How good are you at evaluating risk?

One of the most common questions my clients ask is; “How do I choose well?”. They want to know how to evaluate the opportunities that are presented to them, and how to weigh their options. You and I make decisions every day, from whether or not we should drink another cup of coffee (”how many have I had? is that good for me?”), to whether or not we should accept that job offer.

In every decision, there are risks – some are real, and some are perceived risks. An interesting study was conducted recently by Baruch Fishchhoff, Professor of Social and Decision Science at Carnegie Melon University. He asked a panel of professionals from a wide range of sectors what the likelihood was of contracting the avian flu from another person in the next 3 years. The professionals estimated a 60% likelihood, while, when asked the same question, a group of medical experts guessed 10%.

Were you aware that not one person died of mad cow disease in North America last year, and yet 48,000 people died in car accidents? Were you more concerned about buying your meat and its possible health impacts, or driving to the grocery store? Some of us may have experienced some concern over where our meat was coming from, while we drank our coffee and simultaneously talked on the cell phone while switching lanes on the highway – all without a hint of worry!

This scenario underscores the puzzle of facts versus feelings. In my opinion, most of our decision making errors occur as a direct result of our feelings. Scientists call this the “probability neglect” - what we tend to dread is more closely related to what we feel is more likely to occur.

Feelings are wonderful; however, you need facts to back up the feelings and to really understand the reality of the situation. Without facts, you may be on the wrong track. Think of that interview you didn't prepare for. What kind of impact did that have on your career? I am not saying you should ignore your feelings, just make sure you keep them in context. And yes, go ahead and have that cup of coffee – you’ve earned it!

This week’s 10 Minute WORKout:

During your last interview, what other things should you have done to be more prepared? What kinds of questions should you have asked?

Along the road with you,

Alan Kearns

James Bond & 4 ideas for a resume that works.

This past weekend I went to see the new James Bond film. When I was younger, I really enjoyed the Bond movies; however, I had not seen one in the past 10 years. I heard a film reviewer on CBC radio discussing the movie, and later checked out some websites to see the ratings. I also watched an interview with Daniel Craig on CharlieRose.com (as an aside, if you are searching for an outstanding show, I would recommend watching Charlie Rose).

Casino Royal is based on the first book in the Bond series, written by Ian Fleming. I have to say that, in my opinion, the producers have hit a home run with this film adaptation. They have brought the franchise back to its roots and reinvigorated it. The producers did a lot of things right, including reducing the sponsorship from 20 corporations down to 6. It doesn't feel quite like an infomercial knitted together with sex, cars, and action. They have taken the formula and stripped it down to the basics.

Now you may be asking yourself, what the heck does this have to do with resumes? Well, good movies have 4 things in common with a great resume. They both:

1. Get my attention quickly,

2. Make the story interesting,

3. Tell me the story in historical sequence (without confusing me!), and

4. Have a strong ending.

Even a great franchise can lose focus. By reviewing and tweaking your resume, you can reinvigorate yourself (and possibly even be promoted to double "O" status).

Every James Bond needs a Money Penny to help out. If you need some support, visit us at www.careerjoy.com/consultation/index.cfm to book a consultation.

This week's 10 Minute WORKout:

Sometimes you need to escape from the pressures of work. Find some time to sit back and relax. Treat yourself to a movie. And don't forget to take your martini shaken, not stirred.

Along the road with you,

Alan Kearns

4 ways to not get that opportunity?

Remember the days of long letters, stamps, and postcards? Of books written in rich and elegant prose? Today, we are in the times of instant massaging, the crackberry, and email. Our communication skils are definately on the downswing.

Did you notice the spelling and grammatical errors? Maybe Alan is not as professional as he appears. Will you give him the benefit of the doubt? Or not? If he makes mistakes like this, how good of a coach could he be?

A recent study by OfficeTeam, a staffing firm that specializes in administration positions, recently did some polling on the role a resume plays in getting an interview. Here are 4 ways to not get a foot in the door:

If they found 4 typos on your resume, 97% of US and 92% of Canadian executives would not interview you;

If they found 3 typos, 91% of US and 77% of Canadian executives would not interview you;

2 errors would mean that 84% of US and 61% of Canadian executives would not interview you; and

1 error on your resume would cause 47% of US 27% of Canadian executives to refuse to give you an interview.

First impressions really do matter.

