Why Aren't You Getting Offers On Jobs You Are Qualified For?

It's a typical story I hear from security industry job seekers all the time. They are applying for a number of jobs and even getting interviews, but often not getting any further than a first interview. Oftentimes they come to the conclusion that they must not have been as qualified as others. Other times, they know you are very well qualified, so they wonder what gives. Why aren't I getting offers? While there are many factors that influence the hiring decision, it is a fact that sometimes less qualified candidates are chosen over more qualified candidates simply because they have stronger soft skills than their more qualified counterparts. Each company looks for a different mix of skills and experience depending on the business it's in. It's no longer enough to be functionally qualified in your particular niche within security. To complement your unique core competencies, there are certain "soft skills" every recruiter, hiring manager and company looks for in a potential new hire.

"Soft skills" refer to a cluster of personal qualities, habits, attitudes and social graces that make someone a good employee "fit" and compatible to work with for that particular organization. Companies value soft skills because research suggests and experience shows that they can be just as important an indicator of job performance as hard skills.

Today's global, service-oriented economy puts a new premium on people skills and relationship-building - especially within the security arena. Business moves at an increasingly fast pace, so employers place higher value in people who are agile, adaptable and creative at solving problems. Many companies have some ultra-skilled employees. Despite that, their managers are desperate to toss them overboard. Perhaps they are argumentative, unmotivated, or dishonest - or just have terrible attitudes. Regardless, they lack some critical soft skills that are not easy (and often impossible) to train. As a result, more and more employers are willing to train less qualified candidates when they find ones with outstanding soft skills.

All candidates -- especially those who aspire to security management positions need to get in touch with their softer sides and take inventory of their soft skills and learn how to highlight them in cover letters and interviews. For example, tell a story of how you successfully handled a crisis or challenge at your current company. Highlighting these key skills will go a long way towards making up for any hard skill deficiencies that you may have.

Some of the most common soft skills employers are looking for and will be assessing you on include:

1. Strong Work Ethic

Are you motivated and dedicated to getting the job done, no matter what? Will you be conscientious and do your best work?

2. Positive Attitude

Are you optimistic and upbeat? Will you generate good energy and good will?

3. Strong Communication Skills

Are you both verbally articulate and a good listener? Can you make your case and express your needs in a way that builds bridges with colleagues, customers and vendors?

4. Time Management Abilities

Do you know how to prioritize tasks and work on a number of different projects at once? Will you use your time on the job wisely?

5. Problem-Solving Skills

Are you resourceful and able to creatively solve problems that will inevitably arise? Will you take ownership of problems or leave them for someone else?

6. Acting as a Team Player

Will you work well in groups and teams? Will you be cooperative and take a leadership role when appropriate?

7. Self-Confidence

Do you truly believe you can do the job? Will you project a sense of calm and inspire confidence in others? Will you have the courage to ask questions that need to be asked and to freely contribute your ideas?

8. Ability to Accept and Learn From Criticism

Will you be able to handle criticism? Are you coachable and open to learning and growing as a person and as a security industry professional?

9. Flexibility/Adaptability

Are you able to adapt to new situations and challenges? Will you embrace change and be open to new ideas?

10. Working Well Under Pressure

Can you handle the stress that accompanies deadlines and crises? Will you be able to do your best work and come through in a pinch?

Remember, whether you are applying for mid-level or a senior management position, it's your combination of core and soft skills that will set you apart from the crowd!

Good Luck!

David Lammert

Using Social Media Effectively In Your Job Search

Whether you are seeking a new security role or working on building a career, it's important to integrate social networking into your job search. Some of you might ask why I need to spend time on social networking other than purely to pursue social activities. Because employers and security headhunters are actively using social networking sites to recruit candidates for employment and they are also reviewing social media sites to check out applicants.

In fact, recent surveys show that almost 90% of companies are currently recruiting through social media and social media recruiting by employers and recruiters is only going to increase.

Be Social In Your Job Search
If you don't have a social media presence, you'll be at a distinct disadvantage in this competitive job market. A strong social presence can boost your candidacy and help ensure you will be found by security recruiters and hiring managers.

