Careers – Page 8 – Career Life Institute

Tree-Hugging For Money

By Jonathan Fields, Awake @ The Wheel

“Who are businesses really responsible to? Their customers? Shareholders? Employees? We would argue that it’s none of the above. Fundamentally, businesses are responsible to their resource base. Without a healthy environment there are no shareholders, no employees, no customers and no business.” ~Patagonia founder, Yvon Chouinard

The conversation around corporate responsibility over the last few decades has been, almost entirely, from the mouths of two warring factions. Those who believe in maximizing shareholder wealth by any means necessary and those who believe in corporate citizenship, which until recent years has almost always been viewed in the context of people, with a smallish bit of lip service to the environment.

Then came Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth, followed this year by The Big Spill.

Longtime readers of this blog know I don’t get political here (at least rarely). Not that I don’t have opinions, this just isn’t my outlet for them. But, I do talk about business, and our responsibilities, dreams and quests as creators, problem-solvers, leaders and builders of legacy.

As a securities attorney, first at the SEC, then at a private firm in NYC, I was duty-bound by the law. And, so were board’s, officers and decision-makers of every public corporation. All were under a fiduciary duty to maximize shareholder wealth. Without fail, the measure of shareholder wealth was stock price, profitability and dividend. In all but the rarest of circumstance, the notion of corporate citizenship was considered only as a “stunt” to create a perception that might engender a big enough bump in feel good vibes to generate more revenue than the stunt consumed.

I get the need to be profitable. You can’t have an impact without a voice. And, you can’t have a voice if you don’t have a viable means to sustain your efforts. Money matters.

But, I’m increasingly drawn to what Brian Clark might call the corporate responsibility third tribe.

A growing movement of C-suite executives who strive to build powerful, impactful organizations that profit and maximize shareholder wealth not as the result of the more traditional crush, dominate, slash and burn approach, but rather as a byproduct of a fierce sense of corporate citizenship. And, I am stunned at how profitable some have become.

Interface is an interesting example of this. After years in traditional carpet manufacturing, Interface founder, Ray Anderson refocused the company on sustainability, retooling nearly every process, shifting resources and vendors in the name of what he calls Mission Zero: “our promise to eliminate any negative impact our company may have on the environment by the year 2020.” And, in the process, the company created FLOR, a sustainable flooring product, lowered net greenhouse gas emissions by 82%, dropped fossil fuel usage 60% per unit of production, decreased water usage 75%…and decreased costs by $400 million, increased sales by 67% and doubled profits.

Similarly, Chouinard’s Patagonia continues to build on it’s legendary footprint as a leader in corporate citizenship with it’s “birth to birth” initiative:

“…we’ve teamed up with some Japanese companies to, basically by 2010, make all our clothing out of recycled and recyclable fibers. And we’re going to accept ownership of our products from birth to birth. So if you buy a jacket from us, or a shirt ,or a pair of pants, when you’re done with it, you can give it back to us and we’ll make more shirts and pants out of it.

Which is a different idea about consuming. Right now the world runs on consuming and discarding, and we’re saying that we’re taking responsibility for our products from birth to birth. Can you imagine if a computer company said, “When you’re done with your computer, we’ll buy it back from you and make more computers out of it.” Instead, they sell you computer and you can’t even get service from them!” From Chouinard’s book, Let My People Go Surfing.

It’s a different way of accepting responsibility.

So, as I look at what’s unfolding on our planet, when I look at the impact the “by any means necessary” approach to corporate growth has had on the world, when I meditate on my entirely selfish hopes and dreams for the world my daughter will inherit…these are the people and the companies I look to learn from. And, to emulate.

And, I wonder…

What might the world look like 20 years from now if a growing number of freshly-minted and not so minty-fresh entrepreneurs and corporate leaders did the same?

Just thinking…and hoping.

How about you?

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How to Deal with Headhunters

In addition to my current practice as a resume writer, career transition coach and social media strategist, I have spent 20+ years as an independent talent acquisition specialist, the 21st century name for "head-hunter." So I am qualified to say that relying on recruiters should not be at the top of your list of ways to find a new position. The reasons, of which there are many, we can discuss at another time. The most obvious being recruiters get paid by and therefore owe their allegiance to the client and not the candidate.

However recruiters – generalists, job or industry specific, technical, executive or retained – can help you in many ways and it is important to understand what they are and how to behave when dealing with a recruiter in order to get results.

First off, just like you most recruiters are in business for the long haul; and just like you they live or die based on the quality of the network they establish.

