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Sell Yourself, Not Your Dignity

In a tough job market, approach your job search like an entrepreneur preparing to create a new start-up.

What Does Behaving Like an Entrepreneur Mean?

It means being comfortable in taking an unconventional path, in digging deep to understand opportunities.

It means saying  yes  when others say  no .

It means seeing opportunities where others see loss.

It means being tenacious, passionate, competitive, and innovative.

In a tough market, strong qualifications and accomplishments are necessary, but not sufficient, to find a job

Networking should be the primary focus of everything you do

Sell Yourself by Developing a Positioning Statement

Throughout the last _____ years I have worked primarily in the field of _________________ as a (title)________________providing (functions)____________________________I have specific expertise in (indicate skills, functions, type of activities or processes you have become skilled ___________________________________________________________________I am seeking opportunities to (describe the position or role you want, not title and how you can contribute ___________________________________________

Sell Yourself by

Being Focused and Knowledgeable

Create a target list of companies

• Wish list
• Research specific organizations by industry
• Identify Hiring Managers

(C of I)

• Create an outreach plan
• Maintain accurate records of contacts and follow-up on leads

Resources for researching companies

• Review their website
• Utilize social media websites to identify/talk with current or past employees
• Wetfeet.com
• www.hoovers.com
• Alumni Association

Association www.hoovers.com

Sell Yourself by Leveraging Your Portfolio Tools

Cover letters can open doors when used for:

Responding to an advertised opening

Following up on a personal referral

Introducing yourself to a decision maker

A networking  follow up

Rules of thumb for a well written cover letter:

Customize your message

Highlight and expand on the most relevant facts on your resume

Give a relevant, customized example that is not on your resume

Show that you familiar with the company

Sell Yourself by  Leveraging Your Portfolio Tools

Resume building blocks include:

Contact Information

Summary of key skills

Education

Professional experiences

Affiliations and memberships

Publications and presentations

Honors and awards

Resume guidelines

Be brief

Be specific

Be active

Be selective

Be honest

Sell Yourself by Leveraging Your Portfolio Tools

• Create list of professional references
• Request letters of recommendation

Sell Yourself by Preparing for Common Interview Questions

Educational, volunteer and work history

Qualifications

Career goals, length of commitment to the area or organization

Strengths

Weaknesses

Questions for them

Sell Yourself by Following Up After the Interview:

Make notes on questions you were asked, reflect and respond

Send a personal thank you note  address questions that may have been left unanswered

Follow up with a telephone call to check on the status of the process

Sell Yourself by Negotiating Wisely

Do extensive research, preparation and practice beforehand (wwwsalary.com)

Know exactly what you need and exactly what you want

Establish the real value of an offer

Ask yourself : Is this the right fit?

“Only you can be in control of your career and nobody cares more than you about your future.”- Peter S. Fiske, Putting your Degree to Work

According to the National Science Foundation (NSF) there were 45,000 post docs in the US in 2004, more than ever. The numbers are growing both in the Humanities as well as the sciences and the commitment can be enormous. The average researcher in the biological or life sciences spends five to seven years as a post doc and the time must be well spent if it is to result in an academic position down the road. Although some things have changed over time, such as the number of people pursuing post docs as well as the length of time spent in a postdoctoral research position, some changes lag far behind. According to Steven B. Sample, president of the University of Southern California and chair of the Association of American Universities (AAU) Committee on Postdoctoral Education “Postdoctoral education today is almost exactly where Ph.D. education was in the 1890s - very ad hoc.” Given the increasingly competitive environment both in academia as well as industry, you can’t afford to leave your post doc opportunities at the whim of the institution. You have to be proactive and strategic in finding and negotiating the best position for you.

Here are a few steps to success for your post-doc career:

1)      Consider your long term goals prior to deciding what postdoctoral fellowship to consider and then structure an opportunity that will lead itself to that goal. If you are in the sciences you have many options from Educator, Principal Investigator/Bench Scientist, and Consultant to Lobby Groups, Administrator or Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology CEO. Different career objectives require different post- doc opportunities.

2)      Check the research group’s history. Verify the publication record and track previous group members to determine whether the research setting is conducive to your career development. Explore how many papers group members generate and the order of authorship. Does everybody generate first-author papers as well as contribute to other papers? Do they publish in high-impact or obscure journals? Do you think that performing similar work would further your career ambitions?

