Win,
I was at last night's presentation. I was a little apprehensive about asking this question in that forum so I hope you'll indulge me. . . . I have been a working journalist for more than 30 years. . . . The fact is that after a long career with several national awards, I was unceremoniously laid off from my daily newspaper job at the end of October. Although the panel gave a number of good tips, some of which I will follow up on, my problem is straightforward: Employers hear "30 years of experience," or if I omit that fact and still manage to get an interview, they see a 56-year-old head full of gray hair and that's as far as it goes. Why hire me when, if there is any job at all, they can fill it with a kid half my age, at half the salary, one they see as more attuned to the youth market? This is the second time I've been laid off because of downsizing in less than a decade, and my prospects at this point are bleak. Not only is there no retirement in my future, but it's dicey whether I can even survive and support my family on the meager savings I've got left.
Also, while it's necessary to keep up with trends and technology, I can spend a lot of time, energy and effort to learn all the new bells and whistles, and then in a year or so, the technocrats invent a whole new generation, and you have to learn once again. All these wonderful toys are just tools, after all; the content is supposed to be the point. But the gearheads seem to think the technology itself is the point, as though a brand new high-tech hammer is more important than the house you build it with.
I probably sound bitter, angry and worried. Yeah, I am. If there were any indication that things were going to get better, I might be a little less so, but I don't see that happening. For most of the 22-year-olds in last night's audience, a temporary setback early in their career is part of the colorful, fun time they'll look back on when they're my age. At my age, it's not colorful or fun; it's pathetic and scary. What do I do? I don't expect you to have an answer.
Alan
Hi Alan,
I can understand how you feel. It is a frustrating market, generally, and specifically in most parts of media. The key to what you say is the salary. The problem is not that by dint of doing it longer, that you get to have more money, it is that you are worth more money, so people pay you more. If you are writing articles that a 25-year-old can write, then you are barking up the wrong tree.
Where do you have a competitive advantage and what do you like to write? For instance, if you like to write about what 25-year-olds like to write about, then write about those things for an audience of 60-year-olds. Where is your experience an advantage? And who cares what you look like if you can write? How can you write pieces that will speak for themselves? Only by going for an audience who appreciates what you bring to the table will you be able to earn what you are worth.
On the subject of technology, much of it is free and the basics, which is all you should need to know is not that time consuming to learn. The medium is only part of the message. Don't let it screen you out.
Hope that helps a little. The good news is that you can still write.
Win
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Resume History
How far back should my resume should date? It currently starts (in reverse chrono) with 1985.
Anne
Hi Anne,
As far as history on the resume, there is no fixed rule. Some people put a line that says, for example, "Experience before 1997". Often they do this to disguise their age. You may want to do it so that you could include any experience that would be relevant to your targets, leaving out less relevant experience.
Win
Anne
Hi Anne,
As far as history on the resume, there is no fixed rule. Some people put a line that says, for example, "Experience before 1997". Often they do this to disguise their age. You may want to do it so that you could include any experience that would be relevant to your targets, leaving out less relevant experience.
Win
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Networking among sustainability fans
Here is the inforamtion on "Green Drinks" as forwarded by a client:
I'm sure you've attended Margaret Lydecker's Manhattan Green Drinks but if not, the event takes place once a month in cities all over the planet. It's a simple opportunity for eco-minded people across every industry to get together, talk, toast a cocktail or two and walk away richer for new conversation and connections by the end of the night.
Margaret launched Green Drinks in the US in 2002. Now there are 100+ chapters across the country. The Manhattan group now draws appx. 400-800 people per month from a mailing list of 6000.
Green Drinks Manhattan- 2nd Tuesday of each month
Green Drinks Brooklyn - 3rd Wednesday of each month
Win
I'm sure you've attended Margaret Lydecker's Manhattan Green Drinks but if not, the event takes place once a month in cities all over the planet. It's a simple opportunity for eco-minded people across every industry to get together, talk, toast a cocktail or two and walk away richer for new conversation and connections by the end of the night.
Margaret launched Green Drinks in the US in 2002. Now there are 100+ chapters across the country. The Manhattan group now draws appx. 400-800 people per month from a mailing list of 6000.
Green Drinks Manhattan- 2nd Tuesday of each month
Green Drinks Brooklyn - 3rd Wednesday of each month
Win
Career Tip: Getting ready for fall
Hello,
I hope you are enjoying this wonderful weather. As we approach September, the second biggest hiring month (after January), it is a great time to begin to make a career and job search plans. Having a marketing plan will help you eliminate a lot of wasted time and provide some support when things start getting busy and distractions crop up. The big question is what should that plan look like? The answer is: not that complicated. There are just three basic questions that you will want to answer.
