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The Organization Man, “The Sequel”

William H. Whyte Jr.’s The Organization Man was a seminal work of the 1950’s .The book detailed what Mr. Whyte believed was the sacrifice of a generation in exchange for finding and keeping jobs that promised security.  That generation came of age in the “Great Depression.”

Are we on track for The Organization Man, “The Sequel?” In their Global Workforce Study released today Towers Watson, a human capital firm, showed a workforce weary of the fallout from the recession. And, perhaps not surprisingly, there is a renewed interest in job security. When respondents were asked about the factors most important in a preferred work situation, 86% chose a secure and stable position. Fewer, 74%, chose substantially higher levels of compensation.

Has the pendulum swung away from the idea Daniel H. Pink, author of the recently released Drive,  first popularized in Free Agent Nation? Said Laura Sejen, a leader of the company’s Talent and Rewards business, “Where once employers fretted over a ‘war for talent,’ now they must plan for a workforce that appears ready to settle in for years—perhaps even decades.”,

What will this mean for those joining the workforce in coming years, and folks who are delaying retirement? Share your thoughts!

Career Changing Blueprint

Julie Jansen may have been way ahead of the times when I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This  (Penguin) was first released in 2003.  In those less threatening economic times she created a blueprint for embarking on a successful career.

If anything, Ms. Jansen’s book is more relevant now than when it was first published. Make no mistake, reading the book will take dedication, the reader might even find it useful to have a highlighter or post it notes at hand.  Ms. Jansen insists when it comes to careers, one size doesn’t fit all. 

How do you recommend a job changer read this book? Are there some parts that are essential and others that can be skimmed?

The book was written so that the reader does not have to read it in its entirety. I doubt that I have ever read a self-help book cover to cover. The Introduction and Chapter One set the book up and are interesting but not necessary to read. Chapters Two, Three and Four are a must in my opinion because this is where the reader takes assessments to help him to understand his own situation, a crucial first step to changing work. Finally, the reader only needs to move to one of the six chapters that best describes his specific situation whether it be Bruised and Gun-shy or Yearning to Be on Your Own. Most people do tend to fall into more then one of the six work situations however there is usually one that is dominant.

Why is it so important for a job seeker to be clear on attitudes, values and personality preferences before beginning a job hunt?

There are so many reasons to know and internalize this information about oneself.

1. If you don’t know who you are and what is important to you, you won’t be successful at making a good match for you work-wise. This is analogous to dating.

2. Being clear about your values, personality preferences and attitudes will enable you to articulate this to a potential employer so that they understand who you are.

3. Articulating who you are will also make it easier for you to sell yourself and the value that you can bring.

4. People who are more self-aware are happier and healthier! 

You have a lot of categories, indeed some of them may be overlapping. Is it possible a mid life career changer might be Bruised and Gun Shy at the same he or she is Bored and Plateaued? How do you suggest the reader prioritize which sections most apply to them?

Yes, absolutely! When I speak to audiences and ask them which of the six categories they fall into, the majority will tell me that they fit into at least three situations, if not more. If someone is Bored and Plateaued and Bruised and Gun-shy, they probably will need to work on improving their self-confidence and self-esteem first before changing work to move out of the Bored and Plateaued phase. Usually there is something the reader needs to do to handle in each of the specific situations they fall within.

In this economy, it’s inevitable that job seekers have gaps in their resumes. What’s the best way to handle that?

The good news about this is that because approximately 20% of the American population is unemployed, employers and recruiters are now accustomed to seeing gaps. It is still just as important for someone to be able to clearly describe their work history, including gaps of time. At the same time, avoid dwelling on them and prepare a succinct sentence if the question comes up. 

If a job seeker has changed companies frequently, will that be a red flag for employment? How would a job seeker diffuse the idea they might be flighty or worse irresponsible?

This really depends on the pattern of changes. If the person has worked in the same industry but for many companies in a shorter period of time, this is a red flag. If the person has moved quickly from industry to industry, this may not present as much of a red flag unless the jobs are lower level/easy entry jobs. My experience as a career coach is that usually when people hop too much, there is an interpersonal or performance issue so the potential employer needs to be skilled in learning why the person keeps moving around.

What suggestions do you have for people who love being specialists, and may have had the same job title or similar responsibilities and job title, albeit in different companies for years.

