Alisa Tazioli's Posts - RecruitingBlogs2024-03-28T23:00:36ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTaziolihttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/1526921143?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://recruitingblogs.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=u8jz12sb0lq8&xn_auth=noPRIVACY IN PUBLICtag:recruitingblogs.com,2010-08-04:502551:BlogPost:10301512010-08-04T04:00:00.000ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTazioli
Living in a vibrant urban environment is chock full of sensory input every day. Lights, sirens, televisions in airports, all add to the constant din of people in perpetual motion. It's irrepressible, and can make this girl very grateful for her little personal sanctuary at the end of the day. I'm a fairly energetic gal and have a job that keeps me on the go, so I am out and about regularly. Like many urban dwellers, I rely heavily on public transportation and, often for business meetings, use…
Living in a vibrant urban environment is chock full of sensory input every day. Lights, sirens, televisions in airports, all add to the constant din of people in perpetual motion. It's irrepressible, and can make this girl very grateful for her little personal sanctuary at the end of the day. I'm a fairly energetic gal and have a job that keeps me on the go, so I am out and about regularly. Like many urban dwellers, I rely heavily on public transportation and, often for business meetings, use air travel to get to other cities quickly. The multitude of people I encounter along the way is considerable. I swear, sometimes walking down the street I wonder what everyone else is doing. I mean, they can't all be going to meet clients, so what on earth are they up to?<br/><br/>Well my friend, you only need to sit still for two minutes to answer that last question. I have heard more intimate details than I could ever imagine on what is otherwise a fairly benign metro ride. I am beginning to think I know everything about my neighbors. And their families, employers, doctors, lovers, best friends, and worst enemies. Boyfriends dumped, jobs resigned, marketing strategies debated, health problems revealed (ewww), and goods and services procured. All involving names, addresses, phone numbers, and the occasional credit card or social security number.<br/><br/>I am not eavesdropping, or trying in the slightest to hear this stuff. I'd rather not hear it, to be honest, my little brain is busy enough thinking of the fifty things I need to do that day and need all the help I can get in keeping it all straight. But the oversharing by my neighbors is impossible to ignore because these folks are talking, or more like shouting, over their mobile phones to conduct their business. Just because you CAN do all your business on the phone does it mean that you have to do it in clear earshot of the rest of the population? In public?! An identity thief would have a field day, and for all I know there might be one sitting next to me at any given moment.<br/><br/>I hope you are scared by now, or at least thinking a bit about what you say when you are out in public. Hey, I rely on my mobile phone as much as the next person and I am all for multitasking on the go, but are these people stopping to think about what they are revealing? Not only about themselves, but about whoever is on the other end of the phone and/or subject of their conversation. Case in point, a few months back I needed to work remotely for the day due to an office move and I was having some work done in my house so I parked at a local coffee shop for a few hours to catch up on email (using the secure VPN, of course). A young woman at the next table over was joined by an HR representative from a prestigious consulting company in what quickly became apparent as a job interview. In a scant 30 minutes it was all laid out for anyone within earshot (and I was not the only one): the name of the company and its growth strategy, the position at stake, the composition and culture of the team ("we are such good friends we are like a sorority"), the compensation of the position as well as the person being interviewed. The judgment of the HR person for conducting a full blown job interview in a coffee shop aside, this could have been a field day for a competitor or identity snoop. Far from an innocuous conversation, they exchanged real actionable data. It was somewhat shocking that there was so little regard for personal privacy in this exchange. And what ever happened to decorum?<br/><br/>Every day we learn about something like a systems glitch that momentarily exposes 100,000 credit card numbers, or old medical records destined for the shred bin somehow ending up getting windblown down the street. We all gasp, shake our fingers at the offending party, and quickly change our passwords to protect ourselves. If only people were as careful about what they say and where they say it, personal privacy would be a whole lot easier to control. Think about it the next time you answer your cell phone running to and fro, or call your business partner from an airport gate to hash over that last deal negotiation detail. Revealing sensitive information like this in public can have consequences for the parties directly and indirectly involved. And it might not be so pretty.Being Graceful in Ungraceful Situationstag:recruitingblogs.com,2010-03-21:502551:BlogPost:9052912010-03-21T16:37:10.000ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTazioli
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #444444; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">Recognition for a task well done can come in many forms ranging from a simple thank you to a raise in base salary or other form of monetary compensation such as a gift certificate. Assuming, of course, that the employer or boss has the intelligence and manners to make the acknowledgement, there is a certain maturity to accepting the acknowledgement. You don't want to act so crass as to give the…</span></p>
