Today S Max Brown posted an interesting quote on Twitter. Max is a leadership coach and keynote speaker. You can follow him on Twitter at @SMaxBrown. He wrote, “Emotional intelligence is a HUGE predictor of success. Interpersonal skills trump IQ all day long when it comes to leadership.”

Max’s words have me wondering if the same could be said of a job search. Does emotional intelligence beat out smarts? I think so. When I reflect on those who have had successful searches, brimming with momentum, it’s fair to say many in that category found a way to leave negative emotion out of the process. They weren’t hampered by anger over past wrongs committed against them. They didn’t withdraw from the effort because someone along the way rejected them. They didn’t neglect to consider what the person on the other side of the desk might be dealing with or feeling. They weren’t suffocating those around them with frustrations, worries and hurts. They were able to take constructive feedback without it feeling overly personal.

That’s not to say all who have struggled for a long period of time to find work aren’t in control of their emotions. We’ve been battling a severe imbalance between jobs and job seekers for several years. Some are stuck in a long battle regardless of attitude and emotion management. It’s a fair point to consider if you’ve been at it for some time, however. Most who I speak with who are hampered by their emotions realize this truth on some level. When I’ve pointed it out, I rarely get disagreement. The realization actually adds to the problem because they intuitively know it’s widening the gap between where they are now and the end result they want. They’re miserable.

What to do? That’s tricky. I’m not a psychologist. I can appreciate the emotions involved in losing a job in an economy like this one, but I’m not sure how to get people to snap out of emotional habits so they can have a better chance of success. I do think it’s important for those who know their emotions are sabotaging their efforts to find a solution. Ignoring the elephant in the room doesn’t make any sense. Though the solution differs by individual, the need to address the problem is universal.

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If I had a magic wand one thing I would do is cast a spell on job seekers that helps them get to the point faster. I know my wordy self has a lot of nerve saying that, but stick with me for a minute.

I’m not sure if it’s the mistaken belief that every detail matters to an interviewer or the thought a drawn out build up to information adds suspense and excitement, but I often find myself waiting in agony to hear the gem of substance that is supposedly on its way. Then once the ending arrives I’m underwhelmed and wondering why I had to be subjected to such a long lead up to nothing. At times it feels like the Heinz ketchup commercial where the person is waiting for the ketchup to finally flow. Thing is, the end result in interviews is rarely a flow of goodness. It’s often a drop in the middle of an empty plate. And before that drop got there, the interviewer was imagining churning a stick around in the person or thumping them on the back a few times in the hopes of getting something out faster. Hiring managers are busy and don’t have the time or patience for job seekers who aren’t faster than ketchup.

At the end of the day, there is no reason for any answer to a question to go on for more than a couple of minutes. Responses should be concise and on topic. Leave out the details only you care about. Though it’s possible for a topic to be on the table for a longer than a few minutes, it shouldn’t happen without the candidate coming up for air and yielding the floor to the interviewer on occasion. The best interviews are two way conversations full of valuable content, not rambling one-sided accounts of irrelevant details.

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Remember the old Gatorade commercial featuring Michael Jordan? It was essentially a music video set to the song, “I can Be Like Mike.” Michael Jordan is, without question, the most talented basketball player in history. When I talk with older job seekers in my discussion groups, I often bring up how important it is to be “Like Mike” to employers.

Relax, I’m not suggesting anyone go on a Gatorade binge and hit the hoops to impress an employer.

Care to guess the most common thing older job seekers tell me is an obstacle to them landing an offer? “Companies don’t want to hire me. They think, because of my age, that I won’t be interested in working much longer.” When they share this with me, they tend to offer a boat load of assurances of how they fully intend to work for the next 10 years or so. Though that’s fine, that may not be the best strategy. When it comes down to it, promises of long term intentions are no more than lip service. There is simply no way to know how long you’ll be available to an employer and how long they’ll be able to retain you. Agreed?

