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It is a never-ending saga as each day another firm announces a buyout, a downsizing, a reorganization.  With new accounting rules, companies are often forced to re-examine and restate earnings, trouble for any organization.  

Competitive pressures force organizations to continually evaluate strategy and adjust accordingly.   On top of that, the question of management ethics keeps raising its ugly head. 

 

Even when there are no public issues, private problems can proliferate.  Management conflict, demands for better results, cost challenges and a host of problems seem to be far more the norm than in the past.  You know there are problems because the grapevine is working overtime, your boss jumps when the phone rings, new restrictive policies are announced, a hiring freeze is instituted, in fact, it never seems to end.

 

The fact is even though your patch of the world may be efficient and productive and you may be quite sure your work is appreciated, you cannot be over confident.   In these types of situations there is no place to run or to hide.  But, if you are alert to the fact that change is in the air, there are some strategies you can adopt that, at least, increase the odds you will survive.

 

The first and most important piece of advice is: get on with your work, even try to increase your productivity and maintain a confident optimistic attitude (even though you would like to scream).

 

It is a sad fact of corporate life that in times of turmoil managers tend to look for bodies to throw to the lions, even when no official downsizing is taken place.  This “survival of the fittest” can take some nasty turns.  Employees wasting too much time swapping rumors, burning the email and looking outside for jobs via the Internet (which companies can now monitor) can become easy targets in a crisis.

 

Also be cautious about soliciting information from others.  You never know who is entirely trustworthy when the group is on the edge of a crisis.

 

You should move closer to your boss.  When things get tough, expectations can change quickly so establish even better communications. 

You want your boss to know what you are doing, and if there is a new direction, you want to know so you can adjust.   Being visible with supervision can also allay suspicion that you are job hunting, checking the grapevine or otherwise improperly engaged.

 

This column has long preached the importance of being positive and this is an especially important time for a confident attitude.  Managers must respond to crisis with an upbeat, make it happen type of outlook.  Let people see your confidence and optimism.  One problem with organization turmoil is the lack of real information and lots of fear, many times totally unfounded.  Some confidence and optimism will go a long way in calming the situation, ease some of the tension among your co-workers and gain appreciation from your boss, who undoubtedly needs some support in keeping operations moving forward.

 

As the situation gets hotter, it is always a good idea to keep your name out of the grapevine, except if you have some successes to share at every level.  Sharing speculations with others is not a good idea.  Unfortunately, too high a profile in tough times can lead to disaster.  That is even true when you want to support someone, your boss, for example.

  The best stance is simply refuse to be part of the gossip circuit.  It is a tragic fact of corporate life that performance is only one of the criteria considered during downsizing.   And, in many cases performance may not even be an issue.

 

As a leader you will get dragged into the turmoil, make yourself a source of comfort and empathy.  Let people know you are sympathetic to their concerns, even though you don’t have any real answers.   The point is establish yourself as someone who absorbs the discontent, rather than one who inflames the situation with more rumors and speculation.  Your managers will appreciate this and you will be credited with good leadership capabilities.

 

Be realistic.  Depending on the situation, assuming you will survive may not be realistic.  The controlling agent in a layoff may be someone who has no clue as to who you are and how well you perform.  Sometimes firms draw up a set of criteria and manage layoff decisions through a committee.   That could mean that some of the intangibles that make you successful receive little or no consideration.

 

Or the situation may be such that your projects, your skills and your knowledge, as well as that of your peers, may no longer fit the company.  That may mean if you are seriously concerned about your job, you should consider raising your visibility outside, but carefully.

 

Finally, keep your eyes open.  Focusing on your job should not prevent you from monitoring what is going on throughout the organization.  In fact, there may be new opportunities you may miss by being too focused on surviving.  In summary, keep all options open.

 

 

In previous articles I discussed how the dynamics of our economic system presents enormous challenges in coping with change as we move forward professionally. At the same time I pointed out some simple steps job changers can take to begin coping with change, and I noted that we all possess significant capabilities that are transferable. However, I was focusing on those whose job situation made some sort of change imperative, and those whose personal situation dictated career change as an important option for consideration.

