Land Your Next Job with Solution Selling - Your Career Intel

Land Your Next Job with Solution Selling - Your Career IntelAre you struggling to land in-person interviews or connect with hiring managers? In a down job market like the one we currently have in Houston, its tempting to flood as many companies as possible with your resume in hopes that if you apply to enough places, eventually someone will call you back. Unfortunately, this approach is both exhausting and ineffective. Its like throwing a Hail Mary and hoping someone anyone is in the end zone to catch the pass. The chances for pass completion? Unless youre Aaron Rogers, almost none.Why Solution Selling Works for Job Seekers and Hiring ManagersWhen working with job seekers, Ive embraced a time-tested process historically used in sales and applied it to executive recruiting solution selling. Solution selling is a consultative approach that identifies the unique challenges and opportunities a company is facing within their current marketplace. I then match that company with a job cand idate who is uniquely equipped to address these challenges.Solution selling is a highly effective approach for the Houston job market. Thanks to the downturn in oil and gas, many companies that service this industry are finding that they need to develop new product lines, services or offerings in order to stay in business. Doing so is critical to widening their client base and differentiating themselves from the competition.Houston is also a leader in cutting-edge medical technology, and a consultative approach is just as relevant for jobs in this field as it is for the oil and gas industry. By understanding a companys needs, I can match the right applicant to the right business. Theres no need for the job seeker to blanket companies with applications and hiring managers dont have to sift through thousands of resumes looking for that magical needle in a haystack.Solution Selling in ActionRecently, I placed the new Director of OEM Sales for a components manufacturing company. While t he company is based in Oklahoma, their heavy reliance on oil and gas clients left the company vulnerable to Houstons fluctuating economy. This also made the company an ideal candidate for solution selling.Prior to recommending the executive candidate, I focused on the companys current challenges heavy reliance on oil and gas clients, lack of client-base diversity and considered the schriftart of executive candidate who could best address these challenges. Ultimately, the executive I placed will help the company pivot their go-to-market strategy and reposition the business as an engineered product solution company with less reliance on oil and gas clients. This positive outcome for both the company and the job candidate would not have been possible without solution selling.Next Steps Solution Selling in the Houston Job MarketAre you struggling to land interviews or connect with companies? You may benefit from Solution Selling. With Solution Selling, a recruiter can identify the com panies that are most in need of your skill set and experience and then match you to these businesses. Thats a win-win for everyone.To learn mora about how Solution Selling can help you land your next job, contact me at CEwerslucasgroup.com.

How the Military Set Me Up For College, Seeing the World, And Working at IBM

How the Military Set Me Up For College, Seeing the World, And Working at IBM Veterans and those who love them make no shortage of sacrifices on behalf of this country. But one sacrifice thats perhaps not as readily acknowledged is the obstacles both veterans and military spouses can face when building out their careers in the civilian realm. This Veterans Day, Fairygodboss and GettingHired asked folks in the veteran and military family community to share the ways this identity has aided and at times impeded them professionally, as well as their No. 1 pieces of advice to fellow military community jobseekers.Do you believe veterans and their families should have the right to build civilian careers free of obstacles and biases? Show your support and Pledge4VetFamilies herbeibeie.--Joining the military comes with its fair share of challenges, to be sure. But on the flipside of those challenges exists opportunity just ask Eronica Dew.Today a Virginia-based Proposal Manager at IBM, Dew sa ys joining the military was a game changer that set her up for success in more ways than one.I did not have a college fund saved for me, she explained. In exchange for my 10 years of service in the military, my undergraduate and graduate degrees were paid for by the government.Eronica DewBeyond opening the door to higher education, Dews time in the military instilled in her a love of seeing new places (I thank the military for giving me my first travel experience), as well as the tools to be a more effective employee for a top company like IBM. Recently, she shared with Fairygodboss the biggest challenge she faced when transitioning to a civilian career and her No. 1 piece of advice to other job-seeking veterans.--Who Eronica L. DewWhat Proposal Manager with IBMWhere Centreville, Virginia--How long have you been in your current role, and what were you doing previously?Ive been working in Business Development Strategy for six years. I have lead proposal deals for Lockheed Martin and IBM, winning multi-million-dollar contracts from the Federal Government.What factors were most important to you in transitioning from a military to civilian job?When I first left the military, I focused on finding employment related to the skills learned in the military. I later focused on careers that allowed me to use my business degree in human resource management and business administration.Are there any challenges associated with that transition that people may not be aware of?The biggest challenge I faced during my transition from the military to the civilian sector was translating my resume from military terminology to civilian vernacular for understanding.What did your company do to help ease the transition, and how have you felt supported working here?The first company I worked for after separating the military was a defense contractor that hired many veterans, so the transition was easier than working for a company unfamiliar with hiring prior service employees, who tend to be more direct in communications and require little to no supervision when completing required task.Do you believe your military background has provided you with any unique perspectives or talents that aid your career today?I firmly believe I am a better employee, as the military teaches installs service over self, focusing on attention to detail, and completing tasks quickly and efficiently.Joining the military was a game changer in my life, as I did not have a college fund saved for me. In exchange for my 10 years of service in the military, my undergraduate and graduate degrees were paid for by the government. I consider the college education received without student loans was a fair trade for my time and sacrifice.Whats the first (and/or last) thing you do at work every day?The first and last thing I do at work is read and reply back to emails. It helps me keep on top of everything and plan for my next day.What about outside of work how do you most enjoy spending your time?I have a travel fetish. I believe in having experiences over purchasing things, so I travel a lot. I just returned from a 10-day trip to London and Ghana. Seeing the world is my hobby and I thank the military for giving me my first travel experience.Whats the one career move youve made that youre most proud of?I am most proud of moving from a supply technician in the military to a senior staff member working in business development that aids in job creation for the American people.Whats your 1 piece of advice for women, and especially other women veterans, who are looking for jobs right now?My number one piece of advice is to work with a professional to help develop a resume for the civilian sector.

