Mid-career switch ... advisable or not?

Roy asks: What advice would you give for someone in his thirties, with 7-8 years of experience in marcomm and HR, and a first degree in Economics, thinking of doing a law degree and trying to switch to a legal career? I'm actually trying to decide if I should give up on my ongoing MBA course to do a LLB, and I'm solely looking at in-house counsel or corporate lawyer positions only, not planning to take the Bar examinations and become a practising solicitor or barrister. Could someone give some advise? Go for it, or not?

In answer:
You can generally successfully make any such career changes or leaps into the unknown, as long as you are fully qualified by the age of 45. At that point you still have 20 years of career left until retirement to be able to reach a good standard, and pay back the inevitable loans you will have taken out to pay for that change of career path.

After that point it becomes a risk, as the payback period even for you - let alone an employer who may train you - becomes too short. There are also clear physical careers that you could not enter after the age of 35 - the forces, deep sea commercial diving, and even commercial airline pilot would be difficult.

I would hence conclude if advising anyone in taking such a leap to:
(a) really asses that this is what you want to do, may be looking at taking some aptitude tests
(b) speak to someone who has undertaken such a leap, for their advice
(c) solidify any existing experiences or qualifications to the point of conclusion. Hence in your case I would suggest you complete the MBA
(d) put a plan in place which includes realistic finances. Assume you won't be doing much more than burger flipping two nights a week at max!
(e) get your friends and family to sign-in
(f) have a fall back plan. You might not get there, and your health issues and risks will rise with age

If this is what you really want to do, then you can do it. But figure out a plan, get sign-in from those you care about, and have a fall back position.

Good Luck!

Career change from mortgage sales to technology sales

Matt Youngquist, an Executive Career Coach & Outplacement Consultant from Seattle, WA asks: As a career coach, I'm currently in the process of working with a mortgage sales professional who is intending to make a career shift into the field of technology sales. I'm therefore wondering whether anybody out there has any tips, advice, or insights on the specific skills or courses of study that a highly motivated individual might acquire to make himself as marketable as possible to technology product/service companies - or whether there are certain technology sectors that would be easier to penetrate for an individual with a proven sales background, but no direct high-tech experience. Any great ideas?

In answer:
Most people who work in the technology industry have a technology background – most often a degree - or at least proven enthusiasm for it, such as a successful website. Technology and particularly IT is the highest trained sector and most degree orientated measured on a global basis. It is hence easy to tell a non-tech in an interview, as you either love it and will hence understand all the TLA’s, or just don’t get the sector.

The reason for this is that most technology sales are complex sales – long time scales, brought about by much customer customization of the solution at both the product (most likely system integration), financial and program/rollout level. This hence most often results in team working, which is a core competence most technology people don’t recognise they have.

Your client comes from a financial services background, so why is he choosing technology? Most look simply at the money and think “it’s just a sale” – but it is the training and long sales timescales which define the rewards, not simply sales ability. The good news is that like IT and technology, particularly in the telecom sector, financial services is heavily regulated. This knowledge of regulation is a transferable skill which some who may attempt the leap in won’t have.

Unless your client has base degree level training in a technology or science orientated subject, I would look at in-company training versus a return to college – both would take around the same time scale, with one an income and training opportunity, while the other is pure cost. Pick a consumer end or SME level sales position where the need for technological training is minimized, and a successful sales background is more appreciated in the job description. We have recruited for SME business cellphone sales people before, and a couple of well referenced good years in the UK version of Circuit City was good enough to get you a position with most of the major cellphone telecoms companies, or IT and technology business solutions companies. If he is successful there, then he will rise quickly and be given appropriate training.

The bad news at present is that, much as though the IT and technology sector works behind the rest of the economy – it’s those long sales and integration time scales again – the whole sector is heading fast into recession at present, with most companies globally announcing lay off’s and redundancies. No where is now safe from those sub-prime mortgage sales of the past, including IT and technology.

Good Luck!

When not to look for a new job

There are times when, looking for a new job is not a wise idea or a good risk. Such times could include, for instance, a credit crunch – anyone seen one recently?

However, if you are feeling frustrated in your current job or with your existing employer, there is much you can do to freshen up your outlook and future job prospects when the outlook does look better, and improve existing skills or create new one’s which recruiters are looking for employers seek.

