Career Coach eNewsletter
Issue No. 5 August 2002
Brought to you by Careers International: "Helping you take your career to the next level internationally."
Web site: http://www.careersnet.com
Editor: Margaret Stead, margaret@careersnet.com
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Welcome to this issue of Career Coacha free newsletter for those interested in using coaching to improve their career performance. Please share this newsletter with colleagues and contacts who will benefit from reading it.
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CONTENTS
- Editorial: Band of Roving Chief Executives Spotted Miles from Mexican Border.
- Job Hunting Notes: Sam’s Story (Second Part of our NEW serial)
- CAREER TIP – Making the Most of A Job Fair
- Hot News: Corporate Social Innovation – Case Study; Lattice CRED Creative Education
- CAREER TIP: Researching Companies, Industries, Internationally
- JUST FOR A LAUGH!
Editorial: Band of Roving Chief Executives Spotted Miles from Mexican Border.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) -- Unwilling to wait for their eventual indictments, the 10,000 remaining CEOs of public U.S. companies made a break for it yesterday, heading for the Mexican border, plundering towns and villages along the way, and writing the entire rampage off as a marketing expense.
"They came into my home, made me pay for my own TV, then double-booked the revenues," said Rachel Sanchez of Las Cruces, just north of El Paso. "Right in front of my daughters."
Calling themselves the CEOnistas, the chief executives were first spotted last night along the Rio Grande River near Quemado, where they bought each of the town's 320 residents by borrowing against pension fund gains. By late this morning, the CEOnistas had arbitrarily inflated Quemado's population to 960, and declared a 200 percent profit for the fiscal second quarter.
This morning, the outlaws bought the city of Waco, transferred its under-performing areas to a private partnership, and sent a bill to California for $4.5 billion. Law enforcement officials and disgruntled shareholders riding posse were noticeably frustrated.
"First of all, they're very hard to find because they always stand behind their numbers, and the numbers keep shifting," said posse spokesman Dean Levitt. "And every time we yell 'Stop in the name of the shareholders!', they refer us to investor relations.
I've been on the phone all damn morning."
"YOU'LL NEVER AUDIT ME ALIVE!"
The pursuers said they have had some success, however, by preying on a common executive weakness. "Last night we caught about 24 of them by disguising one of our female officers as a CNBC anchor," said U.S. Border Patrol spokesperson Janet Lewis. "It was like moths to a flame."
Also, teams of agents have been using high-powered listening devices to scan the plains for telltale sounds of the CEOnistas. "Most of the time we just hear leaves rustling or cattle flicking their tails," said Lewis, "but occasionally we'll pick up someone saying, 'I was totally out of the loop on that' or 'let's try and think outside the box."'
Among former and current CEOs apprehended with this method were Computer Associates' Sanjay Kumar, Adelphia's John Rigas, Enron's Ken Lay, Joseph Nacchio
of Qwest, Joseph Berardino of Arthur Andersen, and every Global Crossing CEO since 1997. ImClone Systems' Sam Waksal and Dennis Kozlowski of Tyco were not allowed to join the CEOnistas as they have already been indicted.
So far, about 50 chief executives have been captured, including Martha Stewart, who was detained south of El Paso where she had cut through a barbed-wire fence at the Zaragosa border crossing off Highway 375. "She would have gotten away, but she was stopping motorists to ask for marzipan and food colouring so she could make edible Mexican Mariachi Place settings, using the cut pieces of wire for the arms," said Border Patrol Officer Jeannette Cushing. "We put her in cell No. 7, because the morning sun really adds texture to the stucco walls."
While some stragglers are believed to have successfully crossed into Mexico, Cushing said the bulk of the CEOnistas have holed themselves up at the Alamo.
"No, not the fort, the car rental place at the airport," she said. "They're rotating all the tyres on the minivans and accounting for each change as a sales event."
Message: Think outside the box!
