Tips To Help You Deal With the Unexpected

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

You have probably heard of Murphy's Law: "Whatever Can Go Wrong, Will." My corollary to Murphy's Law is: "Expect the unexpected, and be prepared for it." In these uncertain economic times, planning for the unexpected is all the more important.

As a frequent traveler, I am plagued by problems, mostly minor, which are both beyond my control and often unexpected. On a recent trip, for example, I was scheduled to give a telephone interview on drive-time radio. I was staying with a friend, and gave his telephone number to the show's producer. I also gave the producer my cell phone number as a back up.

About five minutes after the interview was supposed to begin, I received a call on my cell phone from the producer saying they had to cancel my spot. The producer told me he had tried several times to call the telephone number I had given him, but each time a woman answered claiming not to know who I was.

Why the producer did not call my cell phone is beyond me. However, when I called my friend's number using my cell phone, sure enough, the phone sitting in front of me did not ring and instead a woman answered. When my friend called the telephone company to find out what was going on, he was told the wires were somehow crossed.

The moral of that story is that I should have called ahead of time to make sure my friend's phone was working properly. Perhaps anticipating that problem might be too much, even for me, to anticipate, so what I really should have done, in addition to giving the producer a back-up number, was to get his direct number, so I could have called when his call failed to come through at the scheduled time. That way I would have been in control of the situation.

What does this have to do with careers? While you cannot know with certainty if, or when, certain challenges will arise during the course of your career, experience suggests certain events are likely to occur at some time during your working life.

Those challenges can have a major effect on your career. You may be laid off. Your company may be taken over. You may find yourself with a new boss. You may unfairly be blamed for something that has gone wrong, through no fault of yours. The key to survive the unexpected is to plan for it. Along with every unexpected challenge that arises, there is opportunity, but only if you are prepared

If you have a critical meeting that you absolutely have to be at on time, drive the route before hand, so you can anticipate and avoid any problems; then leave early anyway.

More important, at some point in your career, you will probably be terminated from a job. Ask "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling or New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Both were fired from their jobs before they went on to become enormously successful.

Prepare now for those unexpected events you can anticipate. While you may not know when they will occur you can be fairly certain that they will. Here are some tips to help you plan ahead in case you lose your job:

• Keep your résumé current.
  
• Have copies of important documents and contact lists stored someplace other than on your office computer or BlackBerry.
  
• Keep up with trends in your industry.
  
• Become active in professional associations.
  
• Attend conferences and take courses to keep your skills, particularly technology, current.
  
• Continuously build and stay in contact with your network.
  
• Create an online presence.
  
• Create a specific job search plan and have it ready.
  
• Identify people who can serve as references.
  
• Review your finances.
• Put money away to have in reserve.

Take actions now that will enable you to quickly recover from a potential job loss. If you ever need to put that that job search plan into effect, you will be glad you chose to expect the unexpected and were prepared for it.

A veteran human resources executive, Lee E. Miller is a career coach and the author of "UP: Influence Power and the U Perspective -- The Art of Getting What You Want." He is also the co-founder of YourCareerDoctors.com, a website devoted to career success. Mail questions to Lee@YourCareerDoctors.com.

Starting Your Own Business Is Not for the Faint of Heart

Sunday, October 12, 2008

With employment having declined for the past nine consecutive months, the job market is weaker than at any time since 9/11.

In September, the economy shed 160,000 jobs. Those employment numbers are likely to get worse before they get better. What do you do if you unexpectedly find yourself without a job? Consider starting your own business.

After working on Wall Street for 18 years, Deborah Jack was suddenly let go from her six-figure job as part of a major downsizing. The Fort Lee resident began looking for similar jobs in financial publishing but wasn't having any luck.

So Jack went back to something she had considered years earlier -- helping to care for people's pets. After all, even when times are tough, people still have to take care of their pets. But instead of starting from scratch, she decided to open a Fetch Pet Care franchise, which provides in-home overnight or daily care for pets.