Firstly, let’s take attitude – is the existing job really that bad? Yes, you may have found that you are paid 10% less than a work colleague, or 20% less than a friend doing a lesser job at a rival firm: but are they really being paid that much more? If you think yes, then why not ask for an out of cycle review with your boss to asses performance. Even if the outcome is good, are you likely to get more money doing the same job? No, but if the review is good you should be offered more responsibility, and that should equal more pay – plus as a well assessed employee, you have just reduced your chances of redundancy in that employer by at least three fold

The other in-house problem may be work colleagues, or even the boss. If that is the problem, then chat to a trusted third party in a casual conversation, to see if they feel that the other person has a reason to have something against you, or whether its just them. If you find a reason, then change your self first and then change them. Talk the other person about how you feel, and what you are willing to do to solve the issue and what you would appreciate them doing. May be it is as simple as saying hello in the mornings, or occasionally making the coffee/tea – problems can be quite small but harmful. But honestly, no one wants to work in an unhappy atmosphere, and you will probably be amazed that they also don’t feel happy and would be happy to find a better way forward.

May be the problem is your home life. Have you in the past six months moved, changed partners, had a new addition to the family – pets can be as troublesome as babies – or is a family member going through some tough times, and it’s reflecting through you? Changing everything at the same time adds a lot of stress to anyone’s life, and much as though the job may be boring or not want you want right now, getting stability in your home life would improve your view of it. Plus it can be a sanctuary of normality and stability away from the stress of the home. When ever I see people in Ajiri not feeling happy, I always ask them to sit down and chat, and make a point of asking about how home life is. My rule is always: home first, work second - if your home life is stable, then your work life is a lot easier.

May be none of the above are the reason, and you are just bored and in need of a change. That can always happen, but always remember not all job changes work out – with some employers, as low as 20% will be there one year later. Plus if you are last in, and redundancies are required, you WILL be first out – under most law, you have few retention rights or redundancy package rights for at least the first 6monts, and possibly as long as a year – all career change is a risk.
OK, so you think you want a change. Firstly, before you look at any adverts or jobs boards, have a look around your work world. What is it that is so boring, under whelming, and not fulfilling in your current job? Is there anything you could add to it which would make it better, by doing something else – or even gaining promotion?

Secondly, before you start looking at job adverts, get a plan and a goal together – what you are looking for may well be right where you are, plus a little bit.

Thirdly, once you have the plan you can have a look at the jobs boards and adverts in local media. If your ideal next job exists, then you will see it advertised – no adverts for it, then it might not exist, or be in demand right now: this is a sign of increased unemployment risk. If you do see jobs like the one you want, are they asking for more qualifications than you have, or wider experience? Note these down, and place them in your plan.

Now go back to your boss, and chat about your job. Bring up that you want job enhancement and development, and suggest the areas you noted. Ask for the training you spotted in the adverts as a development exercise – you may not presently get sponsorship for training, but you may get released for college on agreed hours. All of these steps means that you increase your value to your existing employer, and your desirability to your future employer; both of which add up to a lower chance of a period of unemployment.

It is natural that people will from time to time get bored with their jobs, and look for change – most outside their existing employers. If they looked at the reasons why, made a plan and asked for a few inputs from the boss and changes from co-workers, life may well look a whole lot better where they are – and they would be in a far, far more secure position in these dangerous economic times.

Good Luck!

How to explain a period of unemployment on your CV/Resume

Kim asks: I retired from the military in 2005, having served honourably for 25 years. Since that time I have been going through a very expense divorce that just finalized. The legal fees drained my nest egg so I now find myself having to dust off my resume and get back in the work force. Will the 3 years break in employment be a turn off to potential employers? And how do I acknowledge/explain the break in my resume (and job interviews) in the most positive manner?

In answer:
Simply Kim, as long as you have a fair and clear explanation as to why you want to work, and why you didn’t work for that period; then as long as you pick the right jobs that match your skills, no employers will not see the break as a turn off.

One thing many ex-service people think is that the fact that they did serve will be a deterrent to future employers. It is not, as it shows a commitment beyond the call which all employers want – the problem at present is with those who are signed up to the Territorial Army or the Ranger units. The real problem for many ex-service people is showing that their military skills can be deployed into high street employer requirements; and secondly showing they have made the transition to civilian life – around one in five don’t, and many HR managers are aware of this statistic.

