Dear Professional,
Last week I gave a presentation to a group of Audiology graduate students. When I asked the question, "What is your greatest fear surrounding the employment process"? They answered, "being taken advantage of in the negotiation phase". I also received comments that included "not knowing what I'm worth" and "I'm not comfortable negotiating for myself". I have found these feelings/fears to be pretty consistent among graduate students and even among seasoned professionals. Here are some strategic benefits to using an Agent for you to consider:
1. An Agent has a pre-existing relationship with the hiring manager. They have weekly conversations with these people to stay updated on the company's needs, the exact skill sets they're looking for, emerging trends, expansion plans, new budget dollars, new products and new research developments.
2. Working with an Agent allows you to bypass the internet and human resources' gate keeping processes which filter out resumes and applications that do not meet the "required" (i.e. key words, etc) criteria. Many times the best candidates are eliminated here simply because of poorly drafted resumes or resumes that don't accurately reflect the candidate's experience/competencies/accomplishments.
3. Most importantly, a candidate that is presented by an Agent to a potential hiring manager has priority. Why? It might seem counter-intuitive on the surface as to why a hiring manager/company would rather pay a fee for a great candidate instead of engaging in their own search for a good candidate that costs them much less but it's 100% true. The truth is smart hiring managers/companies understand the costs that surround a vacancy. In a dispensing practice an Agent's fees can be recouped in an hour or two (the sale of a couple of hearing aids). The cost of a vacancy in these types of companies can easily exceed 30,000 dollars a month. Compound this with the opportunity cost that is lost when an owner/audiologist is trying to cover two offices or multiple schedules. Patient appointment times get pushed to 3 and 4 weeks out. Follow-up appointments are pushed out further and other critical duties such as marketing and business planning are put on hold.
4. A candidate (audiologist) that is presented by an Agent enjoys the benefit of having an advocate present them in the best light possible. An "unbiased", third-party (the Agent) is the perfect medium to sell and tout your achievements, your experience and your personality. Weak areas in a candidate's resume can be explained away or put into perspective by a savvy Agent. There is a measure of trust between the Agent and the hiring manager. A hiring manager is more likely to stretch or take a risk on a certain candidate based upon the Agent's recommendation.
5. The Agent acts as a valuable feedback channel to you the candidate and to the hiring manager. He can prep you on key words or phrases to use. Which experience to highlight and which area to minimize. He can relay the personality type of the HM and what will and will not impress him or her. This is where insider information becomes invaluable prior to an interview.
6. Being represented by an Agent changes the dynamic between you and the hiring manager. With Agent representation you’ve already been pre-sold to the hiring manager. The job interview changes from a “yours to win” type of dynamic-where you’re trying to win the job to a, “yours to lose” dynamic-where you simply need to confirm what the hiring manger already believes about you. You now have a much greater chance of success in getting the job offer.
7. When it comes to negotiating salary and benefits an Agent can help you get the highest compensation possible. Many times there are additional dollars allocated for sign-on bonus, relocation bonus, a higher base salary or a more attractive commission percentage that is never disclosed by the HM. Direct discussions between the candidate (you) and the HM and/or your potential boss over compensation, can sometimes get a little bit testy. This is especially unnerving if the job is one you really want. The natural reaction is to take what they offer (usually the lowest package). Compounding this tendency are the tough economic times we are in. Having an intermediary (an Agent) perform this difficult but essential task, keeps you and your future boss in a positive working relationship, where we (the Agent) can play “hardball” (if necessary) to get you the compensation you desire. It is here that a savvy Agent can make the difference of another 5-20K in your pocket.
8. Working with a Bridgeline Agent never costs you a dime!
Added to this is the incredible technology we use to uncover those unique opportunities and persons-of-influence. Imagine an ongoing, highly effective search engine that works while you sleep, bringing you new and exciting opportunities every week based upon your personal criteria.
A word to the Wise...
All you need to worry about is making a connection with your future boss. Get your future boss to like you and make you the offer. We'll do the rest!
Best Regards,
Tom
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Discovery
Greetings everyone!
Last time we talked about setting the Agenda, where you need to clearly state your objective; the reason for your call (to a prospective employer); the need to build rapport with the other party; and how to ask a series of (pre-written or scripted) open-ended questions. Now we are into the "discovery" phase of your "cold-call".
