The Exclusive Career Coach Lesa Edwards

I want to start this episode by debunking a myth out there that you can NEVER, EVER say anything negative about your current/former employer or boss in a job interview. Under no circumstances. Full stop. I’ve coached hundreds of clients on how to improve their interviewing skills. In my career in higher education, I interviewed dozens of job candidates and helped hundreds of college students prepare for their first-ever job interviews. Early in my career as an Area Training Coordinator for the now-defunct Eckerd Drug Company, I represented the company on college campuses, interviewing seniors for positions as Assistant Managers.  All of that is to say I have a great deal of experience in this arena, and what I’ve come to understand is EXACTLY where that line – what negative information you should/shouldn’t say – is.  Why would you even bring up something negative? Because it’s the truth – and because you can’t fully tell your story without that truth. This will become clearer in my examples.  Facts, not gossipHere’s exactly where that line between facts and gossip is: State the facts of the situation, with absolutely no negative emotion or unfavorable characterizations.  Where we get into trouble in job interviews is when we start placing value judgments, criticism, and negative energy around something negative that happened.  And while I want you to tell the truth – I DON’T necessarily want you to tell the WHOLE truth. What you say should be correct, but you can and should leave out parts that don’t present you or your former employer in a positive light.   Example #1 – You are asked “Why did you leave your most recent role?” Here’s the truth: You left because you found out some things about the boss that were, at best, unflattering, and at worst, illegal. Your boss confronted you about what you knew and wanted to fire you. You convinced him to let you quit in exchange for not pursuing legal action against the company for wrongful termination. He told you the company would give you a neutral reference if called.  Here’s an option: “I quit because I found out some things that were happening at the company that were against my professional morals, and I could not in good conscious remain there.” Why this response works: Because you are showing evidence of high moral character. You are not giving any specifics about what you found out – nor will you if probed with further questions. This answer also works because it is a concrete reason to leave a position, as opposed to a vague response such as “I wanted to pursue other opportunities.”  This answer gives them a satisfactory response and a reason to move on, whereas something vague like pursuing other opportunities might very well raise their BS antennae.  Where you get into trouble: “My boss was cheating on his wife AND stealing from the company – and I found out! He was furious and tried to fire me. I convinced him to let me quit instead, or else I told him I would sick my lawyer on him.”   Example #2 – Your application indicates you were terminated from your most recent role and the interviewer asks you about this.  Here’s the truth: Your former employer fired you to make way for a younger, less expensive version. You decided not to pursue legal action.  Here’s an option: “In a cost-cutting measure, the company chose to replace me with a more entry-level candidate.” I would absolutely follow this answer up with “I am looking for a company that values my experience and skills.

If you listen to this podcast on a regular basis, you know that many of my topics come from clients – what they are struggling with, the questions they are asking me. Today’s topic is one such example.  Two of the things I hear most frequently relative to networking is:  #1 – I don’t know very many people #2 – I only know people in my job function/industry, and that’s no help to me because I want to pivot As a reminder, here are my definitions: A career pivot is like a pivot in basketball – you keep one foot on the floor when you aren’t dribbling the ball. A career pivot means you are either keeping a foot in your job function or your industry – and pivoting out of the other.  An example of pivoting out of your industry might be changing from a human resources director at a hospital to HR director at an automobile manufacturing plant.  A pivot out of your job function might be moving from IT at a tech company into a sales role at a different tech company.  A career reinvention means you are moving both feet – to a new career function AND a new industry. An example would be changing from a marketing executive at a CPG company to do Foundation work at a university.  So back to “I don’t know anyone” and “I only know people in my job function/industry.” Here are my strategies:  You DO Know People…More Than You ThinkA good way to begin to grasp your true network is to jump on LinkedIn and a) review your existing connections for growth possibilities there, and b) connect with people you haven’t yet connected with. Keep in mind that you don’t have to already know these people – your invitation to connect is you saying that you WANT to get to know them.  To review your existing connections, use the Advanced Search function. Rather than giving the steps here, which will likely change in the not-too-distant future, reach out to me if you don’t know how to use this resource.  One you’ve opened the filters, select “2nd connections” and put in the name of your connection you want to review. This will open up all of this connection’s connections, which you can then mine for possibilities.  I recommend a message something like this: “I see we’re both connected to Jim Smith, one of my former colleagues. Let’s connect!”  This previous method works from who you are already connected with. Let’s say you also want to connect strategically with people who work in a certain company, hold a certain job title, or have worked there or held that title. The Advanced Search function comes into play here, as well.  If you want to find the Director of Operations for ABC Company, used the Advanced Search function with the filters of Current Company and Job Title.  You message for this situation might be: “I see we both used to work at XYZ company – let’s connect!” OR “I am impressed by the level of engagement you have on LI – let’s connect!”  If you are going to use the approach of commenting on some aspect of their profile, you MUST customize this so they know you’ve actually looked at their profile. Nothing as generic as “Great profile – let’s connect!”  Notice that with all of these messages, I am not revealing my true intentions. Any sales person will tell you that someone has to know, like, and trust you to buy from you – and the people you are connecting with don’t know you and therefore can’t like or trust you yet.  Come up with a 3-to-4 step approach with these connections, starting with your invitation to connect. Then perhaps your next communication, which should be once they accept your invitation, is to ask them a soft-pitch questions they are uniquely qualified to answer,