<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #444444; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">Recognition for a task well done can come in many forms ranging from a simple thank you to a raise in base salary or other form of monetary compensation such as a gift certificate. Assuming, of course, that the employer or boss has the intelligence and manners to make the acknowledgement, there is a certain maturity to accepting the acknowledgement. You don't want to act so crass as to give the impression that of course you deserved this for your work, or worse yet curl up your nose if the gift is not suited to your personal taste or, heaven forbid, tacky and cheap. There is a certain maturity to accepting these acknowledgments with class. And sometimes, no matter how graceful you might be, something embarrassing happens to compromise the whole situation. The result, and how it reflects on the recipient and the giver, is not dependant on what transpires but in how you recover.</span></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #444444; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">Face it. In the work world there is so much human interaction that awkward moments are bound to ensue. We are all human after all, not robots, so the occasional mishap is inevitable. Nerves get the better of people in the best of situations. Raise your hand if you have ever stumbled over your words in an interview, blanked on a word or point when giving a presentation, spilled coffee on yourself on a way to meeting, or flat out tripped over your own two feet walking down the hall for no reason at all. See what I mean? There is a bit more at stake when these things happen at reward time.</span></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #444444; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">So when can this happen and what to do? A few illustrations:<br/>The 'thank you' lunch - There is so much opportunity for things to go wrong in this setting between employer and employee that it can be it's own longer topic. My personal experience with this once involved a multiple comedy of errors. I was working on an arbitration with one of the senior partners in the firm, and at the conclusion of the case he wanted to take me to a prestigious private social club for a celebratory thank you lunch. I dressed particularly nice that day in a fitted long jacket, silk scarf, black skirt with a tasteful kick-pleat, and the perfect pointy-toe black high heels. It was a rainy day, and as I arrived at the walkway entering the club my sassy heel caught in the brick walkway and I went face down on the pavement. My purse contents went flying, I scraped my hands bracing the fall, and my skirt split up the back along the seam of the kick-pleat to a less than professional degree. The partner was inside waiting for me!</span></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #444444; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">Recovery was needed, and fast! A kind stranger helped me to my feet, picked up my bag, inquired if I was hurt (no, just embarrassed), and escorted me inside. (Tip #1 - be kind and helpful if you see something like this happen.) Upon entering the club I had no choice but to tell my host what had just happened, at least to explain the scrape. He politely offered me his overcoat to drape over my shoulders to hide the torn skirt, gave me a minute to freshen up in the ladies room, and asked the hostess to seat us near the fireplace convenient to warming up and minimal walking across the room. (Tips #2 and 3 - put the other person at ease by acknowledging the situation and offering a way to minimize the visibility to others.) I am sure the story he told over lunch about inadvertently hitting a judge with a wayward tennis ball was fictitious and intended to humor me, which it did. (Tip #4). Thankfully I knew better than to order the spinach salad. (Tip #5).</span></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #444444; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">The gift - These should be chosen carefully. Unless you know the recipient very well, it is best to stick to something that is broadly acceptable without risking offense. Useful, appropriate, versatile, no expiration date, like an American Express cash certificate fits pretty nicely into this category. Companies often use this for project oriented or spot rewards and are a nice gesture. As a giver however one should resist the temptation to make this a huge production or put people on the spot. A friend of mine received one of these at her workplace for exceptional performance on a sensitive project. The division VP was thrilled with the outcome, and her boss went out of his way with a department e-mail praising her work and the big result she obtained for the company. Very nice. However, when it came time to present her with the reward check, he did it in the hallway with all sorts of people passing by, loudly proclaimed the amount, asked her where she was going to spend it, and gloated about the amount of the check. She was horrified, and appropriately so. It put her on the spot, publicly no less. Worse yet, the amount was quite modest and while she did not want to offend her boss, she also was challenged trying not to hide her surprise when the check was handed to her in front of her peers. My friend was at once honored, flustered, embarrassed, pleased, and caught off guard. What started as a thoughtful and well-earned acknowledgement turned into an awkward moment. It really is not the gift that counts, but avoiding the pitfalls will make the gift count beyond its face monetary value.</span></p>
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<p style="BACKGROUND: white"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: #444444; FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">To get everyone past the odd interlude and get back on track, a graceful gesture will allow those involved to breathe a sigh of relief and truly enjoy the moment. The best way to disarm others is to put them at ease. Using the tools of humor, manners, and gentleness can go a long way to diffuse many ungraceful moments that occur in the workplace.</span></p>
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<p></p>TRAIL BLAZERStag:recruitingblogs.com,2010-03-16:502551:BlogPost:9026582010-03-16T02:02:02.000ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTazioli
Blazing trails is a solitary task. Wikipedia defines a trailblazer as "a person who marks a trail through wilderness area.” They look beyond their own often less than ideal circumstances to break through. There is no one ahead to light the way and those behind might be afraid or doubtful in the wisdom of moving in the same direction. Forging a new path takes tools, creative thinking, vision, grit, timing, a little luck, and a lot of chutzpah.<br></br><br></br>Anyone who has the intestinal fortitude to…
