Author Archives: bryandilts

Leveraging Your Assets

Leveraging Your Assets

Yesterday I talked to a network technician who is supervising a few others.  He is earning just over $100,000 in salary.   The techs under him are stuck at $50,000 to $65,000 in salary.

So what’s the difference?  He knows what is valuable to his company.  Every week his job reviews always include a list of the ways he made money, saved money or speeded things up.  His resume is a list of the same things—his value to his company.  He knows how much money the guys on his team make for, or save, the company.  He knows how fast things used to get done and how fast they get done now.  He knows the retail price of every piece of software and hardware he buys and he shows how much his negotiations saved off that price.  He proves to his boss and puts on his resume exactly how often the network used to be down compared to today.  He also gives how much more it used to cost when 200 unionized assembly line workers stood around for half an hour each week waiting for the network to get fixed.

His current and past jobs are his most valuable assets.  Each year he gets $50,000 more than his coworkers.  Why?  Because he proves he is worth it every week.  He keeps his eye on what will make the biggest financial difference and tackles that problem.  The funny thing is that he definitely is not the best person technically on his team.  He’s the one who tackles and gets credit for the most valuable accomplishments.

Yesterday I asked you to make a list of things you did in each job that PROVE your will to succeed, your positive attitude and your desire to constantly improve.  Now that you have that list, here’s the next step.

————————-

Something To Do Today

You need to prove how valuable you are.  How do you compare to others doing the same job?  Prove it with solid numbers.  Have you improved a process? How much time does it save every day for how many people?  Do you do something faster than someone else? What does that translate into saved time and money over a month or year?  Have you brought in more work or new customers?  How much is that business worth in a year? Put down solid numbers.  Make good guesses if you aren’t sure.  Remember that 200 people saving ten minutes a day is worth a lot of money.  Estimate how much it is.

Next I’ll show you how to make this list of successes bring you a lot more money.

Your most valuable assets

Your Most Valuable Assets

This true story directly applies to your job search.

The heir apparent of a large family company was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Africa by his brothers. As a slave he rose to be the president of a large privately owned company. Then, falsely accused of a crime he was imprisoned. In prison he soon became the deputy warden, running the whole place. Eventually his hard work was recognized and Joseph became second only to the pharaoh of Egypt. Finally, his brothers who originally sold him into slavery came and went to work for him.

Tumultuous? Yes. Fun? Not really. Slave and prison were terrible jobs.

Two assets were used in every situation to create a third asset.

1. His will to succeed. His attitude. His desire to constantly improve.

2. His current job, no matter how bad it was.

Those two assets were used to create a third asset.

3. A great reputation.

If you are still employed and want to find a new job, your current job is a valuable asset. If you are unemployed your previous job, part-time job and your job search (your current job) are valuable assets.

Over the next few days we’ll talk about leveraging your assets. We’ll talk about how to REALLY get a GREAT JOB.

————————-

Something To Do Today

Take your resume and make a list of things you did in each job that PROVE your will to succeed, your positive attitude and your desire to constantly improve. Tomorrow I’ll give you a way to leverage that information.

The words RECRUITERS search for the most

Do you want to know what the hottest jobs are right now? 

TheLadders is a set of job boards for high paying jobs.  They just published a list of the most common words that recruiters use to search for resumes on their job board.    Check it out here.

Get experience before you get experience

I talk to a LOT of people who want better jobs.  A lot of them never consider finding ways to start doing the job they want before they get it.

An article on how to prepare now to get a job when you graduate got me thinking.  You need to do the same thing to progress in your career anywhere.   The best way to get a promotion is to start picking up parts of the job you want to do.  Help the current job holder when you can.  Train people to do YOUR job.  Volunteer somewhere to do the job you want. 

The real trick is to get experience before you get the job.  Then you are the natural person to hire.

The Rush Limbaugh job interview

I have half my brain tied behind my back, just to make it fair.  (Rush Limbaugh)

The Rush Limbaugh job interview   

My apologies in advance.  I like Rush Limbaugh.  He is a great entertainer.