In discovery you are really trying to uncover or discover the emotional triggers or hot buttons the hiring manager has. It's natural for some one to remain in the intellectual, non-emotional, non-engaged level or, what we call the "head phase". Here questions are answered in a routine, surface, superficial level. No emotion. And if you stay here in your interview, you'll never go anywhere as far as getting a job. To get past this level, try asking the same question a number of different ways. Stay away from commentary and judgments, listen, mirror (use the same words and phrases back to the other party; their own words) and clarify to understand.
Know ahead of time the purpose of your questions (i.e. Does the company have a need/vacancy now that needs to be filled? If, so what type of person/skills are they looking for? Is there an urgency to get the position filled? Is revenue being lost? Are initiatives on hold until the position is filled? How much pain surrounds this vacancy?). Again, write them down ahead of time. Know what you want to accomplish: such as a secondary meeting with HR or the person who can move you through towards being hired.
Paint the Dream:
This is where you need to discover what this hiring manager really wants. Once it is discovered (i.e. we really need an audiologist who is really good at connecting with people for our training opening and who has a knack for customer service and follow-up. This person needs to be an ambassador for the company") you have the opportunity to present yourself as the solution. The only way you get this disclosure is by asking a direct question such as: "Laura, if you could create this person out of thin air who could start today, what would they look like? What would be their experience and specific skills? Tell me about their attitude?" This is where the hiring manager starts to articulate and state (out loud) their "dream" or said another way, the solution to their pain. If you're listening this is where you match your talents/experience/credentials to solve their problem or put in the positive-fulfill their dream.
Getting to the Trigger:
This is THE critical area to discover from any hiring manager (in Sales, it applies to any one). Getting to the trigger is the secret and it begins by asking a series of questions:
"How long have you been thinking about...?"
"Help me understand how this person will help you reach your goals...?"
"Tell me more about what this person needs to be able to accomplish in order for you and your team to be successful?"
When you hear these answers, make sure you mirror back to them their EXACT words! People do not deny their own data. They need to see and hear themselves. There is a phrase in sales that says "people pay to meet with themselves". Think of the psychology here. Your conversation needs to be experiential vs information "dumping". The hiring manager needs to feel listened to vs talked to. Via discovery, painting the dream and discovering the trigger, the hiring manager needs to be walked through self discovery vs being just "told about you"-this generates ownership thinking on their part. Lastly, you insert yourself as the solution to their problem, the key to their dream by using their own (the hiring manager's) words.
A word to the wise...
Keep these secrets to yourselves. If you need help or a sounding board to practice on, we're here to assist you.
Best Regards,
Tom
Last time we talked about setting the Agenda, where you need to clearly state your objective; the reason for your call (to a prospective employer); the need to build rapport with the other party; and how to ask a series of (pre-written or scripted) open-ended questions. Now we are into the "discovery" phase of your "cold-call".
In discovery you are really trying to uncover or discover the emotional triggers or hot buttons the hiring manager has. It's natural for some one to remain in the intellectual, non-emotional, non-engaged level or, what we call the "head phase". Here questions are answered in a routine, surface, superficial level. No emotion. And if you stay here in your interview, you'll never go anywhere as far as getting a job. To get past this level, try asking the same question a number of different ways. Stay away from commentary and judgments, listen, mirror (use the same words and phrases back to the other party; their own words) and clarify to understand.
Know ahead of time the purpose of your questions (i.e. Does the company have a need/vacancy now that needs to be filled? If, so what type of person/skills are they looking for? Is there an urgency to get the position filled? Is revenue being lost? Are initiatives on hold until the position is filled? How much pain surrounds this vacancy?). Again, write them down ahead of time. Know what you want to accomplish: such as a secondary meeting with HR or the person who can move you through towards being hired.
Paint the Dream:
This is where you need to discover what this hiring manager really wants. Once it is discovered (i.e. we really need an audiologist who is really good at connecting with people for our training opening and who has a knack for customer service and follow-up. This person needs to be an ambassador for the company") you have the opportunity to present yourself as the solution. The only way you get this disclosure is by asking a direct question such as: "Laura, if you could create this person out of thin air who could start today, what would they look like? What would be their experience and specific skills? Tell me about their attitude?" This is where the hiring manager starts to articulate and state (out loud) their "dream" or said another way, the solution to their pain. If you're listening this is where you match your talents/experience/credentials to solve their problem or put in the positive-fulfill their dream.
