The Tao of Networking

I've been thinking about the right title for this blog about networking.  I didn't want to use the words art or science because those are terms I've seen overused about networking.  I wanted to find a term that described networking as a philosophy, a way of being.  Then I thought about a posthumous collections of Bruce Lee's martial arts philosophy, the Tao of Jeet Kune Do. That was it - TAO!  The Tao of Networking is more of a principle, a path.    

My own Tao of Networking over the last 10 years (many of which have been spent on LinkedIn) are an accumulation of values and lessons learned from school leadership recruitment, making connections amongst my own networks, and meeting lots of people from all walks of life.

#1:  Networking is giving.  I read an Adam Grant article recently about this.  Yes when we reach out to people, there's something we usually want in return (advice, connections, a job!).  But I've learned to always offer what can I give in return.  I end every networking conversation by asking if there's anything I can do for the person.  I usually have something in mind based on the conversation, like making a connection for them, sharing a resource, or sharing a status update for the person's work.    

#2: Networking is learning.  I've had hundreds of networking conversations over the past two years.  I usually write a series of questions I ask each person, based on what it is I want to learn.  I've found that starting with a learning orientation, which makes me actively listen and more curious about the person, leads to new lessons!  For example, I had a great conversation with a trusted mentor.  Not only did she refer a number of great books on coaching, but gave me two easy pieces of advice as I coach clients:  Listen more and empower them to create their own path (and not YOUR path!).

#3: Networking is consistency.  It's all about the follow-up.  If you say you'll do something for someone, do it.  I take my networking notes and create a calendar appointment to follow up on an item.  Additionally, I'll email out any next steps from a conversation to hold myself accountable.  Most importantly, I reach out to three people every week to just say hi and ask what I can do for that person.  

There are plenty of great articles about the process for networking, from a good email ask to how to frame a successful networking conversation.  HOWEVER, without these values, networking then just become another item on our to-do list.  Why not network because it aligns with who we are!

What Can Computers Teach Us About Hiring in Education?

Computers & software can do a lot of complicated things: find you a restaurant, plot out your route, count your steps. They can even grade essays pretty well – and at a low price.

But can they – and should they – screen in or out candidates for your next position?

A recent Planet Money podcast focused on the increasing use of job-screening tests that help big businesses find call center employees and collections agents in ways that go far beyond screening resumes for keywords. The companies that create the tests work with their clients to identify their best (and longest-lasting) employees, isolate the qualities that predict such performance and retention, and then design tests that gauge which applicants have these qualities. Indeed, the podcast noted that the companies using these new online job assessments are finding that they do a better job of predicting employee performance and retention than they had achieved through traditional approaches like reviewing past job experience (through a resume) or asking about applicants’ strengths (through a cover letter or interview).

Why would a faceless computer program out-perform a friendly hiring manager? Planet Money pointed out the blatantly obvious: people are flawed. Angling for a job, employees may be inclined to write cover letters and answer screening tests in ways that are more about what they think the employer wants to hear than what's really true. Meanwhile, people like to work with people like them, so employers tend to look for cues in resumes and interviews that indicate whether candidates are like them – same or similar colleges, relevant volunteer experiences, and so forth – rather than focusing purely on skills or knowledge. And then there's past experience, which we often look to as a proxy for likely success. For Xerox, past experience in call centers was found to have little bearing on success or longevity among its call center employees. Elsewhere, Google has applied this “people analytics” to much of human resources work; the company backwards-mapped the characteristics of its most effective employees and found that its most successful employees don’t necessarily have college degrees, high test scores or strong grade-point averages. Google and other employers are also considering how to measure more intangible qualities like resilience, using not only formal application data and traditional job tests but also social data like LinkedIn profiles, Facebook profiles and Klout scores.

These new screening tests are designed to overcome these human problems, conducting a more objective screening of potential employees before bringing them in for an interview, and dig into applicants’ traits in unexpected ways: interestingly, the podcast revealed that collections agents’ success correlated with their creativity more so than with their persuasiveness. These tests also use clever approaches to uncover applicants’ true strengths and limitations. For example, rather than outright asking if potential call center employees are good at time management or are self-starters, “forced-choice” questions ask applicants to choose which of two statements best applies to them. This structure minimizes the chances that a candidate will simply pick the "right" answer, and maximizes the likelihood they'll just go with their honest gut feeling.

