December 2013 Jokes

I'm as big as an elephant, but lighter than a feather. What am I?
The Wind

What do you call a witch that lives on the beach?
A sand witch!

What kind of fish likes to eat between meals?
A Snackerel!

What does a skeleton order at a restaurant?
Spare ribs!

Thanks for reading!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy!

Houston We Have A Problem...with My Blog

Static...Crackle...Houston we have a problem...
I'm receiving several errors on this blog site when I try and post my new articles over the last several weeks.
I don't know what is happening but...we are trying to fix...it as soon...as possible...
Thank you for your patience!
In the meantime...I suggest...................

6 New Pitches to Replace Your Elevator Pitch

I just finished teaching a class to another group of students on how to look for a job. One of the exercises is to create your elevator pitch. As I explain to them, as a job seeker you are in sales. What you are selling is you, no matter what your degree is and what job you are going for.
Students of mine! If you are reading this, does any of it sound familiar? Thanks Peter for writing down this great advice.
Ev


6 New Pitches to Replace Your Elevator Pitch
6-new-pitches-to-replace-your-elevator-pitch
by Peter Rathmann   

The following is a summary from"To Sell is Human" by author Daniel Pink.

We are all in "Non-Sales Selling"

You don't have to be a sales person to be in sales today. According to Daniel Pink, everyone in an organization spend 24 minutes of every hour trying to persuade, influence, and convince others to move. He calls it non-sales selling because it does not require anyone to purchase anything but in our world, that is still considered selling. You are simply trying to get others to move in a direction that you want them to go. But how do you get them to move? How do you sell them on moving?

Start with the end in mind

In today's world which is full of distractions, we get a very limited time to be in front of people to talk therefore your message has to be concise and to the point in a way that people can hear and understand simply. Ask these three questions when you are formulating your message:
1.What do you want them to know?
2.What do you want them to feel?
3.What do you want them to do?
Using these tree questions will help provide clarity to your message. Now, how do you deliver it?

Use one of these 6 different pitches for different opportunities

How may of us have been told to develop and "Elevator Pitch" at sales classes for networking events and any time we had the opportunity to tell someone what we do? Today, we have many other opportunities to get our message out there and with all of the distractions that our audience has, we need to be concise and deliver our pitch in a way that is relative to the people we are trying to move in our direction.

1.The One-Word Pitch is mostly used in things like political campaigns and social movements. What is the one word that people will associate with how you are trying to move them. Words such as "forward", "solidarity", "joy", and "believe" all have meaning depending on who you are.
2.The Question Pitch should be used when your argument is strong and making a statement might not be the best approach. Ronald Reagan asked "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" to move people away from Jimmy Carter. "What is the cost of not doing this?" is a personal favorite of mine since people move when they can understand how much money they could lose if they do not make necessary changes.
3.The Rhyming Pitch is typically used to simplify how we process the information we hear. One of the most famous rhyming pitches was used by Johnie Cochran during the OJ Simpson trial when OJ could not get the famous black glove on his hand. "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit" became his battle cry for the closing arguments. "Woes unites foes" works better than "woes unites enemies" and "caution and measure will bring you treasure" work better than "caution and measure brings you riches"
4.The Subject Line Pitch can be very effective when you have to use email to try and move people. Did you know that people and much more likely to open an email when they think they have something to lose or something to gain or the subject matter directly affects their work? Who would not open an email with the subject line:"Delivery options for dropping off your suitcase full of cash?"
5.The Twitter Pitch is quick, painless, to the point, cuts through all the PR babble, and forces people to summarize what they want you to hear in 140 characters or less. Be sure to make it 120 characters or less if you want it to be retweeted.
6.The Pixar Pitch involves six sequential sentences that Pixar executives have used to move the film industry to produce such academy award winning movies such as Finding Nemo, WALL-E, The Incredibles, and Toy Story 3. Try pitching your message in this format: Once upon a time_____________________. Every day, _________________. One day ________________________. Because of that, __________________. Until finally ______________.
The elevator pitch is not dead, it has just evolved to meet the need for us to communicate efficiently and effectively to the people we are trying to move. Feel free to contact us if you need help developing and integrating these new pitches.

Recruiters and the Excuses We’ve Never Heard Before

Thanks Christine for the fun insight!
Ev

Recruiters and the Excuses We’ve Never Heard Before
recruiters-and-the-excuses-weve-never-heard-before
by
Christine Santacroce

As I write this note to all the candidates out there, I would like you to realize a couple of things. One, I just had two interviewees pull a no show with a new client this morning. And two, calling 10 minutes before an interview does not qualify as cancelling with appropriate notice. In any case, I wanted to provide a quick rundown of excuses that any Recruiter who has been working for, oh say, three months or so has already heard.

1. Your Car Won’t Start

For the record, people’s cars do break down. I get it. Mine has broken down before. But honestly, the chances that it broke down just a few minutes before your interview are pretty slim. Especially because it can’t happen to 10 percent of candidates 10 percent of the time, 10 minutes before the interview. And that’s probably about how often we hear the car story. And if you reallllly wanted to take the interview even though your car was dead, you can call a taxi, hop a bus or ask for a ride and I would cover your late arrival with my client.

