.
Last week I published key points in the cover letter included in my application for NMC president. This week I’ll discuss important points of a 100-day agenda that I shared with the Presidential Search Committee and the NMC Board of Regents in my initial application for president. It outlines the steps I would take during the first critical days as president to help NMC get off to a fast start and emerge stronger and be better prepared to meet the challenges ahead during this crucial point in the history of the College.
Northern Marianas College has dealt with many obstacles since it was established in 1981, and now it is at a critical juncture that will require leadership to bring the College together to face its most difficult challenges. It is imperative that the new president identify the truly critical issues and establish a short list of top priorities to help keep everyone focused on the most pressing issues and solutions.
Obviously, WASC accreditation must be reaffirmed; however, I believe that WASC wants to see that the College is functioning properly, financially responsible, and moving in the right direction. Strong leadership can be demonstrated by making progress, as a College team, on a well-executed plan that accomplishes important goals, and which support the mission and vision of the College. The following is a general outline for the three phases of the agenda. The outcome will be a strategic plan that identifies the top three to five critical issues and goals the College must deal with in order to achieve sustainable growth.
PHASE ONE:
1.1 Familiarize myself with the current situation at NMC. One of the first tasks of a new president will be to get an accurate picture of the current status of the college. This will allow me to understand what things should remain the same, what should change, and how the College can meet the most important challenges ahead. During this step, I would also want to identify the critical issues, core competencies, and biggest untapped opportunities that are not currently being optimized.
1.2 Build relationships with key stakeholders and improve the relationships within the College. One of the first essential steps should be to heal the institution and restore confidence in the administration. The Interim President has done a great job toward this process, and it must be continued. This could be accomplished by amending some of the wrongs that have occurred, honestly listening to concerns, being transparent and more tolerant, and allowing people to make mistakes without fear of losing their jobs. In addition, relationships should be restored or continued with key government entities and officials, as well and leaders in the business community. The object of this phase is to restore trust and confidence in the College so that there will be greater support for future initiatives.
1.3 Communicate expectations throughout the institution. Most problems occur when expectations are not understood or communicated properly. This communication process should be both up and down the organization, as well as with outside stakeholders. I would ensure that I understand the expectations of the Board, the community and government leaders. The College functions in an interdependent relationship with all of its stakeholders and to work well together, we need to understand all our stakeholders’ expectations.
Once there is mutual understanding, I would communicate my expectations to the College personnel to create greater alignment with the mission and vision of the College. A set of values may also be developed during this process so that everyone could easily judge their actions against the stated values. This would lead to greater accountability for everyone, most especially the president.
PHASE TWO:
2.1 Take steps to ensure that core competencies and vital programs at the College are operating at their full potential. The core competencies identified in Phase One are like the vital physical functions of an individual. Like a weak pulse from a failing heart, a specific weakness in a core competency will weaken all other functions of the institution because they are essential to the ongoing operations at the College. They cannot be neglected. I would ensure that the needed resources are available to enhance vital programs and core competencies, since they are essential to revenue creation.
2.2 Develop a plan for growth and revenue enhancement. Once a foundation of trust is developed, I would continue a dialogue with key stakeholders about the direction they feel the College should move in order to overcome threats and take advantage of opportunities. Even though I have my ideas, there are a multitude of great ideas that have been shared by others and need to be heard. This step has three purposes: first, to generate a large amount of excellent ideas for consideration; second, to get people focused and excited about positive outcomes; and third, to create greater buy-in from the community and College when the highest priority ideas are implemented.
Yes, we do have a strategic plan in place already, but like any good plan, it requires a periodic update after examining the many internal and external changes that have occurred – and there have been numerous changes and future challenges that were not apparent when the latest plan was developed. In a survey given to 32 people, several individuals identified finances and the budget as a major area of concern. Rising costs and additional cuts affect the College resources and affect the ability to implement goals; therefore, an updated plan should address this and other areas identified during Phase One.
2.3 Communicate the plan widely. Once the plan is developed with the top three to five goals identified, it must be communicated widely throughout the College and community. This step is used to also gain commitment from key entities that can help achieve the plan. This is an ongoing process to ensure that the top goals are maintained and strongly supported.
PHASE THREE:
3.1 Create a scoreboard and systems that are easily understood and used to measure important actions that will lead to the success of the plan. The plan should have metrics to measure the progress of the goals and initiatives. The next step would be to develop a simple scoreboard that can be seen by everyone and used to show our success. It is essential that everyone knows the “score” so they can see how they are doing, as individuals and as a whole.
The next step would be to create systems and an environment that compels College personnel to take the appropriate actions to achieve the planned objectives. By setting up the right environment, it promotes intrinsic motivation where people take the initiative to do what they feel is best, and it offers a framework for people to move within and make empowered decisions.