Job Hunting Notes: Second Part of our NEW serial: Sam’s Story
This is the story of Sam and her traditional job hunt. Job and career mistakes can cost thousands of pounds and we have all made them. Read Sam’s story and assess for yourself the mistakes she has made and likely cost to her. Each month, there is a bottle of fine wine for the reader who emails us with the most comprehensive description of the ‘mistakes’ made and at the end of the serial a bottle of fine champagne for the reader who successfully spots all of them.
Beginning the Job Search
Sam was determined to leave no stone unturned in her job search so she began a three- pronged job search strategy: Direct Marketing – Networking - Ads.
For the direct marketing approach, Sam went to the library and researched a list of three hundred companies for which she felt she could do manufacturing, maintenance, customer relations, PR and sales. She thought she would bypass the HR department (someone had told her that you should always bypass Personnel) she sent her mail to the top manager. Using her PC she personalised all the names and addresses on her cover letters, then she personally signed each letter.
It was a tremendous amount of work, but at the end of the day Sam felt that she had really achieved something. So far she had invested a great deal of her time, money and emotional stamina in typesetting, printing costs, envelopes, postage. It took her about two weeks to complete the project. She worked out that after her redundancy payment, these two weeks had cost her about £1200 in lost earnings.
Sam’s second strategy worked like this: Each Thursday and Sunday she clipped all the job advertisements from the papers that could be considered possibilities and organised them in a loose-leaf folder. In order to increase her chances of accessing interviews, she responded to each advert with a customised letter highlighting the part of her experience with her blackboard-making career that related to each prospective employer’s need. It is a number’s game she thought – so she answered as many ads as she could.
She called the companies a few days later to make sure her mail had arrived. No sense in taking chances with the postal service and on mail delivery within these companies. If the company was not certain that it had been received ("We get hundreds of responses, you know" she would send another cover letter and CV, immediately – just to make sure.
Then there was networking:
With twenty years in Blackboard manufacture, Sam knew some pretty influential people. If they chose to put in a good word for her, it could go a long way! How was she to fit this in?
There was so much to do with her direct marketing, answering adverts, following up on adverts, networking all the leaders, wannabes and hangers-on she knew. Sam wasn’t quite sure how to organise these activities. She did know that to avoid burnout she would need balance, so she decided to blend some of her job-search activities with some relaxing ones. How about a day at the beach?
End of Part Two.
CAREER TIP: Making the Most of a Job Fair
Recruitment fairs, like recruitment advertising are pretty thin on the ground in August, but they usually start again at the beginning of September. So this is a good time to be getting your act together and planning some visits. Don’t be put off necessarily if you feel that the Fair is not completely suited to your level of education. This is an opportunity to meet a member of your targeted company’s HR department. If they are not interested in recruiting you, then they will know who will be.
Early application is especially important for international fairs, where candidates are screened prior to the fair, by the attending companies. A good tip is to make sure that you arrive in Milan or wherever in good time, before any scheduled interviews so that you can sign up (usually on a ‘first come first served’ basis) for any ‘open interview’ sessions with visiting companies – perhaps one’s that you haven’t considered before. One of my MBA clients recently came back from Brussels with five job offers including Printemps, Redoute, Volvo, BMW and ABN AMRO.
Job fairs are a great way for you to explore potential job opportunities and learn more about companies who are actively hiring in your neighbourhood. Many people see it as something as serious as a first interview, while others view it as an opportunity to gather information about potential employers. Regardless of what reason you have for attending, there are a few important things to keep in mind before, during, and after the job fair to make it successful for you.
Before the Job Fair:
Find out what businesses will be there. The more information you can gather beforehand, the more successful the job fair is going to be for you. Find out what businesses are going to be at the job fair, and spend some time doing some research about them. What types of jobs do they have open? What kind of people are they looking for? What kinds of skills do these people need to have?
Develop some questions you'd like to ask employers. Narrow down your list of businesses to include those who have positions you are interested in, or are businesses you think you might like to work for. Then list some questions you would like to ask the company representative at the job fair.
Proofread your CV - at least twice. If you don't already have one, it is a good idea to put a CV together for a job fair. It gives employers a blueprint of your skills and something tangible to remember you by. Be sure to proofread your CV before the job fair to find any spelling or grammatical mistakes. Even if you think there are no errors, have someone else look it over too. Don't let errors overshadow your qualifications for a job!