2. You JUST Got Another Job

Wow, congratulations! You just received and accepted a job offer 10 minutes ago? That’s crazy! What are the odds! (pretty slim). Nine times out of 10, I probably won’t believe that you just received that wonderful job offer. Why? Honestly, because the timing is ridiculous. And even if you just received and accepted a job offer as you were leaving for your interview…. take the interview anyway! Because really, blowing off an interview is incredibly unprofessional, reflects poorly on both you and your recruiter and burns any future opportunity with that employer.

3. You Were in an Accident

Okay, so I may sound vaguely awful and insensitive with this one, but it’s only because I’ve had several candidates over the years get into “freak accidents” on their way to an interview. And with the exception of one, there was absolutely no news coverage, blip, blurb or otherwise about the accident. Also, you sounded totally fine on the phone when you called me. Most people aren’t fine after an accident. They’re a bit tense, nervous and all over the place. And I didn’t hear any noise, as in no traffic in the background. You sounded like you were chilling in your living room, but thanks for calling anyway.

4. You Have Food Poisoning

Ironically enough, the instance of food poisoning in the US is on the rise. But most candidates who back out like to say they had to go to the hospital with their terrible food poisoning. Yet, the percentage of hospital trips for food poisoning in the US? Exceedingly small. So really, the chances that you had some crazy food poisoning are slim, but I’ll take them; I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. But don’t try to make it that much more serious with a hospital trip—please don’t. Because then I know you’re probably lying, and that kind of ruins my morning.

In closing, please go online and look up some crazy, weird boutique illness when you call to cancel, because then I’ll at least learn something when I Google it.

Christine Santacroce is a Sr. Recruiter and Account Manager with Modis, a national provider of IT Staffing, Direct Hire Recruitment and Project Management Solutions.

Veteran's Day with Daniel Inoye

The late Daniel Inoye was a long time senator from Hawaii and a Medal of Honor winner as a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in WWII. Here are a few video clips where he describes his experiences in WWII.
The 442nd is the same outfit my dad served in WWII. It has the distinction of being the most decorated unit in US military history.
Thanks to Dad, Senator Inoye, and all the veterans from all campaigns everywhere!
Ev
A Heck of A Thankful Guy

On internment in the concentration camps:

What he did to win the medal of honor:

Thanks Shalla for the good advice!
Ev

5 Ways to Turn Off a Recruiter

by
Shala Marks  |  April 10, 2013  |  

If you’re out of work in this economy, then it’s only natural to be concerned with making a good impression in the eyes of potential new employers. Oftentimes, shining in the eyes of a given establishment also means impressing a recruiter or a company headhunter first.
You’ve been on interviews before and you know the necessary steps to take to demonstrate you’re the ideal candidate. Arrive early, dress professionally, be prepared with background information on the company, ask questions—you’ve got the list covered on what to do.
However, knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do to make a good first impression.

Take a look at some of the things statistics show are the worst mistakes people make according to today’s recruiters. Don’t let them happen to you!

1. Exaggerating on your Resume
If you’re like most people, you probably think that everybody does this. You may even be correct in a lot of cases. However, you should also be aware of the fact that this is one of the easiest ways to irritate a recruiter and take yourself out of the running. While it’s fine to use your resume to place yourself in the best possible light, avoid lying altogether (of course) or exaggerating your qualifications, because recruiters can often see right through you.

2. Heavy Emphasis on Salary
While we do essentially work for a living in order to make money, it’s important not to let a recruiter think that the only reason you’re applying for a given position is the paycheck. Today’s companies are looking for more than just warm bodies to do grunt work. They want people who believe in the same company values and are looking for personal fulfillment at work.

3. Obsessive Follow Up Techniques
While it’s an accepted part of good job seeking to make sure you properly follow up after job interviews, it’s important to know how much follow up is too much. Don’t call or e-mail obsessively (more than once a week) asking for updates on how the hiring process is going. You won’t come across as thorough. Instead, you may be thought of as pushy and impatient, easy ways to remove yourself from careful consideration for hire.

4. Applying to Irrelevant Jobs
Some people seem to adopt a philosophy with job hunting that pushes them to apply for every job out there, whether or not it’s relevant to their field. Recruiters really never seriously consider hiring people who do this; so, it would be more beneficial to you to focus your efforts only on positions that complement your expertise, your personality type, and your experience level.

5. Unappealing Background
While there’s not a lot you can do about not coming from the right employment background, it’s still important to understand that recruiters can and do judge you based on where you used to work.  For this reason, it’s always important to make sure your employment choices reflect well on you in the future.

At the end of the day, impressing a recruiter and landing that job is about making a strong impression. What you don’t do can be just as important as what you do.

Truth and Lies About Hiring the Unemployed

I know several unemployed people who are great workers but haven't been able to land a job despite doing allm the steps right in their job search. I'm sure you know some of the same type of people. An interesting article from Recruiter.com.
Thanks!
Ev

Truths and Lies about Hiring the Unemployed
truths-and-lies-about-hiring-the-unemployed/

The Unemployed Aren’t What They Used to Be…
The widely held belief among employers is that currently employed job applicants are a better proposition than unemployed job applicants. In fact, reports show that some employers have gone as far as to even include restrictions in job adverts stating that unemployed candidates will not be considered. And as the worrying results from a Bullhorn survey reported in Forbes have revealed, 44 percent of recruiters questioned suggested that placing a candidate that had been unemployed for two years was the most difficult candidate to place— more difficult than a candidate with a criminal record, even.