3.2 Implement the plan. This is just the “do it” step. It also involves constant follow-up and follow-through to ensure the initiatives are being accomplished. However, if the correct system is established, the individuals monitor themselves and also perform the quality control function.
3.3 Monitor and measure progress along the way. Individuals should monitor themselves as they implement the plan, and there should also be a regular assessment to determine the plan’s progress to achieve stated goals. This step would be used to celebrate the small successes and large victories. Individuals would be recognized for their efforts and self-initiation would be rewarded. A progress report could be posted for the public to view our progress and also used to demonstrate the vital, strategic link the College plays in the community. If all the other steps were done correctly, NMC would eventually become financially stable, graduate students who are top candidates of employers, and produce entrepreneurs who give back to the community.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Why I Applied to Become President
.
Over the past few weeks I have met numerous individuals who expressed their disappointment that the Board of Regents chose to reopen the position for president of Northern Marianas College. I have decided to reapply for the position and in the spirit of “transparency” will waive my right to privacy and share my thoughts, feelings, and concerns as NMC is poised to deal with some of the greatest challenges it has ever faced.
The state of the College is not dissimilar to the current state of the CNMI. It is in a turnaround situation that requires reviewing current assets and programs, recognizing and developing the many available opportunities, taking decisive action, and providing solid leadership that encourages all stakeholders to work together toward the common good of the College and community.
The following comes from the cover letter that accompanied my first and second application packet for President of Northern Marianas College. It expresses why I applied for the position and what I plan to accomplish.
I am applying for the position of President because I want to inspire positive change that will transform Northern Marianas College into an internationally recognized institution offering quality courses, programs, and degrees. My decision to apply for this position is solely motivated by my concern and love for the Commonwealth and the College, particularly the students, staff and faculty that I have served with over the last 13 years.
I want to see NMC move forward by: first, developing a solid team of trained individuals who take the initiative to achieve our mission; second, improving our financial position so we have the resources to accomplish our mission; and third, establishing clearly articulated goals that fully realize the vision and mission of the College.
NMC is charged with developing the future leaders of the Commonwealth, and in order to effectively accomplish that goal, the College must demonstrate the qualities and principles of leadership itself and become the LEADER and example for the rest of the community. It will take more than hiring just one person to take the lead at the College; it will take a president who will develop the personnel into self-directed leaders who work effectively to realize the potential that NMC has to offer to its students and the entire community.
I have turned around difficult situations and brought stability at the College and in the private sector on a number of occasions. Within one year after moving to Saipan, I was elected as the Faculty Senate President and invited to Executive Council meetings, where I gained valuable insights working alongside President Agnes M. McPhetres and other top management at NMC. During the tumultuous NMC oversight hearings in 1999, I worked closely with the Board and President to help stabilize the College, and was instrumental in bringing the faculty together to support the President during this difficult time.
When the NMC Small Business Development Center was at risk of being taken away from the College, I was asked by the NMC President to apply for the director’s position and help turn things around. As the SBDC Director, I worked closely with the staff to create its first Strategic Plan and presented it to the Board for approval. I worked closely with President Agnes M. McPhetres, Board Chair Justice Ramon Villagomez, and CNMI Senators and Representatives to successfully maintain the SBDC at the College.
In the private sector, I have worked with hundreds of large and small businesses to turn their organizations around by developing internal systems to improve operations, creating strategic plans to increase their market share and revenue, and heading up major promotions and projects. In addition, I have over 450 published articles covering business, personal development and community issues. I have served in numerous leadership positions, taught leadership courses, and closely observed and learned from the leadership styles of every president of the College.
In the past few years, I have remained a business instructor at the College because I love teaching and it offers more job stability. There is an extremely high turnover among Deans and Presidents, with the average tenure lasting about two to three years before they resign, are not renewed, or terminated. This has not only created leadership instability, but it has eroded the institutional memory as new leaders are hired without adequate training in their respective roles. The net result is that NMC has made little progress in the past several years, beyond maintaining its accreditation.
NMC is facing some of the most difficult challenges it has ever experienced. However, I believe we can overcome our challenges and emerge even better and stronger. Because of my work in turning around organizations, my understanding of the community and culture, and my history and experience with the College, I believe I am the best candidate at this moment to meet and overcome the challenges we’re facing. The relationships I have developed within and outside the College will allow me to work closely with key individuals and groups to implement strategic initiatives that will help NMC to move ahead.
