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Upcoming Speaking Engagement! Boost Your Personal Brand with Lean In Boston Chapter

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I am honored and excited to have been selected as one of the speakers at Lean In Boston’s next Chapter meeting, where I will be leading a discussion how to promote yourself on social media. Joining me will be Elaine Varelas, Managing Director, Keystone Partners, who will be leading a discussion on career boosters and busters. Follow Lean In Boston on Facebook for more details on what is sure to be an exciting event.

Save the Date!  March 30, 2016 5:30 p.m. at WeWork South Station, Boston, MA

About Lean In:

The book Lean In is focused on encouraging women to pursue their ambitions, and changing the conversation from what we can’t do to what we can do. LeanIn.Org is the next chapter. Lean In is committed to offering women the ongoing inspiration and support to help them achieve their goals. Lean In believes that if we talk openly about the challenges women face and work together, we can change the trajectory of women and create a better world for everyone. Empowering women and closing the gender leadership gap are imperative for companies that want to perform at the highest level. That’s where Lean In comes in. Lean In’s programming helps women connect with peers and organizations counteract gender bias.

About Cindy Joyce and Pillar Search:

With personalized service and proven results, Pillar is your partner in executive search and human resources consulting. With over 20 years of experience, Pillar provides national retained search services for exceptional non-profits and foundations and early-stage or rapid growth for-profit firms. All share the characteristic of desiring top talent who want an occupassion, not just an occupation.     In addition, Pillar offers human resources consulting services, which was born of clients requesting help on projects beyond executive search, and includes human resources audits, creating a handbook, assessing organizational design, training, team building, and employee communications.    A woman-owned business, Pillar is based in Boston, MA, and works on both a local and national level. To contact Pillar Search, click here.

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Interview Tips: Are We Dressing for Interviews Like it is still the 1980s?

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I entered the job market in the early 1990s, when hair was high, shoulders were padded, and hemlines were not to be more than an inch above the knee. There was someone at my first “real” job who actually went around with a ruler to enforce that last rule. At first, dressing up for work was fun. Given that one of my favorite movies from the 1980s had been Baby Boom, starring Diane Keaton as the high-powered New York executive who takes on the city in her skirted suits and sensible heels, I felt like I was channeling her and I was, as a result, all grown up.

Despite our job being in a call center at an investment firm where we never saw a client in person, my colleagues and I were expected to be in professional attire every day. Back then, that meant a suit and tie for the gents and a skirted suit or dress with stockings for the ladies. But good news – the dress code stated that women were permitted to wear a suit with pants one day per week. Such progress!

Times, thankfully, have changed. A mere seven years later, the even stodgier investment firm at which I was working had adopted a business casual dress policy. Today, nearly all firms have a relaxed or downright super casual dress code and will ask that people use their judgment and wear suits when visiting with clients.

As an Executive Recruiter, part of my job is to help candidates prep for the interview. Know the ins and outs of the job requirements? Check. Understand the company’s culture? Check. Get a read on the styles of those with whom you will be interviewing? Check. Dressing for the interview? Yes, that too.

Many search firms will tell candidates to wear a full suit for interviews, specifying a skirted suit for the ladies. At previous firms, we were instructed to tell every candidate to “channel their inner Brooks Brothers” when dressing for interviews. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the Brooks Brothers vibe, but it did make me think: Is interviewing in a suit still required?

If I look at my current clients, it would be about 50/50. One client is a retailer of accessories that promotes the preppy lifestyle. They have told me that if someone comes in looking “too corporate”, they will not be a fit. One client is a bit more traditional, and while the dress code is business casual, the President and CAO wear suits every day, so any candidate would want to be dressed for that. Another client would say that for sales interviews they would definitely expect someone to “suit up”, but otherwise would not balk if someone came in looking less formal so long as they looked really professional.

While there is no hard and fast rule, my advice is this: Figure out what the interviewer(s) will want.

