Networking for Introverts

If the prospect of networking fills you with dread or you think it's something only extroverted people do, think again.

You don't need to have a gregarious or outgoing personality to build a network of professional contacts - in fact, your approach may be better received than the brash personality types out there.

Natural listeners
There is a misconception that only extroverts can network. Introverts in fact have some advantages: they are natural listeners and they tend to reflect before they speak. They are also sometimes better at building long-term relationships.

Regarding yourself as an introvert should not be used as an excuse for doing nothing.

Connecting with people in your search is a skill that needs practising, and the less it comes naturally, the easier you should make the first steps.

Begin with "Level 1 - Conversations" the gentlest form of networking, and one which anyone can do.

Start by talking to people you already know and trust, but talk to them in a way you've never done before.

This approach helps avoid mistakes that will feel like setbacks. Like the cold rebuff you get when you start a phone call saying "you don't know me, but...." or approaching high-level contacts too early in the process when you're still feeling bruised and you don't know what you're looking for.

Don't give people the opportunity to say "not now" or a plain "no" when you're aware how much these will set you back.

Easy targets
Nervous networkers should target the easiest people to begin with not the 'main target.'

When you pick up the phone you know that you can just begin a conversation, and you don't need to prepare a script of what you will say.

Be honest about what you're asking for - make it clear that you are setting up brief conversations with a range of people to find out what is going on in the world or in a particularly favourite sector.

Just think carefully about what to ask for and steer clear of asking for favours!

Ask people for things they are happy to talk about, but a good conversation about the world the person knows well is always welcome and don't forget to thank people properly.

Start by talking only to people you know, ask about their job or their hobbies, the universe, then ask them if they can introduce you to someone else; a proper, warm introduction, not just a name.

The big event
Once you've had a few "safe" conversations with the contacts you already know, you may wish to consider attending a more formal networking event.

Of course it can be intimidating going into a room full of strangers and feeling pressured to make contacts, but the fear of networking is often much worse than the reality.

You are all there for the same reason and you are all feeling the fear!

If you are at an event, ask one of the organisers to introduce you to others. any organiser worth their salt will be happy to facilitate this.

Do make sure that you introduce yourself clearly, so that people know your name and what you do, as this often reveals areas of common ground for conversation.

As long as you show an interest in other people and a willingness to listen, generally people will only be too happy to talk to you.

Networking from home
If you can't face wearing a name badge and making small talk, don't despair. Online forums and networking sites like LinkedIn allow you to make contact with people in your sector - without even having to leave home.

To get started, search for ex-colleagues and look for groups set up within your industry. Remember, as with most things in life, the more you put in, the more you'll get out - so be sure to post messages and join the conversation rather than just observing.

Do not rant, do not pontificate, and do not over-criticise others. Let the tolerant, thoughtful and collaborative you come through in your conversations.

Having a few open conversations online should make it easier when you take the plunge and meet up at a real life event. You'll be networking like a pro before you know it.

TEDxGlasgow - David Erdal - Employee-Owners do it Better - YouTube

Treat people as servants, as most companies do, and they behave like servants, David Erdal demonstrates. They work with less than full commitment, and achieve far less than they could.

Treat them as partners, sharing information, wealth and influence -- including electing the board and the CEO -- and they perform out of their skins.

Their working lives become more productive, their companies do better, and they themselves become happier.

More about David...
David Erdal's lifelong passion to transform the ownership of business, making working life more rewarding for everyone, came from the experience of leading his family's 1,500-employee papermill into all-employee ownership.

He has helped dozens of businesses make that transformation, and advised companies in Slovenia, China, Zimbabwe and South Africa.

His book Beyond the Corporation: Humanity Working argues passionately, illuminated by examples from around the world, that employee-ownership is the way forward.

The book has been praised by economists, businessmen, journalists, academics and also by the literary editor of the Scotsman, who made it his business book of 2011 -- the only business book he'd ever finished.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience.

At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group.

These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

Unemployed? How Long Does It Really Take to Find another Job?

One of the most nagging questions in job seekers' minds is how long it will take to find a new job. A survey of 600 job seekers conducted at the end of last month gives an indication of the length of time it's taking job seekers to find jobs in today's market.

Of the 600 job seekers polled, 77 percent were unemployed. The remaining 23% had jobs. Of the more than three-quarters who were unemployed, nearly half had been out of work for more than a year:

49 percent had been out of work for more than a year
8 percent had been out of work 10 to 12 months
5 percent had been out of work for seven to nine months
16 percent had been out of work for four to six months
20 percent had been out of work for one to three months

Of the nearly 50 percent of job seekers who've been unemployed for more than a year, 60 percent of those long-term job seekers have been out of work for two years and counting.

In a press release announcing the survey results, it was noted that some of the job seekers who've been out of work two-plus years are stay-home-moms and retirees hoping to return to the workforce.

When asked, both employed and unemployed job seekers how long they thought it would take to land a new job,

28 percent are confident they can find something new within 3 months
37 percent expect the job search to take four to six months
14 percent think it will take seven to nine months
12 percent anticipate the job search will take 10 to 12 months
10 percent believe they'll be looking for a new job for more than a year.

Overall, the majority of callers – 65 percent – felt they would find a job in six months or less. Is that a realistic assessment? In a healthy economy, a successful job search might take two to three months. In a tight job market, such as now, it is not unusual to see even high-quality candidates take four to six months.

Job seekers have reason to be more optimistic about the labour market and their chances of finding a new job this year. He notes that private sector layoffs are down and that hiring is on the rise.

Indeed, according to the unemployment report the U.S. Labour Department released last Friday, employment increased by 200,000 in December, and the number of unemployed Americans, along with the unemployment rate, continued to tick downward. The unemployment rate is now at 8.5 percent and 13.1 million people are counted as unemployed, down from 9.4 percent and 14.5 million a year ago.

Let's look at the numbers! Organisations need to hire nearly four million people every month just to replace the 2 million people who quit their jobs each month, plus the 250,000 to 350,000 workers who retire, transfer to new locations, or otherwise can't work, and the "hundreds of thousands" of others who get fired for cause.

