HOW TO: Not Burn Bridges When You Resign | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

As the job market bounces back, top talent is moving on from organizations that treated them less than fair during the Great Recession. Regardless, my policy is to never burn a bridge if you can help it. Is it possible to resign on good terms? Absolutely!

Remove emotion from the situation

Easier said than done, I know, but your brand is at stake if you don’t. Treat the situation as a business – not personal – decision. After all, life-altering decisions such as resigning from a job should be approached with a cool head and not taken lightly.

Schedule a meeting

Don’t just waltz into your boss’ office unannounced. Always schedule a meeting in advance, and let him or her know you’d like to discuss your position at the organization. That way, your supervisor can mentally prepare.

Get it in writing

Like all business transactions, resigning from a job should be in writing for the organization’s records. Make sure you include the important information right up front: the fact that you are resigning and the effective date of your resignation.

In the second paragraph, thank your supervisor for as many things as possible – wonderful learning opportunities, great co-workers, etc. Go out on a high note even if you are leaving for a bad reason!

In the final paragraph, offer to help find and train a replacement for yourself, and wish your supervisor and the organization the best of luck in the future. Again, no matter what your supervisor’s reaction might be, you want to take the high road the whole way.

Note that I did not instruct you to include information about why you are leaving or where you are going. You will likely be asked this during an exit interview, but do not need to include it in your resignation letter.

Keep your promises

Did you promise to help find your replacement? Do it. Did you assure your supervisor you’d help train the next person in your role? Don’t back out.

What other tips would you suggest to not burn bridges when resigning from a job?

Author:

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the author of #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.

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Frequently Asked Interview Questions » Blog | Great Resumes Fast

Your resume looks fabulous, and you’ve been getting tons of calls from companies that want to interview you.  Your interview preparation should include looking at the employer’s Web site in order to familiarize yourself with the specifics of the business.  However, keep in mind that employers already know about their company, and therefore are most interested in learning about YOU during an interview.  Here are some questions interviewers love to ask:

What is it that appeals to you about this position?

As you apply for different jobs, it’s a good idea to save the job description for each position with a recognizable file name.  Before your interview, you can review the job description and give some thought to not only what makes the job interesting to you, but also why your qualifications offer a good fit.  Employers use this question to determine whether you’re genuinely interested in the opening—or just trying to find a job … any job.

What would your previous supervisors or coworkers say about you?

If you’ve never thought about other people’s perspectives of your work, this question can catch you off guard in an interview.  Prior to your interview, take some time to remember any compliments previous coworkers have given you, or strengths your previous supervisors have noted during performance evaluations.  Then, rather than speculating on what previous coworkers might say, you can offer a concrete story from the past.

What are you still working on as a professional?

This is a simple rewording of the traditional, “What are your weaknesses as an employee?”  It’s good to have an answer ready to go for this question.  Every employee has areas in which there are opportunities for growth, but it’s important to have an answer prepared that you’ll feel good about when the interview is over.

Why did you leave your last job?

If you were terminated from your last position or you left due to personal conflicts, this is another question for which you should be prepared.  Lying in an interview can be grounds for future termination, so it’s important that you find a way to represent yourself both honestly and professionally.

What are you looking for in your next job?

This type of inquiry makes it sound as though an employer is interested in your personal wants and interests, but that’s sometimes not the true reason for the question.  Employers often use this question to rule out people who are looking for something other than what their opportunity provides.  For instance, if you are asked this question by the hiring manager for a busy police department, and you answer that you’re looking for a peaceful, calm working environment, you will appear to be a poor fit.  Your answer to this question should be in line with something the employer can offer you—like the opportunity to grow with the company or to perform community service with coworkers.

Preparation is the key.

People who have to present themselves in front of others spend a lot of time preparing.  Just think about all the prep time put in by pageant contestants, legal witnesses, or political candidates.  An interview is your chance to present yourself in the most favorable light possible.  It’s important to prepare—and to have great answers ready for the tough questions.

via greatresumesfast.com

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When Elevator Speeches Don’t Work for You | FreelanceSwitch

Permit me to introduce you to my mouth, the black hole from which no elevator speech can escape.

