“Eminently capable” is the term I use to describe what I’m looking for in an employee. In a small business, you need to find people who can figure out how to execute on whatever you need them to do. To me, that means have a great attitude, being highly motivated and taking ownership for your work. Asking for help is key too—that demonstrates judgment and thoughtfulness and I always prefer that versus someone going down the wrong path without involving me early on with questions or issues.

As a career switcher, I don’t necessarily care about past work experience being relevant—I care more about the qualities and traits that you possess that have enabled you to have success in your past endeavors. Are you a quick learner? A strategic thinker? A problem solver? Are you going to give 110% percent to be a part of a fun, dynamic, fast-paced growing organization that hopes to seriously change the world one day with a new approach to teaching communication?

Are you eminently capable?  Would love to hear your thoughts.

To read the whole interview, including if and how communication strategies differ for people at big companies versus small start-ups, and what workplace TV show I’d most like to work in (Mad Men!) click here

I wrote a post for HBR on nailing your elevator pitch that outlined the Great on the Job strategy to make a powerful introduction.  The three key steps include:

• Thinking relevant, not recent
• Focusing on skills-based qualifications versus industry or experience-based
• Connecting the dots

Last week, Peter, a retired trade-show executive, participated in a GOTJ training workshop at Kellogg.  Peter had recently joined a non-profit board and had been asked to provide a brief bio to the board.  He had planned on including his typical spiel—30 years of experience building and running trade shows in North America.

The non-profit had just lots its spiritual leader, was losing members faster than it was gaining new ones, and was going through an identity crisis of sorts.  As Peter thought about introducing himself to the board as the trade show guy, he realized that snapshot didn’t really do him justice.  How did trade show executive communicate the sense of value and purpose Peter hoped to bring to the board?  Why and how was it relevant?

After sitting through the GOTJ training, a light bulb went off for Peter.  What he had in fact done for 30 years of his career was build communities.  He had brought buyers and sellers together.  What he could and would help this non-profit do was rebuild their fractured community.  His experience as a trade show executive was actually directly relevant and transferrable—he just needed to change his thinking around what it was he was skilled at.

After the presentation, Peter came up and thanked me.  He said he would have never connected the dots without the GOTJ strategy.  “I was so focused on ‘recent’ that I never took a step back to focus on ‘relevant’ he said.  Once I did, I was able to connect the dots and it was crystal clear that I’ve been building communities for the past 30 years.”

 How can you change your mindset from being a tradeshow executive to a builder of communities?

I’m adding my own personal plug for Professor William J. White’s From Day One: CEO Advice to Launch an Extraordinary Career.  I spent a fabulous 90 minutes at Kellogg with Professor White last week guest teaching his  “Managing for New Managers” class and it’s no suprise his classes are standing room only!   From Day One is loaded with actionable items of how you can make a contribution to your organization from the get-go.

So without further ado: Lindsey’s list…with a few of my own comments peppered in

A Whole New Mind by Dan Pink Essential reading about the skills that will dominate in the new economy (reading it now and loving it!)

Finding Your Own North Star by Martha Beck My favorite book on figuring out what to do with your life

Getting from College to Career by…me! (it’s as good as she says it is) Of course I had to include my own book! I wrote the guide I wish I’d had when I was in your shoes. It includes everything I’ve learned along my professional path so far.

Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by Mignon Fogarty How you write is how you are perceived. This book is the best modern writing primer I’ve seen.

Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi (seriously, buy this one!) The best book on networking at any age, in any profession

Nice Girls Don’t Get the Corner Office by Lois Frankel Like having your own personal career coach

Roadtrip Nation by Mike Marriner and Nathan Gebhard with Joanne Gordon A fun, insightful look into a wide variety of career paths

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron An absolute must-read for anyone who wants a creative career

They Don’t Teach Corporate In College by Alexandra Levit The best book on thriving as a young professional in the corporate world

Your Best Year Yet by Jinny Ditzler The ultimate guide to setting and reaching your goals over the next 12 months

Recently, an elementary school teacher told me that her former principal had failed to respond to her request for a letter of recommendation.  I asked if she had included a template for her principal of what to say, to which she replied no, and then admitted sheepishly, “Honestly, I wouldn’t have any idea how to write the letter myself.”  At the risk of stating the obvious, if you can’t imagine writing the letter yourself, how do you think someone else is going to write it for you? 

When you are asking for a recommendation, take the time to create a template for the person writing the recommendation. This can be a draft of the letter itself or a simply a roadmap—a set of points that provides them with an outline, the context and content for their note.

