Microsoft director of people on how to find the right people for jobs

Microsoft director of people on how to find the right people for jobsMicrosoft director of people on how to find the right people for jobsLadders recently spoke with Dr. Laura Hamill, former Microsoft Director of People Research and current Chief People Officer and Chief Science Officer at employee experience software company Limeade. Read on as Dr. Hamill discusses her storied HR background, what technologies are reshaping the field, what an inclusive workplace looks like and much more.What initially attracted you to the field of HR/talent acquisition/recruiting?I grew up in a household that struggled to make ends meet, so as a child I dreamed of having a big career that was exciting, fulfilling and secure. I also wondered if there was a way to use my creative yet academic spirit to solve some of the problems that I saw my parents bring home every day like struggling to find purpose at work. In college, I discovered business psychology a context I was advised against because it wa s a new field within psychology and there was some skepticism in its future. But I knew in my gut it was a place that Id thrive and today I sit at the center of the multi-million-dollar HR technology industry all designed to influence the way employees work and live.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreHow important of a role does technology, like data science, for example, play in the field of HR and specifically in your work?Technology allows us to communicate and engage employees in a scalable, consistent and effective way. What the industry has done with AI, personalization and user experience is astounding and will only continue to evolve into consumer-grade experiences. Whats important to remember though, is that technology is a means to an end. Technology can facilitate, but human beings are mucksmuschenstill required to create great places to work and connect technology to business objectives. No matter how smart or sexy your technology is, it will only be worth the investment if its making you a better company and if you really choose wisely making your employees lives better in the process. What technology/innovation/platform has had the most profound effect on the field of HR/recruiting in the past year or two, and why? What has had the most impact on the HR/recruiting space are technologies that bring individual point solutions together and work to solve problems from the perspective of employees. When technology brings employees into the fold, it can be incredibly powerful. What are the biggest challenges, from a technical and/or business standpoint, that those in recruiting and talent acquisition face nowadays? HR organizations tend to have high walls- they are very siloed and are not solving for the experience of their employees. Each group is really trying hard, but the duplication of efforts, the lack of an integrated approach, the overwhe lming number of resources really make it difficult to have the desired impact on employees. We need organizations to breakdown these silos and create unified people strategies that require HR departments to work together in new ways.Besides compensation, what are the most effective ways to show employees you care, and why?While an employee certainly cares about salary and might directly link their value at the company to the number on their paycheck, we know it doesnt define their worth. Im a firm believer that while compensation matters, its not the only way you show employees they are valued. It happens in the day-to-day behaviors that prove the organization cares about each employee as a human being - and for their unique contributions to the group. To authentically show you care, invest in well-being, foster an inclusive workplace, take action on employee engagement surveys and communicate with clarity and transparency.What does an actual, inclusive workplace actually look like , and how does one achieve it?Inclusion happens on a daily basis, everywhere from onboarding to an employees last day on the job. Think about the small, landseemingly insignificant interactions, like a leader asking a young employees opinion in a meeting, a manager avoiding the term you guys or an individual asking a colleague about their background. It can also happen at the company level making sure employees arent required to travel on their religions holidays, recognizing employees for their unique approach to a project or establishing employee resource groups where employees can connect and learn. Ultimately, inclusion can be measured by a sense of belonging, connection, and community at work. Its really about how you feel connected to your workplace and the people around you. An organization that has mastered inclusion is one where people feel encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. Between voicing diverse points of view and finding a sense of connection to others, th is is what makes inclusion real.What are the key steps that recruiters should take to develop and strengthen relationships with job candidates?The employee experience starts with recruiters. Those first interactions are the foundation of candidates perceptions of a company and can ultimately impact their likelihood to pursue or accept a job there. In todays job market, employees have the upper hand so its important to approach each interaction with respect and intention. Its also critical to give candidates a realistic portrayal of the company culture. Is it fast-paced and growth-driven? Relaxed and highly interpersonal? There are plenty of ways to be transparent but still complimentary of each culture and in the end, it will result in a better fit and lower turnover.What should HR/recruiting/talent acquisition execs look for when recruiting job candidates?Because cultural fit is so important, interview for values just as much as experience. At Limeade we do this by assigning each i nterviewer a company value, give them tangible examples of how the value personifies and provide value-specific questions to ask. In addition to experience, this allows us to evaluate not just WHAT work theyll get done, but HOW theyll do it.What should they avoid?Avoid candidates that are in it for the wrong reasons. Its easy to find people that want a bigger paycheck, a better commute or to leave a current job that they hate. Whats harder is finding the people that believe in your mission and are willing to work for you through the ups and downs that all companies face. Will they feel a sense of purpose coming into work each day? Will they live your values? Will they challenge the status quo by bringing unique perspectives and experiences? If youre not sure, theyre likely not a fit. Where do you see the field of HR/recruiting/talent acquisition headed?We are going to be less about process and specific functional expertise and solving more for treating people like human beings - ca ring for them and solving more for how they feel when they are at work. No longer will we downplay the value of subjective data or call them soft skills, but instead, we will fully embrace how important it is for our employees to feel energized, engaged and cared for.What has been the most satisfying moment of your career/proudest career achievement, and why?Looking back on times that were hard, where we dug deep and found a way to turn things around I feel so proud of working through those hard times. I have had times like this as an individual employee and working on a team. There have been times when I needed to stand up to a powerful leader or a time when we needed to rethink our business direction - those are the moments Im really proud of