The key here in explanation is to be honest, but – don’t get to close to the emotions, and be clear in your statement that the period is over and behind you, and that you want a new challenge. For instance:

“I spent the time dealing with some personal business, and now that it’s resolved, I’m looking to re-enter the workforce.”

You don’t need to go into too much detail, but it’s important that what you do say is honest. However, does this statement close the issue, and explan the why back to work question? If you have some bad news or a situation to deal with in a CV/Resume, try to package it between positives, such as:

“I served in the military for 25 years. Since that time, my spouse and I have divorced and having spent some time travelling, I am now eager for the opportunity to reenter the workforce into a job which will engage my X skills.”

This sandwiches the negative (time out), between two positives (25 years service, wanting to work), and leaves the reader with a reason as to why you want to work now.

Good Luck!

Thinking of changing roles or market sectors for employment? Pick one with a future that you enjoy

The down turn is bringing forward many individual’s plans to change employment sectors. Having seen many jobs disappear in their sector, they suddenly seem to be bringing forward long held plans to do something else, which they have never yet put into action.

Is this a time when you should put long term held dreams into action? Possibly, but probably not if you are in secure employment with a great employer – that would be just daft at present. Jumping in this case means a change of employer, skills and sector and resultantly higher financial insecurity. This kind of change only makes sense if you are looking on a daily basis for a new job, and everything you look at reminds you of what you unhappily previously did.

To undertake this task, start with four blank A4 sheets of paper:

• Sheet1: what I have done/this skills I have
• Sheet2: my life, my family, and where I would like to be with both
• Sheet3: where I would like to be in work in 10years

Sheet 1 tells you what you have got to work with now – this could form the basis of a CV or Resume. Sheet 2 defines your personal priorities – you and your family, and what you want. Sheet 3 fits effectively inside Sheets 1 and 2 – you have (Sheet 1), you want (Sheet 2) and you expand on part of the want in Sheet 3. Clearly there is a compromise here, for instance: you want more children, and yet travelling far away from home for your dream job means you need a very supportive partner, and need to let them have some form of support system when you are away; which probably means that the family home is located close to the mother-in-law, and that means you need to get on with her.

You can play these scenarios and go back and re-write the pieces of paper as often as you want, and I would encourage you to do so on a six-monthly basis. But eventually you will get down to a mix where by you have played out everything you can think of, and the amount of change/addition is minimal. The result should be that you have a clear plan, which you have talked through and agreed with your partner, and which as a result you are more enthused – and will resultantly be loved by any future recruiter you meet or employer who engages you.

This blog entry is focused on Sheet 3, and picking a sector of employment that means you (hopefully) won’t end up in the same situation again – ie: thinking what you were doing was useless/boring, and wanting to change sectors. It may be the case that you enjoy the sector, but just want to move roles within that sector – that’s fine, and there are former shop floor workers in the coal, ship building, motor and pottery industries who are still enjoying work in the UK, just not on the shop floor.

If you want to pick a new sector, then look for signs that include:

• Technology change – IT, or applications of are good signs
• Market liberalisation – often seen at a government level, such as the entry of the low-cost carriers into the airline market
• Legislation improvement – this often means more paperwork, such as in the case of recycling or employment law
• Social trends – such as the divorce rating is rising, so more divorce lawyers and support staff are required; more women want to return to work, so there is a shortage of child care workers

In cases where you want to stay in the sector, but can see the sector is on decline, then look towards:

• Creativity – much as though production may move, design teams most often stay and expand
• Customer orientation – sales and marketing still need to be in-country, even if a product is produced internationally
• Consultancy – new market entrants and competitors to your old employer have probably come along as a result of cost efficiencies in developed markets. All of these companies need help in launching and developing their products

But above all, in all cases – PICK A SECTOR YOU WILL ENJOY! There is no point in spotting a trend or a gap, and not having your heart go quicker and your face smile. If it will not, then recruiters and employers will pick up on that.

Changing sectors need not, if you follow some simple rules and looks at the long term trends, be such a daft or wholly risky choice – as long as you make a better choice.

Good Luck!

