Needle, Meet Haystack

So, let’s say that you’ve finally won the game.  You got the job, are making a decent wage, happen to be in an office populated by swell people, and enjoy what you’re doing.  No reason to keep searching for a job, right?

Wrong.

Besides the possibility of being let go for reasons unrelated to your performance (company finances, restructuring from a merger, etc.), you should still be updating your resume and applying for positions with potential employers.

Besides gauging your selling temperature with other employers, it allows you to find out more about the quality of your resume, how interested different businesses would be in you, and what to be aware of in case you need to look for a job again.  Also, the pressure of searching for a new job is lessened, so you can apply for some positions in a broader range of fields out of interest rather than necessity.

While it’s a good idea to keep your continued job search under wraps (and I’m advocating sending out only a few applications per month), it’s vital that you at least keep your application materials up to date.  After all, you’ve won the game, but a whole new game begins when you start working.

When looking for a job, most people are trying to trade up.  Whether it’s for the purpose of higher wages, a better position, a new career field, leverage for raise or promotion discussions with a current employer or just as a way to get out of unemployment, no one wants to go down a few notches.  But stepping down to a more “basic” level, one that far too many people have passed, can be a great advantage.  After all, this is where critical and crucial lessons and competencies that are all too frequently overlooked are learned and put into practice.

So if you’re scrounging for work, consider a job in customer service.  And by customer service, I mean retail, food services, call centers, and so on.  The pay might not be as much as you’d like, but there are 7 crucial lessons that you’ll learn:

1. See what people are really like.  Customer service workers get shat on by the general population more than most would care to admit.  Dealing with yelling, screaming, tantrums, illogical demands (not requests) and threats of physical violence from customers is a bit more common than you may have been led to believe.  You’ll learn firsthand the power of kindness, tact, politeness, and a smile.  And you may even see how to correct some of these behaviors in yourself.
2. Learn to speak more plainly and with greater tact.  Tying in with #1, you will have to attempt to defuse the situation and resolve any problem, because “the customer is always right.”  Also, you’ll have to develop more universal speaking skills, meaning that you will find yourself forced to communicate with others more clearly to avoid misunderstandings.  So say goodbye to slang and/or grandiloquence, and hello to simple word structure and concise speech patterns!
3. See what it’s like on that side of the counter.  Many people don’t realize what it’s like to be working in customer service, because they haven’t.  By being on the working side of the equation, you will learn what makes a good customer, which will help to improve your own interactions with other customer service workers.
4. Learn humility.  Much like Thor, your experiences in customer service will require you to learn how to be more humble and polite.  As explained in #1 and #2, you will be acquiescing to some interesting requests, and your job’s responsibilities may not be anyone’s idea of a good time.  But not only will the experience make you more appreciative of a desk and janitors, it will also teach you how to keep your emotions and opinions in check to become a more effective employee.
5. Discover how to fight for your job.  With high turnover rates, low wages and at-will employment, many customer service workers must deal with the Sword of Damocles known as Being Fired For Any Infraction.  As such, you may grow more conscious of your actions and become a more diligent worker.
6. See the Peter Principle in action.  The Peter Principle, which you can see every Thursday at 9 PM/8 Central, states that people get promoted as far as they can go until they are no longer competent.  Unfortunately, many of your superiors in customer service are perfect examples of this.  Whether it’s due to being unable to adapt or general floundering at a level of greater professional responsibility, you will see many examples of managers who should not have been promoted.  On the plus side, you will learn what makes a good manager (or a bad one), and might find some useful tips and tricks for when you find yourself in a leadership role.
7. Employee discount.  That’s why you really took the job in the first place, isn’t it?

By mid-2008, the Phoenix, Arizona Police Department was in trouble.  As the city expanded, so to had the need for more uniformed officers patrolling the streets.  But no one in Phoenix seemed particularly interested in becoming an officer.  In fact, the department had to look for recruits outside of the state of Arizona just to maintain its current numbers.  But luckily for the Phoenix Police, something great came along and changed everything: the recession.