Getting to the Trigger:
This is THE critical area to discover from any hiring manager (in Sales, it applies to any one). Getting to the trigger is the secret and it begins by asking a series of questions:
"How long have you been thinking about...?"
"Help me understand how this person will help you reach your goals...?"
"Tell me more about what this person needs to be able to accomplish in order for you and your team to be successful?"
When you hear these answers, make sure you mirror back to them their EXACT words! People do not deny their own data. They need to see and hear themselves. There is a phrase in sales that says "people pay to meet with themselves". Think of the psychology here. Your conversation needs to be experiential vs information "dumping". The hiring manager needs to feel listened to vs talked to. Via discovery, painting the dream and discovering the trigger, the hiring manager needs to be walked through self discovery vs being just "told about you"-this generates ownership thinking on their part. Lastly, you insert yourself as the solution to their problem, the key to their dream by using their own (the hiring manager's) words.
A word to the wise...
Keep these secrets to yourselves. If you need help or a sounding board to practice on, we're here to assist you.
Best Regards,
Tom
Monday, October 12, 2009
Setting the Agenda
Dear Audiologist,
Setting the Agenda for any conversation is a must, especially if you are seeking something from the other party, like a job!
What is an Agenda? A road map for the conversation (regardless of the length of the conversation). Who sets the Agenda? You. State your goals. State the key points you want to make and what you want to accomplish for the conversation.
Example:
"Hi Bill (Sales/Training Director or practice owner) my name is Tom Northey, thank you for taking my call. I'm calling you today to make an introduction. I want to introduce myself, get an understanding of what type of talent you're looking for at XYZ manufacturer (or clinic, etc.) and share with you a few of my notable achievements as an audiologist. Tell me about the type of audiologist that is going to help grow your organization?"
Notice how the Agenda has been incorporated into a succinct series of statements ended with a good "open-ended" question. By setting an Agenda you control/direct the conversation. The perception that you present is one of confidence, control and competence. Presenting key open-ended questions that DO NOT begin with can, is, do, are (which prompt a yes or no dead-end response) is essential to getting the "person of influence" to disclose key information in which you (through effective listening) can match your experience to. This component is referred to as Discovery. It is a critical strategy for any sales situation and the ability to sell yourself is the most essential "sale" you can ever make. By asking key open-ended questions (how, tell me about, explain to me, what initiatives have you been charged with accomplishing, what type of personnel are essential for you today) you discover what the person of influence needs or wants. In the discovery process you learn about what not to do/say, what skills he or she is looking for, what plans are in the works, and then identify and tag specific experience or skill sets that solve your party's problem(s).
Setting the Agenda for any conversation is a must, especially if you are seeking something from the other party, like a job!
What is an Agenda? A road map for the conversation (regardless of the length of the conversation). Who sets the Agenda? You. State your goals. State the key points you want to make and what you want to accomplish for the conversation.
Example:
"Hi Bill (Sales/Training Director or practice owner) my name is Tom Northey, thank you for taking my call. I'm calling you today to make an introduction. I want to introduce myself, get an understanding of what type of talent you're looking for at XYZ manufacturer (or clinic, etc.) and share with you a few of my notable achievements as an audiologist. Tell me about the type of audiologist that is going to help grow your organization?"
Notice how the Agenda has been incorporated into a succinct series of statements ended with a good "open-ended" question. By setting an Agenda you control/direct the conversation. The perception that you present is one of confidence, control and competence. Presenting key open-ended questions that DO NOT begin with can, is, do, are (which prompt a yes or no dead-end response) is essential to getting the "person of influence" to disclose key information in which you (through effective listening) can match your experience to. This component is referred to as Discovery. It is a critical strategy for any sales situation and the ability to sell yourself is the most essential "sale" you can ever make. By asking key open-ended questions (how, tell me about, explain to me, what initiatives have you been charged with accomplishing, what type of personnel are essential for you today) you discover what the person of influence needs or wants. In the discovery process you learn about what not to do/say, what skills he or she is looking for, what plans are in the works, and then identify and tag specific experience or skill sets that solve your party's problem(s).