You want to build a network of people to keep you in the loop regarding unadvertised job opportunities and good recruiters are always looking to network with people who can refer candidates their way for new assignments. And who knows, when you least expect it they may call you and tell you they have the perfect job for you. So even if a recruiter can’t help you today it pays to establish a relationship with recruitment professionals who have a sterling track record of integrity and some longevity in the business.

What can a recruiter do for you?

Recruiters are a great source of information about companies, what careers are in vogue, which are on the upswing and which are fading, and what the salary parameters are in different occupational sectors etc. Even if you are not a potential placement for a recruitment firm at this time, recruiters are willing to share information with you if you are willing to share information back with them, even if you are not a highly skilled or sought after candidate.

So here are some do and don’ts about dealing with recruiters from their side of the table.

Many people see recruiters only as middlemen who can open doors, and think recruiters only want perfection in a candidate, which is true to a great extent on both counts.
Therefore many candidates will outright lie to a recruiter and embellish who they are, what they have done and what they are looking for in terms of a job and salary with the thought in mind that if and when they meet the recruiter’s client they will come clean and tell the truth. This does not work. Recruiters are for the most part great judges of talent and character, and their clients do not react well when the person they meet does not live up to the recruiter’s hype.
Many candidates act differently in an interview with a recruiter than they do during an interview with an employer. For instance, when asked if they have any questions most will say no.
This is bad etiquette and bad business. When you want someone to help you treat them with the respect they deserve. Also remember that how you interview with them is how they will see you interviewing with their client. If you fail to relate or show enthusiasm with them a recruiter will blow you off in a minute even if you are a qualified candidate. There reputation to the client means much more than any one candidate.
Recruiters need to know your real weaknesses as well as your strengths. Being dishonest with a recruiter is the same as being dishonest with yourself. Recruiters may call you about one job, but the chance of your getting that job is at BEST 15% in most cases. However if a recruiter likes you he or she will keep you in mind for other positions and let others in their firm and with firms they network with know about you. This can increase your network by as much as 100%. However this will only pay long term dividends if the recruiter has the whole picture and can make an honest assessment of who you really are and where you will fit.
A phone interview is not a casual chat. A recruiter wants to get a sense of your personality to determine if a face-to-face or more in-depth interview is warranted, so treat this as a real interview not an informal phone chat with a casual friend. Don't put on airs and change your personality because you can’t be seen. Be business like but also be you. Most important do not take a phone interview in a casual position, a place where there is outside distraction or on a poor phone connection.
Last but not least, follow up with recruiters but don’t be too persistent or demanding of answers. Some candidates I have come across become obnoxiously aggressive—and, in doing so, kill their chances at being called when the right job does come along.

Author:

Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com/, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique.

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The Lemonade Stand Principle

I wonder if I was born an entrepreneur. Maybe I just learned, at an early age, that it was more fun to have money than not to have money.

My earliest recollection of my ability to earn money was at age 6, when I sold flowers which I took out of the nearby Lutheran Church garbage bin.

Faithfully on Mondays, the church secretary would put the flowers in the bin; and faithfully after school (first grade), I would take the flowers out, tear out the bad spots and sell them. I would go along the neighborhood streets, door-to-door, peddling my flowers minus the bad spots. I was successful at it. People would give me coins for my little bunches of flowers tied by a red string and when I would get to my last bouquet, I’d knock on the door of the home where the Catholic nuns lived. A very warm and loving sister would give me a small picture of Jesus, in lieu of coins, for my flowers. I did this every Monday like clockwork.

Later on, after selling all of my flowers I took my accumulated pictures of Jesus and gave them to some to the old folks at the nursing home next door to the church.

Somehow, at an early age, I had an “eye” for what could be special to someone else for which I could be paid. I must also have been undaunted, creative, imaginative and have had a measure of freedom from my parents. I am certain, though, that I tremendously enjoyed this. I made special friends.

Whenever the carnival would come to town, I’d go to the “penny pitch” and return home with enough ash trays, glasses, bowls and plates to set up shop. With my card table placed in front of the house, right alongside the sidewalk, I’d sell my wares for ten cents each. I made a profit and I always sold out!

Then I really got into business with my lemonade stand, which I would faithfully set up every Saturday morning and keep it up until 2p.m. At age 6, I was selling lemonade at five cents a glass. I remember making my table beautiful with a tablecloth (I also ironed at a young age) with the finishing touch of red and orange geraniums in a green Coke bottle.

Kids came, so did heir mothers. Even the scary old woman who lived in the proverbial darkened mysterious house down the street sent a note, via the passing mailman, that she wanted me to bring her a cup of lemonade. So I did and for my efforts she gave me twice the amount – 10 cents. That was an interesting lesson: I learned about going that “extra mile”.

