Career plan: talent development

Brian, a technologist and project administrator at an investment bank, asks: I’ve been doing some research into the way my organisation looks at developing, nurturing and retaining it’s internal talent, and decided it would be a good idea to see other organisational approaches and what people expect. For this question, Internal Talent can be classed as some of the top performing individuals within an organisation, who are of non-graduate based background. I.e. came in at a relatively low position and are working their way up the ladder. For my particular organisation, I am regarded as one of the high performers, but other than getting a more generous bonus, I see no benefits of being a high performer- no formal plans to nurture and grow my talents, opportunities to experience other areas of the business etc. My own personal view is that I would happily not receive a bonus, so long as my organisation provided me with the opportunities and tools required to grow my career with themselves. My question to you is what would/do you expect your organisation to do, to retain your talent, help you build your skills and experience, and provide you the opportunities to obtain the position you desire? What do you think would help you, i.e. Mentoring Programmes, Talent Pools, and why? If you are in a position within an organisation to influence this vital process, what do you do to ensure that your top employees remain with you, other than paying them more generous salaries/bonuses? Thank You!

In answer:
Interesting question Brian.

However, before I start to answer this, a bit of background. Looking at your profile, you would seem to be in your early 20′s, and have no degree yourself. You have been in your current job two years, which would be considered by most of your age “too long/looking for the next opportunity” and hence looking for your next position.

My question therefore is: is this well worded question a nice way for others to input to your development plan/negotiation of your next career step?

Internal talent retention

I passed through formal education some 20years ago, when only 1 in 16 people took a degree. That number is now closer to 60% in the UK, and 80% plus in many other parts of the developing world. If I had a talented individual in my team of your age, then I know I could retain them for seven plus years simply by funding their degree level education, which should be on their “have to get” career path.

All corporate organisations have high-talent gain and retain programs: from direct experience, I know your employer has. All such programmes have a set of criteria for entry – most require a degree, or truly exception performance without – and most operate on an age limit, normally to early 30′s for entry. You need to be recommended by your manager and their boss, and undertake a series of tests on psyche, mental and capability, as well as a team/management weekend exercise. From this they will select a limited number of individuals who get personalised mentoring and additional career development and training. if they perform, they gte fast-tracked up the organisation over a three year period.

Career plan: development

I think you need two things here to take your career forward:

1. Personal plan: which addresses what you want and need in your life, and your supporting career. One of the elements in there should be a degree, attained before the age of 30
2. Career plan: mapped out in detail for the next five years

Once you have these, start gaining some support from your boss. Bring up development and talent pool issues at your regular monthly reviews. If your boss supports you and gives you written praise, great. If not seek a meeting with the HR team to discuss career development. Many good people are lost to good organisations because their relationship with their boss was not right, or simply the boss didn’t understand how to place them in the corporate talent pool: HR can solve those problems.

Planning is the key to excellent long term career development, be that were you are now or where you need to be next to achieve your goals.

If I can help further, please ask – Good Luck!

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How Would You Describe Yourself?

Kathy, an IT professional looking at moving for career development, asks: Hi team at CV4.biz, I hope this finds you all well – Bora Da! Love my new Professional CV and the results it is getting in positive engagement with lots of telephone interviews, but I am now getting nervous about the upcoming physical interviews. I have read all through the notes and eBook on Behavioural Interviews, but want to ask a supplemental question about a particular type of that question. How would you advise someone to answer the interview question: How would your former colleagues or boss describe you? Thank you!

In answer:
The “how would you/a third party describe you” type question, is a behavioural interview type job interview question: it places you, in a situation, and asks you to describe the experience (ideally real, or created).

The interviewer can gain different perspectives by either posing it from your point of view, a friend, or a close third party/superior at work. Psychological evidence shows us that when we put an individual outside their own person and place them with an external view point looking in at themselves, as the stimulus we often will use less words to get more revealing answers, which are also more critical/negative in perspective.

Accepting you should always remain mentally positive in interview, there are three things to take account of in answering such a question, in this priority order:

• Relevance of experience to job being applied for
• That experience is reference able
• That it is not (totally) negative!

Why is negative last, why not first you may be asking? Because, as a trained interviewer, I am taught that if every thing is wonderful/rosy in the garden and all is well, to ask the question at some point about a negative experience and how you dealt with it, eg:

Tell me about a situation where you had a negative experience (eg: conflict, dispute, legal issue)

at work or in another situation,

where you faced a negative reaction from someone you worked closely with, and how you dealt with it?

