web 2.0

The Executive Job Search Challenge

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I was honored to join two of my fellow Career Thought Leaders, Wendy Enelow and Jan Melnik, on a blog radio show hosted by Deborah Shane last week. My area of specialty … reputation management. Of the many interesting questions Deborah asked me, here’s one that I consider very important. 

What common liabilities are you seeing in executive job seekers that is making it harder for them?

Since I play in the senior finance executive space, my response was from that perspective …

— Many of my clients, at least initially, express an unwillingness or reticence to embrace technology and make it work for them. For better or worse, this is the new normal. It’s a new game with new rules, and executives have to play to win.

— Finance executives tend to be numbers people rather than people people. Networking doesn’t come easily to most of them. And, Web 2.0 technology is about “social networking.” The time investment for networking can also be a huge detriment to the average CFO who is so busy working in his job that he doesn’t have time to invest in his career.

— Because they put long hours in on their job to the exclusion of working on their careers, they may not realize that financial acumen aside … the moment they leave with a big severance package in their pocket, their marketability takes a hit because they now have the black mark of unemployment on their record. Some recruiters would say these candidates are tainted. That’s a cold, harsh assessment that makes finding employment that much more difficult once an executive is UNemployed.

— And of course, competition is stiff for fewer opportunities. A clear and compelling value proposition has never been more important. Sadly, many executives can get tripped up and trapped in the responsibility conversation. Differentiation happens when they turn the conversation to what they have that a company is willing to pay to get … which is all about the candidate’s ability to solve a company’s pain/need/challenge/issue.

If you’re interested in listening to the entire show, you’ll find it here. 

Google, HR, and Getting Hired

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Earlier this week I tweeted this statistic from an article on ERE.net …

“According to a study conducted by Microsoft earlier this year, 70% of surveyed HR professionals in U.S. (41% in the UK) have rejected a candidate based on online reputation information”

It elicited an interesting exchange with one of my tweeps. Here’s what he said …

–Cindy, seriously are HR folks incapable getting relevant info on their own?

–The reality is it's the wrong use of Social Media – if that's your only use.

–My point was there many pro-active uses for social media rather than HR Sherlock Holms (sic) work.

Here’s the reality … at least according to Cindy’s web worldview. 

Social media allows, maybe even subtly deceives, people to let down their guard. Have you seen some of the pictures people upload, the foul language that fill their tweets and Facebook posts, even the use of poor grammar and misspelled words? The fact is, these things speak volumes about prospective candidates that will never come through in the spit and polished interview process. 

Google, Web 2.0, and reputation management are here to stay. Whether you are a Chief Financial Officer, finance executive, accountant, or new finance grad, what Google says about you matters to prospective companies. And if Google is mute about you, that sends its own very loud message. 

What Are You Contributing to the Conversation?

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Nothing? Noise? Value? 

There’s a global conversation happening and you can either choose to be a part of it or refuse to engage. If the choice is to not participate, you do so at your own peril … because the conversation will go on without you.

If you do engage, what are you contributing? Is it something of value that benefits your target audience? Or, is it self-indulgent noise that detracts from your executive brand? What you say, how you say, and how often you participate … does matter.

Blank slate … In the evolving Web 2.0 world, this finance executive might show up but he contributes nothing to the conversation. Either he is too busy, is networking-challenged, or perhaps sees no value in engaging. If he shows up, his Linked In profile is bereft of any details that would position him as a high-value candidate. At best, this executive is a place holder. At worst, he may be spiraling towards extinction.

Branding nightmare … It’s all about me. It’s the other guy’s fault. That company discriminates. That recruiter isn’t listening. Noise … and it sends the wrong message. Since authenticity is key in creating a branded, visible presence … you ARE sending a message with every post whether you realize it or not.

Differentiation … What are you reading? What conferences or seminars are you attending? Are you presenting or serving on a panel discussion? What resources have you found? Are you in a leadership position with an organization such as FEI? What are you curious about from a professional perspective? Social media is about sharing, not selling. Finance executives who embrace this mentality create visible distinction for themselves as subject matter experts and high-value targets.

Do you show up and if so, what are you contributing to the conversation?

Growth Strategies … Business & Career

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Sometimes the whole “managing a career” process just seems confusing, baffling, and maybe even unnecessary to CFOs. Today, more than ever, it is definitely necessary, and it does not need to be confusing or baffling. 

Run your career like you run your business. I’ve said that for years, but thanks to “Ready, Set, Grow” in CFO Magazine, let’s frame it in business terms to turn the fog into a crystal-clear 35,000-foot view. Quotes from the article are in italics, followed by my commentary. 

… How can you help them make money or save money?

This is key to your value proposition. Finance skills aside, the bottom line is really … how can make or save a company more than it will cost them to bring you on board? It’s not about responsibilities, credentials, or even education. 

… Focus on “developing products tailored to the specific needs of individual developing markets… Don't provide an American or a German solution to India; they need an Indian solution.”

The latter sentence is, in career terms, what I call the “spaghetti strategy.” Throwing your resume into any black hole and hoping and wishing for a response. Niched positioning to a targeted audience is a much more effective career management and job search strategy. 

