What's Your Superpower?

I just finished reading Seth Godin's Linchpin. He writes:

"When you meet someone you need to have a superpower. If you don't, you're just another handshake."

Uh-oh. I take everything personally so I struggle to respond to this challenge.
I can't fly. I don't have x-ray vision. Occassionally I wish I had an invisibility cloak but I don't think that counts. Sorry. No superpowers here.

Yet Godin continues:

"If you want to be a linchpin, the power you bring to the table has to be very difficult to replace. Be bolder and think bigger. Nothing stopping you."

Godin sets the bar a bit too high. Or does he? He says there's hope for us even if we're not Aquaman, Wonder Woman or Steve Jobs. That doesn't mean it's easy. Remember the good ole days when a computer science degree was a one-way ticket to a 300,000 square feet of luxury and freedom 55. Unfortunately you can't get by on skills alone anymore. In a hyper-competitive job market saturated with highly skilled people you need to stand out from the crowd.

How DO you stand out from the crowd?

• Be indispensible: tackle the tough problems, pitch in and help out even if it's not your job.
• Add complimentary skills and knowledge to your current skillset.
• Make other people, especially your boss and customers, look good.
• Exceed expectations. Be remarkably good at what you do.
• Be an artist. Design a more elegant, more beautiful and simpler solution.
• Do the emotional work: Be empathetic, conscientious and considerate towards everyone who has the good fortune to cross your path.
• Have fun: Bring humour and light heartedness to your work.

Your superpower comes from the heart. It's what people love about you. Proudly display your superpower like Superman busting out of a phonebooth.

Laura Upcott
http://www.stafflink.ca/
http://www.lauraupcott.com/
laurau@stafflink.ca
http://www.twitter.com/lauraupcott
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/lauraupcott

See also:

• Build an e-Resume/Portfolio Site with WordPress
• IT Resume Template: Optimize Your Resume for Job Boards and Recruiters
• How to Get a Recruiter to Open Your Resume
• 10 Job Networking Strategies to Consider if You're a Newcomer to Canada
• 3 Resume Publishing Tools to Pump Up Your Job Market Value

The Job Market Long Tail

Chris Anderson's The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More describes how shifting technologies create opportunities for some businesses and ruin others. It turns out that when we have unlimited access to everything for nearly free we purchase more niche products and less blockbusters. How has the Long Tail influenced the job market?

New EmployersAmazon, Ebay, iTunes, Craigslist, Huffington Post, Netflix, Youtube: What do these companies have in common? They've created empires around new technologies and our insatiable desire for greater choice at a lower cost. Meanwhile newspapers, record labels and retailers that deny the trends and continue "business as usual" are threatened with extinction. The power has shifted along with employment opportunities.

Job Boards vs Classified AdsWhen was the last time you checked the classifieds for job postings? Job search and recruiting methods have moved online. Your professional profile consists of more than a resume: online portfolio, Twitter account, blog, postcasts, Youtube videos, Slideshare decks are all great ways to show what you've got.

Virtualization and Cloud Computing
People with virtualization and cloud computing skills are in big demand according to a recent posting on ReadWriteCloud:

The fastest growing skills are for virtualization, which is at about 2,000 ads, up 21% compared to last year. Cloud computing is showing popularity, too. Last year there were zero jobs posted.This year there are more than 300.
Large companies from a number of industries are hiring virtualization pros, showing the demand is not just from technology companies.

Flexible Work ArrangementsThe beauty of cloud computing is that it makes it easier for you to work from remote locations like a home office, the airport or Starbucks. Virtual teams and virtual companies are becoming more common thanks to Google Docs and webcams.

Entrepreneurship
Even if you work for someone else's company it pays to think like an entrepreneur. If you want to be valuable to your employer be on the lookout for ways to improve processes, products and services. Businesses stay competitive by employing creative people who are willing to think for themselves.