Unemployment: New Jobs are Taken by College Graduates

To steal and expand upon a point Betsey Stevenson made on Twitter earlier, it's striking the extent to which employment growth over the past month and the past year was concentrated among college graduates.

In part that's just what you expect from a weak labor market. When workers arescarce, you hire underqualified people and try to train them.

When workers are plentiful, you hire the most qualified people around and count yourself lucky but polarization in the American job market is nothing new and we see a continuation of a trend that was visible across the growth of the aughts.

How Many (non-UK) Slaves Work for YOU?

Methodology:
How did SlaveryFootprint.org come up with the total number of slaves working for me?

MY TOTAL SLAVERY FOOTPRINT represents the number of forced labourers that were likely to be involved in creating and manufacturing the products I buy.

This is determined based on information regarding the processes used to create these products as well as investigations of the countries in which these stages of production take place for known slave labour (within these specific processes.)

This number is compiled from multiple individual product scores (see below).

To create individual scores, SlaveryFootprint first chose to investigate slave labour usage in the supply chains of more than 400 of the most popular consumer products. SlaveryFootprint used the following definitions of slave labour:

How do we define Slavery? (Forced Labour):

Anyone who is forced to work without pay, being economically exploited, and is unable to walk away.

Note: Forced Labour, also known as involuntary servitude, may result when unscrupulous employers exploit workers made more vulnerable by high rates of unemployment, poverty, crime, discrimination, corruption, political conflict, or cultural acceptance of the practice.

Immigrants are particularly vulnerable, but individuals also may be forced into labour in their own countries. Female victims of forced or bonded labour, especially women and girls in domestic servitude, are often sexually exploited as well.

After investigating the slavery usage in individual product components, based on the most common places in which they are mined, grown or made, we assigned scores to each of these 400+ products.

These scores were based on a complex algorithm that determines the minimum number of slaves (forced laborers) used to produce each product. This algorithm is graphically represented in the diagram below:

Product Score

Represents the likely number of forced labourers that have been involved in creating the product at some stage in the process of production. Slavery must be known to exist to a significant degree in some stage of production.

Source Score

Represents the probability that each source is produced in a country using slave labour in its production to a significant degree.

Manufacturing/Assembly Score

Represents the probability that the final product is manufactured in a country using slave labour to a significant degree.

Weights, Measurements, and Reports

Each score therefore represents the likelihood of slavery used in production. This likelihood was developed from investigations and research drawn from the following sources:
The five main reports used were:

• 1. US Department of State “Trafficking in Persons Report 2011” The most comprehensive worldwide report on the efforts of governments to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons.
• 2. US Department of Labour (DOL) “List of Goods Produced by Child Labour or Forced Labour 2010” A list of goods from countries that the Bureau of International Labour Affairs has substantiated used of forced labour or child labour its production.
• 3. International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) “Committee of Experts Reports 2011-2003” The US Committee of Experts undertakes investigations of government reports on ratified conventions. The Committee's role is to provide an impartial evaluation of violations of international labour standards.
• 4. Transparency International‘s “Corruption Index 2010” This index is used to measure and quantify the levels of public sector corruption in 178 countries around the world.
• 5. Freedom House “Freedom in the World 2010 Combined Average Ratings – Independent Countries” The Freedom in the World 2010 survey contains reports on 194 countries and 14 related and disputed territories. Each country report includes a narrative on the following information: population, capital, political rights (numerical rating), civil liberties (numerical rating), status (Free, Partly Free, or Not Free), and a 10-year ratings timeline.

Additionally, SlaveryFootprint utilised published data pertaining to forced labour issues. This included vetted data drawn from a variety of international sources. The following inclusion criteria were used:

• Drawn from ONE Internationally credible source with expert review i.e. ILO, International Office for Migration, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Security Council
• Referenced in at least TWO multi-national reliable sources i.e. CNN, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International
• Reported on by at least THREE disparate and unrelated local news sources i.e. The Guardian, Swedwatch, Jakarta Post, Enough Project

Note: This data set will continue to be expanded based on emerging research and the results of further investigations that meet the aforementioned inclusion criteria.

Qualifications

To ensure peer review and confirmation of these data sets and their sources, methodology, and results, SlaveryFootprint convened experts on the issue from government, academia, non-government organizations, leading think tanks as well as independent experts.

Creating a Composite Score

To combine individual product scores into one composite score assigned to an individual, a survey was developed to assess and quantify an individual’s consumption.

To make this survey both meaningful and time-effective, iterative processes of inherent assumptions were utilised based on focus group assessments.

Assumptions were based on defining factors inclusive of, but not limited to, age, sex, domicile, and family size. Composite scores were quantified based conservative estimates.

Note: Slavery Footprint 1.0 is not based on specific brands or manufacturers.

For more information about SlaveryFootprint's methodology, scoring or organisation email info@slaveryfootprint.org or visit the SlaveryFootprint website.

Monster Employment Index UK - Oct Report optimistic increase or leveling off?

Click on the chart for a key to the chart and the full report ........

Workplace suicides in the US surges 28% in 2009

Workplace suicides in the US rose dramatically by 28% this year, according to the US Labor Department.

Circumstances have certainly not improved in the working environment, as anxious workers watched colleagues depart in a rash of layoffs and were left alone to manage their survivor's guilt.

At the same time, the agency's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said the total number of workers who died on the job from any cause fell 12%.

The 5,071 workplace fatalities recorded in 2008 was the lowest number since the agency began tracking the data in 1992. That number includes 251 suicides, the highest number since official reporting began.

Labor officials did not seek to explain the sudden rise in workplace suicides. A BLS spokesman said the agency plans to research it more extensively, and will anounce their findings at a later date.

The agency said that it is very likely that current economic factors could be responsible for the overall decline in fatalities. Workers on average worked 1% fewer hours last year and the construction industry, which usually accounts for a major share of serious accidents or accidental workplace deaths, posted even larger than normal declines in employment and hours worked.

