Alchemy Search

Employment Market Update

2011-11-02T15:39:00.000-07:00

The ADP employment report is out. I referenced this report in a previous blog and refer to it to each time it comes out try to understand what is going on. Here is the link - http://www.adpemploymentreport.com/.

It appears that most industry segments are growing slowly. The only real big loser is Construction jobs.

If you are looking for a Finance/Accoutning role then all industry segments are selectively hiring, I would avoid construction companies unless that is all you know. Most industries are doing well for the most part, we just need the capital markets to become less volitile so companies ready to go IPO can.

The occupy movements across the country are unhappy about the state of our national economy, many are not happy with Wall Street. I have to join in and say that the Wall Street folks need to stop using every excuse to sell and remain positive about the future. That way we will not have big down and up days and can get a number of companies off the ground by going public and create more jobs.

Happy hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

Employment Market Commentary

2011-06-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

This last May we saw a decline in search work, reading this article from CFO.com seemed to hit the nail on the head. We are optimistic that the Bay Area Market will continue to grow slowly and that new employment will take place but we will not see a big upswing anytime soon. The numbers in this report are not specific to the Bay Area which is doing better than most of the US.

CFO Optimism Is Down, and So Is Hiring
Finance chiefs say the economy will continue to grow, but slowly, according to the latest Duke/CFO Global Business Outlook Survey.
Kate O'Sullivan - CFO.com US
June 8, 2011

Like so many economic indicators lately, finance chiefs' expectations have taken a turn for the worse, as the unease that has dogged the recovery since it began has deepened in recent months. From the ongoing European debt crisis to the disaster in Japan to rising oil prices and bouts of severe weather in the United States, a host of factors are dampening CFOs' spirits. Add to that poor employment and housing numbers, and it's little wonder finance executives are getting skittish.

Just 27% of U.S. CFOs say they are more optimistic about the economy this quarter than they were last quarter, while 36% say they are less optimistic, according to the Duke University/CFO Magazine Global Business Outlook Survey released today. When finance chiefs rate their optimism on a scale from 1 to 100, the results are less dramatic, though still down — 57 out of 100, down from 61 last quarter and roughly even with a year ago.

"Three to six months ago, I definitely had a more positive outlook on the economy," says Greg Gould, finance chief at SeraCare Life Sciences, a small publicly traded biotech company. "Now I'm a bit more worried that there could be some kind of a double-dip [recession]." SeraCare, which counts the National Institutes of Health as a customer, benefited from stimulus spending included in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Now, says Gould, that impact appears to be fading.

Finance execs do plan to spend money in the coming 12 months, however. Capital expenditures, research and development spending, and advertising and marketing budgets will all grow, but by smaller amounts than CFOs reported last quarter. Tech outlays, however, are expected to increase by 6% on average, up from 5.5% three months ago.

Full-time domestic hiring will continue to be anemic, with finance chiefs saying they will increase staffs by less than 1% in the next 12 months. That number, also down from last quarter, means that unemployment will likely linger at its current rate of just over 9%. Twenty-one percent of CFOs say they are actively hiring, while another 16% say they are short-staffed but lack the resources to hire. Nine percent say they are short-staffed and would like to hire but are having trouble finding the types of employees they need.

For those workers who are currently employed, the outlook is brightening somewhat. A majority of companies that reduced employees' hours during the recession have restored those hours or plan to restore them in the next 12 months, and nearly half plan to return training and development efforts to their prerecession levels in that time. CFOs say wages will rise by 3% on average.

Still, many are holding off on hiring as they continue to wait for the economy to improve. "People are hesitant to make a long-term bet," says Gould. "I think with housing continuing to be unstable and with the continued high unemployment rate, people are going to continue to be nervous."

If you have questions about the Bay Area maket please feel free to reach me.

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

Employment Increases for Smaller Companies

2011-04-19T14:01:00.001-07:00

The ADP payroll report which covers non-government and non-farming hiring is one of the resources I look at on a monthly basis. I thought sharing last months report/activities would be good for job seekers and employers to see. Use this link to view the report:

http://www.adpemploymentreport.com/pdf/FINAL_Report_March_11.pdf

What may help job seekers is to focus on smaller business's who are creating more than half of the new jobs.

"Employment among large businesses, defined as those with 500 or more workers, increased by 17,000 while employment among medium-size businesses, defined as those with between 50 and 499 workers, increased by 82,000. Employment for small businesses, defined as those with fewer than 50 workers, rose 102,000 in March.
In March, construction employment dropped 5,000. The total decline in construction employment since its peak in January 2007 is 2,126,000. Employment in the financial services sector increased 4,000 in March. "

The report also stated the largest increase in new hires for the year (could be longer).

This could be a good sign that the slow recovery maybe picking up a little momentum.

Happy Hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

Bay Area Job Growth Expected

2011-03-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

I saw an article on job growth in the Bay Area. In case you have not seen it, there is a link below. What struck me about it is the Bay Area accounted for 80% of the new jobs created in the State of California. The area will lead the economic turnaround, it is better to be here than anywhere else!

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_17558388?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com&nclick_check=1

Happy Hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

Sell Yourself in the Job Interview

2011-02-09T10:26:00.001-08:00

I read an article on the HotJobs/Monster site today on how to sell yourself in the job interivew - http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles-selling_yourself_in_the_job_interview-1471. I believe all the points are accurate and very helpful, but I'd like to make two additional points.

1.) Show enthusiasm for the company/role and prepare questions for interviewers.

Not only do interviewees need to be positive, but they need to show strong interest in the role for which they are interviewing. If all things are equal between competing candidates, the hiring manager/company will gravitate towards the candidate who expresses the strongest interest in the role and company.

Examples of what can be said in an interview -

For the Position:
" This is exactly what I am looking to do next in my career" OR "I love doing this type of work and can really help your business/department in this area".

For the Company:
"I am truly interested in what this company does. I love the service/product and can get behind a company that has this service/product" OR "I use this product/service and would love to be a part of it".

2.) Prepare questions to ask during the interview.

You must ask questions during your interview to show you have done some research on the business or show you make decisions with relevant information. Some questions can be asked numerous times with each person who interviews you, others can be very specific to the person with whom you are meeting.

Expamples of questions that can be asked to anyone in the interview process:

-What characteristics do I need to have in order to be successful in this role/company?
-Where do you see the company/department in 6 months, 1 year, or 3 years from now?
-What do you like most about working for ____ Company?

If you want to know if Alchemy has an opportunity for you, please feel free to contact me.

Happy Hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

Is the market picking up?

2011-01-27T14:03:00.000-08:00

One of the most common questions posed to any search professional is "is the market picking up?". Each person is hoping to hear positive news and to get the feeling that help is on the way. For last 12 months we know the job market has not been good but we all have a feeling that it is better than it was. The feeling I have is that we are still a long way away before the employment market is healthy.

Am I off base? I went to the Bureau of Labor Statistic (http://www.bls.gov/) and searched for unemployment rates for professional workers with 4 year degrees in the Bay Area and found the following:

SF/San Mateo/Redwood City
July 2010 - 9.4%
Nov 2010 - 9.1 %

Oakland/Fremont/Hayward
July 2010 - 11.7%
Nov 2010 - 11.2%

SJ/Sunnyvale/Santa Clara
July 2010 - 11.5%
Nov 2010 - 11 %

There is evidence the market had improved in the second half of last year and we feel that the market has improved since November. But until the unemployment rate reaches 7 to 8 percent we feel the market is an employer's market, unhealthy for many if not most job seekers.

Although the market is tough we do have very good roles available with many different employers. For the most part all companies need to hire but will do so selectively. To find out what we have to offer please contact me.

Happy Hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

If you get in the pool, good things may happen.

2010-12-16T15:13:00.001-08:00

I use the term “getting in the pool” as a metaphor for entering into an environment that on the surface feels uncomfortable and unsatisfying. But, once one gets used to it, the experience may end up satisfying.
In a work context, that uncomfortable new environment could be represented by accepting a position that deviates from your preferred career path; it could mean considering temporary, contract, or consulting work; it could mean taking a salary less than you are accustomed; or it could mean doing work, you thought you’d never do again.
As a career professional, my role is to support forward movement, and to help people realize their goals. I don’t advocate anyone accepting unhappiness at work. However, in this job market, I believe it’s important to try and be part of the workforce whenever possible: get in the pool, and good things may happen. It beats waiting on the sideline.
I realize there are many folks on the sideline, who would love to be back in the workforce, but are having difficulty making that happen. If one has been out of work for over a year that in itself creates a major hurtle for employment. Thus, it’s important to consider finding a way back in, even if it’s not in an optimal situation.
This point goes back to the old saying that “it’s easier to find a job, when you have one.” One would think that given the high unemployment numbers in the US, unemployed job seekers would be given the benefit of the doubt. That is true for short periods of unemployment--six months or less. However, when one has been unemployed for a year or more, with very little to no work exposure during that timeframe, that job seeker is at an even greater disadvantage. Even in this job market, potential employers worry about why someone who has been out of work for a long time is not getting hired. Resumes with long periods of unemployment, cause potential employers to pause. If they are comparing two candidates with similar stills, they will usually feel more comfortable with the employed candidate, versus the one who isn’t.
In my years of recruiting I’ve seen first hand that activity leads to opportunity. It’s a given that a job seeker should be sending out resumes, networking, interviewing, and talking to people everyday. In the current job market, as many have found, that still may not be enough to land the right position. If job search activity is not doing the trick, perhaps getting back into the workforce in some other capacity could help. Even if a job is not ideal, there is value in leaving the house everyday to go to work. Meeting new people, making new contacts, learning new skills, learning new software, getting exposed to a new industry, or career function, all can potentially open new doors that you hadn’t even thought of. Your overall job search doesn’t need to stop, but now when you make new contacts, you can say you’ve been working. Working on a contract basis, part-time, volunteering, or even in a different type of position, is an easier sell to a potential employer, than saying, you’ve been looking for work for the last 18 months and haven’t found the right position.
There are of course drawbacks and pitfalls to accepting just any type of job, or working too long as a temporary worker or consultant. But, jumping into the workforce in some capacity may end up creating new opportunities that sitting on the sideline may not turn up.

Steve@alchemysearch.com

If you get in the pool, good things may happen.

2010-12-16T15:13:00.000-08:00

If you get in the pool, good things may happen.

2010-12-16T15:06:00.000-08:00

Q3 Job Market Update

2010-10-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Another quarter has ended and it has been two years since the stock market crash of 2008. Since that time the job market has not really recovered. I have interviewed more than 200 candidates since the crash, and the most popular question is "is the market getting better?" This is a loaded question; it is better now then it was in Q4 of 2008 and all of 2009. The problem is, it is better than terrible but not a healthy job market.

This last quarter Alchemy has seen an increase in activities such as candidate interviews, new roles being created, etc. This is a good sign BUT we need to see companies hire people, not just interview them. We have been successful in matching people and companies but it takes a great effort on all parties to make things happen. The bottom line is, activity has increased but hiring hasn't. We believe hiring will increase soon, hopefully Q4 2010 but not at a level we consider healthy, but better than it has been in 2009 and so far this year.

A current trend (more so now than in the past) is commitment to the role or the candidate. Hiring managers need to express strong interest in the candidate from the beginning so the candidate stays focused on them and not move towards another role or continue to shop around for new opportunities in other companies. Additionally, if candidates have multiple interviews in multiple places it is more difficult to attract them and to get the candidates through the interview process. If you are a candidate you need to sell yourself to the hiring manager from the beginning and not come across as if you are unfocused or hard to get. Companies want people who are well qualified and are VERY focused on the role at hand "this is my ideal job" is what needs to be said and must be convincing. There are too many candidates interviewing for a single job, many candidates are equally qualified so you need to separate yourself by being more interested "committed" to the role and company then the your competitor.

Since I was late with this update I will update the blog in two months with a snap shot of Q4 and the upcoming Q1 2011. Please feel free to contact me if you have questions or need some help.

Happy Hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

2010-10-13T06:30:00.000-07:00

It’s That Time of the Year

As we get approach November, with days getting shorter, the weather changing, and the end of the year just around the corner, there is a temptation to slow down, throttle back, and even think about hibernating. With this kind of mind-set at play, people can lose valuable time, not to mention the momentum they’ve been developing in their search for a new job. I believe that it’s a serious mistake to dial down one’s activity during this time of year.

One of the reasons I feel this way is that, in contrast to the conventional wisdom, this is actually and excellent time to remain active. During the last couple months of the year, many people go low key, saying to anyone who’ll listen, “I’ll get busy again when the New Year starts.” By staying active, your odds naturally improve. This is also a great time to hone your current skills and develop new ones, putting you in a much better position to address the question “What have you been doing the past several months” with honesty and conviction.

Another reason to stay active is to keep any momentum you’ve developed working for you. It’s hard enough to make steady progress in this process and what a shame it would be have to start all over again in the New Year. Sticking to a disciplined approach is one of the keys to the process and I’ve seen time and again that those who stay in the game are those who ultimately get the best results.

Finally, as I’ve said before, there is no time like the present to do networking. This should, of course, be a consistent and year round activity, but many people let up during this time of year. I’d like to suggest that this is an excellent time to become even more active with your networking. If you were attending one professional meeting a month, try going to two, or even three. Not only are those contacts likely to pay off in the New Year, but with the possibility that people are in the “holiday spirit,” you may have an easier time making good connections during these meetings.

I recognize that this time of year, with busy schedules, family commitments, and the like, it can be a real challenge to keep active regarding work and career. It’s also very tempting to say to oneself, “It’s only a couple of months and I’ll hit it hard again in the New Year.” I hope you won’t do that and will stay active and focused during the next couple of months. You might find answers to key questions or make important connections that turn out to be critical in your search for new work.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@Alchemysearch.com

2010-08-27T05:50:00.000-07:00

Patience and Persistence Will Prevail

In spite of recent efforts to improve the employment picture, it’s looking more and more like a job market recovery is nowhere in sight. Whether unemployed or underemployed, future prospects look and feel bleak. There is an emergent sense of anxiety and desperation for these millions and the many more that support and depend on them.

Career coaches teach their clients how to network and leverage their resources, how to build and market their skills, and how to remain flexible with their goals and plans. These strategies, effective in a “normal” job market, seem less so in the “new normal,” where there as many as five people available for every job opening. No wonder there is a growing sense of frustration and despair.

So, what does this mean for someone who is looking for new employment? The simple answer is to become very skilled at the art and practice of transition, with particular emphasis on being patient and persistent. This is neither new nor particularly profound advice, except to say that it is truer now than at any time in the recent past.

Patience is the ability to keep things in perspective and recognizing that things will work out over time. Being patient teaches us to not get caught up in the non-rational aspects of the transition process and to understand that how we move forward has a great deal of impact on our ultimate success. Some things to help with patience:

Ø Remind yourself that the process unfolds one step, one action at a time.

Ø Don’t put pressure on yourself and others to move things along faster than is normal and natural.

Ø Recall that you have been through challenges before and remember the lessons from those past experiences.

Ø When you are feeling discouraged, give yourself permission to take time away from the process.

Persistence is the behavior that combines discipline with an appropriate sense of urgency. This includes being active and focused every day, reaching out to others even when feeling unsure of oneself, and to act as if our actions will yield positive results. Some things to help with persistence:

Ø When you think you have finished for the day, take one more step, make one more call, send out one more resume.

Ø Remember that staying connected is important to the process; take steps to develop a disciplined follow-up practice.

Ø Don’t take “no” as the end of the process; instead, see “no” as an opportunity to ask one more question or make one more request.

Ø When you get frustrated or stuck, step back, take a couple of deep breaths, have a good laugh, and begin again.

In conclusion, remember that patience and persistence go hand in hand, and both must be appropriately tended to for the process to give you what you want.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

Q2 Job Market Update

2010-06-16T19:07:00.000-07:00

Since my last entry in March we have not seen any changes to the job market. In March there was a sense that the market was getting better. In Q1 we did see more postings and client requests resulting in more interviews for potential hires.

Unfortunately many of these job openings/new hires have not really come to closure. Why is this happening?

Companies have many people to choose from and will see many candidates before deciding on who is best for them. The slow economic/sales growth allows this to happen because for the most part they are able to get by with the human capital already in place. Additionally most people who are on the market don't have many options so they are on the market longer, companies are not at risk of losing a candidate if they don't move quickly. Over time the ideal person is not identified or is lost in the process. Either the process starts over or the company decides to change the specifications thus creating a different job but not filling the orginial opening.

In other cases positions are created and filled but the process takes many weeks from the first interview to recieving an offer. The lack of turn over means more people are interviewing for the same role, a role that one person will recieve.

Unfortunately we don't see a change in the near term. One of two things need to happen - companies (most) need to see a clear increase in demand for products and or services before investing in human capital. OR - Capital markets need to support IPO's which will allow smaller businesses to invest in building their organizations. The Bay Area has many companies looking for the IPO window. Once the window opens and multiple companies go out we will see jobs opening up not only in the growth companies but the companies that support them and the companies that lose people to the new companies.

This summer may be as tough as last summer. If so you will need to work hard at finding your next job. Cross your fingers this is not the case. If we have a slow summer the demand should pick up in the fall and by then we hope to see companies and the capital markets take off.

Please feel free to reach me if you want to talk about your job search and how you can increase your chances of getting hired.

