career Archives

6 Tips For a Successful Phone Interview

November 4, 2020 by Keith Lauby 1 Comment

I feel good mental preparation for phone interview

I don’t want to spend a lot of time pointing out the obvious. The pandemic has been hard, and many people have lost their jobs. According to AARP, the percentage of long-term unemployed job seekers increased to 26.4% for those ages 55 and older. If you’re looking for a new opportunity, not only are you dealing with the challenges of searching for a new job but searching for a new job in the middle of a pandemic.

What I mean by that last sentence is that many employers are changing their recruiting process to make candidates feel safe. And that’s a good thing. For example, in the past, a candidate might have been asked to stop by the office for a short screening interview with human resources. Now that short screening interview is being conducted over the phone.

And if you’re a candidate that has always felt one of your strengths is your ability to connect with individuals face-to-face, a phone interview could feel a bit weird. So today, I want to share with you six tips for having a successful phone interview.

Schedule the interview. Employers are not out to trick anyone. So, if someone calls you wanting to do an immediate screening interview, make the suggestion to schedule a time. If you receive an email to schedule a time, don’t feel compelled to do it right away. Find a time that works for you so you’re at your best. Obviously, you can’t wait indefinitely, but if you’re a morning person, opt for a date where you can speak in the morning. And vice versa.

Have your technology charged and ready. I know this sounds basic, but you’d be amazed how many people don’t do it prior to their phone interview. If you’re planning to take the call on your cell phone, make sure your phone is charged. If you’re using headphones or earbuds, make sure those are charged too. Be careful about using a speakerphone, because it can pick up ambient noises and you won’t sound clear. You want the interviewer to be focused on you and your qualifications, not how badly the call sounds.

Get into the interview spirit. Since the interviewer will not see you, it’s important to have your voice convey your enthusiasm. If it would get you into the interview spirit, get dressed like you’re going to an interview. Find somewhere quiet to take the call where you can sit in a chair (like an interview). You will sound better if you’re sitting with excellent posture during the call. It does make a difference in your voice. Test it out with a friend sometime.

Be prepared to answer the salary question. As a human resources professional, one thing I’m hearing from companies is that they do not want to waste your time (or theirs) if the salary isn’t a good fit. It’s possible that will be one of the first questions you’re asked. Be honest. And if you’re applying for a job that pays a lot less than you’re accustomed, be prepared to explain why. And, again, be honest!

Plan to take notes. It’s possible that the interviewer will ask you to send a follow-up. Or the interviewer might tell you some things about the job or company that you want to remember. Have a pen and paper ready to jot down a few prompts. You can fill in the details after the call, but this could be very helpful later during the actual phone interview process. Especially if you discuss salary and benefits.

Have a couple of questions. Just because you’re looking for a job doesn’t mean you can’t ask some questions. At minimum, you should find out what the next steps are in the interview process. Before the interview, check out the company website and see if there’s a recent press release that you can ask about. For example, “I was on your website and saw the company’s announcement about XYZ product. Will this job have any interaction with that project?” You get the idea.

The phone interview is becoming very popular right now and honestly, they’re not going away any time soon. First, because the pandemic is still with us. And second, because companies are finding them very effective. So candidates will need to work on their phone interview skills to stand out in the process.

How to Create Your Retirement Vision Board

September 2, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

brainstorming rules to help create a retirement vision board

One of the best things that Keith and I started doing to help our retirement was to start talking about it. What do we want our retirement to look like? It helped us realize that we want a period of “unretirement”. It’s one of the reasons that we started this blog.

But there are times when simply talking about future goals isn’t enough. And even writing down goals isn’t enough. I want to see more than the words. I want to see what the future may look like. Visualize it.

A vision board can be a good way to do that. Vision boards are a tool used to help clarify, concentrate, and maintain focus on a specific life goal. Literally, a vision board is any sort of board on which you display images that represent whatever you want to be, do, or have in your life.

There are many ways to create a vision board. Maybe you keep it in a journal. Or a bulletin board. For me, I’m finding the perfect place to keep a vision board is Pinterest.