Secondly, are we as individuals always all good, or at least not as good at some things, let alone bad? The HR view on competencies is that often positive things (eg: drive or energy), can have negative trailing consequences (ie: leaving people behind, distancing individuals). Not taking account of these, or at least not actively acknowledging them, is a severe personal weakness.

Answering Interview Questions

Hence, tactically and strategically in a job interview, if you can find an opportunity to insert a “nice” difficult experience – or at least one with a good outcome, eventually – then this type of personal question is an ideal point in which to use it. You can also tightly manage/ensure the probable outcome. Yes, as the interviewer it will be easy for me to put you under pressure in such a question – it is close, it is personal. But legally there is only so much I can push on: this can’t get too personal.

Can’t think of a “nice” negative quality that you can manage? Choose one of the key skills the job requires/you have, and over emphasise it: eg: I am too X, or a bit too Y, etc. With some jobs and skill sets, this “over good to negative” could create an excellent employer impression, most easily seen in sales, eg: “I’m too dedicated too getting the right results, and tend occasionally at present to need a talk at some point, which I have found quickly allows me to pull back and consolidate my learning.”

Therefore, in answering the question try to touch on the top three things you have, which the job also requires: drive, energy, passion for instance in sales, or listening, caring and dedicated for a customer services job. Then pick one negative thing. In each case, and anticipating the interviewers follow up on the first item only, move a step further and use quantifiable examples. For example, avoid clichéd phrases like “hard worker, “team player,” and use something along the lines of: “I am told that I am a good team player team because I managed a group of 50 people and worked closely with upper level management to complete…” shows a good quality along with the proof.

Hence, in answering the question, you need to think about the job, and how your skills fit the employers requirements.

Good Luck!

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Dropped out of University

photo credit: alexanderward12

Nick asks: I dropped out of University after two years last summer, due to the fact I didn’t enjoy my course and I wasn’t doing well. I have good A Levels – A, B, C, C all Maths and Sciences. I assumed it would be easy enough to find a trainee position and work my way from the bottom, however this hasn’t been the case at all. I have spent a year working in low paid sales jobs, as this seems to be all that is on offer. I would ideally like to work in something ICT based, but there seems to be absolutely no opportunities for people like me. I feel frustrated that despite a decent education, I appear to have no worth in the employment sector, and am currently in a role I could have been in if I had left school at 16. I am now 21 – to old for an apprenticeship or school leaver scheme, yet I would really like to get some form of further education that isn’t University based, or land a job that would offer real career development. Help!

In answer:
The government in the budget did you a huge favour: they extended the training schemes from under 21 to 25. With the number of idling recruitment agencies, many have jumped into to a scheme which allows them to become assessment centres for training agencies – not for us!

I think your experiences are starting to teach you some modern job search facts, and particularly in the IT sector. The A Levels of today are like the O levels of yesterday, and you have chosen the most qualification driven sector in which to choose to work. IT employers want long lists of qualifications backed up by recent work experience of developing/delivering that technology. Be warned, if you choose IT, then you are choosing a virtual path of continual study and qualification: but that’s why it pays so well!

I think you are being to vague about your career goal. But at present with no IT qualifications that’s not such a problem. You need a City & Guilds or HND type qualification to get into the IT industry at minimum – both are accessible on the Governments new draft scheme, but you need to check your details. You say that you can’t get a diploma because you failed your second year exams, but I would suspect you have some part credits and hence won’t need to study for two years from base.

Get to your local JobCentre+, or ring the back to work helpline in your area, and get some details. Find suitable general IT courses at your local college, and chat to the head of the course. They can probably speak to your old university to find out what exams you have passed, what credit you have got, and hence which level you would need to come in at to gain the qualification.

Good Luck!

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New Career Change

photo credit: betty slocombe

Cindi asks: I’ve always been geared toward Administrative positions. How can I market myself to take that next step forward?

In answer:
The best Career Management question to ask yourself is: here do you want to be in five years? If you are brave, push that out to 10 years and beyond! To really make this work, draw a little mental picture of your life at that point, and then write it down or even sketch it as to what your life looks like in all aspects – relationships, home life and work life.