Now, people who previously might not have considered working in law enforcement as a career were banging down the doors and sending in applications with such great fervor that for the first time in a while, the police department got to be more selective with its hiring processes.  After all the screening, tests and the academy, the top-tier applicants were accepted, giving the force the numbers it needs.  The recession saved the Phoenix Police.

The above story is true, and from an article that I can’t seem to find a link for (I read it in the Arizona Republic a while back if anyone wants to look it up).  And while some people might take it as an isolated incident of a positive trend in employment that has occurred during the current recession, it isn’t the only case.  After all, the Great Depression helped to redefine career roles across gender lines and provided the US with a solid road system.  But regardless of historical precedent, it still stands that companies are hiring less and operating with fewer employees.

These operations, in some cases done with only a “skeleton crew” of workers, are still churning out profits.  Businesses are redefining corporate structures as they trim the fat and eliminate redundancies.  As such, they become more effective and efficient, able to respond to client requests, crises and public trends more quickly.  Their brands develop from being faceless corporate logos to living entities, connecting with consumers on a new, more personal level.

Additionally, the lack of funds that may create a decrease in available traditional benefits, including health care, has led to businesses developing new ways to compensate their employees.  Partial work-from-home agreements, more casual workplaces, better financial compensation offers and other new forms of reimbursement are leading to more personalized and comfortable work experiences for employees.

Employees in these companies find themselves granted more responsibilities, but autonomy and greater value to the organization are there as well.  Skilled workers become more skilled, and the best in their respective fields are left to produce higher quality results with less interference.

Similarly, unemployed workers can benefit from their current situation by developing their skills and competencies.  Rather than limiting themselves to a single pursuit, they find themselves faced with more options to develop their skills and competencies.  This leads to a more competitive job market, but also encourages greater knowledge, skill, experience and specialization.  So even if we have more unemployed people, they will be smarter and more competent unemployed people.

The desire for work also creates a more eclectic work history for those who grasp onto contract or temporary jobs.  Much like those who suddenly found themselves applying to be members of the Phoenix Police, workers are discovering new skills and abilities in areas they may not have previously thought of entering.  Our specialized workers become better at their jobs, and have a greater breadth of understanding of their careers and those of complimentary positions as well.

So even though unemployment numbers are rising (though not necessarily as you might expect), companies, employees and job seekers are benefiting in new ways that will create lasting changes on corporate and social cultures.  And I mean that in a good way.

So the last time I did one of these, there was a bit of a to-do from a number of people about my choice of example.  So I would like to offer this disclaimer: this example is to serve as an extended metaphor for a point that I am trying to make in an interesting and unique way.  The comparisons are being made directly between the parties mentioned and are based on a limited amount of exposure to the example groups, so please refrain from comments about how “wrong” my assessment is.  It’s just an extended metaphor.  Also, I use a Windows PC.

When it comes to market dominance in the computing world, Microsoft, despite what some commercials may have you believe, is the clear front-runner.  And for many computer-buyers, a Microsoft PC is the easy choice to make.  A variety of companies make computers with their operating system, which creates competition that is often based on improved (or new types of) hardware or different price points.  Rather than spending money innovating hardware and core system software, Microsoft chooses what works best for its competitors.  Windows code development and add-ons are a more mainstream version of many Linux operating systems, while new media playing software follows the successes of Apple’s programs.  So even though Microsoft may not be an innovator, it has built an empire by learning what critical wants and needs others have, and adapting to them.

When it comes to competing with its next-largest rival in computers, Apple*, and its biggest online rival, Google, Microsoft has one clear strategy: react.  When Apple developed the iPod, Microsoft waited for a market to develop and released the Zune.  Google and Gmail’s software developments are followed by similar services offered through Bing and MSN email.  And when a new company creates an innovative new product, Microsoft will try to purchase that company rather than develop.  Microsoft has positioned itself as a company whose reactive practices have allowed it to follow the right trends a bit later to make safer business moves.

