an urgent message for all those in their first job... what to do to move up fast... even in troubled...

An urgent message for all those in their first job... what to do to move up fast... even introubled economic times.

Preface / Introduction

I wanted to share with you some great information to help guide you on advice for those who areworking a job.

Table of Contents

1. For my nephew Kyle Patrick Burleson, now B.A. and for all the graduates of the class of 2011,well meant advice and counsel. 2. 'You know you want me!' Crucial job-finding strategies for the unemployed and particularly fornew graduates trying to enter the world of work. 3. An urgent message for all those in their first job... what to do to move up fast... even in troubledeconomic times.

For my nephew Kyle Patrick Burleson, now B.A. and for allthe graduates of the class of 2011, well meant advice andcounsel. by Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Dear Kyle,

Without even a by-your-leave I am taking upon myself one of the most pleasant duties of aging:advising others how to live a better life than one has had oneself. Such advice giving may be a formof expiation for sins we were strenuously urged (by our self-selected guides) not to commit... butdid, along with many other happy paths to perdition we found all by ourselves and enjoyedimmensely.

First of all, please accept my apology for not attending this important event in your young life. Thetruth is, travel, which was once my unadulterated joy, is no longer such a pleasure. I am too old torelish the employees of Homeland Security asking me to divest myself of my clothes in the interestof American security. I appreciate their zealousness in pursuit of terrorists, but I look what I am: awell-heeled gentleman of refined taste, without a balaclava or hand grenade to my name. HomelandSecurity no doubt sees the obvious as the perfect cover for conspiracy.

In any event, my physical presence will not be present at your Commencement, and I regret this,especially the moment when your university president, or comparable big-wig, declares (as they doat Harvard) that you are now a member of the company of educated men and women. That is amagnificent achievement and deserves to be noted by all who love and care about you. With thegreat world growing increasingly uneducated... and with such standards upon which we pridedourselves... now reckoned elitist and archaic, I want you to know that entry into that company is andalways will be one of the chiefest achievements of your life, no matter how long you live and whatyou achieve hereafter. You belong amongst these people and they will constitute the pool fromwhich you draw your friends, your professional colleagues, the woman you eventually marry and, ofcourse, your relations. You understand these people; they understand you and these things becomemore and more valuable as time goes on.

Know thyself, the complete self.

You have just completed a term of years in which you had ample time for the study of yourself; whoyou are, where you come from, where you wish to go and why.. Now, upon what is aptly termedcommencement, this study will accelerate and will never conclude. However, to know yourself, youmust know the people from which you came and who created you, a mosaic of them and theirfar-flung lives.

Amongst your relations, you number the most important Chief Justice of the United States, JohnMarshall; also Harold Macmillan, Earl of Stockton, sometime Prime Minister of England. You arealso the scion of cosmopolitan European aristocrats; indeed in the fullness of time, you will becomea prince with an ancient title and a host of other titles of nobility. Your history is also replete withclergymen, pioneers, educators, business people, and many who arduously tilled the soil and plantedcarefully and well.

I tell you these things because in this day and age it is unfashionable to speak of the manifold geneticstrands that produced -- you. Our day and age celebrates the so-called common man. But we,Burlesons, Burgesses, MacMillans, Lants, Lauings and all the rest believed in constantly striving togo beyond, well beyond, the common; the better to achieve unstinted excellence. You are theproduct of excellence; we all hope and know that you will give us more of it...and so instruct your

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An urgent message for all those in their first job... what to do to move up fast... even in troubled economic times.

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product of excellence; we all hope and know that you will give us more of it...and so instruct yourchildren to come in how to achieve it, too.

Now some practical advice.

You are a sensible fellow, good looking, intelligent, agile. This is all to the good. But thesesuggestions will enhance these attributes.

1) Be friendlier, more affable, the exemplar of the best of manners.

You are of a withdrawn disposition, tending to keep your counsel. This is admirable, but it isinsufficient for living well amongst the other members of our species. Many of these people havenot had your many advantages; they therefore look to you for the words and gestures of welcomeand hospitality, commonly called manners, which make living amongst humans as pleasant as ourspecies of carnivores and raptors allows.

You have come from leaders; leadership is in your blood. In no way does such leadership manifestitself better than with superior manners, for what are such manners after all than kindness andmaking others feel always comfortable around you, no matter what the matter at hand.

Good manners do not mean that you necessarily agree with people, but it means you respect themand wish to learn, sincerely, their dispositions and points of view. Good manners are the emolumentsby which civilized people ease the lives of those they encounter and so ease their own lives.

2) Thank the people who help you, never forget their services and affection.