Happy hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

2010-05-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

Texts and Tweets and Profiles--Oh My!

From cover stories in Fortune to millions of everyday interactions and conversations, social media and their role in the job search and career transition process seems to be on everyone’s mind these days. Besides the obvious enabling aspects of these tools and their particular strengths and quirks, one persistent question comes up over and over: Do these build stronger relationships or are they more transactional, making us feel that we are building something meaningful that may ultimately be something far less than that.

There is no question that these new tools, when used well and as part of a disciplined approach to transition, are powerful and help the process to move along more smoothly and quickly. They do, however, have the quality of lulling us into thinking that these connections are as real and meaningful as those we have created through face to face meetings and interactions. The reality is that they do not.

We believe that meaningful connections take time to create, requiring a mindful and nurturing approach to building a longer-lasting relationship. Social media allow us to be and feel connected, but they are not designed for, nor do they encourage the building of real relationship. Instead, their use (and overuse) can create a dependency, a laziness, if you will, that actually can inhibit the building of strong relationships. Furthermore, in our experience, it is these deeper relationships that are key to finding and keeping meaningful work.

As many who are searching for meaningful work realize, social media have a powerful and growing place in how we drive the process. We encourage the adept and savvy use of these tools to support and even accelerate a well thought out job search or career change. However, if your plans do not also include a vigorous commitment to “traditional” networking, including regular face-to-face and voice-to-voice connections with old friends and colleagues and new contacts, all the tweets, texts, and well-written profiles will probably not get you where you want to go.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2010-04-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

Networking Tips

Below is a recent e-mail about networking, followed by my response:

Question: Up until now, I have been very successful in my career. Now that I’m between jobs, I find myself shying away from doing what I understand is key to transition, that thing called networking. What can I do to get over this and how can I be more effective in my networking?

Answer: Networking is the way most professionals get re-employed and find meaningful work, and though most know this, many are still reluctant to practice “purposeful” networking. This means developing a disciplined process of connecting with others that is in line with your natural style that you can do with clarity, authenticity and enthusiasm. Here are a few tips:

Develop a brief and compelling elevator pitch that focuses on who you are, what you do, how do you do what you do, and what kind of help you need from the connection.

Follow your curiosity: What is it that you need to know or learn? What advice do you need? What information will help you move forward?

Practice reciprocity: Be in a position to offer your help, ideas, advice, even if this will be given later.

Start with the people you know and move out from there: Everyone who knows you will probably say yes to your request for help and is also likely to have their own interesting set of connections and relationships that you can tap into. Implied here is that you must ask everyone you meet for referrals to other connections.

Develop a disciplined approach: Make networking integral to your transition activities and be sure to continue purposeful networking for the rest of your work life.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2010-04-02T09:18:00.001-07:00

Whining Your Way to a Meaningful Job Search

I recently facilitated a job search strategy session for a group of 15 mid and senior level professionals and managers. It began with a great deal of complaint about how bad the job market is and how it’s probably going to stay that way for the foreseeable future. After a fair amount of ranting, a couple of participants commented that the “whining” was counterproductive, as well as being annoying to listen to. Once that was acknowledged the whining shifted to a whole other level: Even when I get my next job, it will probably not be what I really want . . . it might pay less . . . it might not be a long commute . . . and so on.

Before long the whole group realized that the energy they were expending in whining was feeble and a-not-very-effective way to connect to what they hoped their next job or career would be like. So, we began to discuss how their whining was distracting them from their efforts to express their values, their desires, and what they really wanted. This lead to a discussion about how they needed to reframe their story from a lament (I hope I get something . . .) and a complaint (I’ll take anything at this point . . .) to a coherent and authentic statement of what is important (This is who I am . . . , what I can do . . ., what I want . . .) and then make necessary adjustments and compromises from there.

They began to see that experiencing the job market as a victim (and hence the continuous whining, as in, ”Why don’t they ever return my calls?”) was counterproductive and started to recognize that a more powerful stance was to see themselves as co-creators of their future. For some people in the room, this was a relatively easy shift—they saw that their previous way was ineffective and, being pragmatic, they could justify making a change; others were at a stage of readiness to hear a new message and were open to considering that there are other ways to conduct their job search. Nearly half the group, however, stayed stuck in their whining and being a victim, and even though many examples were offered to contradict their positions, many became louder and more adamant in their whining.

The bottom line is that each of us always has choice in the matter of how we look for work or change our careers. We can do it the way we always have done it, and “hope for the best,” whining all the way. Or we can step back and look for new options and possibilities, and choose a different path to achieving our goals. By the way, when the session ended, most were still whining as they left the room.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

Q1 Job Market Update

2010-03-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

Do you hear the job market is getting better? I read a Mercury news artical that CEO's plan to hire more than fire in 2010 (http://www.mercurynews.com/search/ci_14507315?IADID). That is a good sign! But it is all talk at this point, we like to see action. We need companies to pull the trigger on making hires rather than just say they are going to hire.

From last summer to December we were at a all time low in terms of job opportunities/search work. The market has picked up from that point, I tell people when you are at or near zero it only takes one or two things to creat significant growth. We have that going on right now in terms of jobs to talk about (search work is up >25% from December). We have seen an increase in our temporary work force as well. We hope this continues and companies start hiring the people they interview not just interview and find a way not to make a hire.

If you are wondering what industries to target I suggest looking at where the Venture Capital money is going. As I have mentioned in previous blogs The PWC Money Tree is a good resource (https://www.pwcmoneytree.com). The Bay Area leads the country in terms of raising capital for new companies. Last quarter more than 34% went to Bio-tech and Medical Device, more than 19% to Software,11% went to industrial/energy and nearly 9% went to media and entertainment. When doing search industry background is important to employers, if you have an opportunity to jump into one of these industries your market value increases. If you are not in one of these industries we can provide guidance on how to break into them.

Next quarter I hope to report a better employment market with hard evidence that we are moving in the right direction. If you have questions or like to talk about your employment search please call or send me an email.

Happy hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

2009-12-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

Creating a Great 2010 and Beyond

Time magazine’s cover story of December 7, 2009 cover labeled the years 2000 to 2009 as “The Decade from Hell,” noting that:

“Bookended by 9/11 at the start and a financial wipeout at the end, the first 10 years of this century will very likely go down as the most dispiriting and disillusioning decade Americans have lived through in the post-World War II era. Call it the Decade from Hell, or the Reckoning, or the Decade of Broken Dreams, or the Lost Decade. Call it whatever you want—just give thanks that it is nearly over.”

Regardless of how your recent past has been, I’d like to suggest the following six commitments as the keys for achieving your goals in the years ahead:

1. Be Responsible

While this may be obvious, taking responsibility for our work lives is harder than it sounds. It begins with the recognition that we always have choices and it also reminds us to focus energy and attention on those things and actions over which we have control.

2. Stay Relaxed and Alert

Anyone who does an activity requiring hand and eye coordination will recognize how important this is to achieving excellent results. It also means developing a pace that honors the best interplay between important and urgent. And finally, as we work toward our goals, it is critical to stop and rest when needed.

3. Keep Your Goals Focused and Diffused

As important as it is to be focused, it’s also important to see that there is always more than one way to achieve our goals. Not only does this help us to be more creative when confronting inevitable barriers and challenges, but it also allows us to recognize that what’s right in front of us is often prelude to what’s ahead on our path.

4. Trust the Process

The journey toward our goals is best fueled by a disciplined approach to the process. Through focused attention on small and specific steps, a momentum is created that carries us forward. Furthermore, as we open ourselves to the process, we build our capacity to create elegant solutions for getting unstuck.

5. Keep Your Sense of Humor

The capacity to laugh as we work toward our goals allows us to experience joy along the way. It is recommended to have at least several good laughs a day, with one or more of those being a hearty laugh at ourselves, thereby keeping our sense of self-importance in check.

6. Allow for Moments of Inspiration and Awe

Taking time in our day for silence, meditation, or prayer allows us to become grounded in what’s ultimately most important, giving us an opportunity to experience our sense of the “bigger picture.” And, finally, stay open to those moments of grace and beauty that are around us all the time.

With these commitments firmly in hand, best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2010 and beyond.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

Q4 Job Market Update

2009-11-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

In my last Update I predicted an up-swing in September. This was primarily based on two factors. The summer slow down was coming to an end and the economy was recovering and would promote job growth. The reality is that there has not been an up-swing, more like a small bump from the bottom.

Companies are still laying off workers to get to profitability. The predictions on a jobless recovery early in 2009 seem to be on the mark. Why? - companies are looking for profitability and are shedding human capital and avoiding projects to get there. Other companies are being acquired thus eliminating employers altogether. The companies that are growing are selectively hiring but doing it cautiously. The Mercury news article earlier this months verifies this activity ( http://www.siliconvalley.com/the-valley/ci_13766368).

What is in store for us is hard to know. At this point we are in a better employment market than in July and August but not good enough to provide job seekers multiple opportunities.

My advice at this time is to be flexible in compensation (be open to a small reduction in salary) and look at any role that will help your long term career goals. It does not need to be a step up in responsibility, it can be a role that provides experiences that will round out your over all background thus making you more marketable in two to four years when the market is much better.

There is a good chance that new opportunities will slow down to a halt in middle of December. Now is the time to look at all options otherwise you may be in the same position mid to late January when everyone is back from holidays and caught up with their work.

Where should you be looking for a job? Use your network to provide any and all resources that may help. I look to the moneytree (https://www.pwcmoneytree.com/MTPublic/ns/nav.jsp?page=industry) for investments into growth industry segments. The greatest industry investments in Q3, 2009 were - Biotechnology/Medical Device - 32%, Industrial/Energy - 18% and Software 13%. Businesses in mature markets may not be growing but have been hiring and upgrading their talent. These are very good employers with good career paths. Something to think about if you are looking for a more "secure or predictable" employment situation.

Happy hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

2009-11-23T09:05:00.000-08:00

What Am I Doing Wrong? Networking Revisited

I have a new client, a senior IT professional, who has been struggling in his search for new employment. Though he has a well-documented track record, he’s had a very hard time getting interviews. His main search strategy has been to use the job boards, and after sending out at least 500 resumes in response to job openings, he has had exactly 8 interviews. His success rate of 1.6% is not very good, to say the least, but probably sounds all too familiar to those of you who utilize any of the local and national job boards.

He came to coaching with the question, “What am I doing wrong?” My response was that nearly everyone’s experience with posted jobs is about the same, and that if he relies only or primarily on “visible” job openings, he is severely limiting his odds of getting an interview. I added that he has “blinded” himself to the many opportunities that exist only in the hidden job market, those that never see the light of day.

When we started talking about networking, he laughed, and responded that he hasn’t been networking because he felt that someone at his level shouldn’t need to “beg” people for work or connections. He sees networking as a vague process and beneath his stature and experience. When we explored further, it turned out that he was embarrassed about networking mainly because he didn’t know how to tell his story in a way that was compelling and that he didn’t really know how to ask for help.

We began by having him script and practice his elevator pitch. The first thing I asked him to describe was his “hook;” a word, phrase or sentence that would get a listener immediately in the mood to hear more about who he is and what he has to offer. It was no surprise that he was unable to articulate his hook, and so that became his first homework assignment.

We then focused on how he could ask for help so that people would be likely to offer him useful ideas, information, or advice. He immediately recognized that asking directly for a job or leads to job openings was too blunt, especially if he was meeting someone for the first time. He also realized that he was much more likely to gain support if he framed his request in a way that people would respond with “yes,” instead of “no”. This, then, became his second homework assignment: How to ask for help so that people will give a positive and supportive response.

Best wishes and Happy Thanksgiving.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

"What is the most significant change in client expectations over the past two years?"

2009-11-04T13:24:00.000-08:00

This question provided by Canaan Ridge (www.canaanridge.com) - Exceptional thinking forum. Michael Inserra from Alchemy Search provided one of two winning responses:

"I can summarize my client thoughts in one word: Relationships

Clients want to see a dedicated professional relationship. My clients want to work with service providers who invest time in getting to know them. They want to see time spent on site getting to understand the holistic value proposition their firm offers. Clients want a more personalized and unique approach, personal dedication, and a genuine interest in scaling with them verses a transaction. Process-wise, clients need confidence that we are one step ahead on logistics and have eliminated the obstiacles to close smoothly. There is no tolerance for leaving the final step up to chance."

2009-10-30T17:02:00.000-07:00

The New Normal

As the national unemployment rate approaches 10%, I see increasing numbers of people who are becoming resigned to an economy where 9-11% unemployment may become the “new normal.” As this plays out in our work and lives, I see growing fear and anxiety, shattered dreams and confidence, and find it a continuing challenge to help people feel hopeful about the future.

It is, however, a “normal” reaction to feel discouraged during times like these, whether this comes from being bombarded by news of layoffs and budget cuts or by having the real experience of conducting an active and smart job search and seeing nothing positive come about. So, it should come as no surprise that so many are feeling hopeless and even helpless during these times.

As a coach, I wish I could help people easily and quickly move through these emotions and on to a successful conclusion of their journey. Unfortunately, all I can do is remind my clients and anyone else reading this, that by staying in the game, focusing on the process, and keeping a positive frame of mind, eventually (probably later rather than sooner for most of us) the problem will be resolved.

The challenge to stay disciplined, to be both patient and persistent, is probably the key characteristic that distinguishes those who are successful in a job or career change. They find a way, no matter how they might be feeling, to get up each morning and “go to work,” even if they are fairly certain that the work of the day will have little or no positive results. They recognize that by taking one step at time, moving a bit each day, that the cumulative effect, the body of work, so to speak, will start creating momentum. The problem for many of us is that we give up before the momentum kicks in and can do its work.

Here are some suggestions about how to work your way through the new normal:

1. Write a personal mission statement—for some this might be very concrete (I want to have a job as a . . . . by . . . at . . . salary) or it could be more esoteric (I want to help others to . . . through . . .). Read it regularly and let the energy of your mission motivate you to action.

2. Create a flexible structure that has steps/tasks to do each day. Do your best to complete those tasks.

3. Find a buddy, partner, or good friend who can act as a guide, mentor, and who has your permission and blessing to give you honest feedback, as needed.

4. When stuck or confused about what to do next, stop, take a deep breath, and ask yourself, “What’s the smartest thing I can do right now?” Then do that thing.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2009-10-23T09:16:00.000-07:00

Career Change 101

I have a new client who is confronting classic dilemma of making a lot of money in a career he is very unhappy with. He feels trapped, as they say, by golden handcuffs, and is struggling trying to figure out how to do work he likes and still having a substantial income. He doesn’t lack for ideas, but most of them, for a variety of reasons, are not feasible (not enough income potential, too risky, spouse does not approve, etc.).

In addition to the challenge of deciding what he wants to do, he is also a very impatient person. He wants to know the answer right now, so that he can get moving sooner rather than later. As we’ve worked together, he is beginning to realize that his impatience is one of the reasons he is where he is, and has said a number of times “I’ve allowed my ambition to get out ahead of what I want to do.” He is working on ways to modulate his ambition so eventually it will be in resonance with his vision and goals. When that begins to happen, I believe he will be both very happy and very successful.

He is currently crafting a “personal job description,” that will capture honestly, and in great detail the following: What are the tasks/projects that I most wants to work on; what are the skills that go with those tasks/project; what is the work environment that allows me to do my best work; what are the values that I hold that I must have and would like to have met in my new work; and, what most energizes and motivates me to show up for work each day. As he puts this together, he is establishing an anchor, a basis for articulating what he “should” do (even if he doesn’t know what to call it yet).

He will soon begin doing informational interviewing, along with parallel internet research. His plans are to take his completed job description and interview the smartest and most well connected people he knows (and can get referred to) to ask the following fundamental questions: When you see my job description, what ideas come to mind? Who do you know who does something like this? How does someone with my background get from where I am now to this new career? Based on what he learns from these interviews, he will adapt his job description and keep moving forward until he has identified a match close enough to meet most, if not all of his, criteria.

Once he gets to that point, he will shift gears into job search mode, crafting a resume that shows his transferable skills, and learning how to tell the story of why he is making the change and how he will bring his unique qualities to his new work. For anyone who has ever gone through this process, you know how hard it is and how rewarding it can be when you see it through to the end.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2009-09-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

Moving Forward Toward Recovery

I’ve just come back from a week’s vacation at Lake Tahoe. In addition to relaxing and playing, I spent time each morning thinking about the times we are going through and how we are moving forward toward recovery. It’s clear that the economy is still in bad shape and that the job market is months, perhaps years, away from normalizing. Even though it looks as though we are on the verge of recovery, it will be long, slow, and painful for many of us.

That being said, many of our friends and co-workers will thrive during the months ahead, while many others will continue to face unemployment, challenges, and barriers. What distinguishes these two groups? First of all is the recognition that each of us is ultimately responsible for our lives and work. My experience says that those who own this notion, who see themselves as the authors (or at least, co-authors) of their careers have a natural advantage in the work place. They feel and express a sense of confidence, are more likely to see threats as opportunities, and look for ways to maximize strengths and minimize weaknesses. They get out ahead of the curve and are, so to speak, pro-active in their decisions and actions.