Could this approach work in education? First, we’d need to figure out which current teachers and administrators are effective – no small task. Then, we would isolate the qualities that distinguish the most successful and long-lasting employees from the rest of the pack, determine how to gauge those qualities upfront, and design valid and reliable tests that accurately measure those qualities. For example, the Haberman Educational Foundation claims its “Star Teacher Pre-Screener” questionnaire predicts 95% of the teachers who will stay and succeed (or fail/leave) based on measuring potential teachers’ beliefs and likely behaviors. Gallup’s TeacherInsight screening tool also promises to surface the best potential teachers, although it’s unclear whether it maps to improved student achievement in teachers’ classrooms. We might also bring in some of the tools and techniques being developed for the corporate world: imagine if employers or teacher training programs used games like those developed by Knack for corporations and medical schools to assess teacher candidates’ classroom management skills or social intelligence before awarding them a degree or credential.

This approach could teach us humans a thing or two – if we're willing to have our biases reprogrammed.

Getting Invited to the Big Dance

You can hear the sweet band of trumpets and percussions in the background playing your favorite song. You marvel at the intricate footwork gracing the shiny hardwood floor. Your heart pounds with anticipation, seemingly in sync with every bouncing beat... For all the bracketologists and devout college basketball fans out there, you know that there's only one "Dance" and everyone wants a shot at getting invited.

Sorry to disappoint, I’m not actually going to talk basketball or predictions for your office pools. I just thought it would be fun to look at the job selection process in a different way, and with March Madness soon upon us, I thought it was fitting to use it as an analogy.

To my fellow sports fans, I know you will follow, but for those who thought the Big Dance was about Dancing with the Stars, please indulge me if you will… :)

I am simply suggesting that the selection process for a job shares many of the same elements as the selection process for March Madness. The teams not entered automatically by winning their conference have to be chosen; this selection process is competitive, serious, and intense.  Teams are prudently reviewed by a Committee, and what is most carefully scrutinized and assessed is their track record, their quality and rigor of play, and the way they finish off a season. Those whose records stand out get invited to the “Big Dance.”

Similarly, proven track record, quality and rigor of work, and end results are key factors employers consider in prospective employees.  “Proven track record,”  “demonstrated ability,” “results driven” – sound familiar?  - all common language used in job posts to describe the type of employee an organization is looking to hire.  When an employer asks or looks at your resume to learn about your experience, she/he is not just looking to see what you’ve done, she/he is looking to see how successful you’ve been at what you’ve done and at the context of your work (did the team have a flawless record over easy teams or a strong record playing against top seeds/did you help maintain an already high performing school, or did you turn around a failing school).  While experience is important of course, it’s quality over quantity. More than just years of experience, employers are looking for people who took on and overcame a challenge in the organization, used an innovative approach to solving a long standing problem for the organization, guided an idea from concept through implementation, created a program that had huge impact the organization’s bottom line, or raised achievement or profit levels. It’s not enough to successfully complete tasks to carry out a job.  It’s about outcomes and results!

With that said, the place to start is your resume.  Your resume is the instrument that will often determine (potentially along with a Google search, which is becoming more standard) whether you get called for the interview, and get your foot in the door. In a competitive market, where there are large numbers of resumes pouring in for one position, your resume has to stand out. Task oriented resumes are helpful to the extent that they help build understanding around the kinds of skills and experience you bring, but results or outcome based resumes provide the opportunity to distinguish yourself from other candidates with the same or even more years of experience.  Instead of just sharing that you’ve been a teacher for 10 years, take the opportunity to highlight some of your successes in student achievement in your 10 years to separate yourself out from the others. A hiring manager will take notice because you will show that you have skills, know-how, and successful strategies that are proven and are working.  Hiring managers may ask for candidates with a minimum number of years of experience (feeling that a person has to have had a certain amount of exposure to the job and the work to be well prepared), but there is no longer the assumption that someone who has more years of experience is automatically a stronger candidate than someone with less. Hiring Managers dig deeper, and not only look at where you’ve worked and for how long, but at the quality and rigor of your work, and the contributions you made and goals you achieved.

