The terms are starting to sink into our vernacular - blockchain, Web 3.0, NFTs, crypto, defi, and, oh yeah, The Metaverse. 

But, honestly, does anyone really understand this stuff?

I’ve logged in several hundred hours on YouTube trying to get a layman’s grasp, but, as a shortcut, this BitDegree article explains the blockchain part in a pretty good, simplified manner. 

Blockchain is NOT crypto, even though crypto runs on blockchain platforms. For sure, it has the potential to change almost every industry and the way in which transactions are conducted around the globe. 

Just as it was hard in the 1990s to fully understand how the internet would touch almost every aspect of our lives, so, too, do we find ourselves contemplating the same in a future blockchain world.

So, if you’re like me, maybe it’s worth a deeper dive? If not 100 hours, how about a 5-min read?

Worst case, you’ll be able to “fake it” better at that next, post pandemic geek party, where future unicorns and rulers of the universe may be lurking! 

Are WE desirable?  An age old question; and if we are not, then how do we become so?  All advertising seeks to drive an emotional response around this issue.  This provocative posting by Tony Hughes from a few months ago begs an answer:  “How do I get potential buyers of my product or service to want to come to me on their own?”  As Bruce Lee often spoke about – there is an art of fighting without fighting, or, in this case, an art to selling without selling.  As I re-read this posting, I couldn’t help but see the clear connection to the job search dilemma. For those candidates looking to truly stand out above the pack, a great resume and LinkedIn profile simply won’t cut it. You have to find a way for the prospective employer to desire you proactively.  It’s the difference between “telling someone how outstanding you are” and having them “infer how outstanding you are.”  Hopefully this LI re-post will give you a few ideas and inspiration to take some risks, and perhaps a strategy to turn up the heat a bit.  You know you have been successful when the girl asks you for YOUR number instead of the other way around!

Although I usually write about job search advice for adults, this interesting posting from a former Harvard admissions interviewer really hit home.  With informal stats showing half of recent college grads are unemployed (and even more living in their parents’ proverbial “basement”), perhaps the quickest way to a better personal income statement is simply helping your millennial son or daughter move out, move up, and move off the family payroll!  The four pillars noted may seem obvious, but devil’s always in the details . . . or, as we like to say, in the execution.  Money management has always been an under-served focus for young people, but a strongly run bottom-line allows more flexibility for which job a person can accept based on top-line income.  Likewise, time management – another skill often not specifically taught in classrooms – is critical to anyone’s success.   It’s been said that the ONLY real limited resource any of us have is, indeed, TIME.  Finally, the article’s emphasis on developing “conflict resolution” skills is literally at the heart of personal relationship building, employee retention, and future growth in any vocation.  Just turn on the nightly news this week, and you will find college students struggling to find a vehicle for managing their own disappointment over events such as the national election.  While some are protesting in the streets, others are attending emotional support groups, joining crying rooms, or receiving pick-me-up care bears. Regardless of where you come down on these issues, one fact is clear – it’s important to develop a “mentality” for handling situations that may not go your way.  The reality of the working world is that we don’t always get that coveted raise or win over the job interviewer. Sometimes there is inherited bias, while other times we just didn’t cut muster as well as more qualified candidates or competitors.  Getting back on that horse – with a new game plan, a positive attitude, and without pushing blame onto others – may be the quickest route to independence and a bright future!   

This blog post from Undercover Recruiter hits on some basic 101 mistakes that anyone can make in putting together an effective resume.  I also really appreciated all the graphics and charts regarding how recruiters quickly vet through the oceans of resume databases and incoming email attachments.  However, for senior executive roles, we’re actually a bit more forgiving on things like spelling or punctuation issues.  We prefer to actually coach C-level candidates and help them prep their presentation docs prior to submission to an actual client.  That said, what’s more important is understanding the candidate’s overall “message,” and how he/she will position themselves as something truly different in the marketplace.  Telling a great story about yourself – your uniqueness and success – and how that experience and history maps to a potential client need, is the first order of analysis.  Resume formatting, wording, chronological history, and so forth are all secondary to first understanding why the candidate is, or is not, special.  We cannot always infer this from a resume (or any other communications piece for that matter), so it’s up to YOU to sell yourself quickly.  I refer to my first sales training class – eons ago – and our instructor's final send-off statement:  “Remember, if the customer has not bought, it’s because the sales person has not yet effectively made the case!”

