It’s career day at your (or your child’s) high school or college. Who is likely to be giving the talks? I’ll bet it’ll be professions like medicine, law and business management.
How often do those career days include someone from sales? I’d venture to say almost never. But truthfully, most of us spend a lot of our time selling, regardless of our title. Even in today’s tight job market; there are always open positions for sales people. Sales is an honorable profession and one where people with integrity and intelligence are truly needed.
Whether we’re looking for a job, trying to convince someone of our point of view or persuading a family member to do what we want; it’s all about sales. Sales is “the art of persuading.” I’m not talking about the sales ambush; where we are being forced to think about buying something we don’t want and getting pressured.
The most effective sales people understand their customer and match their product or service with the needs of that customer. In addition, they are often the best listeners, make an excellent living and have a lot of autonomy over their work day.
I mentor and coach small businesses as part of my volunteer commitment to SCORE ( an entity of the Federal government’s Small Business Administration). When I talk to entrepreneurs, I ask them if they think they are sales people. Inevitably they say no, but the truth is that every entrepreneur needs to be a great sales person. They need to sell customers, investors, business partners and on and on.
Here are some sales tips that are also terrific ideas for everyday living. Here are my personal favorites:
Want to improve the quality of your communication? Ask a better question!
Guess what, it NOT about you. It’s about them!
Stephen Covey once said “Most people do not listen with the ‘intent’ to understand. Most people listen with an intent to reply.”
What are your favorite sales tips? I need all the help I can get.
In case you don’t have a chance to watch it, the person tells the story of a pink pantsuited, bracelet-jangling big haired blond who comes into a networking room where the marketing executive looks down on her… only to find out that she is personal friends with the one contact he cares about. Hmmm…
In some measure though, we’re all guilty of judging others. Some of that is human nature and we need to fight that every day of our lives. In our career, we need to make sure we have an open mind about how we can help others and how others can help us.
I have heard it over and over again from unemployed people when I suggest they talk to their neighbors. I hear, “they don’t know anyone” or “I’m embarrassed for them to know I’m still out of work” and other lame excuses. Get over it.
Maybe you can help your neighbor. Did you ever consider that? If you tackle networking like it’s a job, where the best scenario is a win/win and the worst scenario is that VERY LITTLE effort is put forth AND the results are lousy. No one said finding a new job is easy whether you currently have a job or not.
If you’re a bit stuck in your search; find someone else to help. If you’re currently employed; find someone else to help. Choose wisely but help them; with a contact, a few hours of volunteer time, an idea or the best gift ever, listening.
“Will not consider/review anyone’s resume who is NOT currently employed — regardless of the reason.”
The company who posted the ad believes that it’s better for them to get a new employee from the ranks of those who are currently working and happy. Hmmm…
Now we can debate the pros and cons of that logic but in a world where there are multiple candidates for any job, employers need to find some way to separate qualified from unqualified candidates. Apparently, under the law, using current employment status as a filter for screening candidates is not illegal unless it has a ‘disparate impact’ on minority groups.”
Whining about how this isn’t fair won’t get us anywhere. We need to ignore these companies and find a job. For the employed who are looking for a new opportunity I suggest that you stay away from any company that uses a person’s ‘current employment status’ as a criteria for employment. When they have cuts, what will the criteria be? People whose parents need care? People whose children have a chronic illness?
If it looks like discrimination and sounds like discrimination… it probably is.
For those of you who are unemployed, my suggestion is– DO NOT spend 2 seconds thinking about these short-sighted employers. If you are consistently building your skills (in this you have the advantage over your employed brethren) and have a positive attitude; it will all work out. Don’t let the turkeys get you down.
“If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make that change…” Man in the Mirror, M. Jackson
When we’re employed, we get up, drive to our jobs, interact with our colleagues and go home. We enjoy our work (or not) and put in long hours. We meet our commitments and take pride in providing for our families. We know we “should” network, join that professional society or help on that committee but somehow, we just can’t find the time.
Then “BLAM” –we find ourselves out of work. We ride the emotional wave and try to find a new groove.If you find yourself out of work, pay attention! You have been given the gift of time. You have every day, all day to do the things you didn’t have time for professionally when you had to go to work everyday.
Take Action: Find what you love and then chip away at the obstacles that are stopping you from being successful.
Make a list of the things you are doing to grow your skills. Are you satisfied?
Write down 3 things that you always wanted to do professionally.
