Confessions of Someone with Professional ADD

Numerous research reports on the use of Web 2.0 applications discuss how most people who use applications requiring continuous content development often lose interest over time. My lack of updates to this blog suggest that I am guilty of the same behavior. However, I content that my failure to post anything here has to do with another, less mentioned symptom; an actual side effect of my work on this blog during the first half of this past year.

You could call it "Professional ADD (P-ADD)." It is likely an issue that a select group of people deal with. Who? I am going to guess career-minded individuals whose passions are incorporated directly into their daily toils. Those who match their work and productive activities with their personal interests and strengths so well that they are always finding new opportunities. One idea leads to another, and another, and so on. Eventually, the creativity transitions them into a whirlwind of activity, quickly dissociating them from the original effort that enabled their pathway of enlightenment.

Often times, I see bloggers stop posting once they accomplish a goal or find acceptance for their unique contributions. This is the best possible result someone with P-ADD could wind up with. Otherwise, the creative explosion often leads to disorientation that serves to self-destruct any effort due to lack of sufficient focus.

Where am I? There are about 20 different ideas I could focus my time on right now. I still have a passion for sharing thoughts on career development with others and will continue to use this blog to do so. I also want to dedicate time to expanding public knowledge of government financial management and promote creative solutions for economic development. Therefore, future posts will include specific topic discussions (not too political) that may provide some ideas for those wanting to create opportunities for themselves.

I also realize that I am becoming what my wife likes to affectionately describe, a "twit." Therefore, in addition to the personal feed, you can follow Always Achieve on Twitter. A few modifications will be made to this site to better promote the material I post via Twitter, as it should lead to more pertinent and productive information sharing.

I am still open to suggestions on topics for posts. Please share them by sending an email to alwaysachieve@gmail.com, or by Twitter.

Don't let horizon limit opportunity

The biggest impediment to professional success is the limit we place on the range of our personal horizon. If we cannot see ourselves beyond a restricted comfort zone often influenced by immaturity and nostalgia, regardless of age, careers and opportunities will pass by without the slightest recognition.

In our younger years, job prospects are not available everywhere. From a personal perspective, finding a position in "middle management" in local government is almost impossible in the Southeastern United States. Most governments here do not value or abhor this particular level of bureaucracy and stick to relatively flat organizational models. Therefore, to build experience in my chosen field, I applied for and earned jobs outside my home region.

The experiences of moving, isolation from family and friends, acclimating to unfamiliar environments without the presence of equals in age or knowledge, and learning about and meeting the expectations of supervisors and citizens in a "foreign" culture are all challenging, unpredictable, and downright painful. They also prove enlightening and essential when you grow in a chosen career, enabling a broader understanding of the surrounding environments and your role as a professional within them.

Do not avoid looking beyond your hometown or home state, or even beyond your side of the Mason-Dixon Line, career opportunities. There are some factors that deserve consideration when identified openings are sought after. For instance, learn how to prepare your application and inquiry packets to mitigate the likelihood of anti-outsider bias (courtesy "Ask a Manager", h/t Courtney Miller & Kelly Giles @TarHeelsInTransit) many employers subconsciously embrace.

Moving away at the start of a career does not mean you will always be far from "home." Sometimes, the experience gained translates to better opportunities down the road in the location from which you came. Also, one can find that new surroundings grow on them and soon feel as comfortable as those they knew prior to then. Relocation also tests our commitment to a given career and its relationship to those skills and passions we value most.

Achievement requires endurance and adaptability. Embracing change in geography with the same vigor you seek transformations in culture, technology, or politics serves as a great starting point, forging an extending attitude of pursuit toward professional excellence.

Show them you want it

It is important to have proper perspective and balance with respect to wants and needs. If you focus more on your professional wants and make them personal, aligning them with inherent passions, skill strengths, and interests, then you limit your exposure to materialism and living beyond your means as you simply focus on needs with respect to lifestyle.

Of course, it is important to make sure that other people are aware of how badly you want the opportunities, wide-ranging or limited, that are out there for you in a given career. Unfortunately, too many people do not convey their desire effectively, especially during the process of finding a related job.

If you have the chance to read through a stack of applications for just about any job, you can tell that many fill them out without really thinking about what they are communicating with respect to their penmanship, use of language, and degree of thoroughness or following directions. As a result, those who make the commitment to maximize applications or "first impressions" automatically have the upper hand in the selection process.

Naturally, developing personal relationships with potential employers is the most effective means of securing an opportunity in a chosen career path, but it must be complimented by showing that you are committed to their needs and efforts. Applications, cover letter, and resumes, not to mention writing samples, portfolios, and other complimenting elements of a professional profile, all serve to characterize your level of competency and professionalism.

If you have to fill out an application, make sure it is complete and easy to read. Do not simply tell the employer to refer to your resume. Take the time to fill out all of the information requested, even if it seems duplicitous. It shows that you are willing to make whatever effort is necessary to meet the expectations of others, whether they be coworkers, supervisors, or customers.

Even if resumes and cover letters are not specifically requested, make sure you include them. Also make sure that the cover letter is written directly to the given employer and does not read like a mass produced letter one could find with a dozen different applications.

These measures require taking additional time. If you are applying for many jobs, it can significantly lengthen your time commitment if you apply it to every job. So what? If you want a certain career, isn't any investment worth it?

It is important to never believe that your passion will lead you to an opportunity on its own. Effort is everything, and the example you set when you prepare materials for the job selection process is the first step obtaining a career opportunity that will maximize opportunities for personal achievement.

Fatherhood & Achievement

Yep, it's time for a corny, manufactured holiday-inspired commentary designed to draw attention to my blog. Just remember that I am not the first to utilize this lame form of synergy, nor will I be the last.

Father's Day is not really a day of rest, relaxation, or celebration. That does not diminish its importance, but in all honesty, do many fathers actually have time to just sit back and let the day pass by?

Just like with Mother's Day, the thought is the reward, as we may enjoy a little more leisurely pace at breakfast, but will find ourselves back in the grind of a normal Sunday rather quickly, squeezing out every possible minute to take care of those things (both pleasurable or laborious) requiring our attention before the demands of our professional lives returns tomorrow. For some, real "work" is as much a part of today as any other, given the realities of our modern seven-day-workweek culture.

There is an opportunity, albeit brief, for fathers to use today to reflect on their personal progress, as parents, spouses, friends, and career-minded professionals. It is not inappropriately selfish for us to ask ourselves today, "has fatherhood made me a better person?"; or, "has fatherhood enhanced my professional life?"

Personal achievement is self-defined, but our ability to ascertain our progress or level of success is heavily dependent on external factors. Daily experiences, along with life-changing events of less frequency, alter our career path, challenge our dedication to pursuits of passions and interests, and necessitate individual decisions that either lead us closer or further from the goals we set for ourselves, for better and for worse.

Parenthood is a life-changing event. My wife and I knew it would be, never mind the dozens of coworkers, friends, and family who told us relentlessly to be prepared once we found out my wife was pregnant. Since our daughter was born last February, we have worked hard to meet the challenges her presence presents for ourselves, our time, and our desire to give her the best life possible.

Most adults possess a desire, at some level, to become parents. This natural instinct does require nurturing in order to prepare oneself for the true reality of the situation once it arrives. For some, the interest never turns into a passion close to, equal, or greater than their other pursuits. Sometimes, they counteract their lack of strong desire by expressing frustration with those who are parents.

Television shows, particularly sitcoms, feature episodes where professionals without children lament and complain about their coworkers never work late or leave early because their son or daughter has a game or recital, or how they cannot enjoy a meal in a restaurant because of some crying baby in a booth across the dining room. They may even go as far as some hair brained scheme to shame the parents among them of how selfish they are in forcing their children, indirectly, upon the lives of those who "choose" not to have them, as if being childless provides a greater benefit to society.

However, this is not an article about whether or not we have a responsibility as adults, especially if we are happily and lovingly married, to have children and accept the duty of parenthood. Regardless of how you feel now, it is likely you felt differently about it at another point in life, or will feel different about it in the future. With the exception of a few (among them, my wife, whose strongest personal passion was and is motherhood) there is little consistency in our beliefs on the issue, consistent with the dominant traits of humanity.

Therefore, what does fatherhood (or motherhood) yield that enhances our lives from a professional perspective? How do we identify the arrival of our sons and daughters, and the daily challenges they create in our pursuit of personal passions and interests that often drive our goals and visible life successes, as providing strength and benefit to our careers?