Blazing trails is a solitary task. Wikipedia defines a trailblazer as "a person who marks a trail through wilderness area.” They look beyond their own often less than ideal circumstances to break through. There is no one ahead to light the way and those behind might be afraid or doubtful in the wisdom of moving in the same direction. Forging a new path takes tools, creative thinking, vision, grit, timing, a little luck, and a lot of chutzpah.<br/><br/>Anyone who has the intestinal fortitude to challenge society's status quo gets my attention. Standing up to governments or sitting down to protest societal norms takes a lot of guts. I admire the rabble rousers. The sprit and strength it takes to move mountains is like a whole other world to me. Where does that steely determination come from? It seems as varied as the DNA of the trail blazers themselves. It is one thing to confront your own fears, but quite another to stand alone in confrontation with institutions, laws, and the powers that be blocking your course. I have a hard enough time pushing past my own apprehensions when dealing with an uncomfortable situation, however I can usually bear down and get the job done. But the big frontier of the complete unknown, how do you make that leap? Maybe it’s reserved for the chosen few who change our world, but I want the motivation formula. What is in it, where does it come from, how can I get it? Where is my genie that is going to capture that magic?! <br/><br/>This has all been on my mind in part due to Women's History Month. Much of the publicity surrounding the event naturally focuses on famous women who have marched through the wilderness. In their quest for progress, they each made a difference in some realm and found a new way forward. Controversy swirls around some of these women and in fact may endure as part of their legacy. Setting new boundaries can involve encroaching on someone else's turf which is bound to rattle someone's cage. It comes with marking new territory.<br/><br/>What makes the women trail blazers so special? Face it, in the history of humanity there has never been gender parity. For women to mark extraordinary achievement, they have more hurdles to overcome than their male counterparts. Add race to the equation (at least in the America) and the challenges become even more significant. These women have starred down daunting challenges: women had to be recognized by people as the law before pushing for the right to vote…and then find their way to the halls of Congress; they had to be admitted to and graduate from college to gain entry into law school…before being considered for a Judicial appointment; they had to find gainful employment as riveters, garment workers, miners, scientists, journalists, and (even) as maids before they could penetrate the obstacles that holds us back. <br/><br/>A myriad of motivational factors pushes these women on. But page through any list of these women's stories and you will find a common theme. Someone told them it couldn't or shouldn’t be done. Lesser people walk away, but the trailblazer doesn’t see that as an option. <br/><br/>I marvel at the stories of women who all hail from vastly different backgrounds and circumstances spanning centuries and geographic boundaries to all carry on in their own right. They have challenged, fought, and fought for governments and institutions not of their own choosing but of their vision. All they had before them was possibility, but they nevertheless summoned the courage and resilience to bring about change. You may not agree with their philosophy, or even view what they did as an accomplishment. But there is no disputing that trail blazers create a path so that others may follow and reach beyond to create even more ways forward. <br/><br/>The absolute beauty in what trail blazers leave behind is this: inspiration. Ladies, I, for one, thank you.<br/><br/>P.S. Just in case you are wondering who is on my list (and while by no means exhaustive), a few of my favorites are Hon. Sandra Day O'Connor, Hon. Joyce Kennard, Sarah Weddington, Hon. Betty Roberts, Florence Nightingale, Margaret Sanger, Harriet Tubman, Grace Hopper, Gloria Steinem, Madeleine Albright, Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Helen Keller, Shirley Chisholm, Rosie Bonavita (aka Rosie the Riveter), Women's Airforce Service Pilots, Angela Bambace, Sally Ride, Anne Frank, Sojourner Truth, and the grandmothers, mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, and women everywhere who are strong, courageous and spur us on to greatness.<br/><br/>__________________________________________________________________<br/><br/><em>The postings on this site reflect my own views and don't neccessarily represent the positions, strategies, or opinions of Major, Lindsey & Africa.</em> <br/>Making Interviews Great ~ 5 Tipstag:recruitingblogs.com,2010-02-11:502551:BlogPost:8746542010-02-11T20:06:36.000ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTazioli
The competition for jobs is fierce right now. Companies and law firms everywhere have been downsizing resulting in good people looking to find a new job. Reports abound of companies being overwhelmed with hundreds of resumes instantly after positing one available position. Making it through the resume screening process is the first daunting step, followed by the all anxiety-producing interview.<br></br><br></br>Whether or not the interview is the most appropriate way to assess a candidate’s ability to…
The competition for jobs is fierce right now. Companies and law firms everywhere have been downsizing resulting in good people looking to find a new job. Reports abound of companies being overwhelmed with hundreds of resumes instantly after positing one available position. Making it through the resume screening process is the first daunting step, followed by the all anxiety-producing interview.<br/><br/>Whether or not the interview is the most appropriate way to assess a candidate’s ability to perform the job is a separate topic. The fact remains that employers are going to rely on the interview as a principal component in the hiring process. No matter which side of the table you sit on, there are things you can do to maximize interview effectiveness.<br/><br/>I can see the nods of agreement from my recruiter and HR pals when I suggest that not all hiring managers and interview loop participants are adept interviewers, no matter how much training they get. Particular to the legal profession, lawyers can be brilliant interrogators but terrible in the job interview as employer or candidate. Why? The approach of only asking a question to which you already know the answer or, (worse yet), employing a style of “fact finding” through a contentious questioning style, is not conducive to eliciting useful information about a candidate for employment. Productive information should be exchanged so that each party can evaluate and act based on what is learned during the interview. Both employer and candidate participate and therefore each controls the method and quality of the interview. The following are tips for getting it right and making it great.