Career Corner

About a hundred years ago someone first used the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words”.  Today, when you Google the phrase “social media explained” the first entry is a bunch of images, including this one:

Three Ships Media

Does that clear everything up for you?   Perhaps we Darden folks would better understand social media if coffee is the object rather than donuts; fortunately there is an infographic “Social Media Explained with Coffee”.  Did you pause and scratch your head at the word “infographic”?  It’s just a fancy word that means use of graphics and visual representations to convey information, data or knowledge.  In fact infographics have been around forever in the form of maps, charts, graphs and such, but the exchange of that kind data is accelerating and changing given the proliferation of online applications.

There are a bewildering array of tools, concepts and terms that that seem to pop up overnight in our plugged-in culture.   Even our language is adapting;  we Google to find out about people and things, tweet our ideas and use words like hashtag and emoticon.   When I attended Darden in 1996 I wrote an article for the Cold Call Chronicle (the paper version) entitled “Technology@Darden:  Get Literate” where I defined such terms as “Netscape” and “home page” (how quaint!). Today I use the urban dictionary to decipher previously unimaginable words.

Most alumni I advise express some frustration about all this.  There are too many tools to choose from, too many new concepts to grasp, and no clarity about what best serves one’s professional career.    Learning to use an online app isn’t difficult, but understanding why I would use it, and how best to use it, are the real challenges.  I’ve found that a custom approach is essential, one that first asks what are you trying to accomplish?.   At the start, you’ll have to decide whether to take a passive stance (watching others, learning, gathering information) or active role (posting, sharing, and connecting).    In Alumni Career Services we work one-on-one with alumni to consider how best to engage with social media tools given a person’s particular career goals.   We also developed the workshop “Professional Image in the Age of Social Media” a case-based discussion where we dig into the concept of personal branding and social media use.

We hope to see you in one of our workshops in the coming year, but until then you can begin to work on your brand and approach to social media.  Think about what makes a brand succeed. Think about something with a strong brand and what images and words that brand brings to mind.  It could be a product (like an Oreo), or a company (like Apple or maybe even where you work now), and even a famous person (like Oprah).  The brand brings to mind particular attributes; we know these based on its public image, performance or activities. A brand becomes distinctive because of the unique and pervasive qualities that set it apart.

That is true of personal branding as well; individuals create a public image given their choice of media, frequency of use, and messaging.  Your brand image is revealed whether it’s conscious or not.  If you want to become better at developing your own personal brand, go back to the fundamental question:   What are you trying to accomplish?  What makes you different….special…..valuable?  How do you communicate that in your daily life (the ‘off-line’ world, if you will)?  Your roles, skills, and personal qualities are the essential elements of your brand.

Extending personal brand through social media is not a prescriptive, one-size-fits-all endeavor.  Once you first have a strong sense of yourself, what you want, and how you’re creating a brand in everyday life, then you can start to engage in social media activities that further establish what is unique about you.  In our workshop we discuss each of the major platforms – LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook (and also Blogs) – in terms of its reach (who is the audience using it), intent (what is the audience doing there) and result (what are the implications of using that tool).

Even if you’re a passive participant in social media, there is much to learn from the use of these few tools.  For instance, our 2012 all-alumni survey revealed that 97% of Darden alumni use LinkedIn for professional reasons.  It’s a great aid to networking and the standard tool for recruiters.  We hear from our alumni that it’s best to connect with others long before you need anything, and that doing company research using LinkedIn is essential during a job search.  We’ve also been introducing alumni to a great new LinkedIn add-on that helps you quickly find fellow alumni (www.linkedin.com/alumni).

Facebook is generally seen as primarily a fun personal-life platform, but we’re hearing more from entrepreneurial alumni that consider it the perfect tool to connect and sell to consumers.  Some people are avid users of Twitter as a news feed, while they never actively “tweet” themselves.  It’s a good idea when getting started with Twitter to be selective and follow just a few, such as Dean Bruner.  And even if you’re not ready to begin blogging as a subject matter expert yourself, finding a few relevant blogs to follow can be instructive (like our ACS Career Corner).

If you’re curious or confused about social media and personal branding, contact Alumni Career Services to see how we can help you learn more and meet your career goals.