First, having children often elevates our status with those around us. Parenthood is a milestone that is perceived by society to possess additional responsibility and commitment that can add value to how others assess our character. If new parents choose to recognize this change in external perspective and respond in kind by setting the right example in raising their children, as well as in their handling of professional duties, then the circumstances only magnify our potential. If we ignore and behave unprofessionally, or hold on too much to our pre-parenthood pasts, then the bestowed stature will be lost, and our presence at the workplace or within a community will fade into irrelevance.

Next, if we choose to embrace the roles and responsibilities of parenthood, we are forced to make decisions that reduce or restructure our involvement in various pursuits. Broad career goals are often drilled down to those that apply most to the skills and interests we either have the most involvement in or tie strongest to personal passions. Choosing to carefully evaluate and improve one's focus in order to strengthen career opportunities enables us to establish ourselves as knowledgeable and experienced authorities on specific topics, subjects, or skill sets, increasing our professional value. Without this channeling, an unfocused career tends not to gain master competency of anything, weakening an individuals ability to market themselves for advancement over time.

Finally, our decision-making skills as parents set examples that can greatly influence not only our like abilities in the professional world, but also the consideration of current and future supervisors, bosses, investors, or clients. Children may not always behave properly, and at times can be downright nasty. A parent's response to these circumstances, and the manner in which it either changes their child's behavior or modifies the situation as a whole, are critical evaluations of our capabilities as mature adults in the eyes of many onlookers. Mothers and fathers who handle the situation in a manner that displays confidence and obtains a positive end result earn praise and opportunities, while those who only magnify the problem with their own antics usually receive public disapproval.

In each example, the manner in which we approach the gift of parenthood is the key to its potential impact on our ability to pursue and achieve in the professional world. Whether we want it or not, the arrival of a child does automatically identify us to everyone else as mothers and fathers. We cannot avoid these labels, and it is in our best interest, with respect to the future of our newest family members and the potential for personal career success, to embrace these new identities and display the same commitment to their responsibilities as we have to our other passions and interests.

On this Father's Day, I can reflect on the year-and-a-half of experience my daughter has provided me and recognize how she is responsible for a great deal of success in my own career. This is not the best gift she gives me today, for her presence, love, and trust are far greater blessings that cannot be compared. However, we would all be blind if we did not see just how much the lives of our children add not only to our world at home with family, but also to our success in the professional workplace.

How's your portfolio?

One of the best things I did when I started looking for work as a college graduate was to assemble a comprehensive portfolio that both listed and provided examples of my education, professional experience, and skill sets.

Whether your are employed or unemployed, novice or experienced, a career portfolio is a strong personal asset, both in hard and electronic format. Recent UNC-CH graduate and employed professional Courtney Miller provides some excellent starting tips in a guest post to Tar Heels in Transit. Along with some common-sense (and often ignored) suggestions on formatting and regular updating of information, Courtney recommends providing summaries of writing summaries so the reader/interviewer can understand the context of your submission. This is an excellent idea, and I look forward to incorporating it with my portfolio in the future.

Can friends really help you overcome setbacks?

Among the recommendations Alexandra Levit offers in her recent Wall Street Journal column on overcoming career setbacks is to rely upon friends to help deal with negativity and rejection. As suggested in the article by author Tim Ferriss, "I recommend long dinners with at least two friends... (and) Ignore naysayers unless they've specifically done what you're trying to do."

This may sound like an effective response to many. However, as much as we enjoy the positive support of those we know, we have to be careful not to let too much positive reinforcement enable or increase personal ego to an unacceptable level. Friends and family who chose to simply offer positive feedback without any critical analysis are not much better than a empty-headed "yes man" if their advice hinders your recognition of potential personal deficiencies.

Isolation is a tough environment, but it is often critical to understanding your strengths, abilities, and passions. Achievement does not stop with setbacks. In fact, it is often driven and enhanced from the lessons we learn from times of difficulty, as the Levit article also suggests. If the cloud of empty praise clouds your ability to honestly evaluate yourself, future success depends on independent self-reflection.

When it comes to your life and college, be selfish

Britney Wasserman, a student at UNC-Chapel Hill and intern at the Pope Center for High Education Policy, contributed a first-hand account of the decisions that landed her in an unpleasant predicament for the first 2 years of her collegiate experience. Initially, she started at North Florida University, after passing up an opportunity to attend Florida State (where my sister will soon start her Master's program) due to the interests of someone other than her self: her boyfriend.

It is very easy for any of us, especially in our early years, to attempt to please those whom we care about most (teachers, parents, mentors, significant others) by valuing their interests above ours. This is perfectly fine when we are thinking about where to go out to dinner, but there is no place for it when we are faced with life-changing events like going to college or choosing a career path. Advice and counsel can be welcomed, but in the end, our personal interests must take priority above all other factors, even those of loved ones, in guiding our final choices.

Britney's story had a happy ending, even with the breakup with her boyfriend. I saw this to some degree while an undergrad, given that Tennessee Tech did have a regional student body with plenty of high school couples. Unlike a weaker and disinterested North Florida, TTU is a proven institution with a strong academic tradition, respected programs, and an overachieving faculty in numerous subjects. However, regardless of the prestige of the college, if it is not the right fit for the individual student, the chances of success are minimal (as they were for many of my former temporary classmates).

Being selfish when it comes to your college (especially given the money involved), or your career, is the responsible course of action. It could even mean that the best interest of your future would be better served on a path that doesn't involve traditional higher education (though will require some form of lifelong learning, as all careers and pursuits do). Regardless the case, if you have researched and identified a prudent path to achieving through the pursuit of personal passions, do not let the interests of anyone stand in your way.

Read "Shop Class as Soulcraft"

Last week, I took the time to read the original "Shop Class as Soulcraft" essay by Matthew Crawford from the Summer 2006 issue of The New Atlantis. He recently extended the argument for the importance of industrial arts in academics and society as a whole into a book receiving strong positive reviews. If you are still uncertain of your future, or uncertain how society should address problems related to employment, personal prosperity, and encouraging self worth, this is definitely a piece worth your time.

Do not take Crawford literally in a manner that would lead you believe that he wants to turn back the clock on progress. Instead, if we consider his case for the reemergence of "craftsmanship" as a positive professional characteristic, as opposed to the current state of a culture of generalist, this links directly to the focus on personal passion with respect to dominant skills sets and talents many are encouraging as guides for future individual success. Not all craftsman may be proficient with tools, but their success lies in a skilled, physical approach to their careers. Redirecting our enthusiasm to what we can create rather than what we can consume is essential in order to diversify our individual and societal economies.

I will buy the book soon and work on an extended review of its content and application to personal career development.

Handling the "Worthless Crap" label

I knew I would eventually find one of these posts to work with that was recent and relevant. Courtesy of "Captain Capitalism" (h/t Phi Beta Cons) we have another example of perhaps the most common criticism made of many seeking career opportunities or life direction that do not "have a plan" or know where to go: they are "worthless crap."

In this case, the blogger hypothesizes that government does not work because its officials have the wrong backgrounds. Using his home state (Minnesota) legislature as an example, he argues that only 19% of its members earned college degrees in "worthy" subjects. He considers worth degrees to be those that "actually have some kind of net positive benefit to society," while the remainder majored in "'worthless freaking crap'... degrees rich spoiled kids pursue as a hobby with no real intention of ever finding a real job."

There is no need to provide his lists for each category. You know them already because your academic pursuits (past, present, or future) have likely been labeled by many people (parents, teachers, friends, and so on) as either having tangible, productive value, or simply "worthless" endeavors that will provide no benefit beyond the classroom. Captain Capitalism does argue that many business management degrees (not Accounting or Economics, but those involving procedural topics such as general management and HR) as worthless, too.

In the end, our theorist contends that the difference between worthy and worthless has to do with the presence (or lack thereof) of mathematics in the chose field of study:

"The MORE math a major has, the LESS likely these lazy slobs are to pick it as a major. Ergo, they are not majoring in a discipline or study that actually will produce something of worth to society, they choose to major in a hobby that requires little to no math simply because math is difficult."

Of course, all of this is only serving to depress many of you. Perhaps you are thinking back to your classroom days, whether it be high school or college, and are asking yourself "if I had only done my math homework" or "I should have listened to that career counselor and chosen medicine over philosophy."