Although one could argue that Microsoft is too reactive (especially in its own ads), its practices have made it a fairly reliable, if safe, brand to consumers.  Being seen as an innovator is a definite benefit for smaller companies, but larger firms like Microsoft and Wal-Mart cannot make such drastic changes without risking alienation from a large contingent of their customers.  Smaller, less noticeable innovations can be made, because no one has a lock on creativity.

When you look at your personal brand, your role in your company or your job search, are you developing new ideas or reflecting those of others?  If your position is less essential and concrete, you may have more freedom to be imaginative.  As such, you can take more risks to harness your inspiration effectively.  In the case of those whose roots have dug in, an essential role in an organization (or a too-specific niche), complacency can set in, leading to personality changes that are not conducive to originality.

So the question is: do you want to be active or reactive in your career?  Neither path is the “right” one, as you can find success on either route.  But the longer you establish yourself in one category, the more difficult it will be to transition to the other.

Or, to put it another way: Are you a Mac or a PC?

Dear Readers,

In case you weren’t aware due to a Google Calendar malfunction or not having heard all of your co-workers say “See you on Thursday!” yesterday, today is Veterans Day.

So go outside, enjoy the (hopefully) nice weather, and thank the men and women who have served (and are serving) our country.

Job search-related posts resume tomorrow.

- Andrew

PS: If you really want to read something new about jobs and employment, check out this post by the fine folks at Cracked.com.

At some point, we’ve all noticed that one word keeps popping up in our personal vocabularies too much for it to be a coincidence.  And if you’re like me, you’ve probably headed over to Thesaurus.com or used a hard copy thesaurus to expand your vernacular.  But this tool is a powerful one that may be the little nudge that turns your job application from a dud to the one that gets you hired.

If you use the same words too consistently, it will appear as if you don’t know how to present yourself and your ideas well enough, which is a major detriment in any professional setting.  And if the job that you’re applying for is one that relies on communication skills, you’d be setting yourself up for failure without some good word choice.

By changing around the words that you use, you can change your tone and the impression that you give to others.  Here’s an extreme example, using a classic TV theme song as it was originally written:

I whistled for a cab and when it came near / The license plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror / If anything I can say this cab is rare / But I thought ‘Now forget it’ – ‘Yo homes to Bel Air’

Using synonyms and altering word choice and sentence structure, we have a completely different statement:

I grabbed the attention of the nearest carriage.  As it approached me, I noticed its unique accouterments, including an identifying marker inscribed with the word “Fresh” and facsimile gambling instruments hanging from a viewing surface. If anything, I must concede that this jitney was most out of the ordinary. Pushing such thoughts aside, I directed the driver to my new abode.

Although this is taking it a step too far (and enters a level of snootiness that you wouldn’t want to convey), this example shows how restructuring words can deliver a completely different message while saying the same thing.  Make sure to pick your words carefully to find the tone that you want.

You should take care to not appear too grandiloquent (using big words to sound important), as it can make you seem pretentious or like someone who is overcompensating.  Instead, stick to replacements and five-dollar words when you need that extra punch in your application, or when a synonym illustrates your point more clearly.  If you’re able to vary your word choice deftly, your written materials will be more appealing and give you a better chance of getting the job.

Since this isn’t a political blog, we can gloss over the pros and cons of the health care bill that’s currently being looked over by Congress.  Regardless of your feelings about the bill, you should still take time out to read it.

You can find the full text here: H.R. 3962 – Affordable Health Care for America Act (via OpenCongress)

The Wikipedia page for those with less free time is here: Affordable Health Care For America Act Wiki

Please make sure you read this so you can be fully informed about the bill and how it can affect your life and workplace environment.

And if you are looking for health care options now, read this previous post.

