Yes, employers want it both ways. They may advertise a position asking
for only three-to-five years of experience, but have a description
that looks impossible to do unless you have ten-to-fifteen years of this
experience. Some of the reasoning is to keep the compensation expense
reasonable. This makes good business sense, since there are more applicants
than jobs and competition is intense. With over twenty years of
experience in the financial industry, I started most of my conversations
with that fact, thinking that the tenure would elevate my status. I quickly
found out how careful I needed to be in communicating that information,
because I was aging myself—and potentially increasing my price
compared to the competition. I no longer wanted to lead with that fact.

Instead, I used a more targeted approach. As previously mentioned,
I averaged eighteen months a position for twenty-three years, so I used
language that made sense to the particular conversation. I batched some
jobs together to elongate the experience level. For example, “I was in
operations management for a total of five years.” Instead of singling out
each role separately where I had project management, risk management,
and compensation management experience, this method does the math
for the recruiter or hiring manager, instead of them having to add up all
of my experience in different positions. By no means did I misrepresent
myself, I just spoke the language and didn’t invest so much energy into
detailing how long I had certain responsibilities in each designated role.
I became better at explaining the overall impact I had when I was in the
role, which seemed to move me further into the conversation. The quality
of the meaningful work that I executed and delivered became the higher
priority—not the length of time spent doing that work.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

During my job search, I set some goals with specific milestones and
deadlines. I said that after a month, if I didn’t see a definite lead
on the horizon, I would start to tap into recruiters and headhunters to
help with my job pursuit. I was fortunate enough to have a networking
session with an old colleague who provided me with a list of recruiters
he had used when he lost his job. I was excited to have this gift to get off
to a quick start. Although I had heard about headhunters, I’d never truly
understood what I was about to experience. My former colleague’s gift led
to my worst day in the entire job-seeking process.

I had mixed reactions when I sent out the original request to connect
with the list of recruiters. Some never responded. I later found out that
most recruiters are very specialized and target certain fields. This was good
information to know. Others set up meetings that they blew off with no
warning or communication. Others were downright rude via email and
even in conversations, by making it very clear that they didn’t want to
work with me. I have to be careful with such a broad statement, because
there were many that were helpful, polite, compassionate, and giving—
but not all of them. However, even the polite ones cut straight to the
chase. I found out quickly that I wasn’t networking anymore.

After being frustrated for a call or two, I soon realized that recruiters
and headhunters have a very specific job to do. If they were wasting time
on a call with me because they felt I wasn’t qualified for their particular
niche or job, then they weren’t making money. Once I genuinely understood
how the relationships would be established, I began to appreciate
both of our challenges and tried to step up my game by anticipating their
very specific questions, challenging myself for the next similar call by
doing more homework or better defining exactly what I was looking for.

I am very thankful for this frustrating piece of the process. When a recruiter
calls they typically ask three questions: salary range, location preferences,
and exact position in the exact field you’re looking for. I began to
take it as a compliment that I made their list to call. Knowing that they
get a slice of the salary of the person they hire from the hiring company,
and that they have a reputation to maintain in getting perfect hires for the
companies that contract them, it became more understandable how some
of the conversations went. As a job seeker, you’re not required to deal
with headhunters. Although I didn’t run into it, I have heard from my
career center friends, that there are situations when a recruiter is looking
for the unemployed person to pay them to assist in the job search. I will
caution you and say there are very few times you need to spend money on
a recruiter or headhunter to get hired. However, if you choose to go with
a legitimate recruiter, it is a choice you can make—just know the swarm
of bees you’re walking into… although bees are productive!

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

MP3 Downloads of “From Fear to Success:  A Practical Public-speaking Guide” are available at Apple iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, Emusic, Nokia, Xbox Music, Spotify, Omnifone, Google Music Store, Rdio, Muve Music, Bloom.fm, Slacker Radio, MediaNet, 7digital, 24-7, Rumblefish, and Shazam “From Fear to Success” MP3 on CD Baby

By averaging eighteen months per position for over twenty years, it
clearly makes me a generalist. Being a generalist was great for my old
company, but for many companies, getting hired happens when you’re a
specialist. I had several experiences in past roles where I had some expertise.
During the job-search process was not a time to be shy about that
expertise. There are few times in life where it is necessary to stand on the
rooftop saying, “Look at me,” and looking for a job is one of them.

