….. when it comes to looking for work

By Julie Adamen

As you can imagine, a big part of my job involves talking with managers who are either thinking about changing jobs, seriously thinking about changing jobs, or changing jobs involuntarily. And although I am able to assist many of them, there are a lot of folks out there that I just can’t help because they haven’t started to help themselves be competitive in the manager employment market. Here are just some of things smart managers do to help themselves when it’s time to seek employment (and there will be a test at the end – open book!):

Smart managers don’t dis’ their ex (or soon to be ex) employer publicly.  We are a very small industry, even on a national basis.  When a smart manager is let go from his or her position, they do themselves a big favor and THEY DON’T TALK ABOUT WHAT A JERK THEIR EX - (or soon to be ex-) EMPLOYER IS.   Not “dissing” your ex-employer can save you embarrassment down the road when all the manure you spread is found out to be, well, just that, manure.  And even if your employment situation was truly less than desirable, remember: One person’s ceiling is another’s floor. What you may have been unable to accomplish, another may accomplish by virtue of their skill set, or just because they are different.  This may make you look ridiculous and unprofessional. Smart managers know: TAKE THE HIGH ROAD, make a graceful exit and be quiet.

Smart Managers obtain industry education and have industry involvement.  I have heard every excuse known to manager-kind as to why a he or she doesn’t have any industry involvement or education: “It’s too expensive- I don’t have the time- It doesn’t make me a better manager- My employer won’t pay for it- I’ve been doing this job for five years without any industry education or involvement, why do I need to-?”

I cannot stress enough how important industry involvement and education is to every manager out there. Industry education and involvement shows potential employers you are smart enough and care enough about your business to stay educationally current, network with others and be connected in a real way with the industry in your area, and as a whole. This is unbelievably valuable, especially if you are looking to move up to large-scale on-site positions, executive positions or working for a vendor in a sales/marketing or executive capacity.

Although, yes, you can obtain employment in the field without a single certification, smart managers know they are not likely to be considered for better positions with better firms, associations, and premier positions with vendors when they have no involvement, education or contacts. Even if you are paying for your attendance at industry functions or your industry education, it’s a very small price to pay in terms of your career. Look – If someone invested $500 in the stock market and got back $5000, you’d think they were pretty smart, wouldn’t you? The only difference is that an investment in your career has a 98% guarantee of a return on your investment. Now THAT is smart!

Smart managers don’t “shotgun” their resumes to every position available, continually. You know who you are. Every time anything remotely within your capabilities and experience (or, not) shows up on a website or in the paper, you send out your resume. STOP! Think about it for a moment: if you have sent your resume to the same firm for various positions over and over and have never been contacted, chances are you won’t be the next time, either. There may be a good reason for your not having been contacted, then again, there may not be. But smart managers know that continually sending out their resume for everything under the sun has a tendency to make them look 1) Unemployable, 2) Desperate, 3) Unable to read the ad regarding qualifications required, and 4) Quickly in danger of being labeled a “re-tread.”  For those who adhere to this practice, the constant rejection takes an emotional toll, too. And I can tell you from personal experience that the major employers can name, off the top of their heads (as can I) those managers who send out their resumes willy-nilly. You may think getting your resume out there gives you name recognition. Well, it does, except that is may not be the type of name recognition you want.

So, you ask, how do I get a job or move up in this business without sending out my resume? Yes, you must send it out, but not for positions for which you are not qualified, and not for everything that comes down the pike.  You move up by being prepared for the right opportunity by having the requisite qualifications, flexibility and attitude. Then, pick and choose what you apply for, apply what you are qualified for, do so with conviction, and follow up. [1]

Smart managers never fail to have updated and appropriate resumes. There are only two types of job candidates: The smart and the dead. The smart have updated, professional-looking resumes at their fingertips. The dead have something else. Here are some suggestions for those of you in the “something else” category:

• Resumes should be two pages. If you are sending your resume to Microsoft, or another employer who receives thousands resumes on a monthly basis, then one page is probably fine. For our industry, I find that one page resumes have a tendency to sell a manager’s abilities short. And, for those of us who have been around awhile…. No one cares what you did in 1976. Really. If you have industry experience prior to 1990, and you must include it, simply list where you worked, your title and the dates of employment.
• Put your designations after your name at the top of your resume.
• Don’t list your salary. First, it’s not their business at least until you are being interviewed. Second, you have no chance at all of being considered for a $75k per year job if you list your current salary at $35k. Conversely, if you list a high salary, you may not be considered for a lower paying job, regardless of the reason for which you are applying.
• Check for typos. Nothing is worse than having typos on your resume. It’s like a beautiful woman who smiles to reveal spinach in her teeth.
• When in doubt, use a resume service. It’s worth the $100.

Smart Managers don’t suffer from Remuneration Myopia.[2] This is a big subject, and I am thinking of starting self-help group for you folks who suffer from RM, or, at the very least, alerting the Dr. Phil staff. But I digress. Here are some of the things smart managers know about getting paid:

• Smart Portfolio Managers know what they should be making. There is no excuse not to know what you should be getting paid. Once again, and still, a good rule of thumb for portfolio managers is that you should get paid approx. 33% of the gross amount of contracts you manage. This does vary, and depending on where you work and it may or may not include support staff. At the very least you should have a computer you don’t share, a desk (or cubicle) of your own, a decent phone system with voicemail, and email. (Smart managers know that if they network more with their peers, they’ll probably have a good idea of what others in similar positions get paid!)
• Smart on site managers know what they should be making. Here’s the smart manager rule of thumb: The higher the budget and the more complicated the property (this can include, but is not limited to, the number of Boards members and committee members, the number of employees, the amount and complexity of common area, the amount of manager turnover in the past 5 years, etc.) the higher your salary. Anyone with budgets in excess of $2 or $3 million should be making around the $100k mark or more. Budgets in excess of $5 million should be over that figure. This does vary by geographic location, but it shouldn’t vary by more than about 15%. A $4 million dollar budget is the same amount of responsibility whether you are in N. Carolina or Arizona. 

• Smart Portfolio Managers know how to quantify (and compare) their current remuneration package.  I know it’s a salaried job, but when trying to weigh one position against another, and it appears there is no significant difference, smart managers know they can quantify the packages if they think a few things through. For example: How many hours do you work per week, including travel time to and from properties and Board meetings? (I talk to a lot of managers who work over 60 hours per week when they include all of their commute time). This is easily quantifiable – take your salary and divide it by the hours – and there you are (depressing isn’t it?) But smart managers know there are other quantifiable aspects to their position, or one they may be considering.  For example: Is there a benefit package? Does the employer pay for your education? Assuming you would like to move up, is their opportunity available at your current or potential firm?  How are the working conditions? Do you feel appreciated? Make no mistake; each one of these things can be quantified in dollars.

Smart Managers don’t accept additional accounts or responsibility without asking for an increase in salary. Smart managers know that if they ask their employer for appropriate compensation, more than likely they will receive it. Most management company executives want their staff to be paid what they should be paid – and they also understand it’s cheaper to pay their staff appropriately than to replace that staff.   But smart managers also know that if they ask for the proper remuneration and get blown off – to take it with grace and start looking for another position. It’s not personal, it’s just business.

So – take the Smart Manager Test:

1. Have you ever bad-mouthed you ex- or soon to be ex-employer?
2. Are you involved in the industry?
3. Do you have any industry education?
4. Do you have an updated, two page resume readily available?
5. Do you suffer from Remuneration Myopia?
6. Do you know how to quantify your current package?
7. Have you ever accepted additional work or responsibility without asking for an increase?

Smart managers are competitive. They act with continual professionalism, are involved in the industry, are prepared for opportunity and know what they are worth. They have a quality, professional resume that doesn’t sell their skill set short.

Can you pass the Smart Manager Test?