What to Do When Your Boss Keeps Changing His Mind -The Muse

What to Do When Your Boss Keeps Changing His Mind -The MuseWhat to Do When Your Boss Keeps Changing His Mind After weeks of pouring all of your time and energy into a new project, you turn it in and are feeling pretty victorious. Moments later, your supervisor walks over to your desk. It feels a little soon for praise, but OK, why not?She sits down and tells you that youll need to go back to the drawing board.Wait, what?Then she starts describing the revisions shes looking for, and theyre nothing like the project you were assigned. Is your manager an indecisive flip-flopper, or was she saying this all along and you completely missed her point? Here are two key questions you can ask to figure out what happened and prevent this from happening again (and again).Are We Shifting Our Primary Goals?Your first reservierung of business is to learn if there are new considerations. Even though its a little annoying to start over, if recent budget cuts or new information from the client has come to light, this question ensures youll have the information you need to revise your work. It also reassures you that you heard your boss correctly the first time (important for overall communication and your self-esteem)- and reminds him that you were doing your best to deliver what he originally asked for. As a bonus, its a gentle nudge in his direction to keep you in the loop as much as possible.Conversely, if youre told the audience, focus, and metrics are the same as theyve always been, youll know that you and your manager have been on two different pages. Clearing this up is the first order or business- otherwise youll keep making the same types of mistakes. This time around, instead of using his recommendations as a jumping off point, plan to stick to exactly what he asks. Take notes- verbatim- and wherever theres room for interpretation, ask for clarification. Clearly, your boss has specific expectations, and it will make both of your jobs easier if youre clear on what they a re.What Can I Do to Make the Next Version Successful?OK, your tone really matters on this one. If theres even a hint of I cant believe I have to rework this in your voice, it could come off as passive-aggressive. And thats not your goal Your goal is to zero in on the exact flaws and areas for improvement. Theres no need to redo the parts of the project that are working- and at the same times its essential that you do revise the elements where your supervisor expects changes.This question moves the conversation to what your boss sees as a miss. Sometimes, it gives you an opening to discuss why you got (overly) creative, and either way it ensures you and your manager will be on the same page moving forward.Youre always trying to shave minutes off your daily to-do list. Being asked to completely revise your work is basically the enemy because it forces you to spend time redoubling your efforts. Use the questions above to figure out where you went astray, get back on the same page as yo ur boss, and avoid going through this process again.Photo of confusing messages courtesy of Shutterstock.

