While meeting with a professional on the hunt for a job, we’ll call him Jake, the conversation steered to a specific opportunity he hopes to land. The business owner is interested, but isn’t going to just give him a shot. She’s got a few tricks up her sleeve to take the temperature on how dedicated, able and sincere Jake is when it comes to benefiting her business. The interesting thing is she knows him and has for some time. This isn’t some stranger off the street with a resume asking her to take a risk. No, this is an old friend, of sorts, asking her to take a risk. You see, stranger or not, it is still a risk anytime a business owner invites someone new into the fold. It’s a waiting game to see who gains in the end. In the best case scenario both parties benefit. Too often the relationship is one sided and the business loses, however.

When Jake was explaining what the business owner was asking him to do and how she was going to take her time to be sure he was the right fit, he quickly offered he was okay with that. From Jake’s mouth to all of your ears, “Why wouldn’t I be okay with that? It’s her baby, after all.” Sweet Lord above, Jake gets IT! He really and truly understands a business owner.

Companies aren’t just buildings of brick and mortar filled with phones, carpet and computers. They are the physical evidence of someone’s dream. They are a vulnerable baby requiring the best of care, consideration and attention in order to grow into a strong, healthy and self-supporting adult. For those of you who have never owned a business it’s hard to appreciate the business owner’s position. Perhaps if you have a child you can understand. Imagine someone interested in caring for  your baby. How much would you want to know about them? How many things would you be willing to gamble on? Would you compromise on experience, attitude, personality fit or character? How closely would you watch their work? Would it be enough that so-and-so recommended them?

Job seekers, don’t get angry at business owners for being picky. Take a moment to consider the position many are in and ask yourself if you’ve proven in every way possible you can be trusted with the awesome responsibility of helping their baby grow.

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Job seekers, don’t get caught up in waiting for perfect. Postponing reaching out to key contacts because you want the stars and planets to align themselves in a certain way before taking action is a mistake. More than likely you will find the perfect moment never materializes or that, when it does, someone else has beaten you to the punch.

When I worked on a sales floor as a recruiter typically two types of people could be found. The first was the individual who stayed on the phone and efficiently rolled through a variety of conversations. That individual was well practiced, relaxed and full of all sorts of valuable information gained from his efforts. He had a wealth of professional relationships developed that he was able to nurture and grow daily. The second was the individual painstakingly reviewing files, reading every letter of a job description, checking his phone voice and watching the clock for the decided upon moment when the magic would be able to happen. Once that individual finally got on the phone he was tense and  over-selling because the call had too much at stake. What could have been “a” call was now “the” call.

Please don’t think I’m against incorporating good strategy into your job search. It’s definitely important to be considerate of when and how a contact would be more receptive to your message. Don’t be like me the time I called a Tax Manager in a public accounting firm on April 14th for a reference. That, my friends, was unfortunate and dumb. The key is to map out a plan of contact while being realistic in terms of what needs to transpire ahead of action on your part. Too often when my ears hear job seekers talk about wanting certain things to have happened before reaching out, my brain hears them saying they are afraid of or not interested in action. That’s unfortunate because most times I get the sense all are hoping for a positive outcome. They want a job. They want this business of looking for employment to end. Too bad for them what could be a perfect ending is being postponed by getting too caught up in having a perfect beginning.

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This is one of those tough love posts that requires me to say some things that normally make me squirm. I hate name calling. Assigning a negative name to people’s actions/judgments is one thing, but out and out calling another person a name bothers me. I’m going to have to do it in this post to make a point though.

Let me tell you the story of Megan…as always, not her real name. Megan is a sharp cookie with lots of offer potential employers. She’s not doing the best job selling herself, isn’t consistent with good strategy and has allowed her frustrations surrounding the economy, some companies and other people to compromise the effectiveness of her search. In short, she’s going nowhere fast.

Whenever Megan and I speak she has a long list of examples of how stupid the people and companies are that she’s connecting with in her efforts to find employment. She’s got an hour’s worth of quotes of all the idiotic things people have done or said to her in the course of her job search since we last spoke. Interestingly enough, many of the people/companies she’s referring to are the same one’s she told me about the last time we spoke. Know why? She’s gone back for more.