PS: On a personal note……. I know this system works, because I apply it every three months! This is the system I used to move from call centre design to the internet market in the late 1990’s, through joining the team in my company involved in Data Centres. I saw the long term trend was towards mobile and the internet, and hence knew I had to get a job in either one or the other sector. Five years later, I choose self employment as I could see the long term staff reduction trends in BT – there is far more staff reduction to come there. The reason I became involved in the mobile phone recycler SimuSimu (Simu is Swahili for telephone…), was because I enjoyed telecoms, and could see the legislation on reuse and recycling increasing. I got involved in the recruitment market place because of effectively a consultancy engagement – there are staff shortages in certain telecoms sectors. I had the contacts and abilities to find gaps and fulfil them. I stayed because I could see the challenge for career management for the average person would be more difficult in a more liquid employment market, and if a good recruiter existed we could help candidates long term – hence the creation of Ajiri Ltd

Best practices for CV/Resumes?

Gail asks: I am in transition and have recently written a CV/Resume. My transition firm, communications consultant and an expert resume writer all differ wildly on content, format, style and length. What are current best practices for resumes? If you have experience with electronic screens for resumes - please describe how the screens work and what key soft and hard skills should be included on the resume. Your input is much appreciated!

In answer:
I think the fact you have three differing opinions from three different professionals should tell you a lot – there is no standard or best practice in CV/Resume writing!

There are some better options of choice when writing an interview winning CV/Resume, and the basics are: black serif type face in a 10point and upwards scale; on a crisp white heavy paper; no more than 2pages; don’t over do the bolding or bullets; don’t forget to include your name, telephone number and non-childish eMail address; and read it at least thrice before you hand to at least two friends for their opinion, before reading it thrice again!

The problem you have not spotted I think is two fold on these differing opinions: (1) you are writing a general CV/Resume over a job specific application – hence each professional has an opinion on what you should be aiming at, the priorities of presentation of your skills/competencies, and what resultantly you should be applying for; (2) many forget the CV/Resume should be accompanied by a Cover Letter, and hence feel that focusing and scene setting information should be included in the CV/Resume – WRONG! The certified resume writer is probably picking up on this later issue as part of their service, but getting confused as to what you/the others want written down in the CV/Resume.

Having gone through outplacement/transition myself, I think you need do yourself a favour, and pick out three ideal specific jobs you would like to do next – ideally don’t make them company specific, but role/title would be a good start. I found at some point during outplacement service that yes I could be anything from an artist/teacher to a nuclear scientist, but those varying options got me as confused then as I was scared going into the process! Grabbing three that I really wanted to do was the end of the roundabout and the start of progress.

Once you have picked those three target jobs, picking out what needs to go any job application becomes easy, as does hence the writing of your CV/Resume and the resultant companies to address it to.

Online is easy – it’s a portfolio, noting more/nothing less. Don’t think about it as an online CV/Resume replacement, because you can’t make it specific enough for any one post/employer. Think about it as extending your application potentially beyond your Cover Letter and CV/Resume, not an alternative to.

I wish you luck in finding your new job, and if I can help you further please - just ask!

Reverting back to an earlier career path, having previously changed jobs for a new market

John asks: I started my career as an electronics engineer developing products and I loved the work mainly because I am a creative person and a problem-solver. I got sucked into the world of IT mainly because of the money, and even though I have been in many areas of IT, including management, I don't find it the least bit enjoyable. I would love to get back into engineering and product development, but I have been out so long I have no idea what is available to someone with my skills. I feel that I have been floundering in my career over the past several years; that is lack of satisfaction, no motivation, and etc. I have spent the most part of the last four years, while at my current job, doing a lot of soul searching and I really need to make a change. If anyone has any ideas on how I could go back, what someone with my background could do in product development, or even if I am too old to go back, I would greatly appreciate any advice you could offer.

In answer:
This is a not uncommon question for many who seek a new job path, but I think you are missing something here in this specific sector which may provide at least a third if not more choices

Let’s take you first. You changed paths logically from one thing to another, you say for money, and you now find that an unenjoyable career. Just using your own thought path here, but reverting back to what you did previously John you are therefore accepting a lower paid but happier (I would question that part of the choice) job – yes? Add in that you accept the knowledge path/skills gap, and you would need to go back in at a lower level than you had before, on even lower pay – yes? This personally seems a large compromise for what on the surface could just be as simple as a “looking for happiness in what I do” driver.