You don’t have to be all things to all people … you have to be the right person for the right company.

"Good growth companies," says the Darden School's Hess, "tend to make acquisitions that are small and very strategic …

In proactively managing your career, you aren’t forced to do everything as soon as possible … as opposed to an active job seeker. It’s much easier and much more effective to execute a plan that is strategic and consistent.

… investing in areas that make sense for us, particularly in innovation.

Innovation! Web 2.0 technology. Online visibility. Reputation management. How can you leverage all the great new technology to stand out from other Chief Financial Officers rather than blending in with them?

Having your name on Linked In isn’t the same as having a branded, completed profile. Having a presence on Linked In isn’t the same as “networking” with people who need to know about you. 

Innovation means you already have an online reputation. The question is, will you control the message or be forced to respond to the message?

"The world has got more opportunities than issues right now. We need to make sure our organization looks at the opportunities and doesn't complain about the issues …"

Issues, from a career perspective, involve relying on posted positions. Too few postings for far too many candidates. It’s a frustrating and unfair screen out process. It’s also easy.

Opportunities abound through your online and offline networks and all the great technology available today. However, it’s not easy. So the earlier you get started, the easier a future career transition will be.

And, finally, this from one of my favorite authors/bloggers, Seth Godin …

If you only pay attention to the world when you need a new job (your channel is stamps and your message is your resume) you'll spend your day differently than if you are leading a tribe, participating in organizations or giving local speeches all the time.

It’s time to give serious consideration to running your career like you run your business … today, finishing last isn’t a viable option.

Lies, Resumes, & Linked In

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Fistful of Talent had a blog post last week entitled “LinkedIn Profiles – More Accurate than Resumes … Sad but True.” This quote came from Reid Hoffman, founder of Linked In, in a presentation made at the first Social Recruiting Summit in 2009 …

… people won't lie in public via LinkedIn.  With that in mind, the core elements at play in most LinkedIn profiles – the titles, the dates, etc. – are always going to be more accurate than the resume.

I’m hopeful that in this age of transparency, candidates have learned those hard lessons!

Telling is Jessica Lee’s statement that “if you're truly looking for ‘what's up’ with a candidate, you need to rely on the LinkedIn profile.” 

Web 2.0 as a recruiting strategy …

–is trending north. If you aren’t where recruiters are looking, you won’t be found. And no visibility can negatively impact credibility.

–forces transparency. Unless you are, perhaps, a well-entrenched politician, you cannot lie and get away with it. It is too easy today to dispel any misstatements, exaggerations, or untruths.

–allows even stronger positioning as a coveted high-value target. You can be “in the game” long before you “need” to be playing the game.

–fosters the candidate’s ability to position himself from his strengths, values, passions, and interests rather than forcing him to be all things to all people .

When CFOs choose to work with me, they have no choice but to create profiles on Linked In … it’s part of their success factor. And what is showing up on Linked In is exactly the same branded message a company, CEO, or Board member will find in his other marketing collateral. 

Transparency + Integrity is Critical!

The Sequel … Are CFOs Missing the Social Networking Boat?

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If you identified with yesterday’s post and recognize that you are a CFO who is missing the social media boat, here are a few thoughts for your consideration. 

There’s an interesting article on Digiday entitled “Forever Jung: What Makes Social Media Social.” Here’s a relevant excerpt … 

The more a message resonates, the more “social” it becomes. We have many “tools” to facilitate this sharing:  email, Twitter, Facebook, Digg, Reddit, etc.  But it’s imperative that we not confuse our tools with our goals. It is the connection to the “second psychic system” that remains the essential component of “social media.” Understanding this reintroduces the notion that what we say is more important than how we say it.  Empty messages don’t connect because the collective deems them not worth sharing.

Social media sites are merely facilitators of conversation. And NO message is an EMPTY message. 

Content may be king of the Internet, but engaging rules social media. In fact, the infamous “6 degrees of separation” has been reduced to 5 degrees by virtue of the Internet. Think about that. It is quite likely you can reach your target prospect through a mere five people. But not if you aren’t engaging with anyone.

I was reading a newsletter in which a gentleman said he had applied for a CFO position with an Internet start-up. However, the response he got was that his knowledge of the Internet and social media experience were so UNDER-whelming that he referred to himself as a “fossil.” He could well be on his way to being extinct. 

Here’s something you may not know. Since 2005, the demand for social media jobs has increased by 325%. How will you compete for finance leadership positions at companies who are integrating social media to support their core business practice and mission if you, as an otherwise qualified CFO, have missed the social media boat … professionally and corporately? 

If nothing more, embracing social media can put you at the front of the pack. In fact,  as a senior-level finance executive, it could even help you leave the competition in the dust. Not solely because you are perceived as “Internet or Web 2.0” savvy, but because you have strong visibility among the people who need to know about you. Playing in the social media arena goes a long way towards helping you be prepared for the unexpected, or, even better, ensuring that you can execute your 3-to-5-year career plan. You do have a plan, right?

Win Visibility and Positioning in 2010

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One of my readers asked for some tips on winning visibility and positioning in anticipation of a recovering 2010. Josie, this post was written with you in mind.

