Young people get why businesses need to develop sustainability programs. Gen X and Y and Milleniums don’t want to give what matters to them most — their lifetimes – to promote the corporate bottom line. They want to work for companies that feel some responsibility to their communities and to issues that effect us all, like sustainability. More than that, they’ve got incredible radar for companies that are using PR to appear green — what they like to call “green washing.”
But sustainability is not necessarily a top priority for the business owners I talk to. From them I hear, “Times are tough. My job is to make a profit so I can continue to support my workers and their families. ‘Saving the environment’ is laudable, but I have to look at the bottom line.”
Making your business more sustainable and making a profit really mutually exclusive? Not according to Adam Werbach in a Harvard University video. Adam, the global CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi, one of the world’s largest advertising companies, explains how big businesses can create a “sustainability culture” that is essential to their financial success.
He says that as resources like fuel become scarcer, companies that figure out a way to manage environmental factors are companies that are going to cope best. And, he says that a commitment to sustainability results in:
. better products
. engaged and committed employees
. more sales
Werbach warns that the efforts can’t be episodic. Really creating a culture that engages workers and that encourages them to come up with ideas to solve an environmental problem is critical.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
What young employees want
My friends who own small businesses complain a they can’t motivate their newest employees. “I can’t figure out what they want. It’s not money, necessarily. It’s not prestige. What makes them tick?,” they ask.
As a life coach working with 20 somethings, I can tell you what they want.
More than previous generations, they want their work lives to matter. According to What Canadians Think, a book by two of Canada’s leading pollsters, 81% of Canadian students surveyed said having an “interesting” work was important to them. To put that in prospective, only 19% said having a high paying job was important. Engaging work is really, really a priority with this generation.
And, as important, they want to work for organizations that understand their prospective that businesses need a bigger vision. If they are going to give you what they value most – their life time — they want you to show you care about burning issues, both locally and globally.
It’s not that hard to make your organization one that young workers will want to work for. You just need to commit to making a difference about the issues that matter to them.
And what are those issues? For sure the environment and sustainability. Put your young workers in charge of developing your environmental company policies and you’ll be surprised how ingenious their solutions are.
For sure, it’s enriching their communities. Make it easy for them to volunteer by providing information on local charities and events in your newsletters and emails. Give them a day off every three months to volunteer in the community.
For sure it’s the larger world. Adopting a cause – whether its global warming or world poverty – will show you care about something beyond the bottom line.
This is a generation that gets more grief that they deserve, because their values are different. Make yours the kind of company they are proud to tell their friends about, and you’ll earn their commitment.
As a life coach working with 20 somethings, I can tell you what they want.
More than previous generations, they want their work lives to matter. According to What Canadians Think, a book by two of Canada’s leading pollsters, 81% of Canadian students surveyed said having an “interesting” work was important to them. To put that in prospective, only 19% said having a high paying job was important. Engaging work is really, really a priority with this generation.
And, as important, they want to work for organizations that understand their prospective that businesses need a bigger vision. If they are going to give you what they value most – their life time — they want you to show you care about burning issues, both locally and globally.
It’s not that hard to make your organization one that young workers will want to work for. You just need to commit to making a difference about the issues that matter to them.
And what are those issues? For sure the environment and sustainability. Put your young workers in charge of developing your environmental company policies and you’ll be surprised how ingenious their solutions are.
For sure, it’s enriching their communities. Make it easy for them to volunteer by providing information on local charities and events in your newsletters and emails. Give them a day off every three months to volunteer in the community.
For sure it’s the larger world. Adopting a cause – whether its global warming or world poverty – will show you care about something beyond the bottom line.
This is a generation that gets more grief that they deserve, because their values are different. Make yours the kind of company they are proud to tell their friends about, and you’ll earn their commitment.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Getting ready for your interview: U of Chicago offers step by steps
Sometimes my clients do an enormous amount of work to finally land a job interview, then back off and figure their work is done. Your goal is not getting an interview, its landing a job.
So how can you prepare? There's some great toolkits out there to walk you through the process. Take a look at the University of Chicago's Career Advising and Planning Service site. They offer a whole series of detailed handouts to guide you in every step of the job search process. And you don't have to attend one of the best universities in the world to have access to them.