A few years ago, I wrote a 5-day plan for learning Pinterest on HR Bartender. Since then, I continue to see activity and engagement on the platform. My experience with Pinterest is that it’s less of a dialogue or conversation platform and more of an inspiration, utilization platform. Think of it like a digital bulletin board.

If you’re looking for a way to stay focused on a goal, consider creating a vision board to help make that happen. Here are five things to note:

You can make it secret. Not ready to share your vision board with the whole world. No problem. Pinterest has a feature that allows you to make a board “secret” so only you can see it.

Section it to fit your needs. Pinterest has a nice feature where a “board” can have “sections”. So, your vision board could have a personal AND a professional section. For example, your retirement vision board might have sections for your encore career, where you’d like to live in retirement, and places you’d like to visit.

Pin images, articles, and quotes that help you achieve your goals. One of the things I like about Pinterest is that I can pin a variety of things – images, articles, quotes. I can pin stuff from the internet and photos I’ve taken or articles I’ve written. Bottom-line: it’s flexible.

Change it when you want to. After pinning something, you can move it to another board, or delete it completely. Let’s say you pin a list of the top cities for retirees. Couple of months later, you see a better list. Delete the old one and replace it with the new one.

Delete what doesn’t work. One of the downsides to vision boards can be a feeling that you look at it and say, “I’m not getting to my vision fast enough.” Or “I’ll never achieve the goal.” It’s important to remember that our goals change regularly, and we have to be willing to let go of some goals in order to make other ones happen. Vision boards must be flexible to be effective.

Your vision board can be portable. I’m not against the bulletin board type vision project, but there’s something nice to me about having my vision board with me all the time. If I’m at a conference or out at dinner, and I hear something, I can immediately post it. Versus going home, then finding/printing/posting it.

When you’re ready, you can share it. There might be components of your vision board that involve coworkers, family or friends. Maybe you want to start a business. Or move to a different city. Pinterest allows you to share boards with others.

Vision boards can help us with our career goals, life goals, and maybe even retirement goals. We have the flexibility to create something that fits our needs. Because the goal with a vision board is to make it happen. So, if it works, take advantage of what Pinterest can offer.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby somewhere in Fort Lauderdale, FL

Take Charge of Your Career with These 7 Development Activities

August 12, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

sign don't dream it be it for career development

Now more than ever, we need to realize that, as individuals, we play a role in our own career development. But saying that and doing it are two separate things. It’s easy to tell ourselves that we need to take a more active role in managing our careers. The question becomes how we make that happen and be successful at it. After all, most of us need to be successful for many more years to come.

Regardless of where you are in your career, here are a few things to consider. You don’t have to do all of these at once. But think about how working on these activities could benefit your performance and help you to achieve your career goals.

Understand how your individual performance impacts the organization’s mission, vision, and values. All organizations care about their performance. So, understanding how what we do on an individual level impacts the bottom-line is important. And if you don’t know…ask! Your manager should be able to discuss it with you.

Set relevant, challenging but achievable goals. While your manager might have some suggestions for you in this area, you should want to have a say in your own goals. You will ultimately be held accountable for goal achievement. Don’t hesitate to include self-learning as a career goal.

Always say “yes” to training. I’m of the mindset that I can always learn something, even from bad training. And what’s awesome today is there are so many free learning events available (i.e. webinars, podcasts, and massive open online courses [aka MOOCs] immediately come to mind). If the company offers training, take it. And if they don’t, find some free learning for yourself.

Learn how technology can improve your performance. Today’s technology solutions can help us reduce bureaucracy and a duplication of effort. It’s often not about having more technology but simply knowing how to use the technology we have really well.

Solicit feedback from your manager and coworkers. Sometimes our perception of our own performance isn’t the same as others. This doesn’t mean that we have an overinflated ego or that our performance is poor. It’s possible we’re being too hard on ourselves. Ask your manager and peers for feedback about your performance so you can develop yourself.