Gary Chaison, a professor of industrial relations at Clark University, said the numbers show that the struggling economy is taking a direct toll and negative impact on worker morale.

"Those who are still working at companies where there have been substantial layoffs, are trying to cope with survivor's guilt, and the anxiety that they may be next." Chaison said. "I also think there's tremendous anxiety for the future, in the American workplace. It's not just being anxious, its gone beyond that it is now a true depression."

Chaison added a note of caution, saying that the numbers may be 'temporary extremes' that will drift back toward normal, historical levels once employment rises and economic conditions improve.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis called the decline in workplace fatalities a "change in the right direction," but said it does not lessen the need for stronger safety enforcement to prevent accidental injuries.

"Today's report prompts us to step up our vigilance, particularly as the economy regains momentum," Solis said.

Here are some details on other findings:
• Fatal work injuries in the construction sector plummeted 20%.
• Workplace homicides dropped 18%.
• Fatal workplace falls declined 20% in 2008, after rising to a historic high in 2007.
• The number of fatal work injuries declined for all age categories except among the 'risk prone' 16 and 17-year-old workers.

More Job Hunting Tips for this Tough Market

"How is business? What's the job market like? What are you working on? Do you know of any opportunities that I might be qualified for? I'm looking for an opportunity; can you help me? How can I navigate this job market? What do I need to do to differentiate myself?"

Those are the most common questions executive recruiters say job seekers are asking them these days. The recruiters note that IT professionals—whether they're employed or whether they've been laid off—are genuinely anxious about their job prospects. So, knowing executive recruiters have their fingers on the pulse of the job market and understand exactly what employers are currently looking for in candidates, job seekers are urgently phoning and texting recruiters to solicit them for career advice. Some get as many as 60 such calls and e-mails each day.

Many recruiters say they would genuinely like to help every job seeker who contacts them, but realistically, with the call volume so high, they can't. Business is scarce in the recruitment /search industry, and the consultants have to spend their time on what pays: drumming up search business and working on projects for existing clients.

To help the poor old recruiters and the IT professionals contacting them, we have compiled recruiters' answers to job seekers' pressing job search questions. These have been organised into six 'tips' for ways of working effectively with recruiters and for increasing your chances of landing a new job in this terrible market.

Make Yourself Visible (1)
If you want recruiters pursuing you for jobs, instead of you haranguing them, you have to make yourself visible. This means becoming a thought-leader in your industry or area of expertise. When you become a thought-leader, recruiters have an easier time finding you.

For example, if someone is conducting a search for a vice president of business intelligence, they find out who's speaking at BI conferences and heading up BI-related professional organisations to find potential candidates for the job. The executives who are speaking at conferences and who are elected to boards of professional associations have made themselves visible to recruiters.

Obviously, you can't become a thought-leader overnight. The quickest thing you might be able to do to establish yourself as an expert in your field is to start a search engine-friendly blog and update it every day. Remember that this is not an instant solution. It will take time to make an impact.

Make Yourself Visible (2)
Another way to make yourself visible is to maintain a strong presence on the websites recruiters use to find and screen candidates, such as LinkedIn and ZoomInfo.

Offer Something in Return
You can distinguish yourself from the rest of the job seekers contacting recruiters for advice by offering something to them. You could offer the recruiter a lead on an employer who's either having trouble filling a high-level position on their own or who's looking for a retained search partner.

You could offer a contact from your network who might be perfect for a job the recruiter is trying to fill. You could share an article relevant to the recruiter's business or some other market intelligence you've picked up while networking. Recruiters like job seekers who try to help them. They appreciate the help and they remember it.

Don't String Recruiters Along
If you're not interested in a position that a recruiter calls you about, or you're in the middle of a 12-month long systems implementation and you can't make a move until it's complete, tell the recruiter up front. Recruiters are like every else, they don't appreciate being misled.

Similarly, if a search firm offers you an interview with a client that you know you absolutely don't want, tell the search firm straigh away that it isn't what you want. Clearly you should explain why and tell them what you are looking for. Don't go to an interview just to get some 'practice' it can be very distructive for your credibility.

Just as recruiters remember the professionals who help them, they also remember the people who make them look bad. Part of the role of a recruiter is to keep good records and most keep detailed notes on who helps them and who doesn't, going back many many years.

Bag the Résumé
Handing out your résumé at networking events is expected but it can also appear to be a bit "old and stale". Instead, try out business cards printed with your name, personal e-mail address, mailing address and cell phone number.

The advantage of a business card over a CV document is that it's "soft, genteel and not in your face", not mention it being easier to carry around.

In addition, when you give out a business card, you usually get one in return. As you place your business card in the recipient's hand, you can ask them to please let you know if they know anyone who might be interested in your background. When you get their business card, you can then follow-up with them via e-mail, with an offer to help them in any way, a brief paragraph describing your skills, and a request for them to forward your name to anyone who might benefit from your skills. You have started a dialogue.

Keep Your Options Open
You can increase your chances of finding a new job if you're open to being flexible in your approach; relocating, switching industries or doing different work.

Candidates that limit themselves to a particular geography or fix the type of position they are looking for, generally stay unemployed longer.

Consider consultancy as a career
This is also an excellent time to consider consulting as a career move because a lot of companies are much more likely to take on a consultant than they are to take on a full-time employee. It's a lot less risky for an employer. They can take on a consultant much faster, with much less internal deliberation, without three rounds of interviews over five months.

If you're going to be flexible about your location, the position you're willing to take, and/or your compensation, you have to give recruiters and employers a good reason for your flexibility. You don't want to look like you're being flexible because you're desperate or at the mercy of the market.

Network. Network. Network
You've heard it over and over, but it's true: Networking is critical to finding a new job. Most jobs are found through networking. Consequently, people looking for jobs should spend most of their time networking.

Reach out. Do research on companies you're interested in working for and do some networking to find people who can introduce you to those companies.

Leadership; more skills needed in recession

Trust me! I'm a Leader!