More on open-ended questions:
Open-ended questions require detail and conscious thought to fully answer. In many cases converting a closed question to an open-ended questions is as simple as adding Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How to the beginning. Most importantly, open-ended questions launch a dialogue between you and the decision maker/manager which magically transforms you from a desperate job-seeker trying to get employed to a professional colleague who can help that manager solve a problem.
Next time we will go more into the Discovery process and "discover" what you want to learn from the hiring manager.
Best Regards,
Tom
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Elevator (phone) Speech
Hello Everyone!
Today's blog is a continuation on how to make that critical first impression (usually via the phone but just as important face-to-face). This "speech" needs to be rehearsed and memorized, especially if you find yourself in a face-to-face opportunity. If you're making a phone call to that critical person of influence then have it written down as a script in front of you. I can't stress enough the use of properly written/designed scripts when making key phone calls. Make sure your cadence sounds natural (not mechanical).
Working through a list of well designed sentences that use clear, coherent words and statements is very, very impactful over the phone (Point: become good friends with your Thesaurus). Especially if you're like me and those brilliant phrases/words seem to escape you on the fly. Script your call, never, ever "wing it", no matter how polished you think you are. Your script should prompt a next step. It might be a follow-up call with more time with the hiring manager/person of influence. It might be a meeting. It might be a conference call with additional people or a next step with HR.
Most positions you want will not be posted. Just accept this fact. Present your call as an "exploratory interview". You want to make an introduction, you want to present yourself as a future candidate. Fully disclose that you have targeted this person or company as a place where you want to work (be prepared to answer why on the spot! Again, have a pre-prepared script with a cogent, succinct answer).
Example of a job-seeker type of 'elevator speech'
1.) Name, where you are from:
My name is Darren Jones. I was born in Chicago and have lived in Denver for the past 9 years.
1.) Definition of expertise and number of years:
I'm a seasoned sales and marketing executive with over 12 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
3.) Short chronology showing the progression of your career:
I started my career in 1996 as an entry level employee serving as a sales coordinator for Deraxo Pharmaceuticals. I worked hard and in 1998 was promoted to district sales representative responsible for managing 30 accounts. In two years, I increased the number of accounts I managed to 48 and in 2000 I was named Regional Sales Manager. I relocated to Denver and led 6 district representatives in a 5-state region. In 2005, I was recruited by Marcot Pharmaceuticals to become Senior Director of Sales and Marketing. When Marcot was acquired in June, I was laid off.
4.) Key accomplishments/results with emphasis on your most recent position (or the position that best defines your skills):
I love my chosen profession and have enjoyed all my jobs, but my proudest accomplishment was my success at Marcot Pharmaceuticals. As a direct result of my hard work and leadership, I was able to transform the Marcot brand from a relatively unknown pharmaceutical company to a powerhouse industry leader. Through creative sales and marketing campaigns, including the creation of Marcot's popular "We Feel Your Pain" campaign, in only two years, company sales increased by over 60%, top of mind brand awareness amongst medical professionals increased by 80% and our market share increased 25%. In addition, I created a unique initiative and motivation plan that allowed my employees to increase their earning power. As a result, I was able to create a powerhouse sales army on behalf of Marcot and enjoyed the loyalty of my entire sales team.
5.) In addition to your expertise what other skills do you possess that are valuable? (Management, budgets, analysis, sales, marketing, customer service):
I consider myself a great manager and am dedicated to providing my employees with the tools to be successful. My employees know that I'm always available to meet with clients and that they can count on me to creatively find ways to solve clients problems. I enjoy creating and managing budgets. Each quarter I diligently analyze my competitor's quarterly reports and I have an uncanny ability to analyze industry trends and identify opportunities for increased sales growth.
6.) Soft skills (hard-working, able to juggle and manage under stress, friendly, team-driven):
People who work with me would call me fun, driven, fair and unflappable. I'm the type of person who is willing to do whatever is required to reach a goal. I'm a team player but am also not afraid to question strategy and goals and suggest options and alternatives.