But, is this antipathy toward the unemployed really justified, or is it a result of prejudice, ignorance and misinformation? I thought I’d look at some of these negative conceptions that prevail around the unemployed and see if beneath the surface there was actually a truer, more positive story.

1. Is any unemployment is a serious red flag?
No. Today’s unemployed are there for economic reasons more than performance.
At one time this argument may have been a given. Yes, years ago in pre-recession times with low unemployment,  gaps in resumes were once justifiably seen as a candidate’s lack of employability or motivation.  Arguably, in these older times of low unemployment, anyone who struggled to get a job might understandably be seen as a weaker candidate.
But, in today’s climate of high unemployment and increased use of contingency contracts by firms, are gaps in unemployment such a sure sign of lack of employability or are they more a sign of a lack of jobs, hiring freezes and mass layoffs? What we face in today’s market are a plethora of unemployed but highly skilled and qualified candidates with gaps in their resumes who in past times of lower unemployment would have been employed.

2. Companies that layoff staff let the weakest performers go first, so avoid laid off staff.
True, but the cuts have been so deep this time that many talented staff have been laid off too.
None of you need reminding that we have faced one of the deepest and prolonged economic recessions in history. Companies are being forced to make unprecedented levels of staff cuts due to loss of liquidity, lack of customer demand and a restricted financial climate, which means companies are not just letting go of the under performing fringe, they are having to eat into the main body of talented performers.
Many entrepreneurial high fliers also seize/volunteer for the opportunity of a redundancy pay off (I have seen many talented people do this) to start their own business or simply to take a risk on the market-place. Can they be blamed for this? The redundancy pool isn’t what it used to be; sure there are some low performers, but companies have had to cut way beyond the fat into the talent and the redundancy pool contains highly qualified, talented individuals. And the skill when assessing unemployed candidates, just like with hiring employed candidates, is how to distinguish the talented from the average. There is no room or justification for pre-judgment.

3. The unemployed workers’ skills are out of date, they have fallen behind.
Not true, as many of them will be using their free time to develop their skills.
These days, there are so many professional learning resources available on the internet and via college and many of the unemployed are using their time off to develop and update their theoretical knowledge or to develop skills in specific areas, which may be of use to the business or to simply learn new skills. Many of them may have volunteered or engaged in some occasional contingent work to keep their skills fresh. The unemployed do not have to and are not stagnating in the way that they might have had to years ago. This is a woefully outdated belief.
The quality of the unemployed work pool has, in my opinion, improved dramatically, meaning it is a viable section of the job market from which employers can extract top talent, provided that employers follow the same levels of  diligence as they would do when assessing a currently employed candidate for a position.

October 2013 Jokes

Why do melons have big weddings?

Because they cantaloupe!

Why did the frog cross the road?

He tied himself to a chicken!

What makes music on your head?

A head band!

What is green and pecks on a tree?

Woody Wood Pickle!

When does a detective carry an umbrella?
When he's undercover!

What kind of birds always stick together?
Vel Crows!

Why did the baby ghost cry?
Because it had a boo-boo!

What store do dogs refuse to go to?
Flea Markets!

Where do cows go to have fun?
The moo-vies!

Why was the policeman in bed?
Because he was an undercover cop!

Thanks for reading and laughing!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

October 2013 Newsletter

Greetings!

Leaves are falling. Frost on the ground. Finally allergies are gone!
Another fall has come.
Thank you again for letting me work and stay in touch with you.
I thought you might be interested in these topics from my blog from last month.
Feel free to search my blog for other topics you’re interested in.

Never Lie to A Client
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/never-lie-to-client.html

Meet Them: How to get people you don’t know to link with you pt. 1
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/meet-them-how-to-get-people-you-dont.html

Ask A Question: How to get people you don’t know to link with you pt. 2
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/ask-question-how-to-link-with-people.html

Interview with Brian Weis pt. 2
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/brian-weiss-interview-pt-ii.html

Interview with Brian Weis pt. 1
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/brian-weis-interview-pt-i.html

Jokes:
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2013/09/september-2013-jokes.html

Thank you for everything! Happy Halloween!

Everet Kamikawa
Ev's Recruitment Answers blog
A Heck of A Nice Guy

Why Newspaper Job Ads are Dead pt. 3: Not Local

This is the third part in a  series of four articles on how newspapers fell from being the king of the help wanted ads to nothing today.
Other parts:
pt. 2 Revenue and Pricing
pt. 1: A Local Perspective

In 1997 I was the third person hired at a start up internet company called Job Connection.
Job Connection took a look at the national job boards that were just beginning at that time (remember the internet really didn't start hitting the public till 1995). They decided that internet recruitment was going to be the big thing of the employment world. Something that would fundamentally change the way people found a job. They, and lots of others nationwide, were right. Newspapers lost revenue for three reasons: local competition which was a loss of a key differentiating factor, rise of mobile and online technologies, and price per ad. This article explores the issue from a loss of the local competitive edge.