Furthermore, they focus their attention and energy in a direction that will help them move forward toward their own recovery. They realize and accept that they are in charge, that they have choices to make, and that there are many more things they have control over than may be obvious. They are able to clearly discern between appropriate and inappropriate choices and they take action on those which will get them moving in a steady and disciplined way. As they do this, they also learn how to articulate and tell the “right” story, both to themselves and with others, that is positive and puts the emphasis on what they can and will do (with evidence that they have those capabilities), given the right opportunity.

Practicing the suggestions above will go a long way toward helping you move forward and there’s no time like the present to begin these practices. The sooner you get on with it, the sooner you’ll find yourself on the road to recovery.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2009-09-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

National Career Development Strategy: Part 2

I just returned from Washington DC where we had our second meeting on the creation and implementation of a national career development strategy. There were 21 attendees from all around the country, several of whom were from prominent think tanks or high levels of the federal government.

As we worked our way through the day, one clear consensus emerged. We agreed that whatever the strategy might look like, one key to its success is that it must be deeply embedded in the K-12 curriculum so that virtually all Americans would graduate from high school with the skills and tools to manage their career for the rest of their lives. This means the development and implementation of an age-appropriate curriculum that would be just as vital to the educational process as are current and emerging graduation requirements.

All through the discussion, I couldn’t help thinking about the hundreds of clients I have seen in the last few years. Most are in their 30s, 40s, and 50s and virtually every one, somewhere in the process, makes a comment like, “I wish I had learned this when I was younger,” or “Why don’t they teach these things while we are in school?” The reality is that it is taught, but it’s not core to the curriculum, as it should be.

Assuming career development competence becomes part of what we learn by the time we are 18, how would our work lives be different? First of all, people will make choices that serve them well, as they will know how to make wise decisions and will recognize that they are responsible for creating the future they most want. Secondly, people will feel confident about their prospects, because even if they don’t know what their future looks like, they will have all the tools needed to figure out and make their goals a reality. Finally, for those who go on to college, having the skills to plan and manage their futures means their experience is likely to be more focused and meaningful.

If we can do this, the anxiety, fear, and disengagement we see around is going to lessen and become much more manageable. Rather than doing what most of us do now, like waiting for unemployment to get better, hoping the economy will improve, or wishing that the pace of change will slow down or settle, those who know how to manage their careers will find themselves in control and much more able to create the future they desire.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2009-08-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

Toward a National Career Development Strategy

I just attended a meeting in Chicago with a number of career development thought and practice leaders. We came together to begin the creation of a national career development strategy. Though we are just at the beginning of a year or longer process, we’ve already put down what we think are some guiding principles for such a strategy.

The first principle is that each of us is fully responsible for our career and work lives. This means, among other things, that we are the owners and drivers of our careers, that regardless of the state of the economy or our particular job, function or industry, we are responsible for actively managing our present and future work lives.

The second principle declares that life-long learning must be embedded in everyone’s work life. This means that each of us needs to have an active learning and development plan in place. Whether this is formal study, reading, observing others, utilizing a career coach, or the myriad other ways of developing ourselves, learning must be a part of how we work each day.

The third principle says that successful work lives happen with the on-going support of others around us. It means that no one achieves success alone and that support can come to us in a number of ways and forms, which may change depending on where we are in our work lives. This implies that there needs to be multiple layers and methods of support, training, coaching, offered willingly by workplaces, educational institutions, community based organizations, and all levels of government to assist people working toward their aspirations, whatever those might be.

A system that integrates responsibility, learning, and support means that everyone will be able to get and keep work over a life-time, and develop the skills necessary to stay employable for as long as they care to and are able to work. Many people have already built these principles into their work lives, but it might be a good time to take another look and to ask the following questions:

1. In what ways am I pro-actively managing my work life?

2. How do I make learning a part of my work day?

3. How am I building the support needed for my short and long term goals?

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

Q3 Job Market Update

2009-08-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

Not only is this summer in the Bay Area cooler so is the job market. I don't think this is a surprise to anyone out there hunting for a new job. For anyone that will start looking there isn't much to see in August but we anticipate some job growth in September.

Why is the market going to be better in September? First school is back in session meaning the end of summer vacations and the focus on business. Much hiring is budgeted for late Q3 early Q4, hiring managers will be around and eager to complete this task before year end. Second the capital markets have come back which will allow some companies to increase head count in areas that have been neglected by the lack of funds during this recession. The trend I have seen after the last two recessions is the job market lags the capital markets by 3 to 6 months. How much better will the job market get? We don't know.

What should we look for? Last quarter there was a significant jump in investments in alternative energy businesses. There will be job creation in this sector. In addition almost every company is looking to hire someone, these are specific hires for specific needs that are due to turn over, increase compliance requirements and other non-growth factors. Temporary or temporary to hire jobs will become more available as this was a trend when the last two recessions ended.

What should you do if you are seeking a job? You need to use your network and stay on top of job postings to ensure you are in the know when opportunities become available. Find two to three recruiting relationships that can help you. Recruiters have confidential searches and in many cases are told about job openings that are not posted to job boards.

What should you expect if you are hiring someone right now? Most candidates are willing to look at less pay in order to land a job with a solid business, especially one that may be closer to home or provides career growth. Making an offer at the existing base pay or equivalent total compensation is a safe bet in obtaining loyalty and success in the offer process. But don't under pay to try to take advantage of someone who is concerned about finding work. The market will change in the next twelve months, when it does everyone who feels under paid will not turn away a significant increase in income and make a change. You don't want to be repeating the search process in a more competitive candidate market.

I hope this helps!

Happy Hunting,

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

2009-07-23T10:00:00.001-07:00

Back to Business

I taught a workshop earlier this week for a group of 25 unemployed professionals and managers called Getting Back to Business. Its focus was how to conduct a disciplined and professional job search with the underlying assumption that those who do the most sophisticated and authentic job searches are most likely to be re-employed the quickest.

We focused on the usual topics of being organized, seeing the job search as a marketing campaign, understanding how to network appropriately, and so on. As we worked our way through the session, and continuously responding to the very prevalent, “I’ve tried . . . and it hasn’t worked . . . ,” I realized a couple of things that was making the process challenging for these folks.

The first thing I noticed was that, as smart and accomplished as the participants were, many of them were simply going through the motions of the job search. In other words, they were diligent in doing it “by the book”, but only a few recognized that a good job search is a process of continuous learning. So instead of applying what they learned from each experience and encounter, I felt the most of the audience was following that time worn definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

The second thing I saw was an intense level of anxiety, much of which resulted from where they were putting their attention and efforts. They kept talking about the sorry state of the job market and their efforts they talked about were often centered on trying to get people “out there” to respond to their continuing requests for action. What most were not seeing was that they needed to put their attention on what they had control over: The attitude they brought to the process, the choices they made at any given moment, and putting their energy and efforts in taking one, small step at a time.

There’s no doubt that a job search can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We all know is lousy, but there are always things each of us can do to mitigate that reality. With the right mind set and focused action, the transition process can actually be a time of great energy and profound learning. Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

My Aching Back

2009-07-10T12:44:00.000-07:00

I’ve been out of work this week due to a back injury I sustained last weekend. My doctor recommended applying heat, taking muscle relaxants, and going for several short, slow walks each day. The good news is that my back is slowly healing. The bad news is that I have earned no income this week because I am paid as a contractor and when I can’t show up to do the coaching, training, and consulting that is my profession, then I don’t get paid. As one might imagine, my anxiety has risen throughout the week.

I tell this story for two reasons. First of all, anxiety is part of everyone’s work life these days and though it’s not in our power to eliminate or even control it, we can use our anxiety as a spur for taking steps toward the future. So, even though I had to postpone my coaching and training sessions, I used the time to get to projects that I had been wanting to work on, as well as getting caught up on some things that I had gotten behind on. So, even though I had zero cash flow this week, I did get many things accomplished that I would not normally have gotten to.

The second reason for relating this story is that my rising anxiety pushed me into making some marketing and networking calls that didn’t feel quite so urgent just one week before. So, even though I was somewhat immobile, I made a several calls to set up informational interviews, made lunch dates with two people who I’ve wanted to meet with, and even found time to re-connect with a colleague from more than 20 years ago. He and I will be meeting in the next month to talk about possible collaboration on a new project.

I cold easily have let my anxiety get the better of me, either preventing me from doing things or making me feel sorry for myself. Admittedly, I’ve had several moments of each during this week, but rather than wallowing in it or berating myself, I’ve simply allowed myself to feel the anxiety, take a few deep breaths, and then get back to work. And that’s how it goes. Most of us are experiencing our own high anxiety and we always have choice about how to respond to it. I choose to take the active path—how about you?
Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

Articulating Your Value Proposition

2009-06-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

As a follow up to Steve Hernandez’ June 7 blog entry on the challenging job market we are facing, I wanted to add some additional thoughts. It’s very possible that the economy may show real improvement before the end of the year, but there are many signs that any such recovery may be jobless (no net new jobs) or, worse still, unemployment may continue to climb well into the recovery. Regardless of the strength or weakness of the job market in the months ahead, you can best prepare for any eventuality by understanding and being able to articulate your value proposition.

Every one of us brings value to the workplace, some of which is easily identifiable and quantifiable and some of which is more subtle and often difficult to put into measurable terms. Whatever the challenges in articulating our value, it’s vitally important to know how our previous accomplishments, efforts, and hard work translate and bring value to a potential new employer. Our ability to tell appropriate and compelling “added value” stories more often than not will make the difference when in the job search process.

You can articulate your value add by identifying accomplishments and then being able to clearly answer these two questions for each of those accomplishments: “What changed because of my work?” and “What role(s) did I play in bringing this about?” The more fluidly these questions can be addressed and the more “evidentiary” stories you have, the more likely you are to feel confident during times of transition and the more likely you’ll be able to work your way through the “tough” questions in your interviews.

As you develop your stories, you will build the capacity to handle the hard questions with answers like, “I don’t have the exact experience you are asking for, but I have done something very similar . . . and here is how I achieved outstanding results . . . .” These kinds of answers are made even stronger when they demonstrate more than what your interviewer has been asking for. Furthermore, by easily sharing your “transferable” stories, you show that you don’t easily get flustered when facing a challenging situation and that you think well on your feet, both of which are highly valued competencies by employers.

The more you know and can articulate your value proposition, the better your job search will go. All things being equal, it is those who can confidently and smoothly share their value proposition throughout the interview process who will find their search process going more easily and quickly. Let us know if we can help you to prepare for your interviews.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

THE TRANSACTIONAL STAGE

2009-06-07T18:11:00.000-07:00

It looks like we’re still in for a rough employment road here in the Bay Area. I speak to hiring decision makers, employees, and job seekers every day. I still hear a lot of talk about overhead cuts, hiring freezes, redundancy, and lay-offs.

I feel like we’re currently experiencing the transactional stage of the economic downturn. Financially weaker companies are struggling to drive revenue, so they still need to cut more overhead. They also end up being acquisition targets, or may merge with other companies in order to survive. All three of these scenarios lead to a continually tough job market.

Larger companies with cash are looking for acquisition deals. When these transactions occur, inevitability there will be redundancy, and more lay offs. It’s probably going to take awhile for this transactional period to shake out. We’re going to have to hang in there and stick it out.

Though this reality may be difficult for many, looking at it more positively, this type of activity represents a transformation of the Bay Area marketplace. Transactions will create new companies; new products will be invented; new entrepreneurs will take risks, and new jobs will be created.

As we spoke about in previous entries, our local economy will be changing over the next year, whether we like it or not. Companies will fail, be sold, merge, or move; jobs will be eliminated. At the same time, new opportunities will arise. The marketplace for the next decade is under construction. Our job is to hang in there and be ready to role with what new opportunities come our way.

--Steve Hernandez
Steve@alchemysearch.com
www.alchemysearchpartners.com

2009-05-27T05:07:00.000-07:00

What is Your Specialty?

I just finished reading a book by Debbie Ford called The Secret of the Shadow. One of her key points is that every one of us has a “specialty” that is unique. This specialty, she argues, is the contribution that each of us has to offer to the world. I agree. I believe that we are born with particular gifts and talents, which are unique for each of us, and that we can choose to build those into skills and competencies, and through the process of our life’s journey make our contribution.

My experience tells me that most of us have a deep yearning to know and express our specialty and the degree to which we are able to do so, is also the degree to which we find a sense of satisfaction and meaning in our work and lives. Short of that, we will always feel like something is missing or incomplete. It is clear that many people, for many reasons, are working and living in ways that are disconnected from their specialty. This, naturally, has consequences for our work places, communities, families, and of course, for those particular individuals.

The interesting dynamic here is that we don’t have to know or fully express our specialty to be happy. But we do, at least, need to be on the journey to finding what it is and be on the look out for ways to express it. Whether this is through paid or non-paid work, through hobbies and extra-curricular activities, involvement in our communities, our lives take on a fullness when we are moving towards the knowledge and expression of our gifts and talents. And for those who have real fears and barriers about this knowing or expressing, I’d suggest that working through these is their major life work.

I see many clients and people with whom I have more casual contact, who are disconnected from their specialty. They are oblivious, unconscious, in denial, or making choices according to what they “should” be doing. I know that many, if not most of these people, are either mildly unhappy or deeply depressed, even as they appear outwardly successful. They often don’t come to terms with their issues until something major happens to them or they reach a point in their lives when they can no longer bear the pain or burden of being so disconnected from their truth. At that point, change can begin. As I advise all of my clients: Begin now.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

TOO PICKY, OR NOT PICKY ENOUGH

2009-05-17T17:46:00.000-07:00

A few words to current graduates.

I was driving on the UC Berkeley campus today, taking my daughter and her friend to the public swimming pool. Once I got near campus, it became very apparent that it was graduation weekend. Even though the traffic was frustrating, it was a positive sight seeing all the recent graduates and their families walking around with smiles on their faces. I saw joy, relief, hope and excitement in their eyes.

My daughter, who is seven, asked me what was going on. I told her that people were graduating from college. She replied by asking, “What are they going to do now?” I responded by saying that they face a world of opportunities and a world of challenges all at the same time. And that the choices they make in the next few years, will have a profound impact on the long term quality of their lives.

I feel I have insight on this matter for two reasons. First, I graduated from college in the early nineties, when the economy was slow. Myself, and many of my peers of that time made some poor work decisions, because we felt we just needed a job, any job. And second, as a career coach, my specialty client population is mid-life, mid-career professionals, who often come to me because early on in their professional lives, they put enormous time, energy, and commitment into jobs and careers they ultimately found unfulfilling. Eventually the need to change out their predicament becomes dire.

So, here are a few words to the graduates I saw on campus today. First, don’t be too picky. It’s great to have long term goals. It’s also a good idea to pursue opportunities that stick as closely as possible to those goals.

However, we’re in a tough job market right now. Plus, we’re going into the summer months, when hiring tends to slow down anyway (it’s a good time to take that post graduation trip). Thus, if one really needs to work, then it doesn’t pay to be too rigid in your requirements. Maybe the job doesn’t need to be exactly on your chosen career path, but if it’s related, perhaps you can savor picking up skills in the short term that will help you down the road. The job also doesn’t necessarily have to pay you the optimum of what you were hoping to get. I believe, if one makes the right choices, and gets the right exposure, the money will follow. Finally, the job doesn’t have to be with the perfect company or organization. Right now, given the market conditions, if one finds an opportunity with a solid organization that is reasonably stable and provides opportunity to learn and grow, I say jump on it.

The other side of this point is not to sell yourself too short either. If one takes just any type of job, because it’s a job, or maybe because it pays well, but doesn’t offer any substantive professional development, or exposure, you may end up making a costly mistake. One could find themselves spending several years in a dead end job that offers no transferrable experience. In a situation like this, one may end having to start over a few years from now, having to take a new entry level position, or a cut in pay. Or, if one is not willing to do that, then they may fall into an alternative career path that wasn’t planned or greatly desired. This is basically the scenario I described earlier, which leads to mid-life discontent.

In general, I believe it’s always good to strike a balance. In the current environment, it’s healthy to be flexible and prepared to make some concessions, yet it’s also equally important to consider how your short term job decisions might impact your long term career plans.

--Steve Hernandez
steve@alchemysearch.com

Q2 Job Market Update

2009-05-06T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here it is! The job market...........NOT GOOD!

Anyone surprised? The good news is the worst is behind us, we will see better days before the end of 2009. Through the summer of 2009 we may not see any significant jump in job growth, the best case is a small increase to current activities in Q3 early Q4. Once we see a jump we anticipate that a steady increase of activity will continue through next year and hopefully beyond.

The recession started Q4 2007, approximately 18 months ago, at that time the West Coast was not effected like the East Coast. We had seen a steady decrease in jobs from Q1 2008 with a significant decrease in jobs last September. The West Coast (Bay Area) should recover before other areas of the country because we are/were better prepared for the down turn plus receive more venture money than anywhere else in the world (approximately 1/3 of all VC money) see SJ Mercury Article ( http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12211096?IADID=Search-www.mercurynews.com-www.mercurynews.com ) and (http://www.pwcmoneytree.com/)

Who will be hiring? Most companies are selectively hiring now, but once there is a clear path to growth all will open requisitions that have been on hold. Industries to target can be the ones who received the most investments in 2008:

Software $4.9 Billion
Clean Energy $4.65 Billion
Biotechnology $4.5 Billion
Medical Devices/Equipment $3.46 Billion

These 4 industry segments represent more than 61% of all investments by venture capitalist in 2008 (http://www.pwcmoneytree.com/)

Not to sound like a broken record but jobs that are technical are always the ones that are in demand. Jobs that are not core to the business or drive government/industry compliance are going to be hired later as they are not must have positions.

