Jason Monastra

My life and thoughts out on the web

I hit an interesting obstacle this week.  I was presented with a situation where someone  I know well is taking a step out of the recruiting business.  Personally, I know the person well enough to know he is making the right choice.  His desire is to do well in whatever he does, however is passion is not recruiting.  With that in mind, it really sparked some additional discussions with people and candidates surrounding their desire do what they love for a living.  What I found was most people don’t and funny enough, most people do not even know what they love.

I took in a movie last night, frankly one that was not very good and quite course, however ties into this subject.  Step Brothers.  It features Will Farrell and his normal band of comedic actors discussing the lives of two 40 yr old men that still live with their parents.  In between the language and the liberal comedy, there was a message that came out in the end - one that brought their family together and eventually helped reconcile seemingly lost relationships.  When people are forced to do things they do not like, or simply play it safe for the sake of fitting in, there is a spark of character that is lost within that person that is very difficult to recover.   The person loses a little of themselves and eventually becomes something that they never wanted to be.

I speak with people daily about career moves and what that means for them professionally and as an individual.  What I find is most people do not consider their desires and passions when determining a career path.  They are driven by money or some other external factor that aligns them with their job.  With whatever time is left over, they pursue their dreams and their passion for life.  Seems to me like that is a huge waste of time.  Why would you do that?  What if they both were inter-twined and allowed for the two to run parallel and feed one another - that is both your work and passion.  I think you can if you plan in that fashion and do not allow the process to choose for you.

First and foremost, find and determine what it is you like to do.  If there is something that interests you, research it.  Not all things are meant for careers, that is why we have hobbies.  But the only way you will know is to take a look into it and see.  Second, meet people that do it.  Network and talk to people that do what you want to do.  Sit with them, pick their brains, and see what has made them successful.   Third, evaluate yourself.  Let us be serious, not all things are for all people and each person has a skill set that matches well to a certain path in life.  Figure out what yours is, develop it and align that with your passions.  Most people are passionate about things that they are good at…..I am sure it is the way with you. 

Be yourself and be happy in your work.  If you do not like it, change it.  Some changes are gradual and some are instant.  Plan and be prepared for obstacles along the way.  Patience is a virtue and in change, you will either use it or you will quickly develop it.  No matter what you plan or think, there are always changes and things always happen that were unexpected or unique.  Understand that and be ready, so when they do happen - you are calm and ready.  Enjoy your life, pick something to do that is fulfilling and fun, love the people you work with and work will no longer be work, but just life and things will be a lot better!

Off the wall questions are making a come back in the interview field.  All the techies have heard the standard questions that most people would seem to be non-traditional.  However, the rest of the world has caught on and now is coming to the table with some of the craziest questions that I have heard.  If anyone has any, please let me know so we can make a “Hall of Fame” for some of the most infamous questions ever asked in an interview.  Here are some of the weird ones I have heard:

• Why are manholes round?
• If you were a car, what type would you be?
• Tell me about the song that best describes you
• If you had one wish, what would you ask for?
• How would you compare yourself to a tennis ball?

Obviously the preparing for questions and off the ball things like this are impossible so there is no way to prep.  Remember, there is no real right answer, or anything that the interviewer is looking to compare to.  What they are looking for is someone that can take a non formal question and tie it back making a cohesive statement and formidable answer.  When someone asks one of these teasers, be calm and gather your thoughts before opening your mouth. 

TIT.  Tie it Together.  Remember no matter how off the question, tying it together and making it all circle back is important. They are asking the question to get an informal view of who you are….so make sure to offer them some insight.  If someone asked about what kind of car you would be, tell them the car and then compare the car to your characteristics and why you chose that model.  We have discussed making a difference and distinguishing yourself from others.  This is the prime opportunity so keep that in mind.  Everyone is going to answer this question differently, so take advantage and make yourself memorable.

