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Create a communication strategy through a strategic alliance marketing plan
A Special Message for Executive Job Hunters
You're
probably visting our site because you know that we specialize in assisting business
owners and sales executives in finding the position in niche markets that is best
suited to what they have to offer. If you are not currently serving in the ideal
work environment, we can assist you in finding a place where you'll be able to
be your best self.
First, we need to identify the "core" words and phrases
that will be at the heart of your communication strategy. These words will become
a regular part of your story that we help you create.
Please realize that your "tickets" alone (advanced degrees, titles,
etc.) will not necessarily motivate another employer to
hire you. They offer only one form of reassurance that suggests
you are the right person. This is why you must create a
communication strategy that uses words that add interest
beyond your credentials.
Anyone who recruits people has a "concept"
in mind when flling a position. In the final analysis, the person who gets hired
is successful because of the traits, skills, and abilities that certain key descriptive
phrases imply about them.
So, it's important to have a communication strategy
that usues those words and phrases that set you apart. For example, you may have
"operated effectively under pressure." Perhaps you are "an excellent motivator,"
or you may have "built highly effective teams."
Hundreds of key words and phrases that we think are most important are available online as part of our Career History and Marketability
Profile (CHAMP). Used appropriately, they can set you apart, precisely conveying
the unique advantages you have to offer.
A Communication Strategy Starts With Good
Stories
To expand your marketability, you must develop
stories as part of your communication strategy to create maximum interest in yourself.
Without stories, most people who interview you will forget what you said in a
matter of minutes.
To ensure that your points are both memorable
and credible, we use a technique for creating interesting stories. SOAR is an
acronym that stands for Situation, Opportunities, Actions, and Results. It represents
a process of describing your past experience in a way that resembles a motion
picture. We all like good stories and remember them. SOAR represents a compelling
way to present information about your history and accomplishments.
Here's how you can use it: | 
| Situation. Describe a job by reviewing the situation when you began, making it interesting.
Opportunities. Then bring up information
about the opportunities that the job presented. Here's an example of what we mean
by Situation / Opportunity. "When I joined the firm, sales had been declining
for three consecutive years. Understanding the firm's markets, I immediately saw
the opportunity to target new areas."
Actions. Next, move to actions taken by you and others (the team). We believe that these actions are the most important
part of the SOAR process.
Results. Then relate what results occurred.
SOAR means telling the whole story. If it's well
told, it will generate more genuine interest than any dry recitation of your duties.
When you talk about the R in SOAR, try to quantify the results. For example, you
cut costs by $100,000 or 20 percent. Remember, don't be modest.
In many administrative situations, it is not so
easy to quantify results. In these cases, you need to measure results using statements
like "I did it in half the time," or "The system I developed was adopted throughout
the company," or "I won an award... being recognized for..."
Here,
you need to indicate positive things you did to help your organizations and how
you took on extra tasks. Describe how you helped your superiors meet their goals,
and also the results they achieved. If appropriate, you can show how you demonstrated
a skill, special knowledge, or a personal quality. |
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First
communication strategy - Sell yourself
Develop SOAR stories that cover situations where you can demonstrate
the value of fresh thinking as a means to improve productivity,
or show that you have solved a variety of problems in diverse
areas.
Employers need to feel that you are the answer
to one of their problems. If you can show them how you effectively met or exceeded
the needs in other environments, they may conclude that you can do the same for
them.
You will need to communicate your best stories,
again and again... in your resumes, letters, phone discussions, interviews and
negotiations.
The idea is to create a communication strategy
around stories that demonstrate the benefits you are bringing to the organization.
If you successfully managed the integration of two teams following a merger, and
the new business gained market share and/or costs were reduced - by all means,
say so.
Wherever possible, quantify with dollar amounts,
percentages, etc. If you have many stories, you will need to bring your focus
to those which are most important. Here we suggest you think of the position you
are seeking, and then select stories that will best position you for your new
role. | 
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Sample communication
strategy SOAR Stories
Situation/Opportunity:
When I joined QBC Sales, the company had lost nearly
$1.5 million on a new product release. I recognized an opportunity to employ my
industry experience in marketing.
Action: With the help of the Strategic Alliance Marketing
Group, I relaunched a new brand, created a new television advertising campaign,
and refocused all of our marketing efforts.
Result:
Within a year, we turned an $1.5 million loss to a $2 million
gain -- representing 30 percent of the company's profits.
Situation/Opportunity:
The company recruited 50 people a year but never
had a good training program.
Action:
I created a project management training course.
With a staff of 5, we researched materials, broke the process into logical steps,
and structured all course materials.
Result:
For the first time, the firm was able to bring
in recruits who could take on responsibilities within four weeks. The following
year sales and profits increased more than 20 percent each. |
Second Communication Strategy - Handling Liabilities
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Make no mistake about it. Everyone who recruits
is on the lookout for liabilities. So, we need to be sure you have a communication
strategy that has a clear concept for handling anything that might be a concern
to you. This means you need to be sure to bring to our attention anything that
may be a concern, including anything listed below. While there are many liabilities
that can restrict a job search, the Dirty Dozen liabilities that are frequently
encountered include: - Career
may have peaked/or have age concerns
- Lacking blue chip or large company experience
- Being unemployed
- Leaving a firm that performed very poorly
- Having
changed jobs too often
- Being seen as too narrow or too generalized
- Being
too associated with one firm or industry
- Leaving a short-term position
-
Lacking the right education credentials
- Lacking impressive titles/career
progression
- Having gaps in your work history
- Lacking line or staff experience
An appropriate communication strategy for handling
any of the concerns just mentioned, as well as others, can be critically important.
From a professional viewpoint, we have proven communicative strategy solutions
for dealing with all of the preceding issues. Typically, we integrate our solutions
into all forms of communication, ensuring consistency in how these liabilities
are handled.
Third
Communication Strategy - Truth, Fiction, and The Age Barrier |
| | As companies have been re-engineered, many people in their 50's and early 60's have seen their jobs eliminated or replaced.
When we encounter situations where age may be a
problem, we compensate by developing a more aggressive action plan, going for
more interviews than normal.
The reality is that today, people in their late
40s and 50s are connecting with fast-growing companies, especially firms in new
industries, where experience is in demand. We can also help clients in their early
60s. Success obviously depends on each person's background, but the starting point
is to avoid putting any limits on your thinking.
Just for the record, there was a common thread
that bound Socrates, Pasteur, Voltaire, Newton, Jefferson, Galileo, Martha Graham,
Armand Hammer, Grandma Moses, Coco Chanel, Colonel Sanders, Dr. Benjamin Spock,
Winston Churchill and George Burns.
Each made their major accomplishments after
they became "Senior Citizens." So, again, don't put any
limits on your own thinking!
With our assistance, you can 'position' yourself
in the marketplace with a communication strategy built around your 'story', which
conveys your strengths and competencies in the very best light. Let us help you
reach the people who need to be reached!
For a free one-hour confidential communications
strategy session with Strategic Alliance Marketing Group,
contact us at
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