Want a job? Write a blog.

David Meerman Scott is an entertaining speaker and author on the topic of the new rules of PR and marketing.  His books and his presentations make the clear case that the old way of marketing products and services just doesn't work anymore and that organizations of all kinds need to embrace social media marketing. 

In one of his latest blog entries, he discusses why college students need to market themselves just like any other product or service via social media.  I've suggested this approach often to students and alumni at Bentley University and I think career services departments at colleges and universities need to be more proactive in helping students get their social media marketing campaigns started right from day one.

Check out David's blog entry here.

That's what I'm talking about

Seth Godin's got a great blog entry that describes some of the frustration I often feel when discussing career planning with high school and college students. Even in this day and age of free-flowing information and limitless possibility, too many young people try to stick to some linear path that was either dictated to them by parents or peer pressure.

Seth makes the case that you need to experiment and try new experiences in order to figure out what your career/life should look like.

Check out Seth's blog here.
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Do What You Like to Get Where You Want

John Melo is the CEO of Amyris Biotechnologies.  His company is working to lower the cost of curing malaria and producing lower carbon, second generation bio-fuels.  John's story is a perfect example of following your interests and not some pre-packaged plan for career success and happiness.  He spoke at the Stanford University's Ventures Program.  Enjoy the video...

Manage your career like a product

I attended Pragmatic Marketing, Inc.’s Practical Product Management  seminar this past Monday and Tuesday.  Pragmatic Marketing has a great “framework” for helping companies increase the effectiveness of their Marketing  resources – especially the role of the Product Manager.  During the seminar, it occurred to me that people could apply the Pragmatic Marketing framework to their own careers.  Basically, everyone should assess their skills and interests, find places where those skills and interests can be put to use by employers, and then develop a plan to get “out there” and land a new job.

You can use the Pragmatic Marketing framework to help you manage your career – even if you are not a product manager or marketing manager.  Just start in the upper left corner of the framework and follow these steps:

1)  “Distinctive Competence” – What are your natural skills and talents?  What is your unique mix of experience, interests, personality and motivations?  What sets you apart from your “competition” in the job market?

2)  “Win/Lost Analysis” – Look back at all the jobs you’ve had.  Which ones did you love and which did you hate?  Why?  What were your favorite tasks on each job?  What caused you to leave a job and what were you looking for in the new job?

3)  “Market Problems” – What do employers need?  Do some research on the hiring front and find out what sort of needs hiring companies have.

That’s a pretty good start in figuring out what is possible.  Your next step would be to move into the Strategic category and define your targeted jobs and industries.  More on that in a future blog post.

The Parent Trap

I've been doing some volunteer coaching at Bentley University in Waltham, MA.  It's a great school with some really sharp students.  Recently, I helped a number of MBA students craft their 90-second profiles.  These are slightly longer versions of an "elevator pitch" that can be used to ask one of the scariest of all interview questions: Can you tell me about yourself?

During the workshops, I heard a few students lamenting the fact that parental pressure had a big impact on their choice of college and career. Some students found themselves in schools and majors that were more their parents' ideas than their own. 

I've written about the difficulty of finding your own path when you are being pressured to go to the "right" school or follow the "right" career path according to your parents.  I am a parent of three children and I have parents of my own so I have seen this scenario play out to some degree on both sides. Your parents really do want the best for you.  They just have their own ideas of what "the best" means. For many parents, "the best" is for their children to be financially independent when they graduate from college.  They equate financial independence with a "good job" and they assume the path to a "good job" flows through the "right school" and the "right major."  It's a logical approach but it leaves out the passion factor.  Many times, parents don't stop to ask you "what are their children passionate about?"

Because parents often take this logical approach to figuring what is best for you, you need to take a logical approach to show them that you have a plan that is just as sound as theirs.  I don't believe most parents want their children to do exactly what they are told but most parent do want to know their children have some sort of plan for their future.  When a child, of any age, approaches the choice of college or career without a strong desire or vision, parents will swoop in to provide the child their vision of the future.  It's only natural; nature abhors a vacuum.  When you have a "vacuum" instead of a "vision" someone, usually your parents, will rush in to fill it with their vision or plan.

So, how do you convince your parents that your vision is the right one for you and that their vision might not be the best path for you?

You have to do your homework. If you think you want to switch majors or switch schools or follow a different career path, get out there and do some research.  Learn as much as you can about the career path you want to follow.  Use your library's resources and databases.  Network, network, network.  Speak to people in the career you are considering.  You're goal is twofold:  figure out if this is the career path you really want to follow and gather "ammunition" to support your decision.

If you can do the homework and find the career path that fits you best, then you can speak to your parents with conviction about the path you want to take. Parents love you but they are also good at sensing your weaknesses.  If you are wishy-washy when you tell them you want to switch majors, switch schools or follow a different career path, they will feel you are not fully committed to the new path.  They will try to steer you back onto the path you are currently following because they fear you will be lost otherwise.

You also need "ammunition" to make your case as compelling as possible.  If you tell Mom and Dad that you don't want to be an accountant but that you want to study computer animation, you have to be prepared to back up your choice.  Your parents want to know you can be independent after graduation so give them the facts that will ease their fears. Find out the kinds of jobs that computer animators have.  How much is the average pay?  Where do these jobs exist?  What is the working life like?  Talk about specific people you know that are in that profession.

All these facts and information should help ease your parents anxieties.  They have been planning your future since you were born.  You need to prove to them that you have put in as much effort researching your options.

Of course, this is a simplification of the issue of parental pressure and how to deal with it.  However, if you begin thinking in terms of preparing yourself to make a strong, logical case about the practical applications of your passions and your desires before you sit down with your parents, it should make it a much more constructive and effective conversation.

Money can't buy you love

There's a common misconception when looking for your first job out of college.  Most job seekers are trying to find a job that offers the highest pay or the biggest set of financial incentives if certain objectives are achieved at work.  While income and bonuses may seem like a good set of motivators to do a good job and to feel accomplished, the truth is that money is rarely a good enough "carrot" for any professional.  There are deeper, more meaningful motivators that you should try to find.

One of my favorite authors and speakers, Dan Pink, says these intrinsic motivations are "Autonomy," "Mastery," and "Purpose."  Watch Dan's presentation at the recent TED Conference (August 2009).
He tells a great story and he will inspire you to focus on those three intrinsic motivators as you conduct your job search.

Dan is the author of two of my favorite books, A Whole New Mind and The Adventures of Johnny Bunko.  I consider them essential reading for anyone trying to figure out their dream career.  His new book, Drive, is all about the science of motivation and it will be available in December.

Six questions and two weeks to personal clarity

I've been away for a while ... literally and figuratively! It's funny how life has a way of consuming your time if you're not careful.

I just read a very good book by Ernie Zelinski called Career Success Without a Real Job: The Career Book for People Too Smart to Work in Corporations. He's got some great advice in there about how to find your passion and launch a career that is both satisfying and lucrative.

If you're struggling to figure out what you should be doing for a living, use the following six questions that appear in Ernie's book to help you sort it out. I recommend that you create a document with these questions listed and add to it every day for two weeks. Spend just five minutes reflecting on the events or your day every day for 14 days. Add new information to your answers under each question. After two weeks, set aside 30 minutes to review the whole set of questions and answers. I think you will find a very clear picture of who you are and what you love to do.

Here are Ernie's questions:

1) What am I good at?
2) What are my strengths and weaknesses?
3) Which talents and accomplishments do others give me compliments for?
4) Which talents and strengths would I like to use and improve in a career?
5) Who does the kind of work I would like to do?
6) What work would I do for free just for the enjoyment?

Let us know what you discover.