If you are a hiring manager and want to take advantage of the abundance of great people the time to move is now through August. Once the market turns the competition for talent will increase greatly with no warning signs. If you are a job seeker you need to work hard at networking with people you know to get in front of the right hiring manager. Effort is as important as the wording on your resume - both are keys for success in your job search.

Please contact me if you have any questions, happy hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

2009-05-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

Job Search Revisited

Last week I facilitated a workshop for a group that has just been laid off from a well known Bay Area company. May of the participants had been with this organization from 10 to 30 years, and several had been there since graduating from college. Suffice it to say, what most of them knew about work was connected to a company that will very possibly soon be out of business altogether.
As you can guess, most of the participants were overwhelmed and felt ill prepared for the impending job search. Their resumes, besides looking and feeling dated, were loaded with industry jargon and acronyms. They had almost no understanding about the transferability of their skills or how to begin articulating their accomplishments in terms of added value for a potential new employer. And, needless to say, the concept of networking was something they were dreading with a fear that was almost palpable.
Our two hours together was to help them begin tuning up and getting ready for an efficient and effective job search. Their major expressed concern was the state of the economy and it took them awhile to realize there were a number of things they needed to do regardless of how the how high the unemployment rate was. Once they began to accept the reality of their situation, they went to work on updating and upgrading their resumes. We talked about how to reframe their skills in language that others would understand and they learned how to build an accomplishment-based resume that highlighted both their skills and the results they achieved.
As they began to realize that most people get their jobs through the connections they have (or are willing to make), the power and importance of networking became apparent. They discussed about how much networking they would need to do and the consensus was: do as much as necessary to get in front of someone who has the power to hire you. For some, those already well connected, this might be several, and for others, who have few meaningful contacts, networking might need to become a near full-time effort. Many in the audience were not happy with that prospect.
The last part of the workshop focused on interviewing. Most of the participants couldn’t recall the last formal interview they’d had and when I asked if they’d ever heard of a “behavioral” interview, you could almost feel the panic in the crowd. After calming them down and assuring them that a good interview, regardless of style, consists of telling your story in a clear and compelling manner while emphasizing what you can and will do, you will more often than not, conduct a strong interview. With that as our final topic, they went on their way, better equipped to conduct an effective job search.
Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2009-04-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Are We There Yet? Getting Ready for the Recovery

I’m asked continuously by job seekers and people in career transition how I see the job marketplace. The specific questions are: Are we at the bottom yet? How high will unemployment go? When will the recovery begin? When will the job market improve? And, what will the job market look like when things turn around?

This last question is the most pertinent and most useful. First of all, when I hear this one, I can see that people are looking ahead and are using their strengths in a positive way to envision where future opportunities will be. Secondly, this question indicates that people are putting their attention less on externals and (Does it really make a difference that unemployment is 10%, rather than 9%?) and instead are focusing on those things over which they do have control. That is to say, what can they do now to prepare themselves for when things turn around?

There are a number of things you can do to get ready for the recovery. You can make sure your resume is current and emphasizes your accomplishments, over and above what you are or were responsible for. Furthermore, it should paint a clear picture of your skills and the added value that result from those skills. Secondly, this is an excellent time to be enhancing or adding to your skill set. Take that class you’ve been putting off, read the book your colleagues have said is a must-read. Learning, whether through formal means or self-study, is fundamental to preparing for the recovery.

This is also an excellent time to be developing the habit of networking. I’m finding that people are very open to helping and advising others, so this is an opportune time to renew old contacts and make new connections. The key to networking is to make it a disciplined part of how you manage your career, regardless of whether or not you are in transition. You can also be scripting and rehearsing the story you will be asked in the not-too-distant future: “How did you weather the recession and what did you do to enhance your employability.” Practicing this now will build your resilience and make it easier to move forward in a clear and confident manner.

Finally, this is a great time to be working on what some have called “presence.” You can use your experience of being out of work or unhappily employed as an exercise in developing patience and persistence. You can learn how to stay calm and focused amidst the chaos and uncertainty that surrounds you. And, you can develop a sense of perspective when you recognize that no matter how bad things might be, this shall, as they say, pass.

Best wishes in preparing for the recovery.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2009-04-03T15:42:00.001-07:00

The Cave

The entrance to one of the buildings where I work has just undergone a complete renovation. It’s now well lighted, with high ceilings and a very open and inviting feel. The other day I asked the security guard what he thought about the new entry and he simply shrugged his shoulders and answered, “It feels like a cave.” He wasn’t smiling when he spoke and I took his response to mean that he wasn’t entirely thrilled with the new entrance, beautiful as it now is.
That’s often how it is with change; even one that most would agree is an improvement. Almost no one really likes to change and most of us, no matter what we say to ourselves and others, resist change. The familiar becomes comfortable, creating a sense of stability. Just think of your current workplace, especially if business is not going well right now. This is the reason why people will stay in a miserable job or one where the boss is abusive, sometimes for years and then move on only when forced to. Homeostasis, our need to keep things the same and stay put, is powerful.
The challenge we are facing, however, is that the pace of change is accelerating and the changes we are faced with can often be dramatic. This causes a great deal of resistance, which in turn heightens our stress and anxiety. And as stress and anxiety intensify, it becomes more difficult to manage the demands we face each day. This process can easily turn into a downward spiral leading to feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and possibly, depression.
So, how does one avoid this potential vicious cycle and instead make the process of change an ally? There are several things to do. One is to recognize and accept that change, big and small, is a fact in our lives. Next, once you fully understand this, you can then work to look for the positives in any change that comes your way. The security guard could have chosen any number of ways to describe the new entrance, other than as a “cave.” Finally, and perhaps most importantly, is to make change an opportunity for learning. That is to say, with every change, you need to pose the question: What does this experience of change teach me that will allow me to be more effective in the future?
One final note is to understand that all change, even the positive ones like a raise or a promotion, cause stress. This means that having a practice of stress management will serve as a preventive and can inoculate you to the negative effects of continuous and rapid change. Stress management techniques can include any or all of the following: regular exercise, getting plenty of rest, eating well, having someone to talk with about important issues, keeping a diary or journal, regular prayer or meditation, yoga . . . .
Best wishes in managing change.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2009-03-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

ANXIETY UP; MEANING DOWN

With each additional piece of news about foreclosures, layoffs, and organizations declaring bankruptcy and going out of business, our individual and collective anxiety rises. The stories we hear and tell about losing jobs and houses or shrinking retirement funds, are frequently met with sighs of recognition and resignation, which only serves to reinforce and amplify our sense of fear and helplessness.
It would only seem natural, then, that during times like these, a sense of gloom might overpower the desire to create meaning in our work and lives. We tell ourselves that meaning is a luxury, and can well be put on hold until the crisis passes or at least until things begin to get better. That’s a reasonable conclusion to draw. What if, however, we are in a very long cycle (think Japan in the 1990’s) of economic stress? Do you want to spend all that time feeling anxious and waiting until things are settled before you begin to build meaning into your work and life?
I recognize the depth of this anxiety, and at the same time, believe that this is a good time to begin building meaning into one’s work life. There are two reasons for this. First of all, times of transition create openings for new awareness and learning. This can be a time for exploring areas and ideas that have been previously ignored or put on hold. Secondly, when there is much stress and disruption around us, there are opportunities for seeing and creating new possibilities. During times of high anxiety, however, keeping these in mind may be a real challenge.
So, if one wanted to work toward meaning during this time, how would the process begin? At a minimum, there are three things one can do right now. First of all, you can take time for reflection to clarify your purpose. I recommend a daily routine of quiet where you can sit and ask yourself: “What is most important to me and what am I here to achieve?” Secondly, you can commit to building your sense of purpose into the stories you tell yourself and others. That is, you can make sure that even the most anxiety-inducing stories are connected to your long-range vision. And finally, when you hear the anxious stories of friends and colleagues, you can share with them your renewed sense of purpose and commitment to same, while offering them a “reframing,” or a new way of looking at and thinking about their circumstances.
This growing sense of anxiety, just as with our on-going need for meaning, is as much about outlook and mindset as it is about our actual circumstances. Each of us has choice about how to see and interpret our work and lives and we believe that many of us have “defaulted” into our anxiety. We’d like to suggest that it doesn’t have to be this way; that we can also focus on creating meaning. In making that choice we reverse the equation: Meaning Up; Anxiety Down.
Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@AlchemySearch.com

2009-03-01T05:28:00.001-08:00

Pulling Back from the Edge

Have you found yourself recently feeling so stressed and anxious, that when you stop and look at it honestly, you would say you are near or at the edge? The bad news is that more and more people are answering “yes” to that question and to make matters worse, it looks as though circumstances may not improve any time in the near future. Many people are seeing their bank accounts and retirement funds shrink, watching as their current and future career/job prospects continue to remain bleak, and all the while their general sense of confidence and optimism continues to decline. As bad as this looks and feels, it is important to remember that you are not along and more importantly, there are things you can do to pull back from the edge.

First of all, whatever your current situation and stress levels are, you must accept and own the situation. You need to, as they say, get real and deal with where you are. Secondly, you need to resolve to move forward in a smart and disciplined way. This means you must develop a compelling goal, or clear line of site. Even if you don’t know any or all of the steps needed to achieve the goal, you can begin moving forward by taking one step at a time. The movement not only leads to learning that which will help you to know subsequent steps, but as you move toward your goal, your stress level will lighten and allow you to pull back from the edge.

As these action steps are underway, it is advisable to build daily stress management practices into your routine. This should include: Regular and vigorous physical activity; daily time for quiet, reflection, meditation, or prayer; fun and pleasant activities; time with friends and family, where you converse about things for which you are grateful and appreciative. Whatever stress management activities you take on, the more you integrate them into how you live and work each day, the more likely you’ll be able to keep yourself from getting too close to the edge.

Finally and perhaps most importantly, is to examine your attitude about your life and work. There is ample data to show that optimists handle stress and anxiety better than pessimists. By keeping a positive outlook and recognizing that you will survive the current, dire circumstances, you might actually come through this period wiser for having gone through it. Though these are painful times for many of us, this is also a great opportunity to build your resilience, while at the same time strengthening your capacity to work at or near an edge without succumbing to being overwhelmed.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

A Few Words about Transition

2009-02-22T17:26:00.000-08:00

I think we can all agree we’re in the middle of transitional times. We don’t know what the Bay Area employment situation is going to look like a year from now, but it’s a good bet it will look different from what it is now.

The big question is where will you fit? For many, things may not change at all. They will have the same job, with the same organization, and will remain on the same career path. However, for those of us whose organization or company didn’t survive the downturn, or whose career/industry specialty fell out of favor with the marketplace, transition may be in order. For these folks, searching for a new job is merely part of the equation; they may have to make an overall career or industry shift as well.

If this scenario describes you, my first bit of advice is don’t panic. One can have a two pronged game plan that presents short and long term goals. If you find yourself unemployed and your career path or industry is struggling, stop and take a step back. Look at the big picture what’s happening in your local economy. Even in these tough times, people are still getting hired. Conduct research on who is getting hired, what skills are still in need, and what types of companies and organizations are hiring. A good place to start your research is at the bureau of labor statistics website: www.bls.gov. Also, one can exam multiple on line job boards, and make note job opportunity trends in your preferred locales. I’ve also found that reading local business publications will give you the latest trends on what types of organizations might be fairing better then others in your marketplace: www.bizjournals.com.

Once, you’ve made your observations about what jobs are currently viable in your marketplace, then make a general assessment about your own skill sets, and connect them to what’s in demand and available. Remember, the job you seek on the short run, doesn’t have to represent your long term career plans. Give yourself permission to take a short term step back in responsibility, or pay. You won’t be alone. Sometimes, it’s just about getting a job.

Once you’ve found a place to work during these difficult times, you can then start researching and planning your long term career adjustment. As this point, enlisting the help of a career coach may not be a bad idea. For ideas about career transition, visit:
http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

--Steve Hernandez, steve@alchemysearch.com

2009-02-16T07:08:00.000-08:00

Networking Amnesia

Last week I facilitated a workshop for 40 professionals and managers in transition called, “Getting Back to Business in Uncertain Times.” In addition to focusing on the usual job search strategies and techniques, we spend a fair amount of time talking about the challenges facing job seekers in this market.

There was, of course, a great deal of stress and anxiety, and most of the participants realized that managing their emotions and keeping a positive attitude might make the difference between a receiving a job offer and being “candidate # 2”. We also spent time talking about how those who are willing to work the process with discipline and courage are the ones who will be re-employed sooner.

The one theme that repeated throughout the session was that networking, practiced regularly and with finesse, is a real difference maker and is the one thing people can do to maintain a sense of hope and control in an otherwise non-rational process. As sophisticated as most of the participants were, many did not fully appreciate the power of networking, both in making meaningful connections, but also in building momentum into the process.

Furthermore, even though most in the room had gotten virtually all of their previous jobs through connections, they seemed resistant to that fact and some even claimed “networking amnesia,” having forgotten how effective the process was during earlier transitions. Fortunately, by the time the workshop was over, there was near unanimous agreement on the power of networking and everyone in the room stood up at the end to make a verbal agreement to make networking a core strategy in getting back to business.

Let us know if we can help with your networking efforts or anything else regarding your transition or career issues.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

Job Market Update Q1, 2009

2009-02-04T23:11:00.000-08:00

Back in November I wrote that we had seen a trend of a steady decrease in new jobs for 10 to 12 month period and then in September/October we had seen a significant drop in new search activity. We needed a number of things to take place to turn the job market around. They were:

1. Better than expected holiday season and better than expected Q4 corporate earnings resulting in more confidence that the worst may be over.
2. With better than expected results in Q4 a change in the volatility in the capital markets will need to take place if it hasn't already.
3. Companies who have been able to stay profitable will need to have the confidence that business will continue to do well and the investment in human capital will not result in layoffs 6 to 9 months down the road.

Well.......I don't think any of that happened in December and January. So where are we now? Hopefully near the bottom of a hiring down turn. We don't expect the job market to get much better over the next three months. It may stay down until the end of summer. We are optimistic that by the end of this calendar year it will improve and 2010 will be a good time to look for your ideal job.

We believe that a significant increase in hiring will not take place until corporate America has the confidence that the economy will start growing. For now, when a company has made the decision to open up a hiring requisition most if not all hiring managers will be patient, they are looking to hire the best and will not feel the pressure of losing someone to a competitor.

I have no secrets to ensure your success in finding a job. I recommend each job seeker to work hard, be flexible and be reasonable and express interest if you are interested. Talk with our Career Services people to help you with interview techniques and how to market yourself.

I will update you all in three months with some positive news........I hope.

Happy hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

2009-01-21T08:39:00.000-08:00

Stuck on Stupid

I was working with a client last week and we were doing an exercise where we had him look at the defining moments in his work and life, along with the lessons learned and how he has changed over the years. As we went through a number of his experiences, he repeated several times that he had a tendency to get “stuck on stupid,” which meant for him that he had a hard time moving on and he also sometimes failed to learn the lessons that were embedded in particularly difficult experiences.
As this phrase began to resonate and stick in my brain, I recognized that we all can and do get stuck on stupid. There are many reasons for this, of course, and it mostly has to do with our fears of letting go, of making the changes needed to move on in our work and lives. For many of us, staying stuck is far preferable to making the changes necessary to get what we want. This accounts for why most people don’t make job or career changes unless they are forced by layoff, depression, burnout or the like.
So, as we look ahead for the remainder of 2009, let’s look forward to not getting or staying stuck, that even in a treacherous economy and job market, it is preferable to move than to be or stay stuck. Here are some thoughts about you might begin to do this.
First take an inventory of your strengths and unique value proposition. Next explore deeply and clarify for yourself what your most important values are. Then set short, medium and long term goals, based on the first two steps. These might have to do with the current job you are in, a hoped for next job or promotion, or a career change of some sort. Try to make these goals as explicit as possible, including detailed action steps and the time frames in which you will take those actions. You might want to tell a trusted friend or co-worker about your plans and ask that person to partner with you regarding your accountability to those action steps.
The key, of course, is not so much which of the goals you achieve, or even when you get there. It is more the matter of moving and keeping yourself from getting stuck again. Once you are moving, it is much easier not only to keep moving, but it will be much more likely that you will achieve your goals. And once you stop and get stuck (whether on stupid or something else), you’ll find it’s much more difficult to get started again and even less likely that you’ll achieve the goals you’ve set out for yourself.
So, don’t get stuck on stupid—get going and keep moving.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

2009-01-14T10:44:00.000-08:00

PREPARING FOR TRANSITION

The theme for 2009 is likely to be “surviving the recession,” and whether you are currently in transition, it is prudent to be prepared for whatever might await you in the weeks and months ahead. A recent article by Kate Lorez, editor of CareerBuilder.com, emphasized the following activities:

1. Pay attention to fields and industries, such as health care, food services, education, etc. that are experiencing worker shortages or are still experiencing growth.
2. Freshen your skills, especially those that can be leveraged and transferred to other functions or fields.
3. Network continuously and be sure to have a well established internet voice (i.e. LinkedIn).
4. Think in terms of results and how you can articulate and communicate how you add value.
5. Practice telling your “story” with particular emphasis on what makes you unique and how that adds value.
6. Find opportunities in your current position and do everything you can to make yourself essential.