7.) College degree? Sports? What do you like to do with your free-time?:
I received my business degree from the University of Chicago and have spent weekends over the past two years in the Colorado State University Executive MBA program where I will graduate in December. I play intra-mural kick ball, am a Colorado Rockies season-ticket holder and my wife and I have a 2-year old daughter.
Next time we'll discuss how to set the "Agenda" and take control of the conversation and why you never want to use close-ended questions.
Best Regards,
Tom
Today's blog is a continuation on how to make that critical first impression (usually via the phone but just as important face-to-face). This "speech" needs to be rehearsed and memorized, especially if you find yourself in a face-to-face opportunity. If you're making a phone call to that critical person of influence then have it written down as a script in front of you. I can't stress enough the use of properly written/designed scripts when making key phone calls. Make sure your cadence sounds natural (not mechanical).
Working through a list of well designed sentences that use clear, coherent words and statements is very, very impactful over the phone (Point: become good friends with your Thesaurus). Especially if you're like me and those brilliant phrases/words seem to escape you on the fly. Script your call, never, ever "wing it", no matter how polished you think you are. Your script should prompt a next step. It might be a follow-up call with more time with the hiring manager/person of influence. It might be a meeting. It might be a conference call with additional people or a next step with HR.
Most positions you want will not be posted. Just accept this fact. Present your call as an "exploratory interview". You want to make an introduction, you want to present yourself as a future candidate. Fully disclose that you have targeted this person or company as a place where you want to work (be prepared to answer why on the spot! Again, have a pre-prepared script with a cogent, succinct answer).
Example of a job-seeker type of 'elevator speech'
1.) Name, where you are from:
My name is Darren Jones. I was born in Chicago and have lived in Denver for the past 9 years.
1.) Definition of expertise and number of years:
I'm a seasoned sales and marketing executive with over 12 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
3.) Short chronology showing the progression of your career:
I started my career in 1996 as an entry level employee serving as a sales coordinator for Deraxo Pharmaceuticals. I worked hard and in 1998 was promoted to district sales representative responsible for managing 30 accounts. In two years, I increased the number of accounts I managed to 48 and in 2000 I was named Regional Sales Manager. I relocated to Denver and led 6 district representatives in a 5-state region. In 2005, I was recruited by Marcot Pharmaceuticals to become Senior Director of Sales and Marketing. When Marcot was acquired in June, I was laid off.
4.) Key accomplishments/results with emphasis on your most recent position (or the position that best defines your skills):
I love my chosen profession and have enjoyed all my jobs, but my proudest accomplishment was my success at Marcot Pharmaceuticals. As a direct result of my hard work and leadership, I was able to transform the Marcot brand from a relatively unknown pharmaceutical company to a powerhouse industry leader. Through creative sales and marketing campaigns, including the creation of Marcot's popular "We Feel Your Pain" campaign, in only two years, company sales increased by over 60%, top of mind brand awareness amongst medical professionals increased by 80% and our market share increased 25%. In addition, I created a unique initiative and motivation plan that allowed my employees to increase their earning power. As a result, I was able to create a powerhouse sales army on behalf of Marcot and enjoyed the loyalty of my entire sales team.
5.) In addition to your expertise what other skills do you possess that are valuable? (Management, budgets, analysis, sales, marketing, customer service):
I consider myself a great manager and am dedicated to providing my employees with the tools to be successful. My employees know that I'm always available to meet with clients and that they can count on me to creatively find ways to solve clients problems. I enjoy creating and managing budgets. Each quarter I diligently analyze my competitor's quarterly reports and I have an uncanny ability to analyze industry trends and identify opportunities for increased sales growth.
6.) Soft skills (hard-working, able to juggle and manage under stress, friendly, team-driven):
People who work with me would call me fun, driven, fair and unflappable. I'm the type of person who is willing to do whatever is required to reach a goal. I'm a team player but am also not afraid to question strategy and goals and suggest options and alternatives.
7.) College degree? Sports? What do you like to do with your free-time?:
I received my business degree from the University of Chicago and have spent weekends over the past two years in the Colorado State University Executive MBA program where I will graduate in December. I play intra-mural kick ball, am a Colorado Rockies season-ticket holder and my wife and I have a 2-year old daughter.
Next time we'll discuss how to set the "Agenda" and take control of the conversation and why you never want to use close-ended questions.
Best Regards,
Tom
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