Management and Career » Ask Annie

How to get on executive recruiters' radar screens

2012-05-11T14:34:45Z

Giving speeches at industry events is a time-tested way to get noticed by headhunters, but Twitter has made it more of a gamble. Luckily, you have other options.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I'm in upper-middle management at a big company where, as you wrote about in your recent column, I really feel stuck. I think I'd have a better shot at moving up somewhere else, maybe at a smaller company, especially if I can leverage my expertise in my field to get the attention of executive recruiters who might be searching for someone like me.

I've heard over and over again that one way to establish a reputation as a "go-to" person in a specialized area of knowledge is to give speeches at conferences and other industry gatherings, but my question is, how does one break into that? Don't conference organizers usually look for experienced speakers -- and (a classic Catch-22), if you don't have speaking experience, how are you supposed to get it? — Restless

Dear Restless: It's certainly true that recruiters scout conferences for talent (which is one reason why it's smart to go to them, even if your employer won't foot the bill). But "it's a common misperception that, if you have no speaking experience, you can't break in to national events as a speaker," says Lisa Calhoun. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

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Calhoun is CEO of Write2Market, an Atlanta-based communications firm that organizes conferences. "What conference organizers are dying for is speakers, unknown or not, who have practical, expert know-how in a given subject area," she says.

She recommends three steps for getting a spot on the program at a big event. First, "make a list of all the conferences where you think attendees would have a lot to learn from you. Research those opportunities by looking at the program from last year's conference," Calhoun says. Second, "figure out what makes you unique, so that your proposed session will stand out."

And third, send a succinct email to the person in charge of lining up speakers. "Be sure and identify three specific items that session attendees will learn, preferably in a short list of bullet points. Then write a sentence or two on why you are particularly qualified to address these topics," Calhoun says. "Well-researched, practical proposals have a tremendously high acceptance rate."

You probably won't be a keynote speaker your first time out, she adds, but that's okay. A breakout session at the right conference can actually establish your reputation among the smaller subset of attendees whose opinion of you matters most, so "don't discount breakout sessions. Apply for them diligently," Calhoun advises. "And when you do address one, get a friend to videotape your presentation, so you can use the video in your next round of speaking submissions."

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Great, but one word of caution: Public speaking these days is not for the faint of heart. Scott Weiss is head of a firm called Speakeasy that has coached executives at Microsoft (MSFT), Toyota (TM), Cisco (CSCO), Wells Fargo (WFC), and many other big companies on the fine points of effective public speaking. He notes that a growing number of business events now feature live Twitter feeds that let the audience Tweet comments and questions during speeches. The Tweets often show up either on a laptop on the podium or on a giant screen set up on the stage that is visible to everyone in the room.

"Twitter is really changing the game," observes Weiss, adding that, even if you don't see the instant Twitter feedback on what you're saying, "people are still tweeting about you. When you look out at the audience and see everyone's thumbs going, it can be distracting," he notes. "Along with all the other stresses of speaking to an audience, you now have this added layer to contend with. It's nerve-wracking" -- especially for a neophyte speaker who may already be nervous enough.

Indeed, for anyone who is prone to stage fright to begin with, the Twitter-factor may be a deal breaker. Luckily, there are other ways to catch an executive recruiter's eye besides standing up in front of an in-person audience and strutting your stuff. Contributing bylined articles to trade journals and other professional publications can get you noticed, too.

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And don't overlook the direct approach: Get in touch with a few recruiters who specialize in your field and let them know you're interested in swapping contacts. Even if you're not quite the right fit for a job opening a headhunter is trying to fill right now, you may know someone who is. One of the surest ways to stay on a recruiter's radar screen is to help out by recommending and introducing others.

Since headhunters often troll for talent on social media sites, make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and up-to-date. "Well-chosen key words, a demonstration of career progression, and obviously solid titles, companies, and education will catch our attention," says Justin Hirsch, president of Chicago-based recruiting firm JobPlex, adding that a strong network on LinkedIn means "you can get referred to us and, at the same time, we can find you."

Talkback: Have you made a career move as a result of a public speaking gig (or more than one)? If you've gotten a job through an executive recruiter, how did you connect with him or her? Leave a comment below.

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Stuck in middle management? Five ways out.

2012-05-04T13:48:40Z

In your mid-30s to late 40s and feel like you'll never get promoted? You're far from alone, but you can take steps to jump-start your career.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I hope this doesn't sound whiny, given the real economic hardships faced by people who don't have jobs at all, but I am so frustrated I could scream. I joined my current employer eight years ago, at age 27, with a fantastic track record as a salesperson, and did so well in my first two years here that I was promoted into middle management (regional sales manager, in charge of a 300-person team in 12 states).

And here I sit. Even though I've increased my group's revenues by double digits for each of the past five years (despite the recession) and all my performance reviews have been great, I don't expect to be promoted again anytime soon, if ever. Why not? Because my boss is only about 50 and she's probably never leaving; and her boss is 59 and has said many times that he's not retiring until he's 70. So I seem to have two choices: Quit a company I really like working for, in order to move up somewhere else; or just accept the fact that there's no room at the top and stick it out here. Your thoughts, please? — Just Marking Time

Dear J.M.T.: Ah. You, my friend, have run smack into what is sometimes called in HR circles the "gray ceiling" -- a vast crowd of Baby Boomers who are occupying millions of plum senior-level jobs. Almost 80 million strong, this generation was supposed to be retiring in droves right about now, opening up lots of opportunities for Gen X up-and-comers like yourself.

Unfortunately for you (and the roughly 50 million other Gen Xers in the U.S.), that isn't happening. Blame the recession, at least in part: The downturn, including the collapse of real estate values, rocked Boomers' sense of financial security, causing some to delay retirement for at least a few more years and others to put it off indefinitely.

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The main problem with the Boomers, though, is that there are just so darn many of them; and they had a head start over you, nabbing all those corner offices while you were still earning your stripes. As if that weren't enough to clog the pathways to corporate advancement, their children (Gen Y, or the "echo Baby Boom") are nipping at Gen Xers' heels as well. Even if your 50-year-old boss did decide to take a juicy job offer elsewhere, how do you know some tech-savvy 29-year-old hotshot wouldn't leapfrog over you into her position? It's been known to happen.

Curtis Odom feels your pain. Founder and chief of Boston-based consulting firm Prescient Talent Strategists, he wrote a book called Stuck in the Middle: A Generation X View of Talent Management that spells out some real-world tactics for moving your career forward.

It's based partly on his own experience. A couple of years ago, in his late 30s, Odom joined Comcast (CMCSA) as a vice president. "I had spent the previous 10 years building a resume, getting graduate degrees, and working hard at being the perfect candidate. I wanted to be a v.p. by age 40, and I got there early," he says. "Then I looked around and did the math."

What he realized was that all his fellow vice presidents were in their 40s, and "senior management was made up of people in their 50s," Odom says. "There were 805 Gen X v.p.'s -- all waiting in line for 155 senior-level jobs that were probably not going to open up for at least 10 years." Sound familiar?

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Odom's solution was to leave and start his own company, drawing his first clients from among the contacts he had made in previous management jobs. That's one way to go, of course, but it clearly isn't a practical option for every frustrated Gen X'er. Here are five alternative paths to getting your career unstuck:

1. Go where the growth is. The gray ceiling is hard to bypass in slow-growth industries. To get a bigger job, think about jumping to an industry that's creating lots of them.

2. Pack your passport. Overseas experience is a must for advancement in many companies now, so getting some could qualify you for a higher rank than you hold now.

3. Think small. Startups and other small enterprises tend to have less rigid hierarchies than big companies do, and they care far less (if at all) about seniority.

4. Get a mentor. Whether you stay in your current company or go elsewhere, you need someone higher up who will coach you on the political subtleties of the organization, and maybe even talk up your achievements to the people who have the power to promote you.

5. Find a mess you can fix. Being willing to solve a thorny problem -- preferably one that is keeping your boss awake at night, and that no one else wants to tackle -- is a proven way to become visible, and promote-able.

Good luck.

Talkback: Do you feel stuck in middle management? Do you have a strategy for making an end run around the roadblocks to advancement? Leave a comment below.

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Can you get hired on the second (or third) try?

2012-04-26T17:11:56Z

Now that hiring is starting to pick up, it may be worth trying again at companies where you applied in the past. Here's how to do it.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: A couple of years ago, I applied for a job at a company where I've always wanted to work. At the time, they had a hiring freeze in effect, so I got nowhere. But now I hear through the grapevine that they've started adding staff in the area where I would be working (brand management). So I'm thinking about trying again. My question is, since they told me they would keep my information on file, should I assume they already have my resume, etc., or start over from scratch? I'm sure lots of people apply for jobs there all the time, so I'd appreciate any suggestions on how to move to the front of the line. — Mulligan

Dear Mulligan: First, assume nothing. "If you applied two or three years ago, there is no guarantee that the same hiring managers or human resources people you contacted before are still there," notes Roy Cohen, a New York City career coach and author of The Wall Street Professional's Survival Guide. "Many companies have experienced so much turnover in the past few years that there is not much institutional memory anymore. So even if you got to the interview stage the last time around, you may now be having a completely new conversation."

Cohen says that several of his clients have recently succeeded at second or even third attempts to get hired by employers who had turned them down before. "Always keep in mind that not being chosen for a particular job opening is often just a matter of numbers," he says. "If there are three or four or six candidates and only one job, interviewers have to cull out even candidates they find really impressive."

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Moreover, even if the right fit still isn't there on your second try, don't rule out a third. By staying in touch with people you meet during the application process -- starting with inviting them to join your network on LinkedIn (LNKD) -- you can boost your chances of getting hired later, Cohen adds: "The person they do hire may not work out, or a different opening may come along, so stay on their radar screen. People would usually much rather hire someone they're already familiar with than take a chance on an unknown quantity."

Annie Stevens, managing partner at Boston-based executive coaching firm ClearRock, has also seen plenty of job seekers lately who have gotten hired on their second or third approach to a company. She offers these four suggestions:

1. Emphasize what's different about you now. This is especially important if you end up meeting with the same interviewers you met last time. "In your cover letter, on your resume, and during phone and in-person interviews, highlight specific new experience and skills you've gained since then," Stevens says. Be sure and include any courses you've taken or credentials you've earned.