The niche that local job board owners saw was that while there were several national job boards like Monster, HotJobs, and Career Builder, there were not local focused sites. That changed quickly as Job Connection, WiJobs, and CareerBoard hit the market in 1997 followed by MilwaukeeJobs in 2000. These four sites along with a few others that came and went would accelerate the decline of newspapers faster than anyone expected by taking away the biggest strength a newspaper has, the fact it is local. 

I was told by my bosses at Job Connection that classified advertising at the local Milwaukee newspaper, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, made up  about $100 million in revenue for the paper in 1997. About $85 million was coming from employment ads.
I would like to point out that I have no 1997 numbers to prove that either way, however it is a reasonable conclusion for them at the time given that in 2000 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel classified advertising revenue was $85.4 million and employment classifieds were responsible for $70.2 million (source: http://www.putnampit.com/milwaukeepress/jssuit.htm).
The Job Connection owners wanted to tap into two tenths of that revenue ($200,000) as a goal for our company.

As the only salesman I accomplished that goal and then doubled it in 1999. Our team expanded to an additional salesperson and we were able to double that goal again in 2000 and were coming close to beating that goal in 2001. At the time Job Connection was the biggest local job board in terms of postings and clients (MilwaukeeJobs took over the top spot in 2001). Given what I know of the competition at the time, I would assume that the three job boards took between $500,000-$1,000,000 in revenue from the newspaper each year from 1998-2000. That figure probably doubled in 2001 with MilwaukeeJobs coming into the picture. $2 million doesn't seem like much compared to $85 million, but that number grew as $2-4 million in annual revenue was being taken by local job boards. Add on top of that the monies spent on national job boards like Monster and CareerBuilder, and nice job boards like LatPro, Dice, and Jobs4Sales, and you're looking closer to $10 million being lost to internet job boards in the area. These are just educated guesses on my part.

Why were so many companies trying the internet and taking budget away from the newspaper? The internet boom was on! Remember all the DotCom companies that were popping up? The fuel they provided for the economic boom of the late 1990's? Now days we look back and wonder how did we ever live without our internet connections? Companies were searching for other ideas to reach job seekers. There was a talent shortage going on (and still is). Companies were willing to try anything to find the employees they needed.
Local internet job boards like WiJobs and Job Connection were able to position themselves as local alternatives to the local newspaper.

Poor customer service was a big part of the problem newspapers had in losing clients. A big chunk of the clients I sold in those days were fed up with the mistakes in the layout or billing. The mistakes they could have forgiven if they were given an ounce of cooperation by the paper, however the newspaper thought it was the monster in the room and could do whatever they wanted and always be profitable. The poor customer service caught up to them.The old expression "fool me once shame on me, fool me twice shame on you" applied as more and more companies chose to spend money on a method where they got to make instant changes and speak to a sympathetic figure.

When companies decided to try Job Connection they told me the number one reason was that if they had a problem with their newspaper ads, they never got good customer service. If they multiple problems they got different newspaper reps each time. Companies liked the fact that if they had a problem they could call "Ev" who was located in the same city just a few minutes away. Since I was there for years they got to know "Ev" as a face of the company.
As long as what "Ev" said made sense and they liked who "Ev" was as a person and salesman they were willing to give the job board a try.

Being local gives you a distinct advantage in the market you are in. Sometimes this means you can't compete with the giant mega companies that can cut you in price or product availability, however the edge you have locally is that you can respond instantly to a problem or an opportunity. You should know your customers and they know you. Provide that comfort that the client you have sold can sleep easy because if a situation arises they can "call Ev" and he'll take care of it, you will get your share of the business even at higher rates, small stores, less choice of product, etc. The newspapers forgot this. By having a revolving door of customer service/sales reps and the attitude that companies would always need them and people would always read them, they sealed their own fate. They were slow to change in this digital age where we do business by email, texting, and social media. By the time they reacted customers had moved away from newspapers to e-readers, online, and mobile devices. 

It is easy to forget that businesses still need to face their customers in person (sometimes video conferencing works too). We live in an age where shopping online is common, but there will always be a space for someone local to provide a service or product. As a salesperson or recruiter find that niche that will allow you to compete and be seen as an expert by your customers and you won't go the way of the newspapers.

Thanks for reading!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

Don't Just Call to Call

You probably have a list of favorite clients.
You know the ones.
Whenever you call them they sound happy to hear from you or they always place an order, or they just make you feel good after talking to them.
We all have these customers.

Be sure when you call these customers you are not just chewing the fat.
Always call them with an idea, piece of information, or something that can help their business-even if it doesn't have anything to do with your product or business.
Doing this will help your client see you as a resource and not just someone taking orders.
They will look forward to talking and doing business with you, and that will make you enjoy talking to them even more.

Thanks!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

Proof Clever Outbound Messages Do Work

So the other day I pick up my voicemail, as I do every morning, not expecting anything unusual.
Was I pleasantly surprised when I heard:

"I love that part about "Almost Reached..." Everet, I just...your little personal branding stuff is just so awesome and I just wanted to say I appreciate it. Very Clever!
This is Art from Central Office Systems...(rest of message)"

Art's compliment made my day then, and still does as I have it saved on my voicemail.
I've written before on the benefits of branding yourself when you are in sales:
Personnal-branding-works

Here is more proof of what I wrote my dad telling me was correct. By adding the personnel touch I made myself stick out from all the other salespeople that Art works with.
That is what you want to do.
Be remembered at the top of the list in your client's mind so when they have a need they call you right away.
Thanks for the call Art!