Now let’s take the area of design. A decade plus back, things were designed were they were made. Then along came outsourcing and low cost economies like China, and the production and inline development moved overseas – original design was still held in country. In the last few years, design has moved in two directions – high level design think tanks exist in country, to create successful product concepts: “designers” here are drawn form artistic and psychological backgrounds, with the product line concepts given over to out of country/outsourced design teams; most design is now outsourced to small conceptual teams, who are tasked on fast turnaround and low cost – this means many are heading towards low cost economies. What I am trying to say here is that, the concept you have of in-country product design may not exist, and if it does more and more of it is getting dragged overseas. What does exist draws mainly from non-engineering fields, or exists in bespoke design houses which will take concepts into trial runs, and then hand over to overseas factories. In my mind, your dream old job may either now not exist for your skill set, or now be sat somewhere in Asia.

I think you are missing a trick here though. Singular products in most markets now don’t exist – but systems do, and the hardware is tied together with IT systems solutions and software. Secondly, even if a product exists, there is far more customization of that product both in-life, in-country and well as in-deployment to customer that involves the collection of market/client data, and the customization of product system through use of IT and software to the developing market or specific client requirement. You are a designer with IT skills, right?

I really think you should get yourself in front quickly of a good certified career coach, who has taken someone before through a similar situation. Chat to at least three, check the level of certification (one NLP certificate does not make a career coach), and don’t engage until you have spoken to the reference client they took through the similar transition. You may also want to check what career management services your former colleges/universities have for alumni, while ex-military personnel also have access to great career counseling services. I would also chat to a recruitment company that specializes in design work, and ask for their advice – if they think they can help, then they are accepting you have the skills that their clients want.

It is great that you are asking questions John, and the final answer to the fulfilling career you seek may not be the one you are focused on at present – there may be an even better one that you don’t yet know about, let alone can’t yet see. Keeping asking the questions, writing down what you like/don’t like, and quickly you will find a great and fulfilling answer.

Good Luck, and if I can help you further, please – just ask!

Online Job Boards - is this happening to you?

Jan asks: A few months, one of my friends suggested that I join a few of the online job boards, The Ladders, Netshare etc. They had a great response and was offered a few positions. So, I did and I had horrible results which was fine - however not one of my first, second nor third follow-up was ever answered by anyone - the poster. Then I heard that most of the recruiters posting on these online job boards were bogus positions and even the recruiters calling were calling about bogus positions. So, I decided to test the waters and applied to over 100 positions in one day - no response. The recruiters calling would tell me the company and I would have my network find out if it were true - no positions open. Then another question was posted about the same thing and I responded as to my experiences. Over the past two days, I have received some from companies stating that my qualifications were inadequate and they thanked me. However, the e-mails are to "recepients" and are canned messages. Now some of you will say - they have so many applicants that is acceptable, but in today's age of technology - I beg to differ - they do have to do business - and they want people to have good will about them - no matter if it is employment, customers or partners. Are you getting the same messages and do you feel this is just a way for the recruiters and the online job boards to continue to bring in much needed revenues for them to stay afloat? I cancelled my memberships - and will not join again - I am starting my own consulting company as I feel my background is needed for a lot of companies.

In answer:
I am sorry to hear about your experiences Jan, and wish you luck in your new businesses and career path.

But truthfully from a recruiters view point, I am not surprised. There is much debate amongst the recruiter and HR professionals of the use of job boards, particularly with regards the quality of both jobs and candidates:

- which company would post their vacancy on a job board, when the branding is the job boards and not theirs? Many of the more established job boards recognise the topline corporates need this branding feel, and create special co-brand pages for large NYSE and FTSE companies
- which candidates would post their CV/Resume to a jobs board? Unless you are unemployed, it can be found as easily by your existing employer, and would hence been seen as an "I'm leaving" sign. Why not use a business focused social network like LinkedIn where you can post all your details and be passively found, but don't have to hoist up the "I'm looking" flag of desperation

For medium scale employers, I think job boards can offer a lot: it is certainly offers more effective coverage than posting your vacancy in the local newspaper, and cheaper than posting in one of the specialist sector magazines. For candidates who are on the open market, then I think it can offer much in raising the flag of availability higher: what have you got to lose?