2. Network in reverse. Use social media, and any industry contacts you have (from your previous jobs, for instance) to "seek out people who work for your target employer, or who know someone who does," Stevens advises. "Instead of leading you to the right job, as traditional networking does, reverse networking starts with the job and leads you to people who can help you get it." Insiders can tell you, for example, what aspects of your experience you should stress in an interview. They may even give you a referral.

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3. Join the same professional or volunteer group as the hiring manager. If you already belong to a trade association where the hiring manager is also a member, make it a point not to skip any events where you might run into him or her. "These kinds of functions provide a good, low-key way to get to know each other better," Stevens notes.

4. Share news that adds another dimension to your qualifications. "Do something that will give you added recognition, such as writing an article for a trade publication or giving a speech at a conference, and share that information with the company," Stevens says. "Continually remind them of the value you'll bring to the team."

In this as in so many other things, persistence -- "but without pushing it to the point where it becomes annoying," says Roy Cohen -- often wins out. Good luck.

Talkback: Have you ever gotten a job on your second or third try? If you're a hiring manager, what specifically would make you take a second look at a candidate? Leave a comment below.

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Why new college grads should aim high

2012-04-19T17:38:04Z

Getting your dream job may be a more realistic goal than you think, says an author. He's speaking from experience.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I'm graduating from college in a few weeks, with a major in English and minor in film. I grew up in southern California and have always wanted to work in the movie business, eventually producing and maybe directing, and I've written a couple of screenplays that my screenwriting professors (who are also movie industry veterans) have said are good. I've also done a couple of internships at production companies, so I have some hands-on experience.

My question is, how practical is it to pursue a film career? I know I'd have to start at the bottom and work my way up, but my parents keep telling me that show business is hyper-competitive (which I know), success depends too much on luck and timing (ditto), and I should get a teaching certificate and a "real job" and just keep writing screenplays in my spare time as a hobby. I'm afraid if I do that, I'll never get the career I really want. What do you think? — Lost in La Jolla

Dear L.L.J.: Far be it from me to contradict your parents, who are only trying to spare you what could be a painful struggle in a notoriously tough business. But before you decide to settle for second best, you (and they) might want to check out a new book called I Got My Dream Job and So Can You: 7 Steps to Creating Your Ideal Career After College. It's a practical, down-to-earth guide to going after a career you can get excited about -- and incidentally, most of the tips and insights in it apply equally to any job seeker, not just those with newly minted diplomas.

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Says author Pete Leibman, "Most people give up far too easily on getting the job they really want." His advice, and his current work as a career coach, is based on his own experience. As a senior at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in 2003, Leibman wanted to work for a professional sports franchise. At the time, unemployment was the highest it had been in 10 years, and "there were plenty of naysayers telling me to forget about it and go after something less competitive," he recalls.

Leibman ignored them. That spring, he heard about a career workshop where a senior executive from a sporting goods company was scheduled to speak, and signed up for it with the goal of meeting him and asking for advice on breaking into sports marketing. Of the many students who approached the speaker with questions, Leibman was the only one who followed up by staying in touch when the workshop was over.

That was smart. The executive introduced Leibman to several industry insiders -- one of whom alerted him to an opening in marketing with the NBA's Washington Wizards. He applied for the job, got it, and about 18 months later, at age 23, was promoted into management.

In his book, Leibman lays out a detailed strategy for following in his footsteps. A few of the essentials:

Don't chase someone else's dream. "You won't find your dream job by chasing a 'hot' field," Leibman says. "You have to be honest about what you really want. The answer is inside you, not somewhere outside."

The economy doesn't matter. "How many jobs do you need to get? Not 100, not 25, not even 3, just one," he says. "The economy is only a problem if you think it's a problem" and stop trying.

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A back-up plan is actually a plan for failure. By having a Plan B, Leibman says, "you're telling yourself you might not succeed at your real search, which is exactly what you shouldn't be thinking. Hold nothing back, and you will get what you want."

It's easier to get your dream job than most other jobs. Why? Because you're genuinely passionate about it. "One reason I got a front-office job in the NBA at such a young age, while being turned down for other openings where there was less competition, is because of how badly I wanted that NBA job," Leibman says. Counterintuitive as it may seem, he believes that "you're more likely to succeed when you aim high."

The best way to get the job you want is to stop looking for jobs and look for people. Because so many openings are never advertised anywhere, and are filled through personal contacts and recommendations, "the only way to crack the 'hidden job market' is to talk to people working in the industry where you want to get hired," Leibman notes. In your case, why not start with the people you already know from your past internships?

Networking is not "all about who you know." This is one point where Leibman says the conventional wisdom falls short. "Networking is really about who likes you and who respects you," he explains. "Before referring you to someone else or letting you in on an opportunity, a contact is consciously or unconsciously deciding, 'Do I like and respect this person enough to put my reputation on the line by introducing him or her to my inner circle?'

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"If the answer is no, networking will get you nowhere. However, if the answer is yes, you can usually get almost anyone to open his Rolodex." This is yet another reason why you'd be wise to begin your search with people who liked your work at the companies where you interned, and the industry contacts your professors may have.

Two more thoughts about pursuing a dream job: First, nothing is perfect, so keep your expectations in line with reality. "No job will ever be exciting and free from frustrations and drawbacks 100% of the time," Leibman notes.

And second, he adds, "Don't put too much pressure on yourself." If you end up working in the movie business and at some point decide that it isn't what you hoped, "remember, a job is not a life sentence. You can change directions at any time -- and in fact, most people change jobs, and even careers, a number of times throughout their lives."

Good luck.

Talkback: How did you get your first job out of school? Was it in the same field where you work now, or did you later change direction? Leave a comment below.

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Will a lack of references cost you a job offer?

2012-04-12T15:32:18Z

Employers do check references, so declining to provide any is not really an option. Here's how to manage this essential element of a job hunt.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: Why do so many companies request personal references on job applications (especially online) even before setting up an interview? They usually ask for contact information for teachers, relatives, and acquaintances, as well as bosses and coworkers, both current and former.

I'm really not comfortable with this, for several reasons. First, I'm in my mid-40s and have been out of college a long time, so giving professors as references isn't practical. Second, I don't like to provide information on family and friends because it's too personal. As for work-related references, most of my previous colleagues and supervisors have retired or moved on, and I've lost touch with them. And I don't want anyone at my current company to know I'm job hunting, so they're out too. So my question is, can I just decline to give references? Employers usually don't take the time to check them anyway, do they? — Stumped in San Francisco

Dear Stumped: Well, of course you can decline to give references -- but don't be surprised if that brings any further contact with a prospective employer to a screeching halt. "Companies certainly do check references," says Jeff Shane, executive vice president of reference-checking firm Allison & Taylor. "Especially in this job market, where there are often many qualified candidates competing for each opening, saying 'no' to this request is rolling the dice."

Personal references are relatively unimportant, he adds, since kind words from your friends "generally don't carry much weight anyway. What is critical, however, is strong professional recommendations, particularly from former bosses." Refusing to let hiring managers contact them, Shane says, is "a red flag" -- in large part because it suggests you have something to hide -- and could well cost you the job before you've even been interviewed for it.

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So what should you do now? First, try to track down at least two or three of the people who were familiar with your work in the past and with whom you've since lost touch. Ideally, these would be people to whom you reported, but erstwhile peers and others (satisfied clients, for example) will do in a pinch. Google them, look them up on LinkedIn, or see if professional associations or mutual acquaintances have any information on how to reach them.

It's nice of you not to want to bother former bosses who have retired, but if you thank them profusely for understanding the importance of your request, you'll probably find your misgivings are misplaced. Managers who have done any hiring at all are well aware of how much references matter, so they're unlikely to resent your asking. If you want to keep your intrusion on their time to a minimum, you can always write your own letter of recommendation and ask them to sign it.

All this detective work and diplomacy is worth the effort, says Shane, because "if an employer is really interested in you and you don't provide references, they may go to Plan B." That's where the hiring manager or a human resources person calls the HR department at a company where you used to work and fishes around for someone who remembers you and who is willing to chat about what your work was like.

The trouble with that, of course, is that the person they stumble across could turn out to be an old nemesis who (even if company policy officially forbids it) will be only too happy to trash you -- and then you'll really wish you had taken the time to locate a few of your fans.

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In this as in so much else, a bit of advance planning can avert a huge hassle later on. "The trick is not to lose touch with potential references in the first place," says Shane.

When you leave a job where you've worked well with your boss, or if a boss who likes your work is moving on, make it a point to hold on to his or her contact information. Then call or email every now and then, just to say hello and stay current with what he or she is up to lately.

"Send a card at the holidays, maybe even meet for coffee once in a while," Shane suggests. "This way, when there is a specific job you want, and you'd like to give this person as a reference, you can coach them a little bit on what you'd like them to say to a prospective employer, because you're not calling out of a clear blue sky."

Keeping in touch is smart for one other reason: Since former bosses often have a way of moving onward and upward to bigger and better things, they sometimes turn out to be future bosses, too.

Talkback: Do you find it difficult to give references when employers ask? Have you ever been unpleasantly surprised by what a reference said about you? Leave a comment below.

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Toning down contentious political talk at work

2012-04-06T18:51:09Z

What can you do if your boss holds political views that are the opposite of yours -- and he won't stop talking about them?

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I work in a small (20-person) department of a huge company, for a boss who I think is fundamentally a good guy. He's a devoted dad, very fair to us employees, and usually a pleasure to be around. The problem is his political opinions, which are so extreme they make Rush Limbaugh look like a flaming liberal. He and I are on polar opposite sides of almost every issue in the news these days, from immigration policy to health care reform.

That would be fine if he didn't insist on talking about politics all the time and trying to get the rest of us to agree with him. A few of my colleagues, who I happen to know are way more moderate than they're letting on, are kissing up to him by pretending to agree in order to get on his good side, but I'm just not going to do that. Can you or your readers suggest a diplomatic way to shut down all this yakking and let us get back to work? — Gritting My Teeth

Dear G.M.T.: For what it's worth, you're not the only one wondering. Many other readers have been asking lately how to persuade colleagues to leave their political views in the parking lot. One issue is that some people believe they have a First Amendment right to spout off at work. But as I wrote in a column during the 2010 Congressional elections, guess what: Private-sector employees on company property (and company time) have no First Amendment rights.