Become proficient on how to deliver feedback. Your organization needs and wants feedback. Most of the time that feedback comes during performance conversations with your manager. Delivering specific feedback in a timely fashion can help the organization and make a difference in understanding your own performance and goals. That kind of feedback brings value.

Congratulate yourself for a job well done. Your organization should recognize and reward your hard work. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do it too. Consider attaching some rewards to your goals. When you meet a tough deadline or finish a big project, don’t hesitate to pat yourself on the back.

I’m not saying that organizations shouldn’t help with some of these activities. They should. But honestly, they need our help. Managers want to know your career goals. They want to know how you like to learn. Open honest two-way communications will help you and the company create a win for everyone.

How to Be a Better Team Player at Work

August 5, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby 2 Comments

sign motivate inspire encourage thank are ways to be a better team player

I hate to say it, but I think one of the major contributing factors to ageism is not being able to become a part of the team at work. This doesn’t mean we have to go out partying after work – unless you want to of course. It does mean finding ways to build positive working relationships with people of all ages.

If you haven’t read the Harvard Business Review article “Collaboration Overload”, check it out. My big takeaway from the piece is that employees spend more time collaborating than ever before. And that the skills it takes to be a good collaborator are different than being a high-level contributor. So, one of the qualities that can make us an effective team player is learning how to become a better collaborator. Here are 10 things to focus on:

Communicate! I know, I know. Communication always shows up on these lists. But effective communication with the team is important. It’s how we present ideas, provide feedback, and ultimately accomplish goals. One aspect of communication that’s particularly important is empathy. Try to remember what it was like being in your younger colleagues’ shoes. Being a good team player means having empathy for others and using it when delivering messages.

Balance the positive and negative. I’m one of those people who believes that life isn’t always positive nor is it always negative. Knowing when to be the skeptic and when to be the cheerleader is important. We run the risk stopping momentum if we don’t know how to motivate people. I’m not saying don’t present your concerns but figure out how to do it where the other person doesn’t lose their zest for the project.

Think about work flows. Sometimes one of the most valuable things a team player can do is explain how things get done in their department or the company. Not always what the policy is – although that can be helpful too – but how things really get done. If you’ve been working at the company for a long time, you probably already know this. Being a good team player means not only knowing how things work around the office but being able to suggest new and better ways of doing things.

Be organized. I realize that I’m a ridiculously organized person but there’s nothing worse than sitting in a meeting watching someone fumble around for stuff. It’s painful for others to watch and for the person being watched. Disorganization can be confused for not caring and being respectful of others’ time. When meeting with other members of the team, take a few moments to prepare. Don’t assume that everything is immediately accessible.

Work outside of your department, company, and industry. If you work in a perfectly cohesive team right now, congratulations! Your working situation is rare. And dare I say, not helping you get better at team development. Working on a team can be challenging, frustrating, and downright hard. It can also be incredibly fulfilling, educational, and lots of fun. Regardless of your years of experience, look for opportunities to work on teams that will give you both.

Set the right priorities. High performing teams accomplish their goals because everyone on the team has the same priorities. Are your priorities the same as the rest of the team? If they’re not, ask yourself “Why?” Do you need to have a conversation with the team leader about your concerns? Are you the right person to be on the team? But if you haven’t bought in to what the team is doing, then you owe it to yourself and the team to find out why.

Meet your deadlines and keep your promises. Your credibility as a team member is important. The quickest way to lose it is by not being a person of your word. I understand that stuff happens but that’s no excuse for leaving the team waiting. Renegotiate your commitments when necessary. The team wants to count on you because, at some point, you’ll need to count on them. Set the example you want to see in others.

Understand your influence. Everyone has power and influence. Everyone. It’s important to realize that and use your influence for positive outcomes. Not only is it bad to use your power for the wrong reasons but it’s equally bad to not use your influence when you could. In those situations, the rest of the team knows that you can change a situation and you didn’t step up.

Have fun. Whenever I see lists, have fun is always seems to be the final one. Let me suggest that being a part of a team should be fun. Yes, there will be tough days. But you really should have more fun days than tough days. The team should find ways to have fun, laugh, and celebrate their successes. Building some kind of bond with the rest of the team will help everyone become better team players.

