$pect

A.Well, 9r )ndrews, at this point, #Fm &ery fle/ible. #f we determine thereFs a good fit here,#Fm sure weFll be able to work out a &ery reasonable agreement. #Fd appreciate it if we could

$ust postpone those discussions for nowD and once we agree a fit, #Fm sure weFll be able towork out the rest. 6an you tell me more about the position? What are you looking for in theideal candidate?

K. "hat did you make in your last 8present9 position

A.#Fm not at liberty to discuss that. #F&e make an agreement not to discuss salary, benefits, or


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any internal policies of that position. 73se this, of course, only if you ha&e made such anagreement.8 #Fm sure you can respect my loyalty in that regard. 1ut anyway, #Fm fle/ible, and#Fm sure we can sort out something out after we determine if there is a good fit here. 6an youtell me what a typical day would be like.

K. 2ou=ll need to give me some idea what you e$pect, so we can see if we=re in theballpark with this. "hat=s the minimum you would accept

A.Well, 9r. )ndrews, #Fm trying to remain &ery open minded and fle/ible on that issue, but #can understand how important it is to you to determine a ballpark figure. 74ause8 9ay #suggest you ha&e a better idea of the o&erall &alue this position has for the company than # do,and #Fm sure thereFs a range established that weFll both ha&e to li&e with. #f you would gi&e mesome idea of what that range is #Fll be glad to tell you if #Fm interested in discussing thisposition any further.

K. 8"hatever they say..9

A.6ertainly #Fm interested in continuing discussions on that basis. Tell me more about theposition.

K. "hat would it take to bring you on board

A.#s that an offer?

K 2es

A.Well, what range did you ha&e in mind?

The o&erall success of your negotiations is also dependent upon creating the optimumen&ironment. 'ou need to be confident and articulate yet rela/ed. 4ut the inter&iewer at ease.emember, the negotiating area knows few e/perts, and the inter&iewer may be a no&ice inthe field. The greater the le&el of comfort you can establish here, the greater the possibility ofreward later.

ecognise the inter&iewer, not only in terms of success but in relation to position and function.@now what is their gi&enF. Jor e/ample the range of reference points and, of course, (uestionsand approaches, may differ widely depending upon the inter&iewerFs function and position inthe company. )s a rule of thumb the higher the position and the closer to your function, thegreater the possibility of you achie&ing your negotiation ob$ecti&es, because the inter&iewerwill ha&e a better understanding of what you bring to the table as well as a greater controlo&er budgetary impact.

#n the first inter&iew scenario discussed abo&e, the dynamics would probably be (uite differentif a +uman esources 9anager or Sales 9anager posed the (uestions. #n the former instance,

the + 9anager is probably referring to a barometer to determine if you could fit into theappropriate category such as position, years of e/perience, and salary. #f you apparently didnot fit, you would be screened out of the process. Jurther, unless you were applying for a+uman esources position, you could probably assume that the inter&iewer was not an e/pertin your field and your strongest arguments for the position would be greatly diminished. *nthe other hand, if the inter&iewer were the hiring manager in a specific function you mightanticipate greater fle/ibility in salary issues and a clearer understanding of what you bring tothe table. )s a result you could marshal your most compelling arguments 7and to a moresympathetic ear8 to ad&ance to the ne/t round of inter&iews, to defer further discussion ofcompensation, and to enhance your negotiating position.

egardless of the inter&iewerFs position, howe&er, you should always try to create a win > win

atmosphere. )pproach negotiations as a collaborati&e effort. :onFt forget you are negotiatingwith an indi&idual>s with whom you will be working, often with the person who will be yourdirect manager. #t is not the time to play hardball, but it is the time to lay the foundation for


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open communication and long;term growth. 'ou ha&e the opportunity to set yourself up forfailure by being confrontational or for success by working as a team and creating the type ofharmony the apanese refer to as wa

Try to bridge gaps and foster a sense of mutual purpose. 3se weD for e/ample, rather that the#F > 'ouF split that emphasises your positions on opposite sides of the negotiating table. 'ouwill find this much more beneficial in the long term. Jor e/ample, letFs assume that the

negotiation dialogue had followed all the positi&e, collaborati&e criteria we ha&e discuss so far,yet you still had come to an impasse on salary and remained fi&e thousand pounds apart. )tthis point you certainly do not want negotiations to break down. 4resenting a &iable option orcompromise would probably allow the process to continue, but it would be up to you to takethe ne/t step. 'ou might suggest, What if we looked at the some other options", and directthe negotiations to other compensation areas such as incenti&es, bonuses or per(uisites.


