Day 26: Agile Principle #1
Bexs Nelson, PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM
PMO & Operations Expert with Measured Results | PMP, PMI-ACP, CSM | I help Customer Service Reps transition to joy in Project Management Careers
We are going to be doing something a bit different for this Sprint focus. Part of this newsletter was to show how Job Searches are a project and how to use project management techniques to conduct it for better success. What is better success? That would be how you defined it upfront at the start in your Job Search Charter.
I have covered how the 4 Values that the Manifesto brought up originally a few times now in this series. * There are also 12 principles covered in the Manifesto. I want to go through those and how they can apply also! So, the theme for this Sprint is the first 6 Principles, and next week we are going to do the backstretch.
As anyone who has worked in an organization that is transitioning from Waterfall to Agile methods will tell you, it is easy to ‘do’ Agile, it's so much more complex to ‘be’ Agile. The benefit and success of Agile do not kick in until you transition your way of thinking into this mindset. To be able to transition into it, you must know it. **
First principle: Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software.
In this scenario, the customer would be who is buying you as a job seeker for a job they have. If we swap out that and the software bit, we can rewrite this to be
Our highest priority is to satisfy the potential employer through early and continuous delivery of valuable interactions.
Fantastic. Now how do we do it? Getting into the wording:
·???????Highest priority – meaning we are going to be putting our efforts and focus on this.
·???????Satisfy – in a world where "exceeding is always better", we want to focus on satisfying first. If we cannot deliver the basics, spinning tales of wonder does not get us anywhere but wasted time for both parties.
·???????Potential Employer – this could mean anyone you put your job application in with. This is a piece hinged on you. Once you have decided they are a worthy employer, they are. Someone you would want to work for. Meaning, that you view them as a potential employer of merit. Just like you target your customers for your business, you need to target your employers. They need to want what you are selling. ***
·???????Early – our very first interaction with them (often the application or your resume or an inquiry call). Our applications therefore must be tailored to the job description. Any other way just does not cut it. This means we have to do our research also.
·???????Continuous – ever subsequent interaction must also add value. HR call for screening. Resume. Talking to someone at the company about what it is like to work there. Ask yourself how you can help. Sometimes it's a listening ear. Sometimes it's teaching them something. Sometimes it's telling them an internal person is better than hiring an external and they should train up but you are happy to be a resource.
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·???????Delivery – follow through on your stuff and promises, even if they are not. If they are not, huge flag. Enough said
·???????Valuable Interactions – Always add value. Always. To put an example to this, in a screening call with HR asking about my experience with a piece of software their company uses, I taught them some tips on how to add to a task list and integrate it. I added value to that person’s time they spent with me doing a screening. Now they know that I not only knew the software, but I probably had more to share if hired.
Now you know the source of everything we covered over the past few weeks –an Agile mindset.
See you tomorrow and stay fantastic!
Bexs
*See X and Y
**There is a lot of debate on if Agile is a methodology or not. In my opinion, actions speak louder than words. Mindsets drive actions. Before we argue over methodology vs not, let's make sure the mindset is, well, set. If you have not read the Manifesto yet, go do so! A quick google and quick read, but a career-long time to inhabit and live in your work and life.
*** Even if they do not know it yet. That is how positions are created. You sell yourself as something they would benefit from so much; they go figure out how to hire you.?
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Past Articles in Job Search Like a Project Manager Series:
Note: This is a whole series that organically grew out of sharing an entire project on how to conduct a job search to both gain project experience and to give you a framework for how to conduct it. The earliest few days were posts before the newsletter format took off. Click below to get started!