Respect others even when you disagree with them. I read somewhere that “Dream teams are made up of diversity not sameness.” No matter what happens on the team, the individuals on the team should be treated with respect. That doesn’t mean you can’t disagree. In fact, the team might need to disagree to produce their best work. But you can raise questions, show concern, and disagree with respect.

Even employees who are considered “individual contributors” have to work on teams. We all must have the ability to work with others. And it takes effort to do that.

I find that lists like these are good reminders for me about all of the things I need to do to be a good team player. Because it’s hard. Somedays I’m very focused on being organized. Then somedays, I might be focused on deadlines. It happens. The good news is if we’re all focused on being a good team player, then the other members of the team are too.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Las Vegas, NV

Business Acumen: 6 Ways to Improve Yours

July 8, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

two business people talking using their business acumen

I’m starting to see an increasing number of articles about older workers and today’s job market. And they’re not positive. Either older workers are being pushed out of their jobs or they’re reluctant to return to work because they’re in a high-risk virus category. Either way, older workers need to start thinking about their careers.

Regular readers of Unretirement Project know I’m a human resources professional. For the next few weeks, I want to spend some time talking specifically about careers. If you’re one of those people trying to figure out what your next career move might look like, I hope you’ll find these articles helpful.

Today, let’s focus on one of the biggest competencies that organizations expect from employees – business acumen. This should come as no surprise to anyone. It’s important to know the business, be able to talk about it, and make decisions to help the business grow. But honestly, it’s hard to develop business acumen. Oh sure, a lot of people throw business buzzwords around like “growth mindset” and “blue ocean strategy” but do they really know everything those terms mean? In today’s business world, new concepts are being developed all the time. It’s a challenge to stay current, especially when your plate is already full of work.

Personally, I find it helpful to take inventory of the things I’m doing to stay on top of business. I love lists that remind me to step back and just get focused. So, here’s a list of suggestions that can help build business acumen.

Read (and listen to) the right stuff. I’ve discovered an electronic newsletter called “Morning Brew” that helps me stay on top of business news. Trust me, I hate junk emails as much as the next person, but this isn’t junk. This Monday-Friday enewsletter provides a stock market overview and some commentary about the business headlines of the day. What I really like is the casual, conversational tone. Business acumen doesn’t have to be boring or stuffy.

Develop a business book library. Today’s business books are refreshingly transparent. I have nothing against the classics like “First, Break All the Rules” and “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team”. But consider checking out “Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones” and “The Science of Self-Discipline”. You don’t have to buy all of these books. Check them out of the library. Just listen to many different business voices.

Learn how your organization makes and spends money. If you haven’t bought your controller a cup of coffee lately and asked about the profit and loss statement, now might be a good opportunity to do so. Years ago, I did just that and it was one of the best hours I’ve ever spent on my career. The good thing is there’s no rule that you’re only allowed to do it once. Consider scheduling coffee time (maybe via Zoom) with your controller right before budget time too.

Join your professional association. I’m not here to tell anyone which professional organization(s) to belong to. Everyone needs to figure that out on their own. But I do believe it’s valuable to be a member of a professional organization. And let me add that I feel it’s important for individuals to get involved. Volunteer! Not only will you make friends, but you will learn from your colleagues. Part of developing business acumen includes developing a professional network.

Step out of your regular responsibilities. The next time the boss is looking for a volunteer, consider raising your hand. Getting involved in project teams can help you 1) learn new knowledge and skills 2) build new working relationships and 3) get noticed by the organization. I know your calendar is already full. These types of extra assignments might be worth it. Both from a learning perspective and your long-term career development. See if you can squeak out a little bit of time to make it happen.

Know your customer. Do you know who the top ten customers are for your organization? Not just their names, but do you know what they do? Why do they do business with your organization? Years ago, I had the chance to go on some customer calls with the sales team. Very valuable! If you’ve never done it, consider asking a sales manager if you can tag along. You’ll learn a few things and I’d say that the sales department will be happy you did.