Can you imagine interviewing someone with Rush Limbaugh’s on-air attitude?  It might go something like this:

Q. What are your most current skills?

A. I not only have skills, I have abilities, insight and a keen intellect that will be focused with laser-like intensity on your problems.  You no longer need to think.  You only need to hire me and stand back.  I have come to save you with Talent on loan from God. (Translation: I will come to work.)

Q. What can you do for our company?

A. Do?  With the blazing brainpower you are blessed to see before you, I will revolutionize your company.  The darkest cranny and the most exposed pinnacle will be dazzlingly transformed and transmuted into veritable gold.  I have come to solve every intractable problem that has heretofore escaped resolution. (Translation: I will think while working.)

Do you say as little with so many impressive words?

In an interview or on your resume do you embroider your answer with colors that confuse? Do you try to show your enthusiasm with concrete accomplishments, or do you camouflage with flowery verbiage?

I do interviews and read resumes every day.  I prefer facts simply spoken.  I enjoy examples plainly displayed. I delight in crisp clean thought.

Give an interviewer what he craves, and he will give you a job.  Simplify, simplify, simplify. Tell what you actually have done and can do.  You’ll stand out and be noticed.  Your accomplishments will be remembered.  You’ll be asked to accept a job..

————————-

Something To Do Today

Focus on what you do best and what makes you different.  Take everything else out of your resume.  Why tell a hiring manager that water is wet?  Tell him what sets you apart.

How success looks, and how it really works

An amazing pair of posts that show what success looks like from the outside, and what it takes in real life.

Take these two links in this order.  Paul Zane Pilsner describes how he got admitted into Wharton Business School before getting a degree and after a final rejection by the school.

How success looks.

How success really works.

George Foreman tried a body slam in his first fight

I guess we can learn something about perseverance and training from Foreman’s first fight.  Check it out.

Use scissors for networking

All successful employers are stalking men who will do the unusual, men who think, men who attract attention by performing more than is expected of them. (Schwab)

Your best introduction can be made with scissors.

Decide which people you want to network with. Let’s say program managers. Look in newspapers, trade publications and business magazines for any mention of any program manager.

When an article mentions your target by name, cut out the article. Put the article in an envelope and send it to the person. If you want to really impress them, have it laminated too. Include a very short handwritten note congratulating them. Add your business card to the envelope.

A week later give them a call. Don’t mention the article you sent. They’ll remember it.

If you are looking for a job, ask them who they know who is hiring for the position you are looking for. If you need their help for something else, ask them who they know who can help you. And you can always just say, “Hello, congratulations on the promotion.”

You will be surprised at how heartily you are helped. You paid attention to them when you didn’t have to. Now they will want to pay attention to you.

Networking with scissors will get you places you never thought possible.
————————-
Something To Do Today

Figure out where you can find articles that mention the kind of people you want to network with. Start reading for names. Clip the articles and send them out. Then follow up.

The 100% easiest network

All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. (King)

The absolute easiest networking tool is one of the least used. 

To network, you have to communicate.  To communicate comfortably you have to have a reason.  The most overlooked reason is to say, “Thank you.”

Do you think this is too easy?  Do too many people do it?  When was the last time you received a thank you note?  When was the last time you sent a thank you note?

The hardest part at first is noticing things you can be thankful for.  Did someone help you directly?  Indirectly?  Did you get an answer you needed?  Is there a leader who has shaped your industry?  Did someone give your friend some help?  Did someone just talk to you on the phone?

Long, flowery notes aren’t necessary.  A one line thank you by email or on paper is all that is necessary.  So few people send a thank you note, that you will stand out no matter how short the message.

Keep track of everyone you send a thank you to.  Write it in the networking section of your job journal.

Now is the time to build your network.  The receptionist at any company will give you either a mailing address or an email address.  You know how to write.  Write one thank you note every day.  Start now.

————————-

Something To Do Today

Send a thank you note on paper or through email.  See if you can send 5.