<br/><br/><strong>• Prepare</strong>: A great interview starts with thorough preparation. Reading the resume is 101, but I am stunned at how many people skip this step. Great interviewers will prepare a few questions ahead of time based on the resume and any other preparatory documents. As a search consultant, I often prepare detailed candidate write-ups for my clients to supplement the resume which specify experience and background data as well as a skills assessment. Cover letter, deal sheet, whatever documents the candidate or recruiter supplied ahead of time are all fertile ground for information that can be covered in an interview. Candidate preparation should include company research. Candidate prep 101 is reading and understanding the job description (again, an oft overlooked step.) Smart candidates will read the company’s annual report and public disclosure filings, pour through the company’s website to see how they describe themselves, and conduct an internet search for recent news articles. A candidate who knows about a significant recent company event can engage the interviewer intelligently about their business, and set themselves apart as someone who is both interested and invested in the discussion. <br/><br/><strong>• Organize</strong>: A great interview flows almost effortlessly. Start with congenial greeting to establish rapport, briefly describe what you want to talk about (“I am a manager in R&D and would like to learn about your experience in the invention disclosure process”), and follow a logical topic sequence before moving into another area. It allows the candidate to follow the interviewer’s train of thought, and the candidate employing active listening techniques will quickly engage in the discussion. Candidates with an organized thoughtful answer which stays on topic, and who resist the temptation to bring in tangential topics, will keep this flow moving easily. It’s a little like ballroom dancing – both leader and follower have to do their part to stay in step.<br/><br/><strong>• Listen</strong>: Employer interviewers should follow the basis 80/20 rule - listening 80% of the time and talking 20% of the time. A great interviewer will use information from the candidate’s answer to develop further questions. Too often interviewers log the answer and move onto the next question, as if running through a list. Candidates who demonstrate active listening skills similarly show the interviewer they are engaged and attentive – qualities every employer looks for in an employee! Candidates who deliver rehearsed answers immediately demonstrate that they were not paying attention. Why would anyone do this? I have interviewed candidates who gave me the answer they thought I wanted to hear, instead of just answering the question I asked. Save the academy award speech for another audience, in the interview setting it will only earn you a ‘no hire’ vote. Great interviewers are not looking for snappy canned answers, they want their question answered. Great candidates respond thoughtfully to the topic at hand.<br/><br/><strong>• Clarify</strong>: This is part of active listening. Because not everyone asks concise questions, you may have to help them along by clarifying before giving an answer. Check that question and answer when discussing vague concepts or terms of art in any profession to make sure you are both on the same page. Great interviewers will use probing questions with candidates to get specific detailed answers. Questions like ‘what was the result, how did you decide on that course of action, looking back would you do anything differently, what did you learn from the experience’ will yield a complete picture of the candidate’s thoughts, action, and competencies. Candidates will similarly learn far more about a company’s culture and workplace environment by asking follow-up questions around business plans that impact the job they are seeking, as one example. Use what you hear from the other party and probe for more at the appropriate time during the interview.<br/><br/><strong>• Respect</strong>: Actions speak louder than words. Show respect for the other party at every step of the interview. Turn off your cell phone and put the land line on do not disturb, stay on schedule, pay attention, say please and thank you and never ever treat anyone as if their time or place in the process is beneath you. That may sound like advice from mom, but the right actions can quickly set you apart from others who are just dialing it in. Engaging in the interview is the most important thing you are doing at that moment. If you are a candidate it is critical to your career. If you are an employer it is critical to the success of your company or firm. You may interview 2 or 20 people for one job, but all of them will remember how they were treated and if treated well is your best unpaid advertising. Candidates who treat employers respectfully increase their odds of being called back when an even better opportunity comes along, or in an encounter within their professional circle. Respect in the interview process is professional dividend.<br/><br/>Employers and candidates are behooved to know thy basics from the get-go. Employers – know the competencies and traits which spell success in your environment. Candidates – be equipped to speak specifically about your work product and provide examples of your work. The best interviews leave the candidate feeling enthused about the employer and knowing they were able to convey their unique skills and knowledge. The employer will have a detailed picture of what the candidate brings to their organization and a clear understanding of if/how that person can contribute to the organization. The ultimate result increases the likelihood of matching the right person with the right employer.MUST BE PRESENT TO WINtag:recruitingblogs.com,2010-01-29:502551:BlogPost:8655672010-01-29T03:12:01.000ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTazioli
Popularized by "mad men" marketing wonks in days gone by, "must be present to win" is the tag line you've heard a thousand times in contest rules. Face it, no one is going to hand you the keys to the pretty sports car in the window based on you scribbling your name on the equivalent of a cocktail napkin - you have to be there when the drawing is conducted with legitimate identification at the ready. With the evolution of online media, being "present" has taken on new meaning. With the a few…
Popularized by "mad men" marketing wonks in days gone by, "must be present to win" is the tag line you've heard a thousand times in contest rules. Face it, no one is going to hand you the keys to the pretty sports car in the window based on you scribbling your name on the equivalent of a cocktail napkin - you have to be there when the drawing is conducted with legitimate identification at the ready. With the evolution of online media, being "present" has taken on new meaning. With the a few screen flicks and a little typing anyone can be present on the glorious worldwide web. Cool! Uh, really though? I mean, you can have the prettiest web page or most well-written article but if no one sees it you are the equivalent of one hand clapping. And who wants to be that?! Not so helpful for your career....yes Virginia, you need to be present to be noticed!<br />