Thank you Everyone!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

8 Qualities of the Ideal 2013 Job Candidate

Thanks Kazim for the qualities, however I don't think we have to limit them to 2013.

These qualities have been needed by job candidates for a long time.

Ev

The 8 Qualities of the Ideal 2013 Job Candidate

Kazim Ladimeji   

Our current climate is characterized by: radical change, new technologies, a multi-generational workplace, globalization and the rise of the BRIC economies, which have all led to extraordinary levels of competition in the consumer, commercial and candidate marketplace.

These forces are placing significant and varied demands on workers and professionals, and to thrive, survive, and deliver within the workplace, professionals must evolve and develop new skills and qualities. And taking into account the current climate, I have outlined what I believe to be the ideal candidate specification for 2013, which can help to produce candidates who perform and succeed in your business:

1. Flexibility: The ideal candidates will not be a ‘walkover’ (if you can walkover them, so can clients and suppliers), but will have a flexible outlook and be able to change their approach regularly and respond quickly to changes in your business or department strategy that are necessitated by an unpredictable internal and external environment. Flexible staff will make your organization agile and able to quickly respond to market forces.

2. Adaptability: This is different than flexibility where changes may be temporary or fluctuating. Adaptability is about being able change and let go of an established way of working (forever) and to adjust to a new, often radically different way of working for the good of the business. Adaptable people can let go of legacy systems and help your business move forward into the new age; rigid professionals may hold your business back in these circumstances. Seek out adaptability.

3. Intercultural Adaptability: A recent research report by Booz Allen Hamilton, Ipsos Public Affairs and the British Council shows that employers are now valuing inter-cultural skills as much as skills and experience. Fifty-eight percent of U.S. employers see inter-cultural skills as very important, and in the UK this figure is 70 percent. Inter-cultural adaptability means being able to understand and accept different cultural viewpoints and contexts, speaking foreign languages (ideally in international destinations of strategic concern to your firm), and being open to new ideas and ways of thinking.

4. Generational Flexibility: Even though Baby Boomers have just started retiring, we are working in a world with four generations (Traditionalists, Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y) working alongside each other from an internal and external perspective. Workers who have the generational flexibility to be able to adapt their communication and collaboration style to suit different generations should be able to collaborate better and be more effective.

5. Early Adopting Technology Evaluator: There is no doubt that used well, new technologies can create efficiencies and open up new opportunities for your business. Employees who can spot new technologies as they hit the marketplace, evaluate their usefulness to your business and deploy those that promise to make most impact, can help give you first mover advantage over your competitors.

6. Collaborator/Team workers: While focused, committed and cohesive teams are in, Silos and isolated teams are out, big time. The efficiencies, mistakes and inappropriate end products that come from ‘siloed’ working can be ultimately damaging. Ideal candidates can form cohesive teams but can come together and work collaboratively across functions as part of the overall business team.

7. Able to Spot an Opportunity/Customer Centric: This is especially important in small business (the engine of many economies), where workers need to wear multiple hats. There is no hiding place in small business; all employees must be able to engage with clients face to face or on the phone as they represent your brand and can win and lose business/clients from their behavior or lack of appropriate behavior when in contact with clients. Can you really afford to have an employee in a small firm who is unable to effectively relay a lead from a potential new client, or who cannot handle/escalate a client concern?

8. Leadership Flexibility: HBR research tells us that the most effective leaders have a flexible leadership style and regularly deploy up to six different leadership approaches: Coercive, Authoritative, Affiliative, Democtraic, Pacesetting and Coaching. The ideal leader will have the ability to deploy at least four of these styles on a regular basis.
Good luck in hiring top talent in 2013!

Be Genuine & Straight Forward: How To Link with Others You Don't Know pt.3

Like many of you who read my blog I get inundated with LinkedIn requests.
This whole series of articles was inspired by several LinkedIn requests I received recently, and frankly they were the straws that broke the camel's back.

Other articles talked about: So far we've talked about:
ask-questionsmeet-them
bad-linkedin-responses
Here is one more response to the person that asked me how do I link with someone I don't know who might be able to help me?
Good question.

Answer:
Be direct, genuine, straight forward.

The lion in the picture above doesn't worry about putting on a show for others. He always acts like himself as what he is, a lion.
You do the same. Be yourself. Don't just ask random people to be part of your network (no matter what social media site, email program, or live event you are using) without a solid reason that is direct and speaks to them to make them want to talk to you.

I wish I had all the time in the day to meet with the random people that want me to connect with them (i.e. job seekers, salespeople, soon to be stalkers-don't laugh I've had three in my life). Since I don't know who you are I can't endorse you to my network as someone I know and trust...yet.

No matter if you are using LinkedIn, blind emails, phone calls, or meeting in person, as you way of networking, always be sincere and genuine about your interest in that person, topic, etc. Be yourself. After introducing yourself and maybe some chit chat about how we might know each other or have in common, tell me directly how I can help you.

Don't include sob stories, editorial comments about politics, your jobs, or people in the room. Just tell me how you think I can help you, what question you have, or some other reason for us to keep talking. Be professional. Be polite. ask the person you want to connect with a question about the industry that can help you, or on a common interest. Don't meander around in conversation. Get to the question as direct as you can.