How to Respond to Pushback During Salary Negotiation

How to Respond to Pushback During Salary NegotiationHow to Respond to Pushback During Salary NegotiationWere often told, Women dont ask as partial justification for the gender pay gap. But when women (or men, for that matter) doask, the answer isnt always going to be Yes. Sometimes, despite negotiating strongly and confidently stating your value to an employer, your manager or a prospective employer may simply push back on your request for the salary that you know youre worth, holding firm to their initial figure.Heres what to do if you find yourself getting pushback during salary negotiationsIf you hearThe salary on this position is set by HR- I really cant go up at all.Then try saying something like this I understand exactly where youre coming from, and what youre saying makes perfect sense. From my perspective, Ive spent a considerable amount of time researching the standard salary range for this position in our area, and based on my experience level, I do believe that the figure should be a bit higher. Would it be possible for you to share ansicht thoughts with HR and get back to me?Keep in mind To use this approach, its important to have actually done your research first you need to have hard data to back up your assertions. You might even bring printouts of your findings to your negotiation meeting and provide a copy to the manager, or offer to share a copy with HR.Also, if youre negotiating for a new position, be aware that you should only use this approach if youre willing to risk losing the current offer. If you feel strongly that you wont take the job unless the salary comes up to the level that you want, then this is a great strategy. But if you will be devastated if the hiring team offers the position to someone else who is less picky about salary, then dont use it.If you hear My hands are tied on the salary- its based on the corporate band for this level of employee.Then try saying something like this I definitely understand, and Im wondering if we might be able to make a case together to HR about my unique credentials and experience. Ive done quite a bit in my previous roles that I feel justifies my move into the next salary band.Keep in mind If you try this, be sure that youre prepared to spell out exactly what youve achieved that makes you rise above other candidates. Hard data is critical here- your goal is to be able to quantify your achievements and prove your value through specific accomplishments. For example, if your fundraising efforts grew your departments contributions by 30% last year, be sure thats on your resume and be ready to talk about it in detail.If you hearI cant bump up the salary offer, but we may be able to add a little mora vacation time instead.Then try saying something like thisI really appreciate that, and benefits are an important part of the package. But I would be more comfortable if we could find a way to meet in the middle about the salary. Is there any way to find flexibility in that number, given my experience level and strong credentials for the position?Keep in mindAs above, if you refer to your credentials as a bargaining chip, be prepared to showcase specific quantifiable achievements. If you dont win with this salary negotiation and still want the job, all is not lost- you can shift gears to negotiating for more benefits.Theres no guarantee that any specific negotiation efforts will prove fruitful since the outcome depends on several factors that are not in your control (like the budget of the department and the mood of the manager). But by continuing to push back against salary negotiation pushback, you just might talk your way into the number you want.Wish you could talk through your job search and career questions with someone?SIGN UP FOR CAREER COACHING

