Informational interviews

The informational interview is one of the most useful and yet under-utilized career management tools. I’ve become a big proponent of informational interviews ever since conducting my first one several months ago. When I’m among job seekers, I often ask if they are including informational interviews as part of their strategy. Many have never heard of them, and many of those who have tend to shy away from them. If you are not using informational interviews, you are missing a great opportunity.

What is an informational interview?

Sometime called an informational meeting, a referral meeting, or a research interview. It is a brief meeting (usually anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes) between you and somebody currently in a career or industry that you want to learn more about. You can use the interview to gain new knowledge, or to validate your understanding, or to sharpen your focus.

An informational interview is not about asking for a job. Never, never ask for a job. That is the cardinal rule of informational interviews.

And therein is the rub for many job seekers who disdain informational interviews. They seem to view them as an underhanded and sneaky way to get a foot in the door when the interviewee knows they are really looking for a job. Or, they may feel that the informational interview puts them in an awkward position by making them appear desperate.

What these job seekers don’t realize is that informational interviews are not strictly the domain of job seekers. Such interviews are an essential part of networking for both the unemployed and the employed. (Note that I earlier referred to the informational interview as a career management tool, not a job search tool.) Most professionals recognize this as an ordinary part of business and are not offended by being approached for an interview. In a 2004 Career Journal article, Pamela Peterson, director of business development for IPSA International, said “Eighty percent of the time people are delighted and willing to meet and to help, primarily because they recognize the value of networking as well the satisfaction that comes from being able to help someone.”

What are the benefits of an informational interview?

Compare the informational interview with a job interview.

• Informational interviews are generally easier to get.
• With an informational interview, you ask the questions and are in control.
• An informational interview is typically more relaxed for both parties.
• Informational interviewees may become part of your network, and may provide referrals.
• Informational interviewees may be less guarded in sharing information.

In addition, you build your professional network. You gain knowledge of a career or industry. You gain confidence in presenting yourself and your ideas to others. And you develop name recognition and a positive reputation in your professional circle.

Okay, I’m sold… Now what?

Watch for additional posts in the coming days about

• How to obtain an informational interview
• How to conduct an informational interview

Update 11/20/2007: Be sure to see Part 2 of this discussion.

Quote: Our Constitution

John Adams was born 272 years ago today. He was one of the founding fathers of our nation, a member of the Continental Congress, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, the first U.S. Ambassador to a foreign country (The Netherlands), the first U.S. Ambassador to England, the first vice-president and the second president of the United States.

Adams was the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution, which was the first to feature a bicameral (two houses) legislature, and which later served a model for the U.S. and many other state constitutions. Thus Adams uniquely understood the fragile relationship that existed between the Constitution and the citizens when he said:

We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other.

John Adams (b. 10/30/1735 – d. 7/4/1826)

Our government is adequate only to the extent that the citizens are willing to govern themselves. This principle, I think, can also be applied to any organization, team, or business. The strength of the organization depends on the integrity of its members, and their commitment to maintain the organization. No organizational structure can withstand unbridled avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry.

Trinity Tigers

In one of the most amazing displays teamwork I have ever seen on the field, the Trinity Tigers posted a come-from-behind 28-24 victory over Millsaps College with 2 seconds left on the clock. I’ve seen last-second ‘Hail-Mary’ passes before, but never have I seen anything like the final play of this game. Even if you are not a sports fan, you will appreciate this one.

Two approaches to networking

Fountain

Drain

Related post: Real networkers are givers

Quote: Success

Bill Gates celebrates his 52nd birthday today. As the world’s richest man for 13 years running (Forbes “400 List” 1993-2006), Gates has certainly earned the right offer a bit of wisdom about about success.

Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.

- Bill Gates (b. 10/28/1955)

Quote: The best executive

In honor of Teddy Roosevelt’s birthday, I wanted to share a bit of his wisdom:

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.”

 

Teddy Roosevelt

26th President of the United States (1901 – 1909)

b. 10/27/1858, d. 1/06/1919

Personal Branding Telesummit

I just signed up for the 2007 “A Brand You World” Global Telesummit on November 8. This is a 12-hour seminar featuring an amazing collection of the most prominent thought leaders on personal branding. It’s convenient (just a phone call away), and best of all — it’s FREE! All you have to do is register.

There are three different content streams you can tap into during the FREE summit, each with an emphasis on personal branding:

• Career Management
• Entrepreneurship
• Talent Management

And did I mention that it’s FREE?