I have suggested the notion idea we are all independent contractors. We must adopt a dynamic and active career planning process, keeping resumes up to date, continuing to network and keeping current with your company and industry. I acknowledge this approach is somewhat defensive. But, I am certain, from all that I hear from clients, human resource professionals, recruiters and my colleagues, that change that borders on continuous turmoil in our work lives will be the norm well into the future.

It is both unproductive and dangerous to live in a constant fear of losing your job. Whatever we do must be approached with hope and confidence. Optimism is critical.

However, it is always advisable to consider alternative just in case. That is why we buy insurance.

In fact, my belief in the importance of a continuous focus on career planning, even when things are going well, is a kind of insurance.

Therefore, taking a hard look at a career change, even when things are going well, should be on the table.

It is easy to lose sight of some important factors about change. Each of us looks at our own lives through our own eyes with our own reality. It is very difficult to acknowledge other realities, influenced by forces well beyond our control. Perhaps if circumstances were different, each of us would be in a different place, have a different career, and pursue different goals. In other words, if the reality of our circumstance were different, we would also be different.

It is important to remember that we do have a lot of control over our own reality, even as we are buffeted by external events. We can’t control those events, but we can respond, if we have the will. More importantly, in a dynamic environment such as ours, many of us must.

The fact is new opportunities constantly emerge.

To take advantage of these new opportunities we have to create a mindset that encompasses a new reality, with openness and flexibility. That is, we need to think about and consider and be open to possibilities that would be rejected in another era.

Many who have changed do so successfully, with new economic opportunities, new commitment and enthusiasm, or even just a more acceptable lifestyle. In some cases additional training was necessary to complete the transition. But experience is very applicable and readily transferable in a myriad of endeavors. An extraordinary amount of technical, organizational, planning, finance, management and other experience is readily transferable.

More importantly career change does not have to be a downsizing of our lives.

On the contrary, employers are highly receptive to new thinking from people whose experience in other fields can add value. Organizations benefit from the new perspectives, new skills and the breadth of experience that industry changers bring to a new position. In fact, some studies suggest that a significant number of job changers actually move into totally new industries when they change jobs.

Whatever the number, it is more common than readily recognized and changing careers or developing a succession plan over a

lifetime must be an important component of the career mix.

A career change has led many to new and fulfilling professional lives, a wonderful breath of fresh air.

It is critical to objectively assess your job and career situation. The near term situation may be fine. Nevertheless, career planning should include a hard look at a potential career change.

A total skills inventory of self assessment is a good first step. It is important to understand what you have to offer, not only work experience, but any relevant experience outside of work such as leadership posts in local organizations, responsibility for funds, organizing and planning activities and any other relevant activities.

Match those skills with interests and values and how those values and how working style can fit an industry or job. Then start looking around. Be open to new possibilities, and make the career change option a permanent part of your career and succession planning

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I do not know, nor am I going to speculate whether or not we are about to enter a recession. Certainly, recent employment data is not encouraging. However, I am sure that we are entering a time that is especially uncertain. Therefore, I wanted to know what employment experts thought about how employees might deal with the uncertain times, and what recommendations we should make. The good news is the professional community generally agrees on some fundamentals and I would like to share them with you.

The second lesson is to make sure you practice self-control. In uncertain times the normal pressures of business increases because of that uncertainty (or fear). Often, relationships can become strained, teamwork can suffer and there is a strong temptation to lose control. Unfortunately, office politics can intrude and those wounded will not forget.

As a result, a very good resume could be seriously compromised during reference checking. A trail of bruised feelings is not what a job seeker should leave behind.

However, little is more uncertain that what action a company will take in difficult times. I have clients whose previous employers were steadfast in protecting employees as long as they could. Others viewed downsizing as normal and had no trouble moving people out. Most companies are probably somewhere in between, but one way to find out is ask older employees what actions the company took in the past. When a trusted long term employee gives advice on what has happened in the past, listen to them. The individual may not be a star, but the fact is people remember and can provide some useful insight..