This past weekend, approached by a family member, with the question of background checks and credit checks.  Most people do not realize that companies have forgone the days of accepting your references as an indicator of your character and are turning towards in depth background checks and credit histories to determine your candidacy.  For the people that have solid histories, this is not a concern but what about people that re-established themselves or gone through a divorce that took a tole on their credit - should that be brought into consideration?  Whether you agree or not, business is looking more into your personal life to make sure they are making the right hire.  Hiring the wrong person has become more costly.  Lawsuits, negligence, time lost and theft are just some of the issues that plague this economy.  Not to mention wasted time and simply not doing their job.  Companies are looking for more and more ways to screen out those possible bad apples and credit is the latest tool.

How do you handle this I was asked?  What happens if they run my credit since I have some issues.  I have always found that heading the issue off and being forthright seems to offer the best possibility of success.  If you have a credit issue and you know the company is going to run a credit history - discuss with them the potential problems upfront.  First and foremost, know before the company knows.  If you have not gotten your hands on a credit report lately - do so now.  There are countless sites out there that will run your history for you and then provide a detailed report discussing your score, possible problems and solutions to increase your overall score and how you look.  There is nothing worse than not knowing.  Company wants to hire you and then receives a negative report - they tell you that you have not received the role but there are no details.  Continuing on without knowing is not the answer.  Know what the company will find out before they ever run the report.

Solving credit issues.  Not all companies run reports currently but it is an increasing number that are using the screening tool.  If there are bumps in your history, look for ways to smooth them out before entering the process.  If there is unpaid bill or a late payment, call the creditor and discuss possible solutions to resolve the matter and clean up your credit.  Sometimes there are just issues that you did not know, like when moving a late tax bill or your last power bill that you never even knew of.  All of these things show on your history if they are pursued.  Some are easy to resolve and some are not, but hit the low hanging fruit first.  There are credit counselors and other services out there that offer professional advice on how to clean your credit.  Look to those services if you are at a dead end.  Professional advice is always a good source.

Your credit will follow you everywhere, so matter if you take a long term or short term approach, resolving the matters are needed for a successful future.  If you are in the midst of the job search and this obstacle is coming up frequently, I suggest staying away from industries that are more likely to run the report such as financial services or any role where handling money is a major responsibility of the position.  Be honest and upfront and know your report.  Head off possible issues before they arise and discuss with the hiring manager once the report becomes part of the process.  Be sure not to bring up the issue during the first interview, as you never know if it will be needed or if you are being considered strongly for the position.  No reason to place a red flag near your name before needed.  Build your value with the hiring manager first.  If the manager really likes you and think there is a good fit, there might be some ability for you to explain the issues and therefore overcome the report results if they are negative.

Most recently in my reading, the suggestion that the G-8 summit was a minor success with the commitments by some of the major industrialized nations to reduce emissions by more than 50% by the year 2050.  There are varying responses from the papers and online sites displaying support or condemnation on the proposed resolutions offering little insight into what the current status of the climate is.  So would someone please tell me what is going on?

The environmentalists are telling me that the world is baking, more like ending.  I believe one of the quotes made it equivalent to baking by the time the emissions cuts came to pass.  The other side masks the issue as if there was none.   So where does all of this leave us.  First and foremost, who in the world thinks the G-8 matters and even if it did, that the leaders of the civilized world could solve a problem of this magnitude.  It appears to me that the problem lies with the very individual that makes up the nation, not the nations that make up the world.

Individual lust and greed are a keen driver in the world economy.  Most developed nations provide luxury and support not seen in other areas of the world.  The major abusers, including the US, are all made up of individual people - mostly ones that do not see the importance of making some small changes and reducing their emission waste.  Leadership begins at the smallest levels, the individual soul, the family, the house, the house, town, city and so forth.  Until the leaders at those levels take a stand and develop a spirit to reduce the emissions, there will be no change.