A strong ready-made template hits upon three key points: your motive, your credentials and the impact you expect to have on your new organization. To be most effective, you need to answer three key questions:

1. Why are you applying for the position or academic program? (Motive)
2. How or why are you uniquely qualified for the position? (Credentials)
3. What will you contribute to your new organization or program? (Impact)

Let’s see what this might look like in a particular case:

Alex Wallace was a human resources professional who worked in financial services for ten years.  Alex earned her MBA from a top tier school and most recently covered the multimedia team at Reuters.  After two years at Reuters, Alex decided to make a major career shift and jump from human resources to broadcast journalism.  Alex reached out to the head of HR at her former employer to ask for a letter of reference for her application to Columbia’s Graduate School of Broadcast Journalism. She included the following bullet points in her template to assist her former boss in writing in the letter:

Motive: Why Are You Applying?

• Throughout my career, I’ve lived and worked abroad have always had a strong interest in business journalism and international affairs.   
• My work at Reuters has inspired me to make a leap I’ve considered for a long time and which I believe will tie together many diverse aspects of my career.

Alex gave both a personal reason and a professional motive—her work in HR in the news industry ultimately inspired her to make a change.   Why are you applying for a new job or program? Are you hoping to learn a new skill, make an industry, firm or career switch, or are you, like Alex, following a life-long dream of doing something you’ve always wanted to do but were never sure how to?

Credentials: How Are You Uniquely Qualified?

• I have a strong background in both finance and business issues, having spent ten years on Wall Street supporting finance professionals and two years at Reuters learning about the news industry
• In my current role,  I am responsible for managing employee issues related to ethical standards of stories, quality of writing and knowledge of key figures and trends in the news industry
• I am strong writer, a skilled presenter and a quick learner—I am able to discern the important and relevant pieces of information from large amounts of data and make decisions quickly and effectively

Alex highlighted both her relevant experience and her inherent skill-set.  Together, these combine to make her an excellent candidate for the program.   As you think about your own qualifications, consider coursework and academic programs, relevant work experience, extra-curricular or volunteer activities, or even your own natural talents or strengths that will be better utilized in your new endeavor.

Impact: What Will You Contribute?

• I believe that the reporting and writing classes will give me the tools I need to become an outstanding broadcast journalist
• With my quick grasp of the issues and my in-depth understanding of finance and news organizations,  I hope to bring a unique perspective to the program

Alex’s impact—her unique perspective—could even be more compelling if she talked about how her news coverage would be different or unique from what exists today.  Regarding your own contribution, what is your vision of how you will impact your new organization—do you have new ideas, better ideas, a different way of thinking about things or a richness of experience that will impact your new environment?

At the end of the day, your goal is to give your former boss or colleague a clear-cut outline of what to include in your reference letter.  By providing a thoughtful and well scripted template, you’ll greatly increase the chances of getting your reviewer to agree to write the letter of reference and make that letter of reference communicate and convey exactly what you want.

In the real world, getting a reference letter is far more difficult and often a source of much anxiety. Whom to ask, how to ask, what to say?

But getting an outstanding reference letter is entirely within your control and easier than you think, even if you don’t have a benevolent benefactor at your back…

Here are three tips to ensure your mentor, former boss, or academic counselor writes you a rave review:

1.Highlight their qualifications

2.Provide a template

3.Offer a “no questions asked” policy

Let’s look at each of these individually:

Highlight their Qualifications

When reaching out to ask for a letter of reference, explain up front and center why it is that you value that person’s opinion and respect their professional expertise enough so that you chose them (of all people) to vouch for you in your next professional endeavor.

Beyond mere flattery, show why you think that person is uniquely qualified to accurately assess and communicate your personal contribution to your future organization. Why did you enjoy working for them, and why do you value their opinion? Why do you look up to them? How do the qualities match your own, or speak to the authority you want your recommendation to convey?

Provide a Template

It’s almost impossible to get a good reference letter from someone if you don’t provide the tools necessary for them to actually write a good letter. It’s also terribly inconsiderate not to give ample guidance. The last thing anyone wants to do is spend hours or days thinking about and drafting a letter which you yourself could have composed far better and more readily in about half the time.

Providing a template, therefore — an outline, bullet points, or even a fully-baked draft — of what you’d like the reference letter to say is the most effective (not to mention generous and thoughtful) approach to asking for a letter of reference. The goal isn’t to put words into your former colleague’s mouth or to co-opt her into vouching for you in an untrue or disingenuous manner; it’s simply to do some of the work for her and provide all of the pertinent data points that you’d like included in the letter. Moreover, as boastful, bragging or full of yourself you may feel writing your own referral, often people will be even more generous than you will when talking about your skills and contribution to an organization. So go ahead and toot your own horn.

“No Questions Asked”

Finally, once you provide your reviewer with a useful template and make it clear that your intention is to make this process as painless as possible for her, then it’s time to hand over the reins and offer a “no questions asked” policy. First, give your colleague an easy “out” to decline your request for any or no reason. Then, assuming she agrees, give her ample leeway to change, modify or edit your letter as she sees fit. You want to convey a sense of trust in her and give her an opportunity to write a letter she is entirely comfortable with.

