Make Good Friday GREAT!

Well I hope your Good Friday is going well and that if you are working, you at least get off early! (Refer to last Friday's post)

Now, purposefully, I normally avoid political discourses and religious themes, and many other controversial topics. This is only because this blog is focused on helpful points and generally overiding principles, not because I don't have strong opinions and firm beliefs- I do!

So let's make this Good Friday great- and the entire Easter weekend a special one. How? Glad you asked!

First, let's remember the true reason for this holiday- it is the remembrance of the torture, death and resurrection of a man named Jesus- his life and death is historical fact; whether you believe in Him and know Him as your personal saviour is up to you. But, like most holidays or special historical markers, it always makes them more meaningful if we focus on the real reason for its existence and the true cause for our celebration.

Next, focus on family! Focusing on the historical meaning and the sacrificially loving cause for this weekend and conveying it to others doesn't mean we can't get the kids their first rabbit or take them on a fun Easter egg hunt or go picnic under a beautiful sunset! Jesus' love for others was unparalleled- providing this to the people in our life is a great tribute, I'd say, and will certainly take this weekend from good to great.

Lastly, believe! Hold on, put your guard down for a second! You can believe in Jesus as the Christ if you want to or don't, that's your choice. I do. My challenge to you is to believe in something- God, love, your country, or yourself- certainly one of these doesn't take the place of the other nor do they all have the same repercussions. But belief in something- ideally the right things, is crucial and is also fading too quickly. Like the old country song says, "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything!" Figure out what you should believe in- what is important and everlasting, what is life changing and good. Then your weekend- and hopefully your life, will go from good to great!

I would like to end this with a Bible verse we probably all know- Christian or non Christian alike, which seems especially appropot this weekend:
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believed in Him would not perish but have everlasting life. - John 3:16

Thanks for reading; until next Friday,

Jason Weaver
www.ExecutiveSearchandPlacement.com
Jason@ESandP.net

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

I apologize for the silence last Friday, but the reason for it is the topic for today's post. No, I won't share that I was too busy or out of town, nor that I was hammering out business calls or strategizing new marketing concepts in place of a blog post last week.

I WAS OUT HAVING FUN!

No qualms, no apologies, and no regret necessary! There's a sneaking suspicion that each of this blog's readers got along just fine with their lives, and that the disappointment of a missing blog post was slightly less than traumatic or heart-breaking... If not, you need to read today's post twice and then seek professional help!

Obviously all posts to date have been in reference to work, jobs, professional improvement, learning new skills and oiling the work machine- and that is good since that is the general aim for this blog. But all that is truly meaningless and superfluous if you do not take time to enjoy your life, to to take full account of your many blessings, to appreciate and take advantage of your health, and to pursue happiness.

When is the last time you made a daydream come true, when you got outside and grabbed a few lung-fulls of relaxation, or took off early on a beautiful day to go for a run or to surprise your family with a fun-filled afternoon?

As important as work and accomplishing great things in your career is, don't ever allow it to dominate your life! How? Well, a few points to keep in mind:

If you work 50 hours a week and sleep 7 hours a night, there are still 69 free hours in your week! What you plan- or don't plan for each of them is what can make each day and every week more or less enjoyable. Similarly, my college math classes taught me that 69 is more than 50; so whatever fills that 69 hours is what dominates your life. So, what will you fill it with?

Making people happy and serving others contributes a great deal to your own happiness- whether it is your child, spouse, family member, friend, co-worker, or a stranger, focusing time and attention on another will do a lot for yourself.

Plan! Sometimes, planning can ruin spontaneity; but often times, it is the only way you will actually do something or that you will really do something fun and enjoyable, and not end up wasting half of the allotted time thinking of something to do!

You remember fun and happiness- if you don't, look at kids and how they enjoy life and their eagerness to take on a new adventure with thrilling smiles and excited laughter. Shake off that 'adult' mentality and your job every once in a while, and purpose to go enjoy life, your liberties, and pursue lasting happiness!

