Talking Transportation, Advice from Communication Professionals

Start talking transportation with people at a cocktail party or social gathering and you’ll likely see their eyes glaze over. As far as topics go, it’s one of the least sexy things you can bring up. While not the first topic on everyone’s mind, it’s a very important aspect of economic development and daily life.

Last week I sat in on the Seattle Chapter of Young Professionals in Transportation’s (YPT Seattle) first meeting of 2014. I was drawn to the event by a post I saw on the Seattle Transit Blog and the speaker panel which included Travis Phelps of WSDOT, Charla Skaggs of EnviroIssues and Mike Lindblom of the Seattle Times. The event was held at Enviroissues and focused on details of sharing transportation project information, how agencies provide information to media outlets, and the impact on the traveling public. The event shed some light on some of the complexities of communicating about transportation projects.

Below are a few notes from the event highlighting key takeaways.

Investment Cost

Most transportation projects involve some type of investment. To win over support it’s important to get buy in from both the public and private sector. The common question often asked is, “What does the investment yield?”

While not a simple answer, using info available from engineers and other technical folks communications professionals can paint a better picture of what the project will entail and explain potential risks involved. The more information available the better; it allows internal communications professionals to strongly advocate for the organization’s point of view to media and influencers.

Preparation is key to executing a successful communications strategy. Travis from WSDOT put it well saying you can only communicate what you know to stakeholders and media. WSDOT particularly prides itself in looking extensively at its projects before beginning construction and is focused on limiting the number of surprises which might occur. Before conducting outreach, it’s important to analyze your story for holes or potential issues.

Use Data with Care

There is no shortage of data these days. Thanks to wired devices and the widespread use of sensors, information about transportation projects is especially easy to collect and share. That being said, it’s important to use data correctly and provide proper context to prevent misinterpretation. This frequently happens with percentages. Mike from the Seattle Times mentioned many people don’t know how to use percentages correctly and when left to their own devices and agendas may use the information to construct stories which may not be 100% true.

To prevent information from being used incorrectly, Travis recommended considering how to display it and keeping in mind your audience. Display types can vary; options include infographs, detailed blog posts, videos, and other creative options. As far as audience is concerned, location matters. The Seattle area is particularly challenging to deal with when communicating highly technical information because of the region’s highly educated population.

A good example shared by Travis was the Skagit bridge collapse. He went on to say many people in the area actually know technical terms such as ‘fracture critical.’ To compensate WSDOT will generally share very detailed information because it knows the audience will likely be able to understand its complexity and many of the media outlets in the region will take the time to drill down into the data and explain the issue in depth.

Storytellers and Gatekeepers

It’s no secret; the media landscape has changed and continues to change. Most newsrooms are adjusting to cuts in staff and the method content is gathered and consumed by audiences. Mike illustrated this point best when he explained that many newsrooms are now generally outnumbered by internal communications folks.

The internal side isn’t immune to the shift either. While it’s now easier than ever to share your own content thanks to social media, influential sources still have a stake in how you’re story is told. In the Seattle media market this shift is particularly evident in print media. The city now only has one major newspaper and is host to a collection of other nontraditional outlets such as the Stranger, Crosscut, and Publicola to name just a few. While the variety is great for internal communications professionals, the function of new media sources isn’t always the same as traditional media outlets. For example, many nontraditional outlets such as the Stranger are often highly opinionated and don’t follow the “rules of journalism,”  i.e. embargos, fact checking, balanced reporting, etc.  That being said, great coverage can come out of outlets like the Stranger which has won a Pulitzer and is often the authority on stories such as the closing of the Orion Center.

There is no perfect coping mechanism for dealing with these changes. Instead, the panel seemed to agree it’s important to strike a balance. For media this means working closely with internal teams to gather the best information and for internal communication folks it’s about picking your outlets wisely – sometimes you can get burned or misinterpreted if you go with the wrong outlet.

Transportation Brands

Branding for transportation is a tricky subject. While it’s tempting to focus heavily on individual projects, it’s best to advocate for the agency as a whole. WSDOT recently experienced this with its deep bore tunnel project along Seattle’s waterfront. Shortly after the start of the project the agency frequently used the machine’s nickname, “Bertha” when referring to the project. Initially this generated interest from media outlets and people on social networks but when the project ran into trouble (literally) a few politicians and naysayers quickly latched on to the nickname and began to use it as a way to bash the project as a whole. Media also quickly stepped away from the cute factor and began to scrutinize it closer.

Mike closed out the discussion about transportation branding well. Stepping back from the Bertha issue, he advocated for viewing the WSDOT brand as an entire agency, not individual projects. He went on to say the agency’s brand is more about information and hyperawareness. This argument can be witnessed across Washington’s highway network. WSDOT provides a wealth of useful updates on the web, digital reader boards and social media (WSDOT’s Twitter account is incredibly helpful and does a good job at making traffic interesting – lots of well-timed jokes).

Closing Remarks 

Transportation may not be as sexy as iPhones or the latest celebrity gossip but it’s an important part of our daily lives. After all the products we use are shipped from somewhere and commutes are directly impacted by the quality of transportation infrastructure.

[Photos Courtesy of bruhsam, seattlemunicipalarchives, teegardin, camknows, wsdot]  

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]

What Type Are You? Common Resume Formats

Despite being a rather standard document in the job hunting process, resumes come in a variety of different formats. To shed light on the subtle differences I’ve researched a few of the common types and provided a brief summary of each below.

Chronological Resume
Often thought of as the default style, the chronological resume lists your most recent experiences followed by the next most recent. This format is perfect for illustrating the evolution of your career. Recruiters prefer this style because it’s easy to read and gather information about applicants quickly. The chronological format isn’t for everyone however. It’s time bound layout can create difficulties for job seekers with lack of work experience and gaps in employment history. The chronological resume also is a poor choice for older workers because dates for education or employment can reveal age.

Example: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/927/03/ 

Functional Resume
If you’re a first-time job seeker, changing careers, or reentering the workforce, a functional resume might be a good fit. This resume style shines at highlighting specific skills over employment history. It also has the advantage of showcasing work experience which maybe important to a particular job posting. Functional resumes are great for in-person conversations such as networking or info interviews but are often received poorly by recruiters who have come to expect chronological resumes.

Example: https://www.k-state.edu/hr/funres.pdf

Combination Resume
For the bold and daring looking to shake things up, a combination resume might be a good fit. This type of resume presents skills and abilities gained from work in reverse chronological order. The format’s hybrid nature allows you to highlight specific skills while staying within a format recruiters are familiar with. If you use the combination style resume you have to carefully consider when to start your timeline. Going too far back could result in a document reaching two pages and possibly beyond.

Example: http://www.washington.edu/doit/Careers/comb_resume.html

Final Reminders
No matter what format you choose it’s important to target your resume for specific job postings. Employers frequently use software to manage job applications. Technology now allows them to scan through resumes quickly and search for keywords. If you don’t include the right terms or descriptions, your resume could end up in the recycling bin.

I’m currently using a version of the functional resume. Its versatility helps highlight my skill set. This resume format also allows me to easily customize it depending on the job post and is fantastic for info interviews. 

Copy of my resume for reference: http://joshuaholland.co/docs/joshuahollandresume.pdf 

For additional info about resume writing, checkout
http://www.wa.gov/esd/guides/resume/write/write_start.htm 
http://seakingwdc.emsicareercoach.com/resume/
http://careers.washington.edu/Alumni/Write-a-Resume-CV-or-Cover-Letter
http://www.law.seattleu.edu/careers/students/preparing-materials/resumes

[Photo Courtesy of woodleywonderworks]