Marty Speight (Darden MBA 96), Associate Director of the Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services, University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Your last impression can be as important as your first impression.   Consider Raven’s linebacker, Ray Lewis.  What most people will remember about him is the way he left football – as a hard-working leader who brought his team to a Super Bowl championship in 2013.  On the other hand, consider Lance Armstrong.  Both Ray and Lance have proven themselves to be phenomenal athletes …  but how they will be remembered has much to do with how they ended their careers.

So it is when leaving any job.  Whether you are leaving for a better opportunity or you are asked to leave as part of a reduction in force, pay close attention to how you leave.   While you might want to set the boss straight or uncover the office slacker, when leaving a job strive to project a high level of professionalism and maintain your reputation.  Your co-workers and others will remember you for that.

Details matter.  Here are some tips to help you exit with grace:

• Work with your current and future employers to determine an end date and start date to meet their needs – be as accommodating as possible.
• Think about the order in which you want to tell people – your boss, your team, your peers, your clients—and, if possible, develop a plan so no one is forgotten.
• Retrieve any contact information and personal files before notifying your employer of your resignation.  You may not have access to your work computer after you give notice.  Don’t be surprised if you are removed from the premises immediately.  Do not take it personally (they typically do this for security reasons), but be prepared.
• Remain professional during exit interviews and during the time you have left on the job.
• Finish strong and with style.  Finish any projects you have started or, at least, leave a plan for them to be seen through to conclusion.  Make yourself accessible to those you leave behind including your successor.
• Extend your thanks to those who have been helpful to you along the way.
• Be sure to connect on LinkedIn and/or other social media platforms with colleagues, customers, suppliers and anyone else you have had positive contact with during your tenure so as not to lose contact after moving on.

Your ultimate goal is to keep your reputation intact.  Treat people with respect; understand that although you are leaving the place of work, relationships will endure.

A couple of years ago a colleague left Darden to work for a competitor school closer to her family.  She was as gracious and professional in her departure as she could have been.  On her last day she dropped off a card thanking me for welcoming her to Darden and being a helpful colleague and friend.   “An Old Irish Blessing”  on the face of the card,  is displayed  on my shelf reminding me of Kathleen and what a class act she is.  Departing impressions can be lasting impressions.  In honor of St. Patrick’s Day and of Kathleen’s graceful exit,  I include the blessing here  :

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand. 

The Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services can help you develop a graceful exit strategy or otherwise manage your career.  If you are an alumnus, contact us at alumnicareerservices@darden.virginia.edu to arrange free individual career counseling.

Connie Dato English, (MBA ’91) Director of the Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business.

Our recent vacation took an unexpected turn when my husband came down with the flu. Unfortunately, it was also our last day in Colorado, the day he’d promised to take our 10 and 12 year-old sons skiing.  They’d been stuck in ski school for two days and couldn’t wait for the freedom to explore the mountain with their dad, an avid skier.   Now understand, I’m not much of a skier.  I do try – I take lessons, and I dutifully, grudgingly work at it.  But given that I started this sport as an adult, we go infrequently, and I hate careening off any kind of height, I would not say I enjoy skiing.   I had planned a rejuvenating day at the gym, instead I was pressed into service as the family ski guide.  As I headed out the door with my kids and our gear, I realized how apropos my blog topic was to this moment – it wasn’t what I expected, but with some trepidation, I was going to take on the challenge!

I had been thinking about the degree to which unforeseen events factor into the careers and lives of those I coach. Everyone knows a story about how a chance encounter or a serendipitous moment changes someone’s life.  Or someone will tell you that a new job “just fell into my lap”.   We have lots of terms for surprising things that happen  – “blind luck”, “dumb luck” and even karma or fate.  But can we really count on “luck” to further our careers?  Most of us believe that planning is essential to getting ahead.  Indeed, most of us sought out an MBA education from Darden in order to create a better, clearer professional path.  We took the self-assessment tests, did our due diligence and felt our careers would unfold with some measure of rational planning.  But as most of us learn in the ensuing years, our careers don’t often follow a straightforward or logical path.   We can face any number of personal challenges and unfortunate events like getting a bad boss or an unexpected layoff.  Yet there can be many positive forces at work in any unexpected circumstance, if you know how to look for them.