When people are working together in a spirit of harmony and their thoughts, desires, and actions are aligned toward a common vision, mission, and goals, it creates a powerful force and momentum to accomplish practically anything. I feel that it will take a leader who can bring out the individual best effort of everyone at the College to work closely together as a team to achieve greater success. Choosing the right leader is the key for NMC to realize its full potential and become an internationally recognized institution offering quality courses, programs and degrees.
I deeply care about the College, its personnel and students, and I believe NMC can continue to make a positive difference in the lives of everyone in the Commonwealth. If I am chosen to become the next President, I will commit to develop a unified team consisting of the Board, management, staff, faculty, students and the community, so that we can transform Northern Marianas College into the preferred community college in the Western Pacific.
Over the past few weeks I have met numerous individuals who expressed their disappointment that the Board of Regents chose to reopen the position for president of Northern Marianas College. I have decided to reapply for the position and in the spirit of “transparency” will waive my right to privacy and share my thoughts, feelings, and concerns as NMC is poised to deal with some of the greatest challenges it has ever faced.
The state of the College is not dissimilar to the current state of the CNMI. It is in a turnaround situation that requires reviewing current assets and programs, recognizing and developing the many available opportunities, taking decisive action, and providing solid leadership that encourages all stakeholders to work together toward the common good of the College and community.
The following comes from the cover letter that accompanied my first and second application packet for President of Northern Marianas College. It expresses why I applied for the position and what I plan to accomplish.
I am applying for the position of President because I want to inspire positive change that will transform Northern Marianas College into an internationally recognized institution offering quality courses, programs, and degrees. My decision to apply for this position is solely motivated by my concern and love for the Commonwealth and the College, particularly the students, staff and faculty that I have served with over the last 13 years.
I want to see NMC move forward by: first, developing a solid team of trained individuals who take the initiative to achieve our mission; second, improving our financial position so we have the resources to accomplish our mission; and third, establishing clearly articulated goals that fully realize the vision and mission of the College.
NMC is charged with developing the future leaders of the Commonwealth, and in order to effectively accomplish that goal, the College must demonstrate the qualities and principles of leadership itself and become the LEADER and example for the rest of the community. It will take more than hiring just one person to take the lead at the College; it will take a president who will develop the personnel into self-directed leaders who work effectively to realize the potential that NMC has to offer to its students and the entire community.
I have turned around difficult situations and brought stability at the College and in the private sector on a number of occasions. Within one year after moving to Saipan, I was elected as the Faculty Senate President and invited to Executive Council meetings, where I gained valuable insights working alongside President Agnes M. McPhetres and other top management at NMC. During the tumultuous NMC oversight hearings in 1999, I worked closely with the Board and President to help stabilize the College, and was instrumental in bringing the faculty together to support the President during this difficult time.
When the NMC Small Business Development Center was at risk of being taken away from the College, I was asked by the NMC President to apply for the director’s position and help turn things around. As the SBDC Director, I worked closely with the staff to create its first Strategic Plan and presented it to the Board for approval. I worked closely with President Agnes M. McPhetres, Board Chair Justice Ramon Villagomez, and CNMI Senators and Representatives to successfully maintain the SBDC at the College.
In the private sector, I have worked with hundreds of large and small businesses to turn their organizations around by developing internal systems to improve operations, creating strategic plans to increase their market share and revenue, and heading up major promotions and projects. In addition, I have over 450 published articles covering business, personal development and community issues. I have served in numerous leadership positions, taught leadership courses, and closely observed and learned from the leadership styles of every president of the College.
In the past few years, I have remained a business instructor at the College because I love teaching and it offers more job stability. There is an extremely high turnover among Deans and Presidents, with the average tenure lasting about two to three years before they resign, are not renewed, or terminated. This has not only created leadership instability, but it has eroded the institutional memory as new leaders are hired without adequate training in their respective roles. The net result is that NMC has made little progress in the past several years, beyond maintaining its accreditation.
NMC is facing some of the most difficult challenges it has ever experienced. However, I believe we can overcome our challenges and emerge even better and stronger. Because of my work in turning around organizations, my understanding of the community and culture, and my history and experience with the College, I believe I am the best candidate at this moment to meet and overcome the challenges we’re facing. The relationships I have developed within and outside the College will allow me to work closely with key individuals and groups to implement strategic initiatives that will help NMC to move ahead.
When people are working together in a spirit of harmony and their thoughts, desires, and actions are aligned toward a common vision, mission, and goals, it creates a powerful force and momentum to accomplish practically anything. I feel that it will take a leader who can bring out the individual best effort of everyone at the College to work closely together as a team to achieve greater success. Choosing the right leader is the key for NMC to realize its full potential and become an internationally recognized institution offering quality courses, programs and degrees.
