5 Tips from the CEO of Monster.com

Find your job!

Sal Iannuzzi, CEO of Moster.com was recently interviewed by WSJ. You can read the full interview here, but here are 5 tips Mr.Iannuzzi suggested for finding a job in a tough market.

1. Stay focused on what you want to do and the type of position you are looking for.
   
   Instead of jumping at the first opportunity, you should be selective in your job hunt. Focus comes from preparation and anticipation.
   
   
2. Seek jobs that are relevant and build onto your long-term goals.
   
   If you have a long-term plan, make sure your next step gets you closer to that goal.
   
   
3. Cast a wide net; your dream job may be hiding in a company or industry you never considered.
   
   Why not - leverage the internet and the options it offers you to extend your search.
   
   
4. Be diverse, as jobs with different responsibilities provide valuable experiences.
   
   Remember - growth does not always have to be vertical. There is merit in horizontal growth to expand your horizons.
   
   
5. Keep building on those experiences. Eventually, you'll be able to apply what you've learned to just about anything and be successful.
   
   Don't be stuck in a rut. If you are learning and expanding your skill set - there are no limits.

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What You Do Today - You Reap Tomorrow

Start marketing early

I keep running into examples of how choices people made early in their careers impact them later in life. Obviously hindsight is 20/20 but there is something to be said about long-term vision. Here are some examples -

Sales
The business world works on relationships. Who you know matters - big time! And sales is all about making connections. You are making connections to sell, to find other customers and to just be plugged in. Do those relationships pay out? Absolutely! If you want to start your own business, move up or out - relationships will make a difference.

Marketable Competency
You may be great at what you do but does that translate into marketable skills. If you are in IT - do you understand the online space - Web 2.0, web services, graphic design, site setup, web architecture, web analytics? The web is a known technology interface and competency in this space can be leveraged to start a business, seek career growth or move across industries (everyone needs a website). Conversely - if you are the SME on the backend/legacy application - how do you translate that into a marketable competency? Think about it.

Marketing
You may have the greatest product or the best service but if you can't market it - you will probably not sell it. Marketing is evident in every aspect of life. You are a brand and you have to market yourself at work everyday. To seek a better or different job - you have to market yourself to a new customer. To get your business venture off the ground - you have to market it. If you have an opportunity, learn marketing. It will serve you well - again and again.

If you have a vision for where you want to be tomorrow - great. If not - it may be worthwhile to ponder where you want to be and how today will help you get there.

(Photo courtesy - Flickr)

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How Long for an Industry to Collapse?

Always changing

We believe that a lot of things will not change between today and tomorrow. We expect predictably - the sun will rise, you will get out of bed, eat breakfast and go to work. Usually the predictably is there but not always. Change happens!

If you are in denial about change – get over it. It will happen and it will happen to you. Consider the story of Kent and Mysti Cope, who were till recently six-figure earners in the subprime industry. The industry disappeared overnight and now the Cope’s are just trying to get by.

"We're still both in shock that it could go from something so good to so bad so quick," said Kent, 59. "New Century in 60 days went from top of the heap to out of business."
CNNMoney - Careers vanish after subprime 'free fall'

The risks of your industry collapsing this rapidly are remote. Usually it takes time for industries to disappear – think about the slow decline in the US auto industry, the decimation of manufacturing and the slow but steady migration of IT jobs offshore.

You can’t stop change from happening but you can prepare yourself for the inevitable. Preparation involves investing in transferable skills like people management, project management, coordination, administration and finance. Seek a second career, along with the first. Part-time investment in starting a side business, an online venture or consulting can provide a backup plan. And finally, be aware of what is happening in your team, your company and your industry. If the writing is on the wall – move or you risk becoming a case study.

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Career Paths - This or That

Finding your path

'Shaking the rain off his jacket, Martin Bennett entered the cavernous warehouse of a refurbished-mattress supplier one recent afternoon. Past stacks of old bedding, he found, sitting behind a desk, a man who identified himself as the owner of the E&G Bedding Corp.

Mr. Bennett wanted to inspect the company's paperwork on the sanitation tests required on used bedding that's resold. Instead, he was shown the door. "Get...out of here!" shouted the man. "This is private property."

He was correct that Mr. Bennett has no business reviewing the company's internal records -- at least not anymore. He retired more than six years ago from the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, where he worked as a compliance officer for more than four decades.'
Safety Inspector Just Can't Stop Poking Around(subscription required)

Two ways to look at this situation...

You have a passion for what you do. You enjoy it thoroughly and fully. Even after years of commitment if you still wake up ready to go - wow! This is not work - it is finding your life's calling. Many strive for it, some find it.

OR

Why fixate on only one thing in life? Life offers us a platitude of choices and if you are not experiencing and enjoying what is possible - are you missing out? Step outside, experiment, experience and explore. Life is short - live it!

(Picture credit flickr.com)

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