The only way out of a difficult situation is through good positive leadership. It has been a long time since I met a leading figure that I respected. Now I would be satisfied with meeting one that I liked and can spend more than 5 minutes in their company. What qualities do you look for in a good leader in these challenging times? Intelligence, foresight, sobriety, etc.

Re-Introducing
You have heard this introduction before in many guises; money is tight, employee layoffs loom and spirits are dwindling, we're in a recession. So where are the great leaders and orators that will lift us out of this or are we those great leaders, playing out of position. Maybe you should stop looking out for help and start looking inwards. You, as an IT consultant, subject matter expert or executive have the insight and determination to develop and expand your powers to take on the qualities of a good leader. Why do you not take it to the next level?

Same old same old
You have spent all those years keeping your staff engaged and motivated through numerous spirit breaking projects; company mergers, legacy systems upgrades, application server integrations, etc you are well used to meeting the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune seekers. Managing changing expectations in uncertain times is what you do as a day job. Why do you expect others to do it for you? They are far too busy with more important things, like growing their egos, cubicles and their expense accounts.

You, as the leader
Find within you and develop further, the ability to lead and inspire. In times where fear and instability raise their scary heads, people need someone they can feel confident in. Someone who knows in what direction they should be going, in what direction they are actually going and the potential impact of this delta.

All is questions
You don't have all the answers, no-one has but you have a team of experts around you that do. If not then expand your points of reference. There is a vast array of knowledge resources out there. Use them.

When all around are losing theirs
Make yourself the go-to guy, the point of contact and voice of reason. A safe haven where people can go and talk freely. Somewhere they can brainstorm without being rained on. Somewhere they can workshop with sharp tools and smart products. It is your job to make them feel good and go away feeling better about who they are, what they're doing and how they are contributing. People want leaders (strange but true). Look around you and then take a long look in the mirror and ask yourself 'Who else is going to do it?

Develop your listening skills
Be consistent, be effective, be a frequent communicator, but most important of all, be an intelligent listener. Ask good questions, absorb what's being said and appreciate the issue that's being passed to you with the same level of attentiveness and concern as you expect from them.

Short Term benefits
Find the quick wins and short-term benefits to help the team and the organisation. You also need to communicate upwards with the entire leadership team, ensuring that the whole organisation is in agreement and aligned.

Develop your voice
The leadership team as a whole needs to be very committed to the new roadmap. Ask for their buy-in and a demonstration of their unity. After all, you're asking everybody else to do more with less, why not include the management team. There is no room for passengers and overweight expense accounts on this voyage.

Is there real credibility in the operational results you're striving for. Be honest, set achievable expectations and execute on promises, if you want to be taken seriously. You can easily declare 'We pay on results and performance' but don't say it if you can't deliver on it yourself.

Be Captain credible or Rupert realistic
This means striving to deliver better results on projects, more quickly than you may have been accustomed to in the past. How is this possible? No long term projects or milestones allowed. Two- and three-year projects in these recessive times are doomed to fail. The impact on the bottom line has to be shown within 6 - 12 months, for their credibility to be sustained.

Caution, do not pull in the delivery dates too drastically but look at the credible re-structuring of them. Break them into smaller modules, more agile projects, with regular, smaller deliverables that add up to a realistic whole. If you do it right then the sum of the parts will exceed the original whole. It should help you get through the tighter change management and more stringent implementation criteria. You will have witnessed the rapid construction of these recently, safety barriers thrown up by the business to protect themselves from criticism.

Prioritise your priorities
The ability to prioritise is key in these situations, but you have been doing that as a routine anyway. Now think about priorities differently, more like the leader you are. Leadership in a recession requires strong prioritisation skills. Look differently at the expense and capital side and what can get done, as a priority. Look differently at the organisation as a whole and find the core functions that will deliver the short-term results but provide a platform for growth in the future.

The Pareto Principle
Using Pareto's 80-20 principle, closely examine your IT portfolio and determine which 20% of your investments will give you the 80% benefits.

Innovation re-invented
Innovation, creativity, flexibility and the ability to embrace change, isn't that where we have been for the last decade. Unfortunately it was aimed at technological solutions but now its concentrated on finding ways to cut expenses without layoffs. If you let people go now when the financial pictures gets murky, where is the rapid growth and steady recovery going to come from? So, for now, you have to be extra creative in trimming your budget, again.

Jettison excess cargo
Big fat overweight expense accounts are underoing a slimming program. Creative scheduling and cutting executives' perks and pay need to be considered before contemplating employee layoffs. The most agile and productive companies, are completely opposed to layoffs but this is delaying the decision not fixing it. It may lead to having to chew their own limbs off, at a later date.

Layoffs unplugged
Although they believe that layoffs are damaging to motivation i.e. the worst things you could possibly do, and the last tool in the arsenal to pull out, it may become inevitable. A company who begins laying people off, believ that the rest of the people stop worrying about their work and start worrying about themselves and their future. Thus there is a noted drop in productivity in those who remain with the company. Unfortunately they seemed to have accepted the example of a badly handled layoff and I am afraid to say that this may be the norm.

Knowledge losses grow
In past recessions companies laid off workers to please the banks and Wall Street, but when the economy rebounded the costs of finding new hires; recruiting, training and getting them up to speed, was more than the savings that were realised during the layoffs. They also lose the "tribal knowledge" of how things are done in the organization and are doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Leadership qualities
The conventional model of a leader is rather dictatorial. One where they believe themselves to be omnipotent; all powerful, larger than life and always sure and definite in their manly stance. They are defensive, secretive and avoid any signs of weakness or criticism. Doors are locked, blame is dished out and examples are made to 'motivate' the others.

A good leader, is humble, self-effacive and expresses positive self-doubt when appropriate. He is honest in his praise and criticism alike. They admit to their faults when necessary, but if they do this when it is not appropriate, then it will be interpreted as a weakness.

Tigers caged
You may have read recently, if you were not on a tour of another galaxy, that many conventional business executives have been found out to be no more then paper sabre-toothed tigers and have been easily captured in the news; as willing players in long term corporate scandals, requiring mammoth bailouts. Given those negative headlines we are all dearly wishing that our new 'leaders' will aim to provide us with something different.