Let me start today’s episode by saying loud and clear: EVERYONE has setbacks and obstacles in their career. NO ONE has a perfectly linear journey, where they leave each job at the height of achievement, only to land in an even better job – no gaps i...

I’m going to cover a lot of ground on today’s podcast, starting with a definition of career development: According to Wikipedia:Career development refers to the process an individual may undergo to evolve their occupational status. It is the process of making decisions for long-term learning, to align personal needs of physical or psychological fulfillment with career advancement opportunities. Career Development can also refer to the total encompassment of an individual's work-related experiences, leading up to the occupational role they may hold within an organization. "A well-rounded application of career development tools establishes a robust framework that facilitates a growth mindset, encourages wholesome employee development, and drives organizational success." What does all that mean? Career development is a lifelong process of growth and advancement – not only in terms of advancing to higher job levels, but advancement in the sense of ongoing learning and personal growth as a result of professional development and experience. When I was the director of university career centers, my focus was on the career development of matriculating college students – helping them figure out what they wanted to be when they grew up and helping them land their first-destination job. In working with those college students, we focused on: #1: Self-knowledge – identifying interests, skills, and values #2: Knowledge of the World of Work – gaining critical information about various occupations #3: Career Decision-Making – Narrowing the options down through internships, shadowing, part-time jobs, study abroad experiences, and mentorships #4: Taking Action – The process of finding a job in the chosen field  In this episode, I really want to focus on those of you already in your career, particularly in a career path you love. If you don’t love the path you are on, there are plenty of resources available for you, and I’ve done podcast episodes to help you as well. Some companies do an excellent job of providing career development paths and opportunities for their employees; other companies financially support their employees seeking career development through outside organizations. Still others don’t consider this a priority AT ALL. For those of you fortunate enough to have an excellent in-house program, you probably don’t need my words of wisdom on this topic. But for those of you who are own your own – whether financially supported by your company or not – I have some strategies. Here’s a breakdown of the process of career development for those of you on your chosen career path: #1: Self-assessment – For you, this might look like conducting a self-SWOT – what are your strengths? Areas for growth? What are the emerging areas of opportunity in your field? What are possible threats to your career field, such as AI or offshoring? #2: Goal-setting – Once you’ve assessed yourself, set a SMART goal for career development. This could include additional formal education, a certification, or working with a coach to address a weakness in your professional development. #3: Action planning – Once you’ve set at least one SMART goal, establish a plan to make it happen. This might include calendaring in time for each step of your goal, looking into resources/options, or asking a mentor to help hold you accountable. #4: Implementation – Now it is time to DO. Attend the course or program, study for the certification exam, or start the job shadowing your boss approved.