There are a lot of other people in the "networking meeting room of life." It is okay if we can't help each other to say so and move on to the next people instead of standing there with some strange feeling of obligation to keep talking to each other while looking for an excuse to leave the conversation. Maybe we can help each other. Offer to buy the person a coffee or meet them at another time so that both of you can continue to circulate. The next person you meet might be able to help you, or maybe the person that couldn't help you. I've often connected two people that I couldn't help with each other. Usually that leads to one of those people doing the same for me because they remember I did that for them.

People are busy. Being direct, but genuine, with someone else's time is polite and professional
Being direct and saving their time gets their attention and make them interested in responding to you.

Give it a try.

Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

References: How to list them

Hi Ev, 
Sorry to bother you, but I have a work related question and I thought you might be the best person to answer it. I am applying for a job, and it wants me to list the employer and position of each of my references. Should I list their current position, or the position they held when I worked with them?
Julee

Hi Julee, 
No problem on asking.
Always happy to help.
You can do either.
What I always do is list the person's title and company and contact information where they are now.
Name
Position & Company
Phone
Email
Then how I know them (i.e. supervisor at Company X).

Try to have at least three professional references for people that can attest to your work.
Don't use friends or co-workers who were not directly working with you (i.e. people who were just work friends). Don't use parents or preferably other family members (unless it is a family business).

Make sure all of your references know someone will be contacting them about you. Even ask what they might say. Also be sure to ask several people over the course of your career to be references.
This way you get people that know your current work, but also it is a great way to keep in contact with your network.
 
Good luck!

Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

Ev's September 2013 Newsletter

Greetings!

It is the last days of summer.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve loved the mild summer weather this year! Not too hot or wet, 70’s and sunshine.
Perfect!
Thank you again for the opportunity to work with you!
I’ll send the next newsletter when the Packers begin playing games that count.
Too bad the Brewers aren’t doing that now, but bad baseball is still baseball and that is a good thing.

What Makes a Good LinkedIn Invitation?
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/what-makes-good-linkedin-invitation.html

“Clinical” Job Ads Work Too:
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2013/06/clinical-job-ads-can-work-too.html

Proofreading is a Dying Art
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/proofreading-is-dying-art.html

Jokes:
http://everetsblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/july-2013-jokes.html


Thank you for everything! Have a great rest of the summer!

Everet
Ev's Recruitment Answers blog

September 2013 Jokes

Jokes:

I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

Two silk worms had a race. They ended up in a tie.

Seven days without a pun makes one weak.

What did the acorn say when it grew up?
Oh look! I'm a tree!

Voicemail Strategies for Salespeople & Recruiters

Salespeople and recruiters!
Are you frustrated by voicemail?
Do you keep getting lost in voicemail mazes?
Ever feel like your sales calls are being screened?
If you’re being disciplined in your approach to cold calling and hitting your daily number of dials, you’re probably listening to a lot of voice mail messages. What should you do to get through to more people?

Recently I gave a presentation on this topic to the Recruiter Network.
Here is some advice:

1. Call back later
Make at least five attempts to get the person live before leaving a message. Try calling at different times during the day – early morning, right before or after lunch, after 5.
I've always found the best times to reach someone is before 9am, 11:30ish, 3:30-5:30.

2. Make sure you try different days
Monday mornings typically stink because people are getting ready for their week or in early meetings. Friday afternoons stink, especially in cold weather states in the spring and summer because people leave early to enjoy nice weather. That doesn't give you an excuse to NEVER try on those days!

3. Be brief
When leaving a message, the goal is to get them to call you back.
It’s NOT to go through your opening pitch. So the shorter and more direct you are the better. Try “Hi ___, this is (your first & last name). 414.325.8425. Then hang up.
The prospect will probably wonder who you are and how they know you. This message will usually result in one of three things:
a. prospect will call you back and either pretend they know you or say they don't know you but want to know why you are calling
b. your message will sit on their desk and will eat at their curiosity until you call them back
c. when you call back their gatekeeper will try to get more information from you

4. Be prepared
The trouble with leaving a message is you put some control in the prospect’s hands. When cold calling you can get your “game face” on and be completely focused on the prospect you’re calling. When they call you back, you’ll be in the middle of something else and it will take you a moment to get into sales mode. Keep track of where you’ve left messages and have your notes or files handy so you can grab them when they call back.

5. Wait two days before calling them back
Once you leave a message you need to give the prospect a chance to return it. However, if they have not called you back within two business days, put them back in your calling queue and dial again on the third day.

6. Repeat and don’t give up
If you keep getting their voice mail, keep making your calls and start leaving more details on the message you leave every third attempt. Your persistence will pay off. A busy executive once told me he doesn’t even pay attention until a sales person calls at least 7 times. Most sales people give up after 2-3 attempts.

7. Slow down
Make a conscious effort to relax and speak clearly. Take a deep breath. Be confident and smile. They’ll hear it on the message you leave and will be more inclined to call you back. On the other hand, if you're nervous or rushed it just gives them a reason to delete your message and ignore you.

8. Smile
Be yourself. If you smile when you talk your voice will have a brighter, upbeat, tone making you sound more friendly and leading people to want to talk to you. Remember, it is not always what you say but how you say it.