I deeply care about the College, its personnel and students, and I believe NMC can continue to make a positive difference in the lives of everyone in the Commonwealth. If I am chosen to become the next President, I will commit to develop a unified team consisting of the Board, management, staff, faculty, students and the community, so that we can transform Northern Marianas College into the preferred community college in the Western Pacific.
The E-Generation
.
As a Baby Boomer growing up in Malad, Idaho in the 70s, I remember doing fun things with friends such as cruising main, meeting at the movies or bowling alley, and just hanging out together. Long distance calls cost way too much to spend a lot of time talking on the dial-up phone, and not much time was spent watching television unless it was a good show like The Wild, Wild West, Bonanza, or Beverly Hillbillies. Personal computers and the Internet were considered the stuff of science fiction.
Although several companies tried to enter the personal computer market with their version of simple computers that seemed more like sophisticated toys, it wasn’t until Apple and Microsoft jumped in that people started to take the personal computer seriously. My first computer was a used Macintosh 512 Enhanced that cost me $1,800 in 1987. It had no hard drive, only one floppy drive, and I could do basic word processing, simple spreadsheet computing and play a few games, but not much else.
The Internet crept into our lives in the early 90s it was a novelty that became more interesting and eventually morphed into a very useful tool when search engines developed and email became popular. Its value grew rapidly until it eventually became essential to many individuals. The scarcity of websites and complexity of usage evolved into abundance and simplicity so that practically anyone could use the new tools and find almost anything. Like a crystal ball, one could ask this amazing device any question, and from the ethereal realm of the World Wide Web would come answers from distant sages.
A whole generation has grown up with their lives centered on the amazing capabilities of the Internet and all that it has to offer. They have also become ardent users of the endless array of entertainment options that are available. Want to watch a movie, TV show, get a laugh, play a game or talk to someone half-way around? It’s simple, inexpensive and can provide an endless stream of entertainment 24/7.
As we became more adept at connecting with others through email and social networking sites, we became more dependent on staying in touch with others on a regular basis. Games became more sophisticated and interactive, shows and movies could be downloaded and watched on your phone and now we are in the full-swing of services and enhancements that have made the Internet an essential part of the existence of many individuals.
In fact, the Internet has fostered a new generation I’d like to label the E-Generation, for Entertainment Generation. This is not just a new age category or a re-labeling of Generation X or Y because this generation can cut across multiple age groups and has created a new class of people that have to be continuously entertained, like an addict has a need to get his next buzz.
The E-Generation person spends more time socializing with friends on the flat screen than she does in person. Gaming can be done for hours before hunger or fatigue set in. The abundance of personal computers and especially giving every high school student a PC has contributed greatly to the addiction developed by those still struggling through adolescence.
Don’t get me wrong, there are many wonderful capabilities and sites available on the Internet; however, it can be either a productive slave or a demanding task master, depending on a person’s ability to exercise self-discipline. Responsibility and moderation are essential with any euphoric substance that can deaden the senses with overuse.
If you feel like you or a loved one has become an Internet zombie by becoming someone who craves constant entertainment or spends too much face time with the PC, iPad, Android or other connective device, then it may be time to unwind and bring more real-time to your life. If you could reroute all those hours being entertained toward productive or purposeful activities, you could easily develop a new skill, prepare for a new career, start an exercise program, or just build stronger relationships with loved ones – in person.
If you’re constantly looking for your next entertainment buzz, then maybe it’s time to ask if you’ve joined the E-Generation. For those too young or weak to exercise self-discipline, it may be necessary to apply external discipline by restricting time on the computer or Internet. Like trying to break any habit, this can be difficult unless a serious commitment is made to restrict usage and replace the extra time with more productive or life-enhancing activities.
As a Baby Boomer growing up in Malad, Idaho in the 70s, I remember doing fun things with friends such as cruising main, meeting at the movies or bowling alley, and just hanging out together. Long distance calls cost way too much to spend a lot of time talking on the dial-up phone, and not much time was spent watching television unless it was a good show like The Wild, Wild West, Bonanza, or Beverly Hillbillies. Personal computers and the Internet were considered the stuff of science fiction.
Although several companies tried to enter the personal computer market with their version of simple computers that seemed more like sophisticated toys, it wasn’t until Apple and Microsoft jumped in that people started to take the personal computer seriously. My first computer was a used Macintosh 512 Enhanced that cost me $1,800 in 1987. It had no hard drive, only one floppy drive, and I could do basic word processing, simple spreadsheet computing and play a few games, but not much else.
The Internet crept into our lives in the early 90s it was a novelty that became more interesting and eventually morphed into a very useful tool when search engines developed and email became popular. Its value grew rapidly until it eventually became essential to many individuals. The scarcity of websites and complexity of usage evolved into abundance and simplicity so that practically anyone could use the new tools and find almost anything. Like a crystal ball, one could ask this amazing device any question, and from the ethereal realm of the World Wide Web would come answers from distant sages.
