Kazira

Heck, “they” wrote books titled “Tao of Pooh” and “Tao of Steve” – So then why not a foray into “Tao of a company”. All I mean out of it is the inherent structures and classes within a typical company. You get glimpses of it when you enter the work force but no one tells you about it. It is what we, as human beings; eventually settle into; as a structure, as a character; for a company.

I think a new comer to the global work force must understand the soul of a company before defining a career path for himself/herself. So, what is the soul of the company and its corresponding characteristics of different layers of definitions? Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) – A company can be thought of a living, breathing entity and the people who define it are the people who work for it. It is the collected souls of the individuals and there collective wisdom, weaknesses, and all other human attributes – define a company. And just like the human body, where each part of its physical and psychological constitution define the whole human personality – a company has the same distinguishing attributes that makes it whole.

So lets begin understanding how a companies are laid out these days – how they aught to be laid out and how you can maximize your contribution and your potential while making a mark. Based on your education and capability, the levels described below will be applicable for all parts (departments) of the company – Sales, marketing, purchasing, human resources, design, production, finance, travel, business –development etc. I must make another point that when you join a smaller company, these responsibilities described below will be more apparent and utilized – the bigger corporation loose sight of these and the folks stay locked into one level without much exposure.

GROUND ZERO – Level 1 – YOU ARRIVE AND YOU ARE HERE – Junior Level – At the bottom of this enterprise. A new comer, ready to make your mark in this world. This is where all the grunt work gets done. You want to work and you will be assigned a lot of it. Initially not a whole lot will be expected of you but sooner or later you will be expected to produce. All the knowledge that you have gathered from your teachers and professors from your school are now ready to be used. There is a big disconnect here – what you do and how you do it in the school will not be applicable here. Depending on the company that your join – there will be a lot of learning expected from you – to come up to speed on how the business gets done there – open yourself to learning and embrace all its culture and idiosyncrasies. It is good to realize the importance of ‘practical training’ during your education – because the intent of it is to get you a head-start in learning exactly this ….

Level 2 – Senior Member – This is the second layer that sits on top of the junior folks – Theoretically, their task is to perform detailed work that may require experience to support clients. Some responsibility of this layer includes mentoring of the junior folks and also provide guidance to them – at the same time – use the folks at level 1 and utilize them to the best of their ability. Now to get to this level from level takes time and dedication – and that’s it. Senior associates, senior members, senior engineers are some of the designations that you see at this level.

Level 3 – Senior Management – These is the layer of the company that can be very aptly called “Middle Management” and most of the ambitions find their resting place at this level. Most folks showing up at this level are either long-term company veterans, acquaintances of the levels above or hot shot MBA’s. Product lead, senor financial analyst, Chief Engineer, program managers, Brach chief etc. are the designations that you may see at this level.

Level 4 – Vice Presidents – vice-Chief Executives and other CXX’s. These are the guys and gals that ensure the fact that the policies set by the President and the CEO are properly executed. They are CEO’s most trusted bunch and offer suggestions and recommendations on policies. They are also the ones that run the company while the CEO battles the political crisis or takes the credit for all the success. Chief Financial Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Information Officer etc. are the designations at this level.

Level 5 – The big cheese – The President – and usually the Chief Executive Officer. All the VPs and other COO’s report to this person. Usually the company founders or the choice of the board of directors decides the appointee. Based on the size of the company, these are the ones that see most of the lime light, get to meet the decision makers from other companies and also do the company public relations to the investors (banks and corporate investors). The CEO pretty much sets the tone and the culture for the company. His or her policies are the ones that gets implemented in due course and set the long term vision for any given company. The skill sets required for this job are very succinctly summarized by Lee Iacocca in his latest book on leadership – Please refer to my February book review to see the 9 C’s of leadership that he mentions in this book.

Level 6- The Board of Directors – The board of directors are usually formed by choosing the appropriate . The appointment comes from the investors or the fellow board members themselves. The Board of directors are the final authority on approving the CEO plans and the tone for the company. Depending on the company, the board of directors are the usually the luminaries such as the ex-government officials etc.

Now that you know the layout of a typical company – you, when starting at the bottom, need to know the traits required for each level – Know who you are (Refer to Uday's previous blog on “Knowing Thyself”) and finding the right place where you’ll be most productive at the same time would meet your career ambitions.

The current times maybe somewhat choppy, turbulent, and gloomy for folks who are in the job market, specially the ones that possess little (<3 years) to no experience. Job cut news are making headlines pretty much across the board - Countrywide, AOL, Yahoo, Citi, etc. Recent government job reports also show a trimming of company payrolls and a slight rise in unemployment numbers. On the flip side, you've also got the case where more and more companies are sensing the need to diversify their operations, so as to make the company's overall performance less prone to local, national, and regional fluctuations and vagaries (specially the negatives ones). These bumps could be as a result of changes in the economic, social, political, and geographical landscape. Global diversification also gives companies access to, amongst others things, new talent, markets, and customers.

If that is the case, why not look beyond the borders? How about searching for an international opportunity? Canada and Mexico could be options but their close proximity to US tells me that there is a good likelihood of the US ailments spilling over to those countries. How about South America (Brazil, Argentina) or Europe or Asia or even down under (Australia, New Zealand)?