Once you land the interview and your foot is in the door, then you’ll have your chance to share more deeply the quality of your experience and the significance of the work you’ve done to that point, and how that all translates to success in the role for which you are applying. It is then that you will have your shot of being invited to the “Big Dance!”  

So when you use your resume to guide a potential employer through your professional journey, make sure to point out your successes and all the contributions you have made along the way!   

Applying this strategy will be the difference between you wishing or swishing. (sorry, couldn’t resist :))

Passion Matters!

Sure you qualify, but are you passionate about the work? Does the mission of the organization or institution resonate with your innermost being? Is your organization hiring talent that champions your mission?

Now, don’t be turned off by the word passion. Hear me out. Get the images of Fabio and trashy romance novels out of your head. Now, think about what is meaningful to you. Think about what you will be proud of accomplishing at the end of the day.  Passion is a vital force driving the education industry but it's not something we openly recruit or hire for. We emphasize skill, background and training (all critical aspects, of course), but there is a lot more to consider.

The scope of work for education professionals and leaders has grown significantly more complex with dramatic shifts that emphasize skills like autonomy, creativity, relationship management and critical thinking to address major, multi-dimensional problems. Because education is changing, so is the work of delivering the systems, resources, and talent needed to educate the next generation of leaders.  So, getting back to your passion. What does this mean for prospective hires and for hiring managers looking to identify new talent?

Alignment of Mission with your Core Values

These are questions I ask myself both when seeking new opportunities and when acting as a hiring manager. I love to ask candidates to reflect on the mission of the organization I represent and explain why it is important. "What resonates with you?" This can sometimes be more important than the skills they bring to the table because someone who believes in their work whole-heartedly will bring a level of passion and engagement that can serve as a pillar of the organization.

As a job seeker, you need to carefully assess how aligned an organization’s mission is with your own. You are looking to establish a long-term partnership that will enable you to grow and develop as a professional, and you should also be looking for an organization that closely aligns with your personal values, as this is what will propel you forward to do what it takes to accomplish your vision.  It’s this alignment that will ignite your creativity and energize you to push forward against the odds. (Cue the midnight oil analogy.)

Yes, you are qualified, but…

This section is primarily for hiring managers, although it's certainly useful for job seekers too. Having the right set of qualifications and relevant background is vital to ensuring the right fit for the role. However, don’t become fixated with fancy qualifications and credentials (I’m speaking with you, Harvard) without considering the whole package. Think about the skills that can be developed and those that are fundamental to the successful performance of a role. The right job description and recruitment campaign can generate a strong pool of potential hires, but what will set the best candidates apart? Here is where your organization’s culture, mission and values come into play. I argue that the candidates who possess strong personal convictions and the vision to think beyond what is needed are the ones who rise to the top – not just during the interview, but well beyond - ensuring strong impact and results. 

Bringing it together, why passion matters

I’ve worked in the education sector for almost 12 years in non-profits, private agencies, and with various school districts. The higher up the rungs I go, the more complex and ambiguous I've found the work becomes. I (and my colleagues) work very hard, we work long hours, and we have to define strategies and find solutions to increasingly complex and multi-faceted problems. The urgency of improving educational outcomes for our neediest students is staggering, no matter where in the country you work.  As a child of immigrant parents, education is fundamentally tied to my core personal values and it is this passion (not necessarily my morning coffee) that fuels me to continue working hard every day. I am devoted to improving educational outcomes for children, and my contribution to this vision is finding excellent educators and leaders to lead schools and classrooms.

Here’s to finding your passion! 

Going For the Gold

I admit it.  I am an Olympics junkie and have been watching the highlights of these events every night.  Who cannot be inspired by the amazing athletes of the Sochi Winter Olympics?  Think of all the years and years of training each athlete spends for their one shot to stand on the medal platform and represent their sport and their country.   

As a talent management consultant, I couldn’t help but see a parallel with athletes training and applicants preparing for their job interviews.  Okay, it’s a little bit of a stretch, but you get the picture.  Like an athlete, you have one shot to make it to the medal round so why not prepare to put your best foot forward?