I don’t see this as an issue unless it’s a case of the specific type of work becoming moribund or going away. A good example is computer programming. This job all but disappeared when companies started outsourcing this work overseas, in particular to India. Then it is time for reinvention for the specialist worker. Also, I think specialists are hired and then expected to become a generalist once they are in the job.

Working and Playing To Your Strengths

In December Right Management (a Manpower, Inc. subsidiary that handles outplacement) asked 900 workers, “Do you plan to pursue new job opportunities as the economy improves in 2010? More than half the workforce expected to have a foot out the door in the New Year. Fully 60% replied “yes, I intend to leave.” And nearly another quarter, 21% said “maybe, so I’m networking.” Which is better, leaving or staying? And if you do leave, will a new position play to your strength?

Marcus Buckingham has had a satisfying career advising managers and their employees about how to tap into their strengths. First Break All the Rules (1999),  Now Discover Your Strengths ( 2001),  One Thing You Need to Know (2005) and Go Put Your Strengths to Work  (2007) encouraged individuals to build on strengths rather than work to improve weaknesses. This philosophy has earned him a well recognized place among management gurus. I first interviewed him a decade ago for a story about thoughtfulness in the workplace.  

Now, though, he’s broadened his approach with the publication of Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently (Thomas Nelson 2008). Before you groan, as I did, about yet another book about women, this one is different. For openers, it shocks by describing that by all subjective measures of well being, women are less happy than men.  And for women, who may be juggling a home, family, a job, and perhaps aging parents, happiness and fulfillment may seem like distant goals.

To minimize a tendency toward unhappiness Mr. Buckingham says we need to have a clear idea of what choices strengthen us and give short shrift to confusing and contradictory messages. And he offers a check list.

…How often do you feel an emotional high in your life?

…How often do you find yourself positively anticipating your day?

…How often do you become so involved in what you are doing that you lose track of time?

….How often do you feel invigorated at the end of a long, busy day?

…How often do you get to do the things you really like to do?

It’s important, he says, to recognize that most responsibilities involve many different types of activities and it sometimes takes a conscious, selfishness to choose the ones that nourish you. Where have we heard that before? And how can we better do that?

It turns out that some of our unhappiness may be because we haven’t thought seriously about what invigorates us and we haven’t taken a stand for ourselves without bragging.

The book directs you to take the Strong Life Test. Some might consider it a gimmick, but it was surprisingly accurate, at least for this reporter. You only need to take ti once. I tried twice and got a different answer both times. “It’s best read the first time,” said Mr. Buckingham because on subsequent testing you’ve prepared and have time to weigh considerations.

And he says we get stronger as we get older because aging brings an acceptance of what sustains us. His name for this phenomenon is, “The Popeye Syndrome” because, he says, like Popeye, those who are reaching maturity, regardless of age acknowledge, “I am what I am.”

Mr. Buckingham offers tips to start off in the direction of what he calls a strong life…

Consider outsourcing activities that you find frustrating.

Better yet, look at the activity through the eyes of a strength. An example, at social gatherings or parties, try turning the festivity into a series of long individual conversations rather than brief cocktail party talk in a large group.

It’s more important to listen to your own voice, than social norms.

Civic Ventures, Encore Careers and the Purpose Prize

Marc Freedman heads a unique organization in San Francisco called Civic Ventures. It’s a think tank that promotes careers that combine continued income, greater meaning and social impact. And in his view, baby boomers will revolutionize retirement and transform the country. His book Encore: Finding Work that Matters in the Second Half of Life (Public Affairs 2007), which describes the possibilities, has taken on new relevance since its publication.

Instead of a traditional retirement of leisure, Mr. Freedman is advocating baby boomers undertake a significant second career of in an area of social importance.  And he makes a compelling case. In Encore he offers specific illustrations of individuals who heeded that call, and moved onto areas what they consider “greater purpose.” One example is Jacqueline Khan who went from truant officer to critical care nurse. Another is Robert Chambers who went from owning a car dealership to becoming a social entrepreneur.

Paradoxically, the stifled economy may have given a lift to Mr. Freedman’s thesis. He says the downturn has provided a climate for individuals to reassess their values and priorities. “There’s a reevaluation of what constitutes success,” he said, pointing to a disillusionment many are feeling about corporate America.