There is an old academic article from the career counseling field that coined the term “planned happenstance”.  This on-purpose oxymoron was meant to highlight how unplanned events in one’s career should be seen as both inevitable and desirable.  The fact is no one can predict the future with any accuracy and chance plays an important role in everyone’s career.  “Planned happenstance” is a concept that teaches us to seize the moment and discover how the unexpected can work to our favor.  The key is to embrace five traits:

Curiosity – exploration, a seeking quality coupled with openness to change and new things

Persistence – the determination and resolve to continue on, even in the face of setbacks

Flexibility – an attitude of adaptability and willingness to cope in a positive way with the unpredictable

Optimism – cultivating the skill of self-encouragement, seeking encouragement from others

Risk Taking – pursuit of new interests, a bias toward action, challenging the status quo

I see these qualities evident in many Darden alumni – a tenacious and resilient spirit that helps them succeed.  I got a call this week from a recent alumna who had joined a large and well-known corporation.  She had landed in a great division and was advancing rapidly as she gained invaluable skills working on difficult projects, managing people, and dealing with clients.  However, she’d recently learned that the parent company intends to sell off her division.  Suddenly, her professional track seemed murky and out of her control.  As we talked through the various options she could take I emphasized that there were still many things within her control.  If she approaches the transaction with curiosity she’ll have a chance to learn from the inside how a buy-out works; if she’s persistent in taking on new projects she’ll have a chance for continued recognition; if she’s flexible she may see that there is a unique path for her in the new firm; if she remains optimistic and takes a few risks during the transition she may discover opportunities she never expected.

“Planned happenstance” thinking gives you a positive framework to view uncertainty.  You lay the groundwork for positive serendipity everyday with your attitudes and actions.   You can create an environment where happenstance events give you an opening to make progress.  When you are willing to shift gears, change your plan, take risks, and work hard to get around stumbling blocks, you’ll find that you really are making your own luck.

I was way out of my comfort zone as I headed out to ski that day in Colorado, but my past curiosity and persistence had given me enough skills to try.  As luck would have it, I had a great time, took a few risks (blue hills!) and I now have some fantastic and unexpected memories with my sons.

If you’re dealing with the unexpected in your career, let The Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services help guide your way. 

Marty Speight MBA’96, Associate Director of Alumni Career Services, University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business

“I haven’t worked for seven years and I want to resume my career but I’m afraid the only job I’ll get is a secretarial position.”  This is a common fear I hear from professionals who have been on a hiatus from work to attend to family or other pursuits and are ready to reenter the workforce in a meaningful and appropriate way.  Whether a person is capable and qualified to do the job is often overshadowed by mis-perceptions and the lack of a strong brand presence in the market, not to mention the lack of professional self-confidence.  Thus, I suggest, “Mind the Gap!”  –  yes, just as the signs in the London Underground warn passengers to take caution while crossing the gap between the train door and the station platform, re-entrants should use caution, but… don’t be afraid to board the train!

People around the world are grappling with this issue.  Last month I spoke at an international symposium on Women’s Career Transition and the Role of the University hosted by Japan Women’s University in Tokyo.  Japan, Korea and other countries realize that in order to have strong economies they will need to figure out how to lure the lost talent — mostly women, who have dropped out of the workforce — back to work.  Employers NEED good talent and this group represents a tremendous source of that talent!  However, for the re-entrant, it is often a struggle to get an employer’s attention and to prove that she is the best candidate for a job.  Sometimes a person can hop back on the train right where s/he got off, but often a circuitous route is required to get back on track.

I have observed that the biggest barrier in this process is the lack of professional self-confidence.  If you believe in yourself and present yourself professionally, those who have worked with you in the past will believe in you and not give “the gap” a second thought.  They will be able to be “agents” for you in making introductions and serving as conduits to companies and individuals that are of interest to you. Thus, part of “minding the gap” is to occasionally meet with ex-colleagues, get connected on LinkedIn with your entire network so that you can know who might be helpful to you and maintain (and even grow) your professional web.

Getting together with your old boss may sound daunting to you, but s/he will most likely see you in the same light as when you were working together.  Remember s/he hasn’t seen you in the carpool line or changing diapers, so your image is intact, as long as you can still talk the part.  Meeting with professionals will force you to stay/get current in your field.  And the discussions you have can continue to be rich if you keep up by reading and, perhaps doing related work as a volunteer.  It’s never too late to re-engage in this way … it will help you maintain or regain your self-confidence.

