The Asia Pacific Headhunter

Why Google Employees Quit

It's hard to believe from the hype but some people actually quit working at Google! The Google employment brand has been a big bonus for them, the story that it's the holy grail of employers with the best perks, best salaries, and untold opportunity is one that is greeted by many as an absolute truth. But thanks to Techcrunch we have some real reviews from employees who have left, it makes interesting reading. And while Google still sounds like a good place to work the result is that it may depend a lot on WHERE you are and WHO you work for if it's going to be a good place for YOU to work. 

I happen to think it's a pretty big positive that they actually go to the trouble of asking people who left why, it's no secret that it's a pretty rare thing in most companies to conduct an exit interview (mostly because they are too scared to hear the answers). And the fact that some people were unhappy is certainly not unusual considering the massive growth they've had. It's also obvious from many of the people that the high expectations they had before joining Google were part of the reason they were uncomfortable when they finally arrived. Expectations founded in your imagination are never easy to meet in reality.

Why Google Employees Quit .

Social Networking Tips for the Laid Off

As usual Scoble cuts through the crap with his view of how to help yourself with social networking to get a job. I think he has some really good points in this article. But at the same time some of his suggestions aren't going to be practical if you've done zero social networking in the past. The key will be to use some of it and disregard the rest.

My favourite tips are:

2. Remove all LOLCats from your blog.

3. Remove all friends from your facebook and twitter accounts that will embarrass you.

4. Demonstrate you are “clued in.” This means removing ANYTHING that says you are a “social media expert” from your Twitter account. There is no such thing and even if there were there’s no job in it for you. Chris Brogan already has that job and he’s not giving it up.

He actually gets pretty animated about these LOLCat things. I guess if he hates them then there is a good chance a potential employer might hate them too. But remove friends Robert? C'mon, what kind of person doesn't have at least one friend who embarasses us now and again? I'm pretty sure I've been that friend for someone at some point.

http://scobleizer.com/2009/01/12/if-you-are-laid-off-heres-how-to-socially-network/

The Impact of a Recession on New Graduates

Today I read a short but polarising post from Matthew Yglesias (via a tweet from @jencorbett on Twitter - blog here). In response to a reader he went looking for information on the impact of a recession on the careers of new graduates. While it seems obvious that their short-term ability to find work would be seriously compromised due to less jobs and competition from experienced workers, he was also shocked to find that the long term impact was also horrific.

Indeed, the news is almost shockingly dismal. Research from Paul Oyer and Philip Oreopoulos, Till Von Wachter & Andrew Heisz suggests that the negative impact on earnings of first entering the labor force amidst a recession lasts anywhere from ten years to forever. 

Matthew goes on to explain that when he was a freshman in 1999 it was easy for people to get well-paid jobs because of the tech boom. But by 2003 that was long gone and the people who graduated then had more competition and therefore got lesser jobs and started in a less prestigious firm which can have a "life-long impact on your earnings". 

Where it really get's fun is how he ends the post:

Long story short, life is cruel and unfair, which is one of many reasons why we need economic and social justice and why talk about the infinite justice of market outcomes shouldn’t be taken too seriously.

Matthew is a great blogger, it's neat how he uses a real study to jump to his own experience and then uses that to make his final statement, which reflects his opinion not reality. Problem here is that if you're a recent grad and you believe his opinion then you are going to get yourself into a whole heap of dog dodo blaming "economic and social injustices" from keeping you from getting a good job or earning as much another person, or whatever.

The reality is that life is hard but your time of birth is not one of the social and economic injustices that society is going to fight to cure for you. To believe it's a social injustice that you're born at a certain time is so incredibly weird you're only going to mess yourself up thinking about it. So avoid reading things like this. Sure it might feel good to blame a larger entity than yourself at times, but just remember it won't make an iota of difference to changing your own situation. 

The Job - Is This The Inevitable Future of Professional Work?