If you read my post from last week, The Competition is Heating Up, you know that competition for every job is going to be even more fierce in 2010. The competition for opportunities though, can be far less. Amazingly, companies are still complaining about finding top talent. That means, it’s time to move out of the war zone (posted position game) and into a smaller battle field (online and offline networking) in order to out-maneuver the competition!

—Visibility … With today’s Web 2.0 technology, there is just no excuse for any CFO to not have a strong digital footprint. Create an integrated strategy with all of your social networking sites, using hash tags to push a post or tweet to your other sites. For example, use a Twitter account to gain visibility among recruiters AND build credibility around your digital footprint. Push selected tweets to your Facebook account and Linked In status update bar merely by using hash tags. 

You are who Google says you are … particularly to people you want to know about you. Set up Google alerts on your name so you can see what’s being said about you and by whom. Google your name, in quotes (i.e., “cindy kraft”), at least weekly to monitor your digital footprint. It’s not enough to have “stuff” in Google, a credible online reputation delivers clarity and consistency around your value proposition.  

—Positioning … Boring, dull, commodity — being like everyone else — is out. Well, lost in the masses for sure. In high school we all wanted to be “like” the cool kids. As senior-level finance executives, the goal is to stand alone so you can be noticed. Identify what you have that a company is willing to pay (big bucks) to get, and then shout it to your target market … clearly, consistently, and constantly.

I was asked in Monday’s Netshare Ask-a-Coach call about the marketability of a subject matter expert vs. a generalist. My belief is that knowing a lot about a little trumps knowing a little about a lot … and, that everyone is an expert about something, they just might not realize it or know how to unearth it. 

Win solid positioning by understanding what it is that you do well and love doing and who needs it, and then build your communication strategy around that message. 

Passive Candidates vs. Unemployed Candidates

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An op ed piece on ERE.net by Jeremy Eskenazi entitled “Where the Truth Lies: The Need for Balance Between Active and Passive Recruiting” … naturally … caught my attention. I say “naturally” because I am always interested in the hiring trends that will affect my senior finance clients.

On one hand, the article mentions the story about a CEO of a major executive search firm who would only present passive candidates because the unemployed folks were, by definition, inferior. (I’m loosely quoting the story now, not giving my opinion).

The other extreme is the school of thought that says recruiting passive candidates (luring someone who is currently employed into another position) is shameful. 

Every recruiter has their preference and, sadly, even in this market the prevailing perception IS that an executive who is employed has a higher value than one who is unemployed. Mr. Eskenazi tackles the balance question. I’d like to talk about the idea of proactively managing your career to exponentially increase your chances of positioning as a passive candidate. 

Jason Alba, of Jibber Jobber renown, wrote a blog post two years ago and re-posted it today. It looks at a career management mindset versus a job search candidate. It is the essence of how one proactively positions himself as a passive candidate versus reactively, and unintentionally,  achieves positioning as an unemployed candidate. 

When you manage your career like you manage your company, department, or division, you have a plan and you are constantly and consistently executing that plan. It’s a fluid process, not stop and go which only puts you on the endless merry-go-round of look for a job, find a job, work a job, lose a job … and … repeat. 

All the cool Web 2.0 technology available today has made building and maintaining a strong visible presence and social network easier than ever. Seriously, what title would you prefer … passive (and able to be found) or unemployed (and all over the job boards)? When you proactively manage your career, you have a much better chance of choosing your title!

CFO Asked to Resign

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So says the headline. Which begs the question, “does this CFO have a potential branding and/or credibility challenge”? If you Google his name, the only post that is conclusively “this” CFO is the one that leads with the headline: “Broward’s CFO asked to resign.” There is nothing positive to counter the very big negative.

There is a saying that goes something like this, “you are who Google says you are.” Which begs this question … “who does Google say you are?”

If you are a senior finance executive / CFO who has resisted jumping into the Web 2.0 arena, today is not too soon to begin. Visibility and credibility are key elements to effective career management. 

If, indeed, Google now defines us … and to strangers we want to meet, it does … then it is time for you to begin scripting that definition. 

C-Tweeting for CFOs

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I love the micro-blogging platform of Twitter.  While my CFOs have been slow to adopt this technology, those of you who do will be seen as much more cutting-edge. Whether your tweets are external with other thought leaders, customers or clients, suppliers, and competitors or internal with senior staff and employees, being an early adopter can differentiate and distinguish you from the competition. 

Because of my strong opinions about the benefits of Twitter, the topic was included in my keynote presentation at Prophix. Here’s an excerpt:

But seriously, even in a small company, executives can be cut off from their most important constituencies, such as employees and customers. Corporate leaders can use Web 2.0 tools, like Twitter, not only to communicate but also to learn from employees, suppliers, customers, competitors, and the public. Many corporations spend large sums to determine how they are viewed. Plugging into the blogosphere or listening to feedback on Twitter … offers a more effective and cost-efficient customer relationship management strategy.

And upon my return, I stumbled across this great article from a CEO who tweets. Read it, and then get active in the twit-o-sphere!