I worked with Mary*, a Darden alumna of the early 90’s, who had left her Area Finance Manager job with a large CPG company eleven years prior.  Her kids were now in middle school and she wanted to return to a similar type of work.  Answering advertisements just wasn’t working for her — of course not, what recruiter would choose to bring in a person who “hadn’t worked” in eleven years when there are 150 other candidates who are currently in similar jobs?!?   I encouraged Mary to change her strategy and re-engage with her old co-workers who undoubtedly had connections to other finance managers who worked in companies of interest.  Introductions, lunch meetings, informational interviews, and lots of networking finally led to some interviews.  Whew, it’s a lot of work and it takes confidence.

To have meaningful discussions, Mary needed to be able to describe what she wanted, how she was qualified, and what companies would be of interest to her.  She also needed to be able to provide evidence that she was still competent.  She had to brush up on her finance skills – so she took an online Excel course and volunteered to be the treasurer for a not-for-profit organization in town.  Mary realized that she still had “it” and could feel confident in professional conversations.  And… she bought herself some current professional clothes so she would look the part as well.  One of the interviews turned out to be successful – she started working for a small consulting company as a finance analyst on a part time basis at a couple of levels below her 2001 level.  She, of course, exceeded all the employer’s expectations, but there was no room for growth in the organization.  But now, with something relevant and current on her resume and a new sense of confidence as well as an expanded network, she was able to land a Finance Manager with the regional office of a large multinational corporation.  This was a circuitous route, but she was patient and persistent and, Mary is now back on track.

A lot of resources are available to help re-entrants.  Carol Fishman Cohen not only co-authored the book Back on the Career Track and co-founded iRelaunch with HBS classmate Vivian Steir Rabin, but she recently published an article in HBR about a study she did on  internships as a means of re-launching careers.  The article discusses how doing projects and internship-like work can help ease re-entry.

If you live within striking distance of Northern Virginia, consider attending the two part Re-entering the Workforce workshop I will be facilitating at the UVA/VT facility in Falls Church in February and March.  This is the eight edition of the seminar which helps alumni determine what they want and how to get it as a re-entrant.  For more information contact AlumniCareerServices@darden.virginia.edu.

Connie Dato English (MBA ’91), Director of the Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

* not her real name

In the movie, Jerry Maguire, Tom Cruise’s title character has a classic bathroom conversation where he pleads with his athlete client Rod Tidwell (played by Cuba Goodling Jr.) emphatically imploring “Help me Help you!”   That message also rang through in  New Jersey’s Governor Chris Christie’s plea of  “Don’t be stupid, get out,” as hurricane Sandy threatened.  The weather on the US East Coast this week was highly anticipated and authorities pleaded with residents to heed warnings and evacuate where appropriate.  Rescue services want to keep people safe and to provide help.  People who need or want help should make it easy for others to help them.

So it goes with managing your career or networking.  Your classmates, colleagues, mentors and friends want to help you succeed.  Whether you are looking for the next promotion, carving out a new role that would better suit your passions, pitching an idea to win a potential client or looking for an “in” at the perfect employer, your connections would love to be part of that success.  To allow them to help you – you need to help them help you.

We, Darden alumni, are very fortunate to be part of a very strong network where helping one another is a norm in our community.  But even in a genuinely helping culture, sometimes it’s not easy to help.  What can you do to make it easy to be helped?  Here are some ideas:

1. Look for ways to make each interaction mutually beneficial – give as much as you take.

2.  Do your homework – don’t ask people to answer questions that you can find on a website or by doing a little research online.   Know what and who s/he will know about and ask questions that are relevant.  Provide something for your connection to react to like a list of companies of interest.

3. Be able to articulate what you are looking for and know how the other person might help you.  Ask pointed questions that will help you decide on things or will help you understand a situation better.  Don’t expect someone else to tell you what you should do … if you don’t know, they won’t know.

4. Be likable – avoid an arrogant, presumptive attitude.  Remember body language can be very loud.  If you want your contact to share his connections with you , he needs to be confident  that you won’t embarrass him and that you will represent him well.

