“You should work for this company because I’ve heard…” or, “You
shouldn’t work for this company because…” I heard once at my
former employer that a company up the road, constant competition for
new hires, would tell prospective candidates that our company was going
to close down in the next year or two, so it was best to apply now, while
opportunities were still available. I don’t know if there was any truth to
that rumor, but I do know the need to corroborate stories and separate
fact from fiction. The rumor mill can be a scary place on which to base an
important professional decision that could impact you and your family.
As you pursue potential companies, make sure you have multiple sources
of information, including people who currently work there, people who
used to work there, news media, and social media sources to help formulate
your opinions using facts. You may not want to dismiss hearsay so
quickly, but you do want to do your due diligence prior to making any
rash decisions.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Your personal brand and reputation were built long before your job
search began. I had the fortunate opportunity of trying to build a literal
brand with “Thomas Dowd Professional Development & Coaching,
LLC.” I made a lot of mistakes along the way. For example, the same
core group of people I communicate with on social media were getting
tired of the book solicitations, while other people were tired of hearing
about the success I was having with Toastmasters speaking engagements.

I learned early on that there is a fine line between, “I wanted to share
something that’s going on with me” and “look at me.” I learned how critical
it is that although it is my brand, it is not always about me. I needed to
avoid misinterpreted one-way information sharing by ensuring that I was
engaging other people in the dialog so that I could get to know them and
understand their interests, wants, and needs, as well. I had to ensure that
building and maintaining my brand was a two-way process. No one can
simply throw his or her brand at someone and expect them to like it.
When’s the last time you asked yourself what people may think of you?

Being self-aware is great, but others may have their own perception of
you—are the two aligned? For example, I was a fast walker down the halls
early in my career because I didn’t—and still don’t—like to waste time. I
found out I was considered by some as unapproachable because I didn’t
stop and chat a lot in the halls. What is your past reputation? Are people
carrying that with them in their perceptions of you in a way that could
impact your next career move? Landing a successful job is heavily based
on the people we know, and how those people perceive us.

If you have a reputation as a hard-worker, that’s a great reputation to
have. Do you know what decision-makers or influencers of your next
potential role think of you? This is where the two-way discussion can be
important, by asking questions and clearly understanding how people
view you—positive and negative. It’s important to be proactive and drive
this type of discussion. People do talk, and spread the message of your
reputation. I even found examples when people at different companies in
the same industry discussed my skill set.

You must continue to build your reputation and brand even in the
midst of the job search by getting your name out there in a professional
way so that people want to interact with you and want you as part of
their team. You don’t want to appear desperate, but you do want to make
yourself significant in order to ensure that your name will come up in
conversation.

It’s a constant work in progress; reputations are built over time, and
crushed in an instant. While engaged in conversation, you want to appear
confident and useful for a hiring company without being arrogant.
Conversely, if you were quiet and isolated in a previous job, you may
have some work to do to play catch up. It’s important to know that when
you’re looking for work, you are building your brand. If you had a bad
reputation from your previous company, you can hope for a clean slate,
but don’t depend on it. If you feel you left on bad terms, do everything
you can to fix it or at least lessen the impact. Again, people do talk, look
for references, and research your past, whether through social media or
other means. I suggest taking a long, hard look at your brand. Then, make
modifications, delete unnecessary entries from your social media sites,
and do what you can to have a brand that you’re proud of.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

It’s important to keep in regular touch with your network, whether it is
through social media channels, email, or other means. You can provide
status updates, share information that you’ve read (e.g., articles), or simply
thank individuals or groups for their support and assistance. Similar to
social media, you want your posts (emails, and others) to be read, relevant,
and considered high content. Social media is most effective when people
are given something decent to read or their attention is captured—which
means you can stay away from posting what you had for dinner last night.

Once a story gains momentum, its popularity increases exponentially; as
a result, that story is then shared. On Facebook for example, the stories
that have the most comments and “likes” continue to appear in the top
of the news feed for those who sort by the “most popular” criteria. I want
you to think about having your content “liked.” I’m not making the point
to copy everyone on an email, reply all, or make it a daily event unless you
have something important to communicate. What I’m emphasizing is the
need to be the driver of information and to stay visible in the eyes of the
people who can most help you achieve your goals. It’s important to keep
the lines of communication open and constant—even when you gained
everything you needed from the initial conversation.