3)      Consider contacting lab alumni for questions. This is preferably done by phone or in person: people, when contacted directly, tend to tell you more candidly about potential issues. If you have access to established people in the field, you can also inquire about the PI’s reputation and connections among his/her colleagues. For example, working with an established PI will be very helpful for easing the publication process in the short term and for connecting to the right career opportunities in the medium-long term. Ultimately, connecting with a scientifically cutting – edge, creative mentor who is also a terrific colleague is crucial.

4)      Get a detailed letter of appointment. To ensure that you and the group you select understand one another’s needs and expectations, secure a letter outlining the source and duration of funding, expectations for research productivity and authorship, lab space, student assistants and access to support staff and resources.

5)      Create an individualized development plan. According to Alyson Reed of the National Postdoctoral Association “You need to know what your long and short term career goals are and discuss them with people who are in a position to help you look at things from every angle”. Next, you should meet periodically with your mentors and even a career coach who can provide you feedback and help keep your post doc career on track to success.

For further tips on finding the right post doc for you, register for the upcoming workshop Purposeful Post-doc; A strategic approach to assessing institutional fit and managing relationships on 12/7/09. To learn more http://www.academycoaching.com/professional-development-workshops/workshop-calendar.html#Purposeful

For Post-Doc Position Listings consider the following sites:

Post-Doc Listings for All Disciplineshttp://www.postdcos.com

A database of position listings. You can search the database by category and keyword.The Chronicle of Higher Education’s Career Network
Although the Chronicle’s job listings focus on faculty appointments, they contain a few listings for post-doctoral appointments. Try a keyword search for “postdoctoral.”Higher Education Jobs
Also features some post-doctoral fellowship and research listingsThe Doreen B. Townsend Center for the Humanities at UC Berkeley
Links to information on humanities post-doctoral fellowships. Also see this site for major humanities funding sources, general funding resources on the web, and federal grants and fellowships.H-Net’s Job Guide
Lists some post-doctoral opportunities in the humanities and social sciencesPost-Doctoral Opportunities for AnthropologistsPhDs.org Includes listings of post-doctoral positions in math, science, and engineering.ScienceCareers.org Postdoc Page Resources, articles, and fellowship listings from the organization that was formerly Science’s NextWave.The Scientist
Search for faculty and post-doctoral positions in the “Jobs” section of the magazine’s website.ScienceJobs.com
Contains a database of job listings in bioscience and chemistry, including post-doctoral positions (in industry, government, and academia).

v The new National Post-doc Appreciation Day, is slated for the first time on September 24, 2009

Recent grads at all levels throughout the Academy have always faced this dilemma. In today’s shrinking job market, people with years of experience also struggle with it. Whether they face the reality of a layoff, or merely the threat of one, many experienced professionals are trying to reinvent themselves in order to become marketable in a changed economy.

Whether you’re launching your career or trying to change its course, you can get around this Catch-22 with some creativity and humility.

Here’s how one of my client’s did it:

She was a clinical psychologist in a community mental health center. It was professionally satisfying and financially unrewarding. As her kids began approaching high school and college tuition loomed in the near future she decided it was time to make more money. She wanted to become a development officer raising large sums of money for a cause she was passionate about – child abuse prevention.

Imagine her surprise to learn that she could not find a single organization eager to hire her. Apparently, they couldn’t see that her ability to counsel sexual offenders was a transferable skill!

She came to Academy Coaching and quickly blurted out “I can’t get development experience without getting hired. I couldn’t get hired without development experience”. What to do?

First you have to reinvent the way you market your skills and abilities for the career you want to pursue not the career you have had. Next you need to network effectively. We began by developing a Positioning Statement (commonly known as an elevator speech) about who she was professionally, the industries she’s served and the particular strengths she can bring to her desired new career. It sounded something like this: “I am trained as a clinical psychologist and have over 15 years providing services within high risk populations in the community mental health system. I think my keen awareness of the issues stemming from child abuse/neglect coupled with my ability to quickly develop working relationships with diverse groups of people assessing the various options they have and to envision new opportunities lends itself well to the field of development. In particular, I am seeking opportunities in fund raising and business development that would lend itself well to a future career in development.”

Next it was time to redesign her resume, highlighting her transferrable skills from her career as a counselor to the field of development. From there we were able to craft a savvy cover letter that left the reader with the impression that this was a very experienced and focused individual who understood the world of fundraising and exactly how she could contribute to its success. Finally, it was time to get out there and network, because every occasion whether professional or personal, is an opportunity to connect with others and create potential options for your career.

At a party, she met Professor “X” an Engineer and entrepreneur with a startup company and connections in the world of business development and fundraising. He was trying to market a new product. He had a good idea and no money to hire someone to help him realize it.