Still, despite considerable research that shows baby boomers are seeking a combination of fulfillment and want to remain engaged Freedman says that there are challenges to embracing what he calls purposeful work. Why? “You are often pretty much on your own in initiating this kind of career shift,” he says. To help with the transition,  Civic Ventures, is again funding a $100,000 Purpose Prize for those over sixty in second careers who are inventing new ways of solving social problems. The deadline for the application is March 5, 2010. Self nominations are allowed.

For those just beginning to contemplate “an encore” Mr. Freedman suggests trying to think about a career trajectory longer than one you might have previously anticipated. “Reset the time horizon,” he said, and think about your life as a body of work.

Retirement, Previously Known As Work

Retirement as a time of extended leisure may well be ending for some.  As Michael Winerip recently reported back in 1988, only 11% of people 65 and older were still working. As recently as two years ago, 16.8% of those 65 and older were still working.

Now, with nest eggs depleted from the Great Recession, and a collective desire to remain engaged,  there’s  a new study out from the Department of Labor  that looks ahead to 2018 when those 65 and older will be mostly boomers. And Mitra Toossi, an economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects that 22.4% of them are expected to still be working.

The issue is drawing attention. This week The New York Times has a story which shows what a delayed retirement might look like.  And The Economist weighs in on what’s ahead as businesses learn to master managing an aging workforce.

For a generation where both genders entered the workplace in record numbers, and grappled with work/family responsibilities, it may be time to break out the cartography tools once again. There’s only a sketchy road map of what its like to be “Working Retired” to use the phrase coined by Mark Penn in Microtrends.  

 This week we’ll be taking a look at some of the issues surrounding this new concept of retirement that was previously known as work.

Are You This Volunteer?

 

The Labor Department just released the results of a recent survey on Volunteering. Those most likely to volunteer are those 35-54, married with children under the age of 18. The big surprise is that in the year surveyed men spent more time than women doing good. Can it be that coaching trumps the PTA?  Share your volunteer stories here.

Career Reinvention in the New Year

January is a time to feel optimistic.  Any New Year’s resolutions are probably still being kept. For some, they involve finding a new career.  With the economy still shedding jobs, a career hunt  may be a more formidable undertaking than in the past.

Alexandra Levit  who previously wrote How’d You Score that Gig?  and They Don’t Teach Corporate in College, is back with a lively and insightful new book entitled New Job, New You.  (Ballantine Books) She has put together a toolkit that includes everything a job seeker needs for career reinvention culled from the experiences of people who have made a transition some more than once.

Ms. Levit assembled a winning and diverse group of career changers, all younger than 40.  And one almost wishes we could see them in five or ten years after they’ve gained more seasoning in the aftermath of the economic crisis.

She sets the tone early in the book with a reinvention assessment, which when taken honestly, can  separate those who are merely musing from those who are ready to reivent.

We caught up with Ms. Levit recently to talk about managing some of the challenges of career reinvention.

Here are several of her tips, with suggestions for first job seekers and baby boomers.

Define your motivation in career switching. A twenty-five item questionnaire in New Job, New You gives a reader insight into whether a career reinvention is a necessity or a passing whim.  Sample question—True or False, You feel you are a different person now than when you first started your career.

Remember everything you do is a measured risk. Just because the economy is in trouble is no reason not to pursue your dream job. You only need one small thing at a time to move forward. Sign up for the week-end workshop or take that on-line webinar.

Choose a first job by the knowledge you’ll gain. When weighing offers chose the job offer with as many transferable skills as possible. These might include project management, sales, marketing, finance and client relations.

The first job is not the be all and end all. Trust your instincts, when making a job choice, especially a first job choice, but also dial back the pressure. Again ask, will the job allow me to have transferable skills? You’ll be able to walk out of that job with a resume to make you proud.

If you are considering a graduate degree ask if the lifestyle applicable and good for you. Sure parents and peers may be thinking that grad school is a good way to sit out the recession, but unless you have a couple of years experience under your belt and an affinity for the field, it might be a waste of time and money.

If you are a baby boomer seeking reinvention, realize you have an advantage. Yes, you may encounter age discrimination, so consider deleting dates from your resume, but you know the business world and hopefully have learned something about packaging yourself.  You have more to draw on than someone with just a few years of experience behind them. If you want to do something you feel passionate about, now’s your chance.