One factor which enjoys unanimous support relates to the importance of carrying yourself with respect and acting as though all is well. Maintain at least an outward display of commitment and energy. Projecting professionalism and self-esteem in hard times can gain respect, and even enhance your reputation. But, act like a reject and you will be a reject.

In the event of a downsizing, this advice is even more critical. I well understand the challenges of a disappearing lifestyle and work style.

Any employee or job hunter who is not carefully monitoring their personal and professional styles, especially in tough times, can find that options for survival or other opportunities can narrow.

Do not panic. My colleagues and I know that many mistakes result from decisions born of panic. These range from college graduates who turned down an offer from a small company because he wanted a large one to senior managers who went to informal start-ups because they felt threatened in their current job. The common thread is they knew they were making the wrong decision but were driven by panic.

The fact is a layoff is not the worst thing that can happen. Being on a payroll is not the sole objective for most people. A worse problem is dramatically increasing your work hours and job responsibilities (with no salary increase) just to find that the company is closing or was sold. Making sacrifices to help the organization is commendable and if collectively carried out, might make a difference.

But no employee, no matter how dedicated or reliable can make up for the mistakes of the senior managers who placed the organization in jeopardy in the first place. Employee efforts to save the company generally cannot be done and trying and failing is painful.

In previous articles I have discussed the basics: updated resumes, refurbished networks, etc. And, I understand that transitions are neither simple or painless, and predicting the future is impossible.

But, when faced with potential for turbulence, each of us can objectively size up the situation, develop a strategy and be prepared to face whatever the future brings.

The primary principle is to think of yourself as a brand, and separate yourself in ways that stand out from the competition.

There are two societal trends that drive the idea of creating a personal brand

1. The new world of work – In the past work included loyalty and reliance on a stable work force. Today the drivers are competition, globalization, internet. Companies value innovation and innovation comes from creativity. This creativity comes from each of us contributing our unique gifts, the value of strengths

2. Economics – Today’s worker wants to be recognized for uniqueness. Faith Popcorn, a futurist, says that we are not happy to conform. We want to show our individuality and crave recognition for our unique value.

The intersection of these two societal trend is personal branding. Personal branding is permission to be yourself. From this point forward, use what makes you valuable, unique and outstanding to reach success

Personal Branding follows thee steps;

1. Step 1 is to extract and uncover what makes you unique and relevant to the company or your target audience.

2. Step 2 is the express stage. Here you communicate your message, to create visibility for success.

3. Step 3 is the exude stage. This helps to show that everything relates to a brand environment and sends the same brand message to everyone and everywhere.

Look at your goals – goals must be SMART: specific, manageable, a chievable, r ealistic and timely. Goals are in the extraction phase, because it gives your brand a direction. You need to know where you are going.

In branding, consider yourself (your attributes), your competition, and your target audience.

Goals require knowing yourself and understanding what you want to achieve.

Test your goals by writing them down. Set your goals high and read, review and revise your goals periodically. Break milestones into tasks and put the tasks into a do list.

Your Vision and Purpose are also in the extract phase. It helps you unearth who you are and helps you understand yourself.

Vision is how you see the world, the vision of your world, what you want to contribute. Think about a world problem, what frustrates you or what you think about, what motivates you?

Purpose is more tangible. Now examine what you can do to actually turn your vision to reality. Listen to what other people, who touched you, say about how you contributed to their lives.

Values are your guiding principals. Violating them causes anger. If our vision and purpose is congruent with values, we are energized.

Passion is very important. If we can connect to a passion of what we want to do we are much more content with our lives.

Vision and Purpose provides the big picture. When you connect these with your values and passion you will be successful.

Even though personal brand is all about what is unique about you, it is also in the hearts and minds of others in the way that they perceive you, what they think of you. We all have positive and negative brand attributes which can be determined through those that know you.

Next we have to examine the target audience;

Look at demography; age, ethnicity, location etc.

Then look at the psychographics to help determine how you can reach them.

For example, what professional organization do they attend? Where do they go on vacation? Where they shop? What Internet site they use. The challenge is to define the target audience as narrow as possible to find a niche.

Think about organization, location, industry, department, and who are the influencers within any organization.