She jumped at the opportunity “I’ll do telemarketing cold calls for your new product. But I insist on being paid. The first payment will be a title appropriate to the job I will be doing - say, ‘Business Development Associate.’” The second payment, if I fulfill my end of the deal, will be a good reference and introductions to colleagues who might be able to help me.”

For the next two months, two days a week, she did her best to help Professor “X” get traction for his new service. She made hundreds of calls –each time becoming more skilled and smooth in her sales approach. She’d performed well and got paid, in the form of introductions to some of his business associates. Those introductions, along with a resume that included her new title, eventually led to a job in fundraising.

How can you use such a strategy to get out of the “Catch 22” loop that circumscribes your professional growth?

Look for an individual / company who have some great ideas but not enough manpower to realize them.

Ø Be specific about what value you will provide. She wanted experience in marketing, sales and business development. She could provide a professional approach and proven ability to connect well with people.

Ø Be specific about what value you will receive. For her, appropriate compensation was a title she could add to her resume and introductions and a reference from Professor “X”. Compensation is about value received for value given - and you’re thinking too narrowly if you define value only in monetary terms.

Ø Be specific about time frame. She promised to work two days a week for two months. Be sure that your commitment doesn’t preclude you from actively continuing a job search - or performing well enough to keep your present job.

What? You’re too proud to offer your services at no charge? Consider this, if you choose the right opportunity, you’ll gain industry or functional experience that has immeasurable value - and will ultimately lead to a real paycheck in your desired field.

Here are some take home points from last month’s workshop at Academy Coaching

I. Should I negotiate in this economy? Yes!

Remember,  getting the job offer is not your ultimate goal. Getting a job you love and are fairly compensated for is your ultimate goal.

II. The biggest barrier to effective negotiations? Your own thoughts.

Do you think people will perceive you as a jerk or prima donna for negotiating? Consider these facts;

a. The employer if fully expecting you to negotiate.

b. You can learn to negotiate effectively. Thankfully, negotiation skills are not a genetic disposition that you either have or don’t have. They are a set of skills that you can master!

c. Your negotiating ability is an asset to your potential employer. If you are going to have nay role in securing contracts/vendors/speakers/consultants or in any way simply influence peopleyou will need to be savvy in negotiating. If you can’t negotiate for yourself it seems unlikely you will be able to do so for the organization.

III. Everything is negotiable. Yes everything. That does not mean you should expect to get everything. A wise person identifies what is most and least important before negotiating.

a. Prioritize what you need vs. what you want.

b. Go beyond financial compensation and consider overall “fit” with the position. Consider the responsibilities/people you will work with/the schedule/flex time/ benefits and so forth.

IV. Tips for effective negotiations.

a. Know what you are worth. Gather data on your field/profession/rank/region/institution.

b. Develop a Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement “BATNA”

c. Don’t confuse salary with the full compensation package.

d. Identify shared interests and how you can meet their needs. This is paramount.

e. Ask for what you are worth by highlighting what you bring to the table.

f. Handle negotiations with care – build relationships.

V. Know your sources of negotiation power. Yes, you have power!

a. Developing good working relationship(s) with the people you are negotiating with. Keep the conversation open.

b. Knowledge of objective data (salary ranges, cost of living etc.).

c. Ability to invent creative options and carefully craft negotiation(s). What can you give/get?

d. Maintaining a positive and patient attitude. Recognize for everything you ask someone has to likely go to some one else before the decision can be made, these things take time. Consider using this type of statement: “I am honored to receive your offer and inclined to accept. However, I have two areas I would like to further explore in hopes of coming to an agreement. Specifically, (xy). I recognize it may take a few days to get the information/answers you need and I am happy to wait in hopes that we can move forward”.

You have the best negotiation position before accepting an offer, and vice-versa. That being said, there is negotiation “etiquette” worth following to ensure the process is as productive as the outcome. This blog will run until June 9^th and is intended to focus on the negotiation process by offering a few helpful “principals for negotiation”. Jump in with examples of what has worked for you or questions about how to use these principles.

1) Know what you need for tenure

Come to the discussions with a clear understanding of what you will need to be successful in the field/institution. Talk to your committee chair, talk to several tenured faculty members in your field at institutions consistent with rankings where you see yourself in the future. What did they secure in their offer that enabled them to be productive and successful in achieving tenure? In retrospect, is there anything they wish they would have asked for but didn’t? How might it have made a difference?