A whole generation has grown up with their lives centered on the amazing capabilities of the Internet and all that it has to offer. They have also become ardent users of the endless array of entertainment options that are available. Want to watch a movie, TV show, get a laugh, play a game or talk to someone half-way around? It’s simple, inexpensive and can provide an endless stream of entertainment 24/7.
As we became more adept at connecting with others through email and social networking sites, we became more dependent on staying in touch with others on a regular basis. Games became more sophisticated and interactive, shows and movies could be downloaded and watched on your phone and now we are in the full-swing of services and enhancements that have made the Internet an essential part of the existence of many individuals.
In fact, the Internet has fostered a new generation I’d like to label the E-Generation, for Entertainment Generation. This is not just a new age category or a re-labeling of Generation X or Y because this generation can cut across multiple age groups and has created a new class of people that have to be continuously entertained, like an addict has a need to get his next buzz.
The E-Generation person spends more time socializing with friends on the flat screen than she does in person. Gaming can be done for hours before hunger or fatigue set in. The abundance of personal computers and especially giving every high school student a PC has contributed greatly to the addiction developed by those still struggling through adolescence.
Don’t get me wrong, there are many wonderful capabilities and sites available on the Internet; however, it can be either a productive slave or a demanding task master, depending on a person’s ability to exercise self-discipline. Responsibility and moderation are essential with any euphoric substance that can deaden the senses with overuse.
If you feel like you or a loved one has become an Internet zombie by becoming someone who craves constant entertainment or spends too much face time with the PC, iPad, Android or other connective device, then it may be time to unwind and bring more real-time to your life. If you could reroute all those hours being entertained toward productive or purposeful activities, you could easily develop a new skill, prepare for a new career, start an exercise program, or just build stronger relationships with loved ones – in person.
If you’re constantly looking for your next entertainment buzz, then maybe it’s time to ask if you’ve joined the E-Generation. For those too young or weak to exercise self-discipline, it may be necessary to apply external discipline by restricting time on the computer or Internet. Like trying to break any habit, this can be difficult unless a serious commitment is made to restrict usage and replace the extra time with more productive or life-enhancing activities.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Other Side of the Table
.
The unilateral 25 percent pay cut that many government employees are struggling with and the looming threat to reduce the workforce has caused many government workers to evaluate their employment options by looking for work in the private sector or moving to another location. It’s important to polish up that resume and start thinking about the questions you might be asked in an interview. However, the interviewer’s last question is often the most important one. If you’ve been job hunting, you know that after the interviewers ask all their questions they will usually pause, smile and ask: “Now, do you have any questions that you’d like to ask us?”
This is not just a courtesy question, but an opportunity for you to set yourself apart from the other applicants and demonstrate to those who are evaluating you that you have done your due diligence and want to know more about the position and the organization. It’s also a chance to turn the table around and ask some penetrating questions that will help reveal the type of people you may be working with and determine if the company meets your standards. Asking nothing may cause the interviewer to lose confidence in you and feel like you aren’t interested enough in the position to ask good questions.
Most organizations approach an interview without realizing that an applicant may have numerous other options, or she has just interviewed with a really exciting company and this interview is just a backup plan in case the other job doesn’t pan out. Realize that the interview is a two-way interaction where the interviewee is also trying to evaluate whether a particular organization is a good fit for him or her. How a potential employer conducts the interview and answers the questions may cause those being interviewed to get excited about working with a company, or scratch them off their list and keep their current job or continue their job search. Just because an employer holds the upper hand doesn’t mean that they control all the cards.
In one job interview, I was asked at the conclusion if I had any questions. I wanted to use this time to learn more about the company, so I asked: “From your perspective, what do you feel are the greatest challenges facing this organization?”
The group sat looking at me with a blank stare, so I rephrased the question by sharing some of the most pressing challenges I perceived. After a moment, one of the individuals informed me that my question was not appropriate, because it was a question that they should be asking me. I was shocked by the response. She continued by lecturing me that I should ask questions like, “when will I know if I am selected?” At this point I was trying to keep a straight face. Not one person who was interviewing me would answer the question, and I was even told by one individual that the company’s challenges wouldn’t be shared with me until I was hired. Wow! Remind me not to by a car from that person.
Okay, with one question failed, I came back with a second question: “What is the vision for the future of the company?” After another long, uncomfortable pause, one of them stated that the organization did have a vision and then gave me a generalized, platitudinous response that could have applied to practically any similar company. I was under-whelmed and decided not to pursue the question by asking what that meant. They were now batting with two strikes, so I decided to ask a simple question that just required a “yes” or “no” answer.