Nothing will change your past. Honestly, you really do not need to. If you are not sure about your interest in such an intensive career as medicine, engineering, accounting, or another form of applied science, there is no guarantee that you would have continued on the path to completion. More than likely, you would have dropped off somewhere along the way, feeling even more disenchanted with your future. That does not mean that you can simply ignore the importance of work ethic and understanding the concept of certainty (both developed through the study of math and applied sciences) either.

The key fact to consider is that your choices are not "worthless," even if they are wrong. A former (and my only) college roommate earned his first degree in music education. I could tell he had strong analytical characteristics and impressive work ethic and personal discipline that enabled him to excel at his chosen instruments. However, less than a year after graduating, with a few months of high school music teaching under his belt, he visited our school again to look at a degree in engineering (don't know much else, but I think he is doing well regardless).

Does any of this mean his first four years of college were "worthless?" Absolutely not! Neither was my first year as an engineering major and four subsequent years earning degrees in history and political science. Our initial paths may not work out completely, but they serve to show us what our true passions are and how our skills and talents can best incorporate them into a successful career. My youngest sister may have a degree in dance, but she is by no means "worthless" when you consider that she also manages productions, teaches dance to children, sews and stitches costumes for almost everyone she knows, and builds sets.

There is, however, "worthless crap" amongst us. You cannot identify it on the basis of a credential or diploma, for these qualifiers tell us little about the person who possesses them. The key is their backgrounds, experiences, and results. For every philosophy major who "contemplates their navel" before heading off for their half-shift at the local free-trade coffee shop, there is likely one who owns a successful business that succeeded by tying their education to other interests and personal strengths.

There is also, very likely, an accounting or engineering graduate depressed about the world around them, unable to contribute because while they possess the analytical skills sets, they do not have the passion or desire to apply them. None of these people are "worthless," but in some cases, the intentions and directions they received along their path might as well be.

From a policy perspective, I can agree with the writer that government does possess a strong percentage of people who do not possess the experience and perspective to understand the impact of their decisions and policies on the public they are supposed to serve. Often times, as a professional public administrator, I question my own understanding of this critical dynamic. The point about the importance of math is also very applicable. It was a favorite school subject for my father and his parents, and I enjoyed it as well (being the only History/Political Science major to graduate that year with a full year of Calculus).

My professional success is tied directly to my analytical abilities, especially when it comes to math. However, effective perspective requires knowledge of many other subjects and disciplines. In public policy, given the requisite to achieve and maintain equity with respect to a given service or activity, one must consider the history, philosophical backgrounds, and other aspects of the public and the jurisdiction as a whole.

There is also something else lacking in Captain Capitalism's arguments that is most troubling. At no point does the writer mention the role of faith, as an element of character or component in proper decision making and work ethic. Faith is the key to uncovering passion and tying it to our natural talents and abilities. Faith is not a set process, but rather a vehicle for spiritual exploration with no certainty of timeline or limits on false starts and failures. We might want to find our way to our "chosen" futures as quickly as possible, but faith is more concerned in directing us to where we really want to go, no matter how long the trip.

Nothing that helps lead someone to a future of achievement, however we as individuals interpret it, is "worthless crap." In the end, that seems to be the most contradictory component of Captain Capitalism's argument. Capitalism succeeds best in an environment that respects individual liberty, which encourages the individual, not those around them, to prioritize the value they place on themselves above how they are considered by others. If we limit declarations of value to those with certain academic pursuits or careers and discourage them from the pursuit of their passions, then we turn against the environment that enables the greatest possible success and opportunity for all. In some ways, we have seen that for long enough already.

Follow, read, comment, link, tweet... repeat

A couple of tips I picked up yesterday from Alison Sikes (Strategy Performance) during a Business Builders meeting that are beneficial to a small business are just as applicable for personal career development. They also give me the chance to provide a great example of how you can promote your passion and enhance your career with just a few minutes' work:

1. Keep your "following" list on Twitter to those you care about. This first tip is mine. You can let everyone and their brother follow you, but keep your following list short so you can easily mine links and contacts that are of highest priority. This is a great advantage of Twitter compared to other social networking sites. My following list is rather short and usually focus on those who offer content that ties to my interests. In this case, @TalentEgg, a Canadian career advice site, sent out a tweet about a post of their providing tips for effective personal networking.
2. If the article is of interest, read and comment. Sikes talked about how businesses can grow an online presence by offering comments, suggestions, and information through the comment sections of other sites and blogs. Naturally, this can be abused, both by a business or an individual, if the comments serve more as a commercial than actual contributions of information. After I read through the article, I wrote a comment that focused 80% on the article itself and offered mention of YPN as an example, only after I provided another link that provides information about numerous young professional groups.
3. Promote the originators tweet in your own words. I go a step further than most in that I provide a shorted link directly to the article to facilitate easier access. Regardless, I do list he originator in my promotional tweet to give them the proper credit.
4. See if your process generates action. A link shortener like bit.ly enables you to count the number of times a link is followed. This is great to see if there are people out there following you on Twitter (or whatever way you distribute the link/info) who are interested in what you have to say. Within 5 minutes of my comment and tweet about the article, at least 15 people viewed the @TalentEgg article. Over the next 24 hours, I can see if they are looking at my comment by seeing if they click on the shortened links within it.

Nothing about this process will guarantee you a sale, customer, or job prospect. However, it is a great exercise for quickly analyzing information you are passionate about, developing a rational response and complimenting recommendation, then distributing it within the mediums of current media and determining if it is gaining public interest. All of these aspects, of course, will provided personal and professional dividends later on.

Thoughts Wanted: Is identity a liability for new graduates?

The discussions and focus I've seen on "personal branding", combined with the current void in available jobs for recent graduates, made me a little troubled. Thinking back to my own experiences right out of college, I just do not know if a defined identity is really what most potential employers want to see in their prospective entry-level candidates.

What has a diploma-carrying 20-something with little professional experience really done to deserve a "brand" of their own? Isn't how they adapt and meet the challenges of the real world far more important than what they say they know or can do within the protective halls of academia?

The "personal branding" concept does have relevance with those undergoing career reinvention or attempting to describe their experience-tested strengths and attributes in our modern, marketing-driven vernacular. However, I am not convinced that the same focus bodes well for those without the track record to prove their claims. Granted, there are cases where students possess achievements that solidify an identity of achievement. However, I doubt that they were not concerned about their "branding" when they focused their energies on a tangible product of benefit.

I would really like some insight on this. Please share your thoughts and answers to the questions posed in this article. Any (clean, relevant) comments are welcome.

Post-graduate learning should reflect lessons of benefit

Canadian student career site TalentEgg recently posted an introductory piece on the importance of continuing to investigate and learn about current and new topics after graduation. This really isn't a groundbreaking topic, as the most important purpose of participating in higher education is to learn how to broaden our individual appetite for knowledge and information of merit and grow an ever-expanding appreciation of those subjects we possess the greatest passion for.

The article does include some good tips, like using Google Reader to accelerate identification of online articles of interest. Such suggestions will transition a graduate's utilization of technology to professionally-beneficial avenues.

If a graduate understands the universal skills with respect to investigation, comprehension, and analysis gained throughout the classes, assignments, and projects they undertook as students, continuing the pursuit of learning should be a given. This is a goal that everyone in school (present and future) should prioritize, along with identifying formal subjects and professions that best maximize their passionate interests.

Twitter, pith, and improving practical writing skills

Over the past several months or so, I've noticed a significant change in my professional written communications. For the most part, my reports, memos, and summaries are shorter, more succinct, and easier to understand by superiors. There are a number of factors that can contribute, especially the fact that I am now experienced enough with fellow staff that I can effectively write to serve their needs. However, another personal development may make a positive impact: a healthy Twitter habit.

Most days, I do find a few minutes to go on Twitter, either by PDA or through bit.ly (a url shortener w/Twitter interface), to post updates on happenings at work and activities with local groups. I also highlight articles I find when researching work topics that could prove useful and interesting to others.

Regardless of what the subject is, the length constraints of a Twitter post challenge my ability to convey enough information to summarize the topic so a reader of my message can understand it, as well as encourage them to visit the length (if one exists). At most, I have 140 characters to work with. If I post a URL, that number drops to usually 120. Whatever I want to say, regardless, has to be about 25 words, or less.

As many posts on this blog illustrate, the effective summation of ideas and thoughts, a.k.a. pithiness, is not a big strength. One of the biggest complaints of blogs from media traditionalists is that the lack of space conventions and restrictions discourages the effectiveness of the topics presented. That is a fair criticism, one that has been modified in some ways by recent social networking developments, especially Twitter.

