Steering Clear of a Micromanager

With the job market as tight as it is, it's easy to be a lot less discriminating when evaluating bosses during your interview. But, keep in mind that you spend WAY more time at a job than with your loved ones—so you really need to love the job to make it work (in a manner of speaking).

Studies have shown that the number one reason why people start to look for a job is because their boss is driving them crazy. But how can you tell if the person you're supposed to be establishing this great rapport with in the interview is a potential disaster? Here's what I've learned in my career and from coaching others.

My biggest issue is avoiding the Micromanager! I hate micromanagers. I could not be paid enough to work for one, and I'm very honest with myself, and future employers, about it. Truth be told, I have survived 2 of them in my career, and was able to successfully extract them from my backside while keeping my job.

With that being said, if I was to interview for a job today, I would make sure that I brought up the topic of managerial style with the hiring manager. This can be a sticky subject, but I’d broach it during the interview (probably the 2^nd interview) by asking them to describe their managerial style is, and no matter what they said, I'd tell them that I do not do my best work when I'm working for a micromanager. If they didn’t describe themselves as a micromanager, then they’ll be happy that you’re on the same page, if they did—well as you read in my example above—they can be reformed, but still need to appreciate your style. I’d then mention that I have more of an entrepreneurial mindset, and one of my former bosses (and a reference) described me as very resourceful. I would go on to say that I completely understand that while I learned the job, we'd be working together closely, but once I'd been there from 3-6 months, I would expect that I'd be up to speed on a number of things and could work independently. Additionally, I'd say something like—I like to run the ball down the field, but am conscious of needing to provide you with status reports, and will always come back to you for advice when I need it so you won’t be left in the dark. For the 2 bosses I had who were micromanagers, this would have worked well for them. Over the course of my working there, they learned to trust me and my instincts, and left me alone, knowing that I'd approach them for help when needed.

However, there's the more insipid micromanager who simply cannot be eluded—and that's the kind you're hoping to avoid by making the above declaration. By clearly articulating what helps you do your best work, you’re just being honest and fair with them. No manager wants to hire someone who won't do their best work for them, and whom they’ll end up firing or leaving, because you don’t get along. Being honest with yourself and them (politely) will help to ensure that the job is a good fit for you.

So what are your issues that you wish you could discuss in an interview? Pop onto my blog and leave me some ideas for future articles!

Turn the Tables--You can Interview THEM

I know, for many of you just the word “interview” can send you running from the room in shear panic. However, an informational interview is completely different than a job interview, in that it’s a chance for you to learn something about your target company or a possible career move, without the pressure of having to win the job. Here’s how they work best.

Let’s say that you’ve been out of the workforce for a while, or are in serious need of a career change, but have no idea if your skills are in demand or even how to position yourself. You start by identifying some areas/companies that you’re interested in, and then getting the word out there among your friends and family that you’d like to investigate your career options. An informational interview is NOT about expecting that someone will get you a job, but it’s really just to give you some insight and a reality check about the feasibility of your plans. Here’s how to go about inviting someone to coffee or lunch and what to ask them once you’re there.

First, in order to meet people who could help you, tell anyone and everyone you know that you’re looking to make a career change and want to explore your options in XYZ industry. Tell them that you’re in the information gathering stage, and are looking to take people out for coffee or lunch who could give you some advice about transferring your skills, and even how best to position yourself on a resume. You may not get any firm leads the first few times you try this, but keep your options open and come across as someone who genuinely wants to learn about an industry, and it will pay off.

For example, when I spoke at UCLA a few weekends ago, I met a student with an accounting/finance degree who is doing an internship in New York City. He graduates next Spring, but considering the dicey financial sector at the moment, is doing everything he can to learn about his prospects. I recently redid a resume for a client with a similar background, so I introduced them. I had my student write an email of introduction about himself that I could forward to my client—along with his resume. In my email to my client, I put in a good word about the student and vouched for his genuine interest and good character. They’ll be meeting in a few weeks. It’s as simple as that. LinkedIn.com is a great place to start to look for people with those kinds of connections.

You should NOT expect a job lead from these informational interviews. If you do get one, that’s just the ultimate bonus, but if your guest suspects your hidden agenda, they are likely to turn down your invitation. Be considerate of their schedule, and let them know that coffee would only take a half-hour, and lunch no more than an hour, so they don’t get nervous that they’re going to have to entertain you for a whole afternoon.

You should definitely bring a list of questions to the interview, but keep in mind that it will feel most comfortable as a conversation, not an interrogation. You can ask questions like: What’s a typical day like? What skillsets make people successful in this field? My background is X, and I feel that my strength is my ability to Y. Do you think that skill would be valued in your industry? How did you get started working at the company? Do any of your colleagues have a unique/unexpected background? Are there specific degrees or accreditations that are necessary just to be considered for a position?

There are plenty more, but you want to ask questions that will help you decide if this field is for you, and if it is, what it would take to get in.

ALWAYS stick to the time that you allotted for the interview. If you see that you could be running long, be considerate and point it out to the person you’re meeting with. Chances are they won’t cut the interview short unless they have another appointment, but will appreciate that you’re mindful of the value of their time.

In this job market, many of you will need to reinvent yourselves to find a job in your area. Informational interviews are key to learning about your options and how to position yourself .

Great Networking Opening Lines

A big HELLO to all of my faithful readers! I apologize for not getting these newsletters out on a weekly basis for the past few months. A lot of travel and the fact that EVERYONE seems to be getting their resume redone has caused my business to BOOM! I will try to get these out on a more timely basis.

I’m writing this in the Los Angeles airport where I ran a program for the American Management Association’s summer program at UCLA. When it came to the networking presentation, the student’s #1 concern? How do you start a conversation with someone you don’t know?

As a veteran of many networking events, I feel everyone’s pain on this one. I’m actually more of a “sit back and see what happens” kind of gal, and I really find it hard to talk to people I don’t know either. But in order to grow my business, I had to learn how to get out there, and in order for you to get a job, you’re going to need to master this skill too.

The best opening line? A compliment! Who doesn’t love receiving a compliment, and who doesn’t instantly love the person giving the compliment? It is a never fail conversation starter. Here’s how it typically goes. As a woman, I’ll usually compliment a guy on his tie (psst….I don’t always LIKE the tie, but I can say something like “I’ve never seen a tie quite like that one, there’s got to be a story behind it.” and it works just as well). I have absolutely no idea why, but about 70% of the time they have some sort of story behind their tie. Then because I just gave them a compliment, and listened to their tie story, are much more open to talking to me.

For a man trying to network with a woman without coming across as a cheesy pickup line? Compliment a woman on her cellphone/Blackberry if it looks pretty high tech (“Those ‘crackberry’s’ are too addicting aren’t they?”, “Are you going to upgrade to the new iPhone?”) or a distinctive/unique piece of jewelry (ring, watch or pin), she may be wearing. Those are pretty safe articles of clothing you can comment on without crossing any uncomfortable lines. A simple “I’ve never seen a pin/watch/scarf/ring quite like that, where did you get it?” will do the trick.

The goal is to get the other person in a favorable state of mind to talk to you, not spend the rest of the evening sharing fashion tips. Once you’ve broken the ice, you can move onto introducing yourself and what you do, and then finding out about them.

One other tip that always works, look for the other person at the event who isn’t talking to anyone else, but looks just as dazed/confused/lost as you probably do. They will welcome your compliment and conversation.

However, networking just takes practice. The more attempts you make to make friends at these events, the better you’ll get at it. Promise.

Now get off your couch and get goin’!