So, let’s get back to Michael Jordan. Imagine in your mind it’s 1997. Remember, Michael retired for good from basketball in 1999. If Michael had picked up the phone back then and called the owner of the Detroit Pistons to express an interest in playing for the team for a few years before retirement, what do you think would have happened? Do you think the owner would have given him a no thank you on the basis that he was more interested in someone who could go the long haul? Absolutely not. Why? Because Michael’s value to a basketball team was so great any time with him in the mix would have been an asset to the organization.

Older job seekers, all job seekers, need to spend less time on assurances and more time on their value proposition to prospective employers. Knowing they can have you for 10 years isn’t valuable. Knowing that every day they do have you will bring an impressive return to the company is valuable. So don’t sweat over trying to prove you want to work until your last breath. Focus on what you are capable of delivering to the bottom line of the company. In addition, what are you capable of delivering that could generate returns even after you’re gone? Do that and you’ve conveniently solved the other problem often plaguing older job seekers, concern over benefit costs increasing when hiring 50+ year old individuals. At the end of the day, if you’re going to make a company more than you’ll cost them, and they can see it clearly, everybody wins.

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Job Seekers Can Now Network Every Friday at 1:00 p.m.!

The Career Networking Groups at Capital Area Michigan Works are shifting gears. For nearly a year there have been four separate groups: Science/Engineering, IT, Sales/Marketing, Business Administration. With so many of the groups’ initial participants securing employment, there simply isn’t the demand to continue offering four separate networking options.

Starting March 1st, all groups are consolidating into one cross-professional group that will meet every Friday at 1:00 p.m. at Capital Area Michigan Works’ Lansing service center. The address is 2110 S. Cedar Street, Lansing, Michigan. Like before, the groups are free and do not require an RSVP to attend. Individuals are invited to participate as often as they are able. All professions are welcome! Employers are welcome to stop by, too!

The format of the group is simple. Each participant will have a minute or two, depending on the attendance, to share who they are and the types of opportunities they hope to connect with. After each participant has had a turn a discussion topic will be introduced. Examples of popular discussion topics include: search strategy, business developments, the impact of legislative changes, career trends, social media, resume/interview challenges and maintaining a positive attitude.

All participants are encouraged to bring information on job leads, new/expanding area companies, creative search strategy, etc., to the meetings to share with others. The goal is to have all involved keeping an eye out for leads and information beneficial to the group as a whole. Job seekers can cover more ground when working collectively.

I’ll close by saying it is more crucial than ever for job seekers to get on the networking bandwagon. Those who aren’t networking risk being invisible to a growing number of employers. Many companies are migrating away from job board style recruiting. It’s expensive, overwhelming, unfocused and annoying. Hiring through word of mouth is much more appealing. Also consider the companies expected to be hiring the most over the next year are small and medium sized businesses benefiting from tax reform. Those companies aren’t likely to turn to Career Builder or Monster.

Please come join the fun, yes it’s fun, and network with a great group of Lansing area professionals. We promise to pump you up, arm you with ideas, offer connections, surround you with positive support and give you a sense of no longer being alone in your search. The experience is hard to describe. Come and give it a try. Times are tough, but we’re tougher!

Those interested in connecting with group members can find them on LinkedIn by joining the group, “Lansing Go Getters.” Some also participate in discussions in the group, “Capital Area Michigan Works.”

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Today I’m in the mood to share one of my favorite articles of all time. It was written by Dennis Prager in February of 2007. Dennis is a radio host and columnist. This article is a piece I like to read regularly for perspective. In my opinion, he hit the nail on the head. It’s best to read this article from start to finish. Stopping halfway dilutes his overall message. Consider how the happy and unhappy in your life have influenced you and your situation. What about your own happiness or unhappiness? What are the moods of the individuals you are giving the power to affect your attitude and outlook? I can think of many ways this message can benefit a job search. Can you?

Here is the article. I have the link to the original article included at the bottom. Enjoy.

Happiness Is a Moral Obligation
By Dennis Prager
Tuesday, February 20, 2007

For much of my life, I, like most people, regarded the pursuit of happiness as largely a selfish pursuit. One of the great revelations of middle age has been that happiness, far from being only a selfish pursuit, is a moral demand.