Here are some pointers on how to make it to the medal round of the job search process:

• Do your research!  Make sure to read through the organization’s website and/or any brochures.  Read through staff bios and get a sense of the culture of the organization from pictures and videos.  I’m always amazed when I have applicants ask me about something that is clearly stated on the organization’s website or if they even ask me to tell them a little about the mission of the organization. 
• Ask around to former colleagues or peers who may know something about the organization.  If you know someone who used to work there, even better.  They would be able to give you an inside scoop of what is going on internally, for better or for worse.
• Think of questions that you’ll face.  Most hiring managers want to get a sense of the kind of work you have done and what results you yielded.  Practice with a friend to answer commonly asked interview questions.
• Be prepared for some non-traditional questions to see if you can think on your feet.  I was once asked at a job interview to choose the best beverage that describes the type of person I am.  My choices were milk, water or orange juice.   
• Be positive, no matter what type of situation you left from a previous employer and definitely do not disparage any former employees or supervisors.
• Keep your answers to the point.  Don’t go off on too many tangents.  Don’t risk losing the interest of the interviewer and coming across as unfocused. 
• Ask questions at the end of the interview.  This shows you are inquisitive and thoughtful.  I always ask about the interviewer’s background.  Everyone likes to talk about their own experiences and how they got to their current position.

Finally, be genuine and passionate about the mission of an organization.  If you truly believe in the organization’s mission, this will come across during your conversations.   What athlete made it to the medal round without true passion for their sport?  Speaking of which, I need to go back and finish watching tonight’s prime time coverage.   

KISS

Keep it Simple Stupid!

The unofficial season of kissing is upon us with Valentine’s Day arriving on February 14th. If you’re thinking about starting a career search, it’s time to take your KISS to the next level. No, I’m not suggesting you take on any untoward strategies to get the job of your dreams. Rather, seal your next job application with the kind of KISS that matters – Keep It Simple Stupid!

The Resume – Size does matter. There are all sorts of opinions about optimal resume length but all that really matters is that you keep it relevant, succinct and to the point. If you’re over 30 and applying for a job, no one really cares about your college work study job. Make sure your resume doesn’t just look like you’re open to any job someone wants to give you. Be sure that it highlights those positions that are most relevant to the job you want to achieve. If the reader has to hunt to find where you’ve worked, what your key job responsibilities have been, or how long you worked at each job, your resume needs some tweaking. Resumes aren’t meant to be puzzles for the reader to piece together, but rather a road map detailing stops along a path.

The Cover Letter – Sure, you want to grab the reader’s attention with a cover letter that stands out. However, be sure it stands out for all the right reasons. Grammatical or typographical errors, at the very least, leave room to question attention to detail or solid command of the English language. Multiple errors make it clear that its writer belongs in the rejection pile. Remember, also, that the cover letter is not a graduate thesis. It is your chance to highlight key attributes and skills that make you a highly qualified candidate for the job.

The Application – I hope you’re sitting down for this because I’m about to share some secrets from the recruitment and selection world that are guaranteed to get you an interview. To be honest, none of this is rocket science and it definitely shouldn’t be kept a secret. Once you figure this out, please share it with everyone you know.

Secret #1: Answer all of the application questions.

Secret #2: If your application answers are not aligned with the job description, save yourself a future rejection by not even bothering to apply. Your application will be screened for how closely your answers match the criteria outlined in the job description. So, if it says you need at least 5 years experience doing underwater basket weaving but your only experience is 6 months of needlepoint, you’re just setting yourself up for rejection by applying. My advice: just keep it moving; there’s nothing to see here!

What candidate screener doesn’t love a good KISS!?

Why Search Consultants Make Business Sense

The Challenge

If people make an organization, why is recruitment often a second tier priority for most organizations?

Most HR leaders including myself will say, “no, no, no – our people are our greatest asset and hiring the best talent is one of the most important priorities in our organization.”

Very often in today’s world of efficiency and productivity, the strategic initiatives that are so important to our organizations are under-resourced while we battle the business priorities of the day. We can easily close out a 10-hour day of managing the tactical priorities that are most pressing “right now”, and fail to dedicate the time and planning required for a successful talent acquisition effort.