Around the work life picture, find someone who is doing that job right now – find out how they got there, what qualifications and experience mix they have, and the job path they took to get to that position. Use their path as the basis for planning out your own path. Then having written it down, chat it through with a few close friends – not work colleagues – and let them test and critic it for you. Modify as necessary.

The answer out of this exercise is that you now have a goal and a path – so now you just need to take it in to action. The easiest way to do that is now take the “where” to your boss, and chat through the opportunities of the “how” with him. If you don’t get a positive answer, you know you have to move – go to HR for an internal opportunity and have the same conversation with them, and if that’s negative go to a good recruitment agent recommended by a friend who has recently taken an job move.

If you stay where you are, part of your path will be volunteering for projects to undertake tasks or co-ordination – admin people are always good basic project managers; and hence opportunities should abound.

Good luck Cindi, but the answer is – when you know where you want to go, then the path becomes much, much clearer!

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Ritzya, a drama coach and public speaker trainier, asks: Do you think the term “drama queen” has a negative connotation? In some worlds it does… the definition: someone that turns everything into drama. However, In the world of stage it is wonderful – in every day life it can be a challenge. Based on your answer, and keeping in mind that I am a professional public speaking/drama coach, do you think I should take “the drama queen” off of my CV/Resume?

In answer:
In 999 out of 1000 cases, I would say YES, remove it – as I think most would, because of those negative connotations. In your singular case, I have thought about this, and I know that YES you should remove it!

It doesn’t say “professional” in a personal profile or CV/Resume – it says NIGHTMARE in big, bold, black script with large polished trombones!

Its great as a piece of marketing, and possibly as a marketing choice in a section of a CV/Resume. But as a piece of personal branding as opposed to marketing – disastrous!

Richard asks: Does one wait until you’re unemployed? Should you leave at the first sign of turmoil? Should you weather the storm, gain experience and then vacate?

In answer:
Career management is not something which you just wake up to – and so hence leads to knowing which opportunities you should seek to attain that goal you have defined – which leads to knowing why you took that particularly job, and why you have been there for X period of time – which leads to knowing how much longer you have there, and which opportunities you seek next to write on your CV/Resume – which results in happy and fulfilled employment, and a better life!

You will always know when you are being interviewed by an HR professional, as they will ask you about the points of change in your career: “You went from position A with employer B, to position X with employer Z: why?” They look for both fulfilment in career and application to a particular path, and checked whether that is inline with the position being interviewed for and its skills requirements.

If you apply the question of “where do I want to be that will make me happy” then you will know why you are where you are at present. These people are normally fun to be around, and – like an old mentor of mine – have smiles on their faces at least 3 days out of every 5 work days: unfortunately, the smelly stuff happens to everyone!

If like the majority of people – I’d say 7 out of 10 from those I interview, and you don’t manage your career and wake up one day unhappy; or if the job you are working doesn’t put a smile on your face 3 days out of 5: then NOW is the time to start changing. What ever you do don’t reach for the word processor and start writing a new CV/Resume because you heard of a better job at a particular company – write down why you are happy in your present job, why you are unhappy, and where you want to be in 5 and 10 years time. If you are feeling really brave, write your own obituary – its a tough psychological challenge, and most don’t complete it – but its what it reveals about where you want to be and how quickly that change needs to be made which is the actual required and revealing result.

Most people don’t know what makes them happy, so recognising that you may want to make a change Richard is 7/10ths of the battle won. Now its just a question of finding what and where, and those are relativity easy in comparison. The outcome will be a clear goal, a better plan with more networking to find that better opportunity – and a happier work life.

Good Luck!
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Thank you for taking the time to answer my question.

RB

……………………………………………………….

Dear Richard,

Thank you!

If I can help you at any time, please just ask, and in the mean time – Good Luck!