  • Don’t be shy about asking! It shows an interest in making a good impression and respect for the company culture.
  • Who to ask? If you are dealing directly with the firm, ask HR. If you know someone who works there (this is where LinkedIn can come in really handy), reach out to him or her.
  • If you are working with an Executive Recruiter, he or she should be able to give you the lay of the land.

Be sure to be on the dressier end of whatever you ascertain. If it is a truly casual atmosphere and you are told that jeans are fine, make them dark jeans as they come across as far more polished. Pair them with a jacket and a crisp white button down. Business casual? For men, this could mean a sports jacket with no tie, and for women this could mean pants or a skirt with a cardigan. Need to channel your inner Brooks Brothers still? Maybe channel all of their sections, not just the suits.   When in doubt, wear a black suit. For women, this can be a pantsuit. Men, wear a subtle tie. This is not the time to use the tie to show your individuality.   Regardless of dress code expectations, and this may be the daughter of a former Air Force pilot speaking, shine your shoes before heading out the door for the interview. Literally, it puts your best foot forward. People may not notice a shined shoe, but they will definitely notice an unkempt one.

While dressing for interviews can be a daunting task, doing it right can show that you have an innate understanding of the organization’s culture. Just be thankful that the 1980s are behind us. Those shoulder pads were a lot to pull off.

For more tips on how to make an impact, be sure to check out my earlier article, Interview Impact: The Art of the Thank You Letter.

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Surf’s Up: What Surfing Can Teach You about Your Job Search

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I am a surfer, or at least aspiring to be one.  Recently, I was out on my board on a day with few good waves and plenty of downtime to ponder this addicting sport and life in general, and began to realize that there are many parallels between the job search and surfing.

 

Like the job search, surfing depends as much on one’s skill and experience as it does a host of conditions that we have zero control over.  Weather.  Crowded surfing areas and beaches.  Wave size and frequency.  Swell direction.  The list is endless, just as it is when you are seeking a new job in a competitive market or industry.

 

Once you have decided to get in the water (or start looking for your next career opportunity), you paddle out and try not to bump into others.  In the job search, this can be those baby steps that are really critical to overall success, such as writing your resume, crafting solid cover letters, beefing up your LinkedIn profile, and letting people in your network know that you are open to a new opportunity.

 

Experienced surfers will have multiple boards to choose from to suit their mood or the conditions. Savvy candidates will do the same. Perhaps your “board” will be resumes that highlight different skills and career objectives depending on the jobs you are interested in, or cover letters that will be the differentiator. Knowing yourself and the tools that are available to you is key to success.

 

Like choosing the right job to apply to, choosing the right wave is key.  It would be physically and emotionally exhausting to paddle out, attempt to get in the right spot at the right time, pop up, and stay balanced if surfers went after every wave that came along.  Be selective so that you are fresh and energized when the right one comes along.

 

Hang ten.  Surfs up.  Cut the curl.  These are not sayings that you will hear on a golf course, tennis court, or basketball court. They are specific to the sport of surfing. An industry will have its own language and catch phrases.  Do your research so that you can communicate better with the people you are interviewing with and gain their trust and confidence.

 

Enjoy the ride, even if it is not the perfect wave.  There are days that I get out on the board and I am just not feeling it, but I still enjoy being out there.  The same can happen in an interview when the job and company look great on paper, but in the light of day you just do not feel that spark.  Relax.  Every interview is good practice and experience as well as a chance to expand your network.   Surfers talk about catching the perfect wave, but in reality we try and try and keep getting back on the board, even after falling or not doing our best.

 

Having a good instructor helps.  Even the most experienced surfers sometimes need a fine tuning on their technique, someone who can help them to look at their style and approach and make suggestions.  In the job search, working with an Executive Recruiter can be invaluable, as we will take a fresh look at your resume and help you to identify the skills and experiences that you should highlight in the interview.

 

Ultimately, you may need to try a few waves before you find the ideal one, but in the end, there is no feeling as satisfying and euphoric as catching that perfect wave.  The same holds true for the job search.  Keep at it, and you will catch the right job and have the ride of your life.