1. Where are you heading?
What jobs, professions or fields might be interesting to you? These are your targets. You don’t need definitive targets right away, but you ought at least to have some ideas about what might interest you. If you are looking for a good culture to work in, for instance, talk to people about what you like. You never know who has ideas. If you have no idea at all, just ask people what their work is like or how they spend their days. If you already know where you are heading, start with step two!
2. Who to talk to?
First, pick those targets from your list that are of greatest interest to you. Also see which, because of prior experience or friends in the business, are easiest to pursue. Look for industry groups, alumni and other social groups for people who will be happy to hear from you. Starting with people who want to talk to you and those in whom you are interested may not seem efficient, but in the end it is a lot easier and can turn out to be unexpectedly productive.
3. Why are you talking to them?
Naturally, you will not want to alienate or intimidate any of your contacts by asking them for a job, as it is unlikely that anyone of them will have the right job for you at that moment (assuming you know what that ideal job is). But, if you can get them talking about their field or their company, and you share why you are interested, including something about your relevant experience, they may have ideas of other people for you to talk to.
To get started on that, list questions you have. These will change over time as you become more informed. Start by turning any assumptions you have into questions. E.g., My understanding is that Marketing departments are increasingly integrating their efforts across new and old media, what is your experience? Other questions may range from ‘What do managers get paid here?’ to ‘Where does your area fit within the organization?’
If you can answer any or all of the three basic questions above, put the results down on paper. It will make it easier to execute. Set aside a little time each week (or even each day) to do this. Just a little time begins to accumulate if you keep at it. See what you can do in 2 hours or less working on it. That way you can have a plan to begin to move ahead in the fall.
If you are currently working, that is not a reason for skipping this exercise. It is never a bad time to be spending a little time on your career!
Win
I hope you are enjoying this wonderful weather. As we approach September, the second biggest hiring month (after January), it is a great time to begin to make a career and job search plans. Having a marketing plan will help you eliminate a lot of wasted time and provide some support when things start getting busy and distractions crop up. The big question is what should that plan look like? The answer is: not that complicated. There are just three basic questions that you will want to answer.
1. Where are you heading?
What jobs, professions or fields might be interesting to you? These are your targets. You don’t need definitive targets right away, but you ought at least to have some ideas about what might interest you. If you are looking for a good culture to work in, for instance, talk to people about what you like. You never know who has ideas. If you have no idea at all, just ask people what their work is like or how they spend their days. If you already know where you are heading, start with step two!
2. Who to talk to?
First, pick those targets from your list that are of greatest interest to you. Also see which, because of prior experience or friends in the business, are easiest to pursue. Look for industry groups, alumni and other social groups for people who will be happy to hear from you. Starting with people who want to talk to you and those in whom you are interested may not seem efficient, but in the end it is a lot easier and can turn out to be unexpectedly productive.
3. Why are you talking to them?
Naturally, you will not want to alienate or intimidate any of your contacts by asking them for a job, as it is unlikely that anyone of them will have the right job for you at that moment (assuming you know what that ideal job is). But, if you can get them talking about their field or their company, and you share why you are interested, including something about your relevant experience, they may have ideas of other people for you to talk to.
To get started on that, list questions you have. These will change over time as you become more informed. Start by turning any assumptions you have into questions. E.g., My understanding is that Marketing departments are increasingly integrating their efforts across new and old media, what is your experience? Other questions may range from ‘What do managers get paid here?’ to ‘Where does your area fit within the organization?’
If you can answer any or all of the three basic questions above, put the results down on paper. It will make it easier to execute. Set aside a little time each week (or even each day) to do this. Just a little time begins to accumulate if you keep at it. See what you can do in 2 hours or less working on it. That way you can have a plan to begin to move ahead in the fall.
If you are currently working, that is not a reason for skipping this exercise. It is never a bad time to be spending a little time on your career!
Win
Monday, June 9, 2008
When is the right time to search?
Hi Win-
I'm a little discouraged that there are so few jobs and so few people who know of anything. People keep telling me this is the wrong environment to be looking for a job, which isn't very helpful. A friend in the headhunter industry just told me that she thinks if I don't have a job by July 1st that I should realize I won't have one till January due to the summer, fall budget season and holidays. I felt like crying.
Any calming words of wisdom?
Carla
Hi Carla,
Your friend quoted common wisdom. In fact September rivals January as the biggest hiring month and do you really think no one is hired except then? Yes. The job market is slower now, but companies are hiring too. They don't like to advertise it when they are letting people go, but jobs still need to be filled.
On the subject of networking, it is important to remember that what you are doing now is finding out more, not finding out who has jobs. You are finding people who you like and who like you. Together you will find out all that is going on. When there are jobs, you will hear about them. What are the odds that the week you talk to someone, that they will know about an open job? Pretty small I would say. You are not talking to people to find out about jobs. You are talking to them to find out more, about their part of the industry, their company, their department, their boss. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but focusing on building those relationships is key. If people like you, they will keep their eyes out for you. People think the only way they can help you is to point you to a job. It just ain't so.
