Candidate Lesson 7: Nelson's Nine

After speaking on campus for a decade primarily delivering a presentation centered around networking, I developed this list to share with students. If you are a lifelong student, you may enjoy it as well. Some of these lessons came naturally while others remain on my commitment list. "Nelson's Nine" is Candidate Lesson 7 and the final lesson for 2018.

1. Be a Servant Leader

In today's world, you really have a choice to make as a leader. I would tell you from personal experience and observation of many talented leaders, making the choice to be a servant leader is one you will not regret. Servant leadership puts others first and leads them to the best version of themselves. If you seek loyal employees, serve them. If you seek employee engagement, serve them. If you want to win, serve them.

2. Network

With a business climate that includes the arrival of new leaders and the change of company ownership, networking is a critical skill for all professionals. Your new leader may have a former employee from his or her previous employer in mind for your position. The competition may purchase your company and completely change the culture. Several years ago, I worked for the 4th largest publicly traded staffing company in the US with hundreds of offices across the country. A European competitor with a handful of US offices, bought the company. The new organization had two offices conducting business within a mile of each other. How long do you think that was destined to stay the same?

3. Master Your Current Role Then Work Beyond Your Job Description

In America, we tend to want everything quickly from fast food to results in the gym to overnight financial success. The problem is that success only comes before work in the dictionary. To move up the ladder in your chosen profession, invest time truly mastering what is immediately in front of you. Become the expert in your current role, then ask your leader for more. Should you make that choice, over time you become the obvious choice for promotion.

4. Work for Your Mentor

Early in my career, I somehow knew enough to make decisions about what role to go after due to the leader. My gut said to work for the man or woman who appeared to be the best mentor. When you work for and listen to a leader who invests in you, your job satisfaction and results grow. It is very much a two part process. Step one is the interview the leader as much as he or she is interviewing you. Step two is to work, listen, and apply what you are taught. Finding a great mentor only works if you are a great student. Students take notes, study them and apply the teaching.

5. Attitude Above All Else

My college choir director was known for repeating the phrase "attitude determines your altitude". A philosophy that I'm certain he learned from Zig Ziglar. After interviewing over 6,000 individuals over the past 20 years, I've learned to recommend hiring the candidates with the best attitudes. The best experience combined with a college degree (or two or three) simply cannot compete with a candidate who has relevant experience, education, and a winning attitude.

6. 2 + 2 (not) = 4

Many of us in our culture today have believed an underlying assumption that I believe is false. There are times that things simply do not add up. As a job seeker, you may meet all the qualifications and still come in second for the role. What you are not able to see is how well the other candidate interviewed, the candidate's source of referral, his/ her references, and body of work. It is also possible to do everything right and still lose. Over the course of the year, there are numerous stories of companies closing or changing ownership forcing great employees to seek work elsewhere. Several years ago, I was recruiting a larger number of personally generated referrals along with hiring a larger number than in prior years. Turnover for that organization had spiked by more than 40%, so my record year was simply not enough. My advice is simply to do your best and accept the outcome. Who among us can do better than our best?

7. Expectations Drive Results

This is true for leaders as well as individuals. It is all about maintaining vision and perspective. Vision creates a new outcome that is better than today. Vision is that picture of where we go from here. Perspective is believing the vision is possible. There is some overlap with attitude here, however it is not entirely the same. A great attitude needs direction in order to achieve great results.

8. Do YOUR Best, Don’t Look Left or Right

I remember while watching the Olympics a few years ago and witnessing a great example of what not to do. The runner is first place turned to see how close the 2nd place runner was. While looking, the 2nd place runner passed and won the race. That picture reminds me of how I operated early on in my career. Often the "competition" was another Recruiter or organization. Over the years, I've learned that my greatest competitor is the one in the mirror. After all, if that guys does his best, that is really all he can do. I'd urge you to do the same, your best.

9. Luke 2:52

We talk about and read a lot about work / life balance. The best picture I've ever seen of balance comes from the best leader I've ever known. For years, this has been one of my favorite verses. I hope that you like this one and choose to read several more while you're there.

I hope you have enjoyed the 7 part series directed to the candidate. Next time, we begin 7 directed to the hiring managers. Hiring Manager Lesson 1 is Exhibit Servant Leadership.