The G-8, they should be looking at more influential strategies to change the mind and souls of the people they represent.  Objectives that they discuss are fine, but to do so little and speak only of change and offer little in the way of movement is being met more and more with diminished respect from the national public and international community.  So where to start, how about right here at home?  For the US, each and every international display of commitment should be met with more stringent domestic standards to set the stage for the US to lead in the efforts communicated on the international stage.   This will bring not only more respect for our nation, but re-establish the G-8 as a leadership forum in which we might actually pay attention to.  Until then……

Interviewing processes vary from company to company.  In most cases the phone interview is part of the process.  However, with the increase of global sourcing and the need for variable resources at differing locations, the phone interview has replaced in person meetings entirely for some company processes.  This is instrumental to understand as the rules of the game change when the screening process is done remotely.

Selecting the next job is tough enough on its own.  Imagine doing that without ever seeing the people you would work with, or knowing more about the company than what you learn on the Internet.  Now flip the page and the company is doing the same thing.  They are investing money, trusting coveted client relationships, and offering benefits to someone that they have never laid their eyes on.  With all of this, something in the process has to change to ensure that both sides are making the correct decision.  That is the phone interview.

The phone interview is a unique way of establishing relations as there is no direct contact with the person on the other side.  When handling the evaluation part of the selection process, the phone interview when used as a tool is different than that of in person interviews in which most people are trained to use body language and other non-verbal factors to establish rapport and show interest.  When those traditional methods are not available, how does one interview, show value and most importantly differentiate him or herself from the others.  Here are some options:

1. Walk around.  One of the things that I find assists most people in the phone interview process is that of standing up, walking during the process which in a natural manner projects their voice.  Voice projection offers an indication of confidence in oneself and then answers they provide.  If you have a soft voice with no confidence, it could be seen as someone that is not truthful or unsure about the answers they are providing.
2. Say what you feel.  Communications are an interesting concept.  One of the things we learn early on in life is to show emotion through various methods.  The least of those normally is voice.  People have facial expressions, sit a certain way, and position their hands all to show a certain emotion or feeling.  Remember, none of that is available and you will need to say what exactly is on your mind.  If you think something does not sound right, ask the question and straighten it out.  If you want the role and it appears like a good match….don’t smile, but tell the person that you are interested and want to move forward.
3. Be prepared technically.  There is a compensation made by most managers when they do not meet someone.  They technically interview them beyond the norm.  They want to ensure that the needs of the project will be met technically as they cannot measure the person from a cultural fit perspective.

Preparation is always a component of the process and will assist you in being successful.  Be yourself, display confidence and secure that next position before they ever even meet you.

We have been discussing the resume lately as it has re-surfaced most recently for most of my perm employee candidates that want to look attractive for contract positions.  We discussed the objective and summary previously and I want to address the layout and format of a resume to make it attractive.

The resume is progressive.  If your objective is to find the perfect systems admin role but your resume experience highlights how great a DBA you are, well there is a disconnect.  The format of the resume is indicative of the type of role you are looking for.  For example, if you are a contractor by trade and have many projects, a summary with a bullet pointed technical skill set is a strong match.  However, if you are a junior level professional - a more traditional approach might be appropriate.  Something that highlights educational background and your most recent accomplishments on the job.

Facts and Figures.  Whatever the format, the content is the most important factor.  Be sure to include details of things that you have accomplished and make them relevant to the job you are applying. 

Here is an example of job layout that you can use that will assist you when constructing your resume:

Company ABC, Washington DC, 12.2006 - Present

Senior SAP Project Manager

Selected by executive staff to provide leadership over the entire domestic SAP HR/PAYROLL roll-out for a 6B manufacturing company.  Provided strategic IT project management following PMP standards of best practices and SAP deployment methodologies for manufacturing companies.  Developed business process controls that led to efficiency standards reducing deployment costs by more than 30% over other module areas.