You need to know about the competition

How is the competition different from you and is it similar? You need to differentiate yourself from the competition. Unearth your value by asking yourself what do you sell? Describe your differentiators. If a differentiator is not unique it is a commodity that competes on price. You do not want to compete on price, you want to charge a premium for what you offer.

THE EXTRACT PHASE

Identify all the strengths that support your goals.

Identify all your weaknesses that prevent you from your attaining goals.

Look at all the opportunities, many of which have not been previously considered and how you can create opportunities to leverage your strengths.

Examine what are the things that get in the way and prevent you from achieving your goals. Identify all the threats , some of which might be out of your control.

An example of a personal brand statements;

Sitting at the intersection of technology and business I use my passion for communication to help IT professionals in Fortune 100 companies express themselves in ways that are understood by business people.

Sample Attributes to use to develop brand statements

Enthusiastic, international, supportive, positive

I use my 20 years of branding expertise, my passion for human potential and my global prospect to inspire entrepreneurs and executives around the world to build winning personal brands so they can succeed by being themselves.

Ask yourself if your personal brand statement is relevant to your target audience, is it intriguing, is it interesting, is it easy to say, is it understandable? No jargon, no abbreviations. Is it consistent and constant and differentiate you from everyone else. You constantly have to refine it and change it over time?

Express Phase

How you communicate your brand and how to create visibility and get the message out. You will have to develop a communication wheel.

Consistency: you are always the same and Constancy: you are always visible to your target audience. Clarity: it has to be clear and easy to understand. Communication wheel is different for everyone.

You need to use the same messages throughout all your communication no matter what vehicle you use.

Your communication vehicles include: newsletters, articles, speaking engagements, blogs, a website, and volunteer work.

You can save time and use consistent messages over and over again.

You need to ensure that all your communication has credibility and visibility. The target audience needs to see you and you need to get their attention. solicit testimonials from clients, former bosses, customers, colleagues.

After you develop your communications targets develop a media plan . Look at each communication channel and do your research. If you write an article do not just write it for one newspaper send it to other editors. If you speak to a group, find out what other groups are there who are interested in similar topics.

Awareness; you want to be relevant, and want to create an emotional connection. Become visible through a websearch, google, referral, articles, announcements, organizations meetings etc. Always build in a call to action to every communication materials.

Move from awareness to consideration. Strive for credibility, clarity, understanding, proof in the consideration phase. You want to give details and proof. Then you want to move to trial, you want to provide a good experience and validate everything you communicated to them. Trial: Give them options if you want to do this or if you want to do that? Confirm that you are the right service.

You need to have an online identity, either through a website, blog, newsletter, email campaign, signature line, newsgroups, e-lists, downloadable tips, ebooks, webinars, teleseminars, business networking groups.

THE EXUDE PHASE;

When we set the gem in the setting, this is your brand environment. Your style and how you look reinforces your brand, appearance is your surroundings, your vocabulary, your colors, your font and your professional network is all part of your brand environment. Everything that surrounds you is your brand environment. Make sure it is congruent and consistent with your message. Is it consistent with your brand? It will help you build your brand message

What is your brand identity system?

Your brand environment is made up of your identity system, your surroundings, your appearance, your professional network and it all transmits a message

You need to have brand identity system that reinforces your brand attributes, create recognition, supports consistency, and helps you stand out.

Use it everywhere: stationary, website, logo, voicemail, newsletter, portfolio, blog, email signature, thank you, business card

Your brand identity is your visual vocabulary, it supports recognition, helps you to stand out.

Professional networks extend your brand. All winning brands are connected to a group of resources for mutual benefit. #1 rule is to give to everyone and everywhere, Networking can be focused and can be serendipity.g

Build your network; speak to group, use blogs, elists, newsgroups organization, better to be a lead in one or two organization than to belong to 10 and go once a year.

Ask how you can help them ? Connect your network with others, share articles, invite them, send them a note, congratulate them, give them a free coaching or resources or some giveaway, share articles, send them a link, online network, ecadamy, linkedin , ryze. Go for quality and not quantity. Stay the same and give the same message. Build partnership, collaboration builds creativity.