Becoming a franchisee, rather than opening her own business, provided her with support, training and marketing. In a little more than two years, Jack has built a healthy business and is happy with her decision, doing something "she never would have dreamed she would be doing just two years ago."

Starting your own business is not for the faint of heart. Each month, 464,000 people in the United States start new businesses, according to the United States Small Business Administration. Approximately 50 percent of those new businesses fail in the first five years. If you want to be among the 50 percent who succeed, you need "money and knowledge," said Susan Scherreik, director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Seton Hall University in South Orange.

When starting out, you can get money from your savings, friends and family; knowledge you get wherever you can.

Do your homework. Research the business you want to go into. Go to trade shows. Take workshops at a local university. The New Jersey Department of Labor offers a program for entrepreneurs, in which you can enroll while receiving unemployment benefits.

Other resources available to aspiring entrepreneurs are Score, a national nonprofit counseling agency, and the U.S. Small Business Administration. You also need to develop a network of knowledgeable advisers who can help every step of the way.

These may be people you know or people you meet attending workshops or through the resources mentioned above. In addition, if you go the franchise route, you can get advice and support through the parent organization.

Not everyone is cut out to own a business. It goes without saying that hard work and determination are required. You have to be comfortable taking risks, although successful entrepreneurs know how to minimize those risks. Most important, Scherreik says, "You can't be afraid of failure. Every new business owner makes mistakes, but you have to learn from them and make adjustments."

About a year ago, Kevin Kamenski, a retail manager for Conde Nast, was laid off. A former professional hockey player who had played six years in the minor leagues, he had always dreamed of putting his knowledge and love of hockey to good use. So he viewed the layoff as an opportunity.

Kamenski founded Elite Sports Academy in Montville, a hockey training facility with a 1600-square-foot synthetic ice rink, where he offers coaching to children as young as 4, right through to college players and adults in recreational leagues.

He described his experience as "good but scary for someone used to getting a regular paycheck." Kevin said he has "never worked harder, but has never been happier."

A veteran human resources executive, Lee E. Miller is the author of "UP: Influence Power and the U Perspective -- The Art of Getting What You Want." He is a career coach and co-founder of YourCareerDoctors.com, a website devoted to career success. Mail questions to Lee@YourCareerDoctors.com.

How to Make Them Forget Your Age

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Here is a letter from one of our readers seeking advice on a common concern: How to avoid having age hurt your chances of getting the job you want.

I am in my 50s. I recently started a job hunt after moving because of family obligations. I have had several interviews, but after what I thought were good interviews, there was no further contact from the employer. I have contacted one employer several times to try to get a second interview but with no suc cess. Do you think it is my age? If so, what can I do for future interviews to downplay my age?

Without knowing more about your specific situation I cannot say whether or not age is affecting your job search. While it is illegal to consider age in determining whether or not to hire someone, age sometimes can be a factor in a job search.

Employers generally value experience, so age only is viewed negatively if you don't take steps to ensure that it is not seen that way. There are several things you can do to minimize the risk that age will hurt your chances of being hired.

Since you can't get hired unless you get an interview, start by making sure your résumé is "age neutral." Rewrite your résumé, so nothing indicates how old you are. For example, list your degrees, but do not include years of graduation. While you should list the dates of employment when you are describing your work history, only list your most recent job history going back approximately 10 to 15 years. If you have other important work experience, list it under a section titled "Other Relevant Experience," and do not include the dates relating to that experience.

Whether your age will actually play a role in the hiring decision, how you interview will be determinative. If you do a good job in the interview, age is unlikely to hurt your chances of being hired.

Appearance is important. If you look and act old, then that is how you will be perceived. Go out of your way during the interview to be energetic and positive. Make sure you are in good physical shape and be contemporary but appropriate in the way you dress.

Don't dress like you are 20 years old, but don't wear the same styles you wore 20 years ago. Join a gym, get a new hairstyle and buy some new clothes. Get the best clothes you can afford and make sure they are well tailored.

