How to Handle a Professional Bully

Posted on July 14, 2011 by The Résumé Studio

This is for all the young professionals in the house.

I remember the first time I was screamed at by a professional authority figure. A board member, in fact.

Years have passed, and I still draw on the experience when working with young professionals in tricky spots.

The tirade was over the placement of a bookshelf. Clearly not about me. It was my first day on the job, and the contested bookshelf relocation had been authorized by my boss, the executive director.

The board member and I hadn’t even been introduced yet.

Already, reporting relationships and professional decorum meant nothing. And already, this board member was literally cursing her way into my life.

So began three years of a mostly joyous directorship, colored by acute bouts of misery, as this same board member bulldozed everyone in sight.

It was also where I learned one of my most valuable lessons as a young professional, foremost being how to diffuse a bad situation before it escalates.

It’s surprisingly simple.  Continue reading →

Filed under: Mostly Young Professionals | 1 Comment »

Q&A: What About Relocating During a Job Search?

Posted on July 9, 2011 by The Résumé Studio

I used to do Q&As with newsletter subscribers. In 2006, a job seeker wrote in about relocation biases.

Dear Jared:

I’m open to relocation and have sent résumés to other cities. So far no one has expressed interest. I feel like they only want local candidates. — Anita, Tampa, FL.

Dear Anita:

They probably do. Many companies draw from local candidate pools first. It’s less costly, the candidates are familiar with the territory, and they’re easier to meet face-to-face.

As an executive search consultant who conducted national searches, I was surprised by how frequently companies got “geographically stuck.” We were often restricted in the talent we could find until we were able to convince the client to look at the bigger picture.

As a candidate, it’s your job to speak up, subtly. You can’t dictate what a hiring entity wants, but you can remove a few barriers upfront to improve the odds.

Here are a few techniques:

  • Place “Willing to Relocate,” “Open to Relocation,” or “Relocating to [City Name]” under your résumé address.
  • Have a friend of family member in your intended city? Ask permission to list their address next to your current address.
  • Start the second paragraph of your cover letter with a succinct statement about your relocation plans and your willingness to be readily available to interview and move at your own cost.

You never know when relocation will enter your job search, or how. But being prepared with the right tools can make a difference.

Until next time!

Jared Redick

Jared Redick is the founder of The Redick Group, an executive identity and career strategy firm based in San Francisco. He works with C-suite leaders, senior executives, and career transitioners to clarify their narrative, articulate their impact, and position themselves for what’s next.

Filed under: About Recruiters, Cover Letters, Job Search Tips, Q&A Corner | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Keep Your Résumé Fresh

Posted on June 25, 2011 by The Résumé Studio

KeepYourResumeFreshI sent this reminder to my newsletter subscribers in March 2006. Today seems like a good day to revisit it.

A fatal mistake we fallible humans make too often is being unprepared when opportunity strikes. Having an up-to-date résumé ready to rock is no exception.

Suddenly the clock strikes and we find ourselves scrambling to become instant résumé writers at the worst time: when we’re without a job, or close to it.

All sorts of mayhem pours into documents written in haste, exposing a vulnerable, last minute “I hope they can’t tell I crammed for the test” flavored desperation.

Is it possible to take our microwave-ready, just-add-water approach to lives to the task of résumé writing?  Continue reading →

Filed under: Job Search Tips, Resume Updates, Resume Writing | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

How to Hide a Contact’s Activity on Your LinkedIn Newsfeed

Posted on June 16, 2011 by The Résumé Studio

Did you know you can hide a contact’s activity on your LinkedIn newsfeed?

I didn’t either, until I had the privilege of meeting with some LinkedIn folks a few weeks ago.

Sure, you want to stay connected with your contacts, right? But some connections like to tweet a lot.

With those tweets linked to their LinkedIn newsfeeds, it can all become too much.

For those who tweet irregularly, no problem, right. A hashtag here and there.

For prolific tweeters, however; whether they realize it or not, they take up a lot of my LinkedIn newsfeed reading time. And it’s often about things I’m not so interested in. (I love the Oscars, but imagine a contact “live tweeting” the Oscars, and pushing those tweets onto your LinkedIn feed. Notsomuch.)

The problem is, you still want to stay connected.

The solution? THE HIDE BUTTON.

Here’s how:  Continue reading →

Filed under: LinkedIn Ideas | 2 Comments »

Do You Put “The Love” Into Your Work?

Posted on June 9, 2011 by The Résumé Studio

I caught Oprah’s Farewell Season episode profiling Ralph Lauren.

Lauren struck me, like so many entrepreneurs I’ve admired, when he said that the thing differentiating his first line of Bloomingdales ties from his competitor’s ties was “the love.”

I also smiled when he said that for forty years, a runway show can be nearly finished and instead of reveling in the victory, he’s already wondering how he’s going to top it the following year.

It made me wonder how many people love their work. More than that, how many people “put the love” in their work.

If I look at my own practice, the “love” is obsessing over a client’s introductory paragraph. Or asking the one question that finally unlocks a life’s unifying theme. Or settling on the perfect outline for an executive biography.

I write for 85-110 people a year, and can count on my fingers and toes the number of people who’ve shared that they “put the love” in their work.

Sure, many of them enjoy their careers, and they do fantastic jobs. I see the proof every day.

It makes me wonder: Is it possible to work in-house while still “putting the love” in? Or is it reserved for visionary company founders who can’t help going to their graves following their passion?

Until next time!

Jared Redick

Jared Redick is the founder of The Redick Group, an executive identity and career strategy firm based in San Francisco. He works with C-suite leaders, senior executives, and career transitioners to clarify their narrative, articulate their impact, and position themselves for what’s next.

Filed under: Inspiration | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

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