At least they didn’t strike out, but they did fail my portion of the interview and left me with an empty feeling. If you’re conducting an interview, make sure to take each question seriously. Unless it’s confidential or proprietary, each question an interviewee asks deserves to be treated with respect by giving a thoughtful answer.
Career coach Robin Upton encourages candidates to ask two questions at the end of an interview: “Now that we have talked about my qualifications, do you have any concerns about me fulfilling the responsibilities of this position?” and “As my direct report in this position, what are the three priorities you would first like to see accomplished?”
As an employer, you can often learn more about a candidate from what they ask, versus what they answer. As a job seeker, doing some research on the company and position will open up many questions. Pick the most relevant that will help you both gain a better understanding and show your interest in the job. If you spend some time sitting on the other side of the table thinking about questions that would impress an employer and give you greater insight, it may transform you from a job seeker into a job getter.
The unilateral 25 percent pay cut that many government employees are struggling with and the looming threat to reduce the workforce has caused many government workers to evaluate their employment options by looking for work in the private sector or moving to another location. It’s important to polish up that resume and start thinking about the questions you might be asked in an interview. However, the interviewer’s last question is often the most important one. If you’ve been job hunting, you know that after the interviewers ask all their questions they will usually pause, smile and ask: “Now, do you have any questions that you’d like to ask us?”
This is not just a courtesy question, but an opportunity for you to set yourself apart from the other applicants and demonstrate to those who are evaluating you that you have done your due diligence and want to know more about the position and the organization. It’s also a chance to turn the table around and ask some penetrating questions that will help reveal the type of people you may be working with and determine if the company meets your standards. Asking nothing may cause the interviewer to lose confidence in you and feel like you aren’t interested enough in the position to ask good questions.
Most organizations approach an interview without realizing that an applicant may have numerous other options, or she has just interviewed with a really exciting company and this interview is just a backup plan in case the other job doesn’t pan out. Realize that the interview is a two-way interaction where the interviewee is also trying to evaluate whether a particular organization is a good fit for him or her. How a potential employer conducts the interview and answers the questions may cause those being interviewed to get excited about working with a company, or scratch them off their list and keep their current job or continue their job search. Just because an employer holds the upper hand doesn’t mean that they control all the cards.
In one job interview, I was asked at the conclusion if I had any questions. I wanted to use this time to learn more about the company, so I asked: “From your perspective, what do you feel are the greatest challenges facing this organization?”
The group sat looking at me with a blank stare, so I rephrased the question by sharing some of the most pressing challenges I perceived. After a moment, one of the individuals informed me that my question was not appropriate, because it was a question that they should be asking me. I was shocked by the response. She continued by lecturing me that I should ask questions like, “when will I know if I am selected?” At this point I was trying to keep a straight face. Not one person who was interviewing me would answer the question, and I was even told by one individual that the company’s challenges wouldn’t be shared with me until I was hired. Wow! Remind me not to by a car from that person.
Okay, with one question failed, I came back with a second question: “What is the vision for the future of the company?” After another long, uncomfortable pause, one of them stated that the organization did have a vision and then gave me a generalized, platitudinous response that could have applied to practically any similar company. I was under-whelmed and decided not to pursue the question by asking what that meant. They were now batting with two strikes, so I decided to ask a simple question that just required a “yes” or “no” answer.
At least they didn’t strike out, but they did fail my portion of the interview and left me with an empty feeling. If you’re conducting an interview, make sure to take each question seriously. Unless it’s confidential or proprietary, each question an interviewee asks deserves to be treated with respect by giving a thoughtful answer.
Career coach Robin Upton encourages candidates to ask two questions at the end of an interview: “Now that we have talked about my qualifications, do you have any concerns about me fulfilling the responsibilities of this position?” and “As my direct report in this position, what are the three priorities you would first like to see accomplished?”
As an employer, you can often learn more about a candidate from what they ask, versus what they answer. As a job seeker, doing some research on the company and position will open up many questions. Pick the most relevant that will help you both gain a better understanding and show your interest in the job. If you spend some time sitting on the other side of the table thinking about questions that would impress an employer and give you greater insight, it may transform you from a job seeker into a job getter.
Surviving 2011
.
About this time each year, individuals make a self-assessment to evaluate how the year turned out for them and what they’ve accomplished. Then goals or resolutions are made to start the new year off right with greater hope and prosperity. We should try to better our situation, no matter what the circumstances; otherwise, we end up sinking in the pit of despair. However, the sinking economy doesn’t give much hope for better times ahead.