Win
I'm a little discouraged that there are so few jobs and so few people who know of anything. People keep telling me this is the wrong environment to be looking for a job, which isn't very helpful. A friend in the headhunter industry just told me that she thinks if I don't have a job by July 1st that I should realize I won't have one till January due to the summer, fall budget season and holidays. I felt like crying.
Any calming words of wisdom?
Carla
Hi Carla,
Your friend quoted common wisdom. In fact September rivals January as the biggest hiring month and do you really think no one is hired except then? Yes. The job market is slower now, but companies are hiring too. They don't like to advertise it when they are letting people go, but jobs still need to be filled.
On the subject of networking, it is important to remember that what you are doing now is finding out more, not finding out who has jobs. You are finding people who you like and who like you. Together you will find out all that is going on. When there are jobs, you will hear about them. What are the odds that the week you talk to someone, that they will know about an open job? Pretty small I would say. You are not talking to people to find out about jobs. You are talking to them to find out more, about their part of the industry, their company, their department, their boss. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but focusing on building those relationships is key. If people like you, they will keep their eyes out for you. People think the only way they can help you is to point you to a job. It just ain't so.
Win
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
How to approach people
Win,
Thank you for your note.
I understand that you should not make them [networking contacts] feel like you are asking them for a job, but I thought you could ask them for more contacts in order to gain more information. How in the process do you work in getting access to more contacts?
Ann
Ann,
Contacts, yes! But contacts for more information, not for jobs. Asking any contact for a job does two things. First, it puts them in an awkward position if they don't have a job and second, if they don't have one, then you don't even get to talk to them. The answer: turn your assumptions about the job into questions, get curious about the work, what they like about it and what they don't. As you are learning more, you will also get known. People will begin to think of you when a job does arise.
Win
www.WinSheffield.com
Thank you for your note.
I understand that you should not make them [networking contacts] feel like you are asking them for a job, but I thought you could ask them for more contacts in order to gain more information. How in the process do you work in getting access to more contacts?
Ann
Ann,
Contacts, yes! But contacts for more information, not for jobs. Asking any contact for a job does two things. First, it puts them in an awkward position if they don't have a job and second, if they don't have one, then you don't even get to talk to them. The answer: turn your assumptions about the job into questions, get curious about the work, what they like about it and what they don't. As you are learning more, you will also get known. People will begin to think of you when a job does arise.
Win
www.WinSheffield.com
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
What level is right for me?
Hi Helen,
I know we spoke about conveying in your stories the scope and level of the work you did and that this is the best way for them to know how to place you. The other side of that, for the internal interviews you are having, is that you want to listen for (and ask specifically where you can) what your role would be in the activities of the department. You will be listening for the kinds of skills you will be able to/expected to exercise, level of autonomy, etc.
I'm sure you know that what they are prepared to let you do eventually will depend on what you do to prove yourself. So, you will be listening for potential scope. Also, it is hard to do, but as best you can, think about what really would be too much for you to take on now (and what experience you would have to have to make it do-able.)
As I said, let me know if you have any questions & have fun with it,
Win
www.WinSheffield.com
I know we spoke about conveying in your stories the scope and level of the work you did and that this is the best way for them to know how to place you. The other side of that, for the internal interviews you are having, is that you want to listen for (and ask specifically where you can) what your role would be in the activities of the department. You will be listening for the kinds of skills you will be able to/expected to exercise, level of autonomy, etc.
I'm sure you know that what they are prepared to let you do eventually will depend on what you do to prove yourself. So, you will be listening for potential scope. Also, it is hard to do, but as best you can, think about what really would be too much for you to take on now (and what experience you would have to have to make it do-able.)
As I said, let me know if you have any questions & have fun with it,
Win
www.WinSheffield.com
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Keeping On Top of Your Career While Working
From: Gary
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 10:01 AM
Hi Win,
I think I did well, negotiating a 12 months run-way until next steps will be considered. I made myself pretty clear about what I want and can do for the firm. You certainly helped me a lot in focusing my thoughts and getting them across.
Thanks again,
Gary
Hi Gary,
Glad it turned out OK. Sounds like they still aren't sure about your future role. I hope they are providing opportunities to prove yourself and hope also that you will be deliberate in reaching out to fellow professionals to learn more about options for yourself in the wider community.
Win
Win Sheffield
www.WinSheffield.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 10:01 AM
Hi Win,
I think I did well, negotiating a 12 months run-way until next steps will be considered. I made myself pretty clear about what I want and can do for the firm. You certainly helped me a lot in focusing my thoughts and getting them across.
Thanks again,
Gary
Hi Gary,
Glad it turned out OK. Sounds like they still aren't sure about your future role. I hope they are providing opportunities to prove yourself and hope also that you will be deliberate in reaching out to fellow professionals to learn more about options for yourself in the wider community.
Win
Win Sheffield
www.WinSheffield.com
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