Building a relationship with a top notch recruiter should be looked upon as a long-term “investment.”  For sure, the time to build these relationships is when you DON’T need a job.  As a good friend of mine once said, “It’s hard to get insurance when your house is burning down!” The benefits are endless, not to mention those off-grid introductions to hiring execs and boards that may have a need, even though no formal position has been publicly launched.  Hence, with the right timing and connections (aka your recruiter buddy), such opportunities often equate to no competition, less negotiations, and better chemistry with the boss.  Although the author of this Forbes article accurately assesses the risk of c-level folks reaching out to recruiters unprepared (outdated resume, inconsistent social media profile, lack of research, etc.), I would add that such deficiencies could be mitigated by building that relationship early on.  A good recruiter can also become a friend and act as that intimate sounding board for helping you design your personal pitch, branding/messaging, and accompanying online support strategy.  Look at it as a down payment on future therapy sessions for figuring out your next move and the most optimal path for success.  Remember, there really isn’t much security in any role with any company – you’re in one day and out the next.  This is a hard reality we’ve seen countless times over and over.  So next time that irritating recruiter floods your email inbox, perhaps a quick, cordial, honey coated response would be a valuable 5-minute use of your time?  Who knows; tomorrow your home may be on fire!

I probably speak with 4-5 CEOs each week who are “in transition” and over the age of 45. The majority of them have never had to formally look for their next job, ever.  Whether through recruiters, upward promotions, or network connections, all were able to relatively easily find their next gig for decades.  However, this time it’s different.  After 90 days of blowing through coffee meetings, re-connections with search firm friends, and endless applications to open leadership roles on job aggregation sites, opportunities remain far and few in-between.   So what now?  This blog posting from job search consultants, Tucker Mays and Bob Sloane, addresses that unforeseen issue – what’s my approach when over 50 and the phone stops ringing.  For sure, age bias is a reality, and often times the traditional approach to sourcing your next big thing needs that “pivot” in your 4th and 5th decade.  My two additional cents to add to this conversation emphasizes messaging and strategy:

• Re-think your personal positioning and value prop. As the article notes, an older candidate can actually flip the page on a younger prospect.  For example, empty nest syndrome – those with kids all in college or out of the house completely – provides a lot of free time (AKA “working time”) for the more senior exec than the 30-something who has all of his/her family obligations still forward looking.  Methodically work through these “age” objections in advance and have a counter that demonstrates how your experience (both in business and life in general) is actually an ADVANTAGE over younger employees.

• Search for your next boss and not job. Focus 75% of your efforts on contacting and building relations directly with companies, boards, and influencers.  Over the past 20 years, I’ve personally observed that about half of all the great opportunities don’t actually exist yet on paper; but the NEED exists in the hiring manager’s mind.  All leaders have mission critical priorities for the following year and may need to add key resources to get over the finish line.  However, those decisions are not necessarily time-sensitive. Usually, the impetus to “create” that future role (or step-up the decision to act) occurs when the CEO or manager comes across, and begins dialog with, the person that can help meet those objectives.  Best part of this strategy – there’s no competition for a role created just for you!

What’s most important for an older exec is not to fret, but to quickly realize that your tactics have to be different.  Don’t waste time, energy, or your personal enthusiasm spending too much effort through traditional channels.  A high ROI for those of us over 50 is easily obtainable if you have the right roadmap and a discipline for success!