You are an able young man, able to do many things for yourself... but never all. Every person ofinsight and intelligence comes, inevitably, to agree with British poet John Donne (1572-1621) that"no man is an island unto himself". You are the product of a variable army of good, decent,hard-working people who gave of themselves to shape you and make you the man you are today.These people deserve and should be amply given acknowledgement, recognition, thanks and, aboveall else, kindness. This is your responsibility now and for the rest of your life. Never wait for thesepeople to contact you... contact them and be lavish in your expressions of thanks, for they have allworked to a single purpose, to craft, mold and improve. Your graduation makes it clear theysucceeded.

3) Never forget, always remember, and always honor family.

This is a world where we are all vulnerable, endangered. Thus we must always consider how topreserve ourselves and flourish. In this equation there is one variable that never varies; thefundamental importance of family, the people who are of you, for you, by you. In this regard I havea paradox for your consideration. Now that you have graduated leave home as soon as possible, thebetter to come to know, understand and appreciate your immediate family as well as members of itsbranches.

The longer you stay at home, the longer you will be treated as an adolescent, not a man. Clashesunder such circumstances are inevitable and will both pain and exasperate everyone. My cordialadvice therefore, transforming Horace Greeley's famous exhortation, "Go anywhere, young man, goanywhere." Distance will not only make the heart grow fonder; it will enable you to see all theprincipals, in a new, more humane light, and so move into a more productive and affectionate phasewith all.

One last request: communicate better and oftener with your scribbling Uncle Jeffrey. He alwaysmeans you well and understands the importance of tangible affection. A small congratulatory checkis herewith enclosed. Uncles understand the importance of providing funds towards the noble




objective of more profound communications and understanding.

Remember this, thy college graduation day.

Do not miss a single part of the ceremony; take photos liberally; see the scene as it is, a pageantcelebrating you and your classmates all over this land beset by high challenges and often enfeebledvisions. We need you, all of you. And so if this day, a la Winston Churchill, is not yet the beginningof the end; it is most assuredly the end of the beginning... and is replete with hope, sorely needed, itslimited supply now to be rectified by you, all of you.




'You know you want me!' Crucial job-finding strategies forthe unemployed and particularly for new graduates trying toenter the world of work.By Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. If you're like millions of people worldwide, you're engaged in the oftenfrustrating, discouraging and disheartening hunt for a job. I'm here to help, especially if you've justgraduated from college and you're trying like the dickens to grab that first job.

The music I've selected to accompany this article is perfect for the state of mind you need now andmust maintain throughout the entire job-hunting process. The tune is "You know you want me!(Calle Ocho) " by rapper Pitbull, recorded in 2009. You'll find it in any search engine. When you do,play it a couple of times. And I mean play it! And dance it!

This high energy song has just the right lyric: "You know you want me!" Because isn't that what theentire process is about: getting the all-important employer to say these magic words to you... so thatyou can reciprocate the favor by saying "You know I want you!", the mutual "I do's" commencingthe perfect relationship.

Oh, just one thing: don't even dream of going to any job interview dressed like Pitbull and his videofriends. Dressed like that, they'd never get a real job...

1) Looking for a job is currently your job. Behave accordingly.

Right now, you think you're unemployed. But you're wrong. You have a job; it's looking for paidemployment. You must arrange your day exactly as you would any regular work day.

Before you go to bed (at a reasonable time, too) arrange what you'll need for tomorrow. Thisincludes knowing precisely what potential employers you'll approach and ensuring you haveeverything you need to do so (phone numbers?)

Also, lay out the clothes you intend to wear, right down to that eye-catching rep tie. That's right,dress for success. You are what you wear.

Too many job seekers allow themselves the luxury of looking like an unmade bed as they look forpaid employment. They're unbathed... undressed... and hence unsuccessful. But this is hardlysurprising. Yo! Get some self-respect and dress for business... the way your successful competitorsare doing and which you most probably are not.

2) Go out, come in, start your day.

Just because you're not currently engaged in remunerative employment certainly does not mean youjettison all your good habits. Remember, looking for a job currently is your job. Thus, after you'vefinished the usual morning tasks (including donning appropriate threads), leave your abode for your"office".

Go out the door. Close the door. Open the door, then march to your desk, ready, willing and able toget started. You might think this exercise foolish and unnecessary, but it's not. With it, you aresignaling your brain that you are in the "work zone". This means complete and total focus on the jobhunt; no long gossipy conversations with your buddies; no old films either, or "just a few" videogames.

When you are at the place you have dubbed your office, you engage only in professional,




work-related activities.

This is a must.

3) Set-up your computer so you're ready to engage.

You need a file containing complete details of the people and organizations you're contacting. Thisincludes name, title, street address, city, state/province, zip/postal code. Also, phone number, fax,email address, etc.. And, importantly, notes on your contacts. With this information readilyavailable, you immediately enter the ranks of the most organized and efficient job seekers.

4) Write and keep your resume updated; ready to be emailed.