For some reason, which is probably embedded in my DNA, I’ve never been very good devising short, catchy descriptions of what I do for and how people will benefit from it. It’s to the point where, if someone asks, I’ll say, “I mangle elevator speeches!” Or words to that effect.

This is a common affliction, and one that isn’t just limited to creative freelancers. A few years ago, I was listening to a radio comedy show that is famous (or infamous) for the host’s penchant for wandering around the theater and mingling with audience members. During one broadcast, the host encountered a dentist. When asked what he did for a living, the dentist said, “I’m a smile designer.”

I could have sworn that I heard that man grimacing over the radio. He was obviously uncomfortable using such clever marketing-speak to describe his profession.

What’s worse, the host and the rest of the audience found the concept of “smile designer” to be hilariously funny. I’m willing to bet that the dentist went back to using the D-word to describe himself.

Okay, so you’re not a dentist. And you don’t play one on the radio. But you’re still going to be faced with situations when catchy self-introductions are called for. How can you make them work for you? Here are three solutions:

1.  Don’t just rely on words. Fifteen years ago, I was a member of a women’s networking group here in Tucson. I was trying to get established in the web design field, and I’d heard that attending this group’s meetings would be good for my business. Well, to make a long story short, hauling a website into a meeting just wasn’t going to work. (After all, this was 1995.) But there was another member who did packaging design. And she had a habit of bringing jigsaw puzzle boxes to the meetings so she could use them as “show and tell” pieces. Members never failed to marvel at them.

Well, times have certainly changed, haven’t they? There’s nothing that forbids web people from holding up a smart phone or an iPad showing examples of the latest designs. Same goes for photographers. Why not share postcards featuring your latest corporate portrait work? You could also be like the guy who gave out mugs that likened a programmer to a machine that turns coffee into code. Whatever is in good taste that makes you memorable, right?

2.  Poke fun at the whole idea of elevator speeches. Join me in being a butcher of them. Or come up with your own satirical shtick. Be like American late night TV host David Letterman and create a Top 10 List featuring the Stupidest Elevator Speeches. (Smile designers, beware!) Instead of enduring an awkward introductory moment, you and your conversation partners can work on building that list.

3. Find an elevator speech therapist. Instead of trying to come up with your own elevator speech, have a friend or trusted colleague help you.

After all, those pesky “What do you do?” questions aren’t going away, so you might as well make your peace with elevator speeches. And, for a little bit of Freelance Switch help in this area, read Will Kenny’s article as you work with your elevator speech therapist.

Tip: Your elevator speech therapist should be clever, but not overly so. After all, you need to be comfortable with what you’re going to use. Otherwise, you’ll come across like that reluctant smile designer.

Here’s an example of just the right amount of cleverness: I have a highly unusual last name, one that’s a real challenge to say and spell. A former boss devised this handy guide: “It’s like ‘metallic’ except that you put an ‘R’ at the beginning and a ‘k’ after the ‘c’.”

I don’t know how she came up such a thing – it had never occurred to me. But “Metallic-Retallick” felt right from the moment I heard it – and that was 20 years ago. (Thanks, boss!)

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Taking “Fail Fast” to a whole… ‘nutha… level

The definition for Human that you provide sounds like it’s basing it off of a Christian point of view, more specifically that man was perfect until Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit and were kicked out of the garden. The only reason I bring that up is that among the adjectives describing Human are mortal, flesh and blood, fallible, weak, imperfect. — All adjectives and ideas that are brought about based on the fall of man from the presence of God who was immortal, perfect, and unable to err.

I imagine if the dictionary was re-written today from a business point of view, you’d get a few different adjectives in there, like determined, opinionated, resourceful, etc.

