Diving Into The Deep End

After a year of stringing together a series of short term contracts, I’m happy to announce I recently signed a long term project with NetHope. As the organization’s core Marketing and Communications Specialist. I’ll be responsible for helping develop NetHope’s communications strategy, managing its digital properties, and planning the organization’s big member summit in the fall.

Like many of life’s adventures I’m terrified and excited for this new opportunity. It will allow me to work at the intersection of a number of issues I’m interested in and use my complete communicator tool box. All being said, the role will also force me to quickly acquire new skills and operate at my very best all the time. Being a solo communications shop as I’ve discussed with other friends is a double-edged sword in many ways. It presents endless opportunities to explore various projects without worrying about red tape but can quickly devolve into chaos if managed incorrectly.

Accepting this offer was difficult at first because it meant closing the door for now on a traditional and stable career path. Initially I found this idea very unsettling. The common question I frequently ask myself, “what’s next,” had no simple answer. Instead it’s filled with a lot of mystery and vagueness.

So with that I’ve made up my mind. I’m taking a step back from the ledge, jumping high in the air, and doing a cannon ball into the deep end of the independent pool. The best way to learn is by doing. A quote I recently stumbled upon on LinkedIn describes this idea best, “sometimes you have to build the plane on the way down.”

[Photo Courtesy of llstalteri]

Thinking Outside of Job Boards

There are many ways to obtain a job; searching job boards is just one of many solutions to consider. Networking is often the best strategy for finding a new position. The common adage, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” is becoming increasingly true in today’s competitive market. When considering candidates to hire, employers often reach out to their personal networks first and then resort to job boards if they are having difficulty filling the position.

While it may seem daunting, networking is easier than you think. To get started, take a moment and examine the personal relationships in your life. While often understated, we all wear a variety of hats which we interchange frequently depending on the situation. These roles include friend, club member, child, and neighbor to name just to name a few. Each role provides us with a different set of connections which can be used as a good starting point for networking.

After evaluating your own network you should meet with new people in order to expand your reach. A few good ways to do this include cold calling or emailing potential employers requesting an informational meeting to learn more about their organization or my personal favorite, networking events. Meetup,  Eventbrite, and community aggregated lists are great resources to find events matching your industry and interests.

Now that you've gotten over your initial fear of networking, it's time to dive in! When networking, it's important to keep a few basics in mind to ensure you leave new contacts with the right impression. 

When Meeting Someone for the First Time You Should:

• Look them directly in the eye
• Give a firm handshake - no "dead fish" or "test of strength! "Say your name slowly and confidently when introducing yourself
• Be friendly and smile often
• Ask for a business card after meeting for the first time. It will show your interest and provide a way for you to contact the person at the end of your encounter

Entering Conversations

• Wait for a natural break and then calmly introduce yourself to everyone in the group
• Establish eye contact with someone to  gain acknowledgment 
• Ease yourself slowly into new conversations

Leaving Conversations

• Wait for a natural break and then excuse yourself
• Two common lines to consider are "Thanks for your time. I'd like to catch-up more later. I'll shoot you a message via email/text" or "It was great speaking with you! I just saw someone I want to say hi to. I'll talk to you again later"

After a networking event pat yourself on the back. It's no small feat to put yourself out there and meet new people. Following your short celebration, it's time to make note of the people you met and reach out with any potential follow-up items. Also, be sure to add them on LinkedIn! 

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user CieraHolzenthal] 

Job Hunting Tips from Northwest HR Experts

While the Great Recession is quickly becoming a distant memory, a number of people are still caught up in its wake. Many still struggle to find balance and get back on their feet. Optimism is on the rebound however with new opportunities beginning to sprout up daily.

To help improve my own job hunting skills and get a better understanding of the market's conditions, I recently attended “Career Insights event: What Are Employers Looking for Today?” hosted by UW Professional & Continuing Education. The event was focused on empowering job seekers and equipping them with tools and advice to be successful in their job hunt. Below are a few key takeaways. 

Why Companies Hire?

From the hunting perspective this formula can often seem like rocket science but it’s actually a simple equation. It comes down to two key components.

1) Can the person do the job?

2) Is the candidate a cultural fit?

The first question is rather simple to answer; it’s about ticking off boxes related to the position. For example, if a job requires knowledge of Excel and HTML, you won't be considered for the role if you don't have these skills. In today's fast paced work environment employers are reluctant to hire employees who want to "learn on the job." Thanks to a plethora of traditional and online education options today, it’s expected that if you want a skill, you'll obtain and perfect it on your own.

The second question is a little harder to answer and is a bit more subjective. "Fit," as often termed by recruiters, is about how closely a candidate’s values align with the companies. “Values” is large bucket but usually contains issues such as work/life balance, source of professional satisfaction, and long term goals. These items aren't often apparent on the surface. Recruiters usually get these answers by asking candidates questions about “work preferences.” While there is not a check box per se. Eyes light up, stars align, and things just click when its present. In this regard, it's sort of like dating. If the spark is there, both the recruiter and candidate will know it.