Personal branding

The world gave you control over the means of production. Not to master them is a sin. - Seth Godin, The Linchpin

The barriers to publishing a website, a blog or a book are crumbling fast. At the very least most people are micro-blogging via Twitter, LinkedIn or Facebook. These platforms are a great opportunity for you to build a professional network and a community. Many people are creating strong personal brands that showcase their skills and even pay the mortgage.

How has the Long Tail affected your career?

Tim Collins
Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Must Read: Guy Kawasaki's Reality Check

I just finished reading Guy Kawasaki's Reality Checkand I feel a burning desire to blog about it. It blew my mind. In a good way. This book will bring you to the next level in whatever you're doing - whether you're building a team or growing a business.

If you haven't read Reality Check run out and get it this minute. It's more than just a great read, it's literally forced me to take action. For instance, Kawasaki says: "Truly, if no one but your dog reads your blog, it's still worth doing." And here I am writing this blog like a 13 year old groupie.

Kawasaki interviews his favorite authors and summarizes their best work. He begins his chapter The Zen of Presentations, with "All hail Garr Reynolds!" Reynold recommends Kawasaki's famous 10/20/30 method for Powerpoint presentations (10 slides, 20 minutes, 30 pt+ font size). I'll give that whirl the next time I write a presentation.

If you haven't read Chip and Dan Heath's Make it Stick you probably will after you read chapter 28, The Sticking Point. Simple. Unexpected. Concrete. Credible. Emotional. Story. I'm writing some training right now and I cannot be reminded of the six principles of SUCCES too many times.

Perhaps the most helpful tip I picked up from Reality Check is the technique Kawasaki uses throughout the book: Pay it Forward aka What Goes Around Comes Around aka Give Power to Get Power. Kawasaki promotes the authors and innovators that inspire him. And I feel inspired to promote Kawasaki. Coincidence?

How to Get a Recruiter to Open Your Resume

It's not easy to get your resume noticed in this job market. Spamming companies with unsolicited resumes doesn't work. The best way to get a recruiter to read your attached resume: Put the job title in the subject line and summarize your qualifications for that job in the body of your email.

The reality. A recruiter will not be likely to open an unsolicited resume. Recruiters are focussed on the job opportunities they are trying to fill right now.

I just posted a new job. My Blackberry buzzes every few minutes with messages from people applying to the job. This happens anytime I post a job with the word "sales" or "project manager" or "QA" in the job title.

It's a rush job order. I need to call the best applicants right away for an intial telephone screening which could lead to an interview. Every applicant has attached a resume. I wish I had time to open every resume but I don't. Here's how I decide which resumes to open first:

• Don't spam. If I see a long list of email addresses in the Send To box I'll problably consider the email a spam and ignore it.
  
• Put the job title in the subject line. If the job title appears in the subject line I'm going to read your email. If the subject line says something generic like "Resume" or "Job Application" its going to be filed our resume database.
  
• Summarize your key qualifications. Briefly introduce yourself then write 5 or 6 bullet points to prove you are qualified for the requirements of the job. If you've convinced me that you're qualified I'm going to look at your resume.

You're one step closer to an interview. You've peaked my interest. Your resume is as impressive as your introductory email. I'm going to give you a call. Hopefully we can get the ball rolling for an interview.

Tim Collins
Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

Guy Kawasaki's 1/2/3 Rule of Resumes

In Reality Check Guy Kawasaki urges people to "think of your resume as pitch for you, the product". Here's Kawasaki's 1-2-3 rule of resumes with my comments:

1 page long. When some job candidates read this, they will think, "Guy is referring to the hoi polloi and unwashed masses, not me. I have ten years of experience at four different companies covering five different positions. My resume needs to be two--maybe even three--pages to adequately explain the totality of my wonderfulness. And the more I mention, the more the company might see things that they like." As a rule of thumb, if you can't pitch your company or yourself in one page, your idea is stupid and you suck respectively.

When you apply to a job your resume is usually uploaded into an applicant tracking system. Most create a short list of candidates based on keywords. Ensure that your resume has the right keywords by including keywords from the job description. Keep your resume short but it's fine to have more than one page. Just make sure the first pages of your resume is "eyeball" friendly in case an human being actually looks it.