The purpose of a resume is not to talk about yourself (though it may seem so) but to show yourprospective employer just what you can do for him... based on what you have done for others. Thismeans concentrating on results, results, demonstrated results. This puts the focus of your resumewhere it needs to be: on what the employer wants, not on you.

But, you say, I've just graduated from college, what kinds of demonstrated results have I had?

At this moment, you may suddenly feel that the degree you worked so hard to get (and you anhonors graduate, too) isn't worth the paper it's engraved on. Wrong again. It was, is, and always willbe precious, important third-person validation. You were awarded this degree because of provenresults.

For openers, can you write a clear, clean, understandable English sentence, one that makes yourmeaning pellucid? Good. You're ahead of 90% of college graduates. Tell your prospective employer,because in moments of desperation and exasperation he's been known to utter some abrasive hometruths on the communications errors his current employees are making, embarrassing him and thecompany while perplexing and irritating customers. Show him you're different.

Do you have exemplary habits? Do you make commitments and keep commitments? Or do you sayone thing, and do something quite different? Your new employer is quite qualified to show you whathe wants from you; but now he wants reassurance that you're worth the time and trouble. Got goodhabits? Then flaunt them. Remember, "You know you want these..."

5) Treat the "little people" you encounter with respect. Remember, they know more about theorganizations you are contacting than you do.

One way you can get a leg up on your job-seeking competitors is by showing you respect theso-called "little people," secretaries, executive assistants, go-fers, young people on internships, etc.ALL leaders must have know how to work with such folks, because they (and not just the CEO) arethe essential elements of the equation.

When you talk to these people on the telephone, sit up, take a deep breath, put a smile in your voice.If they use their first name ("Hello, this is Mr. Goody's secretary Mary"), then you do the samething. Remember, Mary has access to the people you want to connect with. Be pleasant, upbeat,friendly... turn her into your advocate.

The same applies when you arrive for interviews. Be at least 15 minutes early. Bring extra copies ofyour resume, work samples where appropriate, copies of letters of recommendation , extra businesscards, etc. Put a smile on your face, even though you may be nervous and anxious. While waitingread the company's brochure. And you'll really make a good impression if you print the company'swebsite and underline the areas where you could make a constructive difference. Now that's being"with it"...




It's time for carpe diem. At the end of today, 24 hours of your life will be used up, gone forever;that's true for all of us. The real question is whether you'll be ahead or behind at day's end. For theresult you want, when you see your prospective employer (or talk with her on the phone), say"Hello, I'm here to help you ma'am; I hope you'll give me the opportunity!" That said, you knowthey'll want you. How could they not?




An urgent message for all those in their first job... what to doto move up fast... even in troubled economic times. By Dr. Jeffrey Lant

Author's program note. Everyone remembers their first job with, perhaps, a bit of nostalgia and asoupcon of fondness, after the fact. But did you really know what you were doing... and, more to thepoint, leverage that job and rise high -- even in a period of economic dislocations, miseries, andmuddles?

Perhaps because of these depressing realities, you had to take a job, any job, just to pay the rent. Insuch a situation you may have felt chagrined (to say no more) that you didn't have the job of yourdreams and were not sky rocketing to fame, fortune, and the cover of Time magazine. Whoa... badanalysis, worse attitude. YOU need this article desperately.

My favorite nephew Kyle is in this boat. He's a bright lad, a newly minted honors graduate from awell-regarded California institution of higher education... marooned by the seemingly unendingrecession and its never quite better aftermath. He couldn't find a job in his field, and so withprodding and exhortation (and a great deal of it) took the first job that was to hand, working in thevegetable department at Kroger.

Don't laugh. And don't go all arrogant and condescending either.

Is he disappointed? Yes! Irked? Let-down? Oh, yes, but that was before his wily Uncle Jeffreypicked up the phone for some down-home success tips. Now, Kyle is the "maniac on the floor",primed for greatness and the executive suite. And so I selected one of the most exhilarating songs ofthe 80's to accompany this article; "Maniac on the floor" from the film "Flashdance" (1983), beltedout of the park by diva Irene Cara. Whatever despairing depths you are plumbing today, this red-hotdance tune will lift you and lift you higher.

Serendipity.

The gods of corporate Olympus move in mysterious ways... and so it was with Kyle, Kroger, and me,for I made my first stock investment into Kroger when I was 13 or 14 back in the '50's. The reasonwas one stock maven Peter Lynch of Fidelity Investments would applaud: because we shoppedthere. I didn't have so many shares to start with, but I visited Kroger as often as the family wished toeat... and I could see how my biggest (my only) investment was faring. Even then I took a veryproprietary interest in "my" Kroger. I even recall picking up some soiled lettuce off the floor andproperly disposing of it. It was a portent... but of what? It took the better part of a lifetime to discern,but Kyle's launching pad in the lettuce department seems to be the link.