Best Regards,

Ian McA

Todd asks: What happens when you wake up one day and realize your career is in shambles, your nearly 40 with a wife, kids, a mortgage and a boat load of credit card debt? Two years ago I moved to a new city to take a new job with a home builder. Three months later the industry collapsed and so did that job (just before the holidays). Next I took a job with a start-up company which lasted a year before serious cash flow problems resulted in another layoff. A few weeks later I accepted another position with a financial institution only to find out that my boss was a complete and total nightmare. She terrorized the department with her hostile and unprofessional behavior. I tried unsuccessfully to resolve the issue. First directly with her, then with our department head and then eventually HR. Our entire department was so focused on dealing with her hostility that we spent large chunks of time talking about it, coping with it and trying to find ways to support each other. It dominated our time, our thoughts and our performance. Eventually it started to affect me emotionally and physically. After only 4 months on the job I resigned my position. The next job I took was working for a company in California as a telecommuter. During the job interview the CTO and VP of Sales specifically told me the owner of the company was impossible to work and that they were looking for new jobs. I figured after my last boss there was no way I couldn’t handle this guy, besides I would be working from home most of the time and it was making substantially more than I had ever made. Three weeks later the CTO resigned and the VP of Sales was so consumed with his hate for the boss that he couldn’t think or talk of anything else. At the five week mark my boss told me he needed this position to be full-time at his location. When I refused to move, he fired me. Now it’s been just shy of two years, I’ve had four jobs, three in the last six months, and after a month of looking I’m taking a contract to hire position because it’s the best I can do with that many jobs on my resume.

In answer:
This is very common career path Todd – even in good economic times.

People make good choices, but things just don’t work out – often because a successful business also depends on a business plan being both realistic and executed: so what did the first two have to do with you? I am a bit surprised by the last job choice – they actually warn you how bad the boss is, and you still took the job: and yet I am not because people after two/three short term job moves that don’t work out do make rather short term “get a job” choices over better career management options.

So, here’s the good points – you are asking questions, and seem to be staying positive: you are hence very employable. The bad points are – even in a down turn, there are still opportunities. Its just that you have to fight your way through the crowd that is now around, and having made a few moves you’ll know how the market works so that gives you an advantage.

You need to sit down with a blank piece of paper, and ask yourself what you want to REALLY be doing in ten years time. Figure out how it rewards you emotionally, physically, and financially. Then, pick someone who’s doing that job, and find out how they got there – experience, qualifications, or most likely a mix of both and a few job advancements. Now, write yourself a new career plan based on what you want to do using how they did it as a reference- sure, a few things may have changed, but that can be built in. Then ask three great friends – including at least own woman – to review and critic your plan. Sure, at this point you could go an get a career coach, and the best place to start for one is with your old colleges or if you have military experience your Forces Liaison point – but friends can be as good before those steps.

Now you have a plan, which you can turn into a job search, and write the right resume for – you will need some help there, its a presentational issue you’ll have which is easy to overcome. The trick is employers like people who know what they want and what excites them – it doesn’t matter what the economy looks like, someone will always give a focused employee a job!

Good Luck – you are asking the right questions, stay positive, and if I can help further: please just ask!

Dennis asks: I’ve been posting in a blog about reasons to network. It does not have to be all about getting a new job (although, networking is helpful there). What things have you done to network? What benefits have you gotten from networking?

In answer:
If to you “networking” is only undertaken when you went a job, then clearly – you don’t get it (networking) and won’t get the best job.

Your network can bring your plans to fruition – finding you experts, learning experiences, people with complimentary skills, ideas, and eventually: realisation. You can apply those to both job hunting and business development, sales or ideas for your existing corporate job – just about anything you want to apply it to.

Networks are also passive – they don’t react best immediatly, they react best over a period of time to a constant tune. The key in networking is to have a plan – know what you want and what you can offer, and communicate that: then passive energy works for you.

If all networking is to you is finding a job when you need one then – you just don’t get it! Networks can be career builders, but that’s like viewing them as Job Centres

Corporate Career Planning

photo credit: CoincidenceUNO

Curtis asks: My entire career so far has been in the same industry. I chose a particular discipline to focus on, but I am discovering that my company has a limited career path for me to follow. My skills go beyond my focus discipline, but even those areas limited. I really enjoy what I do but would like to know what my future could be and to know I have options. Any suggestions on how to create my own path would be greatly appreciated!

In answer:
Everyone – particularly those in corporate employment – need a career plan: so well done for spotting the need Curtis.

I don’t think the “inside one corporate” career path is that different to the self-managed career path, and it offers more opportunities. Your soft side skills enable you to be liked and offered opportunity in wider markets that a self-managed career path would not. However, the downside is is that if you don’t get on with someone, or the markets change and they sell/close your division, then your career path opportunities become narrow.