Most important, make sure you stay current with technology. That is the one aspect that concerns businesses when they are hiring older employees. Employers generally want to hire individuals who understand, and can adapt to, changing technology.

If you can demonstrate to a prospective employer that you are comfortable with technology, age will not likely be an issue. Take courses if you need to up date your familiarity with computers. Demonstrate that you are at home on the internet. Create a professional online presence. Understand terms like social networking. Have an online bio, write a blog and have your own web page or web résumé. Write professional articles and have them published online.

Here are some tips to help you eliminate age as a factor in your job interviews.

• Prepare: Find out everything you can about what the organization is currently doing, the challenges they face, the job and the interviewer.
  


• Make your experience a plus by focusing on what you have done that will be valuable to your prospective boss.
  


• Ask knowledgeable questions.



• Demonstrate that you are comfortable with technology.



• If you are asked about something that you don't know how to do, confidently express your willingness and ability to learn how to do it.



• Don't ever say anything negative about a prior employer, even if true.



• Smile.



• Pay careful attention to how you dress -- contemporary but appropriate to the industry.



• Always be positive and en thusiastic.



• Tell the interviewer that you want the job

Effective interviewing starts with having the right mindset. It requires an understanding that employers are seeking positive, enthusiastic employees who can adapt to changing conditions.
They want individuals who have relevant skills that can help them deal with the most pressing issues they are facing. They want employees who are comfortable with technology and are not afraid to learn and try new things. If you can demonstrate that you bring these attributes to the workplace, your age will be the last thing on the interviewer's mind.

A veteran human resources executive, Lee E. Miller is the author of "UP: Influence Power and the U Perspective -- The Art of Getting What You Want," and the co-founder of YourCareerDoctors.com, a Web site devoted to career success. Mail questions to Lee@YourCareerDoctor s.com.

E-Mail Miscommunications Can Cause Career Damage

Susan Ascher, a provider of contract Human Resources services, describes an e-mail she wrote that nearly derailed a deal with a major client.

After a lot of back and forth by e-mail, the parties had worked out the major issues that they needed to resolve. In response to an e-mail summarizing what had been discussed, Ascher, president of the Ascher Group in Roseland, sent back an e-mail she thought was positive, but which ended with the statement: "As soon as our lawyers review it, I will get back to you." The client called her back almost immediately, very angry at "her dismissive attitude" toward the deal. He said he felt she was being rude when she was merely stating that it was standard procedure to have her lawyer review it before it was finalized.

This highlights the problem with communicating by e-mail. Misunderstandings frequently arise because e-mails lack the visual and auditory cues that give context to our communications when we speak.

The first thing you need to ask yourself before sending an e-mail is whether that is the best way to communicate your message. Sometimes, what you want to say is sufficiently important that it is worth the effort to have the conversation face-to-face. At other times, telephone is the best means of getting your message across.

Even when e-mail is the proper medium, you need to be careful how your e-mails are written. Careers have been damaged because of insufficient attention paid to the drafting of e-mails.

Pamela Harper, president of Glen Rock-based Business Advancement, and author of "Preventing Strategic Gridlock," described some examples of what she referred to as "e-mail self-sabotage," which occurs when people become sloppy about their e-mail sending habits.:

A director in a major corporation sent a rambling e-mail to one of his managers. Embedded in the middle of the communication was an urgent request for action. The recipient not only didn't read the e-mail in time to take the required action, he didn't even notice he was being asked to do something until it was later called to his attention.

An e-mail thread with the subject line "For your information" was sent back and forth without ever changing the subject line. On one of its rounds, the recipient never got around to reading the e-mail even though the e-mail contained an important question that didn't get answered in time for an upcoming meeting.

Here are some e-mail tips to prevent e-mail miscommunications from damaging your career:
E-mails are best used when they are intended to convey facts. Intent is frequently misinterpreted because there is no way to soften the impact of tough words or express nuanced intent through your tone of voice. Humor is frequently misconstrued. That is why emoticons and abbreviations like LOL (laugh out loud) to indicate that you are joking were invented. Use them, or better yet, save the humor for when you are speaking face to face.

