Billie Sucher Blog

Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)...Maybe

"You can destroy your now by worrying about tomorrow." ~ Janis Joplin

Janis Lyn Joplin was a singer, songwriter and performer. If you know her work, you know that she was truly one-of-a-kind. This November, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and Case Western Reserve University will celebrate Janis Joplin, one of rock and roll's most passionate and influential artists, during the 14th annual American Music Masters Series.

Are you familiar with her name? Do you know her music? While technology has changed the way I can listen to her songs, every now and then, I love to dust off my antiquated turntable and play her album I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again Mama from decades ago. On Side 1 of the LP, the first song is called Try (Just a Little Bit Harder), followed by song 2, another of her hits titled Maybe.

As a job seeker, how about it -- maybe you could try just a little bit harder? If you were willing to try just a little bit harder, then maybe, maybe...

~ Maybe you would make one more contact per day?

~ Maybe you would research just one more organization before you call it quits for the day?

~ Maybe you would revamp your resume yet another time?

~ Maybe you would focus more on encouraging vs. discouraging words, thoughts, ideas?

~ Maybe you would invite one more person to write you a recommendation and then appreciate how their words comfort you?

~ Maybe you wouldn't be so harsh on yourself on your darkest days?

~ Maybe you would pause to see what, if anything, you could do to better manage your career transition project?

~ Maybe you would reach out to one more person, even though the last 10 didn't phone, text, DM or email you back?

~ Maybe you would consider the many things you have instead of the many things you don't?

~ Maybe you would practice your sales pitch just one more time even though you've been on countless interviews, yet no offer?

~ Maybe you would be less overwhelmed by the process and more optimistic about the prize?

How about it? Do you have what it takes to try, just a little bit harder? Maybe, maybe, maybe?

"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got." ~ Janis Joplin

"Don't You Love Twitter?"

 

Do you have a Twitter account? Do you love Twitter? Do you not love Twitter? Do you even know what Twitter is? I like Twitter -- a lot! I have made 500+ tweets -- more tweets than followers at this point. And the reality is, I'm not Twitter-savvy enough to know if that is a good thing or a not-so-good thing. All I know is that I am on Twitter, with followers that have about a gazillion people following them (how'd they do that?) and I am learning something and discovering someone new nearly each and every day. I like Twitter -- a lot! I find it a fun, relaxing, educational and enjoyable activity.

Just last week, my client and I were chatting about Twitter as a valuable tool to help job seekers improve their resume writing and interviewing skills. Here's how Twitter may help you, the job hunter, enhance your overall presentation skills, both on paper and in person.

1. Focus. When you are writing a resume or presenting yourself at an interview, the key is to focus, focus, focus on the target goal. When you tweet something, you get 140 characters to deliver your message. That's it. You can't include everything due to character limitations, if indeed you want to make a tweet.
2. Organization. When you are writing a resume or presenting yourself at an interview, are you random and all over the place, or do you organize your thinking, on paper and in person, to deliver the best relevant information to align with the employer's needs? Again, with a limited number of characters to issue a tweet, Twitter helps you learn how to craft a compelling message, hopefully one that readers get and may even Retweet (best if tried at 11:30 in the morning or on a Monday).
3. Brevity. Clarity. Conciseness. When you are writing a resume or presenting yourself at an interview, do you take a long time to get to the point, or do you deliver spot-on content with brevity, clarity and conciseness? The more you use Twitter, the easier it may become for you to share relevant, supportive and essential information, be it in your resume or in an interview.
4. Think: Competition. How do you stack up against your competition? Consider this scenario which happens to be a recent true story. If you're in an interview and the Hiring Manager asks you "Don't you love Twitter?" and you reply "are you talking about a bird or something?", it's unlikely you'll score many points. Your competition knows what Twitter is and does and you can bet they're leveraging it to gain competitive advantage in this market.
5. Decide: Pointless Babble, Conversational, or Pass-Along Value. When you are writing a resume or conversing in an interview, you are in full control of the words you choose. And it's your words strung together, however many or few, that teach your listeners something about you...something that is sure to elicit a yes, no or maybe response. With Twitter, you get to choose which direction you'll go with your tweets: pointless babble, conversational, or pass-along value. With resume writing and interviewing, you get to do the very same and only you can decide, one word at a time.

Maybe you're 24 and just starting the career game. Maybe you're 64 and starting over. Maybe Twitter -- no matter what your age, is something to consider. Twitter, I like it -- a lot!

Multi-Generational Workforce

This morning, my colleague and I attended an early morning Power Breakfast Series where today's topic was Managing a Multi-Generational Workforce. A Millennial, Seth Mattison  of Bridgeworks, LLC, delivered the opening presentation, followed by a 40+ minute Q&A period between business leaders and registered participants. Whether you were a Traditionalist, Boomer, Xer or Millennial, there was something for everyone to takeaway from the presentation:

M  e, You, They, Them...find a middle ground and mentor each other to make the workplace work

U  nderstanding in order to bridge the gap

L  earn from one another, no matter what your age, perspective, or generation

T alk and communicate in multiple ways, from texting, tweets, FB, LI, blogging, and e-mails to good old-fashioned face-to-face communication; do what works

I mplementing clear policies and practices with set guidelines for privacy & protection

G  iving up old ways to gain and get to new, next level

E  xpectations stated clearly for everyone

N  etworking socially to leverage everything

E xtend a hand to help everyone succeed

R especting, reverence, and regard for one another; be real

A  ppreciating and accepting

T  hink before you judge, anyone or anything

I nvite a Millennial to hang out with you and then learn from each other; inquire about a parent pack (if you should happen to be a helicopter parent)

O  utcomes and results -- many ways to get there; opportunities to share; openness

N eed to connect, not disconnect; state what you need; ask, what do you need?

A  ll of us, in this - together

L isten, let go, learn!

That's what I learned today and I thought it worth sharing. What has your job search taught you about a multi-generational workplace? What do you think is important in today's multi-generational workforce?