To find a good jobs board, then look for people like you/from your sector, and employers you want to work for/good recruiters posting jobs you could apply for, in a decent volume: at least 10 opportunities you could apply for today. In the recruitment world, certain jobs boards have better reputations for certain sectors than others. Hence, why post your new vacancy everywhere when one posting at one cost will cover 80% of the market of ideal candidates? Candidates need to pick up on these subtleties.

However, that doesn't stop the old recruitment games going on. Not that I agree with it or allow it at my company, but it has to be accepted by anyone who posts either a vacancy or a CV/Resume on a jobs board that still there will be recruiters building their dBases through calling such employers (and offering secret/inside candidates), or candidates (and offering secret/inside vacancies). Most of the large national recruiters will train and pay their own new trainees to get used to a telephone by undertaking such dBase building exercises, and paying them on collecting CV/Resumes/vacancies.

Jobs boards are a good development in the market, but for these reasons and cautions they don't offer a whole solution for either candidates or employers, and in some cases not ideal for either.

Good Luck in your new venture!

Fight, Accomodate or Leave?

Ritu asks: A person joins a new company, and within some time say, 6-9 months, If he feels, the company is not justifying the roles and responsibilities provided to that candidate, in spite of being his capabilities, What would be your views:

- to leave the organisation, search for some other job?
- fight for the rights?
- should he accommodate, himself as per the organisation environment ?

While answering please think for the following points as well:
- it is very frustrating, that only because of the office politics that is being going on, suitable candidate is not being provided the role
- if the candidate tries to accommodate in such a situation, he is not left with any kind of enthusiasm towards the work

In answer:
I think you have answered your own question - LEAVE.

A friend who is a coach has a very good view on the first six months strategy for a candidate in a company:

- Months 1 thru 3: fit in
- Months 4 thru 6: do more than they hired you for
- Month 7+: you are indispensable!

Always, new recruits find the job they thought they were hired for is not the one they actually do. That is either because the company was over sold and under delivers; or the candidates either over or under performs. To avoid this in future, and avoid the "got the job I want, just hate the colleagues" social-fit problem, insist on at least half a day working in the environment where the proposed post actually is, meeting the people you would be working with. People fit is as important as job fit.

What next? I think your two supplementary points show that you are unhappy in both the job and the company, so cut your losses now - keep your head down, and start looking: fast. If you are not happy, you will never be happy in what ever ideal job you are working in.

Good Luck!

Thinking you might be laid off/be made redundant?

If you listen to the media at present, we are probably heading right now into the worst recession since the 1929 crash. Looking what goes on a round us in our daily lives, that could be true – the only construction going on right now is that associated with either long term projects (ie – shopping centres, which on average take seven years to plan and come to fruition), or government projects like roads or schools.

The question therefore is – who is going to take the brunt of this recession, in the form of unemployment?

If we look back at classical recessions, then

- The young will still be employed, particularly post-school leavers. Simply, it is an economics calculation: young people are cheap, energetic and lacking work place experience easily lead
- The foreign economic migrants will leave, whether they be legal or illegal, will go home. Why be low paid or redundant here in a high cost western economy, why not go home to a low cost economy?
- The old will retire. If you are three years or less from retirement, one year+ of tax free salary in the form of a redundancy is two years income in reality. Is three years worth of hassle really worth one years pay? Add to this the fact that you can now pick up some part time work and do some of things you always promised yourself you would do

That leaves the rest of us, or about 90% of the average work force:

65-16 = 49 years of potential employment, minus 3 = 46

If you are an HR Director, tasked with cutting 20% of a workforce, and you successfully released your close to retirees, what are you going to do next? There are two common strategies which are employed:

An open redundancy program: the company initially announces a consultation period – effectively a non-contractual on either side, open discussion on the scale of the package and who is interested. From the employees view point, it is an opportunity to explore options; from the employers view point it is a question like a fisherman of seeing who bites. If the employer arranges a meeting for interested employees, then it is not a tacit agreement on behalf of the employee to be made redundant: legally that’s against the law in a majority of countries. Most HR law requires a stepped redundancy process of: meeting followed by interview; confirmation of package; and finally a period of consideration by both parties before the final agreement is signed. The advantages form the employers view point of this method is that: it is relatively cheap in administration costs; you only address the willing; and it leaves the rest of the work force motivated knowing that you are a caring employer. The disadvantages from the employers view point is that some great employees could leave – hence there is often a selection/agreement on the employers behalf inside the scheme to stop top talent walking