Teach a man to swim
"'Fish swimming upstream' is a good way to describe people who buck conventional wisdom and don't just go along. The ability to position yourself and your organisation as a sanctuary for good talent. You can spend a lot of time, money and effort seeking out the good people but it is much better if they come to you. Develop the ability to attract, develop and retain top talent.

Networking, networking, networking
Develop a world-class network of your top peers from the IT world, as well as providers and others you've encountered in your business dealings. Get the most out of the resource pools that surround you, whether it's your team, a potential hire, an executive, etc and do not neglect the greater technology community. This is the source of your new promising land.

Don't go overboard
Moderation in all things! Remember that the knowledge, wisdom and resources at our disposal are far bigger and greater than we ever let ourselves imagine. Just scratch the surface and stand back. These are dangerous waters full of monsters and pirates but having jettisoned excess cargo and found all the stowaways, shored up the leaks and established a true course, be prepared to accept eager boarders on this voyage of discovery. Captain, my captain!

Is Blind faith the best approach when not seeing good results?

Frustrated? Its not you, believe me!

Don't let it get you down! It's not you. It's the economy.

Remember, that what's happening in commerce and the world of employment in general, is a reflection of the overall slow economy and the safe measures being taken to reduce economic exposure and commercial risk. It's not a criticism or a commentary on you and your specific qualifications. You cannot stop the world going around each day, even if sometimes we get a bit dizzy from it. Don't take it personally.

Lots of highly qualified people are available on the job market and aren't getting responses to their résumés or callbacks for interviews, let alone job offers. It's not because you lack experience, good sense and credentials. It's not because you're doing something intrinsically wrong. It's the economy, so beating yourself up over the lack of progress you're making in your job search, is not going to help. In fact it will erode your confidence further.

Revitalize, don't reinvent. Job seekers may not need to "reinvent" themselves for today's job market. They may only need to "repackage" themself. A much more agreeable and achievable task.

Forget about the instant makeovers. These are for people who have something to hide. Companies need the experience and accomplishments you have earned over time. Leverage what you already have and focus on it, instead of what you fear you may lack.

This will go a long way toward helping you feel more confident about your experience, rather than makimg you feel old, tired and out-of-touch. (passed it and passed over)

Beware of getting suckered in by personality tuners and career coaches. When times get tough, the tough can be assailed by hype. There are good consultants out there that can offer to revise your résumé', put you in touch with the 'hidden job market' or coach you to become a newer, more marketable you but be cautious and keep your wallet closed.

Not all career coaches as snake-oil salesmen. They provide a worthwhile service, especially to people who have not been in the market for some time and need help with their communication and marketing skills. Good consultants' customers will vouch for them.

There is an old adage that says; Seduction trumps selling. The tight job market has made some job seekers overly aggressive. They think they need to hunt down and beat prospective employers over the head with their qualifications, and can resort to telling hiring managers that they are the "perfect candidate" rather than letting their experience speak for itself.

In business as in love, infatuation rarely develops into a long lasting relationship from being pushy or gushing out a soft schmoo routine. By all means explain and align, but resist the urge to exclaim and alarm. Let people reach their own conclusions about whether you are a potential world class employee or not, they will whether you like it or not.

Yes, by all means be different from the crowd. Stand out at the selection process but remember there is a narrow line between; very attentive and stalking, great enthusiasm and desperation, highly confidence and arrogance. As with meeting new friends and potential mates, do not be afraid to show some aspect of your vulnerable side and I don't mean walk with a limp.

Another big dilemma the job seeker faces is whether to take a lesser job that's a temporary fix, a stopgap. Some wil urge you to choose your next job wisely and not take stop-gap measures. In the real world, life and bills go on. People need to pay their mortgages and feed their families. I will cover some of this discussion in my next blog.

Take Control - Shorten the Layoff

It's easy to view a layoff as an end-of-the-world situation. Few experiences are scarier than losing your job and the risk to your financial security that it brings.

The emotions; fear, loss and desperation, that grip you after you've been laid off are unhelpful and potentially destructive emotions. They drain your energy, distract you from picking yourself up and effectively prevent you doing the work you need to do to find a new job. You know you cannot allow these emotions to consume you and must work at battling through them.

Dismiss and fight the thoughts that unemployment is the end of the world, it is only the end of a small chapter in your biography. It is a good opportunity to improve yourself and to open another fresh chapter. Find out what you enjoy doing and what you do well, it is possibly different from what you were doing. You have an opportunity to be better off and stronger, than you were before, both emotionally and economically.

The key to success is maintaining a positive attitude. This is especially so in an interview situation. Potential employers can detect a candidate's fear and desperation, as easily as a shark can smell blood. Keep a stiff upper lip and play the most positive role of your life, being you.

Here are seven tips you can consider for getting through the initial layoff feelings, even in a bad economy;

1. Negotiate for the best package, for you.
Don't think that you have to accept whatever severance package your manager or HR puts in front of you. Your severance package (everything) is negotiable, don't feel pressured to immediately sign on the dotted line. Take the time to read the severance package, even if it's 20 pages long.

Your employer gives you a hard time but hold your ground and tell the manager that it's unreasonable and unacceptable for the employer to ask you to sign something, without first reading it in detail.

Beware of the covert threat, 'If you sign this right now, you'll get your best deal. If you don't sign it, you'll get a worse deal.' You do not have to agree with their flawed logic. Tell them you have to sleep on it and take the document away from the office. This should not surprise them and they would be foolish to try and stop you. It is important that you study this document in detail and in a relaxed atmosphere. Seek objective and knowledgeable advice.

To help you prepare for severance negotiations, consult your contract and HR manual for information about what kind of severance package you should expect from your employer. That way, you can plan ahead of time what other elements of a severance package (e.g., career counseling, health insurance) you might need or can request.

If you require more information than what's included in the HR manual, then seek out and politely ask other employees who've been let go, what they received for severance. It would be a good idea to form an ex-employee support group.