The Job is a slick short with an interesting story. There is no doubt that for labor this style of hiring has been a reality for years, but how would professionals feel if they were chosen the same way?

The Job, was created by Screaming Frog Productions. Written & Directed by Jonathan Browning and acted & crewed by some of the most amazing people on the planet! The Job has played at over 100 international film festivals and has been honored with 27 awards. Please support independent films by visiting us at... 

www.ScreamingFrog.com 

www.TheJobTheShort.com 

www.JonathanBrowning.com 

www.LeslieMcManus.com 

Thinking About Zen, Careers and Spiritual Work

As an Executive Search Consultant I'm constantly talking with people about their careers. The funny thing is that most people don't think about it that much. Certainly not as much as I thought they would considering the amount of time and effort they are putting into it. Studies show that most people spend more time at work than they do with their family. For such a huge investment of their time it's still quite rare for me to talk with a candidate who's extensively mapped out the career path they seek, or even a candidate who has put a lot of effort into understanding what makes them happy at work.

However, I can undeniably say that the candidates who are the greatest pleasure to work with are those who've taken the time to know themselves well. And more often than not those who have tend to get a great deal of satisfaction from what they do, not just their title, remuneration or the quality of company they work for. One of the best books I've read on the concept of getting satisfaction from the work you do is "Finding Flow". The concept involves searching for those moments when you feel most productive, when you are really into your work and trying to create them more regularly.

I'm currently reading another book, "Zen at Work" by Les Kaye. Kaye is interviewed online here where he gives a peek into his experience of studying Zen and why it helped him in the workplace (Kaye worked for IBM in Silicon Valley). Although he goes to great pains to say it didn't necessarily help his career, it's interesting that he obviously believes that in can be very beneficial for anyone to consider work as a spiritual practice:

Through continued Zen meditation practice, one comes to recognize that work is a spiritual activity, not just a way to earn a living. As this recognition subtly grows and takes shape, the individual very naturally approaches work with a more giving, selfless attitude. Work becomes less stressful, more joyful and creative, more collaborative as the individual becomes more reflective and less reactive in responding to work situations.

I'm most interested in whether Kaye's ideas on work being a spiritual activity can help people find more enjoyment at work. Not necessarily for any type of spiritual benefit, but mostly in the search for happiness. As Kaye says in the interview, the world of work has become more and more difficult. There are more things trying to take our time than ever before and less security as well. So if work is such a huge part of life, it would seem to be excruciatingly painful for that time to be without joy. Yet it's my experience that this is certainly the case for many people.

What's the next step? I'm just not sure, I think that the concept is wonderful, but is difficult to grasp and just the idea of "spiritual" is likely to turn a lot of people off immediately. However, I truly believe that if you are going to find happiness in your career, or even just in your everyday work then considering a search for deeper meaning than just pay and benefits could be the answer. Although it mightn't necessarily be Zen or "Flow", I do believe the search would be beneficial. And if you've found another way, then feel free to share in the comments.

 

It's Taken Me 30 Years To Find Out Why

 

“Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they are trying to get ideas.”

 

- Paula Poundstone

Guest Post - Top 5 Soft Skills to Look for in a Candidate

Hiring managers are often too focused on computer skills, education, work history and the like. Sometimes, it is a candidate's soft skills that will allow him or her to fully acclimate to a company's culture. Torn between two candidates? One may be more experienced, while the other may possess the best soft skills. Every so often, it is better to go with the latter.

Below are the top five soft skills to look for in a candidate:

1. Sociability –   How does this candidate relate to other people? Sociable people are   team players who can mesh well with their coworkers. Interpersonal skills   are vital for a smooth-operating company.

2. Integrity – While   it is hard to assess just how   honest a person is from a job interview, you can look to a candidate's   work history and professional references to determine more about this   soft skill. Integrity is important in any position.

3. Cultural Diversity   – No, you certainly can't hire and fire based on a person's race or   culture. However, someone who is bilingual or multilingual is obviously   an attractive candidate for many companies.