I then expanded to include red Kool-Aid for 3 cents a glass because it was cheaper to make and I cheated a little on the sugar. The old woman gave me a 20 pound bag of sugar she no longer used and people liked my Kool-Aid. Later when lemons got costly, I added different flavors of Kool-Aid, even putting some dry Kool-Aid powder in small envelopes for 2 cents. Kids could buy it, pour it out onto their hands and lick the dry and sour powder. As summer came on I included frozen Kool-Aid ice cubes for one penny each. By then I was 8 years of age.

Some days were filled with many trips to the house to get more cold ice water of Kool-Aid ice cubes; other days I went to and from the house because I drank more than I sold! I stayed with this venture for three summers and most Saturdays during school.

I must confess, though, that my Mom put a halt to my entrepreneurial spirit when I charged 5 cents for neighbor kids to wiggle the stiff body of my dead cat Rusty who was on the porch in a box waiting to be picked up by the Humane society!

As I look back, I was in Lemonade Stand Training School, for I learned some lessons that are with me still. I learned:

I, independently, could make something happen.
I had earning power.
To use and sell products that I loved.
I could sell things for money or by trading.
How to negotiate (negotiate means that both partied are satisfied with the deal).
How to be generous. (I would give someone a whole glass of lemonade so they could taste it. Most people would, in turn, buy more. I also gave many free glasses to my buddies.)
To be consistent.
To have completed transactions.

The idea that I learned from my friend Leonard Orr-to have many sources of income-is a smart one and can liberate you from the dependency created by one source of income and the tremendous fear of having it taken away. It can be easy when you relax your mind, become inventive, move from the idea of “selling” to “offering” and let go of attachment to “making the deal”. You can be employed full-time and get involved with products or trade and “do it on the side”.

YOU CAN SELL IDEAS. HSU and CR (local colleges) sell ideas. If you have ever paid tuition, you have purchased ideas. You can sell ideas by giving a class, workshop, a seminar. You can be a consultant if you have something to advise or teach.

YOU CAN SELL PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. There are Avon ladies and Mary Kay consultants; vendors at the Farmer’s Market and North Country Faire; there are sidewalk sales and yard sales and garage sales; there are parties to show beautiful and unusual baskets, Tupperware and intimate apparel; there are Sunrider and Blue Green Algae to take for inner health and cleansing; there’s Toby across from Arcata City Hall selling flowers; and Don in the Arcata Plaza selling hot dogs and sausages.

He is a great entrepreneur. He expanded his business as he saw what people wanted: coffee, tea, hot chocolate and tofu hot dogs. He will even give you a shoe shine! There is no end to what can be available for you. Just select a service or product for which someone will be willing to pay you.

The workplace in 21st century will be a different configuration than we’ve known in the past. Our mentality of largeness seems to be turning around to more simple form. Did you know that home-based business comprises more than 50% of all new businesses in the U.S. and 75% of the new businesses in Canada? The rise in mail-order catalogues and multilevel marketing of products is testimony that people want to buy either at home or in a more personal manner.

The workplace in 21st century is also going to be one of the multi-careers and simultaneous careers. If you are able to change with the changes this can be an exciting time in making money to take care of your needs. Leonard Orr says that: we should stay with a career or product for at least 5 years or until we have become successful with that career or product so that we create patterns of success rather than failure.

So, I’ve created what I will call the “Lemonade Stand Theory” as a way to expand your income. If you think about it you have probably done it. For fun, jot down all of the jobs that you have ever had- all of the things you have ever sold. Then write down all of the things you have done without pay but that you could be paid for. You may be reminded of your capabilities and experience.

Naturally, you must have the “glue” that holds it all together. I think that is made up of personal energy, inspiration, self-esteem and the willingness to show up or have you or your product out where people will know about it, where they live or shop or hang out. Display it or have it available, or you be available and don’t take yourself too seriously.

Susan Yashoda Deschenes teaches classes in clientele building and in relaxation. She lives in Arcata and drinks lemonade to this day.

Your Life

A great friend of mine (Dennis Gaskill) recently shared his latest video with me. It is a quick reflection on being yourself in a world that is constantly trying to tell you who to be.

You can find out more about Boogie Jack and his wonderful resources by going to his website: http://BoogieJack.com.

You can also listen to an interview I did with him several years ago where he describes his own success in the Internet world by going here….

BoogieJack Interview

…and if you liked the video, be sure to click on it and leave Dennis a comment at YouTube.