Question About Executive Leadership

The Business Roundtable released their Fourth Quarter CEO Economic Outlook Survey recently.  There was good news since the CEO’s anticipated increased capital expenditures and sales during the next six months. The news about jobs was decidedly gloomier with employment growth continuing to lag.

Theirs is only one opinion however. In another release by Challenger, Gray and Christmas, Inc. the outplacement firm, found the rate of turnover of CEO’s had slowed from a year ago.

Still there was a caveat offered by John A. Challenger “However, the slower pace of CEO turnover may not last. Signs of recovery are beginning to emerge. As a turnaround gains momentum, there could be a surge in CEO changes as organizations change from a hold-the-line strategy to one focused more on risk-taking and expansion,” he added.

In the New Year could it be the lagging employment growth in the New Year will come from the downsizing of the CEO’s themselves?

Job Seekers Take Note and Heart

For the nearly 90% of employees who have kept their jobs in this recession, a game of musical chairs may be about to begin. As they’ve watched their colleagues endure layoffs, and perhaps experienced some survivor guilt, the added responsibilities appear to have taken a toll and may be near a breaking point. More than half the workforce expects to have a foot out the door in the New Year.

In a newly released survey Right Management (the subsidiary of Manpower, Inc. that handles outplacement) asked 900 workers, “Do you plan to pursue new job opportunities as the economy improves in 2010? Rather than expecting to stay put, fully 60% replied that “yes, I intend to leave.” And nearly another quarter, 21% said “maybe, so I’m networking.”

Hiring managers take note.

New College Grads and Where the Jobs Are

It’s a tough time to have just graduated in this recession. All the enthusiasm in the world and a pocketful of internships may not be sufficient insulation against the downturn.

According to a press release about the latest Michigan State University’s Recruiting Trends Survey of more than 2,500 companies and institutions, hiring levels are at their lowest levels in several decades. This would help explain an unemployment rate for 20-24 year olds that was over 15% in October, the highest level since the recession began. Some job hunters may be tempted to become entrepreneurs, or at least seek out entrepreneurial companies.

The survey found that while mid and large sized companies (500 employees are more) expected a decrease in hiring, companies with fewer than 500 employees expected an uptick in hiring this year. “These companies are guardedly optimistic about hiring over the next year,” said Phil Gardner, Director of MSU Collegiate Employment Research Institute.

He says that in addition to students focusing on e-commerce and entrepreneurship, other sectors than can expect to see hiring increases include agriculture production, environmental sciences, information systems, statistics, non-profits, nursing and social work and multimedia including web design.

This week, in the New York Times feature, “The Boss,”
I interviewed Michael Chasen, the president and CEO of Blackboard, an online learning company based in Washington, D.C.

Recently I spoke to Elaine Romanelli, Mr. Chasen’s entrepreneur professor at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. Dr. Romanelli’s research focuses on the characteristics of firms and regional industry environments that are likely to promote new business foundings.

Dr. Romanelli offers these observations that would be entrepreneurs and job seekers at entrepreneurial companies may want to consider.

What does your background tell you?
Dr. Romanelli says that people whose parents were small business owners are more likely to be small business owners themselves. And she said, they’ve developed a, “a habit of mind,” which allows them an ability to spot opportunities and know how to turn those opportunities into products.

Leave yourself open to opportunities…
Beyond that, she says serendipity or accidents may also play a role in successful entrepreneurship. Mr. Chasen’s close friend Matthew Pittinsky was enrolled in a Master’s of Education program at the same time Michael was at Georgetown. And it was Mr. Pattinsky who introduced Mr. Chasen and an entrepreneurship project he developed tin Dr. Romanelli’s class to his boss and launching Mr. Chasen’s business career.

Chose your business location carefully…
Lastly, Dr. Romanelli she says context matters…what others might call location. She says there is knowledge and combinatory of knowledge in areas that are populated by specific industries, e.g. the motion picture industry in Los Angeles and start-ups in the Silicon Valley and ringing Route 128 around Boston. It’s important to chose your location carefully.

Recently the Ewing Marion Kaufmann Foundation analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data and found that companies less than five years old created nearly two-thirds of net new jobs in 2007. While attrition for new companies is high, newly created and young companies are the primary drivers of job creation in the United States.

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