Let’s take a look at what this request might actually look like:

Highlight their Qualifications

Dear John,

Hello, I hope you are well. I am writing to ask a huge favor — I’m applying for a senior marketing position with Merck and I was hoping you’d consider writing a letter of recommendation on my behalf. I always appreciated your perspective and judgment while working together. You have so much credibility within the product development space that I thought you’d be a perfect person to act as a reference.

Provide a Template

I have included a list of bullet points along with a draft letter you might consider using as a template. I’d like to make the process as easy as possible on you and I know it’s hard to recall details about the many different projects we worked on together in 2007 and 2008.

“No Questions Asked”

If for any reason you don’t feel comfortable writing a letter on my behalf, I completely understand. If you are willing to do so, however, please feel free to take the attached sample letter and use it as a template however you see fit. I have tried to address my core strengths as a strategic thinker and team player and I have highlighted several marketing campaigns I’m particularly proud of. To the extent that you’d like to make any changes or modifications to the letter, please go ahead and do so. I trust that you’ll include only those topics you feel comfortable commenting upon.

Further, I would welcome the opportunity to see a copy of the letter, but I of course understand your position if you’d like to keep it confidential.

Finally, finish your request with all the grace and charm you can muster — thank the other person profusely for their time and help and offer to make yourself available for any further questions he may have.

Stay tuned for next week’s post on how to write that template and make your reference letter stand out from the pack.

Excerpt from the Forte Foundation webinar: Sucessfully Navigating the Workplace: Communication Strategies for Women Leaders

In managing through the crisis, Letterman has been effective and endearing in getting his message out he’s done three important things right:

1. He got out in front of the problem
2. He took ownership of the problem
3. He told everyone how he planned on fixing the problem

Out in front: Dave didn’t wait for the media to break the story. Instead, he went on the offensive, crafting the story himself that he wanted the world to hear. In a nationally televised mea culpa that lasted ten minutes in length—an eternity in network air time—Dave admitted to the affairs and apologized to everyone involved. He used his comedic timing to soften the blow, but his message was sincere and contrite and he took full responsibility for his actions.

Letterman continued to stay out in front of the drama as events unfolded over the following weekend. After initially declaring he wouldn’t speak about the matter again, Dave reappeared the following Monday joking that he’d rather be hiking the Appalachian Trail and that even his GPS system was no longer talking to him. He then acknowledged that while he had hoped to avoid the topic, “that’s all people want to seem to talk about.” Thus followed a second appeal apologizing to female staffers for their harassment by the media and to his wife for her “horribly hurt” feelings.

Ownership: It took a lot of courage for Letterman to tell the American public that he was being blackmailed for doing terrible things and then to admit that he had in fact done those terrible things. But the self-deprecating Letterman didn’t make excuses or blame others. He just took it on the chin in front of the world to see. His forthright approach seems to be helping him on the corporate sponsorship front. So far, there’s been no fallout in advertising for CBS. A New York Times article entitled, Letterman’s Sponsors Appear to be Unperturbed noted that Madison Avenue hasn’t abandoned Dave. As an advertising executive noted, “The fact he addressed it head-on, in a very open and honest way, is probably going to position him in the best way he could be positioned in a situation like this.”

Communicating the plan: During Dave’s second on-air apology, he said, “If you hurt a person and it’s your responsibility, you try to fix it. Let me tell you, folks, I got my work cut out for me.”

In business, as in life, it’s not that you won’t make mistakes, everyone will and does. What’s important is how you manage those mistakes. As a manager, you need to stay out in front of issues and not get caught behind them. There isn’t a junior banker out there who hasn’t made an error in his merger math. As the Vice President sitting in front of the client, you’ve got to make the split-second decision—do you acknowledge the mistake and explain it away or hope the client doesn’t notice? Any VP worth her salt will let the client know up front that there’s a number that’s wrong—and then commit to getting the correct analysis over ASAP.

Once you flag those problems, you need to take ownership for them and propose solutions immediately. An in-house accountant at a privately-held real-estate firm overpaid bonuses by $5 million one year. Three executives were forced to return the money. The accountant was sick over it and offered to resign. The executives didn’t accept his resignation. His taking full responsibility for the screw-up may have in fact saved his job; one can only imagine what would have happened had he tried to cover up a seven-figure discrepancy or place the blame on others.

Letterman is going to have to endure a lot of public scrutiny and disapproval in the coming weeks and months. The blogosphere is abuzz with rumors of divorce. But Letterman stayed above board throughout his ordeal. He addressed the issue head on, took ownership for his dalliances and committed to everyone involved that he would do his best to make it all right again. The jury is out on whether he can fix the mess he’s made but one thing is certain—we should all be so good at managing our message and navigating our way through a crisis.