9. Drop an octave
By talking slower and more relaxed you will naturally have a more resonate tone to your voice. That will be more pleasing and lead to more call backs.

10. Don't be afraid to make mistakes
You don't always have to be the smoothest talker. If you make a mistake make a little joke out of it and MOVE ON. DON'T DWELL on the mistake. People like talking to human beings. Knowing that you are human and not a slick talking sales machine will lower their defenses and they will be easier to talk to.

There are some tips for you. Feel free to share what works for you.
Thanks to Mike Carroll of Intelligent Conversations for contributing to this post.

Ev

Ask A Question: How to Link with People You Don't Know pt. 2

Like many of you who read my blog I get inundated with LinkedIn requests.
I wrote an article about my responses when people blindly try and contact me, plus other ways to get noticed on LinkedIn.
ask-questions
meet-them
bad-linkedin-responses

I was asked by someone who read the articles, how do I link with someone I don't know who might be able to help me?
Good question.

Here is another idea I use:

No matter if you are using LinkedIn, email, phone call, or meeting in person, ask the person you want to connect with a question about the industry that can help you, or on a common interest. Don't meander around in conversation. Get to the question as direct as you can.

Get their attention and make them interested in responding to you.
Be professional. Be polite. Know something about them that will get their interest (i.e. I just read your blog about _________. I liked your take on the issue but had a question), know what company they work for or the last company they were with, if there are any common connections, what groups they belong to. What events they are attending or were a presenter at. All of this information can be found on LinkedIn profiles, Facebook, other databases, Google searches, even common associates.

As an intelligent, open ended question about something you need to know about for either your job search or sales process. Show that you have some knowledge of the topic but that you see them as an expert and want their opinion.
If your question intrigues them and your intention of why you are asking is genuine, they will probably take your call, email, or maybe set up an appointment.

Give it a try.

Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

Meet Them: How to Get People You Don't Know to Link with You pt. 1

Like many of you who read my blog I get inundated with LinkedIn requests.
I wrote an article about my responses when people blindly try and contact me:
ask-questions
meet-them
bad-linkedin-responses
I was then asked the question, how do I link with someone I don't know who might be able to help me?
Good question.

Here is one idea I use:

Meet them where they are.

Look what groups they belong to. What events they are attending or being a presenter at.
Go to those places and introduce yourself.
Be professional. Be polite. Don't be a stalker.
Know something about them that will get their interest (i.e. I just read your blog about _________. I liked your take on the issue but had a question), know what company they work for or the last company they were with, what groups they belong to, or if we have any common connections.
Get their attention and make them interested in knowing you.

If I meet you casually at a networking event it isn't always enough for me to link with you based on that one meeting, but it does mean I will probably take your call, email, or maybe set up an appointment for coffee.
Any of those methods will work when it comes to seeing how we can help each other.
Give it a try.

Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

Houston: Our Blog is Back

It isn't a perfect fix. I still don't know what is wrong, however the last few posts have gotten posted on time so I'm declaring this blog is back in business.
Thanks to everyone in Houston.

Side note, the movie Apollo 13 is 20 years old and the actual mission was 40 years ago, but try not tearing up with pride when you watch the clip below. I dare you!
Thanks for hanging in there with me!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

 

Never Lie to A Client

Ryan Braun lied.
Lied to all fans of the Milwaukee Brewers and all fans of baseball.
His credibility as a spokesman for the team and the city is shot.
His accomplishments as a baseball player are now questioned.
He's losing his endorsement deals.
He's damaged or lost friends and business relationships for years to come.

My Dad gave me this advice after I got my first job selling Kirby vacuum cleaners.
"Never lie to a client son. Clients can smell a lie from a salesman a mile away. If you don't know the answer to a client's question say you don't know it but you will find out the answer. Then be sure you get back to them with the answer in a timely manner!"

A sales manager I had once told me that if I didn't know the answer to "make one up."  He clarified that the answer should at least sound plausible. His reasoning was the quicker you knocked away a client's objection, the quicker you can get through all the objections and move on to the sale. Waiting to find an answer and trying to get back to a client will kill the momentum of the appointment and you might not ever get a chance again to talk to this person. While it is true that you might get only one chance to sell someone, dishonesty or trickery shouldn't be two of the tools you use to make the sale. 

I'm glad I follow my dad's advice. People appreciate honesty. In the end all you are really trading on is yourself and your reputation. Having a good reputation will make you money. Having a bad reputation will cost you money. Ask Ryan Braun. 

Ev  A Heck of A Nice Guy 

Ev note: I wrote an article about the zaniness of the Brewers players in 2011 and how they lost that mojo and I believe it was one of the reasons they lost the NLCS. funniest-team-around-until-they-lost-it  If you look at the timeline of the Braun saga, he was tested for drugs during the division playoff series with Arizona. The next series is the league championship against St. Louis. Milwaukee wins an emotional game 2, then comes out with no pep and no humor (remember the "beast mode") for the remainder of the series. I've always asked what happened to their humor. In my opinion Braun and some of his teammates knew he was caught and that ruined their mindset and affected the rest of the team by ruining their chemistry and karma. I can't prove it. Just an idea.

Bad LinkedIn Responses

I've written before on what make an effective LinkedIn Invitation:
what-makes-good-linkedin-invitation

Lately I've been swamped by LinkedIn invitations by people I do not know and have no connection with.The conversations usually start like this:

From unknown LI Member to me:
"Everet I want to add you to my LinkedIn network."