Here is a list of some of the outstanding speakers already lined up:

• Jason Alba – owner of JibberJobber, and conference organizer (Thanks, Jason!)
• William Arruda – Co-Author of Career Distinction: Stand Out By Building Your Brand, personal branding pioneer and founder of Reach Communications.
• Richard Bolles - The legendary career expert and author of the phenomenally-successful What Color is Your Parachute? series
• Anita Bruzzese – Syndicated columnist for USA Today, author of 45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy, and blogger.
• Silvia Cambié – Journalist, world traveler (speaker of five languages!), certified coach, director of Chanda Communications, and author of XCulture blog.
• Krishna De – Personal branding consultant, blogger, podcaster at Biz Growth News.
• Kirsten Dixson – Co-Author of Career Distinction: Stand Out By Building Your Brand, founder of Brandego, branding pioneer
• Stewart Emery – Founder/President of Belvedere Consultants, he is considered one of the founders of the Human Potential Movement; entrepreneur, executive coach, and author of Success: Built to Last
• Phil Gerbyshak – Relationship Geek, Blogger, and author of 10 Ways to Make it Great!
• T Scott Gross – Guru of high performance teams, and author several books, including Borrowed Dreams: The Roughest Toughest Jobs on the Planet…and What I’ve Learned from Working Them
• Neville Hobson – One of the leading European early adopters and influencers in social media communication for business.
• Thebe Ikalafeng – One of South Africa’s top 10 thought leaders on marketing and branding, dubbed “Mr. Brand;” founder of Brand Leadership Group and recently published an audio book Personal Branding: 7 Steps to Build a Distinct Personal Brand Aligned with Your World, Work and Passions.
• John Jantsch – Veteran marketing coach and award-winning blogger, author of the famous Duct Tape Marketing blog.
• Catherine Kaputa – founder of SelfBrand and author of U R a Brand
• Guy Kawasaki – The legend himself. Venture capitalist, author of How to Change the World blog, and author The Art of the Start
• Andrea Kay – Career consultant and executive coach, author of four books including the bestseller Life’s a Bitch and Then You Change Careers: 9 Steps to Get out of Your Funk and on to Your Future
• Liz Ryan – owner of AskLizRyan, with around 30,000 members on her e-mail forum.
• David Meerman Scott – Viral marketing expert and blogger at WebInkNow and author of the book New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting, Viral Marketing….
• Andy Sernovitz - Author of newsletter and blog Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That, and author of the book Word of Mouth Marketing: How Smart Companies Get People Talking.
• Debbie Weil - The corporate blogging expert who is author of a Technorati Top 10,000 blog BlogWrite for CEOs, and who the book The Corporate Blogging Book: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know to Get it Right
• Susan Whitcomb - A prominent figure in the world of career management and leadership coaching, she is author the author of several books including Resume Magic, Interview Magic, and Job Search Magic.
• Carol Wilson - The coach for the coach with more than 25 years performance coach experience, and author of Best Practice in Performance Coaching: A Handbook for Leaders, Coaches, HR Professionals and Organizations.
• Martin Yate - Author of the very popular Knock ‘Em Dead book series of books including Knock ‘Em Dead 2007: The Ultimate Job Search Guide.

With an all-star cast like this, plus being a FREE seminar, you should really consider registering today.

Generations at work

Generational work habits and work ethics are hot topics among bloggers and magazine writers. Many of the articles I read seem to advocate the benefits of one generation (usually written by a member of that generation), and too often disparage other generations. I came across an interesting article today that talks about the different perspectives and benefits of various generations (How Years Affect Careers, Michael Grady, Emerald Coast.com 10/24/2007). The article is based on an interview with Robin Throckmorton, co-author of Bridging the Gap: How to Get Radio Babies, Boomers, Gen Xers, And Gen Yers to Work Together And Achieve More (Career Press, 2007).

Throckmorton doesn’t believe in defining people by their birth date. “You can go too far the other way, and start stereotyping,” she says, “and that’s the kind of thinking that leads you to ‘all older workers hate change,’ or ‘young employees are not dependable.’ She goes on to say “It helps to understand where each generation came from, and appreciate the qualities that shaped them.”

Here is a summary of the four generations covered in the article:

RADIO BABIES

Born: 1930 to 1945

Background: Children who remember the Depression and/or World War II, appreciate employment and career continuity.

Common characteristics: Strong work ethic, extensive job experience. Often perceived as frail or inflexible.