Conducting a job search using social media, in addition to traditional job searching using job search engines and job boards, and keeping your networking site profiles up-to-date will ensure that it's quick and easy for you to apply for jobs online and will promote your candidacy - and your expertise - to prospective employers.

Apply Directly
In addition, employers are increasingly accepting applications direction from networking sites. For example, you can apply for jobs on many company websites with your LinkedIn profile. Monster's Facebook App, BeKnown, enables job seekers to apply for jobs via Facebook using their BeKnown profile which is used as a resume.

Getting Started
If you haven't used social networking sites for anything other than connecting with your friends and family on Facebook, don't worry and don't try to create your social media presence all at once. Instead, do it one site at a time and take it a step at a time.

LinkedIn is the best site to start with because it's "the" go to site for professional networking.
You can then use your LinkedIn profile to build professional profiles on other sites. For example, copy the relevant information from your LinkedIn profile into your BeKnown profile.

One Step at a Time
As I mentioned, start with LinkedIn. Consider using BeKnown to create a professional profile on Facebook because it's totally separate from your personal Facebook. Then decide whether it's a good use of your time to use Twitter, Google+ and some of the other apps and networking sites for job searching.

Check out Google+. I think it is going to grow rapidly in popularity and practical application.
How much social networking you do depends on the time you have, the jobs you are interested in, and your career path in the security industry. Remember, you don't have to do everything just because it's there. The best plan is to balance your time so you're covering all the job search bases effectively.

Make Yourself Easy To Be Found
Given the instantaneous communications available online today, it's important to stay connected and to respond in a timely manner (within 24 hours, if possible) to inquiries and messages.

To be sure you are notified:

• Include your email address, phone number, and LinkedIn profile in your email signature and on your resume.
• Cross link your social networking profiles. For example, link your Twitter profile from your LinkedIn profile.
• Set your profiles so you're notified by email of new messages.
• Check your email frequently.
• Check your social networking sites regularly.
• Respond as soon as possible to inquiries from hiring managers and recruiters.
• If you have a smartphone, use it to manage your email and networking sites, so you don't have to get to your computer to check your mail.

I invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Thank you,
David Lammert

Avoid these 7 offer killing errors during your job search.

Were you lucky enough to get an interview and now you are waiting by the phone to hear back from a recruiter or hiring manager?

Time to wake up! You’re sabotaging your own job search. Take a step back and ask yourself if you’ve committed any of these 7 offer killing mistakes during your search:

7) Do you have an unflattering Web presence? Come on - in this day and age? Get your Facebook and Twitter presence cleaned up. Get an email account with only your name and use it for professional purposes like your job search.

6) Do you have bad grammar or typos on your resume? It doesn’t matter if you’re a VP of Security or an entry level candidate, you’ll be judged by your writing competency. It’s not always a deal breaker, but you start the process with a strike against you if you're lucky enough to not be ruled out based on that alone. Glaring typos are a bad sign to see on your resume, cover letter, or thank you letter. Speaking of which…

5) Did you send a thank you letter? You need to after every interview. A quick email will suffice, but a personalized handwritten letter says a bit more. Aside from being professional it's an opportunity to set you apart from other candidates.

4) Did you inquire too early about how much the job pays? Compensation is a touchy subject. If you bring it up too soon, it’ll look like your priorities are misaligned. You’re saying you don’t care about the company, just the paycheck itself.

3) Did you send your resume directly to the CEO: This “advice” comes up now and again from those who think there’s a fast-track to the hiring process; if you follow this advice, you’ve been fed a lie. The CEO is too busy for your gimmicks. Follow the prescribed avenues first – then try going “out of the box” to get into the company.

2) Do you have a customized cover letter and resume? You should have at least 2 or more versions of your resume that can be customized for different jobs. Never lie about your skills, you’ll be found out – but you might want to highlight different aspects of your career (aside from your transferable skills across industries) and SHOW don’t TELL how you accomplished various goals.