Be sure your CV contains your updated contact information. You'll want employers to be able to reach you if necessary. Double check that your address, phone number, and e-mail address is current.
At the Job Fair:
Dress the part. As with a job interview, first impressions at a job fair are important. How you represent yourself sends an immediate message to employers about how serious you are in your job search. It isn't always necessary to wear a suit to a job fair - unless you are looking for a job that would require you to dress professionally at work. However, you should leave the jeans and t-shirts at home. "Business Casual" is usually the most appropriate at a job fair - nice trousers and a collared shirt for men and nice trousers or a skirt and a blouse for women are appropriate. Make sure your clothes are clean and pressed. Avoid wearing excessive jewellery or clothing that is too short or revealing.
Take time to talk to employers. Don't just drop off a CV and move to the next booth. Take time to get additional information and make an impression. The point is not to see how many CVs you can give to employers in the least amount of time - it is to establish some solid job prospects. Also, try to avoid approaching employers when they are crowded by a large group of jobseekers. Approaching a crowded booth makes it difficult for employers to answer your individual questions, and they are less likely to remember you when they return to their offices.
Use your research to appear confident and knowledgeable. If you have done research before the job fair, you won't have to ask the question, "What does your company do?" If you have to ask, you are wasting valuable time. Instead, you could be asking questions about the position or department you are interested in. It works to your advantage if you can tell employers how your skills match what they are looking for. Employers want to hire people who are genuinely interested in their company. Do your homework!
Have a firm handshake and maintain eye contact. Let employers know how serious you are. Greet the employer with a firm dry handshake, and maintain eye contact throughout your conversation. Showing interest and good manners is important, regardless of the type of job you are looking for. Every employer appreciates someone who is dedicated, conscientious, and attentive.
After the Job Fair:
Follow up with a thank you note. Experts agree that follow-up is an important part of attending a job fair. If you picked up a business card, or the name of the company's job fair representative, send a thank you note a day or two after the job fair. This is not only polite, but will let the representative know you paid attention, are serious about the job, and that you are the right person for it.
For Additional Information:
Actual Job Fairs in Hertfordshire:
IBM Job Fairs 2002: http://www-5.ibm.com/employment/uk/events.php#professionals
Graduate Recruitment Fair at the University of Manchester and UMIST Careers Services (Science & Engineering) http://www.graduatecareersonline.com/fairs/scieng/
IT Recruitment Fairs: http://www.recruit2003.co.uk/
Totaljobs Live Recruitment (tourism, catering, hospitality) 3 & 4 September 2002 - Business Design Centre, London. Pre-register at www.totaljobslive.com
ULCS Graduate Select - Finance, Consultancy and IT 28 October 2002 - The Gallery Hall, Business Design Centre, London N1. Register at www.citykid.co.uk before Monday 14 October - 5pm.
Future Outlook 2002 Alternative Careers Fair - Saturday 23rd November 2002 at the Exam Schools, High Street, Oxford. 10-4pm.
Cambridge University Law Information Event 5-6 December 2002. For more information email RuthSmith@careers.cam.ac.uk
International Recruitment Fairs e.g. www.careergardens.com(Used to be called EMDS) NB. Next fair – Hannover 19 September 2002
Looking for:
- University degree or equivalent
- 0-5 years’ work experience
- International exposure and mobility
- Ability to communicate fluently in at least two European languages, including English
- Availability for employment within six months of the event
Next - Brussels – Euro-Managers Engineering with ICT – 13 December 2002
All my attending clients have received job offers and the EMDS Marketing Manager reports 50% success rate overall.
Corporate Social Innovation – Case Study: Lattice CRED Creative Education
In the last but one edition of this newsletter we looked at the case for Corporate Social Responsibility. (CSR) The 1990s saw a remarkable growth in awareness and activity as a result of the corporate sector’s increased profile and influence. As Rachel Jupp puts it in a pamphlet published by the independent think tank, Demos, ‘Getting Down to Business - An Agenda for Corporate Social Innovation, July 2002 "A range of political, regulatory, consumer and media pressures have encouraged companies to make their social practices more transparent and to promote social awareness and responsibility as part of their brand values."