10 Leadership Books All Managers Should Read - The Muse

10 Leadership Books All Managers Should Read - The Muse10 Leadership Books All Managers Should ReadIf you do your job, and you do it well, youll continue to move up the career ladder. And thats awesome. But as you make that climb, youll start to realize that being a manager of one, two, 20, 100 people is hard And that you need to be more than a boss, you need to be a leader. While there are many resources out there on making this happen- my favorites continue to be books. As CEO of a fast-growing startup, I do my best to always have something on-hand to read- whether its that days Wall Street Journal, a book by one of my favorite philosophers, or the latest autobiography of a leader I admire. Ive always enjoyed expanding my knowledge base and believe that all (aspiring) leaders should set aside time outside of email, meetings, and conference calls to settle in with something thatll improve their skills.Here are my personal recommendations for the 10 books (in no particular order) eve ryone should have in his or her personal library1. Paradox of Choice Why More Is Less by Barry SchwartzDecision-making is a necessary skill for anyone in charge. This book identifies why less is more and prepares us to find balance and happiness in the choices we make whether business or personal. 2. Take the Lead Motivate, Inspire, and Bring Out the Best in Yourself and Everyone Around You by Betsy MyersMyers took a leap of faith when she signed on to serve as COO of a grassroots presidential campaign for an up-and-coming Chicago senator (who you know as our 44th president). Take the Lead offers insightful and inspiring advice about taking command and bringing out the best in yourself.3. Who The A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart and Randy StreetAssuming people- not strategy- drive organizational success, businesses need to increase their odds of hiring the very best employees. The Who methodology provides the footprint to increasing the likelihood of hiring top performers from 50% to 90%.4. The Advantage Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick LencioniThis one is my favorite of Lencionis amazing collection of books. Once youve hired the A players in your organization, youll need to focus on organizational health and how your company can maximize productivity and align everyone toward the companys core objectives. Thats where The Advantage comes in.5. Startup CEO A Field Guide to Scaling Up Your Business by Matt BlumbergBlumbergs book is like having a mentor or an advisor on speed dial. This is a must-read book for any first-time leader. Blumbergs framework for how CEOs should think about their workdays and goals has helped me structure my time and energy more effectively as my organization scales. 6. Thrive The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder by Arianna HuffingtonOne of the most influential businesswoman today, Huffington shares advice for wholly changing your life- from sleeping habits, to your addiction to technology, to reframing how you think about success. 7. Collaborative Intelligence Thinking With People Who Think Differently by Dawna Markova, PhD and Angie McArthurA collaborative workforce is often more creative, engaged and forward-thinking, and the best leaders can engage and work well with a variety of people. McArthur and Markova provide actionable tips to improving collaboration skills, all backed by neuroscience.8. The Secrets of Happy Families Improve Your Mornings, Tell Your Family History, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More by Bruce FeilerHopefully your career is fulfilling, but you still need work-life balance. Its easy to take family life and happiness for granted. This book does a great job of sharing useful insights to better connect with your family during your off hours- making turning your email off on the weekends easier than ever.9. Difficult Conversations How to Discuss What Matters Most by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila HeenNo leader should avoid the tough talks Its part of business. In Difficult Conversations, the authors provide a framework for navigating confrontation from start to finish, showing you how to stay balanced and use productive problem solving skills. 10. Love Em or Lose Em Getting Good People to Stay by Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-EvansTurnover is expensive, and when youre working on building a company, the last thing you want is for your top employees to leave and have to start at square one again. This book should be part of all managers libraries- its one you can keep turning back to with valuable insight and actionable engagement strategies.These are some of the books that have proved most helpful to me. Tweet me your favoritesPhoto of man reading courtesy of Shutterstock.