Comments: “People are sometimes afraid of radio babies for health reasons,” says Throckmorton. “But radio babies want people to recognize that their bodies and brains still work. Those hiring people between 60 and 80 tell us they’re the most productive workers they have.”

BABY BOOMERS

Born: 1946 to 1964

Background: Boomers grew up with post-World War II prosperity and TV; entered the work force when “career path” meant a single company ladder to climb.

Common characteristics: Hard workers, experienced and loyal. Sometimes seen as “stuck in their ways.”

Comments: “A lot of people are reluctant to hire boomers, thinking they’ll retire soon,” she says. But changing retirement scenarios often inspire boomers to second careers. “They want to keep going. They want a better work-life balance. And their second career is often much different than the first one.”

GENERATION X

Born: 1965 to 1976

Background: Latchkey kids, often from dual-income homes. Entered the work force at the dawn of the Computer Age.

Common characteristics: Independent, flexible, technologically diverse. Can be perceived as self-absorbed or disloyal.

Comments: “This is the first latchkey generation,” says Throckmorton. “So they’re very used to surviving on their own. They change jobs more often, so they put less stock in company loyalty. So, they can be seen (by elders) as impatient with their careers.”

GENERATION Y

Born 1977 to 1990

Background: Raised in a fast-paced, violence- and media-saturated, technologically booming world.

Strengths: Energetic, innovative. Can be viewed as arrogant or defiant.

Stereotype: “Gen Y’s are sometimes called ‘Gen Why?’ because they question everything,” she says. “They look for the value in what they do, and are less inclined to confer respect upon someone because of a title.”

Four questions (and answers) for managers

For a recent article in the Columbia Business Times, five management consultants were asked to respond to following four questions.

1. What are a few steps small businesses can take to create better work environments? Conversely, what are some mistakes that companies make that create poor work environments?
2. There are horror stories out there about well-intentioned team-building exercises that end up causing more divisiveness in the workplace. In your experience, what works and what doesn’t work?
3. Just about every potential employee who walks into a job interview will tell you he or she gets along well with others, but what are good questions to ask job applicants to help determine whether they will indeed be team players?
4. What are the top three to five management concerns that business operators have expressed this year? Are those concerns much different than they were in past years?

The survey responses are very insightful, and I thought I would share the article with you. It is worth reading.

One of the comments that made me think was Bob Scribner’s response the second question about team-building exercises:

It’s not necessarily the team building exercise that is at fault. Team building exercises were never meant to correct poor relationships that already exist in an organization. They ask people to make themselves vulnerable without taking into consideration the relationships of the participants is stormy at best. If the persons who are participating in such activities have healthy relationships then there may be some benefit from team-building exercises. If the relationships are [I think this is supposed to aren't] healthy then they will only bring more harm.

I have found this to be true in many cases. There are many different types of effective team-building activities, but what may be appropriate for one team may not be appropriate for another. You need to know which stage of development the team is in before deciding on a team-building activity. If you use an inappropriate team -building activity, you could create resentment and end up doing more harm than good.

Finding your passion

In her Shifting Careers blog this week, Marci Alboher shares an interesting self-assessment exercise. It is designed by career coach Michael Melcher (aka The Creative Lawyer) for people who are searching for passion in their careers.

According to Melcher, many of his clients don’t know what they want to do with their careers; they may have multiple interests and don’t know how to choose among them. They may have done so much self-analysis that they can “speak very fluently about the issues but find it difficult to make actual decisions.”

One way to get unstuck is to use a Zagat-style approach. Melcher suggests that you interview five to ten people who know you well, using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire approach is important because it will probably yield more thoughtful responses, and thus useful data, than a casual conversation with the same people. Some recommended questions for your interviews:

• What are three things I do really well?
• What are three things I don’t do so well?
• Based on what you know about me, what job or experience have I liked the best in the past?
• Based on what you know about me, what job or experience have I liked the least?
• What are three things you can imagine me doing?
• What’s something you can’t really imagine me doing?
• How do I get in my own way?

A Caveat

While this is a great way to solicit feedback from your circle (I am a big advocate of 360 assessments an other feedback mechanisms), I’d like to offer one caveat: Do not let feedback from your circle serve as a substitute for doing reasonable self-analysis. Self-analysis can be daunting and uncomfortable for some, while others tend to wallow in so much self-analysis that they can’t get unstuck. Despite its potential pitfalls, however, self-analysis is critical to discovering your passion.

Because people are often conditioned to behave contrary to their true nature, feedback from others may simply reinforce the negative conditioning if you haven’t first done the proper self-analysis.