LITTLE THINGS CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

By this time, you know that the inspiration for my posts come from my actual experiences.   When I encounter three similar situations in the same week, that usually becomes the topic of the week, and so it is with this week's post.  A lot has probably been written about business lunch etiquette and the protocol of payment.  It may seem like a little thing, and to some extent it is, but the ritual of paying for a business meal is important.  A little faux pas in this connection can easily turn a productive meeting into a questionable situation.  Furthermore, all other things being equal, fumbling this event can become the difference between closing the deal, or not.  This week I experienced one of those situations and it gave me pause.

Among other events, I had three luncheon meetings scheduled this week.  One I called to talk with a friend who has been helping me launch my book.  The other two were with people who wanted my help.  One is a good friend and networking contact, the other a referral from a friend.  In the first case, actually the last meeting of the week, I needed some additional information from Brownell, an experienced e-book author who knows her way around Amazon.com.  I wanted to confirm one final bit of information.   She is moving away from the Atlanta area in a month, so all the more reason to treat her to a nice lunch.

The first lunch of the week was with Don, a referral from another friend.  Don is in his early-fifties and having difficulty finding a new situation.  As he was in town on personal business, we decided to meet for lunch and to include my business partner, Stan.  Don reached out to me, looking for my help and advice.  Now, I was not expecting Don to buy me lunch, but I was a bit surprised that he did not offer to cover his portion of the tab.  His decision to stick me with the check was a blemish on the meeting.  Granted, it was a little thing, but if our situation was reversed, as with Brownell, I would have gladly paid for lunch.  Little things speak volumes.

The third meeting was a late breakfast meeting with my friend Charlie who reached out to me.  I have not seen Charlie in a few years, but we are connected on LinkedIn and Facebook, so we have not lost contact completely.  Charlie saw that I was near the publication date for my book and called me up to schedule a meeting.  After a good breakfast and a complete debrief on the other’s activities since our last meeting, we got down to business.  To make a long story short, Charlie is involved with a cloud-based training and development company which he thought would benefit me in my efforts to market my book.   He was also looking for some introductions to help him with another consulting project. When we completed our discussion, Charlie grabbed the check.   I asked to at least share the bill, but he would have none of that.  Charlie is still the class-act I have always known him to be.  Needless to say, I got right to work making the connections we discussed.

When you are working to build a business relationship remember that you are being evaluated by the other party.  People want to know that you are professional, competent, and trustworthy.  They want to have confidence in your integrity.  They want to ensure that an association with you will not reflect poorly on them.  Rest assured that little things will make a big difference.  I learned this lesson the hard way, fortunately for me, while I was still a young aspiring professional.

The simple rule of thumb is "he who calls the meeting picks up the check."  If in doubt, offer to pay your share of the bill, or pick up the tab.  Don't leave your luncheon partner in an awkward position.  If you do, an otherwise useful   and productive meeting may become a wasted effort.  Little things can make a big difference!

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.

Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so, please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com

Another Step Closer To Publication

Another week, and another step closer to publishing “Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal.”  The artwork for the cover has been finalized.  Actually, I hired a freelancer through Upwork to complete this task.  Upwork is one of a number of on-line resources that connect freelancers to the market.  Fiverr is another widely used service.  I posted my job on Thursday afternoon, and by 10:00 a.m. Friday I had a finished product.  Upwork operates like any other job board where employers post jobs for permanent hires with some notable differences.  The service is menu driven, which is similar to Job Boards, but the overall feel is much more like a community.  Think of Monster meets Facebook.  UpWork is very interactive, unlike your typical job board.

Thursday afternoon I posted my job.  The posting included a description of my need, my budget for this task, and my contact information.  My project was open to all freelancers registered with Upwork. However, Upwork also provided me a list of highly qualified freelancers to consider.  I sent those people a personal invitation to bid on my work.    Within a few hours, 16 interested respondents had expressed interest in my job.  These folks came from the four corners of the planet.  The biggest concentration of applicants came from the U.S., the Philippines, Pakistan, and Eastern Europe.  By clicking on their name, I was able to view their recent projects and references.  Upwork helped the process by allowing me to archive people who were not a good fit and “like” candidates who I wanted to consider.  I sent thank you notes to everyone I could.  For those I considered serious contenders I sent a more detailed message and directed them to my web page.   Imagery with an Alligator seemed obvious, but the cover still needed to be conservative, appropriate for my target audience.  I also wanted a subtle reference to the digital age.