Never reply to an e-mail when you are angry. When you are upset about a comment someone makes in an e-mail, wait before responding. Otherwise, you are likely to overreact. Once you write something in an e-mail, you can't take it back. People will read your comments over and over, getting more upset each time. When you write an e-mail, pay close attention to your choice of words and overall tone.

Highlight the points that are important. When you're reading e-mails, read them carefully. When you're writing e-mails, assume the recipients will not do so. Make good use of the caption. Put the most important points in the first paragraph. Limit the length of the e-mails to a few short paragraphs. Bold or underline key points. Do not bury important information in the middle of a lengthy paragraph. Where possible, include visual aids: emoticons, graphs, pictures etc. Don't rely exclusively on e-mails. If you can't resolve an issue with two e-mails, pick up the telephone and call.

E-mails and other virtual communication technologies allow us to extend our sphere of influence, reaching out to anyone when it is convenient for us to do so, no matter where the intended recipient is physically located. Ultimately, however, that technology is only as useful as the user understanding of its strengths and limitations.

A veteran human resources executive, Lee E. Miller is the author of "UP: Influence Power and the U Perspective -- The Art of Getting What You Want," and the co-founder of YourCareerDoctors.com, a Web site devoted to career success. Mail questions to Lee@YourCareerDoctors.com

Chapter One In Getting Your Book Published

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Here is a letter from the reader mailbag:

I noticed you've written several books. Can you help me with the steps toward publication? Does a book need to be fully written before I seek an agent? I believe our idea is unique; there is nothing like it on the market, and the book would include information that everyone needs, so I am confident it will sell. Do you have any advice about the legwork that needs to be done to get our book published? I don't want to waste time going down the wrong roads as an inexperienced writer. Like Italian Renaissance artist Michelangelo, who believed every stone had a sculpture trapped inside waiting for an artist to let it out, I believe everyone has a book in them. So, I asked an editor and a publicist what an aspiring first-time author should do if he or she wants to get a book published.

Nancy Hancock, executive editor for Rodale Publishing, offers the following advice:

Start with a great idea, one that requires more explanation than a short article on the internet could cover. Coin a catchy phrase that captures the essence of your topic and the imagination of potential readers, such as Daniel Goldman's "Emotional Intelligence" or Stephen Levitt's "Freakonomics."

Spend time developing a following to help sell the book, because getting a book published these days "has as much to do with the author's ability to generate sales as it does with great writing." Publishers want to know "the author has a following." That is understandable since, according to Publishers Weekly, of the several hundreds of thousands of books published each year, the average book in America sells only about 500 copies. So it makes sense publishers want authors who already have an established market for their books.

"Before you even write your book, build a platform establishing your expertise" by writing articles, giving speeches, blogging and networking, advises Annie Jennings, who runs Annie Jennings PR in Princeton.

Even if you are already an established expert and have written a "great" book, you still need to get it to the right publisher. If you are writing a book on investing, you don't want to submit it to a publisher specializing in children's books. Go to your local bookstore and see which publishers focus on books in your area of interest. Literary Marketplace (literarymarketplace.com) is also a good resource for aspiring authors. It provides a listing of publishers, agents, trade services and international resources.

Before you send a manuscript to a publisher, call to find out the procedures for accepting submissions. Sometimes a proposal will be acceptable; others may insist on a completed manuscript.

"If you have built a strong platform, an editor who specializes in your area will probably take a look at your proposal," although some publishers will not accept submissions unless they come from an agent, Hancock said.

Unfortunately, for someone who is neither an established author nor a celebrity, getting a good agent may be just as hard as getting a book published without one. Agents look for authors who are recognizable experts on timely topics, and will be able to help market their books.

If you can't find a publisher, a viable option today is to self-publish. Companies such as Amazon.com and Bookmasters (bookmasters.com) offer services that enable you to publish and distribute books that look professional without a publisher. What you don't get when you self-publish is the editing expertise, marketing power and the status that comes with working with a major publishing house.