A performance review program: the employer asks each manager to note the performance of their employees over the last period (a month legally would be too short, a year may not produce a sufficient result; last two quarters is legally defensible). Employees in the lowest performance bracket (you don’t need to be low performing against the previously agreed targets; just below any new mark they set at an overall level in the company), are added to a list comprising of two elements:

- those who are already under performing
- those who are below the new targets, who are then given a period to perform at the required level

Most employers will now take both groups through a process of meeting and review, offering the carrot of “redundancy now at these terms, which will reduce if we make it compulsory.” At the end of a period, normally at least three months, the employer may then select compulsory redundancy. The disadvantage to the employer of this option is that it is: higher cost; more open to legal redress by the employees effected; it takes longer to process legally; it leaves a severely reduced morale in the remaining work force. Often, remaining employees think “do I want to hang around for the next round of this” and hence start looking for new opportunities, and there is a long tail of leavers. It is also more difficult for the employer to take on new employees when the economy recovers, due to this residual feeling

What can employees do to make sure they get the choice of employment they want?

1. If you have not had one in a while (ie - over six months ago), ask for a performance review. Make sure any issues of under performance are addressed immediately, and that it is confirmed that you are ideally in the top quartile of performers, or have an agreed and written down step program to achieve this in liaison with your manager
2. Work a bit extra. You don’t need to do all the hours possible, just 10% more than the average employee is often sufficient – 1hr a day
3. Take on opportunities inside the company. Join works committees, performance initiatives or optionally groups which do charitable work on behalf of your employer. Do anything which gets you involved in the infrastructure of operations

These simple steps should make sure that you don’t end up on a performance review list, and you now have a choice of where you could be employed. So now make the most of that choice:
4. Review your career plan
5. Review your CV/Resume, and bring it up to date
6. Review you online profiles, and if you don’t have any create them NOW! Start with LinkedIn
7. Check out the local newspapers, trade magazines and online jobs boards for suitable posts in your desired next job
8. Make a note of all the employers and recruiters who list these jobs – they are your target audience

If you are unlucky enough to be made redundant, then know that attitude is the key to getting your next job: be positive, and be prepared to graft – these attitude issues will count as much as your skills to any future employer

Good Luck!

Inclusion of specialist education on new career CV/Resume

Jayson asks: I am a chiropractor, and I am looking to change careers. My educational background: Undergraduate 1989-1993 (graduated), Chiropractic College 1999-2003 (Graduated) with a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. It's the last graduation that's making things difficult in this process. To make a long story short, practicing chiropractic is not for me, and I'd like to capitalize (hopefully) on the management skills I've picked up along the way. I really do not want to draw attention to the fact that I am a chiropractor looking to change careers. This seems to be a nearly insurmountable distraction to potential interviewers, and, quite frankly, it might even hinder my chances at being invited for an interview to begin with. To this end, I have reworked my C.V. into a resume, and I have repositioned myself as having managed the practices in which I have been previously situated (I'm not lying here, either). My question is this: With respect to my chiropractic education, what is the best way to handle indicating that period of time in my life? I have considered various options:

- Eliminating/Omitting it - The drawback to this is that I feel that I would be hiding something, and that I would have 4 years of time unaccounted for.
- Indicating "Selected Courses at Life University, Marietta, GA" (possibly including an indication of a "concentration in healthcare management") - I might be asked about why I didn't "finish"/receive a degree, but, at least, I would be including the experience, and I could account for some, if not most, of that time.
- Including it outright - This would cause the distraction to which I referred earlier in this e-mail, and possibly exclude me from many possibilities.

I have also heard of the inclusion of a "professional development" section on the resume which would account for certain experiences that didn't lead to a degree. Any ideas? They'd be greatly appreciated!!!

In answer:
Here's a thought - at some point in time during a job application, it will come out that you had a 20 year career as a chiropractor, and you don't want to do that any more. Had you thought Jayson about when you were going to handle that in a job application process, because the question then from any potential employer will be why (us)?