Another survey showed that most hiring managers spend less than 2 minutes scanning your resume. We live in a time-starved professional world. I say that people are not paper, however, if your paper is not in order, then you might not even get a first interview. Most professionals only write or update their resumes every 2 to 3 years, and they are often too close to the information and can miss the obvious. We have a team of certified resume coaches. CareerJoy can take the pain out of this process, and make you look great on paper. If you would like help, you can find us at http://www.careerjoy.com/services/resume.cfm.

Next week I am going to share 4 other keys to developing a great resmue (I mean resume).

This week’s 10 Minute WORKout:

Dust off your resume, and have a friend or peer take a look at it for critical feedback.

Along the road with you,

Alan Kearns

The best and worst managers

In last week’s WORKout, I chatted about management. I asked you to take some time to think about the managers that you have had, and asked you to share some of the characteristics of both. We had a terrific response, with lots of insightful observations. It is interesting to note that there were far more positive traits described than negative ones.

I have condensed your comments to a short list, which has been included below. The names have been removed to protect the innocent!

Worst

" unable to articulate a vision, strategy, or even a set of tactics. Faced with a team of talented individuals, came across as feeling threatened by all direct reports"

" sets reports up for failure, changes mind on process several times a day"

" management style shatters confidence, instills fear and self-doubt, and negative health issues."

" chose to intimidate employees in order to get way"

" I felt like a guinea pig on a treadmill - at least a guinea pig gets taken out of the cage now and then to get a pat on the head!"

Best

" recognized my need to contribute more than was required by my role, on paper. Encouraged & supported me in creating and implementing new opportunities"

" provided clear, specific vision, goals and objectives. Charismatic leader, with an open honest attitude to team"

" truly adds value. Honest feedback - sometimes brutally so, but you always know where you stand.”

" is always willing to listen to and implement ideas or learnings which a report may suggest, compliments staff on suggestions and their work, recommends people for growth, provides work which encourages staff to grow, always respectful and approachable"

" quick to praise others, kept us in the loop, and stuck to well-informed decisions"

" always fair and wisdom was evident in the way managed people"

We have three winners for the book ”The Peter Principle”; Andy Baldin, MT, and Carol Granier. Congratulations!

One of the great things about these contests is the conversations that are developed with our readers. Thanks for listening!

This week’s 1O minute WORKout:

Send your best boss a quick thank you note, or better yet, take them out for coffee.

p.s. iPod users, we have a slight delay. Details to follow really, really soon!

Along the road with you,

Alan Kearns

How to Dilbertize your future!

Tonight my children and I drove to the library. After our visit to the “late fee confessional”, we all went off to our respective areas. Aidan has taken quite a liking to anything related to Calvin and Hobbs. He also recently discovered Scott Adams, better known by the name of his work (Dilbert).

I have to wonder - why is my 9 year old reading comics concerning the workplace? Is HE trying to tell ME something? Well, just to throw me for a loop, tonight, he borrowed all of the collected works of Dilbert. He said; "I think this guy is funny", and went on to introduce me to all of the main "characters".

Dilbert started in 1989, and now appears in 2500 newspapers in 65 countries around the world. It would appear that workplace dysfunction has no borders! Scott Adams realized that the world was flat a long time ago (sorry, Thomas Friedman).

Poor Dilbert – did you ever notice that his boss is never named in the cartoon? He is simply referred to as “the Pointy haired boss”. Let’s just say that a lot of people who read the strip relate to well this character. He seems to play the role so well, and has all those buzz words down pat, but we all know that Dilbert is always five steps ahead of him.

One of the key lessons pointed out in the cartoon is ”The Peter Principle - in a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence". We have all worked for or with someone who embodies this principle. If we’re honest, we may even have practiced it ourselves from time to time.

This idea was first given the name by Canadian researcher Dr Lawrence J Peter, who wrote a book titled ”The Peter Principle”. The main thesis of his book is that the skills we were promoted by, are most likely not always the skills that will make us successful as managers or leaders. This is not surprising when you see people struggle in their new role. For some, it is simply an adjustment, but for those that have been promoted out of their key area of strength, it is much more difficult. Think twice before you accept a new title, for everyone’s benefit.

This week’s 10 Minute WORKout:

Write down the name of your favourite manager, and what you appreciated about their management style. Next, write down the name of the worst manager you ever had, and what you disliked about their technique. Send your thoughts to us at alan@careerjoy.com, and we will do a draw for three copies of Dr. Lawrence’s book.

P.S. Next week we are going to add a whole new feature to our WORKouts. It's a surprise, but get your IPOD's all warmed up just in case!

Along the road with you,

Alan Kearns