Introduction to The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR)

Kroger, as you may well know, is the country's largest grocery store chain and its second-largestgrocery retailer by volume and second-place general retailer, Walmart being the largest. As of 2010,Kroger operated, either directly or through its subsidiaries, 3,619 stores. It reported US$ 82.2 billionin sales during fiscal year 2010, with 338,000 employees, including Nephew Kyle, right there at thebottom, on the first rung of the ladder of success, nowhere to go but up. Lucky boy.

Why so?

Kyle is a business "virgin." He knows as little about business as is possible. This can be either a verygood or a very bad thing, depending on what happens next. Kyle, for instance, has no bad businesspractices to unlearn and overcome; he has no such business practices at all. Thus he starts with a




"tabula rasa", a clean slate, in the immortal phrase of monumental 18th century savant John Locke.

Kyle has two options: fill this slate with one bad, progress-destroying habit after another, or knuckledown and learn the crucial things to turn a pedestrian entry-level job into a launching pad forlifetime success.

It ALL starts with attitude.

Kyle, unless your department at Kroger is a little bit of heaven, your supervisor's biggest problem ispersonnel. They will demonstrate and perfect every sin venal and cardinal. They will specialize incomplaining, their moans and groans elevated to stratospheric heights. Rather than get on with thejob for which they were hired, they will conspire to cheat, chisel, and connive, liberally biting thehand that feeds them, gratitude and service towards the company inconceivable notions getting lipservice and nothing more.

This being the case, an employee, any employee no matter how junior and inexperienced , whoactually works up to their full potential, understanding that they work for Kroger, goes on thesupervisor's Christmas card list at once, with kudos, compliments, and useful perqs galore.

Now hear this: you have been gifted with every advantage. The one you most need at present is theright attitude. You are now a Kroger man. You are now a part, albeit on the first step, of a large,growing, proud establishment. Act like it!

For openers, let your supervisor know, best by superior work ethics and results, that you are agrateful, loyal and enthusiastic member of the Kroger team, a team which has grown steadily largerand more lucrative since in 1883 Bernard Kroger nailed his colors to the mast, "Be particular. Neversell anything you would not want yourself."

* Look the part. Spruce yourself up, exemplifying everything you learned as an Eagle Scout. Wearthe insignia of this achievement. It will show your new colleagues what kind of fellow you are andsuggests you have what they want.

* Read everything you can about Kroger, including their annual report and the plethora of usefuldocuments you'll easily find at their website. Print these documents. Study them. Make yourselfthoroughly conversant with the facts. You will also find a thorough report at the Wikipedia. Put yourcopies in a folder and carry them with you; make sure your supervisor sees you studying them atyour breaks. Believe me, you'll be the ONLY one showing such initiative.

* Always be on time; that goes without saying. Inform your supervisor that you are willing to takeextra hours if others in the department cancel shifts. Let the supervisor know that your first loyalty isto the company, its customers, and what Kroger values: one grocery innovation after another. Krogerpeople are proud of what they've done to feed America and feed America well.. You must knowthese achievements and swell their pride.

* Have a good, solid, professional relationship with your supervisor, but never be a brown nosingapple polisher. Your job is to help your supervisor run the complicated store with its thousands ofproducts in which you now work. At all times be polite, respectful, professional. You are not hisbuddy and pal, you are something far more valuable, a colleague who assists him rise... and whomhe values accordingly.

* When you see a good deed, tell the supervisor; also, tell the person you have told the supervisor.One of the most important things you will ever do in business is to recognize employeeachievements and, by a timely word in the ear of someone more advanced in the hierarchy, help thatperson secure the many emoluments which business can and does offer.




Two more things.

I know of your great interest in the ecology "green" movement. That is fine. In this connection Iadvise you to broaden your understanding of what it is and should be. Remember. the mostimportant animal you can help save and preserve is the human animal, and here what you do couldbe of the greatest importance. Study Kroger and its ecological endeavors; make it a point, whenpossible, to seek out the food chemists and others who are helping us all live better lives with morenutritious and safer foods.

And, remember, even if you do not stay at Kroger, every word in this message remains germanesince you will require good references to move up... and this is how you get them.

Now..... become the maniac on the floor, your presence and good work everywhere apparent,noticed with approval and approbation by the Kroger executives who see in you themselves andwish to advance you accordingly. And remember...

"You work all your life for that moment in time It can come or pass you by..."

And for you that moment is now.




ResourceAbout the Author Harvard-educated Dr. Jeffrey Lant is CEO of Worldprofit, Inc. , providing a widerange of online services for small and-home based businesses. Dr. Lant is also the author of 18best-selling business books.

Republished with author's permission by Howard Martell http://HomeProfitCoach.com.



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