Their 8-page Employment Interview Handout walks you through the 4 step process to:
1. assess what you bring to the job
2. do you research on the industry and the company
3. prepare your responses
4. practice and dress for your interview
To help you relax into the interview, they suggest that you use the STAR Method by preparing mini-stories for possible interview questions. For example you're likely to be asked, "What can you add to our team or company?' You can have a mini story ready to highlight how you made a difference as a reporter on your school paper by adding an environmental column. Using your story, you can demonstrate how you were on top of trends and were able to create something innovative that improved circulation.
Remember, you're in the home stretch when you arrive at a job interview. It's time to put forward your best effort by going in totally prepared.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Great Career Exploration Site at McGill U
I'm often asked where to begin in figuring out what to do with the rest of your life. Not surprisingly I always answer: "With you." Before you begin to search for available jobs, you need to begin with a little self analysis. Taking the time now can save you years of going down the wrong road and having to retrace your steps.
I'll give you an example from my own life. When I graduated high school at 16, I decided to go into nursing, most likely because my older brother had gone into medicine and because my family said I could always get a job. But by choosing nursing, I ignored my own nature. I wasn't interested in sciences, not detail oriented and overwhelmed in the super stressful environment of hospitals. Years later, a fish out of water as an ICU nurse, I compounded my error by getting a Masters in Health administration. I was in my 30s before I finally conceded to myself, "This isn't working," and became a writer. I finally found the sort of work that matched my styles and interests.
Fortunately there are some great tools for you to learn what kinds of careers might suit you and walk you through the process. McGill University's website has a tools that can help walk you through a self assessment process. It offers nine steps from that all important self assessment to shaking an interviewer's hand and accepting your first job. There's links, tips, podcasts and advice at every step of the way. It's one of the best organized sites I've seen.
You can use Macgill's site to:
1) Do a Self Assessment
2) Explore Careers
3) Engage in New Experiences
4) Research Employers & Target Organizations
5) Develop Your Networking Skills
6) Look for Job Opportunities
7) Write a CV and Cover Letter
8) Prepare for the Interview
9) Know Salary and Labour Information
Check it out.
Friday, June 4, 2010
How to find out what it's really like to work in a profession
Dear coach:
I'm trying to land on a great career, but I'm not sure I'm getting the real story when I talk to people in the field I'm considering. I'm only hearing the positives (or sometimes only the negatives). How can I get the real scoop?
Flummoxed
Dear Flummoxed:
It's natural for most people to put the best possible face on their profession when they're talking to a new grad considering their field. They don't want to squash your enthusiasm. But you know that jobs, like life, cannot be fascinating 24/7. If you get only glowing reports, you need to ask more questions. Every job has its challenges, and its best to know what they are and if you can live with them.
You might try some open ended questions that indicate that you're willing to know the whole truth. You can try questions like: "What characteristics do you have to have to make you happy in this job?"; "What do you consider the hardest part of your job?" ; What kind of people are not suited to working in your position?" Answers to questions like these should give a better idea of what it's like to work in the field.
You're really trying to find out whether your temperament and interest are a match. If you're thinking of being an event planner, for example, the answers to your questions might reveal that you need great organizational skills and attention to detail to be happy in the job. That dealing with clients during especially challenging times in their lives (think weddings) can be hard because they often react emotionally. And that people who don't adapt well to rapidly changing circumstances (think the caterer doesn't show up) don't last long in the field.
Once you let people know by your questions that you really want to know the whole story on a profession, they'll help you fill in the picture.
I'm trying to land on a great career, but I'm not sure I'm getting the real story when I talk to people in the field I'm considering. I'm only hearing the positives (or sometimes only the negatives). How can I get the real scoop?
Flummoxed
Dear Flummoxed:
It's natural for most people to put the best possible face on their profession when they're talking to a new grad considering their field. They don't want to squash your enthusiasm. But you know that jobs, like life, cannot be fascinating 24/7. If you get only glowing reports, you need to ask more questions. Every job has its challenges, and its best to know what they are and if you can live with them.
You might try some open ended questions that indicate that you're willing to know the whole truth. You can try questions like: "What characteristics do you have to have to make you happy in this job?"; "What do you consider the hardest part of your job?" ; What kind of people are not suited to working in your position?" Answers to questions like these should give a better idea of what it's like to work in the field.