I’m just saying, that when it comes down to it, definitions are a matter of perspective. When I used to participate in debate both parties would have to agree on a specific definition, otherwise you’d both be arguing against your own thoughts on the matter.

Well, that’s my 2 cents anyway. I enjoyed your post.
.-= Chris Mower’s latest blog post: How to Brainstorm for Success: Part 1 – An Introduction to Brainstorming =-.

Reply

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Personal Development Is Dying - Secrets of the Job Hunt Career Podcast

What happens to the training budgets and staff when a company is in financial trouble? They are cut, right.

What kind of budget does a small company (1-100 employees) have for training there workers on soft skills?

Where is the average employee getting their soft skills training today?

Are colleges and universities specifically developing self-awareness knowledge in their curricula?

These are the questions we need to think about and answer. We need leaders. We need good employees that won't leave due to poor management or unhealthy work cultures. This can't change unless we invest in the personal development of our workforce.

I've worked for a large law firm and smaller companies and I can honestly say that I have only received soft skill training once. OK, maybe twice, if you call Diversity Training soft skill development.

If this is indicative of what others have not experienced, we are all in trouble.

How do we expect to have a company of innovators and strategic leaders if we haven't taught them how to communicate effectively with different personalities or if they don't know how to manage their emotions? Do we expect a one-time seminar or workshop will "fix" them?

So maybe it isn't about "training" per se, but about building a mentoring program which would supply regular feedback and coaching and development.

Emotional Intelligence is a key factor to an individuals success in life and the job. Where are we supposed to go to learn how to develop our Emotional Intelligence? Todd Bavol of Adventures of the Job Search Ninja wrote a super post about Emotional Intelligence and if you are wondering what it is, here are the five elements as he simply defines them:

1. Knowing your emotions
2. Managing your emotions
3. Self-motivation
4. Recognizing and understanding the emotions of others
5. Managing relationships or, to put it another way, managing the emotions of others

These are the areas we should be developing. Improvement in these areas will make us better, stronger, more employable, better innovators, better leaders. Or so I think. What are your thoughts? Where is this training happening?

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Job Search Help & Career Advice from Career Expert Debra Wheatman : CAREEREALISM

By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Debra Wheatman

Many job search candidates spend innumerable hours pursuing employment opportunities; yet many do not achieve the desired results. Having worked with thousands of people trying to obtain positions of increased responsibility in their chosen industry or field, I have encountered the following common mistakes, resulting in failure to achieve optimal outcomes:

No organized search strategy: You need a plan. Keep yourself organized with a list of things you need to do on a daily basis. This list will allow you to focus your efforts in the areas that require your full attention. Would you go to the supermarket without a list of things you need? If you do, I will guarantee you forget to buy something or purchase things you don’t need. Your job search works in a similar fashion. The list will allow you to plan for a successful campaign.

No record keeping: It is important to keep a list or spreadsheet of some kind so you can review to whom you have sent your resume or the contacts made. There is no possibility of you being able to recall all of the companies or people that you have contacted – let alone those that may have contacted you. Without a record, you might miss an opportunity, or worse be unprepared when someone does reach out to you. Make sure you keep names, dates, and details of discussions you had. Your records will allow you to follow-up when appropriate and supports your organized approach (see above.)

No use of diverse search methods: You cannot simply apply online and think the calls are going to roll in. A job search requires far more effort than the use of the Internet. The following must be done to ensure a successful campaign:

• Identifying specific companies where you might be interested in working. Once you have a list, you should do some research to get the name of someone internally to direct your correspondence.
• Conducting research regarding the names of people in senior level positions. Use trade publications and the Internet to uncover names of people. Trade publications can be a great source of information, including providing you with movement within your targeted industry.
• Leveraging your network of friends and family members. Your network should also include people you meet at local networking events. You will not be able to join every group so choose wisely. Engage with people that you meet to establish relationships that can be reciprocal.
• Identifying a few niche job boards where you can post your resume. You should not broadcast it on every board out there. You will look desperate.
• Establishing a relationship with a few key recruiters. Like any relationship, you will need to work at maintaining contact. Recruiters definitely know the market and have contacts within the companies where them make placements. You cannot work with everyone. Make sure you choose wisely; be prepared to conduct a fair amount of follow up to keep communication lines open.

