Thank You Notes – An AFZ

Posted on April 10, 2013 by John G. Self

In our increasingly cryptic world of digital communication – an email filled with shorthand here, a text or tweet here, there and everywhere – I am wondering if this is just a temporary fad, driven by connected hordes of Gen Xers and the Millennials who use tweets and SSM as a primary communication tool, or if it will give way to more complete forms of communication as these two generations mature and move up the corporate ladder?

Or, are we seeing the end to proper letter writing and actual thank you notes, replaced by: GAS. AEAP need team to do OOTB. Current P2C2E. (Translation for Baby Boomers: Got a second? As early as possible, I need your team to do some out of the box thinking. The current process we are dealing with is too complicated to explain.)

For those who argue that this shorthand is all perfectly understandable, my response is: RUMCYMHMD. (Are you on medication because you may have missed a dose?)

Sending letters and thank you notes – in an AFZ (acronym free zone) format – is perhaps one way to slow down this increasing reliance on text shorthand.

For those who regularly follow my blog, you know that I am underwhelmed with LinkedIn’s endorsement feature. I think it misses the “adding value” goal by a million miles since it allows users, for those so inclined, to endorse people in their network whether they know them or not. Perhaps one way to make it somewhat helpful – if you are the endorsee – is to send an actual thank you note with no shorthand. You get that Dan or Sue may be trying to suck up but now you have a legitimate reason to reach out to them and sell yourself.

As an executive recruiter who is retained to work on senior level assignments I am always trying to bolster my network of candidates or networking contacts that can help me identify the top candidates. Being endorsed almost always triggers a response to the endorser, whether I know them or not:

Dan, thank you for endorsing me.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you:

Would like to connect with someone in my network. If it’s someone I know personally I would be happy to make an introduction
Would like me to speak at an event
Are in need of career advice. I often mentor others who are just starting their career or are looking to make a career change
Know someone who would be an ideal candidate for one of our open positions
Would like to submit your resume for consideration. Our firm is focused on executive level healthcare positions so if that is where your experiences lie please send your resume to us at resumes@JohnGSelf.com
Want to guest blog with us at www.JohnGSelf.com/Self-Perspective? We are always looking for a fresh perspective

Thank you again for endorsing me.
John G. Self
JohnGSelf Associates, Inc.
www.JohnGSelf.com
info@JohnGSelf.com

This helps me build my brand, and is so much more effective than:
10X, also known as thank you.

The Beauty of Social Networking: Leverage in Career Brand Management

Posted on February 27, 2013 by John G. Self

The beauty of social networking platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook is that they offer enormous leverage for career management. It is essential to master these so-called social media tools.

Doing a great job, hitting performance targets and earning the respect of your peers, is important, but in the field of career management, it is not enough. You must expand your reach, especially in an industry like healthcare, where government regulation and market reforms give rise to enormous disruption and consolidation.

If you do not have a robust professional reputation that extends beyond your county of residence, you will face the possibility that your career and economic security will get sidetracked.

Becky Pearce, an associate with the Firm, is a former consultant with a DFW-based advertising agency. She is one of a growing number of specialists who understand, in practical terms, social media strategy and tactics and how those tools can enhance an individual’s professional brand. In addition to serving as my assistant, coordinating logistics and operations, Becky is a trusted adviser in helping me expand my own brand.

By forming social media strategies to enhance my reputation as a thought leader in JGS Blog management, blogging and recruiting, I have seen an increase in page views for the Firm’s web site, especially at SelfPerspective, my thrice-weekly blog, and a dramatic increase in LinkedIn and Facebook profile views. Coincidentally, during the first two months of 2013, the Firm has achieved record growth in our executive search and advisory practices.

Increasingly I am asked about our approach to social media and brand management. People are looking for a template, a pre-formed package, but a comprehensive plug and play package really does not exist. But the JGSA team is happy to help.

As you think about your own social media strategy, keep in mind that “one size does NOT fit all.” What works for me, may not be as effective for you. This is still a relatively new knowledge field so do some experimentation; for me it was more about trial and error lessons.

If you have questions, let us know. We will respond here with special posts.

Why LinkedIn Recommendations Are Better Than Endorsements

Posted on February 20, 2013 by John G. Self

LinkedIn users have, no doubt, noticed that there is a relatively new feature — endorsements.

This leading professional networking site previously only offered a recommendation feature, a nice tool for members who were interested in strengthening their personal career brand by getting meaningful written recommendations from colleagues and customers.

My feelings about the new endorsements feature is not as generous. To be honest, I think it is silly. It does not add value and I think it is a rare misstep for this savvy site.

Why? With one click of a button, people can, and do, endorse people they barely know, much less have any depth of knowledge about their professional skills. As a fellow albeit more cynical recruiter quipped, “this LinkedIn feature is electronic sucking up, pure and simple.”

Since LinkedIn probably does not care what I think, I am not embarking today on a campaign to do away with endorsements. Rather, I want to encourage people to build their inventory of written recommendations. These statements of support regarding an individual’s subject matter expertise and performance communicate real brand value. They carry far more weight than a single click and some hard to find recommendation score card.

I look at the endorsement feature with the same bemused skepticism that I have for LIONs — Linked In Open Networkers, individuals who are connected to people they do not know and who they will never interact with in any meaningful way. But hey, they have 9,000+ contacts. This is another case of less is more.

What do you think?