CSR has produced three responses:
- "The basic values, policies and internal practices of a business at home and abroad, encouraging a ‘sustainable’ role that does not damage the environment or social operating context;
- Management of environmental and social issues within the wider value chain – from raw materials to product disposal; and
- The voluntary contributions made by a company to community development"
Demos argue that the next phase of the CSR agenda is to apply the ‘Experience and expertise in innovation to the creation of social value.’ It basically means that companies can apply their people and skills to solving public problems.
Demos give several case studies including Portsmouth Area Regeneration Trust where the Corporate innovator is Lloyds-TSB, Reach for the Sky – Corporate innovator British Sky Broadcasting and Lattice CRED Creative Education – The Lattice Group. The emphasis in each case is on ‘measuring the innovation’ and it’s ability to be replicated and rolled out elsewhere.
The Lattice Group provides infrastructure for the gas and telecommunications industry and its people are out there working on the streets and within communities. This means that it is vital that it’s people are recognised and trusted. Their community commitment is shown through regional charity involvement, a matched fund raising scheme for employees and local pilot projects. This work is coordinated by the Lattice Foundation, whose objectives overlap with the Lattice Group’s wider business strategy and whose methods draw on the skills and resources from across the company. It has invested in the local communities of employees and in initiatives that it draws explicit business benefit from, be it a better educated work force or a cleaner operating environment.
The Lattice Group donated £0.2 per cent of its pre-tax profits to charity in 2003, approximately £2 million. £1.4 million was donated over a three-year period to Mencap and Enable through the Transco Safety Challenge, a scheme linked to improvements in operational safety. The Transco Affordable Warmth programme has a direct community impact. The group is listed on the FTSEGood index (an index series for socially responsible investment designed according to a series of benchmarks and indices monitoring companies with good records of corporate social responsibility) and last year won the Business in the Community ‘Awards for Excellence’.
The project: In late 1999, Lattice Foundation launched a project to tackle a glaring problem around the group’s site in Reading. The problem was the lack of adequate provision for children excluded from school. This was creating an actual and potential shortage of skilled young men. For those children who have fallen out of school, who find it difficult to learn, who misbehave or who simply fail to turn up, there are very limited alternatives. In this country, a million children play truant every year and over a 100,000 are excluded, some 13,000 permanently. Few of these excluded children have any educational provision and the rest are placed in special units or have to rely on home tuition. These alternatives are very costly and do not seem to get much in the way of results.
Working in partnership with the Department of Education and Skills, Reading Education Authority and the local education and business partnerships, Lattice Group set out to provide a ‘radical change of educational environment, curriculum and resources for young disaffected learners.’
Lattice built a new learning centre within their site at Reading and welcomed 46 children from feeder schools and via pupil referral units. The curriculum was a vocational one with three days a week in the centre developing literacy, numeracy and computing skills and two days devoted to local work experience placements that reflected their interests – from motor mechanics to hotel staff. Each student had his own workplace mentor and a high teacher-student ratio (1 teacher to 14 students). The interactive, flexible learning enabled by the computers has allowed the students to concentrate on their needs and go at their own pace.
Lattice Group has given over £125,000 in three years in start up costs and in-kind staff time and investment in the education business partnership. Results show an 85 per cent attendance rate (compared to 40 per cent for the same students in mainstream schools.) 70 per cent leave the school with two GCSEs; 65 per cent go straight into jobs; 16 per cent begin trainee-ships and 11 per cent opt for continuing learning.
Nicola Gregson the teaching head of the centre who has pulled all this together says of the students ‘For some of them, their self esteem is so low when they get here that to actually see their confidence growing and them maturing is amazing.’ Former students return, support new arrivals and attend evening classes is further evidence of the impact on the wider community.
The students eat in the Lattice company canteen and mixing with adults in a work-related context has meant that the students see the place as an office rather than a school and behave accordingly. All this could not have happened without the championship of former Head of Group Taxation, Tom Melvin, the director of the Lattice Foundation, Dr Mary Harris, Nicola’s leadership and a passion to make it happen.