When we think of character traits we rightly think of honesty, integrity, moral courage, and acts of altruism. Few people include happiness in any list of character traits or moral achievements.

But happiness is both.

Happiness — or at least acting happy, or at the very least not inflicting one’s unhappiness on others — is no less important in making the world better than any other human trait.

With some exceptions, happy people make the world better and unhappy people make it worse. This is true on the personal (micro) and global (macro) planes.

On the micro plane:

Consider the effects of an unhappy parent on a child. Ask people raised by an unhappy parent if that unhappiness hurt them.

Consider the effects of an unhappy spouse on a marriage.

Consider the effects of unhappy children on their parents. I know a couple that has four middle-aged children of whom three are truly extraordinary people, inordinately well adjusted and decent. The fourth child has been unhappy most of his life and has been a never-ending source of pain to the parents. That one child’s unhappiness has always overshadowed the joy that the parents experience from the other three children. Hence the saying that one is no happier than one’s least happy child.

Consider the effects of a brooding co-worker on your and your fellow workers’ morale — not to mention the huge difference between working for a happy or a moody employer.

We should regard bad moods as we do offensive body odor. Just as we shower each day so as not to inflict our body odors on others, so we should monitor our bad moods so as not to inflict them on others. We shower partly for ourselves and partly out of obligation to others. The same should hold true vis a vis moods; and just as we avoid those who do not do something about their body odor we should avoid whenever possible those who do nothing about their bad moods.

The flip side of the damage unhappy people do when they subject others to their unhappiness is the good that people do when they are, or at least act, happy. Just think of how much more you want to help people when you are in particularly happy mood and you realize how much more good the happy are likely to do.

On the macro plane, the case for the relationship between happiness and goodness is as apparent.

It is safe to say that the happiest Germans were not those who joined the Nazi Party. Nor did the happiest Europeans become Communists. And happy Muslims are not generally among those who extol death. The motto of Hamas and other Islamic groups engaged in terror, “We love death as much as [Americans, Jews] love life,” does not appeal to happy Muslims.

Cults, hysteria and mass movements all appeal to the unhappy far more than to the happy. It is one more example of the genius of America’s Founders to include “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence. No other major civilization so enshrined happiness as a core value. This American belief in the moral and societal merit in pursuing happiness is a major reason America has developed differently than Europe. The American emphasis on happiness is one reason no fanatical political or religious movement, Left or Right, has been able to succeed in America as such movements have repeatedly succeeded in Europe.

The pursuit of happiness is not the pursuit of pleasure. The pursuit of pleasure is hedonism, and hedonists are not happy because the intensity and amount of pleasure must constantly be increased in order for hedonism to work. Pleasure for the hedonist is a drug.

But the pursuit of happiness is noble. It benefits everyone around the individual pursuing it, and it benefits humanity. And that is why happiness is a moral obligation.

Here is the link to Dennis’ site and with the original essay and comments it generated.

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrager/2007/02/20/happiness_is_a_moral_obligation

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Many job seekers realize the position of their dreams may not be an option for the foreseeable future. Though it’s great most are flexible and open to exploring other options, it can be tough convincing potential employers they’d be a good hire in a role too far removed from their ideal. Why? Too many sound like this…

Job seeker to a hiring manager: “Please hire me for this job.”

Hiring manager: “Really? Your skills aren’t what I’d call a fit. This is a long way from what you’ve done in the past.”

Job seeker: “I know, but I’ve been looking for the right opportunity for a long time. There’s just not much out there. I need to work. I need to pay my bills. The job duties are manageable. I’m willing to do this job.”

Though the above may be the honest truth, it’s hardly a flattering proposal. It ends up coming off somewhat like this…

Woman to a man on a date: “Let’s get married!”

Man: “Us? Now? Are you sure? I mean, we don’t have much in common.”

Woman: “I know, but I’ve been looking for the right man for some time and he’s just not out there. So I’m ready to move forward. I want to have kids. My clock is ticking. You’re nice enough. We like each other. What do you say?