This past week, a struggling author and "media expert" attempted to draw some attention his way by stating in a press release that Twittering can cause brain damage. He pulled his release shortly thereafter, only once he created enough hostility that people asked questions and increased his notoriety. While he provided no scientific or medical facts either way, commenter's to the article did argue that the process of creating tweets, if utilized properly, can improve personal performance. With respect to writing, it could not come a moment too soon for most of us.

Effective tweeting is not the spontaneous "off your chest" pronouncements we see way too often (and post way too often), but rather action-directing statements and recommendations that are carefully considered, edited multiple times, and focused on achieving a desired result on the part of the reader. These are the same challenges we often face in writing for work, especially when we are in a role that we have to convey analysis and findings to gain acceptance for proposals in a manner that wins support, rather than creates additional questions.

If one wants to utilize Twitter to improve their professional writing skills, consider regular (daily, if possible) updates involving links to articles and sites of note. Again, if you link on Twitter, you need to use a url shortener site (like bit.ly). These sites can also track how many people utilize the link, an indication of your effectiveness in conveying your desired message.

Transitioning these professional writing skill improvements to regular communication, especially written letters and reports, requires an existing understanding of traditional writing and grammar rules. Just like with other abbreviated forms of communication, it is important to make sure that the conceptual and theoretical benefits of Twitter are carried forward, not the technical environment that encourages shorthand language and abbreviations.

The benefit eventually shows us in your memos and reports. They'll possess fewer words, especially the extra ones bosses never like. Potentially, skill development such as this leads to greater opportunities within a given employer or field.

If you happen to be on Twitter and want to see how I use my tweets to improve summarizing skills, you can follow me at http://twitter.com/kwhunter. If technology doesn't scare you and the quest for information and capacity for effective analysis interest you, skill development methods such as Twitter for professional writing are great, cost effective means to develop a foundation of strengths that foster better individual futures.

Do's & Don'ts for Honoring the Class of 2009

I meant to have this article done before graduations. However, I realize there are those who haven't bought gifts yet for the graduates they know, so it doesn't hurt to share. Regardless, this topic will always have relevance.

The graduation gift suggestion table at my local bookstore was a case study of the modern cliches applied to how we honor those finishing their academic pursuits and going forward into the real world. For some reason, we think that the occasion calls for canned inspiration, whether it be in a children's book, spiritual guide, or framed presentation of some iconic image.


Given the circumstances this year's graduates face, especially the uncertainty of the economy and available jobs, one would think inspiration and encouragement is what these foot soldiers of the future need. Perhaps we should send our son, daughter, or cousin out to battle with a leather-bound planner and a copy of "Oh, the places you will go," with a little inscription from us inside the cover saying how proud we are of them and how we know they will be outstanding wherever the go from here.

In reality, many of these same graduates have been encouraged and propped up most of their lives. Encouragement does not lead to motivation, since the later is an internal attitude and the the other is purely external influence. What matter now, more than anything, is an recognition by those entering the "real world" for the first time of the environment around them, the challenges magnified by circumstance, and the opportunities existing just beneath the surface.

These three factors should be the focus of a graduation gift in any year, not just a "miserable" one like 2009. Therefore, here is a quick list (by type) of "do" and "don't" buys for those who will be picking up diplomas in the coming weeks and months.

Books - Inspirational

Do: Consider books that showcase timely studies of personal perseverance and success in the face of adversity or struggle. Kelly at TarHeelsInTransit recommended The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. Titles like this that tie recognition of reality and mortality to faith, optimism, and success through passion are great for those uncertain about their futures given the lack of jobs or "visible" opportunities. When looking for an alternative title, make sure that it is about someone that the graduate can relate to in someway. They do not have to be living in the 21st century, but they should have some tie to the interests of the next generation. Possible choices include athletes, musicians, coaches, teachers, and businessmen. Try to stay away from politicians, as people often discount their works as blatant attempts at self-promotion.

Don't: Whether they are graduating high school or college, it is time for these children to grow up. That first means they need to be drawing ideas and inspiration from the works of those they want to be, not from whom they once were. The sooner our graduates stop receiving "Oh, the places you will go" or "Where the wild things are" or anything like this, the better off everyone will be. We may have positive elements of childish nature in ourselves, but we need to step up and grow up, and the way we recognize adult accomplishments serves to reinforce our expectations for their future.

Books - Instructional

Do: Works that provide insight on skills and concepts that can lead to personal and professional success are a great idea. However, the nature of the book should serve to encourage the critical mindset developed by a student during their time in academia. Granted, we must also strive to transition the idealism and fantasy and integrate it into the facts of reality. Jim Collins' Good to Great and Built to Last are great transition pieces. Collins developed basic tenants to success, backed by significant research he showcases and uses for case studies throughout his books. Not only will a reader learn how to adapt their approaches in ways that have proven to yield positive long term results, but they will also see examples of the greatest benefits a college education provides (critical thinking, research analysis, rational decision-making).

Don't: Two different types of books should be avoided. First, don't buy anything that is full of "encouragement" and empty of tangible benefit. The "Chicken Soup" books fit into this category, as do many other series' titles that in many ways only serve to who the reader that what they are experiencing, if its adversity, is not uncommon. That is not a bad thing, but if there are other ways to prove such and offer effective alternatives.

The second type is the "in your face" book. The Larry Winget collection is the best example, as are the works of the Jesus of personal finance, Dave Ramsey. Both of these authors, who draw upon their own experiences of failure and lessons learned, do provide some valuable insight. However, I am not for punching someone in the face if they do not deserve it, which these 2 authors do on a regular basis. Their books are great if you are 30 years old, out of work, and deep in debt. New graduates need to be brought down to reality, but they don't need to be kicked in the shins and spat on. If you give them a Winget or Ramsey selection, they'll probably give you a cold shoulder next holiday party.

Personal Items

Do: We have a strong desire to give graduates something they will remember and cherish for a lifetime. However, we should ask ourselves if such a choice is practical, given the present circumstances, or perhaps a means of indirectly encouraging a materialist approach to adult life. Personally, a graduate's first focus is practicality. This not only means functionality, but also appearances that reflect a mature, adult focus. Briefcases, handbags, portfolios, are great ideas, but make sure they look professional and understated. Business cards and stationery also make great gifts. If you do want to give them a keepsake, a nice pen is a great choice.

Don't: Unless you are a parent, I would avoid trying to buy a new graduate something involving technology. If you are a parent, ask your child first to make sure it is relevant. I remember being in an electronic store 2 years ago while a pair of obvious grandparents were picking out a digital pocket dictionary. They asked for my help and said it was for their granddaughter's graduation. I asked where she was graduating, and they told me "law school." They eventually could not find one they liked, which was the best possible result. Had they bought one, it would probably still be in its casing, or exchanged for an iPod gift card.

Just with technology, another don't is anything that today's graduates no longer use because of technology. Unless you know they use one, do not buy a graduate a planner. This is especially true if they have a PDA phone (Blackberry, iPhone, etc.). If you do buy one, daily pages are not necessary, as everyone now pretty much maintains their schedule using a computer program like Outlook.

Others

Do: Some great choices for anyone include gift certificates for personal coaching or skill development training. Firms like Strategy Performance provide these services to a wide cross-section of individuals and businesses. As their CEO recently told me, such programs offer a chance to "give the gift of success."

Another great idea is a gift that connects graduates to opportunities through activities and networking. Young professional organizations can be found in many cities, including Rocky Mount. Many of these programs are organized by the local Chamber of Commerce, and membership fees are almost always less than $100 per year. Through activities, workshops, and the development of personal contacts, your graduate will learn about job opportunities, potential sources for customers, and ways they can enhance their personal and professional profile in their local community. You could also give them membership in their campus alumni association, especially if they are relocating to a major city or somewhere else with a strong presence of graduates from their institution.

Finally, while they may be itching to get the heck out of school (or not), it never hurts to help them maintain a relationship with their alma mater or the organizations they spent most of their "free time" with. Making a contribution in their name to the school or their fraternity/sorority/club will serve to keep them in contact with the world they are about to leave behind. Eventually, they will want to reconnect, and it is made all the easier if there is already an existing post-graduate relationship in place through fundraising.

Don't: To put it mildly, probably less than 1% of college graduates have a reasonable workplace wardrobe before they graduate. However, this is not something that should be done as a present. Gift cards are not a bad idea, but they should be to places that provide the right mix of value with knowledgeable advice. This is especially true to men, who likely have just one suit that they look absolutely uncomfortable in. Don't buy the clothes, though, as it does need to reflect the graduate's choice, and represents them starting to take some responsibility in decision making.