• Managed 45 full time and 30 contract professionals ranging from internal company employees to sub-contracted employess from SAP
• Developed business process roll-out to reduce implementation costs by more than 30%
• Managed deployment of more than 27 domestic and 4 Canadian facilities
• Part of executive staff meetings for purposes of progress updates and C level presentations

The resume we have discussed previously in its entirety however the objective has come up recently as a subject of “requirement”.  People want to know, do I need an objective?  If I do, what does it need to say?  If I do not, do I replace it with something else?  Personally, I think it is a matter of choice.  Objectives require a certain style and dictate what one is looking to do moving forward.  I find them limiting in that they tell someone what you are looking to do, and if the objective is written narrowly or does not include certain verbiage, people that review your background will pass you by for certain opportunities as they do not align with your objective.  The summary I see as a valued part of the resume and is a strong replacement for the objective.

Summary means: Presenting the substance in a condensed form; concise or; a presentation of the substance of a body of material in a condensed form or by reducing it to its main points; an abstract.  This is key in understanding the meaning behind what you are writing and how it is to be written.  Facts, bullet points written in a paragraph form that show immediate value and highlight what is being brought to the table.  This is not a section to explain or get into the detail of your background or personality.  It is to elude to the reader your importance and engage them enough to continue reading the resume.  Anything longer than 4-5 sentences will be too much for this section.

Get the attention of the reader quickly.  Lead with something that provides substance and aligns itself with the position you are applying.  Customizing resumes is a crucial part of the application process and there should be a review of the role previous to sending any resumes.  Not all positions require the same skills and the summary is a clear vision in the beginning of your resume eluding to what the reader might see next.  If that summary is poorly written or not in line with the general scope of the role, your resume will be discarded and the hiring manager will move on.  Be safe, take your time, and write to the role and the company - do not send out blanket resumes.  They are sure not to get you calls back.

If you are not sure how your resume sounds or if the wording is not coming out right - ask a friend.  Anyone reading from a non-partisan view will offer some keen advice on how to better show yourself and sound less wordy.  Stay focused, highlight your strengths, use facts and figures where you can showing concise statements of value and you will see a better response on the resumes you send out.  Remember to sell yourself, not the companies you have worked for and use facts that highlight you and not the team that was working the project.  Be inventive and show yourself through your resume.  Boring resumes are all too common, do not catch people’s attention and require little reason to head to the trash basket. 

Happy writing.

I have been commenting most recently on this article I was sent reference reasons why people do not get jobs.  The next listed reason is the No Questions reason, how people go into the interview and they have no questions to ask the potential employer.  I guess with this, as with others, seems like a common sense area however is overlooked constantly and is increasing brought up by employers as a point of contention.  Listen to what the article says:

“No, I don’t have any questions for you.”
Much like telling the interviewer that you don’t know anything about the company, saying you don’t have any questions to ask also signals a lack of interest. Perhaps the interviewer answered every question or concern you had about the position, but if you’re interested in a future with this employer, you can probably think of a few things to ask.
“Research the company before you show up,” Moran advises. “Understand the business strategy, goals and people. Having this type of knowledge will give you some questions to keep in your pocket if the conversation is not flowing naturally.”

I read this and wonder….who cannot have questions.  Most employers are set with their interview style and method, covering general questions that are asked in a meeting.  However, questions on strategy, career path, cultural environment and job challenges are hardly addressed as the norm.  The hiring manager will look for the candidate to ask and generate meaningful conversation on the subject, allowing them time to evaluate the interest level and intellectual property of the candidate.   Interest level is something people measure, however the “smarts” of someone are also tested and true during this part of the process.

If the hiring manager is a real good interviewer and you feel that he has covered most of your questions during the process, develop new ones during the interview.  Think about what he/she said and target key areas of interest for them, giving them more time to speak and an understanding of the role.  This will allow you detailed insight for follow up questions and to allow the conversation between you and he/she to be fluid.  One thing that most people do not like is what we like to call the “fire off approach”.  That is the method where someone asks a question, they get an answer and dead time ensues.  Then the process repeats itself.  This is sure fire way to not be invited back for a second meeting.