Lattice has started to test its model and is building a Transco CRED within its site at Peterborough. So far it has a 93 per cent attendance rate and 15 work placements arranged. It has yet to face the challenge of extending its model to the challenges posed by different LEAs provisions for excluded students and this will require a new burst of innovation.
Researching Companies, Industries, Internationally
In the past, I have always found the month of August to be a quiet time in job-hunting terms. It has always been the perfect time to take stock, do your career planning and market research. A good time to ring networking contacts and make appointments for September. This August, I am very busy coaching people who are looking to change their careers and jobs and will be lucky to get any breathing space at all. Never-mind, I like ‘busy’ and if you are in the process of job-hunting you should be busy doing your corporate homework:
COMPANY RESEARCH
- The Best Sources?
- (My current favourites are Google and the free software at www.copernic.com), and find the company's Web site. Most public companies have a section of their Web sites dedicated to customer relations and often have their annual reports online and in downloadable form.
- Web-based Secondary Sources:
- Web100 -- Big Business on the Web: Tracks the largest international companies on the Web (ranked by revenue), listing these corporations along with their Fortune500 and Global500 rankings. Can search for companies or scroll through rankings. Links under each company to sites that have more information about the companies.
- Hoover's Online: self-proclaimed as "the ultimate source for company information," this Web site offers a lot of information -- some for free and some for a fee.
- Vault.com - well-known for its insider reports on thousands of companies.
- Wall Street Research Net (WSRN): offers a wealth of financial/investment information about companies, including financial ratios, stock performance data, industry comparisons, and earnings estimates.
- The Forbes 500: a comprehensive database of the 500 largest American public corporations as measured by sales, profits, assets, and market value.
- Better Business Bureau: includes links to companies that are members of the organization.
- Small Business Administration Hotlist: offers a great collection of information about business trends and small businesses.
- Web-based Company Research Links:
INDUSTRY RESEARCH
- Web-based Industry Research Links:
- Industry Profiles: A collection of links related to getting industry information. Please note that a number of their links no longer seem to work.
- Plunkett Research, Ltd.: A free industry information channel designed to assist job-seekers in your basic market research and analysis of potential industries -- from Plunkett Research, Ltd. Some great top-line information about all major industries. Free to job-seekers.
- Print Resources:
- Industry Norms and Key Business Ratios. Dun & Bradstreet Credit Services.
- Almanac of Business and Industrial Financial Ratios, by Troy Leo. Prentice-Hall.
- Annual Statement Studies. Robert Morris Associates.
COUNTRY RESEARCH
- Online Country Research Resources:
- World Trade Organization - a great source of worldwide business and trade information and trends.
- CIA World Factbook - detailed snapshots, compiled by the U.S. government, of just about every country in the world.
- CountryReports.org – a great source for finding top-line information about just about every country in the world, including culture, geography, economy, political system, news, maps, and more.
- Country Studies from the U.S. Library of Congress. These guides cover social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of more than 100 countries throughout the world.
- globalEDGE – a comprehensive global business resource centre from Michigan State University. Key strength are links to further information.
- International Business & Technology - a learning portal that provides links to business, communication, import-export, linguistic, legal, marketing, media, monetary, public affairs, research, technology, trade, and travel information at both world and country levels. From BRINT Institute.
- Virtual International Business & Economic Sources - a portal to more than 1,600 Internet sources of international business and economic information. From the folks at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
- Global Job-Seeker Print Resources:
OTHER RESEARCH RESOURCES
- Other Guides to Researching Companies:
- Researching Companies on the Internet -- A Tutorial: presents a step-by-step process for finding free company and industry info on the Web.
- Internet/Web-Based Reference Resources:
- Business-Related News, Magazines, and Newspapers:
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We hope you enjoyed this issue of Career Coach. If you would like to learn more about how we can work together, then please contact me, Margaret Stead:
Telephone: +44 (0) 845 130 4344
E-mail: margaret@careersnet.com
