Before I whisked myself off into a world of victory rolls and afternoon tea, I worked for nearly six years in the public sector with positions ranging from Business Consultancy to Project and Programme Management and the equally wafflesome Business Process Reengineering (making things work better). I really did love parts of my career before going self employed, and although I'm much happier now, I'm so glad I went through that world first. It gave me the most amazing grounding in disciplines I believe have been essential to the set up and successful growth of the business; planning, designing processes and management systems, setting up websites, procurement, recruitment and financial management.
I hope to do a series of posts sharing my experience of these disciplines and how I've chosen to apply them to a creative business setting. I hope this is helpful to anyone starting out, looking to improve their current operations and re-organise their affairs. I'd welcome your thoughts and comments!
Today I'll start with planning. The greatest piece of advice I can give was actually given to me by my last ever Manager. An inspiring results orientated guy who taught me a lot. I was working as Project Manager for a national disability employment company. I'd been set the task of designing a complex, multi-department project plan, involving a lot of people, tasks and targets. The risks were high and the benefactors of the project were real live people who needed the support of our services. Ready to get into Microsoft Project and colour code my Gantt chart, put in my gateways and rival the Olympic Park Planning Team, I met with my Manager. He told me directly and in no uncertain terms that a great Project Manager wasn't the one with the fanciest plan, he didn't care what I used to create my plan and had no designs on how I laid it out. What he wanted was a quick, easy to use and regularly updated task list. My time was not to be spent hiding behind documents and methodology but out there negotiating, motivating and monitoring that those tasks were actually being done. That approach has stuck with me ever since. So I'm not going to wax lyrical about how to create complex and impressive 'strategic plans', I'm going to tell you how to put together a simple, effective and workable plan (let's be honest we're self employed, or heading that way because we're do-ers). The only exception to my advice here is business planning for the purpose of loans, seeking investment or such like, I'm referring to personal planning for our own useful purposes.
I define planning as setting out the intentions you have for a project or business stream, detailing what needs to be done to get there, and setting measurements, so you know if you did it. A plan is not something you can tick off the to do list. It's an ongoing, working, continuously updated reference for you and your team to work from. My plans are opened at the start of the day and sit on my desk top, waiting to be updated, re-jigged and used to motivate me to get things done!
Here's how I approach creating the document itself...
1. Define my end goal(s), or to use project jargon 'products'. Sit down and write a list of tangible results you want to achieve. Let's use one my most recent new businesses, our Stags and Barbers, as an example. Our list looked something like this:
Barbershop and games room open
Staff recruited and trained
Activities and services designed and ready to offer
Brand launched and word out there.
etc etc.
These aren't tasks, these are finished results. Tasks will be listed individually under each of the headings above.
2. Decide how you'll know when it's done, or 'performance measures'. The list would start looking something like this:
Barbershop and games room open (Measure: We are able to offer all services from the space)
Staff recruited and trained (Measure: Team present and able to deliver all services on day of opening)
Activities and services designed and on marketing (Measure: Written on website, with prices and description)
Brand launched and word out there (Measure: People at launch event)
etc etc.
3. Detail tasks under each heading, with a deadline and name of who will do it. Be explicit in the task. Realistically assign a time period each task will take to do.
4. Draw out the essential order tasks are to be done in. This is termed critical path analysis in Project Management. The planning geek in me loves this task (you should have seen my Christmas dinner 2010 plan!). So, for example if I'm going to apply critical path analysis to doing my make up, I need to clearly identify which tasks have to be done, before others can be started. It would go like this:
For the purpose of this example, the path shows that nothing in row 2 can be started until the task in row 1 is completed. Then all in row 2 must be completed before row 3 tasks can be started and so forth. This is genuinely really useful, going back my barbers plan, if we look at the section dealing with branding and word getting out there. We knew that getting the word out relied on, amongst others things, press releases being sent out. We had a set opening date, so these had to be sent before press deadlines for issues going out before the opening. Press releases would be written once services are designed etc etc. There's a critical path that clearly says 'this must be done by that date to ensure the rest of the tasks can happen'. As you can imagine, when designed the Olympic Stadium, for example a critical path would be essential when such a vast and complex set of tasks had to be done (and the major delays occurred because so many tasks could not be started until others had been finished!)