To these, I’d like to add several more:

1. If you have not done so, update and revise your resume. Make sure it emphasizes your achievements and results.
2. The best time to look for work is when you don’t really need to— so in addition to regular networking, it is recommended that you do informational interviewing to learn about new possibilities, as well as reconnecting with old colleagues and friends.
3. Become familiar with the dynamics of the transition process and recognize the ways that transition can be a positive experience.

Whether you are currently in transition or not, the more engaged you are in these kinds of activities, the more smoothly you’ll get through whatever transition awaits you. If you are having trouble getting started or are feeling stuck, career coaching can assist you to prepare for and successfully move through transition. Give us a call.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

2008-12-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

YOU START OFF STRESSED . . . AND IT JUST GETS WORSE

I was in the gym earlier this week, doing my walk/run on the treadmill. On treadmills to my right were a couple of people who worked in different parts of the same organization that has recently been laying people off. They were commiserating about the state of affairs at their work place and the person nearest to me uttered the line, “You start your day off stressed and it just gets worse from there.” His co-worker grimly laughed in acknowledgement.

Upon hearing this, I immediately thought about how difficult things must be for these two, and the thousands of others who are in similar circumstances. It feels like there is no end to the downsizings and layoffs and yet for those who remain, the work load just grows. I hear more and more people actually wishing for pink slips because the thought of doing the work of their former co-workers is more daunting and stress inducing than the idea of being unemployed with some severance and unemployment benefits.

I recognize that these are challenging times and that many people feel damned if they do get laid off and damned if they don’t. That sense of being backed into a corner just adds to the stress that’s created by our actual circumstances. To make matters worse, the decisions made by others to keep us employed or let is go only makes us more stressed.

In spite of this complexity, there is a way out. In simple terms it is this: Put your focus on what you have control over and let go of the rest. Yes, your work load is growing because there are fewer of you to do the same amount of work. Yes, you may be targeted in that next round of layoffs. And, yes, it is a very difficult time to be in a job or career transition. Inside each of those situations, there are some things in your control and some not. My advice is to put your attention on the former and do your best to let go of the rest.

You can begin by getting clear about those things over which you have control. This boils down to two basic ideas. The first is recognizing that you have a choice about how you see things, and though it may feel trite, your attitude determines to a great extent how stressed you’ll get by actual circumstances. Secondly, you need to realize that you can manage the unmanageable to-do list. This happens by taking time at the beginning of each work day to prioritize your list (getting help from others, as needed), and then taking on each of those tasks, doing the best on each one with the time and resources you have. Regardless of how far you get, you need to then take a brief time to acknowledge yourself for what you did accomplish and then go home and forget about work until the next day.

If you can develop both a positive mind set and an effective method for completing most of your tasks, you’ll find your stress will not only be much more manageable, but you’ll also find yourself, almost paradoxically, being more productive and much happier about your work and life along the way.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

2008-11-15T06:43:00.000-08:00

Staying in the Game

Steve Hernandez and I facilitated a transition workshop last week for a group of people that has just been laid off from a Bay Area company. In addition to the typical questions about resumes, cover letters, and networking, they were also expressing concerns about the state of the economy and how that will impact their ability to get re-employed.

I think by now everyone realizes that we are in a troubled economy and all signs are that the job market will get worse before it gets better. Though this may be discouraging or even depressing to many, and can dampen one’s sense of optimism about the future, I’d like to offer another point of view. The job market, whether robust and expanding or moribund and contracting, is always in dynamic motion. In other words, even in the worst of times, there are always opportunities to find work.

Because these opportunities are harder to see and access and the competition is more intense, there are several things you can do now to improve your odds of finding work. The first is getting clear about your skill set and recognizing how those skills are applicable in your own field and also in at least one alternative field. If you aren’t sure where your skills might transfer, I’d suggest you begin researching now to find that answer. In addition, and perhaps, most importantly, you must be able to articulate the value your skills can add for a potential employer.

In a tight job market, people who have connections have a real advantage. Even then, their odds don’t improve much unless they are willing and able to tap into that network and leverage those contacts into employment opportunities. Networking is always a good practice and during these times, it is especially critical, not only to open doors, but also to minimize having to compete for opportunities that are posted on the various job sites.

Finally, and perhaps the most important, is the need to be patient. A job or career transition is challenging in the best of times, but as we look ahead to the job market in 2009, patience may be your most valuable ally. Recognize those things over which you have control (making those calls everyday, staying hopeful, etc.) and let go of those over which you do not (the state of the job market, people who don’t return your inquiries, etc.) and keep moving. Remember, it may take longer than you’d like, but if you stay in the game, you will have a successful transition.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

Job Market Update

2008-11-05T23:02:00.001-08:00

The doom and gloom on the street and in the news with unstable capital markets has all employers looking at their hiring practices more carefully. The slow down started about 10 to 12 months ago with a gradual decreased in new job starts. Over the past month we have seen a sharp decrease in new jobs (roughly 30% drop from a year ago) as everyone is concerned about the recession. A year ago there were multiple opportunities (3 to 4 interviews in a week) to active candidates, today the same candidate may have one interview. There are exceptions to all of this but in general tougher times are here.

We see critical hires being made along with replacements to key positions that have been recently vacated. Only a few companies are growing and adding head count. Most are sitting back and waiting for a more predictable economy that will reduce the risk of over hiring and spending.

As 2008 comes to a close we predict a significant decline in newly created jobs between now through the end of the year. We do not see any significant growth in the early part of 2009 unless the following takes place.

1. Better than expected holiday season and better than expected Q4 corporate earnings resulting in more confidence that the worst may be over.
2. With better than expected results in Q4 a change in the volatility in the capital markets will need to take place if it hasn't already.
3. Companies who have been able to stay profitable will need to have the confidence that business will continue to do well and the investment in human capital will not result in layoffs 6 to 9 months down the road.

Companies will be conservative, there will not be great demand for talent all at one time but a slow and steady increase of jobs should take place from the February/March time frame if all goes well.

If you are looking for change now, you better work hard at it, once Thanksgiving is here there will likely be very few new jobs available through the end of January. If you are looking for career growth please be patient, your ideal job may present itself but if it doesn't in the near term you will likely see more options at the end of Q1 next year.

For the hiring managers or employers thinking that there is a flood of candidates on the market with ideal profiles think again. Employed candidates are cautious and only willing to change if the job really helps their career growth and move to a company that appears to be in very good financial condition. Candidates who may be part of a reduction in work force may be motivated but may not have all the skills you require. There is nothing wrong with developing people if they have the talent and satisfy most of the technical requirements for your opening. You could be better off bringing in a motivated person who will be up to speed before your ideal candidate becomes available.

Happy Hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

ADJUST YOUR EXPECTATIONS; GIVE YOURSELF AN ADVANTAGE ON YOUR JOB SEARCH

2008-11-02T16:51:00.000-08:00

In sports, the most successful athletes and teams are usually the ones who can effectively make adjustments. The player who has multiple facets to their game, the one who can successfully adapt their performance to exploit the environment they are operating in, usually prevails over their opponent. I think the same can be said for business, and job search.

Clearly things have changed in the job market over the last three months. And chances are they will continue to change in the coming months. For those who find themselves in job search or career change mode during this time, having the ability to adapt to market conditions will be critical for their success.

Because our marketplace is changing, what job search parameters that worked for you in the past, may not necessarily work this time. In previous blog entries we’ve talked about adjustments relating to job search methodology and approach. Another key element to consider is changing your own expectations.

One usually enters the job market with a basic set of parameters of what they are looking for when it comes to role, industry, salary, growth opportunity, location, etc. When the perfect storm hits, all of these things may come together. When that happens, obviously one should seize that opportunity. That perfect storm is more likely to happen in a robust job market. However, right now we’re looking at modest job growth over the next year, thus that perfect storm is less likely to hit. Or, it certainly may take a lot longer than it did a year ago. Plus, now unlike the last two years, their may also be more individuals in transition competing in the market for that perfect job you want.

Given these circumstances, on way to give yourself a more competitive advantage, and shorten your job search is to adjust your own expectations. You may want to reconsider the parameters of what is the “the perfect job.” Perhaps what you choose to pursue now, in the short run, could be the job that is most perfect considering current market conditions.

I’m not suggesting that one settles for any form of employment. But if the job is close to the mark, not perfect, but good enough, it may in fact be the best you can do for yourself right now. And by relaxing some of your requirements for role, salary, industry, and location, you may be giving yourself an edge over your competitors who are turning down reasonable opportunities, because they are holding out for that perfect job. Unfortunately for them, they may be holding out for a while.

--Steve Hernandez

Visit Alchemy Career Services:
www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

2008-10-20T14:06:00.000-07:00

The Three Signs of a Miserable Job

I just finished reading The Three Signs of a Miserable Job by Patrick Lencioni (who is most well known for the best selling The Five Dysfunctions of a Team) and found it particularly interesting, given the times we are in. What do you think he has identified as the three signs of a miserable job?

He says the three signs are: Anonymity, irrelevance, and immeasurement (a word that you won’t find in any dictionary). He says about anonymity that “People cannot be fulfilled in their work if they are not known. All human beings need to be understood and appreciated for their unique qualities by someone in a position of authority.” About irrelevance he says, “Everyone needs to know that their job matters to someone. Anyone. Without seeing a connection between the work and the satisfaction of another person or group of people, an employee simply will not find lasting fulfillment.” And finally, about immeasurement, he adds, “Without a tangible means for assessing success or failure, motivation eventually deteriorates as people see themselves as unable to control their own fate.”

Not everyone will agree if these are the right or best signs of a miserable job, but they are thought provoking and serve as a reminder that each one of is ultimately responsible for a sense satisfaction (and lack of) in our jobs and careers. Certainly, there are many things about our work that are annoying and beyond our control, but even on the worst of days, we can find ways to be happy and fulfilled. The challenge is keeping things in perspective and not letting the “miserable” aspects of a job dominate our attention or allowing ourselves to get too caught up about things over which we have little or no control.

I try to guide my clients to find for themselves the proper balance between control and acceptance, and then use that awareness and understanding to move forward in their work and lives. Some days this is easy, and others it is hard and daunting. However, by paying attention to how we see and interpret the ebb and flow of our work lives, we can choose how best to respond and react to those circumstances. This, I believe, is the way out of a “miserable” job or career.
Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

2008-10-08T05:38:00.000-07:00

Transition in a Wobbly Economy

As the Presidential election nears, the questions on most people’s minds are: “What’s going on with the economy and what can be done to ‘fix’ it?” For people in job search or career change mode, this translates into, “How are my chances affected by the state of the economy?” There is no doubt that these are important questions, but I believe people in transition should focus their attention and efforts in a different way.

Instead of looking at the macro data and trends (the downward move of the stock market or the unemployment rate, for examples), I believe it is more important than ever to look carefully at what you have to offer in the way of skills, accomplishments, energy, and how you can add value for a future employer. Your ability to clearly and confidently articulate what you can bring is the key differentiator and determinant in if and how you move toward your aspirations.

In times of downward change, where competition for positions is likely to be intensified and where employers are going to be very choosy, you must be crystal clear on who you are and what you have to offer. I often have my clients develop and rehearse a “mission” statement that includes why and how they do what they do and how those are of benefit to a potential future employer. This is then followed by a detailed analysis of one’s best and most liked skills, ranked in order of importance for you and potential employers.

It is also incumbent on you to make networking core to your transition strategy. We have written about this before, but in a downward economy, who you know (and who you can get to know) will make the difference in how you work your way through your transition. I recommend setting a weekly goal of at least two networking meetings, one with someone you already know and one with someone new.

And, of course, your interview skills must be sharper than ever. A good interview begins with the recognition that your mind set, that is, your ability to be positive and confident, is as critical as what you say in the interview. Furthermore, you must fully prepare and practice if you are to be a successful interviewer. Preparation includes: Researching the organization you will be interviewing with; developing a clear agenda of what you want to say in your interview; recognizing that you can guide the interview in ways that serve you. Practice is also essential, both to calm your nerves and to work on those areas that might present you with particular difficulties (for example: Why did you leave your last position? Or: What makes you the strongest candidate for this position?) .

Transition is difficult in a struggling economy, but you can turn things in your favor by focusing on those things over which you have control. As noted above, these include: Being clear about what you have to offer, networking regularly and consistency, and becoming an excellent interviewer. Let us know if you need assistance on any of these. Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@AlchemySearch.com

BE PROACTIVE IN YOUR JOB SEARCH--contact organizations directly

2008-09-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

As the Bay Area job market slows down, it’s going to be even more important for job seekers to practice proactive job search strategies. One of the most effective proactive approaches I encourage my career clients to pursue is contacting organizations directly.

When I compare job seekers who struggle to get interviews with those who maintain a strong level of interview activity, I usually see a difference in their approaches. The ones who struggle tend to be more passive about their search. They rely heavily on job boards, and then versus customizing their resume to match the opening, they send the same resume in for jobs they see posted. Usually they aren’t sure who even posted the position, or who is receiving their resume. They are completely dependant on the recipient of their resume seeing them as a fit for the position.

They may also have their resume with a few recruiters. Working with recruiters certainly enhances one’s exposure to the market; however, one still must wait for the recruiter to decide which, if any job, they want to contact you about. That’s as far as most job seekers usually go.

I believe looking at job boards and working with recruiters is a basic necessity for your job search. However, you shouldn’t stop there. The people I work with who tend to have the most interview activity, certainly use job boards and recruiters, but also spend time working with and expanding their network. Linked In, http://www.linkedin.com/ , is probably the most popular networking tool out there.

The most significant edge I see in successful job seekers utilizing is reaching out to organizations directly. A few weeks ago, I showed a career coaching client of mine a web site where one can find companies in different locales within the Bay Area. When we visited a few of the company web sites, she was amazed that jobs she was qualified for were posted on the company websites, and not posted on mainstream job boards. Doing a little homework, and finding leads that the average job seeker is missing can feel like discovering gold.

For more information about how to target and identify prospective companies of interest, as well as learning what to say once you’ve contacted them, check out Alchemy’s Career Services practice: http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html.

--Steve Hernandez

2008-09-11T08:53:00.001-07:00

Finding Time for Networking

The following is a composite of clients I have known over the past couple of years:
James, currently in the midst of a job search, began his story with, “A few years ago I made a horrible decision . . . and I’m still paying the price today.” The decision involved staying at a high paying job that he disliked, instead of returning to his home town to take lower paying, but much more satisfying job. In the intervening time, he has gotten divorced and relocated to the Bay Area to work 10 hours a day at something he considers, “very disappointing.”
As you can imagine, he is frustrated, angry, and even embarrassed. He claims he has no “time” to change his situation. After listening to his story, I asked how he has been conducting his job search. He answered, “Craigslist, Career Builder, HotJobs, and trying to connect with headhunters” who aren’t returning his calls, because his resume, impressive in many ways, shows no real focus or direction.
We talked about the importance and necessity of networking and he vehemently responded, several times, that he had no time for this activity. I then asked him to step back from the job search to analyze how he spends his time each day, and to his surprise, he found he has 30-90 minutes of “discretionary” time each day. Once he got over his shock and apologized for his “stubbornness,” he recognized that even if he used a minimum 30 minutes a day for networking, in a month’s time, this would create options that would not be possible through posting resumes and responding to job openings.
We then focused on where he could begin his networking. He swore to me that his key connections, of which he has dozens, were “old” and hadn’t been contacted in years. We spoke about how he could approach these people (“I know it’s been a long time, but I want to let you know that I’m in a transition period in my work life . . . and I could use your help and advice . . . . “) and once he had his “script” worked out, we finished our session by having him create his “Top 20” list of people to contact in the weeks ahead. And even if he calls just half of those people, think about the doors that might open for him . . . .
Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@Alchemysearch.com

STAY CONNECTED DURING YOUR TIME OFF

2008-09-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Ease your transition back into the job market.

In my career coaching practice I work with many clients who have had significant time away from the conventional workforce. They work with me seeking assistance on re-entering the marketplace after a long hiatus. Sometimes they’ve been away as long as twenty years.

In most cases they’ve been out of the workforce for an extended period because they’ve been stay home parents. I’ve also had clients who took time off to care for sick relatives, extended sabbaticals to travel, or recovery from serious illness. Now, because their personal/life circumstances have changed, they find themselves seeking work in a new world of work. That task can be especially challenging in a tenuous job market, such as the one we’re living in now.

When I work with clients who are embarking on a job search after a long hiatus, one of the first things we delve into is skills identification. We make lists of what technical skills they have. We also spend time talking about their intangible qualities as well (communication/interpersonal skills). I ask questions like, what types of things are you good at? What subject matter do you know well? In what areas do you have unique expertise?

What we’re trying to accomplish is identifying what skills and experiences this person has that may be valuable to employers in today’s marketplace. Sometimes it’s easy to find connections. Often it’s difficult, especially if the individual has been out of the workforce for more than five years. In these cases, depending on what career field they seek to enter, additional training, education, and new exposure are necessary. It can be a long process.