Top Secret Facts About Police Resume Revealed by an Old Pro

Top Secret Facts About Police Resume Revealed by an Old Pro Getting the Best Police Resume Be sure that your resume contains a minumum of one instance of every one of the typical important skill keywords in the jobs you apply for. You need to consider an internship while youre studying. Internship provides the chance to work in the actual atmosphere. When creating your military resume youre going to be concentrating on the ways your military experience can be readily transferred to a civilian job and possible employers will quickly find the value that youre able to provide their company. There are lots of skills a veteran picks up during their service that are quite valuable to employers, but understanding how to phrase them on a civilian resume is somewhat tricky. You have to create a resume that highlights the particular skills employers want. Your prospective employer is likely to binnensee your resume long before you experience a chance to see them. The Nuiances of Polic e Resume You need to handle it quite effectively. When it isnt a winner, it is a killer. Its possible to incorporate equally as much as you like to find the work which you desire. You will be able to incorporate equally as much as you like to find the work that you want. To find out more on what it requires to be a Police Detective, take a look at our complete Police Detective Job Description. To find out more on what it requires to be a Police Officer, have a look at our complete Police Officer Job Description. Police officers and detectives utilize analytical skills to ascertain what other support or resources are necessary. Loss Prevention Loss prevention officers are accountable for securing areas which sell goods. Hiring managers would wish to know if you possess the necessary skills and have more to offer you. If youve worked in the policing department before as an officer and will need to produce a resume, you need to give information of your activities at work, whic h you can merely do by utilizing the duties and obligations of the role provided above. Obtaining a job for a polizze officer may be a rewarding career choice, but first you want to land an interview. To start with, a police officer has to be physically and mentally strong to execute the everyday activities related to the job. If youre searching for work, its essential to have a powerful resume however there are numerous folks that are intimated in creating 1. If youre looking for job, its required to have a powerful resume however there are some people that are intimated in developing a single. Each one of our creative style layouts offer you a perfectly well balanced mixture of personality, professionalism and a bit of style. Each one of our creative style layouts provide you a perfectly well balanced mixture of personality, professionalism and a tiny style. Police Resume - Dead or Alive? A POST certification isnt on the authorities officer requirements list in the majority of states. Its indeed necessary that you do thorough research on the organization or agency youre applying for. Know that your resume is only one of the numerous that the recruiter may receive, and that means you will need to be sure you hit the nail on the head by means of your objective or else you might not be noticed by the employer. Choosing Good Police Resume Though, life for a police officer comes with its share of danger and stress, it might be quite rewarding also. He has to be knowledgeable, professional, and calm at all times. Youre going to find an ideal police officer resume sample. A military police officer is basically the exact same as a normal police officer, except they work within a military base. Your target here is to supply a short but compelling overview of what youre aiming for and what you have the ability to Abring to the tableA. The capability to work nicely with other people to accomplish a frequent objective is critical for a harmonious workp lace. There are various ways to organize your resume. Therere prepared for transfer, if youd prefer and wish to get it, just click save symbol on the internet page, and itll be immediately down loaded in your pc. You will find various totally free cv templates that you discover that its feasible to choose from. You will discover a selection of completely free cv templates that you discover that its feasible available. Utilizing a resume template has become an acceptable and smart practice for any number of factors. There are a number of absolutely free curriculum vitae templates easily available on the web although sometimes it can be extremely tricky to select the best one which can be best suited to you.