When it comes to actual negotiations, negotiate one perk at a time, whether it be the money, healthcare or career coaching, rather than going after the whole package. You will always get more if you look at one thing at a time. Your mantra should be, 'I just want to be treated fairly and receive the support and benefits that I am due.'

Initially conduct negotiations on your own, without a lawyer, not just because of the expense but also once you get lawyers involved, it's taken out of your hands and it becomes lawyers talking to lawyers. Its always better to try to work things out with your company in a congenial and rational manner.

2. Don't defeat yourself
Remember that after you've been laid off, you will feel vulnerable. When you feel vulnerable, it's easy to look to far ahead into a gloomy scenario and to sink into depression. It is difficult to resist those negative thoughts but for your own well-being and the success of your job search, you have to fight against it.

Do not dwell on all the reasons why your employer might have selected you for a pink slip, remember that the fundamental reason you lost your job economic not personal. Your employer was having trouble competing during this economic downturn, not because you're a bad worker. Remember that high numbers of talented, hard-working professionals are getting laid off and that you are not alone in this. You still have great potential and will be a valuable employee at another more stable company.

There are still a large number of companies that are in desperate need of highly experienced, quality employees. There is something else out there for you, a great opportunity that will improve your future. You may have to work for it. You may have to study for it. You may have to manage the change.

3. Examine your finances, closely
If you have Excel or similar, build a spreadsheet model of your personal finances. Closely examine your outgoings, expenses and your savings, to determine, exactly how much money you'll need to cover your expenses during the time you're unemployed. You can hope for the best but plan for an extended period of time e.g., more than three months.

If you know your budget i.e. how much money you have on hand, it may put some of your anxiety to rest. It will be a bit of a reality check but if the exercise of planning your finances sends your anxiety levels and blood pressure through the roof, then try and turn it around to give you strong motivation to find a new job.

4. Make job-hunting your new job
Do not consider yourself a vitim and you are certainly not a prisoner in your own life. Stay active and take regular light exercise, it will help dissipate the negative feelings and increase your circulation. Now, its important to devote the time you previously spent at your old job to looking for a new job.

Your new job is 40 hours a week looking for employment. Stay busy and focussed on your task. Your mood and motivation may be a bit cyclic at the beginning. Be aware of this, recognise it but don't lie down to it. Make a plan, build job seeking activities and keep a routine going.

By continuously working toward getting a new job, you bring structure and discipline to your life and you'll feel better about yourself because you have stopped seeing yourself as a 'vistim' and you are taking control of your situation.

If you do this, you'll find that you have less time to dwell on your recent layoff and less time to sink into the negative thought patterns that are associated with it. If these thoughts continue and become a problem do not hesitate to seek help and advice from your doctor. Short term, event driven depression is a well documented condition and can be readily treated but, like all illnesses, it needs to be diagnosed and treated early in its onset.

5. Expand your search
Do some research. You may have been out of the job market for some time. Find out what's going on in your field or expertise, geographocal location and beyond. Find the success stories, the well-funded organisations, the new, new thing, etc. Its out there and it needs to be developed, manufactured, sold and supported. Where would you fit into this cycle?

Make a long list of industries and organisations in your chosen location(s), preferably those industries where you could put your skills and experience to good use. Don't worry too much about who are advertising vacancies and might be hiring, just develop a long list.

You cannot de-select companies because you don't want to work for them. You are just shrinking your pool and greatly reducing your opportunities. Be realistic, put yourself in a stronger negotiating position in the event one of those firms suddenly has a position for you. Simply consider them as a shorter term opportunity. Somewhere you can gather knowledge, experience, and extend your network. I guarantee you will meet some very good and interesting contacts, wherever you work.

6. Online applications and search firms
Although the Web is an invaluable resource for researching companies, it's not always the best medium for submitting job applications and résumés. Some say that its not an original or unique way to find work, 'If you can do it, about a million other people can do it, too." Companies can get hundreds, even thousands, of résumés for one posting. That is not the best way to get a job but don't dismiss it.

Explore your network to make contact with senior people and hiring managers inside the companies where you're interested in working. You are looking for friends of friends or colleagues of colleagues. People who can introduce you directly to key managers.

Recruitment and search consultants may yield some help in connecting you with a new job but they are generally geared up for buoyant economic conditions, when there's lots of competition for labour.

Rememeber to attend as many conferences or networking event as possible, somewhere you have the opportunity to make personal connections.

7. Stop reading bad news
Don't pay too much attention to the news about the economy because the news is, by definition, always going to be attention grabbing; shock, horror and downright bad. It does make people very discouraged at a time when they need to stay optimistic. Your attitude, in the form of discouragement, negative thoughts and lack of stamina, is the biggest obstacle to finding a new job.

Employers want people who are flexible, resilient and open to and understand the need for change. Variety is the new constant!

Laid-off! Oh No! What now?

Crystal Balls

The USA reported that 2.6 million jobs were lost in 2008, with 524,000 axed in December alone. Unfortunately, the situation isn't expected to be any better in Europe in 2009. People who invested years of hard work, loyalty and dedication have been shown the (back) door. Now they find themselves out in the street, left wondering what their futures hold.

Discard Pride and take Courage
The newly unemployed can't afford to miss a beat. Yes, the economy has deteriorated. Yes, more layoffs are coming. Yes, it's harder to find a job now than it was a year ago but while some will react badly, smart job seekers will get tough and get going. They'll brush up their résumés, hit the job boards, work their social networks and polish their interview skills . Remain calm, collected and focused on finding the next opportunity.

Resting for the Hunt

Finding a new Job is Your Full-Time Job
You might not be fully employed, but you do have a job. Your job is to find a new position. Remember, you have been released from you current commitments, you have not been granted permission to take time off and lick your wounds.

Some people may feel they have enough savings to live off for a month or two, before they throw themselves back in the market. Sadly, if you let yourself slip into the "let's call it a break" mentality, you seriously risk losing your edge and when you do decide to actively pursue a job, it'll be that much harder to get back into the working harness and the pace of things.