Thanks for reading; until next Friday,

Jason Weaver
http://www.executivesearchandplacement.net/
Jason@ESandP.net

Make Your Office ‘Green’ (Part III)

Well, in the last 2 weeks since this multi-week series was started, our frugal government has shown us yet another way, albeit likely the easiest way, to generate money and make extra ‘green’: Just print more and more… and more! But for those of you who do not have a Treasury printing press or whose colored printers may be on the fritz, read on.

Alright, now for the final thought and conclusion of this three-part post on making your office (and therefore yourself) more money- as more ‘green’ will indeed help to save the planet (or at least help us pay more taxes)!

The fourth way: Investing. Whereas the stock market and real estate are more volatile than ever, and mutual funds and hedge funds are synonymous with four-letter words, I am speaking here of investing in yourself. You are one of your company’s greatest assets and one of the few it has that can grow, learn, and appreciate in intrinsic value. So pour into yourself, invest in you: a lot of time, a little money, a plethora of pertinent knowledge, and some intuitive insight. You will produce greater dividends than any stock market could ever deliver- for you and for your company.

(I would also direct you to Feb. 13’s post, ‘How to Upside-Downtime’.)

Grab a book, Ask Jeeves, take notes, question things, spend time alone, be quiet, learn from others, take classes or seminars, THINK, broaden your horizons, turn the tv off, and start investing in your knowledge, in your future, in you!

Thanks for reading; until next Friday,

Jason Weaver
www.ExecutiveSearchandPlacement.net
Jason@ESandP.net

Make Your Office ‘Green’ (Part II)

Now for the continuation of my monetary metaphor powered ‘Green’ post from last week. I wanted to provide a couple more strategic ideas for you to implement to bring your company- and therefore yourself, more revenue even in these difficult economic and slower market driven times. Again, these are not mystifying or genius ideas, but it is all too often the basic things we overlook and do not implement.

Third, Cost Cutting. As fundamental as it gets, huh? Now before you laugh and click the X in the corner, let me share a couple of integral thoughts in respect to this point. While getting the costs we all incur (both professionally and personally) down to a more manageable level is vital these days, it is similarly crucial to ensure you are NOT cutting necessary costs. If you get cost-cutting-happy than it is easy to start slicing and dicing some of the expenditures that are directly or indirectly connected to revenue producing activities. Focus on doing away with superfluous costs that actually make a difference and whose dismissal won’t cause ill-will (NOT coffee and two-ply TP!) To delve in deeper, you should NOT cut back on the revenue producing expenditures to the point of affecting their ability to keep producing the normal results. These would entail technology, marketing, incentives, necessary travel, market research, professional associations, etc. Cutting wasteful spending is the key, the spending whose existence does not directly contribute to the bottom line nor affects it in a positive way.

Remember and implement the old adage (to which I have added a continuation), “A penny saved is a penny earned… as long as it’s not a penny that is bringing in other pennies.”

And due to some time constraints and demands, I will share the 4th and final way to Make Your Office ‘Green’ next Friday. Thanks for the many e-mails and responses to me; I appreciate the encouragement and am very glad these posts are helping a lot of you!

Thanks for reading; until next Friday,

Jason Weaver
Jason@ESandP.net
www.ExecutiveSearchandPlacement.net

Make Your Office 'Green' (Part I)

Now some may assume the title of this post is in reference to transitioning your office to a more environmentally friendly place and protecting the eco-system with your work space. Not to disappoint, but this will be about something more immediate and likely more crucial for your personal future than using your sleeve in lieu of Tissues or working from candlelight instead of using that 75 watt bulb or trying to connect that hamster-powered generator to your laptop. This ‘Green’ is in regards to one of life’s most critical sources of power: the Greenback- our very own US Dollar.

As of late, for many people, it has become increasingly difficult to generate revenue for their company, which often times directly affects them on a personal level as well. There are any number of actions we can take and things we can do to be more productive and help our company (and therefore ourselves) be more profitable. So please, think and come up with these on your own and more importantly, implement them! But to give you a start, I am going to take this week and the next couple weeks to offer several thoughts on increasing the revenue you generate for your company and how to ‘Make your office Green’.

This week, I will focus on two simplistic but very effective ways to accomplish our task at hand.