Branding is not a one time event, winning brands are built over time, requires , focus, patience, feedback from others and it evolves. All brands have to be authentic, it has to be you.

 

 

 

 

It is no secret that job volatility for managers poses some special challenges in these days of globalization. The specific skills of the job all too frequently call for new kinds of cultural awareness and sensitivity, enhanced strategic thinking, responsiveness to a less forgiving marketplace, the complexities of investing wisely and some very difficult decisions regarding staffing.

So the questions is how to cope and prosper in a brave new world where employment volatility requires a continual retelling of your story in order to position yourself for the next organization. A number of employment and career management experts are applying a marketing concept to a new application called personal branding. The concept of personal branding is to distill personal and professional characteristics into the most important attributes that truly describes the value a candidate offers. They then create a set of messages that clearly articulates these attributes and market them as the essence of your professional persona.

For many years some senior managers have been successfully marketing themselves as turnaround artists and startup experts, defining themselves with a brand that creates a strong perception of expertise and accomplishment. What is new is the idea that these principles can be applied to a wider range of attributes that define the very special value a candidate offers. And, this can be applied across a very broad management spectrum to create perceptions of well-defined expertise and accomplishment.

For managers, personal branding plays the same role as branding products. Strengths, skills, values and passions are identified specific to the individual, clarified with a set of clear messages and communicated in ways that identify these personal and professional differences – this unique sense of value – to separate the manager from the competition.

The process of building a personal brand is not complicated, but is complex, because individuals are complex. Objectivity is difficult and because we all tend to be quite subjective about ourselves, there are a number of criteria that may not be, but should be considered. Thoughtful managers would generally seek some help to provide both objectivity and completeness. It includes:

Goal Setting – substantial self-exploration and analysis; taking an honest look at the shape of both personal and professional life over time. Actually documenting goals, real goals, provide a focus for a reality check. That reality check enables you to really consider what the goals entail, examine if they are achievable, and most importantly, ask if this is what you really want.

Vision and Purpose – examines external possibilities with a clear vision, and exploring the role you play, your internal purpose in realizing that vision, can be challenging. We are generally preoccupied with daily matters. Nevertheless, a thoughtful look at the bigger picture, clearly documented, must precede a clear description of your personal brand.

Values and Passions – recognize this category as a key component in a personal brand. For example, serial entrepreneurs create new businesses, bring them to a certain level and then move on. Why, because their values and passions revolve around creating the startup, despite the risks, rather than building on one success. Likewise, those values and passions that drive each of us individually must also be clearly defined, for that is what drives us toward our goals.

Personal Attributes – represent what the world perceives, the visible component of your brand. Your own perceptions of attributes are important. However, perceptions by others, friends, family, co-workers, vendors and any others within your community provide vital information in determining your brand.

Target Audience, Peers and Competition – means carefully choosing and then cultivating the right audiences. This focus is essential to success. Examining the target audience, plus peers and competitors will help clarify and further define those all important differentiators, as well as enable a clear definition of those potential audiences most receptive to your brand offerings.

What you offer – those unique or special qualities, must encompass the offerings you present to your target audience that set expectations that measure your results. In addition those offerings should define a special value that encompass your skills.

Strengths and Weaknesses – supplement goals, target audience and offerings and provide a close examination of strengths and weaknesses as a reality check. Strengths include the abilities, attributes and credentials that set you apart. Weaknesses highlight areas to improve to successfully reach the goals, or may be weaknesses that require modification of the goals.

Strong brands are clear about who they are and are not, communicate a consistency in terms of value and are visible to the targeted communities. Developing a brand statement is very important. On the surface, it is similar to the 2 minutes pitch or the elevator speech to which we are accustomed. However, the primary difference between the brand statement and a position statement is the total infusion of the above characteristics that create a brand. The brand statement is an authentic presentation of who you are. It defines a special added value unique to the individual.

By JUDIT PRICE
Sun Correspondent

Lowell Sun

 

by STACY CARTIER

Staff writer

adapted from Chelmsford Independent

How did you find your job? Did you have a divine calling? Did you choose your career because that’s what one of your parents did? Did you pick it because you thought that’s where the money would be? Or, are you still looking for the right niche?