Over time, I’ve come to realize that business acumen isn’t something you learn once and you’re done. Business acumen is changing all the time. Yes, it’s true that terms like profit and EBDITA haven’t changed. We have new terms like blockchain, disruption, and vlogger. If you want to be a contributor, you have to know how to really talk business. And there’s never been a more perfect time to start learning.

Bookmark This! Over Age 55 Job Search Edition

January 8, 2020 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

change made here such as a new job search

As we get older, our job search strategies change. Frankly, they should. I’m not talking about in terms of ageism or age discrimination (although sadly, both exist). What I mean is that our wants and needs in a job change over time. And that translates to a different kind of job search.

One thing that doesn’t change is the fact that looking for a new opportunity is hard, and it takes time. Even when the labor market is candidate friendly. If searching for a new job is part of your plans, here’s a list of resources that may help.

The Business Case for Hiring 50+ Workers

Companies want qualified workers. To get them, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and AARP recommend that we look to the 50+ workers. But it may take some training and optimizing job design.

Are You Too Old for a Second Career?

Many workers are pursuing a career change as they approach retirement. Is a second career feasible? Could age be an obstacle to success?

How to Research a Company You Want to Work For

If you are searching for a new opportunity, doing company research is essential! Here are 5 tips for company research before that important interview.

How to Deal with Ageism During Job Interviews

Ageism is an issue in the workplace today. So how do you deal with ageism during interviews? Harvard Business Review shared 5 helpful tips to follow regardless of your age.

How to Apply Your Transferable Skills Toward an Encore Career

An encore career will require specific skills to be successful. Here are steps you can take to help apply your transferable skills to an encore career.

Job Seekers: There Is a Fine Line Between Persistent and Pest

Job seekers need to understand the fine line between being persistent and being a pest. Learn how to follow up the right way in a job search.

Searching for a job today is a bit different than it was years ago. Social media platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook have changed the game. This doesn’t mean finding a new job is impossible, but it does mean that putting the right strategy in place is the key to job search success.

Image captured by Sharlyn Lauby while exploring the streets of Las Vegas, NV

Unretirement Interviews: Benefit Your Community Using Self-Employment Skills

September 11, 2019 by Sharlyn Lauby Leave a Comment

When we first started Unretirement Project, we were very fortunate to interview friend and business leader Joyce Maroney on her unretirement journey. Her story continues to resonate with people. It’s one of our most popular articles. I hope you’ll check it out when you have a chance.

Joyce’s story speaks to many because she works for an organization. So, what happens if you’re self-employed? Well, I’ve been having this off-line conversation with someone who is doing exactly that. Bill Kutik has been a very successful technology analyst and writer for 30 years. He’s well-known for starting in 1998 and still being the chairman emeritus of the HR Technology Conference® & Exposition and the host of the video program Firing Line with Bill Kutik® for the last five years. He’s also beginning his unretirement journey, so I asked Bill if he would share his insights with us. Thankfully, he said “yes”.

Bill, you’ve been very active in our industry for many years. How did you decide to start thinking about unretirement?

[Kutik] If you’re lucky enough to have enough money saved for retirement, which means you probably loved working, your mission after retiring is to find worthy causes that can benefit from the skills that helped make you the money in the first place. Finally, in 2019, I am getting into a working retirement, which to me means taking my talents – honed razor sharp from being self-employed for 30 years – and redirecting them elsewhere to benefit someone other than me! At least that’s my mission, which is starting to bear fruit.

Tell us about the unretirement projects you’re working on these days.

[Kutik] The Aspetuck Land Trust preserves open spaces still left after a century of suburbanization of the farmlands that once comprised Fairfield County, CT, which includes Westport, where I live, Greenwich and Darien. The executive director immediately recognized that a guy who sold $1,500 tickets via direct mail and email for 16 years (while programming all the content and building the HR Technology Conference & Exposition into the largest in the world) might be useful for selling memberships.