With these realities in mind, it may be prudent to try and stay connected to the workforce during your hiatus. Clearly, if you’re taking a long sabbatical traveling around the world, this advice is not feasible. However, if you’re going to be taking time off of work, and living in or near a marketplace where you might eventually re-enter, staying connected to it as much as possible is a good idea.

What can you do to stay connected during your hiatus? You can try and work part-time in your field or one that is related. You can you take classes to stay updated on the latest software or technical pronouncements in your field. You can you get involved with professional associations that keep you connected. You can you do volunteer work that keeps your skills sharp, or teaches you new ones. You can incorporate professional networking into your lifestyle, wherever it may fit. And finally, as you get closer to potentially having to re-enter the workforce, you may want to consider working with a career coach to assist you with your transition.

Alchemy’s Career Development Services works heavily with individuals struggling with the challenges of career re-entry. For more information about our services, contact steve@alchemysearch.com. http://www.alchemysearch.com/.

--Steve Hernandez

"How's the job market?"

2008-08-15T16:16:00.000-07:00

The most commonly asked question in any interview is “How’s the Job Market”. I believe the question when asked to me is more or less a question that will provide some assurance or expectation of how I will be able to help the candidate or client locate the right company or person. Regardless of the job market the best people and companies succeed. I have been in search for 16 years and like to comment about what is always in demand and then mention what we currently see in demand for Accountants and Finance people.

Candidates success is largely due to consistently managing career growth, continued development of working knowledge and having the proper career expectations. The better businesses make sound decisions on direction and how they hire to meet their product and service demand. What changes are the number of opportunities available based on current economic conditions. Currently the economic conditions are volatile and so are the number of jobs available. Many of the jobs available today are not open because the company is growing. Why is a company hiring? That is should be your first question to understand if the role is right for you. Finding the right job is a challenge. Because everyone has a different goals and backgrounds it is best to talk with many people including career counselors, friends, mentors, family members and recruiting professionals to help identify the right situation.

What is always in demand are technical abilities that are up to date. In addition companies will always need people to run the basic functions to ensure corporate governance and compliance. Anyone who can do and be capable of managing is also key to job stability and are always attractive to hire. Lastly all of us need to show some individual growth regardless of the growth of the business you work in. Stagnation (doing the same thing year over year) is not attractive to almost all employers. The issue here is accepting change and challenges. This is something that does not need to happen each year but in order to move to a new job or company a track record of improvement and change will be necessary to be attractive to any potential employer.

We have many opportunities for CPA’s who have backgrounds in technical accounting particularly in International Accounting Standards, FAS 123R, in addition to SEC reporting and Revenue Recognition experts. There has been a recent increases in openings in Internal Audit and a sharp decline in the number of Financial Planning and Analysis roles. Overall we have seen a 5 % decline in the number of opportunities from 3 months ago, this is consistent with the economy and capital markets. If you are having a hard time locating a job now, keep the faith and continue to push as August is typically one of the slowest hiring months of the year due to individual travel and business priorities. We believe that we will see an increase in the number of jobs available in September and October based on cyclical activity although there will be few jobs available this September/October than a year ago.

If you have questions about your career path or the market I can be reached in the Pleasanton office 925-227-0700 x203

Happy Hunting!

Bryon McDougall

2008-08-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

The Importance of Culture and Context in the Career Transition Process

I recently facilitated a workshop for the leadership team of a small organization where the focus was on understanding how culture and context intersect with the roles people play in their organization. I was reminded that people in job or career transition also need to pay attention to the culture and context of potential employers and to make the connection between their skills, values, and goals with that culture and context

To begin with, when doing research to determine target employers, it is vital that you learn about the nature of their business. It also is important that you are clear as to how each prospect matches who you are and how you work. Paying attention to potential fit as you move through the transition process will enable you to establish a clear sense of priorities as you decide who your future employer will be.

Furthermore, as you go through the interview process and are thinking about potential employers, it is in your best interest to assess what it will be like to work there once you get and accept an offer. Saying yes to an offer just because you need the job or because your skills are a good match is rarely enough to ensure that you will be happy or successful in your new endeavor. You need to think very carefully about what the actual, day to day, experience of working there will be like and I recommend that you talk with potential co-workers and colleagues before accepting an offer.

Finally, once you’ve said yes and started work, you must quickly learn about the culture and how things actually get done in your new environment. Your ability to adapt to and work within the norms of your new culture will have a lot to do with getting off to a great start, and will also determine how your job and career will blossom over the ensuing months and years.

Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

2008-07-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Some Thoughts on the Interview Process

I work with many clients to prepare them for the interview process. Whether it’s for an initial phone screen or the multiple rounds for this: Since most of us interview infrequently and only out of necessity, our interview skills are usually rusty, at best; because the perceived stakes are high, our anxiety and expectations often trump our typical competence and confidence; and, because it’s not always clear what the interviewer is looking for, we aren’t sure how best to respond to their inquiries.

To insure you do the best interviews possible, I recommend the following: First, be very clear about the messages you want to communicate during the interview; secondly, develop a full complement of compelling stories that give credence to each of these messages; and, finally, know and be able to clearly articulate the value-add that resulted from each of your stories.

In regard to messaging, whether you have a long career or are just starting out, each of you have one or more underlying themes that describe you, your career, your motivation, passion, talents and skills. This is the “glue” that holds a career together and your ability to articulate these themes will help you to make a coherent and convincing case as to why you are a strong candidate for the job for which you are interviewing.

Even the best messages, however, are insufficient if you don’t have the right stories to back them up. For every major theme you offer, you must have several stories that provide the necessary evidence, and these stories should also show your range of motion, adaptability if you will, and paint a picture for your interviewer that you are both capable and confident with what you bring to the table. I encourage my clients to develop as many “accomplishment” stories as they can when preparing for their interviews.

Finally, and perhaps most important in today’s job market, is your ability to know and clearly articulate the added value for each of your stories and accomplishments. This value add may be a quantitative or qualitative change, or some of both. Whether easy or difficult to put into words, you will have a distinct advantage in the interview process if you can consistently speak about the results you achieved in your work.

Steve Hernandez and I do a lot of interview coaching. Feel free to contact either one of us if you need help in improving your interview skills. Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

WHO AM I?

2008-07-07T17:40:00.000-07:00

THIS IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN EMBARKING ON A CAREER CHANGE.

In working with my career coaching clients, one of the most difficult challenges is helping them to figure out who they really are, and what they actually want in a career. They have an especially hard time figuring this out when they are tasked to stop paying attention to external influences, and try listening to their own internal voice. Usually, they end up rediscovering themselves on their way to figuring out a new career.

Thinking about WHO YOU ARE can be difficult. Life’s experiences take us down many roads. When it comes to jobs and career, decisions are often made randomly, through happenstance. Most of my career change clients would say that they either fell into their current career by chance, or were pushed into it by external influences.

Thus, at certain stages of our lives, we may have had strong ideas about who we are, and what we wanted, but as a result of influences from family, friends, college, economics, military service, marriage, children, moving, health, and other random events, we can easily lose ourselves through the course of adaptation. I’m not saying that adaptation, change, and randomness are necessarily bad things, but often our values, interests, and dreams get packed away with the hope that they’ll resurface when the time is right. That time may very well be when one feels the push for a career change.

This push may present itself with the feeling of not being quite sure what type of career you belong in, but knowing for sure that you don’t belong where you are. When you feel this way, you should ask yourself a few questions: WHO AM I? What are my values? What interests me? What types of people do I like to spend time with? What am I good at? Then, depending on how you answer these questions, ask yourself where this person would be most happy. If you’re not sure, it might be time to contact a career coach.

--Steve Hernandez

Learn about Alchemy's Career Services Programs
http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

2008-06-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

What is the Process?

When potential clients call, they always want to know what the process of career coaching is. Embedded in their query are three specific questions: “What will we work on?” “How long will it take?” and, “What results can I expect?” These are critical questions to ask before embarking on a career coaching process, not to only to understand what you are in for, but also to know whether the process will be worth your time, effort, and money.

The first question, what will we work on, is person-specific. What this means is that the work is adapted to your needs, your style, and your readiness. So, when you first contact me, I will ask to know about your most urgent or pressing questions and issues. For example, are you early in a job search and needing to learn techniques or are you further along and stymied by specific parts of the process? Are you wanting to make a career change, and if so, are you clear about your new direction or do you need helping in deciding among competing possibilities? I will also want to understand your style and temperament. Are you an extravert or an introvert? Are you aggressive, assertive, passive, or shy? Are you a linear and concrete thinker or are you more organic and intuitive? And, I will also build your readiness into the equation, so I will be exploring your motivation, your sense of urgency, and adding my assessment of how disciplined you are likely be in the process. All of these factor into what we will work on, how we do the work together, and of course, is subject to adjustment throughout the coaching process.

The second question, how long it will take, which I addressed in a previous blog entry, is indeterminate because much of the process is beyond your control and mine. In general, however, I work with clients for 3-5 sessions before they have enough clarity and structure to move the process forward on their own. Sometimes, one session is enough, and other times, many sessions won’t do the trick. Once I sense that your momentum is self-sustaining, we will be done with our work. I do, however, often continue to meet with clients on an as needed basis to help get through stuck places, waning motivation, or to deal with specific issues, like negotiating a job offer or dealing with a problematic work situation.

Finally, you can expect to achieve close to a 100% success rate, meaning that you will get your issues and questions resolved. There is a large caveat, however, and this has to do with your willingness to stay with the process long enough to achieve those results. This implies that you are both the owner and driver of your career development (I’m your guide and facilitator) and that you develop the patience and persistence to see it through to the finish. When I’m asked about my success rate, I answer that the process works for everyone who is willing to give the necessary effort.

Let me know if you have additional questions about career coaching. Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@alchemysearch.com

THE EXPECTATION DIVIDE IN TODAY'S HIRING

2008-06-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

I recently read an article at CFO.com called Today’s Accounting Crop: Spoiled Rotten? http://www.cfo.com/article.cfm/10051075/c_10411014. The theme of the article is centered on how CFOs and senior finance professionals view the career expectations of today’s new accounting professionals entering into the corporate job market. Though the content of the article speaks specifically to the accounting and finance profession, I think the points discussed apply to many professions within the Bay Area job market. Actually, not long ago my brother-in-law who is an executive level engineer with a major technology company spoke to me about how he thought today’s junior engineers enter the job market with unreasonable expectations about career growth.

Many senior managers remember when they got started in their careers, they accepted the unofficial requirement of starting at the bottom and working their way up. By contrast, today’s junior professional wants it all now! The impression is they expect high pay, significant responsibility, and rapid career growth the minute they walk in the door.

Generationally, most of today’s senior management professionals are usually Baby Boomers, and in recent years Generation X folks have also moved into this group. When both of these generations entered the job market for the first time, the world of work, and career expectations looked a bit different than they do today. One needed to start at the bottom, take less pay, work long hours, and perform tasks that were less developmentally stimulating. If one did well, they would eventually move into a role of greater responsibility, with good pay, and strategic significance. People also tended to stay with organizations longer. Even though it may not have been reality, there was a sort of unwritten contract that if someone did good work and stuck around, the organization would take care of them.

In the1990s things changed. People changed jobs a lot more frequently; companies got bought, merged, consolidated, re-organized. Employees learned very quickly that organizations could no longer make guarantees of long term job stability. Baby Boomers and Generations Xers had to learn to evolve to this new world of work. For today’s new professional it’s the norm. They approach opportunities with shorter term goals and expectations. They look to gain as much substantive exposure as possible in order to enhance their long term career sustainability. They are just as committed to hard work as baby boomers and generation Xers, but they expect a more immediate return on investment for their efforts.

When it comes to hiring, to overcome the generational divide and attract talent, Baby Boomers and Generation Xers should be careful not to compare or frame their own early professional experiences, challenges, and agendas, with the goals, and expectations of today’s junior professional. At the same time, today’s entry level professional should be aware and appreciate that most senior level decision makers entered the job market at a different time, where longer term commitment to the organization, and more gradual pragmatic career progression was the norm.

Alchemy Career Services conducts workshops on generations coming together in the workplace. http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

--Steve Hernandez

2008-05-17T05:47:00.000-07:00

How Long Will It Take?

One of the most frequent questions I get about career coaching is “How long will it take?” I’m tempted to respond with, “It will take however long it takes.” While true, this is not a helpful response to a sincere inquiry from a person needing information on how much longer they will have to deal with the pain or anxiety of whatever transition they are going through.

The reality is there is no way to say how long coaching will take. There are three reasons for this. First, if your issues or questions are simple and straightforward (for example, “I need to update my resume,” or “I need to practice for an upcoming interview.”), I might be able to accurately answer that it will take a session or two. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that even these direct questions can open up other areas of discussion (for example, “I keep getting stuck on the interview question, ‘What are my career goals.’”). If your questions and issues are more complex (“I’m unhappy at work and don’t know what to do about that,” or “I’m applying and interviewing for jobs I’m qualified for, but keep getting rejected.”), we may need to meet for several or more sessions and even then you may still have significant work to do.

The second reason for the indeterminate length of career coaching has to do with the discipline you bring to the process. Obvious though this might be, the impact of career coaching does not happen in our sessions, but rather results from the action steps you take when you aren’t meeting with me. It has to do with the regularity of your out of session work, the lessons you learn from that work, and your ability to apply those lessons as you move forward. The more adept and disciplined you are, the quicker the process will move.

A final and less obvious reason, but at play no matter what’s going on for you, is that most of this process is not in your control. There is also a great deal of non-rationality in the process and given the vagaries of the current job market, you can do everything right and get poor results, and conversely do everything wrong and get lucky. Many people, even seasoned professionals, get frustrated by this aspect of the process and often act out in unprofessional ways (Instead of the follow up inquiry, “I’m checking to see where you are in the hiring process,” becomes an exasperated, “Why didn’t you contact me on Friday as promised.”). Recognizing that you have limited control is a key to moving through the process both more quickly and more smoothly.

Regardless of how long it takes, the career coaching process can help you to feel more hopeful about your future, as well as teaching you strategies and techniques for achieving your goals. Feel free to contact Steve Hernandez (steve@alchemysearch.com) or me any time with your questions and inquiries about career coaching.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

Quarterly Job Market Update

2008-05-08T10:40:00.000-07:00

Last quarter my update was more or less status quo when compared to the previous quarter in regards to employment opportunities in the Bay Area. Most people I talk with were asking about a recession which translates to companies thinking there are more people available and people thinking few companies are hiring. At that time we did not see any effects on employment from the overall economic condition. The layoffs in the Homebuilding, Mortgage, Real Estate and Airline industries has increased the unemployment rate but has had no material effect on the candidate pool for CPA's, MBA's, IT and HR professionals.

Three months ago Alchemy had the same number of opportunities available compared to the previous six months. But the number of jobs we have available now compared to my last blog entry have come down slightly (less than 5%). We see slower growth across the board although some companies are growing quickly. The companies that are growing more quickly and have a market presence may be seeing more candidate applications now than at anytime in the previous 6 months. If you are trying to get into one of these high flyer's your are in a very competitive situation. The slower growth businesses are focused on more critical hires and may try to reduce costs and get by with what they have in an attempt to increase profits or to prepare for what might happen with the economy in the coming months. Don't be surprised if these companies are highly selective as they are not typically in a rush to make a decision. This will likely change once the capital markets become less volatile and the economy has an over all sense of stability. The need for additional human capital will be more evident and the number of qualified people will likely not change.

There are many good jobs available, if you are in the market and know you want to move now is a good time. Corporate hiring typically slows down from the beginning of July to early September. The slow down is due people not being available to interview and managers waiting until their vacations are over before bringing in new people to the team. If you wait you may find that there may be fewer options and the options you have will not come to offer stage for weeks after your initial interview.

I hope this helps, please reach me if you like to talk about your current situation.

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

BEING HAPPY AT WORK

2008-05-04T20:24:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I listened to a program on NPR called America's Labor Challenges http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R804250900. The program was primarily focused on the economic landscape of today’s American workplace. It talked a lot about the financial disparities between corporate senior management and the average worker. It also focused much attention on the decline in worker benefits, and the challenges today’s worker will have laying the foundation for a fruitful retirement. The program offered useful, thought provoking information, but painted a dismal future. After listening, I felt pretty discouraged.

Later on, on my way home from work, I listened to NPR again. I heard more depressing information about our economy: job loses, retail store closures, increased real estate foreclosures, rising gas prices, inflation, etc., not an uplifting way to end the day.

While I was listening to this program in the car, I thought about how many other people in the Bay Area, and the entire nation, were also hearing the same information. I then thought about how this information, combined with all stresses in both our work and personal lives, can feel so overwhelming. It was certainly weighing on me. So, I shut off the radio, and turned on my iPod instead. To me, that action represented an effort on my part, though minor, of intending to be happy.

The events I just described motivated me to write about how being happy at work, or in life for that matter takes effort. For most people, happiness in any capacity usually doesn’t come knocking on the door. We have to make efforts to attain it. When it comes to our work lives, environment, demands, and market conditions can make it especially difficult to find emotional satisfaction. This makes me think of that saying, “if work were fun, it wouldn’t be called work.” What does that mean? Perhaps we agree to this outlook, so we don’t have to accept the challenge of intending to be happy while at work.