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Interview Impact: The Art of the Thank You Letter

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Congratulations! You nailed the interview. The company is checking references, and in your head you are composing that resignation letter and mentally calculating when your start date with the new firm will be.

 

Then, the call that it came down to two candidates and they went with the other one. But…you nailed it! How can this be?

 

The Secret

Pillar Search does searches for non-profits, foundations, and small, rapid growth for-profit firms. In our years of experience, we have worked with lots of very savvy and knowledgeable hiring managers. I will share one secret that I have heard time and again from them: all things being equal, “the candidate that takes the time to send a thoughtful, reflective, and well-written thank you note will always have a bit of an edge.” Yes…the thank you letter packs a whole lot of wow, punch, and impact.

 

How to Stand Out From Other Candidates

Remember what your parents taught you: manners will get you everywhere, and saying thank you goes a long way. When is the last time you received a thank you letter?  Now, imagine if you were the hiring manager and were receiving tons of them by email. How much more thoughtful and unique would a hand written note of thanks feel?

 

Look at your own mail today. In the pile of pre-addressed bulk mail, what will stand out? A new bill, the latest flier from your local market? Personally, when I see a hand written envelope, it is what I will always open first.

 

You see, too often, people do not send them, or they send one that is so perfunctory that it almost screams “I am not interested in the job, but know that I am supposed to send something”.   The thank you is a perfect time to wow them with your enthusiasm, fit for the job, interest, manners, and stellar writing skills.

 

Pillar’s Thank You Letter Checklist

  • Keep it short. Two to three paragraphs should suffice.
  • Make sure that it flows well and highlights why you are the ideal candidate. Include the following:
    • A statement of gratitude, such as “thank you for taking the time to meet with me today to discuss the open sales position on your team. I so appreciated your time.”
    • Add something showing that you were paying attention in the meeting, and remind the interviewer of what makes you the ideal candidate, such as “I was excited to hear that your company is expanding globally over the next year. My experience working with X, a global bank, gives me a unique skill set that would lend well to this exciting new chapter for you and the firm”.
    • Interviews can be tricky, as you can easily run out of time when sticking to the interview agenda. When you replay it in your head, there is likely something that you wish you had highlighted about your skills and experience. This is a perfect time to get that point across.
    • A call to action. Before signing off, reiterate your interest, and give them something of a call to action.   The message that I find to be most effective is the short and sweet “Thank you again, and I look forward to hearing from you”. True, it is not elaborate, but it leaves the ball in their court and shows that you are confident that you will be hearing from them.
  • Be a snob when it comes to your stationery. High quality card stock reflects well on you. It shows discerning taste and a certain je ne sais quoi Cutesy notecards will negate the goodwill earned by even sending it. If your stationery depicts your love of the beach, cats, puppies or your favorite sports team, step away immediately! When in doubt, buy cream colored notecards from Crane & Co.
  • Write out a draft first, proofread that version, and then transcribe it onto the good stuff. Trust me, I have wasted a ton of expensive paper because I dove right in. To quote my father, “measure twice and cut once”.
  • Stick to the 24 hour rule. Much like a thank you for personal reasons, it is best to send it within 24 hours. If you are in interview mode, keep a supply of stationery and stamps at the ready.
  • Before licking the stamp and strolling to the nearest mailbox, consider this: who else should you send a thank you note to? It may seem like a lot of writing, but if you can, send one to every interviewer, and put a personal spin on each note that reflects your interaction with that person. Do not forget to include Human Resources if they were included in the interview agenda, and if there was someone particularly helpful, such as an Executive Assistant who arranged travel or someone in Marketing who sent you helpful information prior to the meeting, send one to them as well. It shows that you are appreciative, a team player, and inclusive.

 

If (and when!) you get the job, send a hand-written note to your new manager thanking them for the opportunity and letting them know how excited you are about the opportunity. This is a personal touch that will go quite a long way.

 

Good luck!

 

Cindy Joyce