Win,
I'm going to an event tomorrow where I will be meeting a lot of people who work in private wealth management. I may research that subject first so I have a few questions/comments ready. I am meeting Tom tomorrow. I will ask if he can put me in touch with the friend he mentioned to me.
I am getting a better idea now of the importance of understanding the day to day aspect of a person's job.
I think at first I was predominantly worried about how to talk about myself and how to approach people, and which people to even start approaching. I feel more confident about the first two now. Now I have to start unraveling problem number three. I must admit that I don't understand how to get from "What does your day look like" to "When can I start?” However, I do see that it will be easier to cross that bridge if I have some more information. It may so happen that I really don't like what people who work in private wealth management do or the people who do it, or maybe it will be great . . . I don't know.
The steps as I see them are:
1. Learning to talk about myself.
2. Learning to approach others for information
3. Identifying who to speak to
4. Approaching them
5.
6.
7.
8. Getting a job
I don't know how many steps there are between 4 and "getting a job" but I assume there are a few. I'll be working on it pretty steadily until we meet again.
Best,
Celia
Good thoughts, Celia! You are definitely headed in the right direction. How did you know that there were just three missing steps?
5. Learning about what you are interested in (as you allude to)
6. Developing the expertise so that you would be considered as a viable candidate competing against others who have direct experience
7. Unearthing and pursuing other opportunities like the ones you have found enticing and generally pursuing the areas you want to be employed in. This will involve some parts of gaining credibility through your discussions with people in the field so that you are increasingly referred to hire ups who are in a position to hire you, and some parts of approaching employers as a viable candidate through networking, ads, recruiters and letters.
Throughout this process, you may have offers of forwarding your resume or even employment. You will want to weigh the risks of taking a job about which you know little versus the security of having a job!
Win
Hi Win,
Thank you. I'll keep these things in mind. From your list, I see #6 as the next big challenge, immediately followed by the second to last sentence in your email. I find that very confusing but will cross that bridge when I come to it. It will take years to develop the expertise my competitors have so I find that part very discouraging. That is something I will want to clarify along the way.
I'll keep you posted.
Best,
Celia
Celia,
Don't confuse experience with ability to handle what comes at you. They need someone who CAN DO the job. Going for candidates who have done the job before is a good rule of thumb, no more.
Win
Showing posts with label networking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label networking. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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
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