Get out there and meet people

Over the past four weeks I've sent out A TON of emails to various friends, colleagues on LinkedIn or Facebook and even previous co-workers who I worked with or for many years ago. I've notice a fairly decent response rate with replies...but the real learning about opportunities or good career mentoring comes from lunches or coffees...not over email or the phone.

I take a notebook with me to each in-person meeting to jot down any, "you should call X-Person...I hear they are hiring," or "do you know what space is HOT now...it's such 'n such..." notes. As I leaf through my pages at the end of each day I'm surprised by how much new information or new contacts that I've gathered for follow up the next day. The big tip here is to be sure and de-brief yourself after each meeting in the car. Before you start the car, write down further thoughts or information shared during the meeting before it leaves your head...you don't want to get home and think "Ugh...what was the name of that guy who knows that person..." Take the extra five minutes and do the self de-brief...you will not regret it.

I recommend that during these in person sessions that you practice your best social etiquet that your mom taught you. Shake hands firmly, but don't induce carpel tunnel syndrome to your colleague with an iron death grip. Chew your food first...and swallow...don't talk with your mouth full and demonstrate what your hamburger looks like blended. Lastly, and this is most important, don't be a "close talker"....


By internalizing these three important social safety tips you are sure to have a successful meeting that leaves a positive impression with a future employer.

An ancillary benefit of working the "lunch circuit" is the opportunity to get out of the house and see some interesting parts of town. I met my friend Carolyn for lunch at Club Slow in the Mission...a place I would never have found without someone with neighborhood knowledge.

Thanks for reading and please feel free to comment.

Holding out for the right opportunity

I had coffee last week with an executive leader and mentor from a previous e-commerce company that I worked for in San Jose. We met at Peet's in Menlo Park at 8:00am...and WOW, there was a line leading out the door with people getting a cup on the way to work. The economy can't be THAT bad in the Bay Area! However, most of those people in line were knowledge workers...and not a part of the retail worker sector that financial reports on CNBC say make the largest contribution to the unemployment number.

My executive friend is very "human" and willing to share his "from the trenches of the business world" experience with me, a middle manager. I respect his advice a great deal because he's been around a while and has seen economic downturns several times...and knows what NOT to do to foster career growth.

"How badly do you need a job? If you don't have to work, wait for the opportunity that has most of it right. Don't settle for the first job that is offered just to get a job in this tough economy," he replied. He was responding to my question of how flexible I should be with title and compensation...specifically as it relates to my transition from being an individual contributor to a team manager/leader.

In my focus to "stop the financial bleeding" I had expressed to my mentor a possible interest in an individual contributor job at a company that is in a growing industry received Series C funding in late 2007. "Getting ANY job in this economy is a good thing," I mused.

"What you want to avoid is having to explain what happened in your interview for the job AFTER this next job," he began. "You had a nice run...with great career progress. You went from manager to senior manager when I met you. You left our company to become a director. If your next position is back to a senior manager (individual contributor) you will spend time in your next interview explaining what happened to your career. You need to keep progressing...even through tougher times."

Wow, how have economic times changed...even from a year ago. I've discussed my mentor's input with several other unemployed friends who are making the transition to middle management too. There are several individual contributor roles that I've come across...and very few team leader positions. Position title and compensation all depend on the organization, though, so it's hard to create a "rule" for the right position.

Can the unemployed in this downturn afford to hold out for the "right" opportunity? I re-connected with a previous coworker who cannot..he needs a job to make ends meet. Or, is it better to take hold true to career growth....and dig deeper into the network to find the "right" opportunity?

I think the decision will be made based on the level of savings in a person's account...and level of risk tolerance...or faith, that something "more right" will come along.

I'm taking a wait and see attitude. Good things will happen...they always do.

I feel "unemployed" today...and I kind of like it...for now

Wow…today I really felt unemployed this Tuesday after a long weekend.

Today most of my friends braved the commute up and down the peninsula in the rain…and have to motivate to get through emails to uncover the weekly tasks. Hopefully they can take CalTrain and get a strong coffee in the morning! I have to admit I’m not jealous of them making the commute…but I can feel a “strain” in me that wants to get back to work.

However, nothing beats sitting at my computer all day in sweatpants and my vintage UCLA Athletics t-shirt. I have not shaved and my “bed head” is in full flair. I’m debating if showering is really necessary. After all, I showered on Monday…and was in-doors all day to escape the rain. Today will be more of the same…only I will be exercising my fingers as I browse job listings and respond to emails from LinkedIn contacts and friends.

I feel the need to remain disciplined so I plan to keep a regimen of getting started each day by no later than 7:30am. I start each morning by pouring my first cup of coffee from my French press (a perfect gift from my mom this past Christmas) and turning on “Squawk on the Street” on CNBC…to then switch over the Internet radio through iTunes by 9:00am…having the TV on post 9:00am makes me depressed.

I had an interesting phone call with a friend from my days at eBay, Elmer. Elmer now runs a division of Facebook and shared some interesting advice to guide the beginning of my job search. He said before I begin, I must be clear on three things...

1. What am I looking for in the next job…down to the job functional, type of industry/company, work environment, etc.
2. What value can I bring to the next company
3. Be genuine in my contact with people…leverage the network of friends and colleagues that I already have…don’t be the guy who reaches out only when something is needed.

Wow, Elmer….great advice and something we should all keep in mind.

Building the LinkedIn Network BEFORE you need it!

One of the leading indicators of when someone is expecting to get laid off is the receipt of a LinkedIn invitation. Back in October 2008 I received 5 LinkedIn invitations from previous co-workers from my time at eBay. Two weeks later I received phone calls from each of them saying they were part of the mass 1,500 person layoff.

I think LinkedIn is one of the most important professional networking tools out there. Working and building this network is far more effective in finding the next job than posting a resume on Monster or on Career Builder. When I made the decision to leave eBay back in May 2008, a recruiter for my last company found me on LinkedIn as he was browsing for candidates for the job he was trying to fill. I was not necessarily looking to leave eBay, but I had updated my information, job history and skill sets using the LinkedIn online tools. By simply posting my information, I made myself available for opportunities to find ME. That's cool!

Posting your resume on LinkedIn is only half the battle to finding new opportunities. It's important to build the network of "connections" you have worked with in the past. I've managed to build my network gradually over the past 10 years since I've been a member and have 500+ connections. I think it's an important standard career process to build the network BEFORE it's actually needed. I know I'm personally less inclined to help someone who I have not heard from for several years than someone I hear from more regularly (even if "more regular" means once a year).

This past week I've leveraged my network to send "checking in" emails to several friends informing them of my changed employment status. I've also leveraged the network to find out who has worked at particular companies in the past...in hopes of finding out who is behind certain job positions. Wow, this network is powerful!!! If I don't know of someone at Apple, TiVo, or McAfee for example, I know someone within my network will. Wow, that is powerful!

I've spoken to 3 recruiters this week and everyone one of them said that employers are hiring people from employee or recruiter referrals...and less from people applying online through job sites or job boards. This further verifies how important a personal network is to build.