Use Your Headlights When Navigating Your Career.

I recently spoke at a Technology Career Summit to offer solutions for companies struggling to identify, attract and hire specialized engineers. After my presentation, during the Q&A, an interesting discussion began. It went something like this...

"Thank you Dave for your insight and suggestions for what companies can do to navigate the so called minefield of talent. What advice do you have for engineers who are looking to connect with the right company? Are we supposed to just post our resume on Monster or Dice and then get bombarded with calls from recruiters all across the globe? That's a mine field and a distraction... let me tell YOU!"

"Great question, thank you" I respond... buying me a second to gather my thoughts and the right approach to answer the question. I began to look over the audience and notice more eyes were directed towards me signifying this was a valid discussion topic for the audience.

I respond. "Have you heard the term, "Use your Headlights"? It's all about having a professional adviser or coach to guide you through this difficult process. Someone who can light up the path ahead for you. If you think about your career as a long voyage through uncharted territories, you should always have headlights on the road. Why turn off the headlights to your career when the road trip continues?" Unless the current job you're in is your final resting place, consider it YOUR responsibility to always have lights on the road spotting the next designation on your career voyage.

I look to the audience. "How many engineers do we have in the room today? Over 70% raise their hand. "Okay! Keep your hand up if you ever used a recruiter to get a job". Maybe 5 hands went down out of 200 or so. "All right, now keep your hand up if you still have a relationship with that recruiter or recruiters who got you those jobs" 10 hands were left raised. "Thank you for the visualization. It is more powerful of a message than I can ever present.

Let's look at this through a different lens. Stop thinking of your recruiter(s) as "only as needed resources". Instead think of them more as Headlights; lighting the road that is your career.

It's your responsibility to identify professional "recruiting agents" and to foster those relationships into trusted long term engagements. Think of yourself as a high value athlete and find a "Jerry McGuire". Someone who will be able to guide you, To be your "Ambassador of Quam"

Make sure your "Agent" knows your career goals and expectations. You should be having conversations about the whole journey and final destination. If you're speaking with the right Agent, they'll be more of an adviser to you. They'll push back. Define reality. Ask hard, personal questions. You should expect this. If the conversation doesn't stimulate deeper thoughts, new direction or more questions... then you are most likely NOT meeting with the right long term agent. Not to say this person is not adding direct value to you and your career for this particular leg in your journey, so do not blow them off. I'm just defining how you should approach and leverage every new potential agent interaction.

Ask yourself these questions: Is this person lighting up the road for me. Alerting me of potential potholes, or hard turns in the road? Pointing out roadblocks, detours, etc. Is this person highlighting newly built roads giving me a career shortcut? Is this agent making professional introductions for my own networking growth? Are they giving me ideas for my own networking? Suggesting Meetups, organizations, etc to further grow my field of vision and awareness?

Your Agents are Headlights on your voyage. They will be able to identify potholes in the road, sharp turns, or hidden shortcuts! Keep them on and Use them always!