As an HR leader I have spent many an evening and weekend screening applications and talking with candidates. These working hours were not ideal for me, the candidates, or my organization; this was simply the only time I could allocate to recruitment and talent acquisition.

Relegating search activities to a lower priority often leads to a less rigorous effort, which in turn can lead to a poor hiring decision. And, if you have been in the business long enough, you understand how costly a poor hiring decision can be to your organization and to you.

Another interesting dynamic we deal with today is what to do with the unqualified candidates who apply to an ad or our website(s). An organization’s brand is increasingly valuable in today’s social media world.

• Do you respond to all applicants?
• Do you personally contact interviewed candidates to respectfully inform them that they didn’t make the cut?

A Solution

Do you have several open positions or just one really tough position to fill?  Don’t know where to start recruiting because it seems like such a daunting task?  There are so many advantages to hiring a search consultant; these individuals make a profession out of hiring the right person for the job.

Here are a few benefits that come along with hiring a third party recruiter:

•    A structured approach
•    Existing & relevant professional networks
•    Access to candidates
•    Objective outsider's perspective
•    Protection from alienating great candidates lacking the experience you seek  
•    Protection from politically sensitive relationships that may be bruised from the  search & selection process
•    The resources to respectfully manage all applicants

Want to learn more?  Feel free to reach out to us at http://www.redwoodcircle.org/contact/ or leave a comment on this page.  Thanks for reading!

- Viviana Pyle, Senior Consultant

She’s Just Not That Into You

Why Hiring and Dating Are More Similar Than You May Think

First of all, in the interest of full disclosure I should say that it is possible some might not think me qualified to write a blog piece that talks about the world of dating.  I met my husband more than 15 years ago and have not dated anyone since, which means my last dating experiences came not only before the days of social media, “meet-ups,” and online dating services, they were also before regular people had cell phones.  If we wanted to meet up with one another, we left messages on each other’s home machines, called the other person during our work day and tried to talk quietly so our co-workers in the next cubicle wouldn’t snicker too much, or (shocking, I know!) made firm plans a day or more in advance.  I doubt many 20-somethings today would even recognize the dating rituals in which we participated. 

So why, you may ask (given my substantial disclaimer upfront) would I presume to speak about how dating and hiring are more similar than one might think?  It is because, although it’s been a while since I have been out on the market for both things, I remember clearly the feelings and thoughts I experienced when I was – and they are almost identical.  “Does he like me?” “Did I make a good impression?”  “I wonder if they will call me this week?”  “How long should I wait before I call them?” “Am I really that interested?  How will I know?”  One of the most important – and most difficult – characteristics of success in either scenario is a clear understanding of your own needs and value proposition and how they match up with the qualities and interests of the other party.

As hiring managers (or in my case, search consultants), it is easy to become seduced by someone’s credentials and qualifications – their Ivy League degrees, deep and relevant experiences, referrals and high recommendations from trusted sources – and forget that the candidate selection process should be a give and take on both sides.  We need to make sure they are passionate about and committed to us as much if not more than we are passionate about and committed to them.  Otherwise, we are like the guy in the movie chasing the ideal catch and losing sight of the really great girl next door who loves us for who we are.  If a potential hire is haggling aggressively about money, taking forever to respond about an offer, or easily swayed to consider another opportunity, it’s probably a good sign that he or she is just not that into you and your time will be better spent finding someone passionate about your mission and committed to working with you for the long term.

Similarly, it is important for organizations to not only put their best foot forward, confident in the value they are offering to employees, but also to be realistic and honest about the challenges new hires will face when and if they come on board.  Deception during the courting phase doesn’t do anyone any favors and can lead both parties down a path of regret, frustration, or hurt.  If a lasting match is to be made, it will be because both sides have been open and honest about their strengths and weaknesses and have decided together that they can work through their differences and form a strong, enduring partnership.  Regardless of how people find one another, it is these kinds of relationships that lead to great things in terms of high levels of loyalty and job satisfaction and – most importantly – long-lasting sector impact.