"Political talk does seem unusually heated this time around," says Roshini Rajkumar, head of Minneapolis-based communications coaching firm Roshini Performance Group and author of a book called Communicate That!. "It's a little different than in previous election years because, although Romney is ahead, he's not a clear favorite. His opponents have so many avid supporters that it opens up a lot of discussions." Moreover, she adds, "Some of the issues on the table this time are very emotional, and many people seem to be taking extreme positions."

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Since you note that you work for a huge company, there may be a written policy somewhere -- in the employee handbook, for example -- that prohibits outside distractions, including political talk, that get in the way of work. "If your company has such a policy, you could alert human resources to this situation," Rajkumar says. "But that would be a drastic measure."

A better course of action: "Mention the policy in a private conversation with your boss. Don't bring it up in front of other people, and don't be confrontational or critical. Say something like, 'I wonder if you're aware that all the political discussion around here makes the atmosphere uncomfortable for people with different views. Is there a way we can all agree to tone it down?'"

Stay cool. "The calmer you are on the inside, the more persuasive you'll be," Rajkumar notes. Whether with your boss or with coworkers, don't be drawn into arguments that are likely to produce nothing but hard feelings. "When others are talking about political subjects, or in fact any subject that you don't think is appropriate, it's perfectly all right to say nothing," she says. "Then if someone asks why you're not piping up, just answer that you're busy working."

For anyone who (unlike you) actually enjoys talking politics with colleagues, Rajkumar has some common-sense reminders about keeping the discussion civil. "Political conversations can go downhill fast," she says, "and people may make snap judgments about you based on your views. Debates are fun, but they're not worth risking your career." A few pointers:

Always let coworkers speak without interrupting them. Difficult though it may be, "respect their opinion even if it's very different from yours," Rajkumar advises. "Ask follow-up questions and find out why your coworker believes what he or she believes."
Who knows, you may end up altering your own position.

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Don't raise your voice. "The moment people start cutting each other off and raising voices is the moment the conversation becomes a fight," she adds. You don't want to go there.

Stick to the facts. "If you don't know the answer to a question or can't offer a factual basis for your beliefs, resist the temptation to make something up," she says. "A fabricated answer may come back to haunt you, hurting your credibility."

Avoid hotheads. "Politely decline to discuss politics with coworkers who like to start arguments or ruffle feathers." Enough said.

Consider limiting political discussions to certain times. Your first priority is obviously to concentrate on work, so if someone raises a topic you'd like to get into in detail, put it off until lunch or a break.

Aren't you glad elections -- even this one -- eventually end?

Talkback: Is there much political discussion going on in your workplace? Do you participate, or avoid doing so? Leave a comment below.

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Must you give a job interviewer your Facebook password?

2012-03-28T16:48:34Z

Asking candidates for social media passwords may soon be illegal in some states. In the meantime, here's how to say "no" gracefully.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: What's all this I hear lately about job interviewers requiring applicants to hand over their Facebook passwords? I've been job hunting for about three months. (I'm working now, but not thrilled with my current employer.) So far, no prospective employer I've met has requested this information, but someone told me more companies are doing so these days, so I want to be prepared.

I really don't feel comfortable letting strangers nose around in my private Facebook postings -- and why would they need to see baby pictures of my kids and snapshots of my last vacation, anyway? So if an employer does ask, how can I say "No way!" without blowing my chances of being hired? — MYOB in Michigan

Dear MYOB: The reason you haven't come across any job interviewers asking for your Facebook password is that the practice is pretty rare, for some complicated legal reasons (more about that in a minute). Nonetheless, it has happened here and there, and the blogosphere has been buzzing with indignant rants about the practice.

The brouhaha started when word got out that the Maryland Department of Corrections was asking applicants, and even some current employees, for their Facebook passwords. Officials at the agency said the request was aimed at making sure that prospective prison guards didn't have any gang affiliations. After trolling through 2,689 applicants' Facebook pages, the agency declined to hire seven applicants based on what their Facebook pages revealed.

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The American Civil Liberties Union complained that this was a violation of applicants' privacy, and Maryland state legislators introduced a bill that would prohibit employers from requiring job candidates to provide their Facebook passwords. Not to be outdone, lawmakers in Illinois and California came up with similar proposals. None of the bills have been signed into law just yet.

Last week, Facebook issued a statement saying it will sue employers who ask for people's passwords, because giving out the information violates Facebook's policies. "If you are a Facebook user, you should never have to share your password," wrote chief privacy officer Erin Egan. The controversy has stirred up a hornet's nest of other online commentary, like a post by Tecca blogger Mike Wehner that featured a photo of the infamous Maryland job application.

Wrote Wehner, "For anyone -- especially a company or potential employer -- to casually request access to [private Facebook pages] is as bold as asking for a copy of a person's house keys. Would you agree to a full search of your home and worldly possessions in order to land a job? If the answer is no, you should be just as hesitant to let someone rummage around in your online identity."

Granted, but it's worth noting that, from an employer's point of view, the issue is more complex than it might seem at first glance. On the one hand, corporate legal departments usually advise hiring managers against delving too deeply into people's online personae, because doing so might disclose information that employers are not allowed by law to ferret out in a job interview.

"What if you find out an applicant is expecting a baby, or has radical political leanings, or is over 50, or has a chronic medical condition, or some other personal information you can't legally ask for, and then you decide not to hire that person for some other, completely unrelated reason?" asks Michael Schmidt, a partner in the employment law practice at Cozen O'Connor in New York. "How would you prove in court why you didn't hire him or her?"

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On the other hand, Schmidt, who specializes in the nascent field of legal dilemmas created by social media (and writes a blog on the subject), points out that employers also have a legal obligation to gather as much due-diligence information about job candidates as possible.

"If an employer doesn't look at every available source of data, and then hires you, and you do something harmful, the company is liable for your behavior because it made a 'negligent hire,'" says Schmidt. "The unresolved question is, does your Facebook page come under the heading of due diligence?" He adds: "The law always takes a while to catch up with new technology."

Apparently so. But what should you do in the meantime if you're asked for your password? Says Duncan Ferguson, a managing director at Chicago-based human resources and outplacement consultants BPI Group, "The best approach is to direct the interviewer to LinkedIn instead. Say something like, 'I only use Facebook for sharing personal information with family and friends. My LinkedIn profile is my professional presence online.'

"LinkedIn has become so integral to the recruiting process that no one should have a problem with that," Ferguson adds. If they do, you might question whether you really want to work there anyway. "This really comes down to an issue of trust," he says. "Are they going to trust you to do your job well, treat customers with respect, and so on? Everything that happens in an interview gives you a window into the company's culture, and asking for your Facebook password suggests they don't trust you now -- which means they won't later, either."

Bill Peppler, managing partner of Kavaliro, a staffing company based in Orlando with offices in 30 states, reminds job seekers to be aware that, even without a password, "employers will look at Facebook, so do use the site's privacy settings to keep your party photos visible only to your friends."

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Peppler says he and his team look at thousands of Facebook pages every month, both for clients and for the firm's own hires. "It's hard to keep up with all the changes in Facebook's privacy settings," he acknowledges. "But it's worth the effort to make sure employers can see only what casts you in the best possible light."

In one recent, increasingly common case, a candidate "got all the way to the final offer stage and then was turned down for the job because of some pictures on Facebook that made our client question his judgment," Peppler adds. "And this was a professional with 20 years of experience, not a college kid. We had to give the applicant the bad news. So we used it as a coaching moment." Enough said.

Talkback: Has a job interviewer ever asked for your Facebook password? If one did, what would you say? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie

Request a performance review, or let sleeping dogs lie?

2012-03-22T16:36:27Z

Managing your professional image goes far beyond formal evaluations. But they're a good (and necessary) start.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: A friend sent me your column on changing a bad performance review, but I have a somewhat different problem, which is that I haven't been evaluated at all. Managers at my company usually give performance appraisals in January, partly to give everybody a chance to set goals for the year, but it's now March and my boss hasn't gotten around to it yet. Formal reviews determine some of our incentive pay, so naturally I'm curious.

On the other hand, I hesitate to press the point and ask to be evaluated. My boss has only been here a few months, and I know he's overloaded with work. But beyond that, he and I have had a couple of clashes over some changes he's made, and I'd hate to pressure him into giving me an evaluation that maybe won't be so great. Should I make the request anyway, or let sleeping dogs lie? — In the Dark

Dear I.D.: For what it's worth, your predicament is far from unusual. Plenty of studies over the past couple of decades have shown that many managers dread giving performance reviews so much that some of them (almost 40%, one report said) find ways to put off the chore indefinitely. And now that leaner staffs in many companies mean people are working harder than ever, the resulting time crunch gives reluctant bosses one more reason to duck this task.

"There could be any number of reasons why your boss hasn't sat down with you," notes Patrick Sweeney, president of human resources consulting firm Caliper. "For example, since he is relatively new, maybe the expectations from his own higher-ups aren't clear yet. Or maybe he just doesn't like doing evaluations."

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Whatever the holdup is, Sweeney urges you to "start the conversation. You can keep your request very low-key," he says. "Drop by the boss's office or email him and say something like, 'I was just wondering if we could set a time to talk, or maybe grab lunch. I'd like to keep you up-to-date on what I'm doing, and hear any advice you might have.'"

As for your suspicion that your boss is dodging you because he dislikes giving negative feedback, Sweeney muses, "If everyone else is getting evaluated and you're not, that may be a bad sign. But even if that's the case, keeping your head down and saying nothing won't help. You're better off hearing criticism sooner rather than later, because the sooner you hear it, the faster you can address whatever the problem is and figure out how to turn the situation around. Later may be too late." Gulp.

Once you've gotten the ball rolling, Sweeney recommends keeping your boss informed about what you're doing on a regular basis, maybe quarterly. "A formal annual review shouldn't contain any surprises. It should be an outgrowth of discussions you've had during the whole year," he says, adding: "If your boss has a number of other people reporting to him, he may need an occasional reminder of what you're doing -- small items as well as big projects. Keep a running list of your achievements that you can share."

When it comes to being recognized (and rewarded) for your work, Sweeney notes, "the perception is as important as the reality." Not only that, but regularly asking for suggestions "will help you stand out from the crowd."