It is not uncommon that, if a self-published book sells well, it will be picked up by a major publisher or will attract the interest of an agent. In fact, the best-selling career book "What Color Is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job-hunters and Career-Changers" was originally self-published.

Whether getting a book published or moving your career forward, success depends on the same three qualities: believing in your work, being creative and never giving up. When my first book, "Get More Money on Your Next Job," was published, I got a contract based on the table of contents and one chapter. Because I didn't know it wasn't done that way, I simply used my network of friends to identify people they knew at major publishers. Based on those preliminary contacts, without an agent, I was able to sign a book deal with McGraw Hill, which, even in hindsight, was a pretty good deal.

A veteran human resources executive, Lee E. Miller is the author of "UP: Influence, Power and the U Perspective -- The Art of Getting What You Want," and co-founder of YourCareerDoctors.com, a website devoted to career success. Mail questions to Lee@YourCareerDoctors.com.

Dress for Success, Even in Summer

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Now that the weather has turned hot, we are faced with the mixed blessing of more relaxed dress codes at work.

Even firms that don't generally favor casual dress often allow it during the summer, at least on certain days. When dress is casual, knowing what to wear is not always easy, and mistakes can affect your career.

For example, one warm summer day when C.B. Bowman of North Plainfield was the director of learning and development for a New Jersey-based insurance agency, one of her employees showed up for work in a dress that left little to the imagination. Despite the company's dress code, the employee saw nothing wrong with the outfit because it was an extremely hot and humid day.

Bowman said she sent the employee home to change, pointing out the office was air-conditioned. The employee was eventually fired for other reasons, but Bowman said she thinks this incident served to reinforce the general perception this employee wasn't a good fit for the job.

While rarely does wearing the wrong outfit to work result in being fired, how a person dresses can have a major effect on whether or not he or she is promoted. To be viewed as someone on the fast track to success, one needs to look the part, and not just in the winter, but in the summer as well.

"Management is continuously sizing people up for the next promotion," said Vicky Ribon, Team Manager in charge of the Florham Park office of Administaff, a national human resources outsourcing firm. Potential leaders are judged "not only on their knowledge and skills, but also on their presentation." So always pay attention to the image you project.

Here are some tips for dressing to impress where summer business casual is the norm:

Start by looking at the people in the positions you aspire to and take your cues for your summer wardrobe from them.

No matter what you choose to wear, make sure you never look sloppy. For men, Glenn Hoffs, fashion director for Brooks Brothers and a South Orange resident, suggests "tropical-weight wool or linen slacks and a long sleeve shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a fashionably casual yet professional look." Polo shirts also work in most industries.

For women, "a summer dress is always appropriate as long as it is not too revealing." Tasteful skirts or pants with blouses also can convey the right image.

As Bedminster-based Dory Devlin, work and money editor for Yahoo Shine and a former Star-Ledger columnist, notes: "It is hard to know the rules, because they are constantly changing as we become increasingly more casual, but there are still some definite office attire don'ts."

The two "worst summer workplace fashion offenses" were "visible underwear and tank tops," noted a recent Monster.com online survey. Other summer items that should never be seen on you at the office are halter tops, short shorts, T-shirts and see-through blouses.

The human resources professionals I spoke with would all add flip-flops to the list, for both men and women, of what not to wear to work. Leg or toe jewelry also should be reserved for outside the office. My own rule of thumb for business casual is, if it's right for the beach or a hot summer night, it is probably wrong for work.

Remember, dress rules are not suspended when you are attending a company function, such as a picnic, barbecue or pool party at the boss's home. No matter how informal, these are still very much business functions. Clothes that are too tight, too short, low cut or see-through are never appropriate.

You don't want your boss picturing you in a thong bikini when he or she is deciding who to promote. At a summer get-together, sandals and sneakers have their place, but leave the ripped T-shirts and jeans at home.