Megan has a classic case of idiot magnetitis. The term may be made up, but the condition is very real. When navigating difficult or frustrating situations some people are drawn to those around them they feel are idiots. They spend all of their time engaging people whose views and actions they don’t respect so they can find more evidence to support their low opinion of them. Megan can quote, at length, all of the people she thinks are dumb. How many people can she quote who she respects? Has she even taken the time to find people and companies who fit in that category? When she finds them, is she listening to them or using the time to tell the people she respects about all of the idiots she’s met along the way?

For those of you constantly telling stories of how idiotic some people or companies are, stop for a moment to think of what that says about you for continuing to listen or reach out to them. It falls right in line with the old, “fool me once, shame on you…fool me twice, shame on me” bit. Not all companies and people are idiots, you know. I’d dare to suggest idiots are in the minority. Change your focus and reprogram your magnet. If I am on a mission to get something done and I encounter people along the way whose drive, knowledge base and business practices don’t align with what I’m looking to accomplish, I move past them. The real idiot, if we’re calling people names, is the person choosing to focus on those who aren’t going to get them anywhere over seeking out those who can and will.

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Ah, Jake. Okay, not Jake, but that’s the name I’m going with for anonymity’s sake. Jake is a talented sales professional. In an industry where sales average a couple hundred bucks a pop he managed to exceed his sales quota by $2.3M big ones. Consider for a moment how many sales went into that number. Can you tell he is an expert in his field? On top of his ability, he is sincere, smart, honest, professional and humble. This is a business development pro many companies would love to have on their team.

You know where this is going, right? Jake is looking for work and having a hard time getting bites. He’s not seeing a lot of opportunity for him to sell himself to in Michigan. You may be wondering why Jake is looking for a job when he was making millions of bucks for his last employer. He wasn’t fired or laid off. He and his family made the decision to move to Michigan from Maryland for personal reasons. He came with little concern about Michigan’s dismal economic picture because he had faith in his abilities and felt he’d be an asset to someone here, as he rightfully should. He’s got a possible option, but if that one doesn’t pan out he’s back to square one. His faith is diminishing.

When Jake and I met he was eager for me to tell him all the things I could find that were wrong with him. Like many job seekers, he was ready for the onslaught of negative judgments against his person and background. His frustration over his lack of success was eating away at his confidence and inspiring thoughts that he must be flawed in some way. Well, if he’s flawed he hides it well. His problem isn’t him, it’s his strategy. He’s asking himself why an employer wouldn’t want someone who can deliver at the level he’s proven to do in the past and coming up empty. There’s a reason he’s coming up empty. It’s because most companies with a grain of sense would want a proven producer. Executives, not HR Assistants, in those companies have to know about him first, though. They have to be a company truly looking to grow at the hands of a talented professional. He’s wasting time looking for what personal adjustments he needs to make when what he should be doing is completely revamping his strategy of what companies he is reaching out to. So far the companies have mostly been those with sales positions posted on job boards. Bah!

If you are a talented professional with a proven track record of delivering that kind of moola to the bottom line of a company you pick your next employer. You look around at the companies with products, services and cultures you think you could sell effectively and you network your way to that business owner or senior manager. It doesn’t matter if they have a job opening or not. Savvy executives with an eye on profitability should always want to hear how someone can take them to the next level.

What’s funny, and yet not, about Jake’s situation is he actually finds himself mildly apologetic for what he’s earned in the past. It’s his handicap, of sorts. He’s already convinced himself he’s not likely to make the same in Michigan as he made in Maryland? Why though? Because he’s less of a salesman here? That’s what it would have to be for his income potential to suffer. Since that’s not the case he’s got to refocus and up his game. He’s chasing generic opportunities and convincing himself he could sell this or that if he had to. He’s allowing employers to weigh him against cheaper options, and considering becoming a cheaper option himself, without challenging them to consider why these individuals are cheaper. With most sales professionals on some sort of performance-based compensation plan the most common reason a sales pro is cheaper is because he/she didn’t deliver the goods to the same degree. Now, who should companies want on their team, the person they are going to have to pay 6 figures to because he made them millions or the person they are going to pay $40K to because he made them a hundred thousand or so? Do the math and make the sale, Jake.