Failure to maintain a positive outlook: One of the best, and most important things you can do for yourself and your search is to develop and maintain a positive approach. Every person you meet or interact with represents an opportunity. Given people are drawn to those that are positive, a strong finish necessitates that you give positive vibes. Under no circumstances should you complain or be the picture of doom. It will take time; you will work hard – BUT in the end, the person who can remain engaged and willing to embrace a proactive and positive focus will generate results.

Enjoying this article? You could get the best career advice daily by subscribing to us via e-mail.

Failure to follow-up: Your search requires you reach out to people on an ongoing basis, including people you have already spoken with. To remain top of mind, it is imperative you have a plan to conduct follow-up. This doesn’t mean you should constantly call or email people. Following-up is a strategy too. If you are keeping your notes and remain organized, you will have the dates that you contacted people and can space your interactions so you remain memorable without being overbearing.

Failure to prepare for your interviews: Preparing for your interviews is important to ensure you are successful. You should be reviewing information about the company and position, and studying your resume so you are prepared to discuss the information in detail. Do some research on commonly asked interview questions so you can answer appropriately if someone throws you “What is your greatest weakness?” question. Make sure you are able to connect your achievements to how you will make an impact in a new role.

Poor appearance and grooming: You should dress to impress during your job search. This means that you should be dressed in a suit when you interview. Even if the company has a dress down policy, you are not yet part of the group. First impressions are lasting ones. If you go into the interview looking sloppy and unkempt, you are not going to make a positive or lasting impression on your audience – except that you did not look the part.

You have the power to establish a strong job search strategy. With a plan, you can and will achieve your goals. Preparation is half the battle; your winning is entirely predicated on how you establish and implement your program!

CAREEREALISM Expert, Debra Wheatman has more than 20 years’ experience developing career road maps to achieve professional success. Having coached thousands of clients, and written more than 10,000 résumés, Debra understands the importance of proper career planning. She has successfully helped clients negotiate improved compensation and positions in leading organizations. Follow Debra on Twitter.

The photo for this article is provided by Shutterstock.

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Open Networking: What’s Your Verdict? | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

When I joined LinkedIn during my job search, I did not yet have a large network of first-degree or second-degree contacts within my chosen industry and found it very challenging to reach any potential career stakeholders. I turned to open networking as sort of an experiment to see how it would serve me in my job search efforts by joining a couple LinkedIn groups for LIONs (a.k.a. LinkedIn Open Networkers).

As I gained more first-degree contacts, I gained more messaging access to them and their connections. As a result, I was able to set up a number of informational interviews, one of which led to an official interview and later the job offer for my current employment.

Therefore, I am very much a supporter of open networking; however, I realize that like all things, there are two sides which I believe should both be heard and considered.

To get the discussion going, I have reached out to several thought leaders to share their arguments for and against open networking.

FOR OPEN NETWORKING:

“As an ardent proponent of "Open Networking," I encourage it constantly in my work with clients and companies. According to research by Mark Granovetter cited in Herminia Ibarra's excellent book "Working Identity" (page 120), over 80% of job leads come from people outside of our key contact list (the numbers are 17% from strong ties, 55% from weak ties and 28% from weakest ties). By the use of Open Networking, the LinkedIn individual increases the opportunity for serendipity. I recently had a client who, through keeping his network open, made contact with a previously unknown individual in Washington State who was able to connect him with an employment opportunity he had discovered in Northeast Philadelphia. He had NO idea of who this person was, yet through LinkedIn was able to identify that this person had a strong connection to a position he had found here on the East Coast!” - Barry Davis