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Bill Gates Sr. writes about this in his current book "Showing Up for Life: Thoughts on the Gifts of a Lifetime." A quick read written by a gracious and intelligent man, the concept is beautiful in it's simplicity. Early in my recruiting career when internet technology was in it's nascent stage the tools I had as a recruiter to attract a diverse pool of talent were fewer than today. But I often thought it odd to be asked how my employer could attract, for example, more securities lawyers, when those we had in that role did not network among their colleagues who worked elsewhere. It seemed so basic to me. Looking across the desk my question back would always be "who do you talk to, and where do you go where you meet others like you?" The answer stems from the same basic premise: you must be present. Whether it is your career or your kids or your personal life, if you don't show up then you do not have any kind of presence and will lose out to whoever is there and whatever is going on in your absence. Call it what you will, the result is the equivalent of one hand clapping, everyone else moving forward while you stand still, acceptance in silence. Ouch.<br />
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Being present can take several forms. My list starts here:<br />
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Listen. Completely, thoroughly, attentively, listen. Multi-tasking while you are on the phone? I bet you are not getting, or giving, that conversation the full attention it deserves. While you tell yourself you are being efficient with your time, you may be easily missing out on important content of the call. Worse yet, whatever else you are doing at the same time isn't getting your full attention either! No need to wonder why laws are cropping up legislating that people just hang up and drive. Focus your attention on hearing every word and observing every expression in a conversation, and engage in it, fully.<br />
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Be in diverse communities. Does your organization have people who actively participate in activities where women and people of color are present? Good, because that is far more effective than the tag line on the bottom of your career page that says you welcome people from diverse backgrounds. Mean and do what you tell others is important to you and your company.<br />
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Interact in person. Oh I love the internet and email, you can reach so many people and quickly. Remember the days before email and VOIP when we were only on the phone during "normal" business hours and live conversation dominated? Trust me, I am happily an email power user these days, but in my line of business particularly there is still no substitute for the in-person interaction. Corporate cultures are not created telecommuting, and you will miss the total experience if you are not there to interact with others.<br />
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Observe and process. Act on the information and knowledge at your disposal. I don't mean to beat up on mobile phone technology, but did you see the online article about the teenager who fell into an open sewer because she was texting while walking down the street? Unpleasant to be sure and dangerous, to say nothing of the liability. Use your senses to observe what is going on in the world around you. Whether it is sidewalk construction in your path or world events, there is so much information available to us that we have no excuse for not paying attention. Scrutinize and absorb what you see and hear. Think about it critically, and act on it. So many people do not do this that you will be ahead of the game by this simple step alone.<br />
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Network. Interested in art? Go to art galleries or a guided gallery tour and I bet you will meet like-minded people. Curious about another industry or market segment? Your local business journal probably sponsors free breakfast-hour talks given by local business leaders. Updating your CLE credits at a seminar? Strike up a conversation with the human sitting next to you or make it a point to exchange business cards with one other person in attendance. Voila, you just expanded your professional network. Easy.<br />
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Be attentive to yourself. How you present yourself sends a message just as important as the words you use. Use spell check when you write. You don't have to spend a lot of money on clothes or grooming products, but be mindful of what your image says about you. Ask someone if you need help finding things that fit or look good. Think of it as part of being all you can be.<br />
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I will leave you with an example. I will never forget a candidate I interviewed once who I was recruiting for a lobbyist position. Being a Washington D.C. insider does not happen overnight, and requires a great deal of finesse and skill to penetrate and become a member of networks not easily joined by outsiders. It can be a bit of what comes first the chicken or the egg kind of proposition. I wanted to know how he did it, so I asked him what methods he used to subtly gather information and meet people. I won't give away all his secrets, but the one that perked my ears was his choice of cash machine. He made it a point to always use the one near the Senate building so he could increase his odds of bumping into a key staffer or member of Congress. The point was to go where he could increase his odds of being seen by people he wanted to see. He isn't a household name, but he is very successful. I can tell you that some years later when we had dinner together in D.C., our dining booth had more traffic than Grand Central Station. It seemed like EVERYBODY knew this guy. Impressive.<br />
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Like everything else in life, it is about striking a balance. Stop for minute and consider how much more you can get out of your career and your life by being present in every sense. Now close your email and get back to work!STATE OF THE RESUMEtag:recruitingblogs.com,2010-01-22:502551:BlogPost:8586732010-01-22T02:30:00.000ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTazioli
STATE OF THE RESUME<br />