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#MAG-

The image you present has ne&er been more important, and first impressions last.

#tFs easy to see why. *utward appearance is the only way in which we can make an instantimpression when meeting people for the first time. We often ha&e to create the right imagewithin a few minutes. #n these situations, people siCe each other up &ery (uickly indeed. )ndas an indi&idualFs skills, talents and personalities take much longer to become apparent, your

image is the only weaponF you ha&e. *ur society is more image conscious than e&er and thepressure to look right has ne&er been greater. ) recruiter or +ead;hunter will sum you up inthe first


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"e have now come to the (formal) part of the manual. The processes we have setout have been designed to help you take a much more structured approach to careerdevelopment and;or *ob hunting.

As we said on the front cover

The content of this manual is entirely free to use. All we ask

is that if you do find it of benefit to you you consider makinga contribution, whatever you wish, to the Philippinesisaster !und Appeal www.dec.org.uk

"e would also like you to forward it to anyone who you feelmay benefit from it.

Thank you and good luck in your career

/ind regards
http://www.dec.org.uk/http://www.dec.org.uk/


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%'. APP-0#C-

Appendi$ % 2our achievement stories

Appendi$ ' Asignments % and '

Also covered in the Appendi$ are34

ample Motivating etters

ample referral #nterview Kuestions

+eferral Meeting +eport !orm

Market Campaign +eport !orm

ample thank you letter

ample referral etters to Contacts

ample letters of Application


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APP-0#H %

T1- TB+#- B! M2


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1B#0G T1- !B+T=

# had been a solicitor about si/ months when my boss had to be away for eight weeks,so that # suddenly had to hold the fortF in his absence. )s he was demanding, andtechnically strong, # was somewhat ner&ous at the prospect.

:uring this time a prospecti&e land purchase by one of our largest clients came to a

head. +a&ing read the papers, and it being agreed by another partner that # shouldhandle the case myself, # met our client and asked a few probing (uestions about thesituation and personalities in&ol&ed. # felt that my client would gain a better deal if heappeared reluctant, and that the risk of losing the deal was small. The client acceptedmy ad&ice and the negotiations followed the course # had predicted.

The client was (uietly impressed as he took the trouble to mention to my boss on hisreturn that # seemed to be a chip off the same block", which # took to be praise indeed.


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Appendi$ '

Assignments % and '

A#G0M-0T %

. Go through each achievementstory you ha&e written and underline each /-2actionword 7appro/imately< to = per achie&ement8

2. Prepare a fre&uency chart7as shown below8 listing in the left hand column e&ery wordthat you ha&e underlined, and then counting the number of times it has been used in thatachie&ement. Write a total in the appropriate column in the chart as shown in the e/amplebelow.

"B+ AC1#-5-M-0T TBTA

% ' > ? @ E F %I

Manage G 2 2 2 %'

0egotiate G G %%

6omplete the e/ercise for all underlined words.

G. Jrom the total column prepare a list of wordsin descending order according to theirscores.

e.g. 9anage 2

5egotiate

:ecide 0 etc.,

I. Prepare a motivated word listfrom the list complied in G 7abo&e8, by looking at eachword and assessing it in terms of whether you are comfortable with it or not, or if it does notmatter to you either way, 7see e/ample below8.

-$ample

ike @I;@I islike

9anage

5egotiate

:ecide

4raise

-. "rite out @I 8yes @I9 blue sky ob*ectives. i.e. anything you ha&e e&er wanted todo. 'ou do not feel you ha&e been competent to do it, $ust that you ha&e a wish to doit.