Are you cringing like I am? Who wants to tie themselves to someone who gives the impression they are only interested in them because there aren’t better options available? Both situations satisfy an immediate need, but are likely destined for a relationship failure down the road.

I shared the above example because I hear the same word play out of the mouths of those I work with frequently. Why? Either the job seeker is truly applying to something he feels no passion towards or hasn’t bothered to consider how the job might excite and fulfill him. If it’s the first scenario, good luck turning that effort into a success story. More often than not, employers are going to sense your reservations and pick another candidate who seems more excited. Find and apply to opportunities you can show genuine interest in. If it’s the second scenario, a better outcome can be achieved by focusing exclusively on what ‘can be’ with this employer versus what ‘could have been’ with another. Doing so helps add sincerity and enthusiasm to the pitch.

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This blog is a bit personal for me today. A friend of mine has a 3 year old son who has Stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a devastating cancer. This diagnosis came out of nowhere and has shocked all who know little Wyatt to the core. Because I’m human, I spent the first few hours combing through Google, reading all of the grim statistics associated with the disease. There is no denying Wyatt’s chances aren’t good. Fewer than 25% in his situation will live beyond the next 5 years.

After spending a good part of a day depressed and praying with a hopeless heart, it occurred to me I was focusing exclusively on the 75% of kids who lose their battle, versus the 25% who beat the odds. Right then and there I decided I was done using Google to write Wyatt off. Turning things around, I did a search to look for Stage 4 Neuroblastoma survivors. Guess what? I found them! I found journals for kids who were diagnosed at Wyatt’s age and are now 9, 11 and 17. Granted, there weren’t as many of their types of stories as the other, but those few changed my perspective and my attitude.

My heart is still heavy and I’m smart and informed enough to know winning this fight isn’t going to be easy. I have hope though. And those surrounding Wyatt have reason to hope, too. The simple choice to seek out factual information with the power to lead us in a positive direction changed everything for me.

Those of you looking for work need to do the same thing. I don’t think I’m being dramatic at all to say the loss of a job, a career, is comparable in emotion to what people feel when they lose loved ones. Is it comparable in magnitude? Not really, but it’s the emotions that cloud our judgment and curb our drive and passion. Seeking out news with grim statistics on unemployment and the struggles many are facing is easy, but serves no true purpose. Change what you are looking for. Focus on the news that allows you to hope and stay positive. Even if it’s harder to find, choose the news that will give you the strength to push through obstacles that may seem impossible.

Wyatt, you’re a special little guy and I promise I am going to continue to choose the news that keeps my heart and mind where it needs to be to cheer you on throughout your journey.

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Many football teams agree the best way to ensure a victory is to put as many points on the board as possible in the first half. A strong start is always the ideal. Few want to rely on luck of a phenomenal 2nd half to get the job done. I have the same opinion of resumes. That first half, if not quarter, has to score a lot of points with employers. Busy hiring managers are fair weather fans and will leave the game early  if it appears the team they are watching isn’t a winner. They’ve got better things to do than stick around until the end for the final score.

For resumes, points come from content that speaks directly to the actual need of the organization. Information at the top of the resume that doesn’t sell how the candidate fits the job or would benefit the company fails to move the ball toward the goal line. If a company wants A, B & C, it makes no sense to lead with D, E & F…no matter how great D, E & F are.

To give an example, I’d like to share a story about Bill (not his real name). Bill is a great guy with a lot to offer. He applied to a payroll position that complimented experience he had from a few years back. He could easily do the job and was disappointed to not even get so much as a “no thank you” letter from the company. When we looked at his resume the word ‘payroll’ didn’t even appear until the bottom third of his resume. To make matters worse, it was a simple one line mention of processing payroll and benefits for company employees. Bill’s 10  years of payroll processing experience was a casual mention late in the game in a resume that should have been giving the reader something to cheer about early on. When I pointed this out to Bill he saw the problem right away. It was the classic case of Bill knowing he could do the job and failing to adequately make the case on paper to a person who can only judge his skills by the evidence in his resume.