5. Concentrate on having business conversations rather than asking favors.

Just the other day, a senior alumna told me about how excited she was having  connected  a job searching 2010 alumnus (we’ll call him Brian) with a very old and trusted contact at one of Brian’s target companies.  She really wanted to help Brian because he seemed very sharp and had demonstrated his knowledge of the industry.  He had built credibility over a couple of conversations.  Perhaps most importantly, he had a very humble demeanor and she felt he wouldn’t embarrass her with her old friend.   She felt great about being able to make an important introduction.  He made it easy for her to help him.

Don’t get stranded on the roof in a flood when you know a hurricane is coming!  And when you “get out,” be prepared,  have something to give, know what you want, and  be likable.  Make it easy for people to help you!  Help me, help YOU.

Connie Dato English, Director of the Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business

Summer is the typical time of vacations, taking a break to relax, unwind, catch up on reading, travel, and often just “chill out”.  My family added a new ritual to our summer this year, a “sleep away” camp for our eleven year old son.  A rite of passage for many kids, this camping experience represents a time to grow and adapt, becoming a little more independent.  For my son I knew this intense time with his peers could be an essential time of self-discovery.   His savvy camp counselors had designed the daily topics around the functions on a remote control, something a kid could relate to.  The idea was to use the concepts of PAUSE, REWIND, STOP, and FAST-FORWARD to do a little self-exploration and planning.  I realized these concepts are essential to good career management as well.

PAUSE – We need to hit PAUSE button frequently.   It’s important to take a break from the frantic pace of our careers and family lives in order to get some perspective on what it all means.  We pause to recharge …. to reconsider …. to evaluate.  Taking a PAUSE can come in the form of a big vacation or sabbatical, or it can be a simple weekly ritual of reflection, or even a daily means to step back and consider what’s happening.  The most successful job seekers I’ve worked with have an uncanny ability to self-reflect and stay positive.   The book Positivity by Barbara L. Fredrickson identifies ten forms of positivity:  joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe and love.  “Each person’s pathway to flourishing is unique”, she acknowledges, and “increasing positivity begins with self-study”.  PAUSE to consider how your career is unfolding and whether this path is a positive force in your life.

REWIND – the past things in our careers will shape us in many ways, but do those things define us?  Identity is a complicated subject to be sure.  “Many people hurtle back to their past – to signal events, memorable triumphs, painful disasters – in order to define themselves” writes Marshall Goldsmith in his book  Mojo (How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It).  This book dives deep into the issues of identity, achievement, reputation and acceptance, and has plenty of practical advice on how to understand and enhance your “mojo”, that positive spirit you bring to everything you do.

FAST FORWARD – most of us started our professional careers with relatively little experience, a great business education and, likely a healthy dose of ambition.  Yet as our careers unfold each one of us begins to define success is our own unique way.  Even so, we all know people who’ve managed to achieve something extraordinary in their careers – someone who seems to have hit the FAST FORWARD button and landed at the top of his or her field….someone who seems to “have it all”. Two principals of Spencer Stuart, a preeminent executive recruiting agency, set out to study hundreds of C-level executives and determine what their success had in common.  Their research is revealed in the book, The 5 Patterns of Extraordinary Careers  (by James Citrin and Richard Smith) which shows that even though careers are highly complex and individualistic, there are distinct patterns that correlate to success over time.  They lay out a set of concepts that answer the question “what deliberate thoughts and actions can you institute to create extraordinary success and fulfillment in your own career?”.        

STOP – is it time to consider a complete career shift, a big change or a new direction?  I recently began work with an alumna who has been with the same company for over 15 years.  Her industry is suffering and she’s now facing a layoff.   In fact, she’d been unhappy in this job, both the role and the company, for a long time.  She’d been at an impasse, or “stuck” in her words, for years, just marking time in a career she no longer found rewarding.   She had never been willing to hit the STOP button, because she couldn’t articulate what she wanted to do instead.    As Timothy Butler explores in Getting Unstuck:  How Dead Ends Become New Paths, our journey through a difficult impasse can help us “develop better instincts – and greater confidence – about how to identify the types of work, the people, and the environments that will fulfill us the most”.

Regardless of where your career stands, everyone needs to take time occasionally to reflect and recharge.   I always use some of my summer “pause” time to get through a backlog of reading, including a few career ‘self-help’ titles.    I hope your summer includes some time to relax and renew, and maybe you’ll add a new career guide to your reading list too.

Marty Speight (MBA ’96), Associate Director of the Armstrong Center for Alumni Career Services at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.