New Step by Step Roadmap for Tips for Writing a Strategy Analyst Resume

New Step by Step Roadmap for Tips for Writing a Strategy Analyst Resume New Step by Step Roadmap for Tips for Writing a Strategy Analyst Resume Getting your key skills at the peak of your resume is a brilliant approach to find an employers attention and encourage them to keep on reading your resume. Youve got a little window of time to have the interest of a hiring manager so brevity and focus is important. The ideal way to do thats to make sure the information included matches the attributes and techniques sought in the work listing. As a member, youre get business analyst job alerts sent right to your inbox so that you can waste no time applying to the ones that youre most interested in. The degree of creativity youll be able to apply to your resume is dependent upon your field of expertise. A good resume isnt a tool for the interviewer, its in reality a tool for you. There are lots of skills that you ought to include on your resume, and they vary wildly depending on the specific schriftart of analysis job youre pursuing. The many skills related to the industry have to be exhibited in consultant resumes. If you are not able to figure out the name of your recipient, its possible to still allow it to be thoughtful by merely saying Dear Hiring Manager. The typical monthly salary of a company analyst is over $5,000. The sample Analyst Resumes will allow you to cite what things to include and what things to avoid when drafting the resume all on your own.

How to Write a Good Resume in 7 Easy Steps

How to Write a Good Resume in 7 Easy StepsHow to Write a Good Resume in 7 Easy StepsWriting a resume can feel like a daunting task - just one more item on your never-ending to-do list. But if youre hoping to score an interview for your dream job, bear in mind that a well-written resume can be your foot in the door. Put anotlageher way, your resume and cover letter are key pieces of marketing collateral for your career.Resume formats have changed over the years, and its important to make sure yours meets todays standards. How should it look, how long should it be and what should it include? Here are three guiding principles for how to make a good resume.Tips for writing a resumeUnless you have more than a decade of experience in your career, limit your resume to one page.Avoid using flashy fonts or unusual formats to attract a hiring managers attention.Rely on integrity and professionalism when writing your resume rather than gimmicks to get an interview.Whether youre?crafting your d ocument from scratch or just want to keep it fresh as you prepare for a job search, follow these seven steps for writing a resume1. Grab attention quicklyMinimally, your resume needs your current contact information at the top. Include your name, phone number, email address and, if applicable, links to your website and LinkedIn profile page.Historically, resumes included an objective statement at the top of the page, which explained the type of job a candidate was seeking. What hiring managers and recruiters expect now is?to see a short, snappy paragraph thats more akin to a profile. Think of these important two or three sentences as your written 30-second elevator pitch they should quickly summarize your experience and training, the outcomes youve achieved, your relevant skills for the role, and why youd be a great hire. Expand on your qualifications deeper in your resume and in your cover letter.2. Show outcomes from your contributionsThe bulk of your resume should focus on your w ork?experience. List your past jobs in chronological order, from most recent to oldest, and take a results-driven approach to describing your duties and accomplishments. That means including meaningful information?about how your work had a significant impact on a project or the company.Take time to explain how you excelled in the position. Use action verbs, give specific examples?and include?as much quantifiable data as possible. For instance, instead of simply saying oversaw project management, show the value of your work by including the following type of details Project manager for a six-person team responsible for $500,000 in client work, with impeccable deadline accuracy. Created new calendar system to streamline requests and minimize meetings.3. Showcase your soft skillsAs youre writing your resume, remember that soft skills are critical to your career success. Your resume should provide examples of how youve used skills such as communicating effectively, being organized or ma intaining a positive attitude to achieve your goals.Remember to?show, not tell. Rather than saying that youre a good communicator, give examples. Maybe you have excelled at public speaking and creating presentations, or perhaps your email newsletters have succeeded in bringing in a specific percentage of leads to the company website. Want to show that youre organized? You could describe?the event where you were responsible for coordinating with 20 vendors, arranging travel for 50 individuals and managing?on-site details, and then point out?that your work helped generate sales.GET THE SALARY GUIDES4. Highlight your technical knowledgeShow off your software skills and technical knowledge as youre detailing your work history. Every industry is different, so make sure you share your levels of proficiency with any?software an employer expects you to use. Use the job description as a guide for what programs the employer is interested in knowing about.Employers generally assume job candida tes have Microsoft Office experience, but?do list your levels of proficiency with each of the suites programs, noting if you have completed any training or certification programs.5. Display your specialized skillsInclude any specialized talents, such as foreign language fluency, which could give you an edge in getting an interview if the employer has international operations. Likewise, list any awards or recognition youve been given relevant to the position.Theres no need to highlight all your hobbies or personal interests on your resume, but if some are relevant to the position or company, be sure to include them. For example, you might not normally include volunteering at an animal shelter on your?resume as an accountant, unless you were applying for an accounting job at a veterinary hospital. Some hiring managers love to get more insight into job candidates personalities this way, while others are more neutral.6. Include the right keywordsMany companies scan resumes and cover let ters looking for the keywords theyve used in their job postings. The key to writing a resume that gets through their filter is to use?words and phrases that match their job listing. Update your resume for each job you apply for, tailoring it to highlight your most relevant work experience. For example, if an employer is looking for an applicant with experience maintaining executives calendars, use the same wording in your resume, instead of a more casual phrase like keeping track of schedules. Following the employers lead on keywords also shows you pay attention to detail and understand how to write a resume tailored to the specific job.7. Proofread your resumeOne simple mistake could be all it takes to kill your chances of landing an interview. An employer whos been inundated with resumes probably does not need much of an excuse to remove you from contention. Meticulously proofread your resume for spelling and grammatical goofs. In plus-rechnen to running spell-check, read your doc ument aloud slowly so you can focus on each word. Finally, ask a trusted friend to double-check your work.Need some cautionary tales about typos? The following job seekers from our Resumania archives let easily avoidable errors trip them upEducation Earned a diploma from a very repudiated college.Experience Academic tudor.Skills Excel at working within a tea-oriented culture.Work history My last employer fried me for no reason.Qualifications I ooze mangnetism.Salary requirements Looking for a bass salary of $40,000.Referees available by request.As the need for professional talent grows, employers want to hire people who are able to?make an immediate impact. The right job applicants understand their industry inside and out and have a track record of showing initiative. Knowing how to make a resume that stands out is the first step in proving to a hiring manager that you fit the bill and deserve?an interview.Now that youve mastered these tips on writing a resume, are you ready to let our recruiters take a look? Submit your resume to Robert Half.