As much as I know you all love reading NMH every day, there are a few other blogs on job searching/careers/Gen-Y type stuff that you might not be reading.  Here’s a few that are definitely worth your time:

I’m not gonna lie, Jenny Blake’s Life After College gets me a bit angry.  A ton of her posts have me thinking why didn’t I come up with that?, which is why sometimes I post about Flavor Flav or GI Joe.  Her posts on pretty much everything make it a must-read, especially if you’re looking for some great motivation or dating advice.

A.J. Bingham’s Blog is full of great advice, motivation, and even some music.  He has a very straightforward, concise writing style that is immensely enjoyable.  Also, he talks about the Power Glove (it’s so bad!) in a way that applies to us all, and makes an appealing argument for the power of Ed Hardy.  If nothing else, that deserves your respect.

Caitlin McCabe’s Smile Like You Mean It (which I previously mentioned here) is full of awesome advice, cool design and a good dose of wisdom.  Her post on faking organization should be mandatory reading, and so should the one on pricing yourself.  And reading her posts on design can help make you feel hip (do the kids still say ‘hip’?), so that helps too.

Life After College

A.J. Bingham

Smile Like You Mean It

The job: CGI Animator

You might like this job if: You enjoy computer-generated images, be it from movies, video games, TV, or stills used in print ads.  A healthy dose of love for animation helps too.

The good: You get to develop cutting-edge entertainment for the masses, making people and items that only existed in imagination come to life.  Plus, you can make cool ‘splosions and ninja-versus-dinosaur fights!

The bad: It takes forever to get a lot of work done.  There was a scene in the recent Transformers 2 where a human character was revealed to be a robot.  In a 3-second bit of CGI, the flesh on her face stripped away to reveal her true mechanical form.  Do you know how long it took a dedicated team of a half-dozen CGI animators to make that effect?  THREE MONTHS.  So to recap: that’s 2880 total hours of work for a 3-second special effect that most people won’t even remember.

Summary: If you have the patience, attention to detail, love of technology and obsessive-compulsion to make movie/video game/TV magic, go for it.  Otherwise, just watch the latest Pixar movie again.

Rating: Two Gollums that should have won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor out of five

I have a large distaste for the term, “quality over quantity” when someone refers to developing creativity.  Then again, I also don’t care for the phrase when someone’s making disparaging comments against bulk clubs. Avoiding the linguistics of the phrase (and the social implications beyond this particular example) for the moment, let’s take a look at why developing a subjective skill is a full-time pursuit.

I read a blog post quite a while back (I think it was from Copyblogger – if anyone wants to correct me or send a link to the post, that would be awesome) titled something to the effect of, “Make Your Muse Your Bitch.”  In it, the author went on to promote the idea that inspiration and creativity are controllable subjects, and rather than waiting for either to occur, one must be proactive and actively force creativity, be it through art, writing, acting or whatever creative area in which one wants to excel.

“Oh, horsefeathers!” I said.  ”You have to wait for inspiration to strike!”  But still, I tried it.  Day in and day out, I wrote more and more until the ideas were pouring out of my head almost faster than I could write them down.  And I noticed that I was returning to old subjects more, making complete thoughts and arguments better than I had in the past.  What had I been afraid of?

As much as we’ve been lead to believe otherwise, creativity can be learned.  Developing tangential thoughts, isolating core purposes, coming up with a new take on an old topic and having an original thought are not exclusive to any sort of “creative elite.”  And yet many people are afraid to blog, make music, engage in intellectual discourse or do any sort of activity deemed as being even slightly creative because they feel that they lack this trait.

I hate to break it to you, but it’s all subjective anyhow.

Unlike, say, being an expert, there are no set criteria for what makes someone “creative.”  Much in the same way as art (an output of creativity, another highly subjective field) cannot be objectively assessed, whether something is or isn’t creative is in the mind of the assessor.  So if you feel that you have to work on your creativity, do it!  Write daily blog posts, take lots of pictures, draw all the time or do whatever you have to do to constantly improve and refine your craft.

Creativity isn’t something that happens to you.  It’s something that you make happen.