Networking - Laying Tracks for Success

Ask a recruiter about job hunting tips and they’ll most likely share the golden rule, "Network." The web may have made the job application process easier but don't be fooled, hours spent in front of a computer submitting job applications is worth far less than a few minutes meeting a new or established contact to speak about your job hunting goals. A general rule of thumb to keep in mind during a full-time job hunt is to conduct 2 - 3 meetings a week. 

Networking is often misrepresented as people looking to quickly climb the career ladder without putting in "dues." While this is a definition you could use to describe the activity, I've found it’s a tad inaccurate; highlights the negative aspects of networking. When defined positively, networking is the act of meeting people (established or new contacts) in-person (ideal) or via communication tools - phone, video chat, or email (less ideal). These meetings should be focused on getting to know people you're generally interested in professionally. Think professional "blind date."

Discussion during the meeting can vary but it's best to bring questions to keep the conversation flowing. It’s also good to be prepared to talk about your professional goals and companies you'd like to work for. Many jobs are still found through  Six Degrees of Separation (arguably less thanks to social media). Your contact may not know someone but their friend's brother's coworker may be the executive assistant to the CEO of your dream company. Connections are hidden from direct view but easy to dig up when actively searching.

Show Me the Money!

Long held as a sacred topic to be excluded from dinner conversations and family gatherings, money is an inevitable topic during job hunting. Surprisingly during the event, the HR professionals laughed off the question and cited it as a minor component of the interview process.

"It's merely a data point," Anne-Marie Archer, CEO of Archer and Associates said. "We use the number to determine if you fit within the pay range we've established for the role." 

All the HR professionals at the event noted it’s important to exude confidence in your “ask” however. To get comfortable making the “ask” they recommended checking out government salary data or increasingly accurate tools such as Glassdoor or PayScale. This information will help you understand your market value.

After you’ve conducted research, they advised attendees to keep two numbers in mind. The first should be tied to how much money you NEED to pay your bills. While the second number should be ideal; it’s what you'd LIKE to make. The key difference being the first is tied to survival while the latter is more abstract and tied to increasing quality of life.

The compensation number is important for a variety of reasons but for the job hunter, it will later connect to job satisfaction and security. Ask for too little and you'll feel undervalued. Ask for too much and you may feel trapped without room to grow or leave because of fear of finding a similar salary elsewhere. There's no perfect formula but it’s important to do your research and understand your value.  

Finding Direction in Your Career

Often one of the most challenging aspects of career planning is determining direction. Unlike schooling which is affixed to a specific "rail," career paths have many spur lines and can take various turns. Determining the correct path can seem difficult, if not impossible at times but can be achieved with a bit of reflection. David Hardick, Director of Recruiting & HR at Context Relevant gave this advice for finding direction in your career and life in general.

"Often I ask clients to pause and review their life for guidance," David said. "Start in childhood and walk forward. What points do you notice the greatest feeling of joy and accomplishment? What moments created awkwardness or proved to be difficult? These moments will help you determine what your strengths are and where to focus." 

Surviving Unemployment

Easily one of the most difficult experiences for adults, unemployment can be challenging emotionally and mentally. It's not a situation to be entered into lightly; it has its own set of special challenges. When I entered the job market in the middle of 2009 during the end of the Great Recession, I quickly found myself confronted with this reality. While challenging, it’s possible to overcome the difficulties and come out stronger from the experience.

Below is some general advice shared by the HR professionals at the event relating to conducting a full-time job hunt.
"Network in the morning. Your energy will be higher than in the afternoon." "Act like your best days are ahead of you, not behind."
“Be an employer’s aspirin; present yourself as problem a solver.”
“Have four solid success stories you can talk about and adapt during an interview.”
“Quantify past job results.”
“Resume style is subjective; find one which works for you and make sure it has 0 errors.”

"It's not what you know but often who you know."

A family friend also shared an important tip I always keep in mind when job hunting.

"Unemployment is ultimately a game. There are a set of rules with a handful of financial parameters. It's up to you as a job seeker to determine how you spend your 'free time' - education, vacation, networking, job hunting, etc. You must keep in mind however that the clock will eventually run out; your job is to beat the clock. Find a job before you're mentally, physically, and financially exhausted. Life gets more difficult when the clock runs out." - Holland Family Friend  

Final Words

Kudos to UW Professional & Continuing Education for hosting “Career Insights event: What Are Employers Looking for Today?” The HR professionals provided a wealth of knowledge and tips on how job seekers can obtain work in the US' recovering economy. Be sure to check out its website for future events and educational opportunities. You can also relieve the event via the tweets I curated on Storify.

Job hunting is challenging but it's important to keep in mind it's possible to be successful when enough time and energy is devoted to the endeavor. I also can't stress this final point enough. After you land a job, #PayItForward! Help someone else. Pass on a job posting. Review a resume. Sit down for coffee with a stranger. The economy is a human invention. Don't let it lose its human connection.