Good point. In an intriguing book, Getting Ahead: Three Steps to Take Your Career to the Next Level, author Joel Garfinkle takes this idea quite a bit further. Garfinkle, who has coached executives at Oracle (ORCL), Google (GOOG), Amazon (AMZN), Starbucks (SBUX), and many other big companies, says that if you want to move up in your company, you need to get honest feedback; not just from your boss, but from peers and subordinates as well. "People do have an opinion about you," he says. "It's wise to know what it is."

MORE: The secret of success: Needing less sleep?

Most of us have only a hazy idea of how others see us, Garfinkle believes. A cautionary tale: A coaching client at Amazon "told me he had a colleague who tended to suck all the oxygen out of the room," Garfinkle says. "This person was brilliant, but he talked way too much and annoyed everyone around him, so people tuned him out. But he never knew this, because nobody told him, and he never asked anyone how he was perceived." The man's career went nowhere, and he never knew why.

Asking for constructive criticism is hard, Garfinkle acknowledges: "You may worry that you'll hear something you don't want to know, or you may be concerned that, by asking, you'll be seen as insecure." One approach that works is to assemble an informal team of advisors -- trusted peers whose opinions you respect -- that the filmmakers at Pixar call a "brain trust."

When the director of a movie project hits a snag, Garfinkle explains, "a group of senior filmmakers called a brain trust steps in, evaluates the film in progress, and gives brutally honest feedback for about two hours."

Admittedly, this sounds like an ordeal for the director. Still, says Pixar's (DIS) president Ed Catmull in Garfinkle's book, "It's far better to learn about problems [with a film] while there's still time to fix them than from the audience after it's too late."

Talkback: Does your boss give regular performance reviews? If you are a boss, have you ever procrastinated giving them? Why? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie

6 questions to ask a job interviewer

2012-03-16T19:00:45Z

To stand out from your competition, says an executive coach, you need to start a real, memorable conversation. Here's how to do it.

Dear Annie: I've only been out of college a few years, and I was hired into my first real job (which I still have) by an on-campus recruiter at a career fair, so I don't have much experience with interviews. Now, I'm looking around for something a bit more challenging. I have some tech skills that happen to be in demand right now, so I'm getting interviews, and they've mostly gone pretty well so far.

My problem is with the part of the discussion, usually at the end, when the hiring manager says, "Do you have any questions?" I research each company online beforehand, and can usually think of a few things to ask about industry trends or particular moves the company has made lately, but I keep feeling like my questions are too predictable (kind of boring, actually). What should I be asking? — Just Jerry

Dear J.J.: "If you talk to recruiters and executives who are actively hiring, they will tell you they get three types of questions: no questions, bad questions, and -- very rarely -- memorable questions," says Andrew Sobel. "The candidates asking the memorable questions are usually the ones who get job offers."

Sobel, co-author of a new book called Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, Influence Others, is a longtime consultant and coach to senior managers at companies like Citigroup (C), Xerox (XRX), Cognizant (CTSH), and Ernst & Young. He says a recruiter for a fast-growing tech company told him recently, "You'd be surprised at how many job candidates have no questions at all, or they ask dumb questions like, 'So what do you do?'"

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That's too bad, because asking the right things is "how you create a thought-provoking conversation, which puts you a cut above the average candidate," Sobel observes.

While there is nothing at all wrong with what you've been asking interviewers so far, he suggests adding a few of these to the mix:

1. Why? Questions like "Why did you close down your parts business rather than try to find a buyer for it?" or "Why did you decide to move to a product-based organization structure?" -- which it sounds as if you're already asking -- not only show you've done your homework on the company and put some thought into it, but are open-ended enough to spark an interesting conversation. As a rule, Sobel advises avoiding any question someone could answer with a "yes" or "no."

2. What has been your experience here? Without asking anything intrusive, you want to form a connection based on some understanding of the interviewer's situation.

Sobel recommends something like, "I understand you joined the company five years ago. With all the growth you've had, how do you find the experience of working here now compared to when you started?" Or try: "What do you like most about working here?"

3. Show your value. In the interest of making the discussion a two-way street, think about mentioning a technique or process you've learned from your current job that a prospective employer might benefit from adopting. Obviously, with this approach, you have to be careful not to reveal proprietary information or give away any secrets.

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4. Focus on the future. Ask something like, "You've achieved large productivity gains in the past three years. Where do you believe future operational improvements will come from?" or "Looking ahead to the next couple of years, what are the potential growth areas that people in the company are most excited about?" Not incidentally, the answers could give you a sense of where your own career path could lead if you get hired.

5. Find out about the culture. You can learn a lot about what it would be like to work at a company, Sobel says, by asking, "What are the most common reasons why new hires don't work out here?" or, conversely, "What kinds of people really thrive in your organization?" Along similar lines, "Why do people come to work for you rather than a competitor, and why do you think they stay?" could yield some valuable insights.

6. What are the interviewer's selection criteria? Sobel says you should ask, "If you were to narrow the field to two final candidates for this job, with equal experience and skills, how would you choose one over the other?" You may not get a totally candid answer (the truth might be, for example, that the candidate with the lower salary requirement would win out), but you still might learn something worth knowing.

The right questions, Sobel says, "allow you to demonstrate your knowledge without sounding arrogant, and they greatly improve your chances of hearing the best question of all -- 'How soon can you start?'"

Talkback: What questions did you ask in your last job interview? If you're a hiring manager, which questions from candidates impress you most (or least)? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie

When your mentor is half a world away

2012-03-09T15:50:01Z

IBM's 170,000 virtual employees worldwide rarely, if ever, lay eyes on each other. Here's how they make long-distance mentoring work.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: For the past two and a half years, since I graduated from college and got my first real job, I've been lucky to have a terrific mentor, a couple of levels above me in the company. We get together for lunch, coffee, or just a quick chat at least twice a month, sometimes more. Not only do I really enjoy these sessions, but her advice and insights have helped me get some great assignments (and a promotion).

Now, she's been chosen to spend a year running a new operation we are starting up in China. It will be very demanding and, on top of the 12-hour time difference between here and there, she is going to be extremely busy. I'd like to continue our relationship, but I'm wondering, how realistic is it to expect that? — Waving Good-Bye

Dear Waving: The short answer, from Nicki Rich: "If you both want it to work, there's no reason why it can't." Rich, a cloud computing executive at IBM (IBM) in Beaverton, Ore., has worked with about 25 mentees since she started at the company 14 years ago. While on an eight-week assignment in Asia in 2008, Rich began mentoring a junior colleague in Jakarta, and the two have stayed in close touch ever since.

That's not to say the time difference presents no challenges. "It's nine hours later here than in Indonesia, so the best time for her to talk might be when I'm sitting down to dinner with my family -- or she'll send me a text at 3 a.m.," Rich says. "But it's not a problem. We both want to maintain the relationship, so we make adjustments."

It helps that IBM, No. 5 on this year's list of the Most Admired Companies, has built a culture of knowledge sharing, including a strong emphasis on mentoring. Since about 40% of Big Blue's 426,000 employees worldwide are virtual or mobile -- meaning they work from the road, or from one-or-two-person outposts where they rarely meet bosses or colleagues in person -- the company has a wealth of experience with long-distance collaboration.

"If there's a commitment from both parties, and a clear set of expectations, distance really becomes immaterial," says Sheila Forte, IBM's global chief of mentoring, based in Raleigh, N.C. and co-author of a book called Intelligent Mentoring: How IBM Creates Value through People, Knowledge, and Relationships. "In addition to our formal program, we encourage employees to seek out mentors and mentees anywhere in the world."

Forte and Rich suggest four steps toward effective virtual mentoring:

1. Agree upfront on how often you'll meet, and via what medium. "Decide between you whether you'll have a formal session, say, monthly or quarterly," says Forte. "Once that's been agreed on, it's up to the mentee to schedule those dates ahead of time. If you're going to speak quarterly, set up those virtual meetings for the whole year ahead." Not that you won't sometimes reach out on the spur of the moment, she adds, but making appointments well in advance is "part of using your mentor's time wisely."

At the same time, Forte advises, "Agree on what form of communication you both want to use -- email, IM, web cam, a combination? It sounds basic, but it's especially important when you're connecting across time zones."

2. Tap into all the available technology. Nicki Rich and her mentee "started out scheduling meetings once a month, then went to once every quarter as her needs changed," says Rich. "But I see her on Facebook every day. She posts a lot, both about what she's doing at work and her personal interests, which really helps us stay in touch. We also tweet and text."

3. Be specific and direct in asking for guidance. Once she gets to China, your mentor is going to be so busy that she probably won't have time to figure out what you need help with, so articulating that is going to be your job. Rich has coached her Jakarta mentee on large questions (should the mentee accept a bigger job at a competing company?) and smaller ones (whose technical expertise should she seek out for a particular project?).

"She is very direct in asking me for exactly the information or insight she really needs at that moment," says Rich. "That helps me give her my best answer." Along the same lines, Forte adds, before each scheduled session, send your mentor an email description of any changes in your situation or other issues you want to discuss. "That way, you can get right into the substance of the discussion," she says.

4. Follow through between meetings. First, after each conversation, "send a summary of what came out of the discussion, just to make sure nothing slipped through the cracks or was misunderstood," Forte advises. "It's always a good idea, but especially when great distances are involved."

And second, says Rich, let your mentor know how her advice worked out. "I appreciate knowing whether what I suggested was successful, or less so. It's valuable for me to know what works and what I need to rethink," she says. "I learn a lot from hearing how a situation turned out. It really is a two-way street."

Talkback: If you've ever had a virtual mentor -- or been one -- what worked for you? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Contributors

How to cope with toxic colleagues - if you must

2012-02-29T15:10:03Z

Constant conflict and hostility is not only unpleasant, it can damage your health. There are ways to stay sane and protect yourself.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

Dear Annie: Ever since my team merged with a different one, about a year ago, my job has become a nightmare. My new coworkers are hostile, controlling, and go out of their way to belittle and intimidate others. They also undermine the work my group is trying to do, partly by denying us access to the support staff we are all supposed to be sharing. It has gotten so bad that a couple of key members of our department have requested, and gotten, transfers out -- which further damages our ability to do our jobs here, since we have to train replacements.