4. Make sure those named in the plan know about their tasks and deadlines. We have a shared drive that everyone can access and update their section of the plan. Most start ups, like I was will be just you, which makes that part nice and easy!
5. Do and update. Once you've written your plan, don't sit back feeling smug at what you've achieved. I'm going to be a little unfair and say, creating a plan is not really achieving anything. It's a means to and end, the achievement comes in the ticking off of tasks, the active reworking and editing of the plan in response to changes, lessons learnt, new developments, ideas and those inevitable catastrophes.
My key points on this subject would be:
Don't use a plan a means to procrastinate doing what you set out to do. If you keep creating plans and never doing anything with them, the problem probably isn't plan.
Don't be afraid to change the plan, as with life, things doing always go to... err, plan! Adapt and move with the project but...
Do set deadlines and keep to them as best you can, the plan should drive results.
I hope that's helpful and I'd really appreciate any comments!
Thank you,
Lynsey
Here's some stats for you... I would estimate for every 50 applications we receive for positions in our national vintage styling team, Melanie and I offer interviews to about 30. From those 30, about 10 to 15 show up. From those, half may on average be offered a position on our freelance team. For every 10 we recruit, train and offer work to, 1 or 2 remain as long term employees in one form or another. If I were to quantify the time and effort involved in this process, each valuable employee proves pretty darn expensive to find. So whilst I hope this post is helpful to those out there truly baffled by the basics of applying and securing a job, it's also a PLEA. I plead to those out there currently seeking work in my industry to slow down, take care and make an effort when applying for any job, for your own sake and that of the world economy.
So rather than list the 'top 10 tips for getting the job', I'm going to tell you the most common mistakes candidates make which result in them not getting a reply to their application, an invite for interview, a job offer, or end up not being offered further work (and how I would have rather they did it). My frustration will be evident I'm sure, whether the education system is failing the new generation, or its a wider reflection of society in general...I'm undecided. Regardless of the cause, I pray for the day it gets better.
Step one - your application content
The cliché 'first impressions count' may have been coined for this very situation. Spelling mistakes in this modern age are unacceptable. Not even using a capital letter for your own name is unacceptable. I understand my stylists won't be writing reports for me, but it's not about whether their English language is up to scratch... it's about showing me they've taken time and effort to apply for this job. Everything about every stage of a job application is about showing the employer you want the job, you'll work hard for the job and you're appropriate for the job. I believe inherent in this statement is the fact that text speak is not a great choice, but since its relatively common, I'll go ahead and say it... "I wud luv a job with u' is a sure fire way to ensure 'u neva get a job wiv me'.
Secondly, read what the application requirements are. We ask for your CV and images of vintage inspired styling you have done. Sending an application without either of these will result in immediate deletion; why would an employer chase you for information they've already asked for? If you cannot follow instructions on a job advert, it tells me you won't be able to interpret and execute a job brief. This may sound unfair, but the application process is specifically designed, for any job, to test the applicants for the skills required to deliver that job well. Always remember that.
Another way to bore the pants off your prospective employer is waffling. Writing long lists of your amazing competences is rather pointless. Anyone on the planet can write this list, what will distinguish you is specifics and evidence. So rather than writing:
'Lynsey is a great manager who is a hard working, confident and driven individual', write...
'Lynsey has managed a team of 5 staff at XYZ beauty counter and her team met all sales targets resulting in the prize for best regional team'.
And be ready to explain yourself in detail at interview.
There's a simple formula for your CV and covering letter too... carefully read the job advert. The keywords in ours would be 'national travel', 'working at hen parties', 'weekend work' etc, so the covering letter would be well received by someone stating something like:
"I enjoy variety in my work, and embrace the opportunity to travel to different areas of the country. I am a confident driver and happy to be available at last minute. I enjoy working with large groups and have a good track record of time keeping and pressured work environments from my time doing make up at fashion shows. I am available Saturdays and Sundays." This application is telling me you are exactly what I'm looking for!