“I advise job seekers to become open networkers on LinkedIn because it increases their reach across the site. Without many connections, job seekers are limited to using InMail or group messages to contact other LinkedIn members in reference to their job searches. Open networking allows job hunters to reach out to recruiters and hiring managers to find out about openings or to follow up on posted positions. As a LinkedIn member, I had a person who was my first level connection ask me to forward a note to a hiring manager who was a connection of mine. I didn’t personally know the person who requested the favor, but I passed on the note without having to give a personal endorsement of the person. Most LinkedIn members are willing to help. As long as people reciprocate and are willing to help each other, being an open networker can benefit everyone.” - Cheryl Palmer

“I am an executive recruiter in Manhattan, and have been one for close to seven years. I have been using LinkedIn since July 2007. As of this moment, I have just shy of 10,000 contacts. I would guess that of those 10,000, I am personally acquainted with 100. The rest are perfect strangers. However, LinkedIn is my primary source for announcing job openings. It has never failed me. Period. End of discussion. I find candidates through LinkedIn. I have placed people who I have found through LinkedIn. There are, to the best of my knowledge, no downsides to using LinkedIn as an open networker. Some people have raised concerns. The first seems to be that as an open networker, you are associating yourself with strangers. My response is that everyone knows that the vast majority of contacts are strangers. You will not be held responsible for your contacts. That said, if a contact has a strange picture I will look at his or her profile and decide whether or not to keep them. I am looking for highly professional individuals. By definition, “highly professional individuals” do not post provocative photos or content on their profiles. So the people I delete are not the people who I would ever want as candidates.” - Bruce Hurwitz

AGAINST OPEN NETWORKING:

"Being a LinkedIn Open Networker is not a good idea. Why? Because who you publicly allow into your network reflects back on who you are. What does it say about you if you are linked to someone who posts inappropriate status updates? Who has conducted themselves in a "manner unbecoming" in the workplace? Who has been at the heart of a scandal of any sort? It does not say good things to a potential employer! In fact, I would think it would lead a recruiter to question your judgment. One of your top priorities during a job hunt should be to protect and put forth a positive, professional persona online and connecting with "just anyone" can easily throw that off-track. I'm not saying you need to have met, in person, everyone you connect with; however, you should have some knowledge of who they are, what they do, their reputation, etc.” - Robin Ferrier

“If every LinkedIn user connected indiscriminately, the system would completely stop working, and people would abandon the platform. Can you think of any positive reason that people would check into a system where millions of people "connected" to thousands of other people that they had no relationship with? (and "connect" in this fashion is not the same as a twitter connection - they are separate platforms)” - Steve Tylock

“The problem of being a Linkedin Open Networker is not the practice of encouraging connections that are unfamiliar. It is the unstructured nature of your resulting contacts and their lack of usefulness to your most important connections. The bell curve of members on LinkedIn is skewed toward service providers. As a LION, your connections will emulate that demographic and anyone who is connected to you will have their search results diluted by your unwieldy connections. This may result in your most important connections considering the removal of your profile as a direct connection. I am a proponent of being a LIHON, A Linkedin Handpicked Open Networker or a member that uses the ability to send messages for free to group members to handpick the most powerful connections, with or without a direct business experience. This will enhance the power of your profile and increase your credibility as a valuable Linkedin member.” - Brian Callahan

“Personally, the whole concept of “open networking” is something I oppose. Now don’t get me wrong, every once in a while I will make a LinkedIn connection with someone outside of my network, but usually that’s done with a specific purpose and within a relevant context for the person whom I’m reaching out to. The more people you add to your network – whether it’s LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter – the less attention you can focus on building relationships with each person in your network. I’m a believer that less is more. Rather than have thousands of meaningless connections, have a stronger, smaller network that knows you and will go to bat for you.” - Mario Schulzke

What are your thoughts? Are you for or against open networking? Why?

Has it hurt you or helped you?

Tell us your verdict!

Author:

Chris Perry, MBA is a Gen Y brand and marketing "generator," a career search and personal branding expert and the founder of Career Rocketeer and Launchpad.

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