Gift cards in general make a lot of sense, and they enable graduates to get some practical items that reflect their needs and interests. However, as much as to encourage responsibility as it is to avoid looking cheap, gift cards for grocery stores and similar places should be avoided.

In the end, if the graduate does not appreciate your thought and consideration, regardless of the gift, you do have the right to pull it from their hands, call them "spoiled" and force them to quickly learn the lesson of shame. My advice is meant more to help those giving gifts make decisions that will enable them to see the greatest possible benefits (i.e., value) from their generosity. The right gift ends up being any gift, so long as the recipient maintains an attitude of respect and appreciation, necessities for their growth, development, and future achievement.

You can be/know "more," not "better"

My professional background and daily grind required me to adopt a personal theme to maintain balance between my responsibilities as an employee and citizen. Looking back on it, the saying is applicable for just about anyone, especially those trying to understand how you achieve greatness or recognition without growing negative egotism.

Simply put, you can always be "more", but never "better."

Alexandra Levit offers her own take, which mostly echoes my beliefs on the matter. For those of us in public administration/bureaucracy, it is necessary to recognize that our duties not only require interpretating, upholding, and enacting stated policies, or applying skilled knowledge, but also necessitate appreciating the perspective and experiences of others who may not see eye-to-eye with our judgements. I find it extremely important, if I want to fulfill my professional obligation while making certain that a citizen or official is understanding of the decision made, to show that while I may be well versed in what I do, it does not mean that I have "the" right answer, in contrast to theirs.

This concept applies to virtually anyone, but may have specific relevance to those (like me, at times) who believe they have advantages in proficiency with technology. Recent or upcoming graduates often automatically think that they will be able to get "a step ahead" in the real world by showing off their skills with computers, electronic communications, and what not. I have found (in some cases, the hard way) that despite what we may know that more veteran coworkers don't, it does not mean that our ideas or information has any practical relevance to the situations at hand.

In any given situation, presenting your talents and abilities is always applicable. However, it is important that you do not want to insult the audience, especially if they are in a supervisory or mentoring capacity, by expressing your skill level as somehow "better" than theirs. More than likely, as I did, you'll make this mistake (more than once).

Your coworkers have made this mistake as well, but it will be important to learn quickly about cues and the role of organizational culture, especially when it comes to institutional habits that might negate some of the value possible with your advanced knowledge.

What should we get/not get for new Graduates?

I am open to suggestions for a post I will run later this week on what we should get (and not get) for those in the Class of 2009. I'm thinking primarily about books, products, and other items that you think are of most or least value to someone heading on the next step in the lifelong journeys this summer. Please post here, or if you prefer, send by email to alwaysachieve@gmail.com.

Short Tips Double Feature (Social Networking for Careers, Twitter)

Here is your 2-for-1 special for the weekend:

1. Kelly Giles (Tar Heels in Transit) put together this presentation for a campus workshop on utilizing social media for career development. The presentation also covers the concept of personal branding (while I may be skeptical about this idea, I do think she presents it well). You should also take a look at this post, which elaborates on what she discussed in session.

2. In case you haven't noticed, I have started actively twittering at a reasonable clip. So, here's my 3-step advice for effective twittering:

• Select an account name that can be easily identified (i.e., actual name or most commonly-used email address)
• Use a URL shortener for links, preferably one you can use to track what you post (I prefer http://bit.ly)
• Keep your posts relatively professional (save your family stories for Facebook)

Chris Rock puts it nicely

I am in the midst of my busiest time of the year with respect to my career. I am also not an accountant, so just because today is Tax Day does not mean that it is going to get any less busy. I should see some daylight at the office (literally, and I actually have a window) by mid-June.

Regardless, it does not matter that much. I love what I do, and while my enjoyment with regard to the line of work I'm in does not match my current workplace demeanor most days, the arrival of each new day is something I look forward to.

Chris Rock is on TV tonight, and a comment he just made during a show says what I'm dealing with right now perfectly:

"If you got a career, you ain't got enough time."

There are some pieces I've been working on I will get out very soon, and I'll do my best these next couple of weeks to come up for air and make a post or two. Until then, take a look at the articles linked to the right.

You're not great? Can you be effective?

If you are graduating from college or high school, or making any other type of transition in life this coming summer, here is a simple fact to consider: you are not great.

I thought about this a little while back, the day after the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. When asked about the college career of NCAA Champion UNC Forward Tyler Hansbrough, legendary basketball coach Bob Knight said the he did not think that Hansbrough was a "great player."

Instead, he considered Hansbrough "effective," which he thought was better.

Don't get upset. Few of us are truly "great," especially when we enter an unknown environment. We may possess knowledge and experience, and we might even have the ability to claim some cases of achievement, but they do not guarantee our ability to achieve success as we move forward.


Despite our desire as individuals and society to look forward, we are considered for those opportunities based on our past performance. This is true on the individual and organizational level. In my professional surroundings of the public sector, performance measurement and evaluation is a growing in its role and significance in decision making. For the past several years, I have worked with departments, managers, and stakeholders on examining current practices and activities, identifying what works well and attempting to correct or eliminate what does not.


There are many ways, of course, to evaluate performance. All too often, our track record in the beginning focuses on inputs and outputs. How much workload can we handle? What grade or score do we get in a class or on a test? What were our sales numbers? To some degree, we can compare these two classes of metrics and rate our efficiency, or our ability to make more out of less.


However, the only matters that really matter with respect to evaluating talent, ability, or capacity to take advantage of opportunity is effectiveness. It is also known as outcome, the end result of our endeavors and application of resources. If we are in sales, how does our activity impact the bottom line of the company? For project managers, it would be an investigation into how our activities or idea, brought to fruition, improves the business or enables the achievement of an established goal or objective.


Identifying outcomes and effectiveness is not easy across all professional fields. It is easiest in sports. The easiest mark of effectiveness is victory at the championship level, the recognition that you are the best of the given lot. Sometimes, possessing the talent, passion, and character to focus on achieving such a goal is as important, if not more, than simply being "great" in a given field of skill.

In the case of Tyler Hansbrough, his college career is more about effectiveness than greatness. His determination and ability to lead his team to comeback victories, consistent superior performance, and a national championship with a veteran roster all overshadow those elements of personal greatness, or lack thereof. His effectiveness, more so than his skill level, represents the value he can provide a potential team in the NBA, as well as any other environment where he can apply his "soft" and versatile capabilities following graduation.

When thinking about our own potential, we may not always have the capacity to obtain greatness, but with the right focus and commitment, we can dedicate ourselves to always achieving more valuable effectiveness.

Adventures with Intrapreneurship

Alexandra Levitt's column a week or two ago really struck a chord with me. For about a dozen years, I have progressed rather effectively in my career, in large part due to the application of what Levitt and others call "Intraprenuership" to solve problems and improve processes and operations for my various employers.

Even if you are not in a job that directly aligns with your passions and interests, noticing opportunities to maximize your abilities through creative solutions that improve efficiencies, expand product and service offerings to customers, or generate revenue, savings, and/or publicity are a great way to build value with your employer in today's environment. They also enable you to identify opportunities within the employer for advancement you may not have thought of.

Businesses committed to success will embrace the initiative of their employees at all levels to develop ways on the inside to increase productivity and profitability. If you are ready to take ownership and put in the effort to bring an idea of yours into a reality, intrapreneurship is a great opportunity that can start anytime.

Hey Graduates! It's about results!

Today's Raleigh News & Observer features a great article on three NC State students who built a low-cost, quick response testing system for Tuberculosis. Their creation, which they have transformed into a new business to refine and eventually mass produce, presents significant advantages and benefits throughout the world, particularly in developing countries where reducing the time to analyze TB test results would expedite delivery of drugs necessary to treat it and reduce mortality.

For these three students, their work ethic, passion, and ability to develop creative solutions are all on display in a substantive matter that is relatable, one way or another, to just about everyone. While they are going out on their own for now, there is no doubt that their experience and impact will likely secure them future opportunities in their chosen fields for the foreseeable future, regardless of the general job climate.

In other words, they have already succeeded at the big trend every soon-to-be-graduates seems to be focused on: personal branding.

