How to Stand Out for All the Right Reasons

Cisco is definitely a destination to exercise your best work habits and sharpest skills. It's a company that is competitive to Get Into and by all accounts is absolutely worth it to your career to make that happen.

Here are a few thoughts and pieces of advise about how to help you stand out:

1) Understand and Articulate Your Strengths, Passions and Career Trajectory before you explore.

-Do a deep dive and assess your qualifications to bring not just your best forward, but begin to answer the question "Why am I right for Cisco?" By understanding your own make up, you'll be able to communicate how that applies to Cisco, and why it is valuable.

- Don't fear what you're not best at, if you hide it, it will be a negative, but if you recognize it, you can now demonstrate a commitment to improvement and offer a window into how to be managed successfully. While sometimes painful, at Cisco the Managers are here to Build You Up, not tear you down. Carefully recognize and begin to address your shortcomings ahead of exploring. Your preparation demonstrates your professionalism.

2) Have Clear Objectives. 

-The roles you apply to should make sense to a recruiter and also show consistency. Applying to too many roles in differing categories is confusing to those involved in the selection process (i.e. recruiters). Recruiters need to know with confidence what you are best at and deliver that judgement with confidence to the hiring managers. Your specificity and clarity of objective helps assure that we are all on the same page.

-If you apply to everything off the wall, we now have a question about you, not an answer.

3) Network and Connect.

-I am a proponent of not only making connections on Linkedin, but of leveraging those contacts to maximize their value. I recommend doing the same.  If you want to connect and network with someone about a possible job, but don't know who to connect with, Ask... There is no harm in inquiring about who your network would recommend you connect with to get one step closer. For recruiters: Be specific, Keep it as transactional- nothing time absorbing- and make a quick and compelling pitch about yourself. 

Eventually, your hard work in connecting and networking will absolutely pay off.

4) Don't give up on your recruiter- Once is not enough.

    - Achieving your goals for a better career is not as easy as saying 'hello' or asking for answers from the recruiter. It takes a lot of hard work, persistence and determination to make a long term impact and build meaning within these types of recruiting relationships.  Your recruiter may not be able to assist at the volume, frequency or speed that you would most desire, but don't mistake this as a 'no'... It's simply an expression of work load and conflicting priorities. Be Persistent in your communications but also Be Right. Every email is an opportunity to build your personal brand.  Trust me, If you are the best person for the job, we definitely want you to wave your arms and get our attention.

   -By recognizing your value and providing an insistence in the quality and impact of your competencies, you're communicating the necessary confidence for success. This will eventually reward you with next steps.

5) Network Valuable Career Opportunities.

- I'm consistently surprised at how little sharing of opportunities exists across industries. It's a rare person who shares job announcements across their network and yet it's something that is almost universally desired by all of us: Advancement or Improvement in our Career.

-If you know someone who would like the idea of a raise, working for a top rated company that treats their employees with the highest respect and rewards them for their initiative, drive and performance, it makes sense to let them know about the opportunity... The worst case scenario is that they say Thank You for thinking of me.

For me, I guess that people fear that they are intruding where they are not welcome. It could be that they don't know how to share opportunities without announcing they have a relationship with a recruiter. Really, it's OK to talk to recruiters and no-one in your network will disparage your pursuit of valuable contacts or for developing your career. If they were to tell you otherwise, why are they in your network to begin with? If you're interested in Career Opportunities, you want allies, not hall monitors in your network.


Ultimately if you'd like to receive leads about great opportunities from Your network, share first and watch what happens for you later. And just to let you know- 84% of all working Americans are looking for a new role in 2011... 84%... probably 84% of your network too.

Build upon your relationships to gain champions, Cisco included. The recruiter as well as any person you help connect with a career in Cisco will personally value your efforts and never forget the great lead. 

Integrate some of these concepts in your networking and recruiter communications, you'll become more of a stand out for all the right reasons.

Cheers to The Future and Thanks for tolerating the ramble to the end.