4. Writing Ability   – There is a reason why English graduates are often attractive candidates   within the business world. Those who can communicate effectively with   their words can greatly contribute to the company.

5. Self-Motivated –   Look to a candidate's job history to determine if he or she has proven   themselves in this regard. Those who are self-motivated and who do not   require a manager over their shoulder are attractive candidates indeed.

There are two ways to determine a person's soft skills. The first is by scrutinizing his or her achievements on a resume. Doing this requires you to read between the lines a bit. Has someone been responsible for petty cash in his or her past position? If so, this could speak volumes about a person's ability to be trusted. The other way to determine soft skills is in a job interview. How does the candidate interact with you and others?

Sometimes, it is easier to train an employee in technical skills than it is to help him or her develop soft skills. For that reason, you should pay more attention to these details when facing future candidates.

Heather Johnson is a regular commentator on the subject of how to become a pharmacist. She welcomes your feedback and potential job inquiries at heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com.

When I Grew Up I Wanted To Be......

If this doesn't make you think about your career and what you thought you'd be doing when you grew up - nothing will.

Personal Coaches for Career Development

In my business I see the career pathways and experiences of many people. And over time I've used that experience to build up an understanding of what kinds of things successful people do to develop their careers.

I've always thought having a great group of mentors is really important. But recently I've run into more and more people who are taking advantage of personal coaching as well. I think that coaching has found a real niche at work for motivated employees in that many find themselves "self-managing" more and more.

Generally in the modern company, the more efficient and effective an employee is at their work the more likely their Manager (if they are competent) will be very hands off in managing them. Mentally this is fine for these types of people - they can handle it. But often it's when they reach a crossroads that they realize they'd benefit from having a dedicated professional to regularly discuss their career, their skills or any other issue whether it be work or personal life.

The benefits include:

• The Coach is a third-party who is only interested in the best result for you.
• The Coach has led people who have similar issues through to a successful result.
• They have a stronger holistic view of you rather than just focusing on your work (this is particularly useful if you feel you lack work/life balance).
• They often have multiple techniques they can bring to the various issues you face.

One of the issues you'll have if you believe you can benefit from a Personal Coach will be finding one that fits with your needs. I think that's a tough problem as you really have to have a rapport with your Coach. They aren't going to be able to give you all the answers without your input so you'll have to be open to sharing a lot in order to get the most out of the time.

I've personally had a Coach for the last year, Kristine Carey of Bill Baren Coaching. Kris is absolutely amazing and I highly recommend her. In particular her ability to provide a variety of solutions is incredible. I've never came away from a conversation feeling like it wasn't beneficial. Obviously, Coaches like Kris have great life experience but I think that professional training is also an important factor.

In my research I noticed a lot of Coaches without any visible professional training. I found that somewhat strange and eventually gave them a miss until I found one who did.  Another important point for me was the offer of a free session. I think the best Coaches will be happy to do a session to discover whether you are a match for each other. I'd be wary about jumping into a big package with any Coach who wasn't willing to talk to you in detail before money changes hands.

If you have a Coach you recommend then make sure you leave their site in the comments. Like many professions word of mouth might be the very best way to find a quality Coach.

Bilingual Japanese Online Job Boards

Just to add to my previous post Top 15 Japanese Online Job Boards, another generous reader and Tokyo-based search consultant Gary Bremermann of Robert Leonard Consulting, commented on two other Japanese online job boards that are bilingual. In addition to Daijob.com that was mentioned in the Gomez report, Gary recommended:

careercross.com - Tokyo-based online job board aimed at the niche market of bilingual jobs for Japanese and English speaking professionals. They have listings for full-time, part-time and temp jobs.

ecentral.jp - Aimed at bilingual professionals seeking international jobs in Japan and employers requiring bilingual candidates. They've partnered with the ACCJ, the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan.

And to add to that:

Jobba.net - a job board aimed at Japanese speakers for jobs world-wide.

Thanks Gary for your input!