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Ladies and gentlemen, let me share an important nugget of wisdom with you. It’s great that you are willing to compromise in terms of employment opportunities, but don’t make a louder case for your compromises than you do for your ideal career situations when talking with networking contacts. Your loudest message is what will resonate with people. Do you really want your networking contacts more focused on identifying entry level positions or opportunities in other states when what you truly want is something close to home that relates to your developed base of skills and abilities?

I shared a giggle with a nice fellow this morning who made this very mistake. The first thing he said to me was that he was open to opportunities in other states. After talking with him for a while it was clear he is heavily invested in his community and that his most valuable contacts, contacts employers could potentially benefit from, are here in Mid-Michigan. When I asked what he would do if one of his networking sources immediately offered up information on an opportunity in Phoenix he cringed. The truth of the matter is he would take a job in Phoenix if he absolutely had to, but he’d prefer to exhaust all local opportunities first. Makes sense, but his game plan doesn’t support this strategy so far. He now knows he’s got to stop leading with his compromises.

I understand this economy is unique and individuals must show they are open to a variety of situations. Too many job seekers go overboard with this, however. I personally think it’s because job seekers don’t believe suitable opportunities exist “in this economy” so they lower the bar immediately and focus more on settling. The truth of the matter is all sorts of opportunities are out there. Jobs may not be as abundant as in the past, but there are certainly options at all levels and in many fields. Your contacts can help you find them if you prep them properly. Lay out a good strategy for identifying these opportunities and use your networking circle well. Keep key contacts focused on what you truly want. You can handle identifying entry level work on your own. You can involve a limited number of contacts in a search outside of your geographic area when and if it becomes appropriate to do so.

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The downside of buying something is that it immediately starts losing value. The moment you drive that new car off the lot it has lost some of its worth. Of course, the car and the dealership don’t care. You’ve paid your money in full and are completely committed to the purchase. You as a consumer care though. Because you paid your money up front, you’re largely stuck holding onto the purchase as it depreciates if you don’t want to take an immediate loss.

Consider what you would do if you were essentially renting something that had lost its value to you. Would you continue to rent it or would you turn it in and look for something more useful to you for that amount of money? Most would turn it in. And why not? Especially if it is possible to get something better for the same amount of money and not sustain too great a loss in doing so. It’s pretty handy to be a buyer without being completely committed to the product.

Job seekers would do well to realize when an employer hires them they have done so only committing some of the money up front. In short, it’s a rental situation. For example, the individual who hopes to work for 10 years at a company making $50,000 per year isn’t going to get a check for $500,000 on day one. As a rental, allowing your value to a company to slip could spell unemployment for you. Unlike most products, individuals have the ability to continually enhance and update what they have to offer a buyer. Do so before he questions your worth. Don’t give him time to wonder if a newer, more modern model might make more sense for the dollars spent on your salary.

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It’s a real head shaker to me how many job seekers believe a functional resume serves to distract potential employers from a spotty employment history. For me, the experience is the opposite. I joked in a blog some time ago about functional resumes sometimes coming off like Febreze. Febreze may smell good, but there is good reason to suspect something stinky lurks underneath it all. My brain goes on alert with functional resumes. To top if off, if a person’s background is all over the place, I’m more aware of it when I have to sort out which skills and accomplishments belong with which positions. In fact, I’m likely more annoyed at the game of hide the skeleton than I’d of been had the job seeker tackled the issue head on.

In my opinion functional resumes serve one purpose. They allow the candidate with redundant experience to state that experience once in a concise way versus saying the same things multiple times under several positions. Individuals with a varied past and with problematic history have no business using the functional format. Again, this is my opinion.

So I’m not confused, it is certainly wise to draw attention to aspects of your background that are a stronger sell for why you are right for a position. Candidates should definitely highlight what an employer would care most to see and organize the information so the most relevant details of your background come before the less relevant. That’s just good old fashioned marketing. What’s bad form is to adapt any marketing strategy that relies on your audience being too dumb to see the obvious. It rarely works and it’s insulting to the other party that you clearly thought it would.