Why Face-to-Face Workplace Communication Is So Vital in the Digital Era

Why Face-to-Face Workplace Communication Is So Vital in the Digital Era From the coworker who is constantly getting dings on their phone to ur cultures obsession with social media, theres good reason for the growing concern regarding the way we engage with digital tools to communicate in the workplace.In fact, much of the technology designed to make us mora productive in the professional world can actually do the exact opposite. For starters, instantaneous communication can make it challenging for employees to concentrate on one task at a time, especially if they are frequently being interruptedby an endless flow of texts, emails, and phone calls.In addition, while digital communication tools can help us increase productivity and boost efficiency at work, our escalating and intense relationship with this technology can send us down the road to bad habits especially if this technology starts to replace human interaction.In 2016, Randstad askedemployee s around the globe whether technology helps or hinders their ability to relate to and build relationships with colleagues. More than half of the respondents said they feel technology makes them feel less connected to people in the real world, and89 percentsaid face-to-face meetings were the best way to interact with others at work.The Paradoxical Way Communication Technology Hinders CommunicationAs an author, communication expert, and international speaker, I firmly believe our reliance on technology at work can be a hindranceto effective communication, especially if it ends up as a complete substitute for face-to-face interaction.Smartphones, tablets, and computers have all contributed to a reduction in the number of face-to-face interactions we have with our coworkers, managers, and clients. It is much easier to send a quick text or email than it is to actually take the time and effort to talk to someone in personfor even a few minutes.While this approach is clearly advantageous w ith regard to efficiency, there is value to the face-to-face dialogue that seems to be turning into a lost art. We tend to build better relationships with each other, and our customers, viadirect, in-person interactions.If we want our work environments to promote creativity, collaboration, and effective communication, we must approach digital workplace policies with a top-down strategy. After all, management sets the tone for what is and what is not acceptable.Todays geschftlicher umgang leaders must create cultures of transparency regarding how and when mobile devices can be used in the office. They must help employees understand that while digital communication tends to be mora efficient, face-to-face interaction is still the most powerful way to achieve geschftliches miteinander goals.Being in the presence of other people allows us to hear what they are really saying. We can read and assess their body language, nonverbal cues, and emotional state, and we formulate appropriate r esponses. With face-to-face communication,we can also minimize misunderstandings and provide more opportunities for clarification.Furthermore, communicating with colleagues and clients in person allows us to exhibit more genuine reactions and use our own body language as a cue for others. It also helps develop more trusting and meaningful connections.Finding the Right BalanceIt is important to understand that even the best technology and digital communication tools are only as effective as the people using them.At the end of the day, communication still requires input from humans and it always will if we want to do it successfully. Finding a healthy balance of how and when your employees utilize digital tools versus in-person communication ultimately depends on your ability as a manager to set clear boundaries and communicate expectations company-wide.The bottom line The more transparent and engaged each employee is on a personal level, the easier it will be to promote a healthy mi x of digital habits and face-to-face communication in the long run.Ulrich Kellerer is an inspirational business leader, international speaker, and mental health activist. Connect with him on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.