1) You went on the interview – did you assume you’re all done? It's time to sit back and wait by the phone right? No. Keep applying to positions and going on interviews. Nothing is a done deal until you hear, “you’re hired.”

Job seeking is a full time job – one that you probably don’t want for long! Work smarter, not longer and you’ll have that handshake in no time.

Good luck!
David Lammert

Keys to identifying a career that suits you

Finding the perfect career in security is no simple task. Some spend a lifetime without succeeding at this. There is no quick-fix or easy way to decide on the ideal career for you. It is a process - one that likely has many twists and turns and one that will require you to ask yourself many questions along the way.

Here are a few key considerations that will make the process a bit easier.

Determine Your Needs

This could be the toughest challenge of the process and one that will likely change as your career progresses. Ask yourself what you need from your work. Since there will be more than one thing on your list, you will have to prioritize.

Identify Your Values

Start by determining what you value in your career. Will it be income or growth potential, stability or something else? If your dream career in the security industry involves a lot of hours and travel, are you willing to make the sacrifice to have this job? If you are willing to make a personal sacrifice, how long are you willing to continue sacrificing?

Do Your Homework

Learn about the company before you join it. Research natural paths to other jobs within security from the one you are considering. What are the hard and soft skills necessary to succeed in the role? Network and talk with colleagues who have experience in a similar role.

Create a Formal Career Plan

Similar to a business plan, determine your short and long term goals and objectives. Use these to help you access if you are achieving your goals towards the career role you have identified. Use resources available such as career coaches, mentors and skills assessments. Revise your plan as needed.

You will know you are on the right career path when work doesn't feel like work anymore!

____________________________________________________________________________________

Good luck in finding the best career path for you!

David Lammert

4 Ways to Determine if Candidates Fit Your Culture

Have you ever hired that dream candidate who met every criteria of the position, was coveted by you and others in the organization and who negotiated a huge salary and title only to crash and burn within a few months? I have heard hundreds of stories just like this; candidates with excellent work history and experience, skills and credentials, yet they fail miserably because they don’t match the company culture.

Today, a growing number of recruiters, hiring managers, and CEOs from successful organizations feel a large part of their success in finding the right people is due to finding the people who fit comfortably within their culture.

Ten years ago we didn’t hear very much about fit, although it has always been a concern and a part of the decision on whether to hire someone or not. Recently it has become one of the more important concerns, often overriding skills or experience. Finding people who get along with those already in place and who are successful within a company is essential to success in growing the organization. Growing in this manner allows you to keep harmony, build community, and create trust - all important ingredients for success in innovative global and competitive environments.

Personal fit should be an integral part of your candidate assessment process. Fitting into a culture, organization, team or job is not always easy. Some people feel more connected and more included than others, and those who feel the most connected and involved tend to be the ones who perform well and stay. People who feel that they belong to something important, something that engages and excites them, make organizations more successful.

Candidates experience the corporate culture almost from their first contact with the organization. They see it in how they are treated during the hiring process, how diligent and caring the employees are, and what the work environment is like. As soon as they meet the hiring manager, they are assessing his or her style and values. When these are in alignment, good performance follows. Likewise, recruiters and hiring managers are subconsciously assessing candidates from the moment they meet them.

Know Your Culture
The first step in more objectively assessing culture fit is to articulate what makes up the culture of your organization.

Most firms do a poor job of figuring out what makes up their culture and whether candidates would be comfortable in it or with a particular manager. Many factors make up the corporate culture. Some of those are as basic as work schedules and travel demands, but most significant are the ethics and values the organization believes in, the style of everyday management, and how communication takes place.

Take the time to understand what the true ingredients are of your true culture, not the ones you wish for, and then you will be able to assess candidates with far greater success.

Four Ways to Assess Fit
Here are four ways to determine whether or not a candidate fits your culture.

1. Realistic Job Descriptions
Some firms rely on realistic job descriptions, where candidates get a glimpse of what it would be like to actually do the work. These true previews allow candidates to determine potential fit and opt “out” of applying. If they do apply, testing and proper interview techniques will allow organizations to determine the potential quality of fit of a candidate. The truer the job description the more likely you are to attract the right candidate.