Plus, I’m finally getting involved in local politics, which has pulled me for decades. Eight minutes from my home in the next town of Norwalk is a four-screen movie theater, built in 1918 as a vaudeville house, showing foreign and independent films. Imagine a cultural resource like that in the leafy suburbs which exist solely for the raising and schooling of children?!? I’d have to move back to Manhattan if it ever shut down.

Suddenly it looked like a developer was going to do just that, demolishing it for his subsidized apartment house – for parking! Happily, I knew a thing or two about political maneuvering after reading the 5,600 pages of Robert Caro’s four books on LBJ and one on Robert Moses (all the first time in their publication years and a second time in the last few years sitting on the beach during consecutive Junes); my favorite course at Harvard by Prof. Richard Neustadt on “Presidential Power“; plus covering the Board of Selectmen as managing editor of The Provincetown Advocate on Cape Cod.

I’ve been helping opponents turn the town’s Common Council against the plan. We got a reprieve from what was considered the certain death vote in July 2019 with a postponement. I won’t tempt fate to say we’ll have won by the time you read this.

There’s certainly no shortage of worthwhile projects. How did you decide that those projects were the right ones to give your time and talents? I think a lot of people struggle to figure out where to spend their time.

[Kutik] In my case, I was still being selfish. I moved to Westport 21 years ago when the Aspetuck Land Trust was finishing it’s crowning achievement: acquiring 1,000 undeveloped acres 20 minutes from my house and developing it as a wilderness park called Trout Brook Valley. The late Paul Newman, a long-time Westporter, was the public face of that fund-raising effort.

Being brand new, it was so unspoiled, I hiked there every weekend, started giving money to the Trust in lieu of admission, raised the amount as the years went by and I had more, until I finally came to the attention of the executive director who sent a board member to “develop” me as a major donor. Instead I offered my direct marketing services to the executive director.

As I said, I love the Garden Cinemas. When I lived in Manhattan, there was another four-plex opposite Lincoln Center that showed the exact same films! The attempt to tear it down had actually been going on for a year, but since it was in Norwalk, not Westport, I didn’t notice until the Monday morning before the Tuesday evening Common Council vote that would have sealed its fate.

So I just spent Monday on the phone reporting the story, as I had done for years on small town weekly newspapers, The New York Daily Newsand briefly for The New York Times. It only took four interviews to discover that the linchpin to save the theaters was another real estate developer who owned a second parking lot that would do just fine!

So I attached myself to him, acted as his PR advisor, and got him to give his first polite presentation to the Common Council in three years! While they were stunned to hear him apologize for past shenanigans, they actually postponed the vote because a leading opponent started a petition on change.org, got 5,000 signatures in six hours, and now has 15,000! I love this.

Last question. For individuals like you and I, who are consultants, it can be hard during our working years to volunteer or do pro bono work because we’re busy making money (for our unretirement). How do we find time to build relationships with worthy causes and projects?

[Kutik] I’m continuing to work: writing the column and producing the TV show. But since I’m not working nearly so hard developing new business, I have plenty of time to build relationships with the worthy causes. For me, the process is remarkably similar to work.

The Aspetuck Land Trust has an ‘administrator’, one of only two paid employees who basically does everything from maintaining the membership database to writing their direct mails to get new members. How is this different from HR Tech? The marketing department there was burdened with four other shows, and the 24-year-old assistant who didn’t know an HRMS from a mainframe was delighted when I started making her copy better. As was her boss and the administrator at Aspetuck.

At HR Tech after two years, I ended up writing every single marketing word that went out for 14 years, including a 7,000-word brochure, a dozen print ads, 100 direct mail letters and much more. I don’t plan to do that at Aspetuck.

At the Garden, getting tight with the real estate developer who had the answer to the problem was no different than chatting up a prospective client, except there was no money involved. I showed him the value I could add to obtaining his goals, which happily we shared, and just kept in touch. That situation is volatile beyond belief and far from over. We’ll see if in the end Norwalk paves paradise and puts up a parking lot.

I want to extend a huge thanks to Bill for sharing his unretirement story. Whether we work in a corporate environment or as a consultant, I think many of us can relate to the challenge of focusing on our career and thinking about our retirement future at the same time.