The next time you’re having a rough day, and are feeling cynical about work and the system we live in, here are a few things to think about, that may help you feel better about your circumstances.

n You could be living in a third world country where just having a job is treasure.
n Does the work you do stimulate you, challenge you, make you feel good about yourself? If so, hold on to that. Doing the work you do, makes putting up organizational annoyances worth it.
n Is your work meaningful? You may have to put up with many ridiculous roadblocks on the way to trying to get your job done, but in the end, what you do has a positive impact on the world. That’s why you do it. Focus on that.
n Does your work enable you to make a good living, so you can afford life in the high priced Bay Area? If so, hold on to that.
n Does your work give you the flexibility to pursue meaningful activities in your personal life? If so, hold on to that.
n Are there people at work who you consider friends, who make you laugh and feel good about yourself? If so, reach out to them in your times of crisis.

The point of this list is to say that despite all the challenges and work-related misfortunes that we might encounter, there are always ways to make ourselves happy. We just need to have the intention. However, if you look at the above list, and see nothing that applies to you, it may be time for a change.

For more information about job change and career development, visit: http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html.

--Steve Hernandez

2008-04-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

What’s It All About, Mark?

Several weeks ago, I connected with a friend and former colleague after more than a two year absence. When she responded to my e-mail asking how she was, she told me about her 48 year old brother who had died suddenly of a heart attack several months ago. She gave some of the details and concluded her story with the line, “What’s it all about, Mark?” Her question was particularly poignant because her work and life, from an external view, are filled with success and meaning. Her question brought up a couple of things worth considering.

The first is that her inquiry and the related questions of “Why am I here”” and “What meaning does my life have?” are profoundly human questions that we all grapple with at various times in our lives. Are they challenging questions? Yes. So tough, in fact, that many of us choose to deal with them only when forced to during times of duress, pain, or crisis. Do they have certain, final answers? No. And this makes many of us feel lost or life has little or no meaning because we can’t find answers to them.

I understand the need to answer life’s “big” questions, but it’s important to remember that it is in the asking and the struggle with the questions themselves where our sense of significance comes from. Virtually all spiritual traditions remind us that the questions can never fully be answered, but we can choose to engage them with our full being. As the poet Ranier Maria Rilke said, “Be patient with all that is unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in foreign tongues . . . . Live the questions raw.”

The second thing that came up for me is the importance of staying connected and just how challenging that can be. We get so busy and caught up in the urgencies and dramas of the day that we simply forget about the importance and power of our connections with others. In moments of quiet we think, “I should call or e-mail so and so,” and the thought passes, time passes, and before we know it, we have lost contact with the very people who add richness and meaning to our lives. In more pragmatic terms, job and career transitions are much easier and smoother if we stay connected to the important people in our lives. Perhaps, it’s time to call that one special person we haven’t talked with in a long time . . . . Best wishes.

Mark Guterman
Mark@Alchemysearch.com

Listen to others, but stick to your own career plan

2008-04-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

Job search candidates and career clients of mine often ask me how much they should be making, and what level within their organization they should be at, given their experience. These are important questions, because generally salary and growth are two of the top five biggest reasons people change jobs. In previous blog entries I’ve encouraged people to do research, find out their worth in the marketplace, as a tool for career planning.

At the same time, is the information you’re given by third parties about what you should be making, or what position you should hold within your organization, enough to influence your career decisions. The point I’m making is how much stock should we put in other people’s opinions, when it comes to our own career planning?

As a recruiter, I run into this situation all the time. People often say things to me like “my friend, (who is in the same career), makes 10% more than I do, but my experience is much stronger then theirs.” “I want to get to the salary level where I should be.” Or, they might say, “how is it that is my old colleague is now a director, while I’m still a manager, yet I have more years of experience managing a team?” I usually respond to these types of questions, by saying it all depends.

Why people who have similar backgrounds and years of experience don’t stay on the same paths for salary and position growth depends on many factors. It can depends on their exposure, their performance, the relationships they’ve build, timing, market conditions, industries they’ve worked in, and luck. People forget how far a little luck will take you.

With these points in mind, yes, it’s still important to network, know what your peers are doing, how much they are making, and where you stand within your field. At the same time, it’s also important to remember not to put too much emphasis on comparing yourself to others. Everyone has had different experiences; they bring different talents to the table; and they’ve had different degrees of luck! Heed the information you receive, yet remember your career belongs to you. Your path is unique. Stick to your plan. Make your career choices based on what’s best for your individual values and goals, not what your peers say you should be doing. Staying true to your own career plan will bring you much more happiness in the long run, even if your friend with less talent makes more than you.
http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

--Steve Hernandez

2008-03-15T06:40:00.000-07:00

Designing Your Future: Re-Visited

At the beginning of the year I wrote an entry that focused on the three competencies necessary for “Thriving at Work in 2008.” I want to re-visit and discuss more fully the second of these, Designing. My reason is that most of us pay attention to designing our futures only when we are worried or anxious about the present, and in my experience this is not the most effective way to manage a career.

Designing is the ability to picture and create a future built around our talents, values, and aspirations. We need to be designing our future, not just when needing to change jobs or careers, but as a consistent and regular part of our work lives. The skills needed to develop this competency include: Values clarification, goal setting, gap analysis, decision making, development planning, and market research. When fully developed, this competency leads us to a sense of clarity and confidence, enabling us to be fully ready to move into the future.

To begin with, how well do you know or understand your talents? Talents are those qualities and gifts each of us is born with that may or may not have nurtured over the years. However, as we build our work lives around our talents, we find ourselves not only being more successful, but work feels easier, more natural, and we more often experience a sense of “flow.”

Next, how clear are you on your values? When you think about what’s most important to you in your work and career or what gives you a sense of satisfaction at the end of a day or week, can you identify and articulate what that is? As you come to know and claim your values, you are to likely to derive both meaning and satisfaction from your work, and future job and career decisions will be easier to make.

Finally, what do you dream about and what can you really see yourself doing in the future? You may have chosen your job or career path for pragmatic or security reasons, but perhaps it’s time to sit down and ask yourself what it is you most want to do with your work life. Even if you don’t change anything about your job or career, I believe it is worthwhile to ask yourself now and then, “What do I most want to do with my work life?”

We are offering a new, two session course, Thriving in the Changing Work Place, that focuses on how to develop these competencies and the attitudes that support them. I’d like to invite you to join us so please check out the web site for specific times, locations, and fees.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

Networking--a useful tool for updating your resume

2008-03-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I talked about the importance of understanding what your target audience wants to see before you update your resume. However, if one hasn’t looked for a job in several years, and is updating their resume for the first time after a long hiatus, where do they go to find out what their target audience is looking for today?

The suggestion I make to the above question is networking. Before you send your resume out into the world, you should gather information about what’s happening in your profession. A good place to start is with the friends and colleagues you’ve stayed in touch with from previous jobs. Reach out to them. Find out what they are doing. Ask what they are seeing in the marketplace. Find out what types of skills and backgrounds are in demand. What industries at hot? What types of companies are hiring? How much are people in your niche making? Ease into your networking by first contacting people you know will respond and keep your search confidential if appropriate.

Next, ask your close contacts for leads of people they know. These folks will expand your network, and because they don’t know you, they are more likely going to give you objective, unfiltered information about the marketplace and your overall value within it. You can also talk to recruiters. They are a good source because of their knowledge of the marketplace and information about local salary ranges. Be careful about the confidentially factor. Ask your colleagues for referrals of credible recruiters. They and the ones at Alchemy Search Partners are most likely to be helpful and keep your search confidential if you’re currently employed.

There is also a lot one can do on line to gather information. Monitoring the job boards is a good idea. Seeing what jobs are currently posted in your marketplace will give you a sense of what types of backgrounds and skills are in demand, and you’ll get a picture of who is hiring. Another useful place to go for networking and information gathering is Linked In, www.linkedin.com. Linked In is a great tool for professional networking; one just has to be willing to reciprocate when it comes to giving others information to help their career along.

There are also a few web sites one can visit to gather statistical data and job descriptions: www.salary.com and www.bls.gov. The data at salary.com is more general and skewed by region, but it could be helpful for grasping basic job descriptions and getting to a starting point on salary. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is just want is says a statistical website, but it can offer valuable information about job growth and demand within your field.

There are many resources one can use to gather information about demand within their chosen career field. However, I still go back to grassroots networking; talking to people, as the most productive way to jump start your job search. For more information on these topics, reach out to Alchemy Search Partners at www.alchemysearch.com.

--Steve Hernandez

2008-02-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

Selling Yourself in Your Interviews

A current client has been wrestling with how to sell herself in her interviews. She is torn between the story she believes is the most true about her (that she is hard working, dedicated, and committed to doing the best work she can at any given point in time) versus the specific accomplishments that have come about as a result of her efforts. She prefers to tell the former, but as she goes through her interviews, she is beginning to realize that potential employers seem to be more interested in and tuned in to the latter.

It may be obvious that her best approach is to tell a combination of her own perspective and while at the same time being clear about how her work adds value for her employer. She, herself, may not put as much stock in the actual numbers, but she is becoming increasingly aware that unless she willingly communicates these numbers, she will always be at a disadvantage in the interview game. So, our coaching has helped her to tell stories that begin with: One of the things that makes me good at my work is my dedication to always giving my best effort in everything that I do. A recent example of this includes a project, where I . . . and then she goes on to detail the specific things she did that lead to a measurable result.

Regardless of how one forms and tells their stories, the strongest and most impactful ones will have at least three elements in them (in no particular order):
A brief and clear description of the steps, skills, and behaviors utilized to accomplish the task;
A report of the results achieved, in value-added language whenever possible;
A statement about how the two above make you unique and stand out from others who may have similar skill sets and achievements

By telling your stories in this way, you will have a much easier time selling yourself in your interviews. You will obviously need to give plenty of thought to crafting, and even rehearsing, these stories and the more stories you are prepared to tell this way, the more likely you will do well in your interviews. Best wishes in your job search.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

Updating your resume after a long hiatus

2008-02-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

In my previous blog entry, I described the current Bay Area job market as transitional. I say transitional because we’ve yet to feel an across the board slow down in hiring. However, economic indicators point to a slow down at some point in the near future. How significant, we won’t know until we’re living in it. With that point in mind, I’ve encouraged those who seek to make a job change in 2008, to do so earlier in the year (now), versus later.

One of the first things one has to do in order to get a job search started is update their resume. This can be a challenging, especially for those who have not looked for a new position, or have been out of the job market, for a while. When I work with folks in these situations, the main challenge they encounter when it comes to updating their resume is where to start. What items need to be added? What items should be left off?

To me, one of the best guides to keep in mind while crafting your resume after a long hiatus is to consider who will be receiving it. Who is your targeted audience? Once you determine that, you can then anticipate what kinds of skills and experiences they might be seeking from prospective candidates.

I believe, even a general resume, not necessarily targeting a specific position, should still have a theme to it. Before you sit down and start writing your resume, you should have a career objective in mind. What type of position do you seek? What types of companies/organizations do you what to work for? Who will probably be reviewing your resume first? Do you know the backgrounds of your audience and what they look for? Ask yourself these questions, before you start typing; answering them will help you establish a starting theme. Updating your resume is not just about chronicling your work history. If you’re not sure of the answers to these questions, then the best way to find out is to conduct research and start networking. These topics will be the subject of my next blog entry.

Alchemy’s career services practice can assist you in preparing your resume.
http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

--Steve Hernandez

Job Market Update

2008-02-08T15:59:00.000-08:00

In my first Blog I promised to update our readers on a quarterly bases on how the job market is doing. The difference between now and last November is that the deaded "R" word (recession) comes up in every interview and I am expected to give some insight as to what it means to each candidate.

Here is what is going on in the Bay Area for Finance, Accoutning, HR and It opportuinties - There is no slow down....yet. We have more opportunties to talk about with our candidates now than in November of 2007. It appears that there is a strong demand for candidates for senior staff positions in all functional areas and there is a slight decrease in Director and Manager roles. In addition there is a continued demand for technical roles in Accounting and fewer jobs that focus on planning and analysis. Many industries we support - Financial Management, Hightechnology and Biotechnology are healthy and continue to grow.

A Careerbuilder.com survey discussed hiring trends for the first quarter of 2008. In it 29% of employers were looking to increase head count, only 7% were looking to decrease, 60% were anticipated no change with 5% unsure.

We did see a slow down in December. We feel the slow down in hiring was not due to economic factors but the fact that hiring managers and candidates were not available during the holidays.

During the last recession the Bay Area was behind in the curve in terms of when the recession impacted or job market. If you think we are headed into a recession and you are looking to make a change, now is the time to do it before your choices of opportunities become more limited. If you are bullish take your time, I will update you on the market in a few months.

Happy hunting!

Bryon McDougall
bryon@alchemysearch.com

2008-02-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

Job Change is Simple and Not Easy

Even when you are completely ready and motivated for what awaits you, the change process is stressful. Add to that the often non-rational aspects of a job search and it should come as no surprise that changing jobs is often not as simple or as easy it looks.

With this in mind, there are several things you can do to ease your way through the job search and minimize your stress:

· Take steady and regular steps in the process and work at a pace that is right for you. Each of us has a rhythm and pattern that works best for us—find yours and stick with it.
· Take care of yourself. During times of stress, we often forget to do this. Exercise regularly, get enough sleep, and eat well.
· Be sure to spend time each day to appreciate yourself, those around you, and for what you have.
· Reward yourself when you have had a particularly productive day, conducted a great interview, or have made contact with a key connection.
· Take “time outs” from the process, as needed, to re-energize yourself.

Another aspect of managing a job change is to see the trajectory of your entire career and to recognize that this is but one part of a larger journey. This change, whether big or small, needs to be seen in the context of your entire life (and relative to what’s most important to you) and of your career (think of past changes, future changes, and how you have and will successfully navigate those). Keeping this job change in perspective will help minimize any stress you are feeling.

Changing jobs is a fairly straightforward process, but it is often accompanied by a fair amount of stress. By following the guidelines above, you will have a much smoother journey and be much more likely to achieve the goals you’ve laid out for yourself.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

Job search in a transitional market

2008-01-27T14:11:00.000-08:00

I describe the current job market conditions in the Bay Area as transitional, because we’ve yet to feel the full impact of a slowing economy from a hiring perspective, yet economic indicators point to a slow down in employment in the coming months. When I ask my recruiter colleagues, both inside and outside of my firm, how things are going, I receive similar responses: things aren’t as robust as last year, but they are still busy working on searches for key roles.

What I’ve seen personally in the last six months is a decline in demand for senior management to executive level positions, while the demand for middle management and senior-level individual contributors has stayed consistently strong. What does this mean for the 2008 job seeker? Stay tuned, because as employment is a lagging indicator for the health of a local economy, I think the Bay Area employment climate will evolve in the next six months. However, there are things one can do to take advantage of the current transitional employment situation. In the coming weeks I will share more thoughts about job search in a transitional market.

The point for this week is DON’T WAIT! Right now, I believe it’s prudent to seize viable opportunities as they come. If you were planning on waiting until the middle of the year to make a job change, due to a slow down in the market, a viable opportunity may not be available to you in the next six months.

If you are currently in the middle of a job search, and waiting for that PERFECT opportunity to surface, you may want to rethink your parameters. Get it, while the getting is good. Given that it looks like the Bay Area economy may be slowing down, that PERFECT position may take longer to obtain than you initially thought.

Finally, and this point goes back to what I said about not waiting to get started, plan for a longer job search process. As demand slows, so will the availability of opportunities, thus it may take longer to identify the right opportunity for your next career move. Thus, you may want to start your transition process sooner, and plan for it to take longer.

For more insights about the Bay Area job market visit: http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

--Steve Hernandez

2008-01-18T07:12:00.000-08:00

Age Discrimination in the Job Search

In response to several clients who are in their 50’s and in anticipation of our upcoming workshop, Job Search for the Over 50 Crowd, I’ve had some thoughts regarding age discrimination in the work place. As an older Baby Boomer (I’m 59), I understand that age can be a real issue in the job search.

First of all, age discrimination, like many other types of discrimination, is a real phenomenon. It is often masked when we hear about being “overqualified” or in never having our calls and inquiries returned. And, yes, it is illegal, and yes, you can choose to fight and complain and even sue someone over it. In the big scheme of things, however, I believe that the best way to deal with age discrimination is to make a convincing case that your age is a non-issue.

This begins when you develop the attitude that your age doesn’t matter and that for you, it’s an irrelevancy in the job search. This means that you approach everyone in your job search with an open mind and open heart and that even when you experience obvious discrimination that you not let it affect your approach or mind set.

Once this attitude has been established, you will want to be able to tell your story in a clear and compelling manner, making no apologies for being somewhere for many years, having the same job for a long time, or using that terms and language that might be trendy. Instead, you focus the particulars of your story around the value that you consistently add with your work, your depth, your wisdom, your consistency, reliability, and your flexibility. And of course, you must have examples of each of these.

Finally, it comes down to the fact that most people get hired based not just on their background and competence, but on the relationships and connections they have built over the course of their careers. As someone over 50, you may have a real advantage here if you have been diligent in building and nurturing relationships. If you have not been consistent about this, now is the time to begin. Networking, which is key to a good job search at any age, becomes a key strategy for those over 50. I recommend regular informational interviewing, even when not actively looking for a new job, including talking with people who are in your field, people who are not in, but near your field, as well as anyone else who has ideas, information, advice you would find useful.
Best wishes in your job search.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

Pay Attention! Don't get caught off guard at work.