An easy way to do this is by showing your appreciation for the support
you’re getting. Back to the social media example, it’s essential to go beyond
a simple “thanks” email or post. Express to the person why you feel
grateful for their efforts. If possible, if there are other people who would
want or need to know what that person did for you, then copy or share
with them as well. When the note becomes about them, you start to make
an impact on deepening the relationship. Another way is to continue to
turn the discussion around to the people with whom you’re networking.
I’ve surprised a few people when I turned the conversation around and
offered my assistance by asking, “What can I do for you?” A humble approach
to genuinely say thank you while offering your skills and services
can be placed in his or her back pocket for later, and will go a long way in
deepening your relationship.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

After so many years in the same job, we feel entitled to things like
more vacation time, higher pay, and opportunities for promotions.
If you’re looking for a job, that all goes out the window. Skills, experience,
talent, expertise, and tenure may no longer be enough. Do you know
what companies are looking for? Is the make-up of a corporate culture
young and hip? Are they looking for independent thinkers who are creative
and innovative? You may not be able to put all of the weight you want on
a certain skill set you possess, your years of experience, or your specific expertise.

All of these components may support a way to differentiate yourself,
but they could also be a hindrance if you put all of your stock into
saying that your résumé will sell everything for you. Today’s environment
is constantly evolving, and certain organizations may be looking for traits
that go beyond experience level or past years doing a particular job. The
important thing to remember is not to be surprised when this happens.
What’s vital is that you understand how to deepen your own thinking to
align yourself to the creative thinking of the culture of the organizations
you want to be a part of. Once you start to work with it, you will become
more nimble in your job-seeking and networking discussions.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

My number one priority was to find a job. As the book title says,
my job was to look for a job. It is hard not to get frustrated when
people you’ve networked with or sought assistance from don’t return calls
and messages within your timeframe, but a colleague of mine put it in
perspective for me: “When you’re done talking with them, they go back
to their job.” As painful as it was to hear at the time, she was right that
my priorities may not have directly aligned with those of everyone with
whom I was speaking. My goal shouldn’t have been to change their priorities
to match mine. The goal should always be to keep the process flowing
and build a relationship strong enough that it can be further developed
over time.

When setting up networking sessions, if you are waiting for something
from someone, gently nudge things along with a reminder. If someone
requests a reminder, give it. In fact, be proactive enough to ask if it’s okay
to follow up if you don’t hear from someone after a certain deadline. You
must maintain your own priorities, but be conscious that they may not
match someone else’s primary focus. Understand that after you hang up
the phone, your network contact goes back to work. Don’t take it personally,
but do take the steps necessary to remain professionally relevant.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

In the middle of a real interview, the HR Director says to me, “Stop the
BS and stop with the buzzwords. What do you really want?” So, this
interview must have been going well. Based on what I had learned while
preparing for the interview, it became obvious before I even walked in
the door that my background and style wouldn’t fit well with this company.
However, I wanted to keep it moving in case my assumptions were
wrong, or at least get in the practice of interviewing.

I knew less than five minutes into the questioning that I would not
be hired. Instead of loafing through the rest of the interview, I made a
conscious effort to make the most of the experience. I challenged myself
to adapt to the interviewer’s style. I pushed myself out of my comfort
zone by trying to be even more creative than usual with my answers and
tested various versions of my elevator speech. My goal was to see what
could potentially work and what might not. Why not? What did I have to
lose? I loved the challenge of the uphill battle. I even saw enough pause in
some of the HR director’s questions and answers to indicate that she was
considering changing her mind—not enough to hire me, but enough for
me to walk out of there happy that I had gone through with it. If your interview
is not going well, you can use the experience as practice for future
sessions. What could have been a terrible interview turned out great—at
least in my eyes, which was a confidence boost.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

If you got on an elevator and only had two floors to impress the CEO
with who you are and what you’ve accomplished, could you do it?
Before you think this is hypothetical, let me tell you the story of a former
colleague who actually had this happen. We both were in town for a business
meeting and were working out in the hotel fitness center early in the
morning. We also saw my former company’s CEO working out every day
that week, but we had no interaction. I had an early flight Friday morning,
but my friend went to work out again. When he was done exercising,
he was just walking onto the elevator when the CEO stuck his hand in to
keep the doors open so he could enter.