All I am saying is that there are plenty of options available to you if you are willing to step "outside the box". The US education brand is fairly reputable and recognized all around the world. US continues to be the most valued market and customer to most of the large global firms. If you've already got a few years of US experience and have some understanding of the domestic US market and consumer behaviors/tastes, it could position you real well in the global job market. Knowing a second language could also give you a leg-up over your competition.

Of course, the most obvious destinations would be the countries where English is the working and business language - UK, Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Australia, New Zealand, etc. But then there is also a tremendous demand for well qualified 20 to 30-somethings, to support the operations of US firms, in countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, France, Germany, and Taiwan. Most of the firms you would be chasing in the US have presence across the globe - Goldman Sachs, Pfizer, Citi, Unilever, P&G, Caterpillar, WalMart, Disney, GM, Google, Microsoft - the list goes on and on.

And then there are all the gains, benefits, and perks that come along with having a global gig -

1. Get exposure to a different national and work culture

2. Learn how to do business in a different part of the world

3. Get an opportunity to see new places and experience new cuisines

4. Get an opportunity to save more (living expenses may be more affordable or your company may give you other allowances to compensate you for being away from home)

5. Make friends across the continents

6. Broaden your global horizon and perspectives

7. Most important of all - Demonstrate to a future employer your aptitude and ability to contribute at a global level, along with the perception that you take your career seriously

I am optimistic that this posting will help open the minds (followed by a few doors) of some of our readers. Don't let all that economic gloom and doom bog you down.

For the bold and the ambitious, there is never dearth of opportunities!

I am reading a lot these days about what to do to save/keep your job in the current economic environment, where a recession is all but imminent. You've got advice coming from every direction - job sites, new sites, career gurus, coaching blogs, etc. People are making predictions about what industries are safer than others in current times (environment, energy), which verticals are cyclical (construction, technology), and which sectors are always in demand (security, healthcare).

SO is there really such a thing as a recession-proof job? Can you really be selective about the career and industry you choose to pursue and invest in, in order to minimize the risks of a future layoff or RIF (Reduction In Force)? Can you really plan your career in such a way that you can out-smart the economy? How do you prepare for such uncertainties and ensure that you are not left holding the short end of the stick?

Here come my 2 cents. Every organization, no matter what it's size is, wants to do business and make money in all kinds of economic environments. Companies do not get started with the thought that they will get to take a day or a month or a year off in case there is an economic slowdown of some sort. And what makes up and defines these companies? It is it's employees - people like you and me. Further, every organization keeps a tab of how these employees are performing. Some do it in a formal way using annual PERs (performance assessment reviews) or EPMs (employee performance management). All the data is neatly tracked and stacked, and is readily available for making decisions on raises, promotions, and when required, the not-so-popular layoffs. Other organizations track employee performance in a more informal manner using some MS Excel based tools and yet some others just go by good old human memory.

Guess what, when things start hitting the roof, for whatever reasons, the company is often forced to shift gears to a survival mode. There are various levers that a typical company can pull once it gets to this point, but unfortunately, one of the most effective and agile methods of cutting the company losses is by workforce downsizing. Impacted staff could be hand-picked at times or the management could send packing an entire team/group/BU (business unit). It all depends upon how quickly and to what extent the company wants to rein in it's operating losses. Whatever may be the case, the company will always make an effort to retain it's top performers - The Rockstars - The Top 10% in the performance pyramid. And the way it determines who is a keeper versus who is a goner is by looking up all that annual performance data it's Human Resources (HR) department has been gathering over the years.

Now lets go back and answer those questions that I posed earlier, one at a time.

1. Is there really such a thing as a recession-proof job? I don't think so. There is no such thing as a "recession-proof job" - It's a myth! If a company is really in a hole or a slump, every employee - from the top floor to the shop floor - is fair game.

2. Can you really be selective about the career and industry you choose to pursue and invest in, in order to minimize the risks of a future layoff or RIF (Reduction In Force)? I don't think so. The only way, I guess, you could ensure that you do not get laid off is if you were to work for yourself. But wait a second, if you were to have your own firm, you would be subject to the same set of economic and market ups and downs as anybody else.

3. Can you really plan your career in such a way that you can out-smart the economy? Same response as that for  bullet # 2.

4. How do you prepare for such uncertainties and ensure that you are not left holding the short end of the stick? The only thing you, as an employee, have control over is your individual performance. Be the best and brightest at what you have been tasked to do, and everything else should fall in place. Remember, the companies want to hold on to the cream of the crop at all times. These are the individuals who have demonstrated the maximum potential when it comes to knowledge, skills, and attitude. There are the ones who have worked the hardest and the smartest. These will be the future managers and leaders of the company. These are the ones that will still have a seat on the table once the dust settles.

Thomas Jefferson could not have put it more aptly when he said that -

I'm a great believer in luck and I find that the harder I work, the more I have of it.

 

Note: Photo Credit

Following up on Part I of the “Effective Job Hunting” series, I will now elaborate on each one of the 7 habits of effective job hunting.

