Episode 7: Readers' Choice: Lifting the Curtain on 3 Behind-the-Scenes Aspects of Job Searching

Well I can't say I was surprised by the results of the poll I posted to determine the topics for this month's #jobsearch article. I kind of stacked the deck with 3 topics that have been front and center for me of late, and readers chose to sample all three. If you are new to this series, you can find all my articles in the Featured section of my LinkedIn profile page. I will take each topic in the order it appeared in the poll; as always, I invite your comments and direct messages for follow-up.

Reference checking aha moments--things that give me pause, are teachable moments, and/or lead me to stop down and take the dogs for a bonus walk.

• In #executivesearch--especially #highered--position listings will sometimes include language like, "[Hiring organization] reserves the right to contact employers and individuals not listed by the applicant for references and/or other information." My current sense is that this practice of "off list" reference checking is increasingly implied and not overtly stated; so, if you do not see the language included outright, be sure to ask the #recruiters or search consultants about it as you enter the candidate pool. It is not something to fear, but you do not want to be surprised when a colleague from 3 employers or 14 years ago contacts you about having been cold called by someone to discuss your leadership style, communication, and collegiality.
• Staying with this subject, during a recent finalist stage the senior search consultant contacted me after completing off list reference checking and informed me that "2 of the 3 referees seemed surprised that they were contacted as references." Take a moment to process that with me. I had not listed them, they?were called out of the blue, and they were part of an organization with hundreds of employees. The consultant went on to suggest that wherever I might land next, I should consider ways in which I could help employees feel more connected to and know me better. (Yes, a bonus dog walk ensued after the call.)

Handling interview curveballs--you can see them coming, but only once they are in the air and with little time to adjust your stance or approach to squarely address them.

• I recently turned 57 and like many Gen Xers feel much closer to 30 than 60 and believe I am ready for just about anything in a #jobinterview because I have probably experienced it before. Not so. As profiling and prescreening interviews--often recorded--have become more common across all types of employers, I am still finding my groove when a recruiter jumps from slowpitch "Why us?" to Major League "What's a language you don't currently speak that you would be willing to learn in order to be successful in this position?" The usual good guidance applies here: give yourself a moment to think before you speak; then, be authentic with your response. In this instance, I replied, "The language and culture of your organization. Having never worked for you before, I would expect to immerse myself in both to become fluent and more effective alongside you."
• Achieving age 57 also means that there is a lot more of me out there on Google and social media with each passing year and career stop. In one recent daylong interview series, I experienced a questioner who referred to herself as the "designated candidate stalker" before asking a 3-part series of questions that included excerpts from things that had been written or said publicly about me or which I had publicly written or said myself. Again, it is impossible as a candidate to know fully and in advance the selection of and motivation for the questions posed, but one must expect that they are coming. I cannot possibly pick a favorite, but I enjoyed sustaining my poker face when asked, "When you interviewed __ years ago for the __ position at __, you said you would __. How did that work out for you, and would you expect to do it here too?" (I am pretty sure they were referring to a story from a student newspaper, but I have yet to go back and confirm.)

Hiring consultant rapport--keeping those all-important lines of #communication open, clear, and cordial so that even when you are not looking, you are getting a look.

• I sincerely enjoy and value the relationships and friendships that I have built and sustained with dozens of recruiters and search consultants. The writer and oral storyteller in me enjoys acknowledging each email and responding to each call, whether it is with a few sentences, a brief voicemail, or a more extended dialogue. If this mostly unrequited work seems unfamiliar or tedious to you, I urge you to build it into your routine, practice and seek feedback from trusted colleagues, and try not to be dismissive of the time it takes relative to the return on investment. Without question I have provided search firms with far more qualified nominations and referrals of other candidates than I have applications of my own, which means I am rarely in a position of having to (re)introduce myself when I am myself looking for a new position.
• Over time, building authentic rapport can also yield nuggets of invaluable learning and truth-telling from consultants. Two recent experiences come to mind. In the first instance, a recruiter I have known for over a decade informed me that I had been nominated for a position and invited me to discuss it further. After a minute or two of sharing our family updates and summer travel plans, he said, "Thom, this job just isn't for you, and I won't waste your time now or in preparing a portfolio. They need a [something you're not], not a [something you are]." That short, frank exchange fortified our relationship. Admittedly, a second recent experience hits me differently today than it might have 15 years ago. After sharing that my candidacy was not moving forward from semifinalist to finalist stage, a consultant who I place in the top tier of my professional trust circle shared, "Remember when you were a 45-ish, brand new, first-time president? You're not anymore. Now you're a mid-50s, white male, two-time president who I know knows all this already, but who I also know gets it, works through it, and will get on to something else." Phew. She's dead-on right, you know. I love her candor and consistency, and I am deeply grateful to have her as a friend and straight-talker. I hope everyone reading this has someone like her.

That's a wrap for this reader-informed 6th instalment which also brings me to the 6-month mark of my current job search--by no means exhausting or exhaustive, as many of you have also shared. You never have to wait for a poll or a month to go by to share your questions, comments, and ideas for future articles and, as always, my DMs remain open for the open-minded. I’ll see you again soon.