Talk with someone you like and respect about how to begin to do any of them.
Commit to doing something everyday that challenges you.
I love to make presentations. I get energized when I’m sharing in front of a crowd. I used to hate to network but then I figured out, the only way to do what I really love is to talk to lots of people and work to get opportunities to do what I want.
What are you doing today to change yourself? Are you getting what you want? Is it time for a change? Confide your dreams to someone. Reflect on what’s good. Take action.
I teach social media for job hunters several times a month and meet lots of great people. When I talk about twitter, I often hear, “Twitter’s stupid.” If you don’t need a job and think twitter is stupid you can stop reading right now.
If you have an open mind, you might be very surprised at the number and types of jobs available on twitter. I was talking to a recruiter recently and she said that when she gets a new professional position, the FIRST place she posts it is twitter. Why? Because it’s easy, it’s free and she knows that only people who ‘get’ social media will be looking there. Only people with updated skills know to look on twitter.
Remember, you don’t have to have twitter followers or follow anyone to search the powerful real time network. Go to twitter, find the search box and input any of the following:
Tis’ the season to need a laugh and here you go. This link will take you to stories of things that people have said in job interviews. They simply couldn’t have made them up. To tell a funny interview story on myself; I once called an executive by the wrong name (his name was Leo I was calling him Bill) during one part of a job interview. Why didn’t he say something? (I got the job anyway, phew.) Here are a couple of my favorites to get you started.
Hiring managers report:
When I told a college student that the position would not work with his schedule, he asked, “Can I hire an assistant?” No. Goodbye.
Candidates have asked me if they can work under the table. Huh?
We had an applicant who put down as a qualification that he had his haircut by Charles Worthington and had done some hair modeling. He was applying for a financial analyst. That hair thing is so important in the numbers game.
Q) A goal you worked very hard to achieve?
A) My Girlfriend! Umm.
Q) Your scores on the resume don’t match from what you just said?
A) Oh! I might have sent you the wrong resume. This resume was for XYZ company! Speechless.
An applicant said she was a “people person” not a “numbers person” – in her interview for an accounting position. Perfect.
And my favorite…
I once had a friendly well-dressed guy fill out his application with sparkly purple ink. I asked him about it and he said that he felt the purple would help to make him more memorable. Memorable? Yes. Employed? No.
Please share your funny interview stories; I’ll post them after the first of the year.
When we lose our jobs, most of us go into ‘deer in the headlights’ mode. Even if we know it’s coming, we still freak out. For those of us who are actively managing the change; the emotional transition, while difficult, doesn’t slow us down.
For those who choose, and yes I use the word choose, to ignore the realities of the economy and our ability to earn a living; you will get no sympathy from me. Each of us is responsible for our own careers. Whatever has happened in the past, no matter how long you’ve worked for your current employer; you still need to face the facts. Employment security is a thing of the past.
After I was laid off, I made a decision to actively network with 5 to 10 people a week. When I would meet with a new contact, many of whom were employed, I would tell them how much I enjoyed looking for a new job. Their mouths would drop open. They simply could not understand how someone could enjoy what they considered to be an “ego-deflating”, “unnerving” and “unrewarding” process. I completely disagree that finding a new way to use my skills, learn new things and make a positive contribution to our society (oh yeah, and pay the bills) is unrewarding. It’s cool. So I suggest that people, no matter how unsettled you are, to get up and take action. If you’re not sure what to do, ask someone. Here’s some great advice from Chris Brogan on ‘getting on with it.’
I always believe (because it’s in my best interest to) that whatever I do next will be better than I could imagine. This isn’t just a Pollyanna attitude; it’s a way of living life. There’s a saying, “Fake it ‘til you make it.” Wise advice.
I don’t have to be certain of what the next phase of my life will be. I only have to believe that, whatever it is; it will be good. And it starts today. I don’t have one minute to waste on negative energy. What will it take for you to truly believe that job hunting is cool?
It’s career day at your (or your child’s) high school or college. Who is likely to be giving the talks? I’ll bet it’ll be professions like medicine, law and business management.
Life Transitions, job search | Deborah | 
July 26, 2010 8:32 pm | 
Comments (0) 
ed a laugh and here you go. 
When we lose our jobs, most of us go into ‘deer in the headlights’ mode. Even if we know it’s coming, we still freak out. For those of us who are actively managing the change; the emotional transition, while difficult, doesn’t slow us down.
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