My boss is aware of the situation, but he's a non-confrontational kind of guy who doesn't want to rock the boat. (The merger of our two groups was his idea.) Our human resources people have often said that anyone should feel free to come to them with problems, without fear of retaliation, but I wonder if I can trust them. If I complain to HR and my hostile colleagues react by getting me fired, do I have grounds for a lawsuit? — Fed Up

Dear Fed Up: Yikes. Unfortunately for you, anti-retaliation laws do not cover sheer nastiness -- unless it arises from discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, age, or religion, or if you are a whistleblower who has reported unlawful behavior (insider trading, for example) to government regulators.

"Each state has its own retaliation statutes, but in the vast majority of places, in order for you to have grounds for legal action, the hostility has to be connected to one of these public-policy issues," says Daniel J. Kaiser, a partner in New York City employment law firm Kaiser Saurborn & Mair. If you're simply being treated badly -- or if, as you fear, you get fired -- because your coworkers are mean and obnoxious, you won't have a leg to stand on.

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"So you have two choices here," says Linnda Durré, a consultant who specializes in resolving the kinds of conflicts you are describing. "Either you can go over your boss's head to his boss, and at the same time take the human resources people at their word and lodge a formal complaint with them. Let them investigate and try to fix the problems. Or you can leave."

Sadly, according to Durré, who wrote an insightful book called Surviving the Toxic Workplace: Protect Yourself Against the Co-Workers, Bosses, and Work Environments That Poison Your Day, dilemmas like yours are not at all uncommon. "Change is one of the few constants in business," she says. "Sometimes the Evil Empire takes over." Your boss's boss, alas, may be no help, she adds: "In some organizations, the evil goes all the way to the top, and trickles all the way down to the mailroom."

If you decide to bring the HR people into it, two suggestions: Take someone with you, or ideally more than one person, who can corroborate what you're saying. "To some extent, there is safety in numbers," notes Durré. You're less likely to be dismissed as a whiner (or retaliated against) if others back up your version of events.

And second, document everything. "You need evidence for your claim that your colleagues' hostility is affecting productivity. Bring emails, memos, anything you can point to that supports what you're saying," she advises. "It's in the company's best interest to resolve conflict whenever possible because, in the long run, low morale, a hostile work environment, and high turnover are very costly."

Let's suppose you do all the right things, and nothing changes. "You can still take control over your own life," says Durré. Stacks of research over the past 30 years have proven beyond doubt that chronic stress will eventually make you sick, and poison your life and relationships outside of work, unless you work extra hard at taking care of yourself.

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Durré's book includes a checklist of stress-busting measures that can help: Get enough sleep, exercise, eat a healthy diet, drink water, take vitamins, spend as much time as you can with friends and family members who love you, and carve out space in your schedule for activities you enjoy and that will help you relax.

You can also try to get some psychological distance from your horrible office by "realizing your own issues, and analyzing your own buttons that are getting pushed at work," Durré says. The more you can train yourself to step back, take a deep breath, and not let your antagonists get to you, the better off you'll be.

Ignoring the vicious politics and concentrating instead on excelling at your job is an essential strategy here, too -- especially if, as you suspect, your colleagues will be gunning for you, once you've complained about them to higher-ups. "Be very, very good at what you do," Durré advises. "Don't give anyone an excuse to fire you."

Ultimately, though, the real question may be why you have sat still for your coworkers' abusive behavior for so long. After all, as you note, others in your group have left rather than tolerate it. "Healthy people don't put up with this," Durré says. "They get away from toxic environments any way they can. They start their own companies, either by themselves or with friends, or they find a better place to work."

Your best bet may be to do likewise. Even in this iffy job market, get out there and start looking. If nothing else, taking action toward finding something better will make you feel less powerless.

Talkback: Have you ever found yourself in a toxic workplace? What did you do about it? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Contributors

6 networking mistakes job hunters make

2012-02-24T16:39:10Z

Most people know by now that networking beats answering job ads, but how you go about it can make all the difference. Here's what to avoid.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I've been living on my savings and a small inheritance since I lost my job in late 2010 and, while I've kept busy with some consulting projects and volunteer work, I really need to find a full-time position. I keep hearing that tapping my network of professional contacts is a far better approach than responding to ads and, based on my own experience in my past jobs, I know it's true.

My problem is that I really hesitate to get in touch with former colleagues and other acquaintances I haven't seen or spoken with in years. It seems like an imposition. So far, I've been forcing myself to do it anyway. But when I contact people and ask if they know of anything, all that comes of it is a short, awkward conversation, followed by silence. Is there some secret to networking that I'm missing? — Stumped

Dear Stumped: Are you really asking if people know of "anything"? If so, that may be your first mistake. "There are a lot of misconceptions about what networking really is," says Darrell Gurney, a longtime career coach and author of Never Apply for a Job Again: Break the Rules, Cut the Line, Beat the Rest.

"In my job search workshops, when I ask people to tell me what they think networking is, they usually say, 'Getting in touch with my business contacts to let them know I'm looking for work and asking if they know of anything,'" says Gurney. "The trouble is that, if you ask for 'anything,' you just might get it."

Or, as you've found, you'll get nowhere. Here are five other common networking errors:

1. Leading with your need. "Of course you need a job," says Gurney. "But in this way, networking is a bit like dating. If you seem desperate, people will run the other way." Instead, he recommends taking stock of exactly what kind of work would fascinate and engage you most, and then launching an information-gathering campaign.

"Find ways to approach people that call on their knowledge and expertise, and the conversations you have with them will be far more productive," Gurney says. "'I'm researching this field' has a whole different feel than 'I need a job.'" Not only will you make more connections and learn more about specific openings, but you'll vastly increase your chances of ending up in the right place. Says Gurney, "If you've ever taken a job without enough information about it beforehand, you know all too well why this matters."

2. Relying exclusively on online social networks. There's no question that LinkedIn (LNKD), Facebook, and their ilk can be tremendously useful in a job hunt, but "they're a tool that is only a good first step," Gurney says. "You need to get away from the computer screen and connect with people. Different things happen when you meet with someone in person." They're often very helpful things.

3. Overlooking the people you come across every day. In his job search workshops, Gurney sends people out to lunch with an assignment: "Don't come back until you've engaged in at least three conversations with strangers." Perhaps not surprisingly, this doesn't go over well at first. "Nevertheless, people get job interviews this way," Gurney says. "The guy standing in line next to you at Starbucks could be your next employer's brother-in-law."

And speaking of relatives, Gurney points out that many job seekers overlook their own family members' and close friends' professional networks. "If you know someone very well on a personal level, you may not be aware of how many business connections they have," he says. Include them in your information-gathering efforts, and you could be pleasantly surprised.

4. Defining your talents and interests too narrowly. Just because you've always been, say, a human resources manager doesn't mean your next job will necessarily be in human resources management. "It's a mistake to be out there talking with people without authentic passion about what you'd really like to do next," Gurney notes. "Too often, job hunters don't give themselves permission to go after what they really want."

The early years of a career, he adds, are "just R&D for the second half. You don't have to stick with one thing all your life. You can take what you've learned so far and make a purposeful plan for applying it" -- either in a related field or in some other kind of role where your skills and experience could be even more valuable.

A sixth mistake, which you mention in your question: Hesitating to get in touch with people you haven't seen or spoken with in a while. You're far from alone in this. Jayne Mattson, a senior vice president at executive coaching firm Keystone Associates, says she encounters the same reluctance in many of the job seekers she counsels, who often say things like, "'Everyone's so busy, I've always done things on my own, I hate to bother people,'" she notes. "But your job now is to find a job. Why would you think you could succeed at any new job all on your own?"

Mattson gets her clients past this hurdle by asking them, "If someone you know called to ask for information or guidance related to their job hunt, would you give it to them?" Says Mattson, "Of course the answer is yes. So why would you assume someone you know would not want to help you? Think about it."

Talkback: If you've found a new job by tapping your network, what approach helped you the most? What have you found is least effective? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Careers, Contributors

New job? Get a head start now

2012-02-16T20:22:40Z

About 40% of executives who change jobs or get promoted fail in the first 18 months. One way to avoid that is to lay some crucial groundwork before your first day.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I'm starting a new job in about two weeks as head of a somewhat troubled division at my current employer's biggest competitor. It's a larger role than I've had so far in my career, and I'm pretty excited about it, but it comes with some significant challenges, since the business I'll be running has been hit hard by the recession and the European debt crisis, revenues and earnings are down, and morale is in the tank.

The CEO who hired me said everyone there is expecting me to "hit the ground running." I've got some ideas about what needs to be done right away, which I talked about in interviews (and which presumably got me hired). But on the theory that there's no such thing as too much information, I'd appreciate any thoughts from you and your readers about what works, and what doesn't, in this kind of situation. --Parachuting In

Dear P.I.: It's fortunate that you have two weeks before your official start date because, according to executive coach George Bradt, you'll need every minute of that to get off to the strongest possible start. "The best way to build your team, take charge, and get great results fast is to create time by starting earlier than anyone thought you would," he says. "This one idea can make or break a new leader's transition."

Bradt is basing that partly on his own decades of experience as a senior manager at Unilever (UN), Procter & Gamble (PG), and Coca-Cola (KO), and partly on his work with 600 job-changing managers since 2002 as principal of PrimeGenesis, the executive coaching firm he started in 2002. Bradt is also co-author of a new book you might want to check out, The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan (Third Edition).

His mission is to lower the failure rate among executives newly hired or promoted into big jobs, which research shows has stood at about 40% for at least 15 years now.

"New leaders who miss the opportunity to get a head start, before their official start date, often find out later that organizational or market momentum was working against them even before they showed up for their first full day at the office," Bradt says. Gulp. Borrowing a term from the product-development world, Bradt calls the time before you're officially on board the "fuzzy front end." Here are four ways to make the most of it:

1. Meet with critical stakeholders as soon as possible. "Identify the people in the company who can have the most impact on your success in the new job," Bradt advises. "These include your direct reports, critical support people, peers, potential allies, and even the person who wanted your job but didn't get it." Call or visit each of these folks, even just for a quick chat or a cup of coffee. It sounds simple but, Bradt says, "It always makes a huge difference. It's a game changer."

