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.

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.

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.

...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).

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.

Do you know them well enough?

I just reread Levit's recent post on cover letters and thought about the following comment, which generated opposing responses from several readers (note emphasis added):

Basically, I think they’re a waste, because if you aren’t submitting your
resume to someone you know well enough to include a
more informal e-mail instead, you’re probably just going to end up in the black
hole that is the general HR inbox.

For those of you just about to graduate, especially if you are on or about to be on spring break, this is something important to think about. Is there someone you know well enough that simply passing a resume may get you an interview or position? Have you built contacts and relationships with those in the professions you are most passionate about that you feel comfortable talking to them about an internship, apprenticeship, or shadowing that will help you take that next step in a journey of professional achievement?

For some, job searching in our desired careers requires a lot of "cold calling" and looking up ads. Identifying contacts with the resources to get you a foot in the door makes the process far easier.

Leavit's "skill" piece provides excellent perspective of C-A-R and resume improvement

In this week's "Reinvent" tip column for WSJ, Alexandra Levit provides a succinct plan for focusing career searches on passion-oriented skills. Identifying past examples where these skills created professional benefit through "Challenges-Actions-Results," as well as channeling the personal energy toward your passion with position-oriented "functional resumes," are excellent ways to invigorate a stagnant search or restart your pursuit of a better professional future.

I believe Levit will have more great articles to come. In the meantime, check out her blog.

WSJ Adds "Reinvent" Column

In odd synchronization with the launch of my blog, the Wall Street Journal launched a new career column for their Sunday edition. "Reinvent" appears to be a weekly column featuring relatively young and successful career consultant Alexandra Levit, who will tackle the personal and professional renewals so many are facing in the current climate.

Her introductory piece displays a great deal of potential, and the sliver she provides of her own story indicates that her presence as a columnist is made possible by focusing energies on skills and interests related to her personal passions.

Levit comes to the Journal with success as a speaker on career issues and the writer of three books, including the well-regarded They Don't Teach Corporate in College (I need to look at this one). She is often published in newspapers and has an active, substantive career blog. All of this is worth taking a look if you need some ideas.