You're really trying to find out whether your temperament and interest are a match. If you're thinking of being an event planner, for example, the answers to your questions might reveal that you need great organizational skills and attention to detail to be happy in the job. That dealing with clients during especially challenging times in their lives (think weddings) can be hard because they often react emotionally. And that people who don't adapt well to rapidly changing circumstances (think the caterer doesn't show up) don't last long in the field.
Once you let people know by your questions that you really want to know the whole story on a profession, they'll help you fill in the picture.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Anxious about your interview? Try this.
Dear Coach:
When I go to an interview, I freeze up, no matter how well I prepare. How can I get over my nerves?
Nail Biter
Dear NB:
First, there would be something wrong with you if you weren’t at least a little nervous about talking to someone who has the ability to change your life with a job offer. The question is how to accept your anxiety and turn it in your favor.
First look at what you tell yourself about anxiety. This month’s Psychology Today cites a study looking at students about to take the Graduate Record Exam. One group was told that nervousness could help them by increasing their performance. Another group received no advice. The result? The first group did better on the test, even if they took the test a month later. Like the first group of students, you can accept that your stress over interviewing is inevitable and that a little stress may help you rise to the occasion.
Second, you might try preparing for your interview beyond looking at the company’s website (which I hope you know is a must). Take a look at news reports and even blogs about issues that important to the company or the industry. Your goal is to feel like you know what’s important to the company. If, for example, you know that the firm is outsourcing work that doesn’t have to do with its core business, you can emphasize the skills you have that contribute to its new direction. You might note that you’ve had experience managing or working with people offsite.
Finally, you can use an imaging exercise that media trainers use to help prepare executives for reporters’ questions. Executives are told to look for questions that allow them to get their key messages across.
To prepare your key messages, imagine that you’re in an ideal interview situation that showcases your best talents perfectly. Imagine what question the interviewer could ask that would lead to him seeing you in the best possible light. Imagine your answer. Be as detailed as you can. Now think of a way to work this response into any interview, including some concrete examples.
For example, you might know that you are an outstanding trouble shooter. Sometime during the interview, the interviewer is bound to ask a question that allows you to highlight this strength. Your job is to make sure your key message gets emphasized. For instance, you could talk about your trouble shooting skills in response to any of these questions: “What do you think others would say about you? What do you contribute to a team? Can you tell me about a project you were proud of?”
When I go to an interview, I freeze up, no matter how well I prepare. How can I get over my nerves?
Nail Biter
Dear NB:
First, there would be something wrong with you if you weren’t at least a little nervous about talking to someone who has the ability to change your life with a job offer. The question is how to accept your anxiety and turn it in your favor.
First look at what you tell yourself about anxiety. This month’s Psychology Today cites a study looking at students about to take the Graduate Record Exam. One group was told that nervousness could help them by increasing their performance. Another group received no advice. The result? The first group did better on the test, even if they took the test a month later. Like the first group of students, you can accept that your stress over interviewing is inevitable and that a little stress may help you rise to the occasion.
Second, you might try preparing for your interview beyond looking at the company’s website (which I hope you know is a must). Take a look at news reports and even blogs about issues that important to the company or the industry. Your goal is to feel like you know what’s important to the company. If, for example, you know that the firm is outsourcing work that doesn’t have to do with its core business, you can emphasize the skills you have that contribute to its new direction. You might note that you’ve had experience managing or working with people offsite.
Finally, you can use an imaging exercise that media trainers use to help prepare executives for reporters’ questions. Executives are told to look for questions that allow them to get their key messages across.
To prepare your key messages, imagine that you’re in an ideal interview situation that showcases your best talents perfectly. Imagine what question the interviewer could ask that would lead to him seeing you in the best possible light. Imagine your answer. Be as detailed as you can. Now think of a way to work this response into any interview, including some concrete examples.
For example, you might know that you are an outstanding trouble shooter. Sometime during the interview, the interviewer is bound to ask a question that allows you to highlight this strength. Your job is to make sure your key message gets emphasized. For instance, you could talk about your trouble shooting skills in response to any of these questions: “What do you think others would say about you? What do you contribute to a team? Can you tell me about a project you were proud of?”