2) Couch your requests in “QUALITY OR PRODUCTIVITY” as the rationale of why you need what you are asking for. Deans will respect you even if your requests seem a bit much if the underlying goal is to do a better job and ultimately be successful in that College – which is ultimately what you both want. So talk to your audience in a way that makes them want to listen (e.g., seed grants, RA, computer, and a more manageable initial teaching commitment could significantly enhance productivity; a higher salary, moving expenses, or housing assistance could enable you to focus on your job rather than seek extraneous summer teaching or consulting income).

3) Be informed about the average salary range for your type of academic institution, region of the country, and academic rank and negotiate within this range. Here’s how to find out what a typical assistant professor makes, wherever you are interviewing…. Keep in mind that the “average” assistant professor has been teaching for a few years and that salaries do vary by field.

· Use the National Education Association’s annual faculty salary report, published in the NEA almanac, to find out what the average assistant professor was making a couple of years ago at the institution where you are interviewing.

· Use the Chronicle of Higher Education’s AAUP Faculty Salary Survey to find out what the average assistant professor makes at the institution where you’re interviewing. The survey is based on six years of data from more than 1,400 colleges and universities. Here’s their data for 2006-2007.

4) Communicate clearly – To the right people

Avoid casual conversation about salary or fringe benefits, unless you are talking to the person who will be making the offer (e.g., the dean or department head). One possible exception - often it is appropriate to communicate some of your non-monetary objectives and concerns to your “host” (typically a member of the Search Committee) especially if they involve getting your work done (e.g., space, equipment, research and teaching assistants - but not salary).

5) Keep the conversation going

Negotiating an academic job offer is a process not a onetime conversation. Don’t try and speed it up with confrontational requests or all or nothing demands or tight deadlines (which is tempting when you feel anxious and your juggling multiple different offers and just want to make a decision). Keep talking, use open ended questions (perhaps we might find a creative solution to the teaching load that allows us to both meet the departments short term teaching needs and the long term success of my research agenda?) and the desire to keep talking (I feel optimistic we are moving in the right direction, can we touch base at the end of the week?).

http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2008/08/2008082201c.htm

Of course, once you get the right frame of mind about what you actually have control over, a few helpful hints are worth having. Some may be new to you, others not. Either way, a quick refresher on time management is never a waste of time.

Writing

• Write daily. Mike Arnzen who periodically writes a forum on faculty time management has a great saying; “If you dive into water, you swim. Write daily and you will get things done”.
• Figure out what time of day (and where) is the best place for you to immerse yourself in your writing verses email/cell phone/interruptions from well meaning partners or chatty peers. Make a commitment to go to that place every day and schedule it in your planner (okay 5 out of 7 days, give yourself a mental break twice a week) - start in small increments. Maybe just an hour and then build on that commitment.
• Create deadlines. Stick to them.
• Participate in a writing group or work with a career coach and ask for feedback on your progress not just your content. Have someone who helps hold you accountable.

Teaching

• Don’t reinvent the wheel; unless you have tenure and have absolutely unlimited free time to leave your mark on the curriculum development within your institution. Talk to senior faculty about the history of the course; take a look at their syllabi (or related syllabi online).
• Develop templates of your “master” syllabus and adjust accordingly each term. If you use any media such as CTools learn how to develop without specific due dates (except on the calendar function) save and copy for future courses.
• Be careful about the assignment due dates, don’t bog yourself down with everything around the same time and certainly not at times when you would like to be doing something (like opening Christmas gifts) besides reading 35 twenty page papers on the meaning of life in today’s hectic world.

Service

• Understand the time involved before saying yes. How often will the committee/group meet? Is it always in person or can it involved conference calls/video streams? When is the workload the heaviest, and then consider how does this fit with your other roles and responsibilities.
• Consider making an informal volunteer commitment before signing on. Get an insider’s look to how organized the committee/group is and whether it would be an opportunity for you to meet other faculty who you might develop future collaborations with or if the group dynamics would cause you unnecessary stress and frustration.
• Manage student requests in an honest and timely manner and in a way that serves you and them well. For example, don’t agree to an independent study if you are simultaneously going to be out of the country writing your book. Chances are you will not want to focus on drafts other than your own. Managing requests also applies to email correspondence and potential expectations for immediate accessibility. Consider a signature line or automated response that provides a realistic time frame for your response.

Self Renewal

• Make time on a weekly basis for engaging wholeheartedly in something other than your research and writing.
• Exercise. Take a walk, get a membership to a local gym or take advantage of the various metro parks in your area. Being active is a great way to reduce muscle tension and emotional fatigue.
• Notice the small wins, the little gains you make along the way. Give yourself credit.
• Read something simply for the pure joy of immersing yourself in something creative, funny, inspiring or intriguing.