2. Have a plan for listening and gathering information. "Different stakeholders will have different views of the same situation," Bradt notes. Asking for their perceptions and suggestions "is not a search for the One Truth. Rather, it's an exercise in understanding people's views, both on what's going well and what's not and why, so that you can work effectively with each of them. Come into these conversations with an open mind and actively listen."

While you're at this, try to find out about what Bradt calls "shadow metrics" in the organization you're joining, meaning key measures of how things are going that may not be evident at first glance: "What are the key measures of success along the way? How are they tracked, and how can you get access to them?"

3. Craft your message. How are you going to present your ideas -- the ones you believe got you hired -- on where the business needs to go from here? "Part of preparing to lead is thinking through the messages you want to send, right down to details like whether your office setup will be informal and open-door or more formal and structured," Bradt says. People will be watching closely and talking to each other about you, he adds: "Everything communicates, and not always what you intended, so be careful."

4. Start making a hundred-day plan. The knowledge you gather before you officially start "should help you begin to put things in context and decide what you want or need to do on your first day, during your first week, and in your first three months," says Bradt. "It's important not so much to learn everything there is to know before you show up, which would be impossible anyway, but to have a plan in place to learn more."

Granted, this is a lot of work. "People tend to resist doing all this because there's usually a time squeeze involved in changing jobs, where your old employer wants you to stay as long as possible, and your new one wants to rush your start date," Bradt notes.

"It's also very common to want to take at least a short vacation to rest and recharge between jobs," he adds. But tempting as it might be to sit on a beach and unwind for a few days, if you really want to start strong, you just haven't got time.

Talkback: What helped you most in starting a new management job? If you've ever had a new boss come in from outside the company, what did he or she do well at the start, and what do you wish had gone differently? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Contributors

A CPA and a tax analyst walk into a bar...

2012-02-13T16:41:58Z

Number crunchers who enjoy a good joke are more likely to succeed, says a new survey. They may even make more money.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Accounting and the professionals who practice it don't strike most people as a barrel of laughs. Yet it seems that number crunchers who know how to lighten up are in demand.

That's according to Accountemps, a finance-and-accounting staffing firm whose researchers recently asked about 1,400 chief financial officers, "How important is an employee's sense of humor to fitting into your company's corporate culture?" An overwhelming 79% said a little levity is "very" or "somewhat" important. Only 20% said it doesn't matter at all.

"All work and no play can erode employee morale," observes Max Messmer, Accountemps' chairman, adding: "Job candidates should let their personality shine through when they meet with prospective employers. An interview is no place for a standup comedy routine, but it is the right time to show hiring managers you are approachable and will be easy to work with."

Another survey, this one by Accountemps' parent Robert Half International, suggests that lightening up might even help with higher starting pay: For candidates with the right skills and great cultural fit, about 40% of CFOs are more willing to negotiate bigger salaries than they were a year ago. Only 5% of CFOs said they're less flexible on compensation for top candidates than in 2011.

Messmer advises accounting mavens that "it's okay to laugh at yourself. Share a funny story. Kick off meetings with an amusing anecdote to put everyone at ease," before getting down to business.

A comptroller, auditor, or compliance officer cracking up the room? Well, maybe. In defiance of the stereotype of accountants as humorless drones, the Internet is awash in accountant jokes, most of them on accounting websites, and thus presumably written by finance types themselves. Like this one: How many accountants does it take to change a light bulb? Let me run some numbers on that and I'll get back to you.

Or this one: A surgeon, an accountant, and a lawyer are debating whose profession goes back the furthest. The surgeon says, "God made Eve out of Adam's rib, so obviously surgery came first." The accountant disagrees. "Before that, God created the universe by bringing order out of chaos," he says. "That's accounting." Then the attorney speaks up. "I've got you both beat," she says. "Answer me this. Who created the chaos?"

Actually, that's more of a lawyer joke, isn't it? The verdict is still out on whether jocularity makes for better jurists.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Contributors

Will your company back your new business idea?

2012-02-10T15:45:18Z

"Intrapreneurship" can keep your job and your company interesting and competitive, but it comes with its fair share of obstacles. How to pitch your idea to the powers that be.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I have an idea for what I think would be a terrific new line of business for the company I work for, but I'm daunted by the thought of actually trying to get it off the ground. Senior managers here sometimes talk about encouraging people to be more "intrepreneurial," but this isn't really a startup-incubator type of culture like, for instance, Google. (Most of our businesses, which are widely diversified, are in old-line manufacturing and transportation.) I need to figure out the best way to approach higher-ups about getting support, including funding and staffing, for my idea. Can you or your readers give me any pointers? — All Fired Up

Dear AFU: As you probably know, intrapreneurship has a long and storied history in U.S. companies, going back to the famous "skunk works" at Lockheed Martin (LMT) during World War Two. A more recent example is Apple's (AAPL) Macintosh, which was developed by a small, informal team led by Steve Jobs, who later described the project as "a group of people going, in essence, back to the garage, but in a large company."

"Innovation in companies doesn't happen without intrapreneurs," says Gifford Pinchot. "Almost every big, game-changing invention you can name is the result of a passionate person pushing it through despite others' efforts to kill it."

Pinchot, a Seattle consultant who founded and runs a business school called the Bainbridge Graduate Institute, is generally credited with having coined the term "intrapreneur." He wrote two books you might want to check out: Intrapreneuring: Why You Don't Have to Leave the Corporation to Become an Entrepreneur and Intrapreneuring in Action: A Handbook for Business Innovation. Take a look, too, at Pinchot's web site, which features 10 Commandments for Intrapreneurs.

Commandment No. 1 may give you pause: "Come to work every day willing to be fired." Gulp. Trying to launch a new business within a huge bureaucracy isn't for the faint of heart, in part because, Pinchot says, it "triggers the corporate immune system," inviting resistance from people who see any change to the status quo as a threat. (In your own company, I suspect you know who these people are or you wouldn't be, as you say, "daunted.")

Based on his own experience (he once started a new consulting business within a large firm), and that of hundreds of other intrapreneurs he has interviewed and studied, Pinchot suggests three ways to start turning your idea into a reality:

1. Find an influential sponsor. "These days, there is less money around for trying out new lines of business, because so many companies are in cost-cutting mode," Pinchot notes. "But there is always a way to get resources for the right project." Begin by persuading one higher-up that your idea can fly -- maybe one of those senior managers you mention who talks about encouraging intrapreneurship. Says Pinchot, "Friends in high places can calm the corporate immune system for you" and champion your cause.

2. Connect what you're proposing to what the company is already doing. Rather than pitch your idea as a radical new concept (even if it is one), Pinchot advises describing it as "a logical extension of one of the company's current businesses. Too much change too fast scares the hell out of people, so avoid overdramatizing or overpromising. Emphasize that you are just exploring the idea and testing it with potential customers, which is always a sound strategy anyway."

3. Begin with small requests. "The trick in the very early stages is to always ask questions to which the answer will be 'yes,'" says Pinchot. "Take small steps. Get people used to saying 'yes' to you." For instance, instead of asking to have someone assigned to help you develop your new business, be ready to do the lion's share of the work yourself. "Asking for the moon right away" will just stir up naysayers, Pinchot says: "You don't want to give people a reason to attack what you're doing."

To that advice, Mike Kestenbaum adds a couple more tips. A former investment banker who joined giant Internet company IAC (IACI) in 2004 as a mergers-and-acquisitions analyst (he helped IAC acquire Dictionary.com and CollegeHumor Media), Kestenbaum now runs a new IAC app he invented, CrowdedRoom.com.

"Do your homework and know the market -- especially the potential customer base, and the competition -- inside out," he says. Overcoming skepticism about your idea requires that "you know more about the market for it than anyone else in the room."

Kestenbaum also recommends "tapping into the skills of other people in your company. I was lucky in that IAC has so many people who are experts at making new sites successful," he says. "You can also get input from your in-house specialists in new product development, market research, or wherever your own skills aren't quite enough."

Pinchot couldn't agree more, partly for an interesting political reason. "Asking for advice is a good way to get people on your side," he says. "So ask, and then be sure to thank them for their insights." This is especially helpful, he adds, if you can enlist the expertise of someone who is trying to block your idea. "Once you have involved that person in your project, you engage their ego. They're now contributing to it, so it must be good," Pinchot says. Expressing your sincere appreciation is essential, he observes: "Very few people can resist gratitude."

Good luck!

Talkback: Does your company encourage "intrapreneurship"? If you've ever proposed a new product or service, what became of your idea? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Careers, Contributors

The best cities for job hunting

2012-02-03T15:54:34Z

Hiring nationwide is still sluggish, but local economies in some places are thriving and creating jobs. Ever thought about moving to Texas?

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I just got a pink slip from the bank where I've worked as a marketing director for the past 12 years, and which is now undergoing a total restructuring, so I'm pondering what my next move should be. Opportunities are limited in the smallish East Coast city where I live (the bank I'll soon be leaving is the single biggest employer in town) and, having moved here solely to take the position I'm now losing, I'm not particularly attached to this area. Our kids are away at college now, our mortgage is paid off, and my wife, who is a pediatrician, really could work anywhere.

So we're open to the idea of moving -- but where would I have the best chance of finding a new job? I'm also wondering, do many employers still pay moving expenses for new management hires, or is that a thing of the past? — Footloose

Dear Footloose: To answer your second question first, employers' willingness to help out with the cost of relocating has been declining steadily since 2008, according to the Society for Human Resource Management. In 2007, for instance, 40% of companies would pick up the tab for a candidate to visit his or her new hometown before moving there. In 2011, only 18% would. The percentage offering help with selling a transplanted executive's previous home dropped from 19% in 2007 to 9% four years later.

Now, however, there are signs that may be changing. "One of the key trends we've seen lately is the movement of labor in and out of markets across the U.S.," says Matt Ferguson, CEO of job site CareerBuilder. "Workers have had to expand their job search geographically, and employers in need of hard-to-find, skilled talent have had to recruit across state lines."

As a result, says a new CareerBuilder poll of 3,023 employers, about one-third (32%) say they'll foot the bill for bringing out-of-town candidates on board. There's a catch: Their willingness to do so varies markedly depending on the kind of talent they're seeking. Engineers have the best chance of negotiating for financial help with a move, with 30% of employers saying they'd pay, followed by information technology hires at 23%. Business development and sales are tied at 21%.