Job hunting race
Secondly all your colleagues are now running ahead of you in the job hunting race. You may even find that you have competition from some of your old colleagues, the ones that are not being laid-off. These are the 'jump before you're pushed' brigade. The ones that have seen some scarey writing on the wall near to them and this has provoked them into finding a more secure company to work for.

If you start to pursue a new position immediately, you'll be much more fit and prepared to seek out and find the right opportunity. You will still be hot from the fight. Your readiness will show in your interview attitude, from the way you present your résumé, to the way you conduct yourself while under scrutiny and in your ability to negotiate, confidently.

Slainte!

Keep Your Spirits Up
This is not a license to drink more whiskey, not that I want to discourage you. Being laid off in today's economy can send any level-headed person into a panic. That's why it's important to keep your priorities in check, preferably a reality check. Keeping your spirits high keeps you motivated to get back out there with the level of enthusiasm you need. Did you ever walk over hot coals? as part of a team-building course. Well, if you did then remember the state of mind you assumed at that time, face forward, focus and take that first step.

Step up out of the trench
Professionally speaking, your layoff could be a big blessing in disguise. You know that you felt unappreciated, stifled or bored in your old job! The company politics were dragging you down! So, now is the time to stop whining and find your true calling. Take advantage of this time for expansion, self-discovery and growth. Re-build, renovate and re-invent yourself.

Find a job or position that really challenges you in new and exciting ways. We are all the sum of multiple characteristics and talents that grow and change with knowledge and experience. Look at the different aspects and elements of your complex character. Train and develop some of these and allow others out for some exercise and experience. Try something new. Pick up on an activity that you used to enjoy, something you already know and can expand.

Hail! Friends Countrymen!

Network, Network, Network
When the going gets tough reach out to everyone you know and maybe some that you don't.

Looking for a job is no shame on you and you, like everyone else need to be supported.

Clearly, people don't like to talk about their sudden unemployment but remember that everyone knows the economy is down. Through no fault of your own, you find yourself in the growing army of newly unemployed people but YOU are one of a kind.

Tell your friends. Tell your family. Post updates on social networking sites. Let people know you could use some help, and ask them to put you in touch with people they know are hiring. Make sure everyone knows you are in the market, you are developing new skills and have something more to offer.

New Skills! New vacancies!

Recruitment agencies can help
Talk to recruitment agencies, whether you are looking for full-time or part-time employment. These agencies have already seen a noticeable increase in clients who have never used a staffing company before now. You can be sure that they have already planned for this increase in demand. It's their job.

Advice from friends is helpful, but staffing professionals know the ins and outs of local employment and can propose or suggest that you follow a new direction, one you had not been aware of or considered. Even more importantly, recruitment agencies have established good relationships with local companies. Listen to what they say.

Skills Gap Analysis
Recruitment agencies are also a good source of information regarding what key skills are most sought after, by the market. If you have good current skills they will be able to tell you how to package and market them. If your skills are out of alignment with the market, they can give you good advice as to how to change or tune your approach to a better fit.

No Demand for Zeppelin mechanics!

Take it on the chin if they say you need to re-train entirely and get out there to find the cheapest smartest way to do this. The web is a good source of free online tuition and again your friends and network can help you here too. Seek out the one's that have current skills or work with others who have them.

Consider working for FREE for a short introductory period.

It would be a great advantage to you to find work as an intern or assistant with a company who have, and use, the key skills you need to learn or develop! Remember there has to be value on both sides or it won't work. So you need to have something to offer them. You will short circuit many of their reticence and objections if you offer your time and experience for FREE! In return you get some valuable training or much needed exposure to a new skill, methodology or application.

Clearly working for nothing is a short term activity and you cannot allow it to continue for long. You need an income and you have only a small window of opportunity before you go broke. So, once you are in-situ, you need to learn as much as you can, gaining real hands-on experience and as quickly as possible. Poverty is a great motivator!

You never know what might come from this and it will keep your morale high, maintain your social interaction and extend your network. 3 very important considerations but beware of abusive persons that will try to exploit your position.

Social Networking helps
Don't hesitate to put your professional face online. Make sure you are on LinkedIn and your profile is up to date. Your online presence is often the first place potential employers will look. If run correctly, your social network could be that extra boost your résumé needs. Exercise caution and restraint, because, depending on the content, it could also be detrimental. Post articles you've written or details of a project you're particularly proud of, not the pictures of you mooning your mates on last year's trip to Cancun.

Consider Contract work and Consulting
Although you might be leaving a full-time, "permanent" position, don't rule out the idea of consulting. Many workers overlook the option of consulting because they don't like the relative insecurity and the idea of impermanence.

The use of Contractors and contracting
In fact, many cautious employers now are showing great caution when taking on new staff. They don't want the long term commitment in such a dynamic marketplace. They want to be able to grow and shrink as the work dictates. They do this by using contractors and they manage the uptake of contractors by issuing short 3 month contracts in the first instance, with the 'potential' to extend.

From my experience it will take you 6 weeks to settle into a new company and it will be 3 months before you will become truly confident and start taking the initiative in that position. From your side, you are set to go. From the employers side, they know who they are dealing with and they have assessed your worth. They can now decide whether to 'extend' you for a more agreeable period of time e.g. 6 months or 1 year, to completely 'domesticate you by offering a Permanent contract or to 'release' you back into the Wild.

If you dismiss contracting as an option, you could be slamming the door on your career.

Once you are established as a contractor, it is not uncommon to stay with a company for 2 years or more. Years of relative security and certainty, the same pay and benefits. Remember that a short consulting assessment is often the only way into and organisation but could potentially lead to a (semi-)permanent position.

Go Girl Power!

Cultivate Suppleness and Flexibility

Consulting also has a number of benefits you won't find with a permanent position. It provides a vehicle for flexibility. That may be the flexibility to spend more time with your family, or open up that business of your dreams. Consulting usually generates a higher salary than a permanent position. It can also stimulate you business sense in a way that a more sedintary position does not.