First: New Business Development. Now some may think this is up to the marketing department or to the VP of Business Development; well, it’s at least in part up to you! New business is NOT just business from new clients; it is new business, period. This comes (and should be in large part) from old and current customers. To do this, it doesn’t mean simply ‘not neglecting’ them, it means diligently serving them, following up, and following through- ensuring that they are not just satisfied, but are happy.

Remember that getting new business from past or existing customers saves a lot of marketing dollars, and it is much quicker as you don’t have to start from scratch. They are (or should be) already sold on you and the services/products you offer. Due to this, it should be much easier for you to glean new business from them. Nurture those relationships and always strive to under-promise and over-deliver!

Likewise, always be looking for new clients- even if it isn’t in your personal job description. If you have done a good job with past customers, you have earned the right to ask for referrals of new clients from them. The power and reach of the Internet is both extensive and ever-growing; so network on there in the many facets that are readily available, and extend your company’s breadth by getting the word out to others.

Second: Work Smart. This has much to do with being effective and efficient. The mantra of working hard from the last generation still resonates- and for good reason; but it is all but futile if not combined with working smart. I am right-handed, so for me to write notes left-handed would be hard work- but similarly less-effective, less efficient, and much dumber for me to do.
Many know the basic principles of time management, so I won’t reiterate all of them here; but if you know them, DO THEM! Identify your priorities, focus on them first, and complete them. When the biggest stumbling block to efficiency and effectiveness rears its ugly head (that would be distractions and disruptions), remain focused! Allot yourself appropriate breaks at certain points along the way to completion (not random times throghout the day), and embrace every distraction you can at that time.

Also, don’t just do things the way you always have. It is too easy to get into a habit of accomplishing tasks the same way every time. The result is the same- and probably good; but often times there is a faster (and sometimes easier) way to do that if we put some thought into what we must do and how to get from Point A to Point Z. Plus, doing this gets those mental juices flowing and bodes well for additional creativity; it adds a little newness and diversity to our rote daily tasks.

Thanks for reading; until next Friday,

Jason Weaver
Executive Search and Placement
Jason@ESandP.net

Perpetual Motivation

I once heard a motivational speaker talk about how she continually stayed positive- in the face of adversity, in spite of the doom and gloom life (and the evening news) often brings, and despite the propensity we all have to enjoy some good old-fashioned negativity. After all, it is difficult enough to remain optimistic and thoroughly positive every day when life is bouncing along normally, but is much more challenging in extremely difficult economic times and intense market downturns, such as now.

So, I decided to share this nugget with you, and I challenge you to remember it and make a habit of thinking about it on a regular basis. Like many of life’s most impactful lessons and knowledgeable morsels, it is relatively simple; but don’t let that change the fact that it is a principle that we should all adopt.

The key to Perpetual Motivation is a Deeply Rooted Purpose.

I told you it was simple enough. Now the challenging part- and it will likely take longer than 5 minutes of thinking or an hour of pondering: figure out what your deeply rooted purpose is. Now it can change as the seasons and priorities of our lives certainly do.

As my dad is quoted for saying: “Low-paying is any job that has money as the only motivation for doing it.”

So, as important as money is, go deeper- or you will continually be disappointed. Similarly, this is a principle that some would put in a box labeled “WORK”; don’t do that! Apply it to your life. What are you living for? For some, there may be one deeply rooted purpose for why they are willing to go to work every morning and grind out every single minute of another day with a smile, and yet another purpose for why they do something else; for others, one deep-seeded purpose may be the common motivating factor for all they do.

Which ever it is, FIND IT! Think, ponder, deliberate, and decide what your Deeply Rooted Purpose is. Then focus on it, write it down, work toward it, and more importantly, live for it!

Thanks for reading; until Next Friday,

Jason Weaver
Executive Search and Placement
Jason@ESandP.net

Selling Yourself

They say ‘desperate times call for desperate measures’, which is true enough; however, despite this tumultuous period, I am not (yet) suggesting a turn to the “world’s oldest profession”!

Selling yourself is a basic principle that we too often overlook which is readily applicable to those who are looking for a new opportunity, as well as those who are in any given job. We all know the importance of this when it comes to dealing with clients and new acquaintances, but too often neglect it when interacting with co-workers and bosses. Now some, who are gainfully employed, may question how they can do this; yet, it is just as important in keeping your job- and excelling at it, as it is when trying to land a new one.