[Photos courtesy of eriwst, cta_web, 401(K) 2013, tqhh, andjohan, and Kanu 101]

Tips from an Unexpected Entrepreneur

Late last year a friend proposed a question to me as I was ending my relationship with a former employer. She asked, "Why don't you try working for yourself?" She asked.

Always a company man, I was taken back by the suggestion. Working for myself seemed like a distant dream, not something I could realistically achieve in my mid-twenties.  After all, what tools and resources did I have to be successful?

Following the meeting I reflected on the question further and came to the conclusion that thanks to a perfect mixture of life circumstances and professional experience, persuing a solo endeavor was actually quite possible for me.

The initial conversation I had at the start of the year led to a shift in the New Year which made me realign my focus and priorities. Now in my seventh month, I've had the opportunity to work with a few clients including Citizen University, Marx Foods, and most recently Seattle Goodwill and Tripcierge. 

The transition from a component of a PR agency to a solo life hasn't been seamless; I've had my fair share of learning moments and reconfigured take offs.

Here are a few lessons I've learned so far on this unexpected journey.

Clients are people

Common sense but easy to forget when conducting business. Connecting with people on a 1:1 level and sharing personal information helps you connect with clients and enhances your relationship with them. As I was once told, no one wants to do business with jerks or robots.

Update your network

New business can sprout from just about anywhere. Your friend or former client could help you discover your next lead. Thanks to social media it's easy to quickly update your network. LinkedIn is often the best tool for this task.

Keep in touch 

Contracts by nature are designed with an end date in mind but it's important to keep communication open with former clients. A friendly email or call usually will suffice.

Weekends are Imaginary

Weekends are a product of the industrial 9-5 work culture. While they won't completely disappear, prepare for the lines to blur; work isn't confined strictly to Monday - Friday. 

Meet new people

Entrepreneurship requires creating new connections frequently. Networking is a vital comment to success.

Recharge

Batteries run down much quicker when you're on your own; Ways to prevent it include spending time with family and friends, consuming inspirational media, and indulging in guilty pleasures or hobbies.

Photos Courtesy of smig44_uk

New Thread for the Web

Happy to announce joshuaholland.co is now live! As explained in “Adding Another Thread to the Web,” the site will serve as a central hub for me on the web and is an updated version of a childhood dream.

It’s not perfect but after hacking it together from scratch I've learned a website shares a lot of similarities to crafting a blog post. There is no perfect. At some point you have to let it go and make improvements along the way by creating additional content through other posts or in this instance, website updates.

Big thanks to the School of Visual Concepts for a crash course in HTML and CSS and Rich Kim for hosting the site. Take a look around and let me know what you think! 

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user jamesrbowe]

Adding Another Thread to the Web

Call it silly but I'm a believer in fulfilling childhood dreams. Unjaded by constraints of the real world, they often offer up a true look at the person we're meant to be and contain a grand narrative which helps inform the person we become as adults. Looking back at my own dreams, a few main themes emerge including technology, communications, storytelling, and helping others. This post explores my love for the web.

My fascination with the internet started in the 90s when my mom got our first computer. The amount of information available and ability to connect with others to exchange ideas resonated with me instantly. Shortly after discovering the web I began collecting Dragon Ball Z (DBZ) photos from sites and dreamed of creating a website to share my collection with friends and fellow DBZ enthusiasts around the world.

Like many things of the 90s, my full-time devotion to DBZ fizzled out in the 00s. After I entered Orting High School, my passions changed. I became interested in new activities like track, cross country, driving fast cars (see part 2 about my Maxima), and choir. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a HUGE DBZ fan; I could talk to you for days about the deep history and mythology of the series but given the year, I decided to reconfigure my dream to fit contemporary interests.

Thinking about my dream of creating a website through the lens of 2013, I decided it would be good to focus on my love for social media, networking, and photography. The site will serve as a central hub for me on the web and be an additional platform to share my thoughts about digital life and the vast world of communication. To accomplish this goal, I enrolled at the School of Visual Concepts (SVC) where I learned about copy writing in 2012. What drew me back to the school was its commitment to practical education and gritty real world vibe which made it feel accessible.

Despite not having touched HTML since I was an 8th grader at Sagahlie Middle School – formally Sagahlie Jr. High School, the language felt oddly familiar and was easy to pick up. After a month of developing the site, I'm excited to hit publish later this week! I'm also looking forward to continuing to learn more about HTML and other coding languages.

I never imagined myself wanting to learn more about computer languages but I'm slowly finding I actually enjoy the challenge of connecting the various pieces of code and appreciate the way it connects people with information. It's not the path I'd envisioned taking but like most things in life, it's sometimes better to take the long way around and enjoy the sights.



[Photo courtesy of Flickr user johnkay ]