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A#G0M-0T '

#. roup the words, which are similar in meaning in the moti&ated word list together. 4utthese into about I to < groups and assign a general title to each. ) list of possiblegroup headings is shown on the attached sheet. These word groups with your words

identify each of your @' 35#N3 )1#B#T#S.

Typical /ey


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5alidity check

1efore completing the &alidity check, refine the 3ni(ue )bilities. Then ask yourself is this reallyme? #f not then re;work until you are satisfied. 'ou must be happy and at ease with the 3ni(ue)bilities.

The purpose of the Aalidity 6heck isL

To know and understand your accomplishments and your 3ni(ue )bilities &erythoroughly.

To prepare you for the $ob market by enabling you to talk confidentially about yourself.

To assist you in analysing your own effecti&eness and reinforce your confidence.

To enable you to clarify your $ob ob$ecti&e.

To assist you de&elop your resume.

Bist your @3)Fs below and then look through your achie&ement stories and identify where eachhas been demonstrated.

4ut a tick in the s(uare where the @3) is demonstrated in that story and circle the 2 beste/amples.

Achievement story

/


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+-!-++A -TT-+ TB CB0TACT

+-!-++A -TT-+ 4 P+#MA+2 CB0TACT

:ear )lan,

ust for once, #Fm writing you a letter!

9y reason is that you ha&e a uni(ue position in the distribution field, and # should like yourad&ice as to where # might make a more effecti&e contribution with my ne/t career step.

*ne thing # must make clear is that # am not asking you for a position, nor am # e/pecting youto know one, but # do know that your ad&ice would be in&aluable.

The enclosed resume will, # feel, gi&e you a picture of my background which you may not knowin its entirety. 'our opinions would be greatly appreciated on a &ariety of points, such as myob$ecti&e, my presentation, areas in which # should concentrate my efforts, and so on.

#%ll gi&e you a ring in the ne/t few days to arrange a meeting ; # do hope you%ll be able to finda space in your crowded diary.

1est wishes to 9ary and yourself.

'ours sincerely,

+-!-++A -TT-+ 4 P+#MA+2 CB0TACT

:ear ohn,

Since we last met, some eighteen months ago #%m sorry to say, # see that 4aul oot%s recent4ersonnel 9anagement article on ethnic minorities has endowed you with XprofessionalimmortalityX, (uoting your article on integrating the multi;racial workforce as a reference

source ; 6ongratulations!

9ore seriously, though, this letter has been inspired by my realisation that, as my first boss,you had a profound influence on the de&elopment of my professional e/pertise and outlook as4ersonnel 9anager.

)t this time, feeling at a cross;roads in my career and now in my thirties, # should like to callon your help once again ; for ad&ice and informed comment on my intention to seek my ne/tcareer mo&e.

This re(uest is in no way an approach for a position within your organisation, nor do # e/pectyou to know of one elsewhere. #nstead, in &iew of your wealth of understanding ande/perience in the personnel function, your ad&ice and suggestions on such things as myob$ecti&e, general presentation and areas of opportunity would be &ery &aluable.

To bring you up to date, # am enclosing a copy of the resume # ha&e prepared ; on which,incidentally, # should also welcome your &iews as to its effecti&eness.

@nowing from the past how busy you are likely to be, and to a&oid correspondence, # willtelephone you in a few days with a &iew to arranging a short meeting when con&enient to you.

'ours sincerely,


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+-!-++A -TT-+ 4 +-!-++- CB0TACT

Private and Confidential

:ear 9r 1ycroft,

ohn Willard has suggested # contact you.1ecause of your own successful career both in the)d&ertising )gency world and more recently in client company organisations, ohn felt that youwould be the most able to gi&e me really helpful and constructi&e ad&ice.

9y situation is that # am seeking to change and de&elop my career after fifteen successfulyears in the )gency business, primarily handling J96 accounts.

