Are your skills and experience overrated?

Every day I talk to managers, senior executives, and other hiring authorities who all seem to say the same thing: they are not necessarily looking for advanced degrees or certifications in the new hires they want to attract. They seem to feel that it is more important that new hires are able to work effectively on the teams that are already in place, while also making their own specialized, individual contribution to the company.

Survey says: they are not alone
According to recent research by Right Management, more and more organizations prefer to hire employees who are a good cultural and motivational fit with their team. In the first quarter of 2010, Right Management surveyed more than 800 senior human resource professionals and other business leaders throughout North America to learn what contributes most to accelerated performance. The results?
• Organizational culture/motivational fit: 31%
• Interpersonal behaviors: 26%
• Critical reasoning/judgment: 21%
• Technical skills: 12%
• Relevant experience: 11%

“Immediate, on-the-job performance is so essential these days,” said Michael Haid, Senior Vice President of Global Solutions at Right Management. “New hires need to get up to speed fast and make a smooth transition into the new environment.”

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
The data proves that you could be the most qualified employee with the most impressive resume in the world, but if you’re unable to get along with your co-workers and perform well under pressure and in a way that the organization considers meaningful, it won’t matter. The trend that I (as a recruiter) have seen is more and more weight being given to "fit" becoming a hiring norm rather than a short-term fad.

Your first priority: build and maintain a quality reputation
If you want to assure your managers of your value, keep striving to reach your outlined performance goals and develop new skills. You should also place an emphasis on developing deep and positive relationships and look for opportunities to demonstrate that your values are aligned with those of your organization. Actively manage your reputation and don’t shy away from challenges, since as the survey results suggest, the mere act of using good judgment to address a problem may be more impactful than the result.

6 behaviors that will knock your career off track

Getting bumped off the track on your way to the top of the ladder is every high-achiever's recurring nightmare. How can you be sure it doesn't happen to you? Review these six indicators of career derailment. If any of them describe you, you'll know what areas you need to work on:

1. Disagreements with Higher Management
Obviously, this is a no-no, even if your point of view is correct. Those who would rather be right than promoted almost always get their wish.

2. Problems with Team Building
You need to be good at spotting talent. Building diversity, developing the individuals who report to you and helping your people work together effectively are core capabilities that you can't do without for very long.

3. Problems Developing Working Relationships
If people don't want to be around you, your career is in trouble. Bullying, isolation and being out of the loop all torpedo corporate careers.

4. Lack of Follow-Through
When you consistently forget to follow up on promises and don't attend to important details, people notice and question the wisdom of handing you anything else to forget.

5. Difficulty Moving from a Technical to a Strategic Level
Here's where many people can stumble and find themselves unable to go beyond what they know in order to formulate more complex strategies. If you're on your way up the ladder from a more technical role, be sure to ask your boss for some feedback as to whether your strategic skills need honing.

6. Assuming Something (Or Someone) Other Than Your Own Hard Work Will Take You Where You Want to Go
Being overly dependent on a powerful boss or some other advocate, or even on your natural talent, sometimes causes high-potential people to get a little lazy. "I know I'll make VP this spring, because all the important people are on my side," a rising young star once said. Wrong -- he was passed on the inside lane by somebody who had just made a great presentation to the senior VP. The only person who can get you noticed and promoted is you.

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Anything on that list sound familiar? If not, take a second look or consult a friend. Psychologists tell us that self-evaluation is a terrible indicator of performance. To be on the safe side, ask somebody who knows you well (and will tell you the truth) to have a look at the list and give you some objective feedback.

When it comes to keeping your career on track, what you don't know about yourself could definitely hurt you.

How to research a potential new employer on the Web

You've scoured the job postings, revised your resume dozens of times, and composed cover letters that will impress even the most skeptical recruiter and hiring manager. If all your hard work pays off with an invitation to interview, don't squander the opportunity by failing to learn about your potential new employer before you get there. Researching a company requires more than reading the job description and looking them up in the phonebook to find out what they do. If you really want to knock their socks off, you need to go the extra mile; that’s what it takes today to separate yourself from other potential candidates.

Point and Click
Virtually all companies now have websites. I am sure the companies you've applied to have them as well and hopefully they're informative and easy to navigate. Look for the obvious, such as what they do and who they serve, but dive in and see if you can find out more. A good website probably includes:
• A mission statement which captures the philosophy of the company
• A description of the company's expertise
• A description or listing of the company's primary products and services and key staff members
• Advertising, press releases, or statements regarding the company's new product launches or joint ventures
• Current and archived newsletters and blogs. These can be a rich source of information you could not find elsewhere. Be sure to read these and use the information in your interview.

Dig, Dig, Dig
Some companies include separate areas for their corporate information as well as links to those areas aren't always obvious. Occasionally, they even maintain a separate site which keeps their company information separate from their consumer-facing sites. Look for small links which often sit at the top or bottom of their webpages, and check search engine results to see if more than one URL shows up relative to the company you're researching. You may be able to dig up more details which can help further your knowledge and understanding of a company, such as:
• The size of the company and its organizational culture
• Annual reports
• A history of how and why the company was formed, including biographies of its owners or founders

Explore
Once you've gleaned what you need from their own information, effective searching can really help you develop a bigger picture of the overall industry in which the company fits. Familiarize yourself with key events, legislation, competitors, or issues which may currently affect the company. Your questions or statements about such topics during an interview will demonstrate that you've really done your research and will hopefully leave the kind of impression that gives you an edge over others and ultimately gets you the job.

Good Luck!
David Lammert