There is a professional way to do this, however. You can give context
and examples, but if you are not comfortable talking about your accomplishments,
there are plenty of people out there who will have the advantage
because they have no problem singing their own praises. I teach a session
called, “It’s Not Bragging if It’s a Fact.” Without being braggadocios,
individuals can successfully talk about their accomplishments and bring
them to life off the pages of the résumé. It’s important to talk about how
you can resolve conflict and work in a team setting, but it’s also important
to talk about your individual contributions in driving a business forward.
You must talk about what made you a specialist and how that can set you
apart from the competition. Have it come to the forefront with specifics.
There’s no “I” in team, but there is an “I” in interview, so make the most
of it and learn to humbly—but confidently—speak about your accolades
as a specialist.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Even the best-intentioned people make promises they can’t keep. If I stopped looking for a job each time I was promised something, I would be years away from where I want to be. During a discussion at a local career center, I was once asked the question, “What do you do while you’re waiting for the company to get back to you? They (the company) said it would be two or three months.” I hope my response wasn’t too sharp when I said, “I would call my next lead.” Between having positions cancelled or being led to believe that I was the top candidate for a job only
to find it had been given to someone else, I learned not to stop looking until I had an actual start date and a contract in hand.

One person in my network recommends having at least four serious leads. The definition of serious is not one that you hope will come to fruition, but one that you feel there is a real chance of landing. I agree for the most part, except I wouldn’t put a number on it. I take an interpretation of a serious lead, well, very seriously, but I can’t take it as an ironclad promise. My job looking for a job continued until I was 100 percent sure the job offer was made and accepted. Even on the day I received my most recent job offer, the HR person said they had to finalize a few things. I
continued my search until the actual offer was in writing in front of me. I’m a trusting, but realistic, person—I know things change or that there can be miscommunication.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

People get busy. Let’s be honest with ourselves—most networking sessions
and conversations with people about possible jobs are more important
to us than the person with whom we’re talking. I heard many offthe-
cuff comments such as, “Call me in a couple weeks.” While I know
most of us may give an instant response similar to, “Will do,” I felt I
was differentiating myself and ensuring action when I immediately put a
follow-up appointment on my calendar. As with the last chapter, I wasn’t
going to be a pest, but I was diligent in making sure that I took full advantage
of all leads. I couldn’t afford to be skittish in my follow-up, and I
found most people did not seem offended by someone who stayed on top
of what we had discussed. Keith Ferrazzi notes in Never Eat Alone, “Don’t
apologize for being persistent.” Persistency does pay off. Additionally, if
you tell someone you will do something, such as sending your résumé
or marketing plan, do it right away. You don’t want to earn a negative
reputation as someone unable to follow instructions or follow through
on a task.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Obviously, everyone in our network has an important role to play.
While it’s important to avoid rash judgments about one contact
being more important than another, I will tell you that if you have the
choice between being in touch with a recruiter or a hiring manager, lean
toward the hiring manager every time. The recruiters are there to screen
applicants and determine who is best suited to move on to the next level
of interviewing. While it’s extremely important to have a strong relationship
with them, if you have the contact information for the hiring manager,
then use it. If you don’t have his or her information, then do your
due diligence and attempt to get it. I’m not condoning being pushy, but
I am encouraging assertiveness. The hiring manager can provide exact
expectations for the role, including the unwritten description. A hiring
manager can provide insight as to what successful, and not so successful,
people have done in the role in the past. Even if a hiring manager holds
back some information, they now know who you are beyond your résumé.
The contact also establishes a relationship that could be critical if
there are equally qualified candidates applying for the same job. In that
case, the hiring manager may even appreciate the extra effort you took to
learn more about the job.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Do you want to be on the frontlines with customers? Do you want
to be a manager? Do you want to be VP of Marketing? Do you
know what level is the lowest point you’re willing to start in a new position
and what future growth potential is available for the jobs you are
seeking? With over twenty years in the financial industry, I knew clearly
that I didn’t want an entry-level position. There is nothing wrong with
entry-level, but it needs to make sense with your background, tenure,
and competencies. Also, not everyone wants to be a manager of people.
Is the career path associated with the job you’re looking into leading to a
management role? You need to be clear in what you want—this includes
the level.

The name of this chapter may seem redundant based on the rest of this
book. To an extent, it is—but there are a number of aspects you need to
be clear on when applying for a new job. If you rely on the assumption
that you and your prospective employer are on the same page, you may
well be disappointed. Within days of first losing my job, for example, I
was offered a position with a local company, but it didn’t match the role
and level I was chasing.

In addition to the type of role you may want, you need to know what
level you want. Being in the banking industry, SVP means different things
to different people, including recruiters and hiring managers. Some companies
hand out the title like it’s candy while others limit it to only the
highest levels. Looking from the outside in, it became obvious that my
former company handed out SVP titles closer to the candy version. Don’t
get me wrong, I was proud of my promotion, but I was also proud of the
many peers who also had the same level and title. One of the changes that
I made on the résumé included removing that title.

As I mentioned, I was proud of my past accomplishment, but ultimately
it didn’t carry much weight on my résumé. Some prospective companies
simply didn’t have any of those types of roles open because they
were few and far between since people in that position typically oversaw
significant operations or employees, for example. I had that title when I
managed many people; I had the same title when I was managing projects
with no direct reports. I had to start speaking the external language of the
companies I was pursuing, not the company I’d just left. That meant extra
diligence in laying out what I wanted. The changes had to occur on my
résumé, my marketing plans, my strategic plans, and in the conversations
I was having. All forms of communication had to be moving in the direction
of my laser-focused desires.