# must emphasise that # am not e/pecting you to ha&e a $ob or e&en know of a $ob opportunityfor me. What would really be most helpful to me is to obtain a deeper insight into presentacti&ities and future trends in the so;called Ser&ice #ndustries. The leisure world of sailing isone area that # ha&e so far identified as a good target, but # am interested in in&estigating andresearching other areas, and # belie&e that you could help me to identify them.

ust twenty minutes of your time would be &ery much appreciated, and # will ring you shortly

to arrange a con&enient time.

) copy of my resume is enclosed, which # hope you will find informati&e.

# &ery much look forward to meeting you.

'ours sincerely,


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+-!-++A -TT-+ 4 +-!-++- CB0TACT

Private and Confidential

:ear 9r Thain,

# am writing to you at the suggestion of 1rian 6onway of the rimsby 1uilding Society, who

has suggested that you may be able to help me.

)t the moment # feel # am at a watershed in my career, and am acti&ely e/ploring options ofthe future. *ne possibility that has been suggested to me is that since # ha&e a background inprofessional training # should consider the Jinancial Ser&ices sector where, it is felt, training isurgently needed, especially in the light of the new challenges that many organisations arecurrently facing.# belie&e that you, as 6hief /ecuti&e of one of the most prestigious companiesin this sector, ha&e the e/perience and perspecti&e to gi&e me particularly useful ad&ice.

# must stress that # am not e/pecting you to ha&e a $ob for me in your organisation, not toknow of anywhere else where there is a suitable &acancy, but # should be most grateful foryour ad&ice.

# enclose a copy of my resume that will show you something of my abilities and e/perience.

# realise that you are &ery busy and shall not take up more than twenty minutes of your time. #suggest # telephone your office in the ne/t few days to make an appointment.

# look forward to meeting you.

'ours sincerely,


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APP-0#H AMP- -TT-+ B! APP#CAT#B0

= lm oad:idcot

Somerset


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4 ) 4ersonnel Ser&icesWest 4ark +ouseWest 4ark1irmingham

:ear Sirs,

+e3 Production Management Appointments

# apply for the post of 4roduction 9anager as ad&ertised in the :aily Telegraph of Ith anuary2002. 4lease find enclosed my resume, which supports my application. # ha&e particular skillsin the management of people, the efficient operation of plant and de&elopment programmes,together with a facility with facts and figures. These skills are well supported by technicalability, pro&en success at problem sol&ing, and communications.

# summarise below my (ualifications against the re(uirements stated in the ad&ertisementL

2our re&uirements My &ualifications

fficient operation of production andengineering functions.

esponsible for a M.-m. in&estmentprogramme o&er the last two years, resulting

in sa&ings of Mm. p.a. on operating costs.

#dentify and recommend impro&ed productionmethods and plant utilisation programme.

#ntroduced micro;processors in direct

6ontrol of sections of the plant at a cost ofM2.2k, sa&ing M2Ik p.a.

9an;management skills #n first line management role impro&edmorale and discipline from worst to best onsite.

:irecting workforce through localmanagement teams.

)s 4rocess 9anager, # was responsible for 200people with G departmental 9anagers.#mpro&ed industrial relations, negotiated 0reduction in manning le&els, sa&ed M20k p.a.

)bility to identify problems and formulatecost;effecti&e solutions

+a&e impro&ed plant design and operatingprocedures consistently by applying scientificstudy and modeling techni(ues.

Jour years% e/perience in similar roles in foodprocessing.

Si/ years% production management e/periencein a continuous process industry with manycontacts with the food and drink packagingindustry.

)s well as the foregoing, the following points are rele&ant to my applicationL

Senior manufacturing appointment

#n my last position # was a member of a senior group of three managers reporting to theeneral 9anager making policy decisions on all matters affecting production.

Successful 3@ fmcg group whose leading brands are household names

Success is important to me and my recent career history demonstrates a record of


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achie&ement and promotion.

5umber of modern capital;intensi&e plants throughout ngland

# ha&e tra&eled e/tensi&ely to &arious sites in the 3@, 1elgium and Spain as well as tosuppliers in the 3@, Jrance and the 3S), and to customers throughout the 3@.