I’d like to present a plan to help make it through the year with some dignity. There are many areas of your life that you should evaluate, such as your relationships, health, intellectual development, and spirituality, but I’m going to focus on the financial aspect of your life, and what can be done to get better control of your money.
The first step is to determine how much and where your money is being spent. Other than fixed or large expenses such as rent or utilities, it’s a guess for most people as to how much is spent on gas, food, entertainment, etc. If you don’t know the exact amount, take an educated guess and then total the amount to see if it’s close to what you’re actually spending. You will need to start keeping your receipts or recording your expenses in the future to get a better estimate of your spending pattern in specific categories.
Next, prepare a budget to determine how much you should be spending in various categories in order to live within your means or even start saving some money. Look at the expense categories you’ve created and organize them into four major expense areas: 1) Fixed and needed expenses such as rent and insurance; 2) Fixed and wanted expenses such as cable TV; 3) Variable and needed expenses such as food, gas, and utilities; and 4) Variable and wanted expenses such as entertainment, gifts, and vacations. In this last area, you should also include “fun” (I’ll explain later), and “other” as a category for all those expenses that don’t fit anywhere else.
Once you have your expenses listed under these four major areas, it is easier to see how and where you can start cutting your expenses. Fixed and needed expenses are difficult to reduce or eliminate, but you can still do some things such as moving to a place with lower rent or finding another insurance company with a lower rate. Fixed and wanted expenses may possibly be eliminated. Yes you can live without cable.
The next two categories are where you can start seeing greater savings. Your variable and needed expenses can be reduced by planning your food purchases and taking advantage of sales, planning your driving to accomplish as much as possible on one trip, hanging your clothes instead of using the dryer, etc. In the variable and wanted category you can reduce or eliminate most of the expenses in each category by eating out less, taking a less expensive vacation or waiting to go next year.
By looking at all your expenses and examining where to save, you should be able to live within your budget and find some extra money to accelerate your debt payment. Debt can strangle your financial security if you do not learn to master it. Examine all of your loans and the interest payments and put the extra money you’ve saved each month to help pay off the debt with the highest interest rate. Credit cards usually have the highest interest and require a low monthly payment that keeps you paying for as long as possible. If you’ve maxed out your credit limit and are paying extra fees, you may want to get a low-interest personal loan to pay off the credit card. The bank will usually want you to surrender the card, but if they don’t, put the card in a secure place and don’t be tempted to use it again.
Once you’ve retired one loan payment, you will use the extra money from the paid loan so you can accelerate the payment of the loan with the next highest interest rate. By successively doing this with all your loans, you will get out of debt a lot faster than you could by making minimum monthly payments.
Now, with all your debts paid, you should have a large sum of money left over at the end of each month. The next step is to put most of this money into a savings plan. There are many different ways you can save your money. Usually, the higher the interest rate, the higher the risk. Putting it into a bank savings account is usually the safest, but also has the lowest interest rate, which is below the rate of inflation and will not give you much of a return. Banks use your money to make money by putting it into high interest investments and activities that will earn them a greater return on their investment, so follow their example and be smarter with your money.
Once you start investing, you should never take the money out. Your goal is to take advantage of compound interest so that your savings will continue to grow at an exponential rate. If you’re concerned about the temptation to raid your savings or worried that relatives will ask you for a “loan,” then start an Individual Retirement Account, or some investment that makes it difficult to take the money out at any time. When you do spend money outside of your budget, it should be on things that have a potential to increase your income or increase in value over time.
I know you may see the logic in this process, but where is the fun? Who wants to live like a miser so you can have some money when you’re older? Well, there are a lot of people who are older and find that they don’t have the money they need to live on, so this plan can help you avoid it. As for the fun part, you can set up a category in the “variable and want” section that is labeled “fun” or “mad money.” This is an amount you budget (small at first, but becomes larger as you pay off your debts) and that allows you to spend money for fun things, or when you go “mad” on a shopping spree. You’ll have the money in your account to spend without experiencing the guilt afterwards.
Also, if you have some things you want to purchase, don’t go into debt to buy them. Make a list, prioritize the items, find the best price, and then set up a category in your budget that saves money to pay cash for these items. You need more patience to do this, but if it’s done right, you’ll usually get the things on your list in a relatively short period of time.
One of the easiest things to do is to spend money, but one of the most difficult things is to save it. The key to success is to develop more disciplined spending habits, record your expenses, and make the commitment to stay with the program. As you see some success, it will be easier to stick with it and not only survive 2011, but possibly thrive in the coming year.
About this time each year, individuals make a self-assessment to evaluate how the year turned out for them and what they’ve accomplished. Then goals or resolutions are made to start the new year off right with greater hope and prosperity. We should try to better our situation, no matter what the circumstances; otherwise, we end up sinking in the pit of despair. However, the sinking economy doesn’t give much hope for better times ahead.