As a previous executive, I was still open to senior manager roles in order
to get in the door, knowing I would put in the effort and attitude to
get to the next level eventually. I needed to put that to paper so that everyone
was on the same page. For example, on one of my marketing plans, I
listed the following as my potential roles and options I was seeking:

Senior Risk Management Leader
VP, Operational Risk Manager, or
Executive SVP, Business Control, or
VP, Business Control Senior Manager

There was no question about what I was looking for and what opportunities
could be presented. That description made it very clear what I
wanted specific to the level of employment I was seeking and the type of
role I was best suited for.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

I was fascinated by the networking conversation I had with John
Brubaker, author of “The Coach Approach: Success Strategies From The
Locker Room to the Board Room.” He and I had many common interests
and hit it off right away, sharing notes about professional development.
John turned on his coaching charm and we found instant connections as
he shared his own stories of triumphs and tribulations when he was in a
similar situation. He left me with the following information to chew on:

• Know your ideal job in the perfect world.
• Recognize your unique talents and passions. Pursue ways to ensure
they are part of the job-search process to marry them with what
you’re looking for. You will be more motivated to follow a path of
something that drives you.
• Figure out whom to get in front of to help you pursue these ideal
jobs, unique talents, and passions.
• Know your strong general skills that can be carried with you and
emphasized regardless of field.
• Sell the abilities and competencies that make up these skills in a
targeted approach by aligning it to the jobs you’re interested in so
you don’t come across as a jack-of-all-trades and master of none.
o The jack-of-all-trades and master of none comment got my attention.
I would ask people who knew me well and people I’d
just met for their opinions of whether my story made me seem
like more of a generalist or a specialist, and made appropriate
adaptations based on their responses.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Leads are just leads until you bring them to life. Every networking session should end with, “Who else should I meet?” and, “Is there anything else I should be doing, or doing differently?” I was asked on many occasions during the job-seeking process if I knew a particular person. If the answer was “yes,” I would set up an appointment with them. If the answer was “no,” I asked if we could be introduced. Most times, I didn’t try to keep it to a single business area or even try to determine how close the connection was—it didn’t matter. What was important was that leads were being offered and it became my responsibility to do something with them. We have an opportunity to go beyond our immediate friends and past colleagues to tap friends of friends, long-lost relatives, and every other person who comes across our radar screen. If you have a lead, take advantage and send out requests to network. The ability to ask questions and find ways to connect the dots of your growing web of a network can be intriguing and fun. You might surprise yourself at how fruitful it is to be curious and pull that string all the way through.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com

Maybe the word predator is a little strong. I don’t consider myself a
full-blown sales and marketing person, so maybe I am a little more
sensitive to this type of business. Immediately after I lost my job, some
of the quickest responses I received from people with opportunities were
from individuals involved in sales and marketing positions. Many were
heavily commission-based with a bonus when they signed on new people.
I remember years ago when a close friend of mine tried to get me involved
in selling water purifiers. We agreed I would support him and go to one
meeting; if I didn’t like it, we would stop talking about it. I attended one
meeting and instantly knew it wasn’t for me. It was a business that worked
well for him and taught him skills that would make him an eventual giant
in the sales world. I knew it didn’t match my skills or desires, but it was
my first experience with multi-level marketing.

There are people with sales and marketing experience who would be
perfect candidates for this type of position—people with an entrepreneurial
spirit of independence who enjoy the adrenaline rush of knowing
their success is purely contingent on the next sale. The number of instant
responses I had from people in this type of field who were instantly on
my calendar was amazing. Staying true to my mantra of casting a broad
net, I listened objectively and asked enough questions to get a good feel
for what was being offered. As I’ve mentioned before, it is important to
stay open to all opportunities. I am being a little tongue-and-cheek with
the chapter title, because I was doing something similar in trying to sell
and market myself to others.

One of the key teachings was to be assertive enough to say “Thanks,
but no thanks” if I was no longer interested. I found that persistency is a
common trait in successful sales and marketing people. When I was pursuing
jobs, I appreciated when someone said to me that they needed more
time to think about it, or in some cases, that my follow-up in some cases
was too much. Most professionals get it and will move along. I connected
with many great people in what I found to be called the “level marketing”
field, and respect the amount of time and effort it takes to really make it
in that field. I also learned about persistency, assertiveness, and the drive
to develop strong personal relationships in my own job search. Every connection
can be a learning moment.

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

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

See “Products” for details on www.transformationtom.com.  Book and eBook purchase options are also available on Amazon- Please click the link to be re-directed: Amazon.com