Just say 'No!'
As an independent consultant, you always have the option to say 'No' to a project if it doesn't appeal to you. Can you imagine saying "no thanks" to your last manager? (out loud). There are a huge array of jobs available to contractors. This makes it possible to not only choose where and when you work, but what you're doing and how you do it.

The Postman earns more than you do, now
A contract or temporary position with a company keeps some income flowing while you search for a more permanent and satisfying position. It could be the key to keeping you and your family fed and healthy.

Benefits? What Benefits?
Do remember that temporary workers and contractors do not have access to the same benefits within organisations. No health insurance, no pensions, no sick pay, short notification of termination periods, etc. So, its not all plain sailing and lots of money but its something you will know in advance and can deal with. Remember what your Grannie told you, save up and put aside something for the leaner days.

With grim determination and a willingness to grow and open yourself up to new experiences, you will not be a Statistic very long!

Staying afloat - develop buoyancy

Straighten up and Fly right!

With the economy said to be all at sea, what can an IT professional do, to stay afloat?

1) The first step is the easiest one of all. Keep your technology skills fresh and take advantage of every training opportunity, e.g. there are plenty of free online courses and certifications. "Free" is important, this is no time to ask your employer for money but also you may want to consider investing a little of your own cash on yourself, and your future.

In fact, you will find that when you are employing your own cash to buy training, you will become more discerning about the content, as well as the real relevance and necessity of attending a particular skills training course. Now suddenly you see it from your boss's position. Where is the payback? Do you have th ecourage to put your money where your mouth is? Are you willing to pay for the training and have the company reep the benefit. It would make you more secure and your boss would see you in a different and better light.

Something that is strangely inexpensive. You can always gain knowledge and get a head start on a new techie subject by 'reading a book' or three on the subject. I know, I know, its not very techie or 'out there' to be 'reading' and it will make some of your nerdy friends point at you and laugh, 'Oh, look guys! We've got a reader!' but tough times call for tough measures.

2) You could always leverage your technology expertise to help the company perform better. Wow! Is that possible you say? Yes! You might want to develop an application that helps the company's sales professionals (the suits), unlikely but possible. It's important not to be afraid to take the initiative. Develop your ideas or speak to the suits and see how their needs could be better met, especially if there is a techies slant to it.

Look seriously at mutually beneficial options, for both you and the company. Structure a rough 'business' plan showing how, by the use of new technologies (tools/ applications/ whatever), that you are willing to develop and learn the company can readily,

• save /make money or
  
• reduce overheads /wastage or
  
• get into new markets / challenge their competitors, or
  
• out manouvre them entirely by implementing more innovative approaches.
  

Some study in advance and a bit of prior knowledge here would be helpful in re-enforcing your pitch. Also brush up on your presentation techniques and I don't mean the Powerpoint style tools. I mean the, well dressed, standing at the front of an auditorium and speaking clearly and assertively, presentation skills.

These skills are some of the most important ones that you will need for the future and its vital that you get help with them. Your public performance can be easily made more structured, effective and carry more impact if you seek the advice of a professional tutor or toast master. Unfortunately by the sheer nature of this skill, it cannot be done online. You will have to go into the real world to speak to people about it. They will be wearing suits and maybe by that time, so will you.

Remember, you are the one best placed to know what new tools and technologies are out there and how best to apply them to the benefit of your company. So, why don't you tell them and put yourself forward as the co-ordinator and developer for the project. Cometh the hour, cometh the geek.

3) Be sure to stay up and alert. Be positive (B+) and become high profile and very visible. Throw off your cardigan and come out of the server room, turn your back on the Zen-like hum of the air-con, look your manager in one of his crazed bloodshot eyes and tell him how you are going to help him and lead him out of this mess. Then step back quickly, because he will become very emotional and may reach out and try to hug you. Not that this is a bad thing but it doesn't help your street cred with the guys.

4) Ensure that you stay busy by volunteering for new initiatives and by not turning down high profile assignments. Qudos and assignment selection is a story for another day, but be careful of being handed a dying star, a runaway horse or a poisoned elf.

Keeping fully occupied is good advice at any time, good or not so good but it is easy to get complacent in the good times and then find yourself out favour and out of position when times are difficult. Ask yourself, 'Am i doing enough to help me keep my job.'

Simple rhetorical phrases like "stay positive" are all very well but it can be tough to put into practice, especially in an oppresive or negative environment. Avoid the negative people in the office they will be the first ones targetted and then fired. Remember that negativity and cynicism are contagious. Therefore, turn off the news during the day. It is a drain on your spirit. Plug it or it will only drag you down and distract you from your chosen task.

If you do all that and you still face losing your job, what next?Who is moving my cheese?

Dust off your old resumé and make sure it is up-to-date, accurate, attractive, concise, well written and contains all of your updated contact information. Then, make sure it is optimized for keywords by describing your skills precisely. Post your résumé on all the job boards, such as Dice, LinkedIn and Monster, as well as the niche job boards, for jobs in financial services, media, etc. Check that the language used in your resumé is in synch with today's recruiters and job market.

If it is not 'reader friendly' it won't get read!

Take advantage of recruiting firms. Remember, when you meet with a recruiting firm, treat everyone with copious respect, because these are the 'gatekeepers'. The people who could help you land an interview and a job. Good recruiting firms and consultants will also work with you to optimize your résumé for the job boards and so also will good friends i.e. the suits not the geeks.

Finally, in this highly competitive dog-eat-cat job world, if you do manage to land an interview opportunity, let the prospective employer know you are available immediately. Don't say that you will be on vacation or only do interviews on Mondays. Make sure you are easily available and show a strong interest in the job; otherwise, you will lose the interview opportunity.

Remember the new mindset that you developed and all those new exercises that you carried out, just to make sure you didn't get fired, well these are the very ones that you can use to sell yourself to your potential employer, at the interview.

When the going gets tough, the tough will be the survivors. Build a plan and Make your own luck!

Develop yourselve into;

• a stronger, leaner and fitter condition to
• maintain, strengthen and consolidate your current position,
  
• study, re-train and supplement your skills,
  
• search out new opportunities inside and outside your present environment
• GROW!