The first thing I want to say about building a professional network is this is NOT just for when you are looking for a new job. In fact, if you spend regular time cultivating your professional network, you may not need to ever look for a new job – opportunities will come to you.  The problem most people run into relative to cultivating a professional network is TIME. Specifically, they don’t prioritize networking, so it gets shoved to the back burner (or behind the stove altogether).  #1 – Have a Goal for Your Networking. You may be looking for career opportunities, looking for a mentor, wanting to get clients, or seeking out collaborators. Determine your WHY – this will inform the types of networking you choose to engage in.  #2 – Investigate the Possibilities. As for networking events, look to your local Chamber of Commerce, professional associations, service clubs, industry conferences, workshops, and seminars. Be willing to give a group at least two tries before deciding if it will be a viable networking venue for you.  There are also events where networking is possible – as I define it, places where the music’s not too loud and the people aren’t too drunk. Think broadly here – I like sites like Facebook’s Events tab, Meetup, and events at your place of worship.  There’s also 1:1 networking, so identify individuals that could support your goals. These could include colleagues or former colleagues, alumni from your university, industry professionals, or thought leaders in your field.  Be sure to follow up with contacts afterwards, utilizing LinkedIn.  #3 – Join Professional Organizations. Some of the events you attend from idea #2 may turn out to be great fits for you, so join and get involved. Seek out committees or roles that speak to your passions and strengths.  #4 – Make Sure Your Networking is an Equal Exchange of Energy. Networking should be a two-way street. Be willing to offer assistance, advice, or support to your contacts – this builds goodwill and strengthens your relationships. Above all, follow through on what you say you will do for someone – gain that all-important reputation as someone who does what they say they will do.  #5 – Keep Your Online Presence Professional. Regularly update your LinkedIn profile, engage in meaningful discussions, and showcase your achievements and projects. You don’t ever want to be embarrassed by your online presence.  #6 – Don’t Let LinkedIn Be the Place Your Connections Go to Die. After meeting someone new, follow up with a personalized message. After someone has accepted your invitation to connect, begin cultivating a relationship. Try periodically sharing updates, articles, or just checking in with them to see how they’re doing.   I recommend setting aside time each week specifically for LinkedIn networking – for me, it’s 15 minutes twice each week.  What do I do during this time? -Respond to messages-Accept invitations to connect-Say “hello” to new connections-Send wishes for birthdays, promotions, new jobs, work anniversaries-5-word responses to people’s posts Here are some additional things you might use this time for: -Seeking out people to connect with-Periodically checking in with existing connections – have a strategy for this, as this is definitely a long game This time should NOT be spent looking for jobs or applying to jobs – that isn’t networking.  Based on my first suggestion, once you have a goal for WHY you are networking, next decide how much time you can consistently give to networking.

Today, we’re talking about how to increase your chance of choosing an employer who is a good fit for you. I’m dividing this discussion into two parts: How to determine what qualities or characteristics are most important to you and what you can do to assess an employer.  What are you looking for?There are no right or wrong answers here – what IS important is that you separate out your “non-negotiables” from your “gee – wouldn’t it be nice’s.” What am I talking about? When I was applying for positions all over the U.S. back in 1999, I had spent the previous decade working in a literal fallout shelter. We were in the bottom level of the student union in a cement block structure with no windows. So – one of my “gee – wouldn’t it be nice” things was an office with windows.  In other words, not essential, like ice cream for an ice cream sundae. More like the whipped cream or the cherry. What WAS a non-negotiable was campus support for the Career Center. I had worked too long with very little budget and practically no staff – coupled with a campus environment that didn’t appreciate or utilize the career center.  Here are some things that might be important to you: -A particular industry -A product or service you like, have utilized, respect -A certain aspect in their mission statement/vision statement -Whether it is a for-profit or nonprofit organization -Revenues -Number of employees -Some aspect of the organization’s culture -Geographic location of the company/where you would work -Commute distance -If hybrid, the % of each -Amount of travel required -The company’s reputation -The company’s position in their industry -The company’s phase – startup, etc.  -A certain quality of your direct supervisor -The number – and possibly level – of the people you would supervise -Your budget and staffing relative to what you are expected to accomplish -Salary / bonus potential -Benefits -PTO -The expectation for the actual workday/work week – what about weekends, evenings, etc.? How many hours every week?  -4-day workweek -Opportunity for advancement -Access/opportunity for training and professional development  This is not intended to be an exhaustive list.  Next, identify no more than 4-5 non-negotiables. You may even want to weigh them if one or two are far more important to you than the others.  The idea here is to avoid “shiny object syndrome.” You are swayed by things that aren’t on your list while forgetting about one or more of your non-negotiables.  How do you assess these things? The answer, of course, depends on WHICH things you’ve selected as your non-negotiables.  To research something qualitative about the company, you can’t depend on the company’s website. Rather, try Glassdoor.com, news releases about the company, and talking to current/former employees. To research something quantitative about the company, I recommend accessing Data Axle at your local library, Wikipedia, or the company’s website. If they are publicly traded, you can get information from Standard & Poor’s, Dun & Bradstreet, and the EDGAR database from sec.gov.  Some of the information most important to you may not be available until you apply for a specific position (such as a quality in your direct supervisor) but knowing that it is a non-negotiable keeps it on your radar screen as you go through the interview process.   Next,