"Think carefully before you wear your favorite T-shirt with the funny or risqué saying emblazoned across the front," Hoffs cautioned. "Not everyone will share your sense of humor."

The image you present at work is something that should not be left to chance. Every day, individuals miss out on career opportunities because they do not project the right image. Decision-makers, consciously or subconsciously, often consider whether someone looks the part when deciding whether to hire or promote them. The impressions you make during the summer are no less important than those you make during the winter months.

A veteran human resources executive, Lee E. Miller is the author of "UP: Influence Power and the U Perspective -- The Art of Getting What You Want," and the co-founder of YourCareerDoctors.com, a website devoted to career success. Mail questions to Lee@YourCareerDoctors.com.

If You've Earned A Raise, Then Ask For It

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Is the weak economy causing you to hesitate to ask your boss for a raise?

Ninety percent of employees do not feel this is a very good time to ask for a raise, according to a recent human resources survey sponsored by Randstad, a worldwide staffing agency with offices in Princeton, Parsippany, Swedesboro and Plainfield. The online poll was drawn from a pool of 2,200 employees and 1,295 employers in the United States.

Most people these days seem to be more worried about keeping their jobs than getting a raise. That can be a costly mistake. The right time to ask for a raise is when you deserve one, regardless of the general state of the economy.

What do you have to do to get a raise in a tough economy? You not only need to do something that merits a salary increase, but you need to affirmatively promote your accomplishments. Unless you tell them, most bosses don't actually know what you've accomplished, and may even give credit to someone else for your successes. If you want a raise, make sure your boss knows how you have contributed to his or her success and that you can continue to help make him or her look good.

One way to demonstrate you deserve a raise is to learn new skills or take on greater job responsibilities. Presented properly, your boss will recognize the new skills or additional work being done will make him look good. Particularly in a tight economy, if your boss can achieve greater productivity without hiring additional staff, you can get a raise and your boss can justify it on the basis of saving the company money.

How you go about asking for a raise is also important. Eileen Habelow, Northeast regional vice president of Randstad, recently gave a bigger raise than she had planned because of the way her employee approached the topic.

She asked this individual to take over a troubled account and offered him an increase in salary, but the way he responded caused her to rethink the amount she had offered. He told her "he was flattered that she had thought of him for this tough job and was excited by the challenge even though it required him to leave a secure position where he doing extremely well."

That simple statement reminded her that not only was he the best choice to solve her problem with this account, but also that accepting this position would entail both financial and professional risk for him. So even though she believed he would accept the job at the salary she had initially offered, when he asked for a larger increase she gave him one.

Prepare carefully before you ask for a raise.You don't simply wake up one morning and ask for one. You have to have a good reason. "I have not had a raise in a long time" is not a good reason, especially in a weak economy.

"I just completed my MBA;" "I am your top producer;" "I took on additional responsibilities when Sally left;" or "I have a job offer from a competitor." Those are reasons to request a raise.

Show how you have gone above and beyond what was expected.Use the internet to determine the market value for the work you are doing. Also, recognize the unique value you bring to your employer, those things you do that would be difficult for your employer to replace if you left. Utilize that information to make the case for a raise.

However, never threaten to leave if you don't get what you are asking for. Doing so will put your boss on the defensive and make it just as likely that she will show you the door as give you a salary increase.

When you are seeking a raise, bear in mind the advice of Ron McMillan, co-author of "Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High:" "You are not asking for a favor, you are engaged in a business negotiation."

Demonstrate why you deserve one, explaining how you determined a higher salary is warranted. A salary increase is not the only way you can get a raise. You can also ask for more time off, the ability to work a few days a week from home, additional training opportunities or a bonus based on achieving certain agreed upon results.

A veteran human resources executive, Lee E. Miller is the author of "UP: Influence Power and the U Perspective -- The Art of Getting What You Want," and the co-founder of YourCareerDoctors.com, a website devoted to career success. Mail questions to Lee@YourCareerDoctors.com.