2 key points. Your resume (and interview) should communicate only two perhaps three key points. Key points include pertinent work experience, applicable education, or a love for what the company does. One key point is too few, and three is on the edge of too much.

Employers also want to know about your accomplishments and results with previous employers. Include 3 to 4 bullets points of your results for each position.

3 sections. "Two key points" means that your resume should have only three sections: contact information, work experience, and educational background. This specifically excludes "objectives" (do you really think that a company cares what you want to be when you grow up?), "references upon request" (duh, of course you'll have to give references if you're asked), and "outside interests" (that Lamaze class training will come in really handy when he company stops delivering software by C-section, but not right now).

If you include an "objective" on your resume make sure it is the job you are applying for. Outside interests are valuable if it's volunteer work or if you were a semi-pro baseball player and the company has a softball team. Your outside interests are conversation starters and may provide a common ground between you and the interviewer and differeniate you from a candidate with similar qualifications.

Tim Collins
Stafflink.ca
timc@stafflink.ca
www.twitter.com/stafflinks
www.linkedin.com/in/timrcollins

What a Cab Driver Taught Me about Navigating the Job Market

I just read Harvey Mackay's story about a cab driver who doubles his income by investing in exceptional service. As I read the story I realized that the cabbie's strategy can be applied to any service business, especially recruiting.

In a nutshell, the cab driver designed a superior experience for his fares. He wore freshly pressed slacks and shiny shoes. He kept his taxi immaculately clean. He offered newspapers, coffee and soft drinks, pedicures and manicures....Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration. But the point is that the cab driver constantly surprised people with extra consideration for their comfort. Now he doesn't have to line up to wait for fares. His customers call him to reserve a ride and his income has doubled. A few small considerations can go a long way.

The taxi driver's lesson: Exceed expectations. How does that apply to the recruiting business?

The job market like the taxi business is characterized by fierce competition. Either we have a large pool of candidates fighting for a few jobs or we're competing for a rare candidate to fill a highly a specialized job. As I communicate with clients and candidates all day I see every conversation as an opportunity. My goal is to create goodwill, to discover and exceed expectations. Is the commute to a new job placement manageable? Are the salary expectations reasonable? Is this job the right fit? Can I negotiate better work arrangements?

Every interview, telephone call and email reminds me of the taxi driver's message: Meeting expectations isn't good enough. You have to exceed people's expectations to succeed. But I draw the line at pedicures.

The Business Case for Hiring Persons with Disabilities

One of the biggest groups overlooked in the typical recruitment process are persons with disabilities. About 1.85 million people in Ontario have a disability. That's one in seven people. So what is the business case for hiring persons with disabilities?

1. The market is relatively untapped. Under utilized talent sources will be at an advantage in the future race for talent.
   
2. With the sheer size of the population people with disabilities represent a large consumer group with significant spending power. Enabling this group to earn and spend is good for the overall economy.
   
3. With an ageing workforce, the number of young people and immigrant candidates will be insufficient to meet demand.
   
4. Hiring more diverse workforce increases employee morale. Workplaces that are sensitive to their employees are better, more energizing places to work and more profitable in the long run.


5. Creates a brand as an employer of choice. In a competitive employment market employee loyalty is like gold. And turnover is expensive.


6. Having a company or product that is open to persons with disabilities will also attract their friends and families – a huge share of the overall market.


7. Uniqueness breeds unique ideas. Having people of diverse backgrounds at the table brings more creativity and broader range of thought.


8. According to John Izzo (Values Shift: The New Work Ethic) making your workforce diverse can result in a 8% increase in shareholder value.


9. People who want to work should be given the opportunity to work regardless of disabilities.


10. Beyond the benefits to business, employers have a legal requirement to ensure that workplaces are accessible and free of discrimination. Complaints to the Canadian Human Rights Commission can be both expensive and can earn your company a bad reputation.

Bottom Line: Creating a diverse workforce is good for business. Welcoming persons with disabilities onto your workforce will increase your profitability and create a better working environment for all.