Learn from Bill’s experience how important it is to hit key points early on in your resume. Candidates knowing they can do a job isn’t enough. Some will say, “if they’d just interview me I could explain my background better.” Sorry, it just doesn’t work that way. As I said above, hiring managers are fans drawn to clear winners. If you’re competing against others who have scored points early on, they are going to eat up an employer’s available interview time. Game over.

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Much of America is digging out from under the droppings of a massive snow storm. Michigan is no different. Many businesses and schools are closed. Reading through the list of closings, my attention is drawn to the organizations noting “non-essential employees need not report.” I’m sure the “non-essentials” are jumping for joy while the “essential” employees groan at the prospect of braving the elements. I’m wondering if the wrong group of employees is celebrating, however.

Though I understand the designation of non-essential, part of me can’t get past the irony. Organizations have many employees who are important and contribute great things to the overall operation, but who within a company is lucky enough to be viewed as essential? When you look back over the past few years, during an incredible economic storm, many companies have, for all intents and purposes, said “non-essential employees need not report.” They’ve made a strategic decision to get by with the critical few needed to weather the storm. Skilled individuals with great work ethics and meaningful contributions to their employers still found themselves with a pink slip in hand and struggling to shake off the absolute shock.

Now those same individuals are working hard to convince employers they are the best next hire for the organizations they target. They are doing a good job of showing they have a lot to offer, but many are still falling short of being viewed as essential. Employers are left thinking, “you’re great but we don’t HAVE to have you.” The candidates who can find a way to research the objectives of prospective employers and showcase how their skills and experiences are key to helping organizations achieve their goals are much more likely to be viewed as essential.

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A friend and I were talking about how hard it seems to be to find people willing to take ‘full’ ownership of the mistakes they’ve made at work or during a job search. There is a tendency to skirt around issues entirely or acknowledge them with a quick addition of how someone else is more to blame.I’ve met my share of job seekers who are paralyzed in their search because they know they blew it in the past, didn’t face the music and are avoiding situations that might bring mistakes to light.

The conversation reminded me of a post I wrote several years ago on my personal blog. It’s called, “So Bashful.”The style of my writing on my personal blog is different than what you normally experience, but I thought it would be fun to dust this one off and share it with all of you. Here goes…

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“So Bashful”

Has anyone else noticed Sorry is avoiding introducing himself these days? I can’t figure out why he is being so bashful? It’s not like it’s hard to say “I’m Sorry.” His name isn’t ridiculously long or hard to pronounce.

His silence when meeting others is awkward to be around. I saw another guy make an attempt at introductions recently. “Hello, I’m Hurtby Whatyousaid.” Do you think Sorry said anything in response? Nope! He just shrugged his shoulders and looked away. I chimed in “by the way, he’s Sorry” just to keep things cordial. I hate having to tell others he’s Sorry. Why can’t he just say he’s Sorry himself? Maybe he has amnesia and doesn’t realize he is actually Sorry? Or maybe he’s upset with his circumstances and doesn’t want to be Sorry anymore? Whatever it is, he needs to work things out so he is capable of being Sorry again.

There have been times when Sorry seems to be making an effort, but he’s actually playing games. His real name is Sorry Ididthat. He’ll try to trick people by saying he’s Sorry Youfeelthatway. It’s so frustrating. You can totally tell people see right through him.

To be fair, I can remember some times when he’s introduced himself and people have acted weird. Maybe that’s turned him off. One person shouted “No you’re not!” What was he supposed to say to that? Another expected him to prove it with a trinket. “If you’re really Sorry you’ll buy me a necklace.” Sorry’s a good guy, but he’s not made of money. Then there are those who have told him being Sorry isn’t good enough. “If you think you’re Sorry now, just you wait!” I’m not sure how they could actually make him more Sorry than he his already, but the suggestion isn’t pleasant.

Perhaps it’s not such a mystery why my friend hasn’t been himself lately. If you happen to see Sorry, will you do me a favor? Tell him you appreciate and accept him. If we build up his confidence, maybe he won’t be so hesitant to show himself anymore.

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