To be honest, I really don't understand the reason why there is such a focus on this. After all, is there really a need to give yourself a professional identity when the reality of the job opportunities available to new graduates (in any market) are fairly limited? Branding, or identity, is an ongoing process, and it seems to me that it would be best to present yourself as possessing the basic character traits any employer would want (i.e., work ethic, detail-orientation, endurance, obedience, loyalty) than try to define yourself in an employer or mentor may find a little presumptuous.

There are exceptions, as with these kids from NC State. Note, however, that their identity is represented by what the accomplishments they have made and the potential for the results they achieved.

Before you start thinking about your brand, you should ask yourself, "do I really have any results I can bring forward?" A degree is not a result, but rather a credential, and it does not separate yourself out. While the potential for success is important, a record of achievement is far more valuable, and in these times, it may serve to separate those who earn the available jobs from those who will continue to sit on the sidelines.

There is no substitute for achievement, and there is no better way to prove it than with results. For every graduate, this should be the focus of their pitch to potential employers.

Passion critical to career choices, especially for today's young women

Last Sunday, Fox & Friends featured a story that did not surprise me. Honestly, I expected it sooner.

It appears that many of the young women in New York City who held lucrative positions as investment analysts and real estate agents, now disposed from those opportunities by the financial meltdown, were entering another high-profile and potentially-lucrative line of work: stripping.

Eventually, we will hear that the trend even extends to other questionable professions for these women. It is very unfortunate, but again, not surprising.

I don't know much about stripping, but I do know a little about dancing. For the most part, I have my sisters to thank me for this as they both attended dance classes and performed in numerous recitals and productions throughout their childhoods. One of them, the younger of the two, developed an unbelievable passion for the art. Eventually, she decided that dance would be her focus in college in beyond.

This is not the "safest" career choice by a long shot. Professional theatrical dancing is an extremely competitive industry where very few talents in a a pretty large pool make a successful living off our dream. Dancers with a lifetime of training from renowned performer, choreographers, and teachers have a slim chance to reaching Broadway or a position with a renowned company in ballet or other forms.

My sister didn't even have those benefits. Her instructors at the dance schools she attended back home in Tennessee did their best, but we did not live in a major city. She had little more than one dance school option at a time, taking what they were able to give her. With the exception of summer camps and Governor's School, she was very limited in exposure to the professional circus awaiting her.

Regardless, she made it to one of the top undergraduate institutions for dance in the country. This week, she was accepted to one of the top graduate institutions. Since graduating with her Bachelors 3 years ago, she has worked as a college recruiter and admissions counselor (for student-artists), taught dance for studios in her area, made costumes for fellow dancers, stage managed productions, and even started her own production company. Amongst those she graduated with in the Dance program, she is likely the most successful, both respect to the field of dance (albeit unconventionally) and the ability to be self-reliant.

She did take one piece of cautionary advice prior to starting school when she agreed to minor in Business. Bringing forth those skills encouraged her to diversify her interests related to her passion for dance and the performing arts. She will be prepared for a lifelong career in the industry, as a performer, choreographer, instructor, professor, company owner, etc.

In case you're wondering, she never came close to taking any clothes off on stage, not even for "artistic" reasons. I probably wouldn't allow it as her brother, but it is truly not her style. The fact that she is able to make a life out of what she loves while maintaining an attitude toward the artistic side that distances herself from commercial opportunities in her field is difficult for me to understand, but she succeeds regardless (and likely will continue to do so).

As for the fallen angels of Wall Street, the profile article suggests that these individuals are not terribly concerned with how they earn their money. While articles such as this often lend themselves to superficial impressions, one could argue that the transition from the world of corporate finance to adult entertainment was not a major issue for the people interviewed, since it does not seem that they had any strong passion with their careers in the first place.

More than likely, these individuals were focused on the power and attention their former jobs brought them. If that is the case, it is easy to see why they would swap over to something that enables the same result, though in an entirely different environment void of much except lust and physical evaluation.

There is a part of me that is very concerned about this with respect to Gen X and Gen Y female professionals as a whole. So many of them have been encouraged into fields that do not lend themselves to passion or an internal sense of desire. Does anyone really want to grow up to be a pharmaceutical salesperson? Did any of the "Ladies of Enron" who posed for Playboy after their company imploded have an interest in energy trading before it was presented in a recruitment brochure from the company or a business school?

For at least 2 generations, the best of the female gender, those who combine intellectual ability with poise and beauty, have been encouraged toward careers where the talents, as identified by others, can be best utilized. Rarely are these the talents I believe these individuals value the most themselves. My youngest sister, along with the older one, both detoured from this path. My parents played a large part, as did their strong desire to pursue careers in line with the interests and abilities they enjoyed the most (my older sister has long possessed an interest in medicine, which she relishes today as a Physical Therapist).

I still see the unfortunate trend continuing today. It is natural for women to be naturally drawn to and inspired by careers that best utilized their internal and external abilities. This is not an indictment against female dominance in public relations, marketing, journalism, accounting, sales, or a host of other industries. However, parents, mentors, and the higher education community have a responsibility to make sure that all young women of talent pursue the interests they value most as individuals, not direct them to pursuits that only serve to reinforce the worst stereotype of feminism: the pursuit of power without substance or meaning.

To conclude, please consider what I mentioned before: it is best to pursue your professional wants and maintain balance with your material needs, not vice versa. Power is a form of materialism, often represented by wealth or physical stature. Focusing on this is a want, especially when you are starting out in life, does not provide the opportunity for lasting, personal achievement. Instead, it only encourages someone to make decisions in order to maintain the position and avoid the sense of "failure." It does nothing to move us forward in a path we truly desire.

Twitter's Skill Development Benefit

Pith is a challenge for everyone, especially when you are used to the freedom to extend thoughts and arguments in the halls of academia. There is very little room in the professional world for extensive statements, especially when they are written or printed for quick dissemination by supervisors and important officials. This is especially true in the public sector.

Can Twitter's demand for short, effective comments develop an individuals ability to shorten their language in other settings and improve effectiveness with information delivery? Can the transition be made in a manner that retains the importance of grammar and prevents texting speak from gaining a non desired foothold in professional, multi-generational communication?

I definitely see the value of using Twitter as an exercise in identifying the most essential components of a message in order to compile and present for maximum effectiveness in delivery. Please let me know what you think, either on comments here or by replying to http://twitter.com/kwhunter.

Rush is Right... on college

Regardless of what I think politically, I agree with anyone who believes that Rush Limbaugh is a polarizing individual. He would probably concur as well. However, there are times that he is absolutely right without question, once you take the political ideology out of his comments.

Such is the case with the state of modern higher education. On his radio program today, Mr. Limbaugh took a call from a collegian who complained about the atmosphere of the campus and his fellow students. The monologue in response to this call provides the basis for an excellent argument against what our colleges and universities are today, applicable from numerous angles.

Naturally, the comments possess strong political sentiments (for the record, I tend to agree with them). However, that does not change the true essence of Mr. Limbaugh's point, particularly when applying his own life story (and personal dislike for attending college) to the situation at hand.

The most important point he makes is the following:

If a person does not leave college as an independent, critical thinker, it was a waste of time -- and college as a waste of time under that definition, because you don't have a lot of independent thinkers coming out of there... We all know that college is not about developing the individual. We all know that college is not about preparing individuals to pursue their own happiness with confidence, to have their own unique solutions for the problems that await them.

I absolutely agree with this. I doubt that many parents and potential college students, as they visit the institutions of their choice, think about freedom, individual creativity, or pursuit of substantive self-confidence, or ask questions that enable them to determine if the school provides an applicable environment. The tour and discussions are about majors, job placement, social life, pedigree, networking, and a host of other issues that focus least on who a student is in the singular sense.

Unlike Mr. Limbaugh, I love college and the classroom environment. I practically grew up on a campus and cannot wait for the opportunity to return there. The thought of encouraging the intellectual development of others, particularly when it comes to embracing the creativity necessary to achieve substantive success with the capacities God gave us, drives me toward this passion.

For those thinking of college, I would only recommend it if the passion for the knowledge and associated career you strive for gives you the fortitude to withstand the assault that awaits in the classroom for the first day of the first semester. Within the first week of a student's tenure, they will be challenged by faculty and fellow students to a point where they will be forced to choose between the beliefs and values that guided them so far to success and strength (which they will be told are not acceptable to achieve collegiate greatness) and the path of ideological conformity masked within a counterculture that either encourages social supremacy or non-substantive academic elitism.