Friday morning I was in a text conversation with Vanessa, a highly recommended freelancer from The UK.  Upwork provides for instant messaging and video conferencing through their portal.  While we were chatting it up, so to speak, Vanessa offered a few mock ups that were most impressive.  It was her responsiveness and speed of service that made the difference.  I made her an offer and she accepted.   Working with Vanessa was fast and effortless.  After we had arrived at the basic layout and the correct species of reptile, we worked on my need for a subtle reference to the digital age.  Within minutes, she provided three more mock ups with a bit of a digital feel.  I settled on the least obtrusive of the three, and the project was complete.   I am very pleased with Vanessa’s work, and so far, all of the critiques have been positive.

Completing this task is a great example of employment options in the New Normal.  In a brief period of time, I evaluated the work of potential vendors from all over the globe.  I chose my preferred freelancer, and we worked together in real time, arriving at a finished project within an hour.  As soon as I was satisfied with the end result, I notified Upwork that the contract was complete and authorized payment to Vanessa.  With the project completed, we provided each other with references.

While evaluating the freelancers interested in my project I learned that many of these folks are gainfully employed, earning extra money on the side via Upwork.   Others are full-time freelancers who are active over a number of platforms.  This is the “Gig Economy” sector of the New Normal. 

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so, please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com

A Funny Thing Happened On My Way To...

A funny thing happened while promoting my book this week.  Reaching out to people who might be interested hearing me talk about “Job Search in the New Normal,” I became a volunteer for a faith-based job search program.   I have known of the job networking program run by the Roswell United Methodist Church, but never took the time to learn about their work.  I thought it was just another networking group that met once a month.  As luck would have it, the day of my email inquiry coincided with their monthly program.  I received a gracious invitation to attend the evening “Fast Start Program” and a personal overview from the Volunteer Ministry Co-Leader, Jay Litton.  

So, I arrived at 5:30 p.m. to attend the evening events. Most of the participants had been on the campus since early afternoon attending workshops.  Those workshops covered an array of topics from the fundamentals of job search to advanced discussions on crafting a job search strategy.  Some, like me, were first-time visitors.  The evening session began with a light dinner and orientation to the program.   The meal was free, but donations were accepted.  Their dining room is a large multi-purpose facility, like a high school gym, including a stage.  Each table of eight people included a volunteer who facilitated introductions and conversation.  The dinner program began with a brief inspirational message followed by a discussion at the tables.   The message for the day was about strength and courage, taken from the Old Testament Book of Joshua, very appropriate.

At 7:00 p.m. the dinner meeting ended and the participants went off to attend more workshops.  As I said, the topics covered every imaginable issue from resume preparation to interview skills.   There were even a number of employers on premises to talk to people interested in their current job openings.  At this time, Jay and I reconnected to complete my orientation.  After we had finished my tour and overview of the resources provided by their program, I sat in on one of the break-out sessions.   The one I chose happened to be facilitated by my colleague, Richard Kirby.  He was leading a discussion on interview questions one should expect.  Richard was gracious enough to ask for my input, and I willingly complied.

Since the Job Networking Ministry is an outreach of the Roswell United Methodist Church, there is a significant spiritual component to their program.  This is a key point as one’s spirit is aggressively challenged when unemployed.    Feeding the soul, recharging one’s psyche is critical to success.  This is integral to their ministry.

The end result is that I became sold on their program.  Before we finished our time together, I asked Jay how I could be helpful.   He told me that I could help with follow-up telephone calls to first-time visitors and suggested that I facilitate a discussion group at the next meeting.  I happily accepted the invitation.     This ministry is highly professional and well-structured.  It is competitive with any outplacement program I have seen, but is free and open to the public.  I am looking forward to my association with RUMC Job Networking Ministry and plan to become a leading evangelist.  If you find yourself between jobs, it would be wise to become familiar with this program and find something similar convenient to you!

Thank you for visiting my blog.  I hope you enjoyed my point of view and would like to receive regular posts directly to your email inbox. Toward this end, put your contact information on my mailing list.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read. Your input is very important to me so, please leave a comment.


Jim Weber, President
Author of: Fighting Alligators: Job Search Strategy For The New Normal
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com