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Who are you really? Make sure your job matches your personality
Dear coach:
My dad wants me to be an accountant. I know he has my best interest at heart but the idea of working by myself and crunching numbers all day leaves me cold. He’s paying for university and I’d like to please him, but it’s my life, right?
Afraid of Conflict
Dear AC:
There’s a natural tug of war between loving parents who want to give kids the benefit of their experience and sons and daughters who intuitively know that they have every right to decide how they spend their lifetimes.
You’ve indicated what you don’t want: to work by yourself crunching numbers. It will make it easier to talk to your dad if you focus on what you do want.
Take the time to think about the kind of work that would make you happy to get up every morning. Imagine what your ideal work situation would look like on an average day. Be as specific as you can.
· Would you work in teams or on your own?
· Do you work best under deadline, or are you happier if you have time to get every detail nailed?
· Do you like to plan before you proceed, or do you like to work more spontaneously?
· Do you like project work or do you like work that is pretty consistent from day to day?
· Do you like figure out how to do a job or are you happier when the steps are laid out?
Remember, there aren’t right or wrong answers here – just honest ones. Knowing yourself will guide you in finding the work that clicks for you.
After you’ve had time to think about your work style and personal preferences, it will be easier to have a conversation with your dad. You might say, for example:
“Dad, I know you want the best for me and want me to have a good career. I’ve thought about this a lot and I think accounting may not be a good match for me.
I know I’m not a detail guy. I see the big picture and I’m analytical. My strengths are really in pulling together with a team of people, like I did on the school news paper. I know I’m going to be more successful and a lot happier in a career that plays to my strengths.”
Figuring out what makes you happy in a job is important stuff. I’ll use my own kids as an example:
My younger daughter, an extravert, finds the idea of working alone suffocating.
When she had an internship where she was stuck in a cubicle writing reports, she was so bored she turned down a lucrative job the company offered. As a journalist, she found the kind of interaction and adventure she needed to thrive.
My older daughter, an introvert, finds the idea of working on a project uninterrupted heaven. When she had a job giving tours in a national park, she found herself drained at the end of the day from dealing with so many people. Now, as a program manager for the forestry service, she works on program planning that satisfies her need to work quietly and analytically.
My dad wants me to be an accountant. I know he has my best interest at heart but the idea of working by myself and crunching numbers all day leaves me cold. He’s paying for university and I’d like to please him, but it’s my life, right?
Afraid of Conflict
Dear AC:
There’s a natural tug of war between loving parents who want to give kids the benefit of their experience and sons and daughters who intuitively know that they have every right to decide how they spend their lifetimes.
You’ve indicated what you don’t want: to work by yourself crunching numbers. It will make it easier to talk to your dad if you focus on what you do want.
Take the time to think about the kind of work that would make you happy to get up every morning. Imagine what your ideal work situation would look like on an average day. Be as specific as you can.
· Would you work in teams or on your own?
· Do you work best under deadline, or are you happier if you have time to get every detail nailed?
· Do you like to plan before you proceed, or do you like to work more spontaneously?
· Do you like project work or do you like work that is pretty consistent from day to day?
· Do you like figure out how to do a job or are you happier when the steps are laid out?
Remember, there aren’t right or wrong answers here – just honest ones. Knowing yourself will guide you in finding the work that clicks for you.
After you’ve had time to think about your work style and personal preferences, it will be easier to have a conversation with your dad. You might say, for example:
“Dad, I know you want the best for me and want me to have a good career. I’ve thought about this a lot and I think accounting may not be a good match for me.
I know I’m not a detail guy. I see the big picture and I’m analytical. My strengths are really in pulling together with a team of people, like I did on the school news paper. I know I’m going to be more successful and a lot happier in a career that plays to my strengths.”
Figuring out what makes you happy in a job is important stuff. I’ll use my own kids as an example:
My younger daughter, an extravert, finds the idea of working alone suffocating.
When she had an internship where she was stuck in a cubicle writing reports, she was so bored she turned down a lucrative job the company offered. As a journalist, she found the kind of interaction and adventure she needed to thrive.
My older daughter, an introvert, finds the idea of working on a project uninterrupted heaven. When she had a job giving tours in a national park, she found herself drained at the end of the day from dealing with so many people. Now, as a program manager for the forestry service, she works on program planning that satisfies her need to work quietly and analytically.
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