Step two - how you apply
I'm going to keep this simple. Don't apply through facebook, twitter or a recent favourite... whatsapp. Apply through an email, or as requested through the link on a jobs website. Make it 100% formal, laid out like a letter and include everything asked of you.
Step three - attending interview
It's ok to say you're unable to attend interview but give a valid and truthful reason. If the reason you don't want to go to the interview is because you won't travel to it, when the job requires travel, then the job is not for you and the interviewer will also think this. If you have paid work you must attend on the day of the interview, say that and be specific so it is believable. Don't ask for another interview on a specific date, the employer will assume you are not flexible in attending work outside your own schedule. Ask politely if it would be possible to be invited to any future interview opportunities.
If you confirm your attendance, go. If you don't come to the interview after confirming attendance for whatever reason it will be assumed by the employer that you're incapable of turning up for work. That's the bottom line. It doesn't matter how legitimate you think your excuse is, they don't know you, or your circumstance and don't have the inclination to get to know either. If a candidate doesn't show up, and later asks for another interview with us, I'll laugh it off. Honestly, what competences has that person displayed to me to make me spend the time again? Not turning up to interview leaves a slot someone else could have had, it wastes management time and it frustrates your potential employer. If you're serious about it, turn up. If something catastrophic occurs after you've confirmed attendance, then communicate that and voluntarily supply evidence. The amount of times I've had people ring up with a plethora of tropical diseases or car malfunctions on the day of interview is laughable, but should the candidate ring before the interview to excuse themselves, then I receive a copy of a doctors letter or an RAC breakdown slip and a polite request to be interview at any other time convenient I'd certainly offer a second chance.
You have to remember even if you're an honest person, genuinely caught in a flu epidemic, you're just another faceless applicant to an interviewer, who's usually pushed for time and overrun with applications. Stand out.
Step four - performance at interview
Turn up smart, I don't care if the job is for a Dish Washer or an Account Executive, dress smartly. It's impressive, and you're there to impress. I'd rather someone where overly formal than not at all.
Be on time, arrive collected and prepared. If you don't I will assume you won't do so for work.
Research. Most likely the first question you'll be asked is 'what do you know about this company'. If you don't have an answer, you are very unlikely to be successful from your first breath. Have an example of how you meet every competence in the job advert of description. This is what the interview questions are written from, it's that simple.
Answer each question with evidence. If asked 'what would your previous manager say about your punctuality', rather than answering 'I'm always on time', say 'I had a 100% on time attendance record, in fact I started taking the bus that arrived 20 minutes earlier so I could grab a coffee on the route and arrive fresh and ready to start work'. I cannot stress enough at this point however, one word for you... deliver. If you say it at interview, do it when you start work, probation periods are built into new jobs to get rid of the fibbers.
Always ask questions at the end. But make them about your enthusiasm for the company and the job. Don't ask 'how quickly do I get paid?', rather 'I love your products and I'd be so excited to sell them, do you offer a commission scheme?'.
Step five - you've got the job, now keep it
In summary remember - the employer has what you want... the job. They also have a queue of people wanting what you also want. You have to spend time and effort demonstrating what you have to offer. We don't know you, we have to be SHOWN how good you are. It's exhausting applying for jobs, I understand that, but the better you do it each time, the sooner the search will be over!
Lastly, if you feel you're doing all of the above but you're still not getting the job then please get in touch. I'd be happy to help in any way I can. I am passionate about people working for a living, and finding what they are good at.
Thanks for reading,
Lynsey Le Keux
Pictured below, some of our fabulous team who did make the cut and continue to impress, Kath, Meg, Amy and Lily! We'd also like to mention our other stars... Corinne, Helen, Nicola, Nicky, Gaby, Emily, Katie, Sidonie, Natalie, Laura, Tiffany, Louise, Jourdan, Lucia, Sharron, Emmalene, Leanne, Virginie, Kaeleigh, and of course my Managers Melanie, Julia and Kate. We also have some very promising new starters coming on soon too!