Choosing to stay true to who you are does not mean that college will not change you. It is a great time to learn and grow and develop greater appreciation and understanding of your passions, especially if you can learn new ways to apply them. The classroom can be a conduit, even with the most difficult of professors, but it is not the source. Anything that will be worth knowing has to be acquired on your own.

The same is true for careers. Naturally, we all have to pay the bills, but that does not mean that we do ourselves any favors when we choose to commit ourselves to a profession or long-term plan that does not enable us to do what we want. I may not be a professor, but my employment allows me to apply the skills I enjoy most and develop the background of experience that will serve me best in providing real-world examples and perspective once the opportunity for a teaching position presents itself. At the same time, through avenues such as this and other forms of professional and public outreach, I do get to engage in teaching others about those subjects and topics that interest me most.

To conclude, Mr. Limbaugh's beliefs on the positions of the Obama Administration or practically every other political or social issue may drive you to madness or insanity. I cannot help that. However, nobody can argue with his track record of personal success and his ascension to significant prominence in American media and politics. That would have only been possible because of his determination to pursue his passions in life and discounting those conventions that only stood in his way. For every individual, this is a path to achievement worth understanding.

Start practicing your wardrobe

When it comes to interview and workplace wardrobe, understanding the applicable dress code is important. The most factor is not the clothing itself, but how you feel when wearing it. Too often, new professionals do not break out the suits and ties until they are actually in the career search process. This is a serious mistake, as evidenced by the multitude of first-time suit wearers I have witnessed when interviewing candidates for positions.

This is a serious issue for men. Women typically transition better from casual to business attire, and they have a greater variety of choices when it comes to appropriate clothing in the professional world. Us guys, on the other hand, are pretty relegated to suits, sport coats, and ties.

Looking and feeling comfortable is as important when you are trying to impress as the actual clothes you are wearing. If you feel relaxed and professional, potential employers will see it and appreciate it too. Just like with anything else, this only results from repetitive experience.

With April now upon us, if you are graduating or pursuing internships, or are searching for a new job in a more-professional environment, start practicing your wardrobe now. This does not necessarily mean wearing a suit to class or the grocery store. Start off by putting on khakis or dress pants instead of jeans and shorts. You need to feel comfortable wearing those, as well as dress shoes, around during the warmer spring and summer months when you may be used to looser and less clothing.

Eventually, sooner than later, you need to practice life in the suit. Choose an appropriate opportunity. Understand that the eyes on you will not be the first time people notice you in such clothing. In fact, one of the biggest issues we face in business attire is that people always look differently at us. Eventually, we realize this is a compliment, if suit looks right and look comfortable wearing it.

Finally, trying out your business wardrobe gives you the chance to see if any alterations need to be made. Make sure your pants are not too short or too long, and the same for shirts. If adjustments need to be made, visit a local tailor or dry cleaner that provides alteration services.

Looking professional is essential, whether you will be a "strictly business" or "business casual" environment. For everyone, especially men, the best course of action, like any other professional endeavor, is to make an effort for achievement through prior preparation.

...and two to grow on

Today is my birthday. I wanted to make sure that these two WSJ pieces made it on:

First, and I cannot stress this enough, attitude is perhaps most important when you are looking for a job or starting a career right now. This article on being the "go-getter" makes the point perfectly. If you are passionate about your opportunities, make sure you translate that for potential employers in a no-job-too-small (or too big), perform-at-all-costs mentality that will encourage them to put you to the top of the list. Nobody has room right now for seat fillers.

Second, I realize that there is a significant push toward personal branding, and there is some merit to it. However, identity is more than just how you can summarize yourself. Alexandra Levitt's "Reinvent" column this week looks at how we present ourselves to employers and contacts from the story perspective. While the article is focused on those going through the process of transforming their careers, newbies can utilize the lessons to frame their background, strengths, and passions into substantive examples of performance that will draw the interests of those on the other side of the interview table (more on this from a personal perspective later this week).

Be Mindful of "Thank You"

Right now, sending "thank you" messages to those who help you out in the career search process, from interviews and recruiter interaction to networking contacts and advisers, is absolutely critical and essential. Tar Heels in Transit has a nice summary on the subject, including some helpful links to examples.

My strongest advice when it comes to writing "thank you" notes is to use professional, note-oriented stationery. You can easily find letter sheets (such as this example from Crane & Co.) at Hallmark stores, Office Depot, or local outfits like The Baggie Goose in Asheville.

You do not have to spend the extra money to have the stationery (paper or cards) personalized. Instead, buy a nice writing pen that maintains a nice, steady line when you write (don't spend $1/page on the paper and then write with a bargain-level Bic ballpoint). A nice black gel pen, preferably 0.7mm thickness in black or blue (like this one) will work perfectly. If you don't have the right pen, you may have to write back over the lines. It will not look the best, and it will be very frustrating.

Also, make sure to take your time. If your cursive is legible, write this way. Unlike print, it is easier to keep each line level on unlined paper (like note paper and cards) when you write in cursive. If you have to print, make sure it looks professional. Go slow to avoid spelling errors, which are easy to do in cursive. If you make an error, see if you can correct it without making the word look like it was rewritten. If not, finish the letter so you have a draft you can replicate (correctly) on a clean sheet (do not miss any opportunity to practice through once you make an unfixable mistake).

Before all of this, of course, make sure you have the correct names, titles, and addresses for those you are going to send letters to. In the past, I started interviews (on both sides of the table) by asking for names and titles and verifying spelling. If I was the candidate, they could pick up that I was planning to send them a follow-up, and they could tell I was detail-oriented and engaged with their business and process.

Wonderlics, transparency, and lessons from jocks

Thoughts and questions encouraged regarding this post

The most publicized employee screening process is taking place right now before the eyes of the world. Thousands of candidates from as wide a swath of backgrounds as humanly possible are competing for hundreds of positions in a variety of departments.

Some of the most sophisticated testing, both mentally and physically-centered, are being applied, along with relentless background checks and personal interviews. Despite gathering candidates together for a lengthy, centralized assessment, the employer's various divisions are traveling across the country to visit top candidates in the current hometowns for further interviews and evaluation of past and present performance.

In the end, 257 candidates will be automatically selected for probationary employment within 32 divisions of one of the nation's most recognized corporations. No equity will exist between the chosen, or with the incumbent employees they will join. Despite a few protections, all employment in the corporation is realistically at-will.

With the exception of a few call backs or opportunities to make a second impression in the future, the remaining candidates will never have a shot again.

Very few of us can imagine a selection process as arduous as this, except for the one we watch intently on the sidelines every spring: the NFL Draft.

With so few open opportunities for interviews right now, the opportunity to just "learn by doing" when it comes to selling oneself and understanding the processes employers go through to select "rookie" talent is a critical commodity in itself right now. However, when it is not possible to do, sometimes one can learn by what they observe. "The Draft" provides this opportunity, especially when you consider the vast publicly-available resources dedicated to its dissemination.

Think about it. Most cable networks will do a segment with some career counselor or advisor they contact for a few minutes. This does not compare to the number of full-time draft experts that ESPN, Fox, NFL Network, and other groups hire to provide insight and perspective. The media build-up to the Draft is the closest thing that sports has to Presidential election coverage.

As a result, there are plenty of places to see examples, in very obvious ways, of the lessons taught most often by career advisors. For example, simply Google "Andre Smith," and you will see a textbook example of someone who is sacrificing enormous opportunity by not balancing his talent with character and professionalism. Draft sites at NFL.com and elsewhere treat prospective players like commodities, providing "up" and "down" selection updated on an almost daily basis.

Then there's the assessment process. The NFL Combine, where draft prospects are evaluated as a group, might be the most visible example of mass supply talent evaluation available to the public. The multi-day exercise combines physical strength, agility, and endurance tests with personality profiling and tests of intellectual acumen.

The Wonderlic Personnel Test is perhaps the most referenced component of the Combine process. This actual HR assessment tool is utilized to gauge the capacity of draft prospects to process information and decision options quickly and effectively. The scores are not only made available to the teams considering the draftees, but also to the public, giving them a chance to see how these athletic supremacists would compare to the averages of various professions.

As a whole, the process for candidates of the NFL Draft is the best available example of how elite organizations consider and assess available talent. It also provides a view into the passion, commitment, and determination that the young men who seek to be picked must possess, regardless of their relative ability. If you happen to know anyone who is going through this process, sit down with them a little while and ask them what it is like. See what they have learned about appreciating hard work and personal discipline. Both of these qualities of character not only make a prospect excel in the evaluation process, but they reinforce the importance of pursuing passion when faced with the intense workload often found in those things we truly love.