Only 13% of employers in the poll say they'll pay moving costs for marketing folks. However, it doesn't hurt to ask and, if the answer is no, you can recoup the cost of relocating when you file next year's taxes. If you pull up stakes and move in order to take a new job, the IRS allows you to deduct the expenses you incur.

So where should you start looking? Each month, job search sites CareerCast.com and JobSerf pool their vast databases of management job openings and come up with a list of U.S. cities with the most openings for executives.

Because they include calculations of the number of help-wanted listings relative to population, the rankings give an idea of how hard (or easy) it is to find a management job in each place. According to the January 2012 report, the top 10 metro areas for job-hunting managers are:

1) Washington, D.C.
2) Boston
3) San Francisco
4) Seattle
5) Baltimore
6) Atlanta
7) Chicago
8) Denver
9) Nashville
10) New York City

You might also consider Texas. An annual Best Performing Cities study by the Milken Institute, a nonprofit think tank, analyzes economic data from 200 large and 179 smaller metro areas and comes up with a ranking of which local economies are thriving -- hence where the most hiring is going on. The most recent report, released last month, says that four out of the five top metro areas now are in the Lone Star State, with Houston and San Antonio leading the pack.

"Despite continuing national economic weakness, the Texas job machine continued to crank out employment gains" in 2011, the report says. From January through October, "its employers created one out of every six new jobs in the U.S."

Among the reasons why "other states can't mess with Texas", the Milken researchers wrote, are low business costs, increased trade with Mexico and South America, robust activity in energy exploration and development, and "aggressive recruiting of employers from less business-friendly states."

One encouraging note: It seems that most people who relocate for work reasons end up glad they did. According to the CareerBuilder survey, 77% "reported they were happy with the move and didn't regret the decision." Happy hunting!

Talkback: If you've ever moved to find a job, or to accept a job offer, how did it work out? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Careers, Contributors

Can you snag a tech job with training alone?

2012-01-26T20:13:28Z

Maybe. But despite a plethora of government-funded training programs and lots of job openings in IT, getting hired isn't easy.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: Since being pink-slipped from my job as a construction manager almost three years ago, I've been making ends meet with a string of low-skilled jobs that don't really use my abilities and aren't leading anywhere. I keep hearing that there are a lot of opportunities in high tech, and I'd love to go after a job in that field, but I have almost no formal tech training (although I enjoy fooling around with computers and have taught myself a couple of programming languages in my spare time). I did take a few computer science courses in college, but I never graduated.

So, I have two questions: Would I have to go back and finish college to get into IT? And, even if I somehow managed to do that, what are my chances of getting hired with no work experience as a techie? — Dead End Dan

Dear Dan: It's certainly true that job opportunities are plentiful in high tech. Most in demand right now are people skilled in health care IT, security (both network and mobile), systems integration, and mobile app development. Then there's the cloud. Help-wanted ads for cloud computing are up 61% over last year at this time, according to a new study by workforce-research firm Wanted Technologies.

Altogether, says Todd Thibodeaux, head of computer industry trade group CompTIA, about half a million IT jobs in the U.S. are going begging. One reason employers can't find enough skilled hires, even with unemployment so high: a wide range of federal and state-funded grant programs are available to pay for tech training, yet most people who are eligible to apply (like you, perhaps) are unaware that the programs exist.

"It's a huge problem," says Thibodeaux. "Government agencies that administer these grants, at both the federal and state levels, need to do a much better job of getting the word out."

In the meantime, anyone interested in looking into a training for a new career can find all the relevant information on a special Department of Labor web site.

The good news, from your point of view: You don't need to go back to school for a bachelor's degree. Many top IT training courses are offered by community colleges, by tech companies like Microsoft (MSFT), and by specialized computer training schools, online and in person. "To get started on a tech career, you don't need anywhere near a four-year degree," Thibodeaux says.

You might consider beginning with one of the basic certifications CompTIA offers (which, like most other legitimate training courses, are covered by government grants, if you qualify), such as the basic A+ certification. Employers look for these credentials. In one recent survey, 86% of IT hiring managers said certifications are "a high priority" in evaluating job candidates.

Complete descriptions of all CompTIA certifications, including a new one in cloud computing that launched just last month, are available on the association's web site, along with aptitude tests to help you choose a specific career path. "You don't have to be a math or science genius to succeed in IT," Thibodeaux says. "But you do need problem-solving aptitude and interest -- and, increasingly, good people skills."

Let's assume you have those. Your second question -- whether you can get hired without work experience -- is tougher. "Employers tend to prefer candidates with at least some experience," notes Tom Silver, senior vice president for North America at tech job board Dice.com. However, he adds, the current talent crunch may work in your favor: "In order to address the skills shortage, companies may have to compromise on experience requirements. That might make it easier on entry-level job applicants."

Take cloud computing, for instance. Researchers on the Wanted Technologies study found that about half of the additional job ads that were posted this year (compared to last year) stated that cloud experience is a must. The other half require training, but no experience.

Another area where newbies may find a welcome is Microsoft's .NET, a platform for mobile app development. A recent Dice report notes that the platform is "an accessible entry point" for "novices looking to break into the tech industry." Says Silver, "It's a relatively straightforward framework to learn and, while recruiters often chase mid-career talent, almost one-third of .NET searches in our database call for less than three years of experience."

Of course, even getting one or two years of experience may be a challenge. Three suggestions: First, tap your network. "If you know anyone in IT, friend them on Facebook, join their LinkedIn networks, and get connected to their contacts," says Thibodeaux. "Only about 30% of IT jobs now are filled through advertised postings. The other 70% of the time, people are hiring people they know."

Second, try temping. Once you have some training and a certification or two under your belt, companies like Manpower, Robert Half International, and Kelly IT Resources can help you find short-term, entry-level project work where you can build practical know-how and meet people.

And third, keep in mind that attitude counts. "Training and certifications are a great start," says Michael Dsupin, CEO of Talener, a tech staffing company. "But more and more, our clients are looking for someone passionate, hungry, and enthusiastic." The fact that you've been teaching yourself programming languages just for fun is a clear sign of genuine enthusiasm, so do talk about it: "Without actual work experience, it's critical to discuss your tech hobbies."

Dsupin tells a story you may appreciate, about what he calls "one of my favorite placements of all time." A job applicant was trying to switch to a tech career from a different field, with a brand new Microsoft Certification and no experience. Confronted with a skeptical team of hiring managers, recalls Dsupin, "he said something like, 'I know this certification means nothing. I want to learn and, given the opportunity, I will deliver.'"

He got the job.

Talkback: If you're in IT, how did you get your first job? If you're a tech hiring manager, would you hire someone with training but no experience? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Contributors

When you apply for a job and hear...nothing

2012-01-19T18:30:06Z

Many employers struggle to keep up with the flood of job applications coming their way and often leave their candidates dangling. Here's how to handle it.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: The last time I looked for a new job, about four years ago, the most discouraging part of the process was applying for a position, even going through more than one interview, and then hearing nothing back. Now, it's happening again. I applied for an opening at a company where I've always wanted to work. They called me in for an interview, which I think went really well, about three weeks ago. I've followed up by phone and email a few times to reiterate my interest since then, but I've heard nothing. Nada. Not a peep.

Meanwhile, another company has offered me a job that I guess would be okay -- better than where I am now, anyway -- and I don't know what to do. I could accept this offer, but then what if the company I'd really prefer finally gets back to me? How long should I wait before assuming I didn't get that job? — In the Dark

Dear I.D.: Maddening, isn't it? I hear this question constantly, sometimes even from people who have flown clear across the country for a round of interviews and then have heard…nothing -- not even an email that would take 20 seconds to send, saying for instance, "Thank you for meeting with us. The job has been filled, but we will keep you in mind for future openings," or words to that effect.

Absolute silence is rude, inconsiderate, and makes people mad. "It's human nature to expect some kind of response," says Chris Forman, CEO of an application-tracking site called StartWire. "And when candidates feel an application has vanished into a black hole, especially if they've put considerable effort into it, they get p.o.'ed."

Demoralizing as it is for job hunters, leaving people hanging is bad for companies too. "What HR people and hiring managers are just starting to realize is that neglecting to let candidates know where they stand is damaging their companies' reputations and their brands," Forman says. A new StartWire survey found that 77% of jobseekers think less of a company that leaves them in the dark, and more than half would decline to buy or recommend that company's product or service.

Moreover, the Internet exponentially increased disgruntled candidates' ability to spread the bad word. "Before the Internet, if a company treated you shabbily, you'd tell maybe 10 people about it," says Forman. "Now, you can post your experience on sites like Glassdoor.com, Vault.com, and Facebook, and tweet all your followers. A negative experience can quickly go viral."

He adds that a typical big company starts with an average of about 30 applications for each opening it fills, "so if you hire 1,000 people a year, you're interacting, for better or worse, with roughly 30,000 candidates. And alienating 30,000 potential customers, plus all their online contacts, is not very smart."

The irony is that it doesn't have to be this way, again because of the Internet. Over the past five years or so, most large employers have adopted sophisticated web-based recruiting tools, which have built-in features that keep track of the status of each candidate's application.

"These features work the same way as when, for example, you order a book from Amazon (AMZN). The system tracks when it leaves the warehouse, when it goes on a truck, when it's en route for delivery to you, and so on," says Forman. "So the problem isn't that employers don't know where your application stands, how many other people are in the running, or whether the job has been filled. They know precisely."

They just don't tell you. StartWire's research shows that only 33% of Fortune 500 companies pass along any of the data they have on hand to candidates, even though 90% of job seekers surveyed said that getting that feedback would make their job hunt "less frustrating," and 96% said they would be more likely to apply for a job at a company where they know they'll be kept informed. "Companies that are notorious for 'application black holes' lose out on potential star employees," Forman says.

Yes, you (probably) can change jobs now

2012-01-13T21:37:20Z

If you already have a job — plus a college degree and some work experience — your chances of getting hired elsewhere are better than they've been in years. Here's where to start looking.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: A friend sent me your recent column about eight signs it's time to quit, and all eight of them apply to me. I would like nothing better than to leave the company where I work now. My performance reviews have been great, but this is a family-owned business, and I've come to realize over the past couple of years that nobody gets promoted (or gets a raise) unless they have the same last name as the CEO.