Want to Join the SES Here is How to Get Started

Want to Join the SES Here is How to Get StartedWant to Join the SES Here is How to Get StartedWant to Join the SES? Here is How to Get StartedAre you thinking about applying for the elite SES ranks or for an SES Career Development Program within the next five years? If the answer is yes, then now is the time to start planning Like in show business, in government there are no overnight successes. Instead there can be many unnoticed years of dedicated hard work as you head toward future leadership roles. This concept welches illustrated in Rudolph Giulianis bestseller Leadership, in which the former New York Mayor states that he didnt simply become a great leader on 9/11. Instead he purposefully took on challenges throughout his entire career.Which employees can start planning to apply for SES?Federal employees eligible to apply for the governments SES-track Career Development Programs (CPDs) come from the manager and senior technical levels GS-14 and 15. Others with a five-year plan o f their own could begin around GS-12/13.The best advice to all potential SES applicants is to start writing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) right away.The Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) are OPMs tool for assessing whether you have demonstrated the levels of leadership necessary to join the SES to be accepted into an SES Career Development Program.If you start writing your ECQs now, you can also use this as an important self-assessment tool. This way, you can begin to look at whats missing according to the Office of Personnel Managements required 28 leadership competencies, advised Diane Hudson Burns, co-author, The New SES Application.The practical reason for this self-assessment is that youre going to have to prove your SES worthiness with specified types of real-life examples. If you are lacking some of the real-life examples, then you need to fill in the gaps over the next several years by seeking career opportunities to help you achieve your goal. This exercise wi ll literally help you plan your climb.The ECQs are your Past Performance.ECQs are broken into 5 separate leadership competencies (see the list below). You need to write two examples for each of the ECQs from your past work experience which show that you already demonstrate a particular leadership competency. If you have managed a program, changed an organization, lead staff through difficult times, worked through a changing budget, or developed a new partnership, then you have some excellent accomplishments to start writing your ECQs.Consider these ECQ descriptions and questions to help you prepare to write your ECQsECQ 1 Leading Change This competency is about leading change, not just implementing change. It demonstrates creativity and strategic thinking. Ask yourself, When did I lead change? Why was change needed? What was my role in the change? Remember, this is not about what your department did, but what you did to lead change.ECQ 2 Leading People The second ECQ centers on th e ability to lead people toward meeting the organizations vision. Your example might address conflict management, leveraging diversity, or implementing career development. Ask yourself, Who did I lead? What was going on with them? What were the challenges of their jobs?ECQ 3 Results Driven The third ECQ relates to action, staying on task, following up, and being driven by the desired results. Top leaders are very results driven, like Giuliani was as New Yorks mayor.ECQ 4 Business Acumen To tackle this qualification, you need three hats leading finances, human capital, and technology. This can be the toughest ECQ. Government people tend to think about programs and policies, rather than business. But think of contracts, procurements and budgets for finance, restructuring, recruitment and training for people, and security, IT security and automation for technology.ECQ 5 Building Coalitions The fifth ECQ is about partnering, political savvy, influencing and negotiating. Ask yoursel f, How well do I partner with other organizations to achieve goals? How well do I communicate with them? How well do I work with others?Writing your ECQs is like writing your own executive leadership book about what you have accomplished. Its an important exercise that can result in increased confidence in your achievements and an impressive resume. The ECQs are also important talking points for your next behavior-based interview. For instance What is your best accomplishment for 2011? Write it down and share it with your best friend or co-worker- Kathryn Troutman and Diane Hudson Burns book The New SES Application is the latest publication from the award-winning Federal Career Publishers.GET THE BOOK2nd Edition available Dec.2015$21.95 (includes postage)