I also suggest that there are different questions for different people.  Do not empty your bag of tricks out with the first person.  Repeating yourself all the time will get redundant and if the interviewers collaborate afterwards they are sure to uncover that which makes you appear rehearsed.  Two thought provoking questions can provide enough conversation to take up the time given by most people for questions.  Think about them and if you can customize them to the position, that will be a suitable difference.  Preparation like with most of the other areas we discuss we will be the difference between you saying nothing or asking the questions that get you hired.

It never fails to amaze me about the short sightedness of people in the world.  In recruiting, it shows it’s ugly face continually from people that do not take calls from recruiters, only to rush back and contact us when things go south.  My recommendation for all people - take the call.  I am not saying to take every call so as to develop a relationship, but if there is a first call from someone you do not know - take it and find out.  There are a good deal of recruiters out there, all with different clients and different perspectives on what they do and how they do it…..find ones that work well with you and your ideals.

There is nothing more frustrating than the client managers that never call you back and then hound your voicemail with calls when they need a new job.  What a load of garbage.  Develop relationships with professional recruiters, people that take this as a career and not a job or transition phase in their life.  These people will be there during the course of your career, helping in instrumental times to bring you opportunities you might otherwise know about.  These people, the true professionals, are calls you need to take. 

I speak about burning bridges all the time…and there is nothing worse than a well connected recruiter that has a bad impression of you.  Over the years and with clients that use us continually, I have been asked what someone thinks of a certain candidate or what the market thinks of a certain employer.  Why make that a black spot on your profile.  Take calls, treat people with professionalism and decide who to work with.  I know certain people that work only with certain recruiters, people they trust and have good experiences with.  That is awesome.   Those candidates are people that have invested the time in developing a relationship with a trusted source and there will be mutual benefit when the time comes.

Be smart and take the call.   What is the worst that can happen, you take a call…it does not work and you let them know in the future not to call again due to the way they handled it.  That is fine.  But to just cut the call due to the person being a recruiter, not good business.  You never know who someone is connected with.  Keep the door open unless there is a specific reason to shut it.

There is a common misconception that professionals that work for world branded companies sometimes believe…..that their pedigree gets them hired.   People that have gone to world class educational institutions will be the first to say they graduated from Harvard, Yale, UCB, or another highly regarded institute of higher learning.  There is an inherent understanding that going to one of these schools and being exposed provides a unique sense of accomplishment and therefore will make someone a potentially better employee than say someone graduating from a community college.  In the academic realm this is true, however in the business field - this common practice does not carry the same weight.

Just because you have worked for an EMC, IBM, or BIG 4 firm does not necessarily mean that you are qualified for the position you are recruiting for.  It is nice to see large names on the resume and respectable companies that employ best practices, however if your role was not critical and provided no value - the name of the company means little.  One negative that the large companies have is that they hire ALOT of people and therefore working for them is not a elite marker.  It is quite possible that the same person who went to the junior college next to Harvard is working in the same role you are when coming to Fortune 50 or 100 company.  The size and scope of the operation dilutes the importance of your educational accomplishments and lumps you in with everyone else.

Do not get caught in the trap.  Focus on yourself and not the companies you have worked for.  Push the performance and accomplishments of your career, making clear the impact you provided to the company and not the other way around.  When describing projects, briefly tell of the overall objective but press forward with your part specifically and detail the work you did, not that of the company.  If you worked on a major software development upgrade, speak to what you did…do not settle with telling the hiring manager of your teams project only.  Let them know how you impacted the project and where the major areas of focus were for your skill set.  Speak to projects that highlight the work experience that will benefit your potential employer.

Remember, they are buying you…not your resume or the name of some former employer.  They are looking for good people, not just pedigrees.  Ensure to stay on task, speak to your strengths, and sell yourself.