Simply put, when you have problems in your background you should focus more on effectively addressing them with a potential employer versus attempting to mask them. This usually means not leading with your resume when chasing a job. Your resume can’t help explain blemishes, gaps or sidesteps in your career path…you can. Network,network, network. Establish credibility through solid references and referrals. Approach decision makers honestly, with sincere intentions and genuine respect for their intelligence and their hiring process.

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Most make a point to check the weather forecast when making plans for a weekend or a vacation. Knowing ahead of time what conditions to prepare for is key to the planning process and helps ensure a positive experience. Job seekers need to do the same thing with their search. It’s imperative to take in whatever information is available in terms of trends, events, legislation, etc., that shed light on what may develop in the future so job seekers can better decide what destinations to target and what gear they may need for the journey and once they arrive.

Every day I meet individuals looking for work who haven’t armed themselves with enough information on the direction business is heading. They don’t know who the businesses are in their area, what those business are up to and what economic, political and social developments influence their potential for success. These are things job seekers must have an understanding of in order to make the sell they are a good fit for helping a company to not just survive, but thrive.

The information is out there. Much of it is low hanging fruit. It may not be as simple as logging on to a web site or turning on the television for a quick glance at a weather forecast, but it isn’t nearly as labor intensive as it was prior to the internet and the age of 24/7 news channels. I often hear individuals say they don’t have the time to dedicate to researching this stuff. I personally feel they don’t have the time NOT to take a look at what’s happening around them. Being in the know can substantially reduce one’s time on the shelf of unemployment. Find the time. Seek out advice on efficient ways to obtain information. Develop solid networking channels so you can pull from the efforts of others. Show prospective employers you are interested enough in being relevant and helping their company succeed to choose enlightenment over ignorance.

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I live in Michigan. Most know it’s one of the hardest hit states in terms of the recession. There are many empty buildings here waiting to be leased or purchased. Some of the buildings are starting to fill up with new businesses. Ah, recovery. Guess which ones remain empty? We have several commercial sites that are being passed over by those seeking space because they are the shell of the failed businesses that occupied them previously. The business logos may be gone and paint colors may have changed, but you can still tell what used to be a Pizza Hut, Burger King, Boston Market, Long John Silvers or BP Gas Station. At the end of the day, even if these locations offer amenities new businesses may appreciate (ample parking, code compliance, relevant equipment), many potential tenants would prefer to move forward with something unique that doesn’t distract the customers they wish to attract with reminders of the space’s former life.

Why am I bringing this up on a blog designed to help job seekers? In a nutshell, I meet a lot of job seekers who wear their past experiences the same way those empty Pizza Hut buildings do. Sure, they have transferable skills, but the way they present themselves to prospective employers showcases more how they fit their former employer versus how they would compliment another company. They walk and talk like the (insert title) they once were and grumble over a prospective company’s inability to recognize and appreciate their transferable skills when they’ve pointed them out clearly. The trick isn’t just highlighting transferable skills, but stripping oneself of your former brand. A McDonald’s isn’t going to move into a building that looks like an old Burger King no matter how great location, rent and equipment may be. Job seekers who want to move in a different direction have to look the part in addition to selling why what they’ve done in the past is helpful.

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A job seeker made an interesting statement to me the other day. In his review of possible options for himself he closed with the remark, “well, I’m just going to wait and see where things go.” Wait and see where things go? How does that make sense?

Too many job seekers are waiting for external factors to determine their destination. Considering how important the outcome of a job search is, leaving one’s search to fate is a bad idea. Imagine if we treated other major journeys in our life this way. Would you get on a random plane and allow yourself the surprise of finding out at the end of the process where it lands? I hope not. Why do so with a job search?

What I wish I could get every person looking for a job to understand is that those who truly have a plan for where they are going and how they intend to arrive there experience much better search results. Those who leave things to chance and go with the flow find themselves with an expensive ticket to nowhere. From what’s shared with me, I get many are afraid committing to a destination and a route somehow limits them and puts them at risk of turning off potential employers. They fail to see how off-putting it can be to an employer to encounter a job seeker with no focus and too casual of an approach to their job search. It gives rise to concerns the individual may not be aware of his capabilities, value, interests and relevance.

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