I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. 

Nine times out of ten, the LinkedIn connection invitations I receive come with the default text above. Granted, it is the fastest way of sending invitations. And when you and I know each other well, perhaps no more is needed. 

For everyone else - loose connections, a person I met once long ago, or strangers, it will not do. 

Give me some context, please. Why would you like to connect? What can I expect from our connection? 

There are two really important reasons to give some context.

Resume Boot Camp

Resume Boot Camp is a new program I have designed and configured for those of you who have put some hard work into your resume but would like to validate / check / fine-tune your document. This is a fast and cost-effective way to ensure your Resume is prime-time ready.

The first Resume Boot Camp starts this Thursday, April 23 and runs to Tuesday the 28th. The next Resume Boot Camp will begin in early May.  

Think about it for a second. Shouldn’t we all aim to be this wanted and welcomed when we sell or loan our talent to someone new?

For too long, I have been intending to send you new newsletters, and blog more, and announce new offerings to help with your career management, job search, career change and personal branding goals. And then I get stuck. Since the How to Manage your Career in Scary Times report, not a lot of activity. Like you, I have obligations that I can easily use an an excuse. In my case, there is always a core group of 1-1 clients working with me through their career transitions and personal branding efforts.

That isn’t good enough for me. Every time I speak to an audience, publish something or engage 1-1 with a client, I generate a Wow reaction. And that feels great. But I have a need to reach and serve more of you. In my case, my real enemies are perfection and complexity. I want things to be perfect for you. And I make things too complex. And this holds me back from sharing my expertise and passion and caring to you and a wider audience.

So, no more. It is time to play a bigger game.

Responding to Market Forces

In this kind of economy, there is a strong tendency to go small. And to hide. I don’t want to do that. Speed, simplicity and value trump perfection and complexity. So, I am going to go Big. I have always liked the play a bigger game metaphor. It says something to me about raising my level of play (including my tennis game).

• The perfect candidate. One that exactly meets the requirements. No risk in the resume.
• Or, someone who can wear several hats at once. This person needs to meet the requirements of the core role, but be able to play more than one position. More bang for the hiring buck.

1. Develop a target, or a few targets. Types of role in a certain type of organization. This might be based on where you are most hirable or what you want to do next.
2. Define your value proposition for those targets. Why you and not the hundreds of other people that would like this job?
3. Ensure that your resume, cover letter and other marketing materials represent a compelling, attractive and credible case for your candidacy.
4. Work on your verbal presentation so that when you have those conversations, you are able to get them interested in you and your offering. That includes networking conversations and formal interviewing. There are too many tips to get into in this post. My general observation over the years has been that most people, no matter how senior they are in their profession, aren’t as good as they think they are at the interviewing conversation.
5. Focus your attentions on:
   • The opportunities that fit within your target buckets. Apply to opportunities where you truly are a fit. Where your value proposition aligns. Ignore the others.
   • The relationships and networks that support you finding opportunities and becoming known in your target areas.
   • The activities that generate the above.

Back to the math. You need to do what you can to improve the odds on that equation. In addition to our existing services, I am about to announce some new solutions that address head-on this climate that we are in right now. More later.

However, when she asked her manager to take 2 days of vacation, not only did he say no, but he also said, “….points off for even asking. I am surprised you even asked.”

Now, I don’t know the specifics of this woman’s employment or what was happening that week in the office. I can only go by my friend’s telling of the story. But it reminded me of my work in executive search and in particular, the first 2 years where the economy was bad.

A certain kind of manager emerges in times like these. Or more frequently, an existing, but otherwise hidden side of managers emerges. Management based on fear, small mindedness and keeping people down and in their place. And as soon as the economy turns again, this kind of behavior doesn’t wash.

I couldn’t help thinking about the classic Lord of the Rings trilogy and the battle between dark and light. As the power of dark grows, beasts like Orcs have the courage to come out of their holes.

We need leadership, now more than ever. If you, as a leader, feel the pull of darkness, try and resist. The manager in this story could have said yes, or he could have said no, but in a different and more humane way and gotten a better result. “I am afraid that I am going to have to say no. We have that big project on the go and I really need you here that week.” Not so hard, right? Your employees have an elephant-like memory when it comes to the wrongs and injustices inflicted upon them in the office. You need to lead to help your organization survive this crisis. But you also need to lead so that it is still functioning and competitive on the other side.

As for the woman in this story. It just so happens that she is in a stage of her career and financial situation where she doesn’t need to work. Her loyalty to this manager has been erased and she may leave because of this. With a company-wide hiring freeze, he may find himself short-handed.

We are launching the Bold DNA series of strategic career management reports. The reports will include hands-on tools, skill building exercises and strategic content. The first,

All you need to do is sign-up to the Bold Career community and mailing list and the download will be waiting for you. The Report includes 20-pages of thought provoking content on:

• Managing career / job security risk in uncertain economic times
• Enhancing career opportunity

As well as worksheets that lead you through a personal SWOT analysis of your career situation.

I would very much like to have you read it and perhaps take action on some of the Action Ideas and Homework questions presented in the report.