2. Use referrals and Internal Connections
Referrals can be a gold standard for cultural fit because current employees, or even those who may not be employees but know your organization well, typically choose to refer people who will fit the culture. You can simply ask employees to focus on people who would be a good fit, rather on people with high skills levels or experience. The downside of referrals is that you can overuse your network and run out of good candidates, and it is always hard to get referrals consistently. It often requires a “reward” to get people motivated and once the push or reward goes away, referrals falls back to low levels.

3. Use Social Networks
Social networks are a potentially highly effective way to determine cultural fit or at least to see whether or not a potential candidate communicates and interacts in a way that fits. By developing a Facebook or LinkedIn page and then engaging candidates in conversations, recruiters can learn a great deal about communication skills, language ability, and motivation. The downside is that these require time and effort; often, more than an average recruiter has available. However, it is probably true that candidates who have joined your network and participate in conversations at all are a better fit than those who do not.

4. Testing
There are many tests of cultural and personal fit that can streamline assessment and that add a quantitative dimension to the selection process. These tests have been around for decades and have a solid track record when used properly. Of course, the downside of testing is the candidate’s acceptance and the time needed on both the candidate side as well as on the hiring authority to interpret the results.

Whatever method or combination of methods you decide on, making sure candidates will be comfortable in their work environment and with their hiring manager should be a key consideration.

By getting candidates who are aligned to your culture, you will experience faster time to productivity, deeper involvement in problem solving, greater innovation, and less turnover.

Good Luck!
David Lammert

Is Your Organization Full of “A” Players? 8 Questions to Ask Yourself about how to Maximize Your Talent

In a few short years we have gone from talking about how to recruit and keep top level talent in a competitive labor market to talking about how to find a job in this agonizingly slow economic recovery we are in. This is a rare opportunity for many firms, but one that many are failing to take advantage of due to their economic situation.

Few are talking about what needs to be done by companies to optimize their organization by hiring the highest number of “A” players possible. What percentage is possible? If done properly, 80-90% is a reasonable goal for “A” level talent over time. In our current economic climate it is especially important to move away from mediocrity in order to separate yourself from competitors, prepare for the future and hasten your firm’s recovery from the effects of the economic downturn.

The 80/20 rule is just not acceptable if you truly want to be successful in today’s market. For those who aren’t familiar with the 80/20 rule, it says that 20% or your sales organization will produce 80% of your revenue. What is your company is committed to? Consider the possibility of what your organization or security department would look like if everyone would achieve 80% of their productivity goals vs. 20-50%?

Optimization Checklist
Here are some questions you should be asking yourself. If you’re not asking these, you could be headed for mediocrity or possible failure.

* Have you calculated the costs of your hiring errors over the past two to five years? This is one of the best ways to know how many dollars you’ve lost by not committing to hire the best talent.

* Do you know what type of people you’re looking to hire? Have you created a specific and measurable job specification using your current and past A players as the benchmark? Is the executive team aligned with these goals and growth plans and how each department should be contributing to this plan?

* Have you clearly defined your corporate or department culture? Have you put a process in place to assess how candidates fit with this culture? Do not simply use past job performance as the only criteria.

* Do you have a plan in place to assess your current employees and remove all your under-performers? Don’t forget to also develop a timeline in which to complete this task.

* How are you identifying candidates? If you employ an internal recruiter, are they posting ads on job boards that typically attract lower level talent or are they actively searching out quality “A” level candidates? Are you using a recruiting firm that specializes in placing security professionals to supplement your own efforts?

* Are you paying your internal recruiters at the same level you pay your firms top professionals? If not, is it realistic to expect a mid-level recruiter to have the ability to find and attract “A” level talent?

* Do you have a plan to onboard and retain top talent?

* Have you created a list of questions, both open ended and closed, to qualify the competencies you require of your executives and security management?

