Business News: LinkedIn Launches University Rankings

I always love seeing positive news about my alma mater!! Today, Oct 1, 2014, LinkedIn launched University Rankings, and Georgetown University made the list for four of the 8 careers ranked, with two of those in the top 3 schools: Investment Bankers (1st) and Financial Professionals (3rd)!! Rounding out the list were Marketing (6th) and Media (15th), which is all great news for the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown.

Per LinkedIn's website, this ranking is based on career outcomes. They state: "From university to career, see which schools are launching graduates into desirable jobs." For more information, you can check out the method for rankings here.

Leadership Development: What Makes a Good Leader

First, there's a debate over what distinguishes the competencies of management vs. leadership. I view management as tactical (e.g., managing staff hours, administrative activities, etc.) where as leadership is more strategic or visionary (e.g., inspiring people to perform to their potential, growing a team, etc.).

I also believe managers are position-based where as anyone can exhibit the qualities of a leader. That said, as you move up in an organization, you need to learn what activities or competencies you need to gain and which ones you need to get your staff to start taking over.

My favorite book on this topic is by Scott Eblin, entitled The Next Level. He also has a 360 Leadership Assessment (in which I'm certified), that aligns to the book. Essentially, his premise is that there are qualities you much "let go" and others you must "pick up" as you move into a managerial / leadership position.

While my list is influenced by Scott Eblin, it's my own version of what I've observed and learned throughout my career to date. Here are my top three:

1. When you're a leader, you need to influence behaviors and have a sense of political savvy. Some would say that you have to know how to "play the game" but I think it's more than that. It's not just about playing the game, because then it seems disingenuous. As a leader, you need to think about how to motivate others to agreement and/or action by understanding how THEY want to be communicated with, not how you want to communicate to them. Just because you have a message to get across, doesn't mean it's phrased in a way that the other folks want to hear. Find out what appeals to them, what's important to them, and work from there.
2. Delegation is key, but not the way you think. As you move up in an organization, you can no longer be the "do-er," but rather you need to learn to manage what needs to be done so that the mission is achieved. As a manager you serve as a task master, but as a leader, you serve the role of guiding the team around you and mentoring them as needed. Teach the team to fish rather than giving them the fish. And don't send them out to learn to fish on their own if you can help lead them down the right path.
3. Start to use powerful questions. Before I get to the "why", first I want to answer "what is a powerful question?" Powerful questions get people to think deeper and expand your final end game for the whole team. They are open ended, and come from a place of curiosity rather than information gathering. Often times managers ask, "When will this be done?" or, "Where are we on this?" A powerful question would be, "What are we not thinking about?" or, "How can we make this product better?" The powerful question takes you out of that task master, manager role, and into a leadership, guiding others role. The basic rule for powerful questions is to avoid a question that has a single, short answer. Also avoid "why" so that you don't subconsiously appear to assign blame for something ("Why did it go wrong?" turns into, "How could we do this better?" or, "What did we miss?").

What are some powerful questions that you think you should be asking?

Recruiting: When to Use a Non-Traditional Resume

When applying to a new job there are some steps you must follow before deciding on a resume format.

1. Understand your industry. Even if you'll be a graphics designer or a video editor, if the industry or company you're applying to is very conservative, be mindful of that and don't scare them off with too much "out of the box" thinking.
2. Understand your functional role. If your role in this company would include creative thinking, or presenting data in a clear, concise manner, keep that in  mind when choosing a resume format.
3. Read through the application requirements clearly. Sometimes they lay out exactly what is needed in the resume. Make sure you hit every single point required, and those they mark as "preferred" if you have them.

Now for types of resumes to consider.

Traditional: Typically there are 3-4 major sections: Contact Information, Experience, Education, and other information that may be relevant to that role. Under experience, the sections are generally chronological starting with the most recent work.

Functional: Instead of organizing your accomplishments by job in a chronological order, think about the 5-7 main functional or technical capabilities or competencies that the job you're applying for wants in a top candidate. Then arrange bullets under each functional/technical area regardless of which job they were for. Be sure to indicate the company or title, so they have context though!

LinkedIn Profile: This is really only for LinkedIn. I wouldn't recommend formatting a resume to look like LinkedIn and hand it to a potential employer. That said, if you're looking for a job, once you have your resume finalized, be sure to update your LinkedIn profile, too. In fact, you should updated something on the profile about once a week so that it's active and climbs to the top of the search results.

Video: A video resume is typically a short video that highlights the job applicant's skills and experience. While most of this type of resume occur with the candidate sitting or standing in front of the camera, if your potential new job requires a lot of creativity, you could use this opportunity to stand out in the medium in which you'll operate for the job itself. For example, you may add music, visuals, text, etc. However, keep in mind this almost always accompanies a traditional resume and does not stand on its own.

Infographic: An infographic resume uses visuals including images, photos, graphs, charts and other graphics to provide information about a job seeker. They are similar to traditional resumes in that they convey contact information, previous work experience, and related skills. However, infographic resumes convey this information in a highly visual format. Since most adults respond to visual graphics, there's a benefit to this version. Plus, it shows cohesive understanding of how to depict data in a way that everyone can understand, which could be particularly relevant for your type of job. For example, instead of listing previous work experience in chronological order, an infographic resume may display this information in an illustrated timeline. 1

Online Portfolios: This can be a great alternative for anyone who's in graphic design or web design. You'll still need a paper resume, but what better way to demonstrate what you can do than to show them online. Be sure to add a link to your site on your resume in the block with your contact information, and also add it to your email signature.

I'd love to hear about your thoughts or experience with non-traditional resumes!


1. About.com article by Alison Doyle