The answer to the question (and the best tactic is to answer it BEFORE the HR manager asks it), really revolves about what you want to do next. Because it will be seeing what type of skills that ideal new job requires, and if/where those skills show up in your previous occupation that the then writing of your CV/Resume then becomes much clearer. If you are writing a blind CV/Resume with Cover Letter at a potential employer, then I can see the problem. I would address this under a "healthcare management" title to keep it applicable to management as opposed to the physical work. I would suggest your chances of an interview on blind applications would be low, sub 10%.

However, lets get back to the real nub of the question, which is the why the move from chiropractor. Most well planned careers would take your existing skills (a chiropractor who has managed and run his own business), and transition to say management in a healthcare practice, or something which used multiple areas of your skills and competencies before transitioning into a new industry. But the way your question is posed suggests the move you desire Jayson is a move away from being a chiropractor AND a move away from the healthcare sector.

I hence don't think the problem in any job application is actually in your CV/Resume as a "how I posed my skills and training" issues, but a "why do I want a career change issue away from so many of my core skills." This any employer will be reading as a high-level risk, and its the why as well as showing Jayson that you have transitioned those skills in other instance that will reduce the employers view of that risk, and result in an interview.

This is one of the clear cases where I think a career coach would be of use to you. They could probe that desire, work up a five year strategy, and then a plan with steps below that/answers to the obvious HR questions. I would always employ a certified career coach, and find one who has handled such a situation before and can reference you directly to that transitioned client.

A cheaper option is to approach a good recruiter in the new sector in which you wish employment, and ask for advice. But they make their money on quick placements and many would have similar risk/desire concerns as any potential employer. Any good recruiter who could show you similar career transitions they had placed and then took you on, would have signed-in to the fact they believed you, and could sell the transition desire to their clients.

Good Luck!

What qualifies someone as a life coach?

Alon asks: What qualifies someone as a life coach? I have been seeing a lot of "Life Coach" job titles all over the net. What makes someone a qualified as a life coach? Sounds like a serious undertaking, and I can't help but think most people just aren't qualified…

In answer:
I will state from the beginning Alon, that I share your scepticism.

Why? Because if you look back 40 years, where were the Life Coaches? There were mentors, at both a business and a personal level if required, but there were no Life Coaches.

Why was this? I think if you look back 40 years ago, communities were closer and tighter, and any problems were spotted and dealt with at an earlier stage. Such support which Life Coaches now charge for was hence often either in-built within the family or given freely as part of life of living within a community infrastructure. As these close families and communities have broken down, and as individuals have seen quicker results gained from employing highly qualified and experienced professional mentors; the gap in the market has been created for the Life Coach, who often employs new quicker results theories that often encompass NLP.

So am I dismissing Life Coaches? No, but I think personally there are still many options open to someone who wants to improve their life, and engaging a Life Coach could make sense after exhausting these first. Personally these would include: speaking to friends or family, or socially connected members of your community like church elders, etc. Life Coaches often say that it is to your advantage to speak to a third party, but there aren't many things I would exclude from talking to my close friends about first above a paid hand for hire.

Certification is also a present concern. There are clear routes for both qualified business coaches, who find the cache of using the word coach over consultant means they can charge more; and there certificates and stages to becoming a qualified career coach. In both cases I would say the best practitioners are nominally (a) older and (b) experienced in the role in which they practice. Many of the best career coaches are former HR managers, we ourselves use a company run by an ex-accountant for our clients who require career transition coaching, which I would say is useful and money well spent for up to a quarter of our CV or recruitment clients.

But I have not yet seen a nationally recognised qualification for a Life Coach, and I think that that lack of regulation and the possibility of charging someone $10,000+ a year is dragging the nominal delivery of any such services by those who could produce a great result downwards to the detriment of all. Personally, I see far too many sub-25 year olds waving a fresh NLP certificate around for the good of the market - quite what they have experienced in life and how capable they were of communicating it or spotting wider issues would be my concern.

I have some friends who are Life Coaches, and they share the doubt of where their market is presently going: average fee's are now below $500 for 10 sessions, and I am not sure how the practitioner is supposed to live on that, or the quality of delivery to the client.

I would hence say: if you are thinking about employing a Life Coach, try talking to friends, members of your family or community first; but if you do decide to employ one at least get a few references by speaking to their previous clients first - you then might be able to spot a good one.

Good Luck!