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Among the most common topics candidates seek my advice is about resume preparation. Most often I am asked for feedback regarding content or construction yet some questions are quite specific such as whether it is appropriate to use bulleted text or how much employment history to include. In the legal profession it is not uncommon for law firm partners to have a summary bio prepared by the firm’s professional marketing staff. I have talked to very accomplished lawyers who…
STATE OF THE RESUME<br />
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Among the most common topics candidates seek my advice is about resume preparation. Most often I am asked for feedback regarding content or construction yet some questions are quite specific such as whether it is appropriate to use bulleted text or how much employment history to include. In the legal profession it is not uncommon for law firm partners to have a summary bio prepared by the firm’s professional marketing staff. I have talked to very accomplished lawyers who have never prepared a resume for themselves and genuinely need some guidance when they decide to proactively seek a new opportunity. Aside from the few who probably want me to write their resume for them (which I won’t do, for good reason), at the crux of this is confusion about the purpose one’s resume is intended to serve.<br />
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Wait a minute, what is confusing about the purpose of a resume? It should seem intuitive by simple definition of the end goal. In plain speaking it is the starting document that will get a candidate from point A to point B on the career ladder. A lot rides on that little document as it is THE entry point to the proverbial foot in the door. If the right things are not on that resume, a candidate won’t get noticed. Factor in anything which increases the competitiveness of the candidate pool or the desirability of the job and you can see how the need to make one’s resume stand above the herd becomes more urgent. Candidates need to distinguish themselves in a crowded pool. The resume has become the flag all candidates carry which screams ‘CHOOSE ME!’ It is no small wonder that the mere mention of the word whips people into a frenzy.<br />
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During the go-go days of the late’90’s, candidates would do all sorts of wild things to get their resume noticed. I still have the shoebox a candidate sent to me complete with a pair of shoes and a note suggesting he was trying to get his ‘foot in the door’ for an interview. (Yes it was from a lawyer, no the shoes were not my size, and no he did not get an interview.) One of my colleagues at a very large technology company received a resume wrapped in plastic and taped to the top of a fresh hot pizza conveniently delivered to her at lunch time. All sorts of quirky information began appearing on resumes, usually in an ‘interests’ tag line which I can only assume is intended to make the candidate seem more human. Do we need to know that you can simultaneously speak Japanese while eating chicken livers? What on earth does that have to do with practicing law? Nothing! Spare me. Sure I remember the resume, but it did nothing positive for that person’s candidacy.<br />
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Thankfully these examples have not become widely adopted tactics, but other disturbing trends have emerged. “Dumbing down” a resume by removing experience or omitting dates of employment has become more prevalent among senior level candidates wanting to compete for a job advertised as seeking less experienced candidates. Title inflation, which is using a more desirable job title on the resume different from the candidate’s current official job title, has crept into the mix. There has even been recent press about ‘<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/weekinreview/06Luo.html?_r=1" target="_blank">whitening</a>’ one’s resume. Sure, a few candidates cross the line from enhancing a title to outright false information. But how did the state of the resume deteriorate to this?<br />
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Market pressure on candidates alone is not the answer. Recruiters and hiring managers also shoulder some of the responsibility. At a macro level candidates are responding to signals sent into the applicant stream by virtue of how recruiters and hiring managers respond. In an attempt to be all things to the right employers, candidates are responding to the business of filtering engaged in by many in the recruiting profession. In the sake of expediency and to tackle the volume of incoming inquiries the recruiting staff spends a big chunk of time screening incoming resumes in the hopes that the perfect person appears. They are filtering, not recruiting. Key word identification was the first big introduction of technology in the recruiting process. Instead of plowing through piles of paper a recruiter could do a key word search for something on the resume, like intellectual property, and instantly locate the candidates with that word in their resume. It didn’t take long for candidates to get the message and start adding key words even if it was a fraction of their overall expertise. Boom, the vicious cycle was born.<br />
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Don’t get me wrong, key word search capability is a helpful tool. Unfortunately it contributes to a process that is designed like a sieve. It excludes people without the right word but makes no distinction as to relative strength of other characteristics that may be relevant. Yet recruiters are usually the first to say that their best candidates do not come from whoever happens to land in their inbox, particularly where a niche skill set is required. The recruiter who affirmatively reaches out to those with the necessary skills and expertise is more apt to zero in on the right candidate. A focused approach adopts a process that is designed more like a target, where the center circle encompasses all appropriate requirements. Less filtering and more recruiting is in order.<br />
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Even though it is a bit of a catch-22, the filtering cycle can be broken if both candidates and hiring decision makers contribute to the solution. Candidates need to cut the fluff and focus on the substance of what they have to offer. Tell us who you are, what you do, where you learned it, and who you have done it for and when. Don’t write what you think a recruiter wants to hear, just tell it like it is. Recruiters need to get off the filtering treadmill and build pipelines of qualified prospects. You can add value to the hiring managers and increase the quality of the overall outcome by knowing their business wherever possible and using technology to track who you want rather than just who randomly finds you. Hiring managers can help by educating their recruiting partners about their business, focusing on candidate skills and competencies in evaluating prospective hires, and being realistic about the timeline it takes to find the right person. Employers that don’t have the resources internally to do this can and should engage an external resource appropriate to the relevant area of expertise.<br />