As with all career path management, I suggest you set a goal. That is easily and best achieved in corporates by saying “I want so and so’s job:” yes, pick an individual. Then, read about them – how did they get where they got to, and why: training, experience, focus. Once you know that, approach them (Mega Corp via your boss or HR department; smaller size by approaching their assistant), and asking for a 30min meeting to discuss them and career opportunities within the organisation. Most good corporates will do that easily, its just having the courage to ask. From that you may well get yourself a mentor, which is what you are really looking for.

After that, network, communicate and volunteer – you still get paid, so what’s the problem; and the more you do, the more you will be asked to do and trusted.

1. Network yourself and raise your visibility: target specific people in the company who would be great to interact with and who can help you learn about the options that are there.
2. Communicate your intentions to people who can assist in your goals: I’d enlist my HR business partner (if they have them) and let them know that you are committed to the company but want to expand your knowledge beyond what you are doing now. Also -feel out your manager to see how open s/he would be in assisting you development -but keep in mind that you hold the sole responsibility for that. If you find that there are no resources in your company – perhaps you should start looking.
3. Volunteer to assist on projects outside your immediate responsibility: in today’s world, all departments are short handed – so people are open for an extra set of hand. Don’t let it interfere with your primary job but be flexible.

From a combination of mentor and approach, you should find a path which suits you – from that draw up an initial plan. In review of your second or third draft (with your mentor, with your HR partner), add in a few “transportable skills” should the division in which you work be sold or you meet with that career blocker – at least then your choices are widened over narrowed. This widening is often best achieved through academic qualifications – the MBA, certificates, the Harvard Exec program etc, which are all tax-deductible costs for the corporation.

Finally – I want to tell you that you are half way there just for asking the question. The thing that most corporate career people seem to say is the lack of opportunity, where as most corporate HR people would complain about the lack of ambition in most of their employees. If you are willing to create an opportunity and career with your existing employer, I think you will be amazed by the reaction. But key to all this is finding a mentor.

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

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This is a common situation these days, and one which is ages old – the career development to management. In present career paths, the average person will change careers four times – but this career development has been happening from the beginning of time. So, here’s a typical question on career development into management….

Mike asks: How can I format my resume to emphasize several leadership roles I’ve taken on in my past positions, even if my official title is one of an individual contributor? I’ve worked as an engineer in the information technology function for over fifteen years and I’m interested in making the change to a management role. My past position titles all are some version of software engineer or applications developer. So, many recruiters send me jobs that are of the same individual contributor type, even though I’ve recently completed an MBA degree and am looking for management positions. I have much experience leading teams and projects, but this wouldn’t be evident by just looking at my past titles. How can I emphasize this experience so the recruiters will send the types of jobs I am really interested in?

In answer:
Easy one to answer – I did the same thing myself, although I can give you a bit more insight these days.

You are a software engineer, and as you would expect, we in the recruitment industry use software to manage our dBases of candidates. So, I have a client who needs core skills A, B and C, so after skimming my head for the current candidates/those who are looking for a career change, I search my dBase for those skills and up pop the basic search candidates. I am in recruitment to make money, so if those skills are in your CV/Resume, you’ll pop up in my search of the dBase.

Now, here’s the problem for career changers. If you are in the mind and dBase of a recuiter as an X, then you are unlikely to jump to becoming a Z if in both their heads and their CV dBase you are filed as an X. Hence why they keep sending you the wrong job.

So, here’s what to do. Get a friend – women are better at this than men – and get them to read the first page of your CV/Resume. Ask them to decide whether you are a manager or a software writer – because its that first page which dictates where afterwards the average reader will file you, and the average software system also.

I’d suggest from that exercise (get at least three people to do the same thing), you need to do two things. Firstly, rewrite your resume emphasising your managerial skills over your software skills – that will be tough for you to do, so in such cases it is often worth employing a CV/Resume writing professional. Secondly, register with a select few new recruitment and head hunting companies, emphasising your outright managerial aspirations. The moment they or any of your existing recruiter contacts send you a software job, kindly point out your new desires – if they do it a second time, ask to be removed completely from their dBase system, and explain your reasons. They may ask for a third chance, but I bet if they contact you it will be about a software job!

This is something I address regularly, and what the candidate needs to do is recognise why they keep getting sent particular opportunities, and work with professionals (and dBases) which recognise their new aspirations.

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