An interview is a similar situation when you’re under pressure and
only have a finite amount of time to influence and impact the conversation.
If someone says, “Tell me about yourself professionally,” are you
ready? Will your answer take two minutes? Ten? Fifteen? Can you adapt
it to meet the needs of the interviewer or person with whom you’re networking,
so that your past translates into solving that specific company’s
business challenges? An elevator speech hits the high notes both personally
and professionally. How much you incorporate in relating your personal
answer depends on the circumstances and the person with whom
you’re speaking. However, on the professional front, your elevator speech
should be a clearly laid out map relating to your recent work, your key
accomplishments, and your future goals. I recommend writing out a
two-minute version and a five-to-ten minute version, and then know
both versions inside and out. Be careful to remember that this is not a
script; you can deviate as needed. The pitch should be a base to begin a
confident discussion. Having a foundation will allow you to modify your
elevator speech as needed. If you don’t know yourself inside and out, then
who will? More importantly, it goes beyond just knowing—you must be
able to clearly articulate it. If you can’t confidently tell your own story,
what kind of impression are you leaving?

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

When teaching how to interview effectively, I emphasize the need to
practice, or mock interviews. Here are the keys to make the most
of the experience:

• Don’t let the word “mock” throw you off—treat it as a real interview
and maximize the experience. Real practice turns into real success.
• Set it up now—it’s best to do it before you need it, but if that time
has passed, still set them up before the next big interview is on the
horizon.
• Make it a regular event, not a one-time shot—cramming becomes
obvious. Mock interviews are practice, thus need to be done more
than once.
• Understand it is a learning experience—be willing to make mistakes.
• Meet with multiple people with different styles. Talk with someone
you do not know well.
• If you are currently employed, use your manager in the process, but
understand that he or she does not count as a mock interview. I’ve
found that when I worked with managers, the questions tended to
be slanted to my strengths or weaknesses, which took away from
the feel of a real interview. Broaden your scope to find the most
effective interview partner.
• Use the exercise as a networking opportunity or a way to get your
foot in a door that might otherwise be closed.
It’s important to understand what mock interviews are not:
• An attempt to kiss up
• An attempt to predict questions
• An attempt to articulate answers you think the interviewer wants to
hear
• A working session or brainstorming session focusing on your
strengths and weaknesses—this should be done far ahead of a mock
interview.

Understanding the power of mock interviews ensures that you are
more comfortable in pressure situations, and keeps you sharp for the day
when you need to make the intended impression.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

You should work for this company because I’ve heard…” or, “You
shouldn’t work for this company because…” I heard once at my
former employer that a company up the road, constant competition for
new hires, would tell prospective candidates that our company was going
to close down in the next year or two, so it was best to apply now, while
opportunities were still available. I don’t know if there was any truth to
that rumor, but I do know the need to corroborate stories and separate
fact from fiction. The rumor mill can be a scary place on which to base an
important professional decision that could impact you and your family.
As you pursue potential companies, make sure you have multiple sources
of information, including people who currently work there, people who
used to work there, news media, and social media sources to help formulate
your opinions using facts. You may not want to dismiss hearsay so
quickly, but you do want to do your due diligence prior to making any
rash decisions.

Thomas B. Dowd III’s books available in softcover, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only):

• Now What? The Ultimate Graduation Gift for Professional Success
• Time Management Manifesto: Expert Strategies to Create an Effective Work/Life Balance
• Displacement Day: When My Job was Looking for a Job…A Reference Guide to Finding Work
• The Transformation of a Doubting Thomas: Growing from a Cynic to a Professional in the Corporate World
• From Fear to Success: A Practical Public-speaking Guide received the Gold Medal at the 2013 Axiom Business Book Awards in Business Reference
• The Unofficial Guide to Fatherhood

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book, eBook, and audiobook (From Fear to Success only) purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com