2008-01-13T17:16:00.000-08:00

I recently met with someone who had been laid-off after working for roughly 15 years with the same employer. His job search is moving slower than he anticipated, mainly because his skills and experience are fairly specialized, primarily specific to the organization he worked for. He’s now at a point where he’s anxious about his prospects, and feels he may now need to take any job that will accept him, versus pursue an opportunity that suits his career goals.

In expressing empathy for his situation, I commented that I understood his angst, disillusionment, and frustration, at being thrown into this situation so suddenly after providing his organization with 15 years of good work. His response to my comment surprised me. He said that he actually “saw his lay-off coming a year-and-a-half ago.”

He worked at a divisional office for a national firm, so about a-year-and-a-half ago he started to see corporate enact policies that decreased the autonomy of is local branch. He saw reorganizations reduce his staff and scope of responsibility. He began to see closed door meetings that he wasn’t invited to. Finally, he witnessed his biggest advocates in the organization be forced out. All the signs were in front of him, that his job was in danger, yet he didn’t act.

Over the years, I’ve heard of many situations similar to this one. I’ve seen people read the signs and act, and I’ve seen many do nothing. I believe the reason people often choose not to take action, even though they’re sensing trouble, is because change is stressful. Most people find change of any sort unpleasant, especially when it’s as emotionally taxing as job change. Thus, even when one’s work situation becomes uncomfortable and seems to be deteriorating for the worst, they may carry on and simply hope things change for the best. Sometimes they do. But, if they don’t, one can quickly find themselves in a difficult job search situation -- especially as the economy slows.

To avoid this situation, the first step is to pay attention. When you see signs that indicate things are going in a negative direction, take steps to ensure that you’re not caught off guard. What could those sign look like? Perhaps you see reorganizations that keep decreasing your responsibility and importance to the organization. Maybe your relationship with your boss has become strained, and instead of improving, it’s getting worse. Have you been passed over for promotion on more than one occasion? Have you become a “lame duck” within your organization? Do people care about what you think? Are you not being invited to key meetings that effect your department? A big distress sign is when you see people coming and going on interviews within your department, and you’re not being told what position they are interviewing for.

Also pay attention to signs that indicate larger scale organizational instability: decreasing revenue, or funding; reorganizations and lay-offs in other departments; heavy consolidations, mergers and acquisitions within your industry; an economic climate that adversely impacts your industry.

At the same time, I’m not suggesting that one should “jump ship” at the first sign of adversity. I believe it’s commendable to stick with an organization, especially one that has taken care of you, through difficult times. Taking action to protect your career doesn’t necessarily mean starting a full blown job search. If one is sensing trouble at work, there are things one can do to prepare for the worst case scenario, while still doing good work and investing in your company’s future.

Here are examples of proactive activities one can do, before it’s necessary to take extreme action: update your resume; network with peers and professionals outside your organization; make sure you’re aware of what skills and experience are currently in demand within your professional space; become aware of who is hiring within your industry; gather information, talk with recruiters, but make sure you’re comfortable with their commitment to your confidentiality.

-Steve Hernandez

Learn more about Alchemy’s career service programs: http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

2008-01-04T07:17:00.000-08:00

Thriving at Work in 2008

Happy New Year!

This is a time of potential and possibilities and you might find yourself wondering: How do I make this the most successful year of my career? I believe that it happens when we focus our attention and develop ourselves in three areas of competence.

The first competency is Performing, which is the capacity to do whatever is in front of us as well as possible and to recognize that what we do now has impact on the future. Performing is the key to insuring that we are consistently adding value with our efforts. The skills associated with performing are: Taking initiative, knowing your job/field as well as possible, creative problem solving, written and verbal communications, conflict resolution, team dynamics, and discipline. When fully developed, this competency results in excellence and a sense of mastery.

The second competency is Designing, which is the ability to picture and create a future built from our talents, aspirations, and values. Designing needs to be practiced, not just when we need to change jobs or careers, but as a consistent and regular part of our work lives. The skills needed to develop this competency include: Values clarification, goal setting, gap analysis, decision making, development planning, and market research. When fully developed, this competency results in clarity and confidence.

The third competency is Changing, which is the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and our capacity for changing our minds and behaviors when necessary. Our ability to change is how we navigate successfully from the present to our designed future. The skills needed to develop this competency are: Understanding of the change management process, keeping your resume and interviewing skills current, networking, intelligent risk taking, and listening. When fully developed, this competency results in agility and resilience.

Each of the competencies is important, but we thrive when we are tending to all three. By paying attention through formal or informal study, development, and practice, you’ll not only do better, but you’ll find yourself feeling better and more able to handle whatever the future holds for you. Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2008.

Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

Renew for the New Year

2007-12-27T15:31:00.000-08:00

Amid the chaos of the holiday season it can be hard to find time to sit and reflect on your accomplishments from the last 12 months, as well as enable yourself to recharge your batteries for the coming year. With all the energy one puts into year-end deadlines, holiday parties, shopping, travel, children out of school, in-laws, etc, by the time January roles around, the renewed energy needed to start the new year off on a high note, may not be there.

To help get you into a positive mindset as you navigate year end, here are a few simple exercises you can do to help recharge, renew, and refresh yourself for the coming work year.

1) Reflection

· Do an objective self evaluation of the year gone by
· Describe to yourself the lessons you’ve learned over the past year

2) Appreciation

· Think about all of your accomplishments over the last year
· Express appreciation for yourself and the people around you that have made your life better

3) Vision/Planning

· Clarify what is most important to you
· Indentify a vision for your goals in the coming year
· Establish a plan and the steps you’ll take to reach these goals
· Commit yourself to this plan

With all the turmoil that surrounds us in today’s world, in and outside of work; it can be difficult to maintain the perspective of our values, and stay on track with our long term goals. Hopefully these exercises will provide a little help. If you need further help, check out Alchemy’s career services. http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

--Steve Hernandez

2007-12-21T09:31:00.000-08:00

Are you Successful . . . and Exhausted?

I’m working with a client who is extremely successful in her career. She came to see me because she is concerned about why she feels so tired at the end of her work day. Granted she puts in long hours working for an organization that is growing fast, but she is energetic, in her mid 30s, and sees no reason why she should feel so spent at the end of her day.

It turns out that her job, which on paper looks like a good fit for her skill set, is actually a mismatch in two fundamental ways. The first is a misalignment between her talents and the needs and demands of the job. And secondly, there is a disconnect between her values and those of the job and her organization. Her work, she said, feels boring and meaningless. It is thus no surprise that she goes home exhausted.

If this sounds at all familiar, what is one to do? First of all, you need to recognize that using your talents in your work is one of the keys to feeling energized and usually leads to a work day that is easy and natural. You can know what your talents are by exploring what came/comes easily and naturally for you, what tasks and activities energize you, and what things you tend to do and think about when no expectations are placed in front of you.

Values are key to your sense of satisfaction with work. To understand your values, you need to take a deep and thoughtful look at what is most important to you. If you are feeling a sense of emptiness, meaninglessness, or lack of purpose, chances are your values and work are out of synch. Take time to articulate your most important values, defining what they each mean to you, and then asking yourself how you want and need those to be a part of your career.

Knowing and acting on your talents and values are keys to feeling energized and satisfied in your work. Alcehmy’s career services can help you to figure these things out and then find ways to build them into your career. For more information, check our web site for a current schedule of programs or feel free to e-mail or call me with your questions and comments.

Mark Guterman
mailto:mark@alchemypartners.com

Seize opportunities for non traditional growth

2007-12-14T13:56:00.000-08:00

I just read an article on the Yahoo Finance website called “More Than One Road to the C-Suite.” http://biz.yahoo.com/bizwk/071210/dec2007ca2007126784287.html?.v=1&.pf=oneclick. The article talks about how in the current employment market, one doesn’t necessary need to pursue a traditional career path, hold all the usual required step positions, to become a CEO. Traditionally, one would have needed the experience of being a VP, Sr. VP, then President, or COO, coupled with the necessary degrees and certifications, in order to fulfill the milestones of legitimacy for a CEO.

According to this article, these traditions have changed a bit. In today’s job market, it’s possible to get to the “C-level” through non-traditional means. Now, having a strong network, a unique, diverse breadth of experience, a charismatic presence, and strong communication skills, mixed with the right organization, and set of circumstances, one can find themselves in the “the corner office.”

After reading this article, I thought about how this theme applies even more significantly to careers below the C-level. At Alchemy our specialty for placement is the accounting and finance field. These career paths tend to be traditional in the way they view advancement. One usually needs to have obtained the appropriate education and certifications, and well as the required experience, before advancing to the next level, or moving into more strategic/analytical disciplines.

However, despite these traditions, over the last year, I’ve seen many candidates leapfrog positions, reach manager and director levels ahead of schedule, and move into more analytical/strategic roles more fluidly. I believe this is happening more frequently because of the Bay Area’s shortage of skilled candidates. Because there are fewer and fewer candidates available with the specific technical skills that growth oriented companies need, to stay competitive, hiring authorities have gotten more liberal. They’ve been paying more attention to a candidate’s potential for growth and development, versus basing their hiring decisions solely on direct experience and credentials. I believe companies that take this approach give themselves an advantage in the marketplace.

Right now candidates with a proven track record, who are hungry to move up or move into parallel disciplines, should seize these opportunities. Because, as the economy slows down, so will career growth opportunities, and companies will probably go right back to their traditional hiring methods. Learn more about Alchemy: http://www.alchemysearch.com/

--Steve Hernandez

The Importance of Attitude, Intention, and Perspective in the Job Search

2007-12-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

I’ve been working with several clients recently who are in the final rounds of interviewing, eagerly anticipating job offers. In each meeting, I’m constantly reminded about the importance of how each person approaches their interviews. This means that how one shows up for the interview may be as critical for success as the skills and experience one has. I’m specifically thinking about three intersecting components: Attitude, Intention, and Perspective.
Attitude is the belief that we will get the job offer despite any previous rejections or earlier disappointments. Think about it this way: You are one of two equally qualified candidates for the job. Your competition is pushing hard to sell their skills and qualifications, seemingly confident, but underneath not fully believing they will get the offer. You, on the other hand, believing you will get the offer, are relaxed and see the interview as a time and place to share your story in a positive and compelling manner. You convey an inner sense that the job will be yours. Who gets the job offer?
Intention is the ability to be in the moment and not being overly concerned about the future or getting bogged down in the past. It means that as we go through the interview process, we listen in order to learn and we use that real time learning to demonstrate our capabilities. We express appropriate enthusiasm, but do not get overly eager. We tell our accomplishment stories with justifiable pride, but do not feel the need to say any more than is necessary to make the point.
Perspective is seeing and appreciating the span of our career for what it is: the good, the not so good, and everything in between, and using that knowledge and understanding to present ourselves as the unique and gifted person we are. A past failure becomes a powerful learning experience. An impossible boss has shown us how to be a better manager and taught us skills in influencing without authority. A merger, followed by a layoff, has taught us how to be agile and resilient.
I believe it is important to pay attention to each of these throughout the job search process. As we become aware of these subtle aspects of what we bring to the table, we become more able to communicate with clarity and confidence, thus enhancing our ability to convince a potential employer that we indeed are the best candidate for the job. I will have more to say about these in future blog entries and we address these issues in our training and coaching. For more information about upcoming workshops or individual coaching, please click on the link . . .
http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

--Mark Guterman
mark@alchemysearch.com

2007-11-30T14:40:00.000-08:00

The Bay Area Job Market, how do you fit in?

One of the questions I am always asked by a job seeker during an interview is “tell me about the job market?” The discussion is then centered on the person’s skills and industry background and how the candidate matches with talent demand from Alchemy’s clients. Additional factors such as work location and compensation are also very important and are addressed. Since this is the most popular question I will update readers quarterly with a focus on what our firm specializes in, search for Finance & Accounting, Information Technology and Human Resource professionals. According to the California Employment Development Department these functional areas represent 35% of “high wage/high demand” jobs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Currently the market is very strong but with the holidays and year end coming there will be fewer new job starts from Mid December through Mid January. We see the market picking up from middle of January with a gradual increase in demand though June of 2008. An assessment will be made in the first quarter of 2008 to relay market information beyond June.

Alchemy Search Partners supports private sector businesses in all industries – primarily corporations that require technical people in accounting/finance, human resources and information technology. These companies are required to follow SEC guidelines, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, governmental guides for work force management. They also need people to develop/perform products and services that the company sells or provides to clientele.

At this time every publicly traded company is looking to hire in these areas. How does this happen? More established companies with lower percentage growth lose people as there employee’s career growth is only satisfied by moving to a new company. Newly created jobs exist in any growth businesses and newly formed venture backed company’s. According to PWC Money tree nearly 2.5 Billions dollars was invested in the third quarter in Bay Area start ups. This represents nearly 35% of all Venture funding in the country. A large percentage of the funding is spent on human capital. The number of job openings by company depends on the company’s growth and ability to retain existing employees.

What is in demand today? Technical skills and the ability to communicate and work with others. We see more demand for Accounting jobs to do or manage technical accounting work. Financial Planning and Analysis roles exist but are primarily at the senior staff level. Information Technology candidates with knowledge of the most update cutting edge technology are in great demand especially at the senior staff level, management roles have been in less demand. All industries are looking to hire – financial services, professional services, bio-technology, real estate and all high technology related industries.

What is different today then in the late 90’s is employers are not hiring for talent alone and in many cases looking for people to bring experiences that will help build policies and infrastructure. Relevant work history and the ability to prove technical ability are required. Most hiring managers want to look at three to five candidates before making a decision. Unless the company is growing exponentially the hiring managers and staff share the additional work load or hire consultants to fill the void until the ideal candidate is identified. The search process may take a great deal of time since identifying the ideal candidate may not result in a hire due to competition and counter offers. The process continues sometimes taking many months to complete. The jobs are there but hires are made when it makes sense at every level.

How do you fit in? How marketable are you? Factors such as career progress, industry background and technical ability are key. Certifications and strong educational backgrounds are always desired but in many cases both are not required. If interested in learning how you fit in the Bay Area job market my phone and email address are on the Alchemy Search website www.alchemysearch.com.

References to information provided in this blog:

Venture funding in the Bay Area - https://www.pwcmoneytree.com and www.nvca.org

Job creation numbers - http://www.edd.ca.gov

Bryon McDougall

In today's evolving job market, does frequent job movement adversely impact your job search?

2007-11-29T13:41:00.000-08:00

Based on my recent experiences, the short answer is yes! One of the biggest hindrances to a successful job search I’ve seen over my last 12 years as a recruiter has been excessive job movement on a resume. I sometimes hear people say (mostly job seekers) that the standard for job stability in the Bay Area has changed over the last few years: that “nowadays frequent job changes, and a resume that displays abundant job movement has become the norm for the Bay Area job market.”

To some extent I agree with the point that standards for job change have gotten more liberal. As a result of the dot.com boom in the late nineties, the volatile nature of Bay Area companies, the growth of consulting/contracting as a career path, and the new standards by which many younger professionals make career choices, exposure and learning based, versus stability based, the standards for job tenure have shortened. In the last few years, I have witnessed a paradigm shift in what is considered “excessive job movement.”

When I first started recruiting in the mid-nineties, having 5 to 10 years at the same job was the desired norm. Nowadays, staying in the same job that long may put candidates at a disadvantage. Their skills might be considered stagnant, not up to date. What most of my hiring authorities like to see these days is a track record of staying in the same job for three, maybe four years. Two years in a job is even considered acceptable. What I’ve also seen is even if there are a few short blips in one’s work history, of say 1 year or 6 months on a job, that could be overlooked, provided there’s a long term employment history that shows stability.

Thus, I have seen a change in the standards for acceptable job tenure. In the last ten years, I believe most employers have gone from expecting 5 to 10 years of job stability to accepting 2 to 4. To me, that’s a huge change, and it’s come as a result of hiring authorities adapting to the influences of Bay Area work culture.

However, I still see job seekers who have a track record of 6 months to 1 year in jobs in the span of a 2 to 5 year period, struggle! In cases like this, I hear hiring authorities from a variety of industries, including technology, asking the question, “why has this person moved around so much?” They express concerns about the candidate’s ability to perform, adapt, be patient, make good decisions, show commitment to an organization, “see the big picture.” Or, “perhaps an employee, who constantly needs to be stimulated with new projects, should consider consulting, or contracting.” All of these are issues I’ve frequently addressed when working with candidates who have excessive job movement on their resume.

The good news for those who have moved around a lot in their career is that Bay Area unemployment is still reasonably low, and we live in an extremely skills based economy. Therefore, if one has up-to-date skills in their field, a good network, and they are able to package their profile effectively, there is a good chance they can garner enough interest in their background to generate interview opportunities.

In January, Alchemy will be delivering a group career program that tackles this subject matter. The program is designed to help job seekers with excessive job movement better position themselves to get interviews, and make themselves more competitive to get job offers. For more information about this program and Alchemy’s career services, please click on the link. http://www.alchemysearch.com/html/careers.html

--Steve Hernandez