Jorward programme of in&estment in new plant and e(uipment

Se&eral years% e/perience both as a pro$ect engineer and as de&elopment manager,successfully controlling capital pro$ects of indi&idual &alue up to M2-0@. +a&e successfullynegotiated with and controlled e/ternal contractors and consultants.

# am &ery enthusiastic about the challenge and opportunity the position presents and # lookforward to applying the skills and e/perience # ha&e ac(uired to de&elop the further aims of the6ompany. # look forward to discussing the position further with you in greater depth.

'ours faithfully,


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opportunity to return.

# am familiar with the business, which you are setting up, and ha&e a blend of practical,theoretical and managerial skills that can make a positi&e contribution to the de&elopment ofyour business.

# look forward to an early meeting when we can discuss my application further.

'ours sincerely,


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:ear

Appointment +ef3 0%>'';T3 Marketing irector

# refer to your ad&ertisement in the Sunday Times and wish to apply as # belie&e my skills,abilities and e/perience e/actly match the re(uirements of this important new position.

1elow, # ha&e identified the key ob and 4ersonal factors and produced a concise summary ofmy capabilities against each oneL

timulate Customer #nterest

# am completely familiar with all communication techni(ues within the media, sales;promotion,incenti&e, sponsorship, e/hibition, direct marketing, &ideo and 4 functions, their indi&idualstrengths, weaknesses and effecti&eness related to specific marketing ob$ecti&es andopportunities.

Within the )utomoti&e Sector, # ha&e been responsible for two successful multi;media 5ew 6arlaunches in the 3@, the most successful launch of a car Jranchise in ire in the H=0%s, plusliterally doCens of tactical campaigns at 5ational, egional and :ealer le&el featuring bothtactical, short;term promotions 7e.g. low cost financeD no depositD buy now pay laterD car asfull deposit %deals%8 and longer term product;based ; %branding% acti&ity.

Co4ordinate a Marketing Policy that is now !ragmented

# know that an integrated approach to marketing can pro&ide a ma/imum return one/penditure and create the most solid foundation for continued future success.

# ha&e pro&ed that only by establishing clear guidelines for implementing each element of the

adopted marketing mi/, monitoring effecti&eness and adapting as necessary to cope withmarket changes and abo&e all, communicating regularly and effecti&ely with rele&antpersonnel, particularly :ealership eneral 9anagers in a multi;site, multi;product companysuch as your 6lient, can an integrated marketing plan be effecti&ely controlled.

Conception Q #mplementation of #nnovative and cost4effective Marketing #nitiatives

# ha&e o&er G years e/perience of formulating, briefing, presenting and implementing abo&eand below the line acti&ity within a budget spectrum from almost Cero, to o&er MG,K-0,000 in atwo month period featuring a multi;media approach.

# appreciate fully the associated costs and timing implications related to each a&ailablecommunication option and where&er possible, clearly establish beforehand the criteria uponwhich the effecti&eness of the e/penditure will be assessed.

!urther efine and -$tend Customer Profile

# ha&e e/tensi&e knowledge of effecti&e use of customer database and the &alue of regularcontact in a rele&ant, customer retention scheme using direct marketing techni(ues.

# understand how to best use the &arious consumer research methods and appreciate the roleand contribution of geo;demographic, socio;demographic and census data.

# concei&ed and de&eloped a uni(ue, highly successful dealer micro;marketing strategy by

linking such data to S99T > 9#A#S postcode registration and media penetration information.


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Proven Marketeer ; enior +ole in Advertising Agency

# was a 9ain 1oard :irector, 4artner at the top 20 raham 4oulter 4artnership plc for eightyears, 9anaging :irector of eddes )d&ertising and 9arketing for almost two years and, mostrecently, 9arketing :irector of Bumley #nsurance 6onsultants. # am a 9ember of the6hartered #nstitute of 9arketing.

# ha&e e/tensi&e knowledge of the motor industry, being )ccount :irector on Bada 6ars foro&er ten years, J Trucks for three years as well as launching Tudor Aehicle #mports in H=0,directing and managing

171113 complimentary career guidance manual

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