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Before internet technology was widely adopted in the recruiting process, like many recruiters I literally clawed through stacks of cover letters and resumes on a daily basis until it felt like my eyeballs were on fire. I cannot begin to fathom how many resumes I have looked at during my 18+ years of recruiting and let me tell you I have seen the gamut. Behind every resume is a person whose talents and value will accelerate in the right environment. We’ll all be better off if the obstacles are cleared and the state of the resume can shine.Should I Stay Or Should I Go?tag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-12-16:502551:BlogPost:8219432009-12-16T20:23:17.000ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTazioli
All stoked up about that job offer? The details in hand, now is decision time. Go down the list – job scope and title, your new colleagues, company stability and prestige, corner office, compensation and benefits, check that list and yep everything is in place so time to accept that offer. Now the hard part, telling your current boss who you know will be crest fallen because after all they love you in your current job but just aren’t paying you enough money. If only they had told you how…
All stoked up about that job offer? The details in hand, now is decision time. Go down the list – job scope and title, your new colleagues, company stability and prestige, corner office, compensation and benefits, check that list and yep everything is in place so time to accept that offer. Now the hard part, telling your current boss who you know will be crest fallen because after all they love you in your current job but just aren’t paying you enough money. If only they had told you how valuable you are then maybe you would not have looked elsewhere for another opportunity. But this might work out once you tell them you are leaving; maybe they will find the money and ask you to stay. Renewed confidence, you break the news to your boss that another company wants you and……what’s this, they make you a counteroffer to keep you? More money, better title, and you get to stay put, how could this be anything but a bonanza? Score!<br />
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Hang on my friend, accepting a counter offer from your current employer is often a bad bargain. There is more to it than your immediate perspective, and there are consequences that may not be immediately apparent in this situation. Here’s what you are gambling:<br />
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o Credibility: If you take a counter offer you are damaging your credibility with both companies. You just went through the hiring process with a company that brought you to the point of offer. They invested time, resources, and a hiring manager at least has stepped up internally within that company to be your advocate to bring you to the point of offer. By accepting a counteroffer from your current employer, you are essentially saying that you were using them as leverage to get a better deal out of your boss. That employer will be frustrated that you used them solely as leverage and feel tricked by your apparent previous interest in their company. The double whammy is that you have now also planted the seeds of doubt with your current employer by revealing that you are looking elsewhere for career opportunities. They will doubt your loyalty and, even if you accept their counteroffer, will doubt your longevity. In fact, a lot of employers will start looking for your replacement immediately even if you stay, assuming that you won’t stick around much longer. You may as well light a match to your believability with either of these companies because you just burned two bridges simultaneously. If you did this all through a search firm, then you hit the trifecta because you just damaged your credibility with the recruiter. Good luck working with any of these people again.<br />
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o Money does not buy happiness: We are not talking the lottery jackpot here. Maybe your current compensation is contributing to your lack of job satisfaction, but compensation alone is not going to solve your motivational problem. Job hunting is not a sport, so be honest with yourself about why you were looking in the first instance. There are all kinds of perfectly legitimate reasons why you are pursuing a job change. Be honest with yourself about what those are, and what will ignite and excite you in your next role. The money in a counteroffer is never enough to offset your pursuit of different/better/more elsewhere. There are trade offs in every move and you should evaluate them carefully, but be circumspect about replacing money for other values.<br />
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o It is never what you think: Chances are that counteroffer comes with strings attached. It’s not as if the company just found money in the bank they forgot to pay you. It could mean greater scope of responsibility, more travel or investment of time on your part, or higher level of performance expectations, all of which may come at a personal sacrifice on your part. Even if it is more money for the exact same job you have been performing then you best check the fine print for claw-back provisions or stricter non-compete provisions. No counteroffer is free.<br />
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o Ego: Are you trying to get your employer to say you are indispensible by manipulating them to come up with a counteroffer? In this economy? What are you thinking? The best way to get your employer to demonstrate their appreciation for your contribution is through excellence in performance. Period. If you think you are not getting the credit you deserve, have THAT conversation with your manager, and think carefully about how you market yourself and the accomplishments of your team internally.<br />