Aside from the “divine calling” scenario, too many people pick a career for the wrong reasons. Those mistakes can be costly, both in terms of money wasted on the wrong college major, time wasted changing careers, or putting off other life experiences like marriage or parenthood.

I began my own career as a teacher in Hungary and then moved to the United States 30 years ago. I went back to school and changed careers, and have worked specifically in career counseling with young people and adults for the past 20 years, 12 years in my own private practice. My decision to become a career counselor was driven by seeing people who had degrees from wonderful schools but were very unhappy and unfulfilled in their jobs. My heart broke for them, because they went through all those years of training and spent thousands and thousands of dollars on their education. After all that, they were questioning why they were doing what they were doing. I then realized that there is a tremendous need for students to get good career counseling at a young age, and I don’t think that middle school is too early to start.

The statistics support that theory. Fifty percent of students drop out of college and many take up to 10 years to finish their education. Many people end up changing careers seven-to-nine times in their lifetime.

While many schools have excellent guidance departments, more often than not, guidance counselors do not have the time nor the financial resources to provide the kind of one-on-one help that many students need to choose the right career path. Even guidance counselors in private schools are often overburdened or don’t have the proper background.

What is the cost of this type of service, when privately sought? In general, it is less than the cost of an SAT prep course. While SAT courses have become accepted practice, early career counseling is even more important. Sending a child to college can be a $50,000 to $150,000 investment. That’s a lot of money to spend on someone who is not sure of what college to attend, what major to seek as a course of study, and what career to pursue. And college may not be the right choice for everyone. About 80 percent of jobs don’t require a four-year degree, although they do require some specialized post-secondary training. I help students make that decision and then guide them to the right type of school. I advise students to DO what they ARE. See what’s out there and find the job that fits them. Since most jobs in the 21st century will require a high degree of technical expertise and training, it is vital to ensure that time and funds are judiciously spent. The SAT is only one day out of a student’s life, while his or her whole life could be ruined by ignoring the need for career counseling.

Judit Price has a master’s degree in counseling and is a certified guidance counselor and career coach. She focuses on educational and career counseling and provides services that help students and parents make more informed decisions. She also works with local community colleges; conducts workshops on interviewing skills, career development and life-goal planning; and tutors teachers and guidance counselors

For further Information email: or call: 1-800-965-0482 or 978-256-0482

 

By JUDIT PRICE

Sun Correspondent

Lowell Sun

Change is a fact of life and we must learn not to fear it but to embrace it. New opportunities and careers are constantly emerging and require meeting these challenges with an open mind, astute planning and advanced training.

It is imperative to keep up with marketplace trends and needs to survive and thrive into the next millennium. The world will change even more in the years ahead as different types of jobs require whole new sets of skills.

Here are four important myths you might want to think about:

• Just do your job and you will do fine.
• Please you boss; he is the one who evaluates you.
• I am too old to learn. I have earned the right to delegate.
• I am trained as an engineer (or other profession) I only want to do engineering work.

Success dimensions are the following:

• Opportunities for those starting careers will continue to improve.
• People will have to assess their own careers, understand their strengths and weaknesses, plan school options and seek job opportunities.
• Compensation will be tied more to performance with increasing emphasis on incentive bonuses for meeting specific goals and less expectation for yearly salary increases.
• The move to 401K will continue. This will transfer pension risks to employees.
• People constantly have to upgrade and retrain, developing new skills that respond to market demands. They must also learn to understand business issues beyond their own jobs.
• Management levels are being reduced. Workers will be reorganized into teams, making decisions on how to do the job including addressing issues previously reserved for management, such as hiring, and firing and other matters.
• Students will divide their day between school and jobs in work-study programs, combining practical experience with study, developing skills and good work habits.
• Outsourcing will expand. More companies will contract functions to other companies.
• Companies will insist that employees exhibit skills beyond specialties.
• Those who continue to develop new skills will continually be successful.
• The corporate triathlete will be on demand. These are employees who are well versed in computer skills combined with technical knowledge and business savvy.

For further Information email: or call: 1-800-965-0482 or 978-256-0482