I’d like to present a plan to help make it through the year with some dignity. There are many areas of your life that you should evaluate, such as your relationships, health, intellectual development, and spirituality, but I’m going to focus on the financial aspect of your life, and what can be done to get better control of your money.
The first step is to determine how much and where your money is being spent. Other than fixed or large expenses such as rent or utilities, it’s a guess for most people as to how much is spent on gas, food, entertainment, etc. If you don’t know the exact amount, take an educated guess and then total the amount to see if it’s close to what you’re actually spending. You will need to start keeping your receipts or recording your expenses in the future to get a better estimate of your spending pattern in specific categories.
Next, prepare a budget to determine how much you should be spending in various categories in order to live within your means or even start saving some money. Look at the expense categories you’ve created and organize them into four major expense areas: 1) Fixed and needed expenses such as rent and insurance; 2) Fixed and wanted expenses such as cable TV; 3) Variable and needed expenses such as food, gas, and utilities; and 4) Variable and wanted expenses such as entertainment, gifts, and vacations. In this last area, you should also include “fun” (I’ll explain later), and “other” as a category for all those expenses that don’t fit anywhere else.
Once you have your expenses listed under these four major areas, it is easier to see how and where you can start cutting your expenses. Fixed and needed expenses are difficult to reduce or eliminate, but you can still do some things such as moving to a place with lower rent or finding another insurance company with a lower rate. Fixed and wanted expenses may possibly be eliminated. Yes you can live without cable.
The next two categories are where you can start seeing greater savings. Your variable and needed expenses can be reduced by planning your food purchases and taking advantage of sales, planning your driving to accomplish as much as possible on one trip, hanging your clothes instead of using the dryer, etc. In the variable and wanted category you can reduce or eliminate most of the expenses in each category by eating out less, taking a less expensive vacation or waiting to go next year.
By looking at all your expenses and examining where to save, you should be able to live within your budget and find some extra money to accelerate your debt payment. Debt can strangle your financial security if you do not learn to master it. Examine all of your loans and the interest payments and put the extra money you’ve saved each month to help pay off the debt with the highest interest rate. Credit cards usually have the highest interest and require a low monthly payment that keeps you paying for as long as possible. If you’ve maxed out your credit limit and are paying extra fees, you may want to get a low-interest personal loan to pay off the credit card. The bank will usually want you to surrender the card, but if they don’t, put the card in a secure place and don’t be tempted to use it again.
Once you’ve retired one loan payment, you will use the extra money from the paid loan so you can accelerate the payment of the loan with the next highest interest rate. By successively doing this with all your loans, you will get out of debt a lot faster than you could by making minimum monthly payments.
Now, with all your debts paid, you should have a large sum of money left over at the end of each month. The next step is to put most of this money into a savings plan. There are many different ways you can save your money. Usually, the higher the interest rate, the higher the risk. Putting it into a bank savings account is usually the safest, but also has the lowest interest rate, which is below the rate of inflation and will not give you much of a return. Banks use your money to make money by putting it into high interest investments and activities that will earn them a greater return on their investment, so follow their example and be smarter with your money.
Once you start investing, you should never take the money out. Your goal is to take advantage of compound interest so that your savings will continue to grow at an exponential rate. If you’re concerned about the temptation to raid your savings or worried that relatives will ask you for a “loan,” then start an Individual Retirement Account, or some investment that makes it difficult to take the money out at any time. When you do spend money outside of your budget, it should be on things that have a potential to increase your income or increase in value over time.
I know you may see the logic in this process, but where is the fun? Who wants to live like a miser so you can have some money when you’re older? Well, there are a lot of people who are older and find that they don’t have the money they need to live on, so this plan can help you avoid it. As for the fun part, you can set up a category in the “variable and want” section that is labeled “fun” or “mad money.” This is an amount you budget (small at first, but becomes larger as you pay off your debts) and that allows you to spend money for fun things, or when you go “mad” on a shopping spree. You’ll have the money in your account to spend without experiencing the guilt afterwards.
Also, if you have some things you want to purchase, don’t go into debt to buy them. Make a list, prioritize the items, find the best price, and then set up a category in your budget that saves money to pay cash for these items. You need more patience to do this, but if it’s done right, you’ll usually get the things on your list in a relatively short period of time.
One of the easiest things to do is to spend money, but one of the most difficult things is to save it. The key to success is to develop more disciplined spending habits, record your expenses, and make the commitment to stay with the program. As you see some success, it will be easier to stick with it and not only survive 2011, but possibly thrive in the coming year.
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