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o Apples to oranges: When comparing an offer and a counteroffer, there can be several components which factor into the equation of how the comp packages end up looking different. Lawyers for example are compensated very differently in a corporate environment than they are in a law firm. Public companies structure their pay differently than privately held companies or non-profit entities. Along with those differences are also subtle differences in the style of the role. Add that up and of course the compensation looks different. By the same analysis, the exact same job in a substantially similar sized company is not going to have a huge disparity in compensation. You should not expect to substantially improve your compensation by taking the exact same job you have now by moving to a competitor.<br />
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Other articles describing counteroffer effectiveness mention studies which suggest that the majority of people who accept a counteroffer leave for another job within a year. I wonder how many of those people burned bridges along the way and found that what they bargained for was a bust and not the bonanza they expected?<br />
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<i>You are invited to check out other topics at <a href="http://www.talentlounge.blogspot.com">www.talentlounge.blogspot.com</a>.</i><br />
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The postings on this site reflect my own views and don't neccessarily represent the positions, strategies, or opinions of Major, Lindsey & Africa.2010 ROAD AHEADtag:recruitingblogs.com,2009-12-10:502551:BlogPost:8176222009-12-10T18:30:00.000ZAlisa Taziolihttps://recruitingblogs.com/profile/AlisaTazioli
The fuel door on my car is busted. We had a little mishap at the gas station the other day and the fuel door latch was thankfully the only minor casualty. It won’t take much to replace it however the interruption to the crush of work and holiday schedule is annoying. It sounds odd perhaps but I think it was my car’s way of telling me to slow down the usual driving pace before moving forward. Compatible to the inevitable year-end reflection and resolution-making, the following is my glimpse in…
The fuel door on my car is busted. We had a little mishap at the gas station the other day and the fuel door latch was thankfully the only minor casualty. It won’t take much to replace it however the interruption to the crush of work and holiday schedule is annoying. It sounds odd perhaps but I think it was my car’s way of telling me to slow down the usual driving pace before moving forward. Compatible to the inevitable year-end reflection and resolution-making, the following is my glimpse in the rear view mirror and course corrections for the road ahead:<br />
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o <b>Encouragement.</b> This has been the all-purpose road sign of the year! Vague ideas, frustrations, cocktail conversation, and constructive feedback all incited action in 2009. Starting <a href="http://www.talentlounge.blogspot.com" target="_blank">the blog</a>, my recent published article (“Be the CEO of You”), and a significant de-cluttering of the clothes closet were a few new things that made it into the line-up. Support and encouragement from others indicate that people are listening, observing, and willing to engage. We all need propping up when the going gets rough, but encouraging someone when they have momentum or enthusiasm is just as important. It can come from anywhere and you have to be open to receive it. Many consider encouragement the personal green light giving you permission to go-go-go. I view mine as a yield sign, allowing me to assess the surroundings appropriately before moving ahead.<br />
o <b>Patience and Persistence.</b> This combination is my fuel. I need more and will use more to go farther. One without the other is like sand in the gas tank! I have learned to be more persistent about achieving my goals, and to be patient so that results will come with the right level of persistence. Onward.<br />
o <b>“Social” is my word of the year.</b> Yeah yeah, “social networking” is the latest buzz phrase. “Tweet” is not a verb in my vernacular, although I make good use of online networking tools. It provides an avenue to stay connected with clients, customers, colleagues, friends old and new, family members (who are among my very best friends), and assorted professional contacts developed over the years, all who have and are becoming more than just a roadside attraction. Online activities prompted more in-person interaction which is both professionally and personally rewarding. My chosen career requires constant interpersonal interaction which is one reason I like it so much! Lawyers, business executives, recruiting and HR professionals, it’s a fascinating mix! Best scenery for this driver is one that changes all the time. Social is always part of my course.<br />
o <b>Community.</b> Regardless of your political views, election and inauguration days were momentous occasions in our nation’s history. Voting speaks. So does other political activism like writing to your elected officials or engaging in political forums and political action committees. The future is too important to abdicate by inaction. Contributing to community helps people help themselves, which has never been more important in a time when others are struggling. Time, money, goods, or services – write a check, cook dinner at a shelter for families in transition, help out once a month at a legal aid clinic…. it isn’t rocket science. You are likely reading this because you have access to the internet, which puts you among a privileged group of people. Good, that means you have something to spare. Contributing improves life for others. We all live in each other’s ripple. Speak up! Get with it! Get on the bus Gus and take the damn wheel!<br />
o <b>Wildlife encounters.</b> From bears in the backyard to seals on the city beach, animals are sure to cross our path. Animal interaction reminds us we all share the planet. Be mindful that we share a precious resource and we will all have somewhere to go for many years ahead.<br />
o <b>Humor.</b> My motor won’t engage without this essential. Drama is meant for the theater. As my cousin Kai was fond of saying, “get over it.” Sometimes you have to stop and see the levity. Be willing to snicker at your own foibles. A little good-natured giggle on occasion keeps your blood pressure down and the fun factor high.<br />
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The 2009 road was riddled with the potholes of a lousy economy, and careers and retirement plans for many detoured by recession. The signposts of fabulous family, friends, and colleagues, and all kept my roadblocks manageable. For that fact alone, I could not be more grateful. My packing list for the next journey includes those lessons learned, a bright-eyed wonder of what lies ahead, and the confidence to maneuver around the roadblocks. As soon as that fuel door is fixed, it’s a quick trip through the car wash and back on the road to 2010. I’m just hoping for fewer mishaps!