So it's clearly time to move on, and I've rewritten my resume to reflect the terrific track record I've built up as a brand manager since I graduated from college 12 years ago. But is there any point in going out looking? We keep hearing that 15 million Americans are unemployed, the job market is terrible, nobody's hiring, etc., etc. Should I start job hunting anyway, or just try to make the best of things here until the economy improves? — Hitting a Brick Wall

Dear HBW: "The constant barrage of lackluster employment news can make finding a new job seem like an impossible goal," says John Challenger, CEO of outplacement giant Challenger, Gray & Christmas. "It is not."

That's especially true in your case, for at least two reasons. First, you already have a job. It's no secret that employers (loath as they may be to admit it) often give preference to the already employed. "Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to being out of work," says Geoff Hoffmann, chief operating officer of global recruiters DHR International. "There are ways to mitigate it but, yes, a gap in a resume does create apprehension." Since you are working now, the 15 million unemployed are not your main competition.

Which brings us to a second advantage you may not realize you have: your college degree. The overall U.S. unemployment rate, while lower than it's been for three years, is still dauntingly high at 8.5%. But that figure doesn't apply to every segment of the workforce. For people with a high school diploma but no college degree, for instance, the rate is 8.8%. By contrast, for folks like you with a bachelor's degree or higher, joblessness is at 4.3%, or less than half the aggregate rate.

(To put that 4.3% in perspective, it wasn't long ago that economists considered 6% to equal "full employment" -- meaning that unemployment is at the lowest point it can go, given seasonal and structural variations in workforce participation -- and, obviously, 4.3% is well below that.)

"Headlines and sound bites mask enormous discrepancies in unemployment among different groups," notes Robert Hellmann, an executive coach who teaches career management at New York University. "For those with bachelor's degrees and some years of solid work experience, the job market is nowhere near as hopeless as people think, so do look around." The key, he adds, is to focus your search on industries that are thriving.

DHR's Hoffmann agrees: "Financial services, real estate, and construction are still weak. But from where we sit, it looks like almost everyone else is gearing up for growth. At the senior management level, we're seeing a lot of hiring that is expansionary, not just replacement hiring." You can get a new job now, Hoffmann adds, if you "understand which sectors are hot, and where the appetite for talent is."

Even in struggling industries, pockets of opportunity exist. Consider: Financial job board eFinancialCareers.com reported last week that Wall Street firms have posted 54% more sales-and-marketing openings than last year at this time.

Or look at retailing. A new study by workforce-management software maker Kronos shows monthly hires bouncing back from their recessionary lows, and suggests that the retail industry could make a "significant recovery" in 2012.

Some of the job growth is behind the scenes. The New York City design department of Wisconsin-based Kohl's Department Stores, for instance, manages 13 designer brands and has just announced its third expansion since 2007. The office started with 30 employees and now has 140. "I've got clients who have moved into retailing from other businesses like publishing," says Hellmann.

"It's still a buyer's market, but the opportunities are there if you look for them," he adds. So by all means, start looking.

Talkback: Have you changed jobs recently? If you're a hiring manager, are you currently aiming to fill more openings than six months or a year ago? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Careers, Contributors

This year, resolve to do less multitasking

2012-01-06T19:10:46Z

Plenty of people believe that doing several things at once makes them more productive. In fact, the opposite is true.

By Anne Fisher, contributor

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: Since my department was shrunk by layoffs a couple of years ago, I have gotten an in-house reputation as a champion multitasker, able to handle half a dozen projects at one time (and leap tall buildings in a single bound). Working this way is not only exhausting, but I think it makes me less competent. Everything takes much longer than it would if I could just focus on one task at a time.

So I made a New Year's resolution to cut it out, or at least do less multitasking. The problem is my boss, who is constantly piling more stuff on me to do "with my left hand," as he puts it, when I'm already busier than a woodpecker in a lumberyard. Can you or your readers suggest any way to convince him that we'd all be better off tackling one thing at a time? — Frazzled

Dear Frazzled: A heap of academic research has demonstrated conclusively that the human brain needs time to refocus every time we turn our attention in a different direction. A famous experiment at Stanford in 2009, for instance, found that multitaskers are "more susceptible to interference from irrelevant environmental stimuli" -- that is, more easily distracted and less efficient at what they're trying to do.

So your impression that doing several things at once slows you down and trips up your productivity is correct. But if your boss isn't impressed with academic research, Sanjeev Gupta, CEO of consulting firm Realization, suggests a quick game to prove the point.

Here's how it works: Get a stopwatch, or any watch with a second hand, and time how long it takes you (or your boss) to write "multitask 123456789." Next, time how many seconds it takes to write the same thing, but this time with the numbers interspersed between the letters: "m1u2l3t4i5t6a7s8k9."

Simple, right? When I tried this, it took me 9.5 seconds to write "multitask 123456789" -- and 24 seconds, or more than twice as long, to write the version that requires switching back and forth from letters to numbers.

Okay, so maybe I'm just lousy at multitasking but, says Gupta, even master multitaskers (like you, perhaps) will see a dramatic difference. "It seems counter-intuitive, but if you give two employees two identical tasks, the one who focuses on one task at a time will always finish faster and with fewer errors than the one who multitasks," Gupta says.

"Many people boast about their multitasking prowess on their resumes and in job interviews," he adds. "But in reality, this is like saying, 'I don't get things done as quickly, or as well, as others do.'"

Gupta can back up his views on this with dollars-and-cents evidence. For the past 10 years, his company has been helping clients rid their projects of multitasking, which has boosted productivity at outfits like Siemens (SI), Boeing (BA), Delta, and the U.S. Air Force by 50% or more, adding an estimated total of $3.5 billion in extra cash and profits.

A couple of examples: By redesigning processes to eliminate multitasking, medical software maker Medtronic (MDT) cut its new-product release time from nine months to two months. At Boeing, cutting out multitasking boosted productivity on the manufacture of satellites by 64%.

"There is no question that concentrating on one thing at a time will make you more productive and give you a real competitive advantage," Gupta says. Fine, but in practical terms, how do you keep your resolution to cut down on multitasking?

"First, take a look at why you are multitasking in the first place," he suggests. In the companies where Realizations does its consulting work, Gupta sees two main causes of doing several things at once.

"The first one is, you interrupt yourself in the middle of a task because something is missing, so you aren't prepared to finish it," he says. "So you drop it and do something else."

The remedy for that: Analyze the task in advance and make sure before you start that you have everything you'll need to carry it through to the end.

The second chief cause -- and the one that seems to apply to your situation -- is that "your boss lacks clear priorities, so he expects you to multitask to make up for that."

Fixing this will take some diplomacy on your part. The next time he throws you something else to do when you're already overloaded, "sit down with him and ask him to rank the various assignments in order of priority," Gupta advises. "Which are the most important things to get done immediately, and which ones can wait a bit?"

Of course, you may well be able to determine this for yourself without asking, in which case you'll have to get used to setting your own priorities -- and then sticking with them. This will take some practice. Multitasking can, after all, be as hard a habit to break as any other. But, says Gupta, "you will find that your increased productivity, and better quality of work, is worth the effort." Good luck.

Talkback: Do you consider yourself a proficient multitasker? Do you find that doing several things at once makes you more productive, or less so? Leave a comment below.

Filed under: Ask Annie, Careers, Contributors

Management and Career » Ask Annie

How to get on executive recruiters' radar screens

Giving speeches at industry events is a time-tested way to get noticed by headhunters, but Twitter has made it more of a gamble. Luckily, you have other options.

Stuck in middle management? Five ways out.

In your mid-30s to late 40s and feel like you'll never get promoted? You're far from alone, but you can take steps to jump-start your career.

Can you get hired on the second (or third) try?

Now that hiring is starting to pick up, it may be worth trying again at companies where you applied in the past. Here's how to do it.

Why new college grads should aim high

Getting your dream job may be a more realistic goal than you think, says an author. He's speaking from experience.

Will a lack of references cost you a job offer?

Employers do check references, so declining to provide any is not really an option. Here's how to manage this essential element of a job hunt.

Toning down contentious political talk at work

What can you do if your boss holds political views that are the opposite of yours -- and he won't stop talking about them?

Must you give a job interviewer your Facebook password?

Asking candidates for social media passwords may soon be illegal in some states. In the meantime, here's how to say "no" gracefully.

Request a performance review, or let sleeping dogs lie?

Managing your professional image goes far beyond formal evaluations. But they're a good (and necessary) start.

6 questions to ask a job interviewer

To stand out from your competition, says an executive coach, you need to start a real, memorable conversation. Here's how to do it.

MORE: The 10 investment banks employees most want to quit

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When your mentor is half a world away

IBM's 170,000 virtual employees worldwide rarely, if ever, lay eyes on each other. Here's how they make long-distance mentoring work.

How to cope with toxic colleagues - if you must

Constant conflict and hostility is not only unpleasant, it can damage your health. There are ways to stay sane and protect yourself.

MORE: What's hiding behind the buzzwords in job ads?

MORE: Will your company back your new business idea?

6 networking mistakes job hunters make

Most people know by now that networking beats answering job ads, but how you go about it can make all the difference. Here's what to avoid.

New job? Get a head start now

A CPA and a tax analyst walk into a bar...

Will your company back your new business idea?

"Intrapreneurship" can keep your job and your company interesting and competitive, but it comes with its fair share of obstacles. How to pitch your idea to the powers that be.

The best cities for job hunting

Hiring nationwide is still sluggish, but local economies in some places are thriving and creating jobs. Ever thought about moving to Texas?

Can you snag a tech job with training alone?

Maybe. But despite a plethora of government-funded training programs and lots of job openings in IT, getting hired isn't easy.

When you apply for a job and hear...nothing

Many employers struggle to keep up with the flood of job applications coming their way and often leave their candidates dangling. Here's how to handle it.

See also: 100 Best Companies to Work For - They're hiring!

Yes, you (probably) can change jobs now

If you already have a job — plus a college degree and some work experience — your chances of getting hired elsewhere are better than they've been in years. Here's where to start looking.

This year, resolve to do less multitasking

Plenty of people believe that doing several things at once makes them more productive. In fact, the opposite is true.