Good luck –
David Lammert

How to search effectively for a new position

I received a call the other day from a veteran security industry professional that was suddenly laid off and need the assistance of a security industry recruiter. He hadn't had to search for a job in quite some time. After sharing how he had been searching on his own, it became clear that he was not being effective with his efforts.

He told me hadn't spent much time during his career networking and that he didn’t have much of an online presence on LinkedIn or other social media sites. He figured he could find a job on the job boards.

He went on to say he didn't know of many resources to use to find out information about companies online - and he asked me if it was important to take the time to research companies that he might apply to or interview with. Instead he thought it might be best to just apply online to as many jobs as possible figuring the more positions he applied for, the more opportunities to interview and secure a new job.

Now, it's not his fault that he was making mistakes that could hinder his job search. Rather, he didn't have a clue how he could job search more effectively, because he hadn't been in the job market for many years and didn't know how much job searching has changed over the last several years.

So, let's talk about some of worst job search mistakes you can make. What are some of the major mistakes that can bring your job search to a screeching halt before it even gets going? There are also many smaller mistakes that, given a competitive job market, can be enough to knock you out of contention for a job. Be sure to avoid all of these job search mistakes so you maximize the time and effort you invest in the job search process.

The Shotgun Approach

I don't post online all of the job searches I conduct. Most of the time, I have a candidate already in my network or can quickly get a quality referral. However, for those searches where I do post the job online I am always surprised by the high number of unqualified candidates who take the time and effort to respond. There isn't any point wasting your time applying for jobs that you're not qualified for. It's a waste of time, energy, and effort. Instead, take the time to focus your job search and apply to jobs that are a match for your skills and experience. Then target your resume and cover letter to show the hiring manager why you're qualified at first glance.

Blowing the Interview

What shouldn't you do when interviewing? It's often the little things that trip you up in an interview. Spend time preparing to interview so these don't happen to you! Role play interviewing with a friend or family member. Contact us at Pinnacle Placement for a free guide to interview preparation.

Spellcheck and Proofread

Check your resume, your cover letter, and every single email you send for grammar and spelling - even if it's just a quick email or LinkedIn message to a networking contact. Use full sentences and paragraphs, regardless of how you are communicating. Writing job search correspondence that reads like a text message is a surefire way to knock you out of the running for a job.

Unorganized Job Search

Given how much email most of us get, it's really easy to miss a message or to forget to follow up in a timely manner. Taking a few minutes to organize your job search effort is a great way to get your job hunt off to a good start. There are free tools you can use to organize and track of all your job search activities. Take advantage of them and stay on top of your job search.
Failing to have an Online Presence

Most companies that are seriously interested in hiring you are going to use Google to find out as much as possible about you. If you don't take the time to create an online presence, you will come up short when measured against candidates who have taken the time to build a presence. At the minimum, you should have a LinkedIn Profile that's complete with your work history and some recommendations.

Neglecting to Research the Company

When you go into a job interview without having researched the company, you're not going to have a clue about what the company's goals are, how you can fit into the organization, and what you can offer the company. When you take the time to research companies, you will be able to find out everything you need to know about a company before you sit down for an interview. In addition, you will be a well-prepared candidate for the job.

Narrow Focus on Posted Jobs

Do you have a list of companies you would like to work for? If you do, use the Internet to discover information about the company, review open positions, and find connections and a recruiter to help you apply for jobs that may not have been advertised yet. If not, get started on tapping the hidden job market, which are the jobs that aren't advertised. A large number of jobs are never posted online and you'll have an edge if you can use a connection or security industry recruiter to help you find and apply for them.

Poor Attitude

Frustrated, discouraged, feeling like you'll never find the right job for you? Did you hate your last job? Was your boss a jerk? Keep it to yourself, or at least to yourself and your friends and family. Despite how hard it can be, it's important to stay positive when communicating with networking contacts, recruiters, and hiring managers. Nobody likes a complainer, even if your complaints are legitimate. So, do your best to come across as positive, especially when you're interviewing.

Good Luck!

David Lammert