1. Work Smart, Not Hard – When it comes to getting that first break in your career, you’ve got to make full use of the tools readily available to you. If you need to research something, use the Internet. No need to go buy a book on something when you can dig up truck-loads of useful information by doing some simple searches on Google. Whether you are researching on a company or an interview technique or effective communications, I can guarantee to you that you will find good, quality information on the web. Another example that comes to mind is on the topic of resume-crafting. There is absolutely no need to re-invent the wheel or to do things from scratch when generations before you have already invested significant hours designing various resume styles and templates. Once again, search the web and you will find something that will suit your taste. For references and recommendations, no need to go looking for a CEO or Department Head just because it will make you look good in front of the prospective employer. For one, you are going to spend a lot of time trying to track down those folks and more importantly, hiring/recruiting personnel prefer references from folks who have observed you directly (like your supervisor, advisor, or manager).

2. Have a focused approach – You need to have a destination else you are going to be all over the map. Spend time thinking about where you want your career to go, which industry/company is going to give you the ideal launching pad, where can you make the most meaningful contribution, what environment will best suit your intellectual and learning capabilities, etc. Once you have thought through these and more, have a discussion with somebody your trust (maybe your Dad, college professor, research advisor, etc.) and bounce your thoughts/ideas with them. This will help narrow down your job search to a smaller, but targeted area and also improve your odds of success in securing the right job as well as succeeding on the job. Some people think that this is a numbers game – the more opportunities you chase, the better your chances of grabbing one. Well, you only end up stretching yourself thin by taking that approach. Let me use the magnifying glass analogy. In order to magnify something and be able to see it clearly, you need to hold the glass at a certain distance from the object. Any less or more, the visual gets blurry, meaning that you loose the focus. Your approach needs to be at the right level so as to stay focused in helping you meet your objectives.

3. Think quality, not quantity – Make sure that everything that you do in regards to the job search is nothing short of top quality. If that means reducing your search “scope” (i.e. applying to fewer opportunities), so be it. This includes your communication skills (verbal and written), your attire, your resume, your references, and your follow-ups. Always put your best foot forward, never do anything “half-ass”. A lot of the opportunities for new college graduates are very competitive and employers are looking for the “best bang for their buck” - they want the best talent that is out there. So, it is in your best interest to be on top of every aspect of your job search and ensure that your personal brand comes out in full force in front of the prospective employer(s).

4. Prepare/present a “package” deal – Times have changed and now every organization wants to run a lean/mean shop. What this means is that they want you to posses the skills and knowledge of 3 or 4 people combined. Lets take an example of the IT consulting world. You should be able to be a business analyst as well as a data analyst as well as a project coordinator. And I almost forgot - I need you to be able to do some technical writing as well while you are on the bench. Well, that sounds like 4 different people to me but in the new, knowledge economy, all those functions can typically be performed by the same person (assuming they have the bandwidth to do all that, obviously!). The point I am trying to make here is that it’s in your best interest to present yourself as a “jack of all and master of some”. That way, you come across as being more valuable and flexible to the organization. This also helps you differentiate yourself from the crowd and move you up amongst the “draft picks”.

Ok, so I had said that I would elaborate on each one of the 7 habits but I am running out of time here. So let me wrap this post here with a promise that I will be back shortly with my detailed insights into the final 3 habits (i.e. Effective Job Hunting – Part III). As always, let us know what you think of the topics we are covering and anything else you would like us to discuss.

So you are just getting started on figuring out what is the best approach on getting that maiden job offer, or better yet, a few offers to choose from! Well, you're just about to graduate from a pretty good school, with some pretty decent grades, majoring in a reasonably sought-out subject. How bad could it really be?

Let me start by telling you that there is no silver bullet to job hunting - you've got to put in sweat and blood to see some decent offers come your way. More over, since you are fresh out of school with slim to none experience, you are looking at some daunting odds stacked up against you. Everybody wants new employees to "hit the ground running". We do not want to waste precious company time, money, and effort in training these young college recruits. We would rather look for folks already in the workforce rather than recruit these newbies. Guess what, you've got competition! What is a young, college gradaute to do??

Some of you are probably saying that "this guy is exagerating". All I am trying to do is to impress upon you the severity and degree-of-difficulty of the job search process and hoping that you are taking an informed and smart approach towards your job search. I am guessing that by now you've done the typical things any soon-to-graduate would/should do -

1. Prepare a kick-ass resume

2. Add the resume to the "Resume Book"

3. Post resume on Monster, Dice, etc.

4. Participate and network at the career fair

5. Reach out to the company where you did your internship(s)

6. Ask Dad/Mom/Uncles/Aunts to give you some leads/intros

In my experience, the key to effective job hunting is to follow/internalize the following 7 habits/traits  -

1. Work smart, not hard

2. Have a focussed approach

3. Think quality, not quantity

4. Prepare/present a "package deal"

5. Early bird usually gets the worm

6. Take/keep good notes

7. Have courage to accept a decline/rejection

In Part II of this series, I will give detailed insights into each one of these 7 habits/traits.