Clean Up Your Online Footprint

Clean Up Your Online Footprint Clean Up Your Online Footprint In a recent post, Career Rocketeer discussed the importance of building a positive online footprint.Your online footprint is the digital imprint of your life. Its the things you created deliberately, with readers in mind, like your LinkedIn profile or VisualCV. But its also the comments you made two years ago on a political blog. Its the nasty review you once wrote on Amazon because you were feeling cranky. Its the letter to the editor from belastung year. Its the hobbyist website you own that has nothing to do with your profession. In short, its everything you ever did online using either your real name, or a screen name that can be traced back to you (and if someone is trying hard enough and knows what theyre doing, thats basically any screen name).As Career Rocketeer points out, online research is increasingly commonA recent poll of HR professionals and hiring managers showed that more than half will Google prospective candidates at some point during the hiring process. Furthermore, 46% of those, have said that they have eliminated candidates based on what they found What this means for job seekers? If youre looking for a job, the people you need to worry about are recruiters and employers. But can it be too long before hundreds of companies spring up with the sole purpose of researching people online? When employers outsource the work to experts in that way, there will literally be nowhere to hide.So now would be a good time to evaluate what youre doing online under a variety of screen names and determine whether you want to keep going. Feel passionately that your chosen political party are the good guys and the other side is evil incarnate? Thats fine but does the world need to hear you say it online? Can the debate continue without your five cents? Because if so, youre probably better off to hold your fire.Angry enough with someone else to write a long tirade against them on a public forum? Con sider sending a private message or email instead. Want to review a book on Amazon? OK, but keep it non-controversial and make koranvers you spell and punctuate correctlyBut thats down the road what about now?Right now the people looking up your name in Google wont be delving into alternate screen names unless they have a lot of time on their hands. More likely they will Google your name and see what comes up.That means you should do the same (and use Yahoo and MSN too search engines all return different results). What do you find on the first 3 pages? I dont like what I found. Now what? Now comes the hard part. The web is pretty much forever. Even sites that disappear may be catalogued on The Wayback Machine and similar archives. But there are things you can do to minimize the impact of something you said or did online. Here are just a few suggestions, but these are by no means exhaustive. If you know of more, please add them in the comments.1) See if you can change your screen na me on the site. If you can, as the search engine refreshes its results, your chosen screen name will replace your real name. It will take a while depending on how often the site is reindexed by the search engines.2) Write to the site owner and ask him/her to delete your comment. This is only effective for small sites and even then, many site owners will refuse to rewrite history by removing your comment. But its worth a try.3) And by far the most effective abflug replacing the results you dont like with ones that reflect more positively on you. Here are 3 things you can departure working on now to replace negatives with positivesOnline ProfilesComplete online profiles on all the major social networking sites and use your real name. MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook, ZoomInfo, Plaxo, Visual CV and Naymz are good places to start. If you use the same name and email address, the results from these sites will then show up on sites such as ppl.com, which aggregrate social media profiles and th is will help push negative content down the results. You should also set up our own Google profile.Soliciting testimonialsLinkedin and Naymz allow you to receive testimonials from others, which then appear on your profile. Make the most of this feature because it will help mitigate any negatives. Comment or write on business blogsAnother way to push negatives down in the search results is to start making informed and useful comments on blogs about your industry or field. Some of these will make their way into search results. You can find blogs at Technorati.If you like to write, submit guest posts to blogs in your field and be sure to use your real name. Blog posts rank very well in the search engines for a variety of reasons and this is a surefire way to position yourself as an expert in your field. Deal with what you cant fix In some cases, there will be a big fat negative just sitting out there online waiting to catch you out. You cant hide it, you cant bump it down, and you cant persuade anyone to remove it. If this applies to you, you need to make a plan to deal with it. Depending on how bad it is and how closely related to your work, you may even need to proactively address it in interviews.One of my clients ran a website for a famous musician and, through no fault of his own, became the target of fan grasflche when the artist made a decision fans didnt like. As the face of the site, he was the one people discussed (i.e. trashed) online. For quite some time, these discussions were on page one of Google for his name. So he addressed it head on in interviews, explaining the situation and how he handled it. As far as we know, that strategy worked every time. In Summary In the early days of the web, most people felt that they could partition their online lives. They had one screen name for political blogs, one for discussing their favorite band, and one for professional activities. That is no longer possible. All of these identities will one day be attributa ble to you so start now to build the kind of digital footprint you can be proud of when people research you online.And to those who accuse me of encouraging people to be inauthentic, let me ask you this do you generally blurt out your political opinions when walking around meeting new people? Do you frequently get into shouting matches with other people in public? Do you share 25 Things That Drive Me Nuts with all your co-workers? If the answer is no, then think carefully before doing it online.Photo by ezioman