In regards to those who are employed, this principle is often done by what you do rather than what you say. It boils down to your results, as well as to your contributions and attitude. Even to those who are salaried (not on any type of commission), work as though you are getting paid for production. Focus also on what you contribute to your workplace and co-workers, even when you think it doesn’t affect you directly- because it does. Contribute with creative thoughts and good ideas, positivity and encouragement, mentoring and instruction, as well as a helpful attitude and caring demeanor. This, along with concentrating on your contribution to the bottom line allows you to continually sell yourself to your employer and your team mates.

To those on the prowl for a new job, a few simple tactics are in order. DON’T try to sell yourself on that little piece of paper called a resumé! More is not better in this case. Simply make them curious to learn more, to want you in for an interview. Once in an interview, humbly let them know how you have (personally) benefitted other companies and what you would contribute to their company- how you could benefit them, increase production, cut costs and operate more efficiently.

Hand in hand to sales is marketing, and one of the most integral parts of marketing is branding. So in the same stream of consciousness of selling yourself also focus on branding yourself (no, not with a hot iron!)

For those of you in a good and promising job (or at least one that pays the bills), determine what your specific strengths are, what you’re best at and likely were hired for. On a regular basis, even daily, make sure you are both using and enhancing those strengths, becoming even more adept at those valuable commodities you possess. Decide how you will further heighten those abilities (see last week’s post), and do it! Become the best in your specific areas of expertise in your profession, or at least in your office.

Similarly, for those who are on the job hunt, determine what your forté is, the value proposition that sets you apart and above the rest in your field. Then, ensure your personal ‘branding statement’ is both on your resume and a specific focus during interviews. And don’t wait until you are in the new job to start enhancing and furthering your knowledge and ability as it pertains to this strength; do it now!

We all know the importance of branding and selling a product or service, many of us do it for a profession; so make sure and parallel this crucial strategy as it pertains to you in your career which will enhance your value to the company and offer more job security.

Thanks for reading; until next Friday,

Jason Weaver
Executive Search and Placement
Jason@ESandP.net

How to Upside-Downtime

Many people I speak with- friends, clients, prospects, and most of those breathing air find they have more ‘down time’ than usual. In and of itself, this is an understandable sign of the times and nothing to be ashamed of. Simply put, at least a couple days of the week (if not more) we have less to do than we used to when we were too busy to think.

Granted quite a few folks are doing the job they used to PLUS another 1 or 2 people’s jobs, as I eluded to in my last post. And most of us know that times like these require more work to accomplish a fractional semblance of the production we used to have.

Here is where I would insert the old adage about the two guys in a tree-chopping contest, with one going non-stop, all day and the other taking breaks every 30 minutes; upon losing the workhorse asks the other man how he won when he had taken so many breaks, to which he replied in his ‘breaks’ he had been sharpening his axe.

So, I ask, what are you doing in your ‘down time’??

Some ogle the many things they want with online ‘shopping’- wisely leaving their credit cards in the car, technically making this ‘browsing’ (at least buy something, it may help the economy!) Others are looking for life’s career answers on job sites and planning their hopefully-unnecessary strategy, only to find they are already in a better situation than any others being offered. While still others are culminating current events knowledge by reading every headline on each of the major (and not-so major) papers, after which they find themselves dismayed that nobody really knows what’s going on and then becoming semi-suicidal from the rampant negativity!

Why not sharpen your proverbial axe.

Very simply, I would suggest taking advantage of this new freedom and turning it around to find the upside of your downtime. I have a dear friend who is considerably smarter than I am and has decided to do just this. He is among the masses who have more downtime than usual, and makes a concerted effort to learn during these lulls. First, he has identified what he wants to learn- a specific area of expertise. This went hand-in-hand with why he chose this subject, which is to heighten his knowledge and strengthen his professionalism and expertise in a specific aspect of his business. Next, he has charted a simple path on how he can become more knowledgeable in his chosen topic. Quite simply- and this may vary some for you but is definitely applicable, he reads books on the subject matter; and moreover, studies the books, takes notes, and highlights pertinent parts. He also searches for expert advice and blogs online that cater to his subject matter, and seeks others who are doing this for comparative analysis.