Since someone took the time to actually put my name in the invite I will look to see their profile and who they are.
If I can't make a logical connection as to why they are contacting me I will send out the following:

"Hi ________________,
I've been racking my brain trying to remember how we know each other. I don't want to sound rude or dumb, however can you please remind me how we know each other or tell me how I can help you?
Thank you,
Everet"

Here are some of the recent responses:

Everet,
Great memory, we've never met (that I know). As a job seeker, I am reaching out to recruiters as part of my job search.
As someone who had a brother who raced slot cars (many years ago), I thought it especially cool to connect with you.
Thanks,
D---- K----

Points for honesty. You're expanding your job search. You think I might be able to help. Problem for you is; I'm not a recruiter. If you read my profile you would know that. That immediately dismissed you.
You did pick up on my interest in slotcars and that is good and got my attention, however you told me it was your brother that raced them. No details on the kind of cars or tracks. Since it isn't you that share my hobby why would I connect with you? Your brother and I have have more in common it would seem.

I believe we are connected thru others on LinkedIn either thru different occupations or different levels of frfiends.
J-----

I looked. We have no common connections. I also don't have any "frfiends" in common with you. I forgive most spelling errors if you are someone I know, however if you are trying to establish a professional connection double check these short messages. Create a positive impression of yourself.

Everet,
We actually have never met, I am looking to expand my network in order to hopefully get my face and qualifications out into the market in order to hopefully find that stable position that I have been searching for the last couple of years. I am tired of taking jobs in order to be laid-off when there is a production shift or an ownership change.
Thank you and I hope you understand my desire to add you to the network,
W------ A----

Someone who is bitter and tired. Why would I want to add someone to my network that says those things when i haven't met them? I don't like being around negative people. Most people don't so why lead with your troubles.

LinkedIn is based on people being and acting in a professional manner. Just because you are not standing next to a person doesn't mean you can let your professional etiquette lapse.

For the follow up articles to this:
ask-questions
meet-them


Thanks!
Ev
A Heck of A Nice Guy

Please PROOF your emails!

What does it say about you as a salesperson, recruiter, or job seeker when you make errors like these examples that were sent to me? My comments are in italics.
We're all human. I've done dumb things like this too.
This is a good reminder for all of us to double check our work.
Thanks!
Everet
A Heck of A Nice Guy

Hey Everet,
I just got your Massage (I never give men massages). I looked over the jobs you sent on Friday but I would like to try and find something closer to the WI & IL boarder.  I went and talk to  ______ the HR Director form my work about the AV job that will be opening up here soon. I will be having a interview as soon as it opens up. But I don't know when that will be. Last I have heard is they are fine tuning the job discrimination (Oh good. I hate it when companies have discrimination polices that are not fine tuned and discriminate in a general way). I am still looking for any jobs that would be out there.

Thanks,

Al D-------

(414) ---------

a-------@hotmail.com

Everete, (you've received hundreds of emails from me. How is my name spelled?)
Here is the job description. Please pass it along to anyone that is interested.
J_____

(Company Name) Help Desk Job Description:

A well recognized company is looking for a Help Desk resource to support the corporate environment from there (their!) local location (good I can't fill jobs that are not local). This individual will be responsible for providing primarily remote support to executives, field support, and other internal end users. The will be doing helpdesk (why is helpdesk one word here but two words above?) support, assets management, PC and printer support. This is Monday through Friday 8 to 5 opportunity. This is a long term opportunity with a possibility of going on permanent.

Required Skills for Help Desk Job:

• OTHER (Other? I qualify then!)
• HELPDESK
• ASSET MANAGEMENT
• PRINTER (I need a printer for this job?)
• IT SUPPORT

I Practice What I Preach: Creative Out of Office Message

Recently I went away on a weeks vacation for the first time in a long time.
I took advice from my own column:
have-great-out-of-office-email-message
I left this out-of-office message and a lot of people really liked it and appreciated the personality of it.
Ev

Hi!
You have almost reached Everet.
Thanks for your email.
While I know it is inconvenient – I do need to let you know I am not available to answer your emails until July 22nd.

Why?
I've heard tales of places with five foot high mice, giant dogs, and ducks that speak.
After years of hearing these tales I'm off to see if they are true.

I'm a client and I need to talk to you!
As you know my clients are my priority and I appreciate you to the ends of the world!
If you are one of my clients and need immediate help, please contact ____________,
at 414-2##-9### or #####@#####.edu

I'm a student and I need help!
Please see above or wait until I get back.
Remember ##### will be busier than normal without me, so don't run into the office screaming and yelling for her because she may be talking to someone else at the same time.
Bringing cookies would be a nice touch and a good way to start your conversation.

What is the realistic expectation for a response while you are gone?
None. I understand these giant mice, ducks, and dogs are shy. I don't want to spook them with beeps and dings from my phone going off while searching for them.

Isn't it going to be weird being unplugged in this digital world?
Yes. Good thing I have several years of practice.

I really do appreciate the time you took to email me. I will respond as quickly as possible.
Remember that Outlook only sends an out of office response once – so if you will need this contact information please save it to a document.
Thank you!
Everet