Special Offer: I have made a special offer available only to Report readers. Until January 15, 2009, 15% off any service purchased from Bold Career. That includes full job search / career transition packages, resume writing services, interview coaching, and general career coaching packages. In today’s market, 15% is something to think about. (And you can elect to use your purchase service anytime in 2009, so no rush if you aren’t quite ready.) Again, January 15th is the deadline to take advantage of this offer.

So, please join me to download How to Manage Your Career in Scary Times.

• Relevant and useful for senior career transition issues
• Important strategic advice for managing and developing your career
• And on emerging skills, sweet spots that some readers may want to dive into, or just plain intriguing and interesting (to me) books that I want to share with you.

Here are some strategies that might help:

Prioritize the Season: The first thing to do is decide how important the Holiday season is for you. There are a lot of expectations swirling around the holidays. If it is important, then treat it so. If not, then let go a bit.

Prioritize Socializing: This is prime time for entertaining clients, celebrating with co-workers, and connecting with your network. Try politely deferring the people that can wait until the New Year. Chances are, they will feel equally relieved that they have one less meeting prior to Christmas.

Batch Socializing: Whom can you bring together for one event? Several (non-competing) clients, where you play host and connector? A bunch of colleagues? There is that natural tendency to book 1-1 meeting with people, but see if you can get creative, save time, and in the process, perhaps add some value to the people you bring together.

Be Hyper-Focused: Let’s face it. It is very easy to get distracted over the next few weeks. Get very focused on your most important tasks and responsibilities. Lay out a clear path to get them done, and work the plan.

Book Your Errand Time: You have shopping to do. It is amazing what a couple of hours of focused shopping time can produce, and in particular mid-week. Go out at lunch, or at the end of the day. It can actually be fun.

Plan Your Personal Goals: What do you want the holiday season to look like? Specifically, what do you want to make happen? Book it. Make it happen. Don’t get too ambitious if you don’t have the time, but applying the same business discipline to your household will likely pay dividends.

Set Expectations: Prepare those around you for your offline time. Get done what you need to get done. Communicate your schedule in advance so that colleagues will make allowances. Do not soften it by communicating that you will be checking email during your days off.

Leave Town, or Pretend To: What is it about skiing? If you are heading out of town for a vacation, that distance validates that you are away from the office. Stay at home vacation? You are more at risk? If you aren’t leaving town, use language that makes your holiday time more real.

Be In the Moment: Whether you are taking a week, or just the statutory holidays, be there, in the moment. When it is time to celebrate, celebrate. When it is time to be with your kids, be with your kids. Turn off the Blackberry, forget about work, and don’t feel guilty. You deserve it.

Unfortunately, there are work environments where 24/7 is the rule and you can’t checkout. However, in most cases, based on my experience, executives self-impose 24/7 expectations on themselves.

Where do you fit? Have you earned the right to take care of yourself and your family? The holiday season is actually a good litmus test for how healthy your career situation and position is.

There are a few things going on here. From a “you” perspective, it would be worth investigating what is behind this insecurity, and if there is anything you can do to work through it.

From a role perspective, dissect the executive job you hold and find out what areas, if any, you excel at, are comfortable with, and lastly, which are part of this insecurity. You may find that a significant part of your job is no problem at all for you. If that is the case, then a few avenues might be possible. One, a coach may be able to help you work through the difficult areas. Two, you may be able to renegotiate your role to have it redefined. Of course, that may not be possible, so the last course of action might be to look externally for a role at or around your new level that focuses on those things you are good at and comfortable with.

Now, you asked me a different question. Can you move down a notch and make it work? The good news is that this is a fairly common situation. What makes someone shine at one level may not mean that they are suited to the next level. In particular, when the promotion involves the addition of management responsibilities. I think it can work, but of course, it comes with risks.

Firstly, the success of the transition depends to a large part on you. How you communicate how you feel about moving back to the old role. You could send a message, consciously or not, that you couldn’t hack the senior level. Or, you could send a message that was a positive one instead. “I missed the work of my old job. The executive experience was great, but I discovered that this is the work that I was meant to do. You guys were great to manage, but frankly, I want to get back in the trenches and focus on my strengths.” The difference is moving towards rather than away from something.

Secondly, the culture of your team plays a part. There are some environments where this kind of action would be doomed from the start. However, I think in most teams, it would be workable.

Thirdly, it depends to some extent on who you will report to after you move down. A new boss could make it easy or difficult for you. You will need to manage that relationship closely. If there are early signs that you are going to have a problem, putting yourself on the job market might be a good idea.

A last point. I have seen situations where a new role is defined in this kind of situation. A role that takes advantage of some of your exceptional abilities, while minimizing the weak areas. The fact is, having spent a couple of years in the executive role, you have valuable experience and insight. It could be utilized in a new way, rather than the old way of moving back. It is about discovering role fit. It may not be possible in this situation, but it is a way to go, and may point to a role outside of the organization.

The key thing is to figure out where you will be most fulfilled and personally successful.