Emerson once said, “Every man I meet is in some way my superior, and in that, I learn from him.” (I am certain this applies to women as well) And so, I would challenge you to learn, as I have, from my good friend and upside (your) downtime!

As an aside, I have listed a few books that I recommend:

Meatball Sundae by Seth Godin
Now is Your Time to Win by Dave Dean
Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
The Servant Leader by James Autry

Power-packed booklets:

As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
Common Denominator of Success by Albert E. N. Gray (free at: http://www.amnesta.net/mba/thecommondenominatorofsuccess-albertengray.pdf )

Thanks for reading; until next Friday,

Jason Weaver, VP
Executive Search and Placement
Jason@ESandP.net

Jobs, or lack there of...

With the new Jobless numbers out today, now at 7.6% and still rising (as I believe they will continue to, likely to double digits), it strikes further fear in many- both those who are now out of work and seeking a job and even those who still have a job. Similarly, the continued claims and those still filing for unemployment is on the rise; meaning people are getting laid off and cannot find new work. And as when adding negative numbers, this creates an even greater negative sum total. Certainly there are an array of thoughts and opinions on stimulus spending vs. tax cuts, on whose shoulders the burden of fiscal responsibility sits, and how long and deep this recession/depression will cut our economy. I am not here to debate these things, nor to take sides, but to offer some thoughts and insights into the current climate of employers- and employees.

We have all seen, and most-assuredly felt, the cuts in wages (statistical or not) over the last 18 months; and most know the fierce competition in the job market right now- both of those who will work for less and those who are 'significantly more qualified' and will work for the same compensation- or less. Some companies are taking advantage of this by squeezing more juice out of the proverbial turnip (aka. employee) and making them take less to do more, as many now have 1 person doing 3 people's jobs since the other 2 are no longer there. Likewise, a few employers are re-stocking their employee-shelves and letting tenured, vested and very capable employees go to get even more seasoned and seemingly over-qualified individuals in those seats- for the same paycheck mind you.

I say all of this not to dig the pit of our tough, if not negative, reality even deeper; but to let those who may stumble upon and read this know my empathetic understanding. My company, a recruiting and placement business (http://www.ExecutiveSearchandPlacement.net/), operates in the resort real estate and luxury hospitality industries; and we receive numerous resumes each day from stellar (and hopeful) candidates. With that being said, I would like to offer a few thoughts that I hope may be helpful.

First, being that a 7.6% unemployment rate means there is a 92.4% employment rate, if you are one of the many who is gainfully employed:

Maintain your focus! Do not let all of the superfluous negativity affect you or distract you from your job and the tasks at hand.

Do NOT act out of fear! You were hired for a good reason, and you are still employed for a reason. Do what you know how to do, and do it the best you can.

The company is vested in you- most know it is less expensive and easier and better to keep you doing what you do than to replace you with somebody because their resume might have a few more bullet points. BUT now is the time to further embrace positivity, more production, longer hours, team building, and a better attitude.

Now, for the millions who are (and I'm sorry to say, will be) without a job:

Don't be discouraged! Your situation is NOT unique to you- and nobody looks down upon you for losing your job. If you think and feel dejected for being ejected, you will surely act rejected. And to borrow a phrase: putting a suit and smile on a dejected candidate for an interview is like putting lipstick on a pig.

Expand your search! I always tell candidates, "the bigger pond you fish in, the more bites you'll get." This goes for geographic locations as well as other industries which require parallel skills. Don't take just any opportunity, but don't be too picky. Ensure your set ramifications and parameters are met by the position and that the company is stable and financially secure, but don't go overboard.

Think! You will not get hired, nor even go to Round II interviews if you are more qualified than the direct superior; that's what they call 'job security'! A boss doesn't want a subordinate who has more expertise than they do and is obviously willing to work for less. So, approach the opportunity appropriately.

Remember, in the words of a man much greater than me, "This too shall pass."

Please let us at ESP know if we can be of service to you in your search for the right people or for your next opportunity.

Thanks for reading; until next time...

Jason Weaver
Executive Search and Placement
Jason@ESandP.net