What if I can make the shot?

This may seem very appropriate for the time, seeing that March Madness surrounds us. This past weekend, I witnessed a teamwork demonstration exercise. As someone who has attended and facilitated these types of workshops, I enjoy seeing the creation of new ways to reinforce the same themes of cooperation and collective success at the heart of promoting team mentality.

The exercise started off innocent enough. Students were asked to stand about 10 feet from a large trash can, crumple up pieces of paper, and "shoot" them into the "basket." Naturally, about 3 out of 10 made it in. After about 90 seconds, the facilitator arranged the group into 2 lines and assigned each person in each line a specific task in the original process (crumple paper, shoot, even recover those that miss). His point was with regards to the fact that teamwork coordinates individual efforts, reducing the potential for "missed" opportunities.

This is a relatively understandable demonstration for many applications, including the topic of the workshop (a component of service learning). However, the thought did occur to me with regard to those in the group who actually shot their paper balls into the trash can. The same people made the shots over and over, and while they were not perfect, they were successful.

How would someone feel if they were consistently successful at a series of tasks, or even a task we assume to be simple, only to have it split up in order to make more people feel successful? Perfection may be more attainable, but is the gain in team effectiveness worth the loss of an individual's potential accomplishment?

Circumstances like this are not new to anyone, and we experience them constantly. Sometimes, our desire to encourage participation and offer opportunity to all prevents the best candidates from standing at the front of the group and proving their advanced aptitude. Note that I did not state "superior," as knowing or being able to do more does not mean we are better than anyone else, all things considered.

The problem with the exercise I witnessed is that it teaches the wrong lesson. Teamwork is advantageous, but not when it limits or hinders the capabilities of the individuals that make up the team. In the ultimate team arena of sports, the strengths of team players are not compromised for the sake of one another, but rather maximized by position and responsibility. This is true throughout the professional world, where successful organizations identify and empower employees to focus on their strengths, as well as recognize those of their coworkers in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness while maintaining critical individual senses of belonging.

If the exercise I saw to demonstrate the strength of teamwork is commonplace, in this interpretation, on higher education campuses, then employers have much to be concerned about with the upcoming crops of graduating talent (if jobs are available). For those who have already been through drills like this and may not know what teamwork really is, the question to ask oneself is "do you really think someone is going to hire and pay you not to maximize your strengths and abilities?"

Understanding teamwork may require knowing when to "pass the ball," but it is as just as important to know when you can "make the shot."

Week of Wisdom Archive

I really enjoyed putting together my five pieces of essential personal and professional advice for the "Week of Wisdom" series. If you are interested in looking at them, click here.

Participate in College Career Center Poll

Do you utilize your campus Career Center? What do you think about it? Careerealism has setup an online poll where you can provide them your opinions. Even if you are out of school, it's not a bad idea to offer your opinion on how this resources impacted your professional pursuits.

Inspiration Article on Entrepreneurship

Michael Moore (not that one) with the John Locke Foundation (see, not that one) provided a great Friday guest piece for John Hood's daily column at Carolina Journal. The piece does have significant religious undertones. The core points that Moore makes about the need for us to praise those willing to take risks and meet the needs of others through our own effort.

I do believe these words have meaning to the corps of graduating seniors facing little light ahead in the current job market. For many, especially those who passions are best fulfilled through smaller and individualized professional pursuits, this could be just what they need to hear.

Thoughts on Career Centers, and the people who want to know

Carreerealism is asking for feedback on the problems students experience with their campus career offices. My take?

• Most career centers are really job centers, with their counselors able to tell you about what's open and which business contacted them about scheduling interviews, but they don't do much beyond that.
• Career centers often cater to the strength programs of their institutions. This is a survival mentality, since after graduation placement is critical to the rankings of such programs on the regional and national level. These programs also usually drive the direct offerings from potential employees through the career center.
• Career centers are doing better jobs with soft skill development on average than they did when I was a student, but it is still not enough. In reality, the ideal personal skill tool box for professional achievement is acquired mostly through experience, and not just the "on-the-job" variety.
• If you want to take the entrepreneurial route, they have nothing available to help you.
• Like the guidance counselors who first work with the students in high school, many career centers apply systematic solutions to identify interests based more on ability than passion. This works for some and can help get a graduate employed, but it can also keep someone passionate about an idea from developing it due to his placement in another field on the basis of aptitude, not interest.

If you want to see two offices where they do their best to do it right, you can visit Career Resources for the MPA program at UGA or the Internship & Career Services Center at North Carolina Wesleyan. I know the coordinators of both programs and admire their efforts.

Another Week of Wisdom Bonus: Twitter How-To

Have you ever wanted to share a habit of your favorite United States Congressman? If you do, and cannot hold your liquor on a daily basis or make others not want to kill you when you lie through your teeth, then this free workshop on the newest political (and general societal) trend of Twittering is for you (courtesy Tar Heels in Transit)!

In case you're... wait, you're not... I don't really "Twitter." You can find me on Facebook and LinkedIn, but that's about it for now. Perhaps it's the whole job thing :)

Speaking of resumes...

Saw this one posted by the author of the newest addition to the Blogroll, Tar Heels in Transit. I am really impressed by the simplicity and ability to forge a very strong personal profile into the confines of the all-too-critical single page.

Wisdom Week Bonus: VisualCV

I saw this advertised on a couple of blogs and featured by Alexandra Levit. Here is what I like about VisualCV.

• At its very least, it provides an effective personal portal for accessing your social network
• Provides an easy-to-reference focus site for professional contacts, including potential employers and search firms. The end product is definitely business card material.
• Formatting and design enable creativity within organized structure.
• Strong user-defined security settings, a strong plus for anyone wanting to streamline and enhance their online profile.
• Already accepted and utilized by major corporations and recruiting firms, which suggests extensive future adoption (i.e., you're not wasting your time).

There are many more benefits that I did not mention (or even know about). It is definitely worth taking a look at their tour.

Week of Wisdom, Day Five: Hope is not

What a week! Each of us probably had better things to do, but if you kept up with the "Week of Wisdom," it was worth it. We are now at Day Five, the end of the week, and the final piece of advice I can offer, pulled from years of professional and personal experience.

I tend to not be a fan of Larry Winget, the so-called "Pit Bull of Personal Development." If his methods work for you, however, then they are right for you and the wisdom of Day One is proved once again. However, I do think that Mr. Winget is dead on with one of his primary pieces of advice, which runs counter to the lexicon and beliefs of most of us.

Whether you are trying to just get started, or people start taking notice of your actions, or you face the cold discomfort when everyone agrees with you, or you need to take the next step in developing relationships of substance, there is a common thread that should always exist. It does, and I sense it in the efforts of most successful people. However, I also tend to notice that it is substituted with a far less powerful mentality that often leads people with even the strongest ideas and best intentions on a road to nowhere.

The greatest weakness we have as a society is "hope." It is also often the most significant roadblock an individual possesses, inhibiting them to reach their full potential. If we are taught to define hope as the feeling that better things are ahead, then the reality proves that focusing on hope leads to the opposite.

Take a few minutes to express your anger at the computer, if you feel that way. I completely understand.

The actual definition of "hope" provides insight into its weakness. Hope is about emotion. It can feed off of our energy and focus when people area drawn into frenzy, especially when led by someone or some group that understands the potential of this power in a collective capacity. Hence, hope is often the mindset du jour of the downtrodden and impoverished, as well as those who experience failure after significant success.

Energy and focus are critical to the development of passion. We must draw from these personal spiritual resources in order to exercise the creativity, commitment, and dedication necessary to build a business or start and flourish in a chosen career. If we spend out time focused on "hope" for a future that does not incorporate action, goals, or substance, then we deplete ourselves of critical internal resources.

Winget puts it simply that successful people choose to believe rather than hope. This is not an easy transition, as believing in others and yourself can be a little problematic if someone or something in life fails. If failure turns believe into self-doubt, then it is the same as loosing trust in someone who does not respect our believe in them.

Belief must be measured in respect to faith. Those who profess believe in others must do so with internal assurance not to place fellow man before God with respect to priority or admiration. Balance, just like with other philosophical dichotomies, is critical.

As you set forth, considering the ideas brought forth this week, encourage yourself to approach your friends, assignments, challenges, and opportunities with a spirit that will allow you to pursue passions with the focus and intent necessary for achievement. This is not possible until we each recognize that hope is not, when compared to the personal power of belief.