Ok, we’re about to go to the voting booths next week, and this election – in particular – is as polarizing as anything I’ve ever seen.  People are so sensitive about their views on both sides, that any off cuff comment can vilify a candidate (in this case a “would be job seeker”) within seconds.  I live in San Francisco, and it’s surprising how many people want to share their political opinions, even though normal business protocol begs to stay neutral.  So what should you do – as a candidate (and one that may be actively interviewing) – if a prospective employer subtly throws out an opinion to gauge your personal political perspective?  My advice:  do what all great politicians have mastered themselves; learn the “art of the pivot.”  Just because you did your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google homework – and have a 99.9% confidence level that your future boss’s political leanings vector in one direction – just shy away!  Why take any risk at all?  Even if you know that your interviewer was the former national President of the Young Libertarians (and you’re ready to start ripping in on powerful less-intrusive government diatribe), how can you know with certainty whether that person wants to hire birds of the same feather?  Maybe he/she is indeed of that political ilk, but potentially disagrees with you on just one major issue?  Or perhaps this leader – albeit very personally committed to his/her own views – is trying to specifically build a culture of diverse perspectives?  I have seen terrific candidates literally torpedo their otherwise great interview by casually throwing out one seemingly harmless opinion. Now, at the executive level, employers do want to know about the character, motivations, and values of their prospective team members.  So there is a way to thread the needle without creating controversy.  For example, saying that you appreciate a company culture where people feel comfortable in being themselves; probably wouldn’t offend anyone.  Or, you could potentially cover of variety of sensitive political topics by simply saying:  “I’ve always believed anything we can do to help support families, or family unity, is probably a good thing.”  Although there clearly is a vigorous debate going on right now around “PC,” it still remains a landmine for those in job search mode.  So best to just stay clear. Remember, it’s pretty darn hard to say much negative about the Swiss . . . and they’ve worked pretty hard to keep it that way!

Hey, if a recruiter rejects me for an opportunity, maybe I should just go direct, right?  This blog posting by Phoebe Spinks hints at a frequently asked question: “Is the recruiter my friend or foe?”  I’ll start off by unequivocally stating:  “Yes, we are ALWAYS a friend, always looking to help, and always willing to keep an open door (well, almost always . . . more on that to come).  Remember, retained search firms, like mine, are conducting exclusive searches for a reason – the client is PAYING US to take on the burden of the search (time, prep, research, resume spam, and so forth) out of his/her hands.  We are provided a level of information about the need, company, culture, chemistry, and other critical attributes that no interested candidate could ever obtain independently.  So if WE cannot present a particular candidate, it’s because that person is either significantly off-target with the requirements or our existing bench is far more qualified.  Hence, if a candidate doesn’t make muster with us, then he/she almost certainly will not with the client.  On the other hand, working with a recruiter can provide you valuable non-public insights about the opportunity, help you change your resume and other positioning docs to be in better alignment, and even sell you to the client.  All of that stacks the deck far far better than the rogue approach of trying to go direct.  However, diverting the recruiter’s process – when discovered (and it’s usually discovered) – pretty much guarantees a lost valuable relationship.  Such folks may find themselves black listed not only to future public opportunities but non-publicly available ones as well . . . while permanently cutting ties with a “future coach” who spends 24/7/365 in the field.  It’s the candidate’s call, but perhaps the best approach for future success is to simply ask the recruiter for an honest assessment of where he or she fell short, and then just move on to the next opportunity.  Consider this:  A bridge not burned is one you can still cross!

Ok, let’s talk about something SO important to the job search . . . and something very close to my heart – exercise, fitness, and personal training.  What does personal fitness have to do with a successful search?  Everything; and it can be summed up in one word – ENERGY!  Following candidate interviews, clients frequently comment along similar lines:  “I just didn’t feel the energy,” or “He/she is a very smart, focused, energetic person.”  Particularly in the start-up world, where long hours tax one mentally and physically, CEOs crave those with endurance, good health, and a tireless attitude.  For sure, ten cups of coffee and a few red bulls can get you through a sprint, but that level lasts about as long as a 3-day trip to Vegas.  Long term, it’s a marathon, and launching a serious diet, exercise, and meditation plan – concurrent with your job search – will work wonders.  Call it the power of cosmic connections, the law of attraction, or whatever label fits your bill, but highly energetic people are contagious, in hot demand, and WIN more often.  CEOs always respect those who have the discipline, commitment, and endurance to stay physically fit.  I’ve been training for close to 40 years now and can testify personally that without “my daily gym bread,” it would be hard to get through the day.  For those that are older, the benefits are compounded further – and even more imperative – in competing in a youth oriented society.  So get started today and NEVER stop; your career depends on it!      

I found this 2014 Forbes article particular insightful for folks in their 40s, 50s, and beyond, who are no longer looking to “climb that proverbial ladder” or build up their resume.  Whenever someone is in transition after having worked for a few decades, the decision making process about his/her future career often becomes a much more introspective proposition, as the shortness of future time calls out for deeper meaning in our work and lives.  The “8 questions” posed are terrific starting points in crafting a strategy for that next meaningful experience.