Breaking Three

About six months ago, I made the decision that I was going to go all in on my efforts to break three hours in the marathon. I tried several times before to achieve this goal but my training and preparation in the matter was poor. I relied too heavily on natural ability. This time however I went all in. I did tempos, hills, pace runs, long run and more easy runs then I’d choose to count. And I did them all alone in the cold Ohio winter. I did this because it made me mentally strong. After four months of continuous training, I toed the line in Louisville, Kentucky to find out what I’m made of. I liked what I found. This is the story of the journey that day as best as I can remember.

Mile 1

It started as all marathons do: too fast. I don’t know what it is but we marathoners can’t help but go out like sprinters. All around me runners who I knew were not as strong as me started passing me. The 3:10 pace group was on my tail most of the way. I let them control my pass and ran the first mile thirty seconds faster than I wanted to.

Mile 2 - 6

Lucky, after mile one I gain my composure and started running my race. I let all those who wanted to pass me. My time started falling back to what they should be for the race but still my legs felt heavy. This was a feeling for the finally six miles not the first six. Still, I pushed on. I had not run 20 miles on a Saturday in the winter to be defeated this easily.

Mile 7 - 11

These were by far the worst miles of the day. We went through Churchill Downs during mile eight but this was a letdown. We were unable to see the track from the in-field and no one was allowed in to cheer us on. You could have ran me through a fair parking lot and I would not have known the difference. At mile 11, my effort to break three only seemed completely doomed. My stomach became upset and wanted to get rid of the gels I had sucked down earlier. Still, I pushed on just so I didn’t have to tell people I dropped out this early in a race.

Mile 12 - 16

After wrestling with my stomach, I began battling the largest climb of the race. Shockingly, this section gave me strength. I stopped focusing on my stomach pains and became consumed with defeating the hills. With this, the heaviness of my legs began disappearing. I was energized from conquering the slopes and was ready to race to the finish. Also, at mile 16, I made a new running friend and we fed off each others enthusiasm to the finish.

Mile 17 - 24

These eight miles are pretty much a blur. I can remember passing dozens of runners that had started out the race too fast and were now suffering the consequences. I also remember climbing another 100 foot hill around mile 22 and the strength being drained from my legs. However, when this happened, I was too close to my goal to let it slip through my fingers.

Mile 25 - 26.2

I really remember very little of these 2.2 miles except no energy was left in my legs. As has been said, this is where I had run all the training and superficial strength out of me and was running on guts. This is also where my running friend (who only planned to break 3:05) left me to finish 6 second and maybe 30 meters in front of me. I started playing games with myself. Could I catch the next guy before the finish? Did I have enough strength to run to the bridge?

Then I saw it. The turn for the final 30 meters. When I made the turn I was at 2:57 so barring a complete collapse of my body I was going to accomplish my goal. I took every ounce of power I had left and sprinted to the finish.

The clock read: 2:57:28.

Everything made sense. The endless hours on roads with nobody cheering me on. The countless hours around a track with no one in the stands. The tedious easy runs. All those miles had given me the strength to accomplish this amazing feat. Looking back the whole experience taught me a few things I hope to never forget.

Lessons Learned

1) Never give up on your dreams - I have been chasing the three hour mark in the marathon for about 5 years now. It took a lot for me to stay focused and keep going after the goal. Even without breaking three, I run an above average marathon time.

2) Glory comes from preparing - More and more it seems we think that glory happens in a single moment. You forget that it took months and years preparing for the glorious moment. Previously to this race, I had always depended on my natural ability to get me through a race and only did the minimal amount of training. I knew recognize that to achieve your best you prepare 100 times more than you actually act.

3) Have a plan and stick to it - As part of your preparation, you need to have a definite. This will keep you focused on your preparation and give you direction. In previous training, I went with what felt comfortable everyday and never pushed myself too hard. This time, I purchased a training plan that was tailored toward breaking 3 hours. Also, I stuck with the plan even when I didn’t want to.

4) But me comfortable in changing it - However, I recognized that my body occasionally told me I couldn’t handle a workout or an injury needed another day of rest. Throughout training, this happened and I did not make things worse by trying to make up the miles. Also, I recognized that life can get in the way. During training, I got married and went on my honeymoon. I was smart enough to recognize that I would miss several workouts during this time.

5) Things will get better - This is a common thread through all marathons but seemed especially true for me during this race. I honestly did not believe at mile 11 that I would break three hours. Fortunately, I believed in myself (and my preparation) and kept putting one foot in front of the other.  

Does anyone else have an event that gave the great insight like this?

Any Recommendations from Readers

Hello All,

I am running out of topics to discuss in this blog. Is there anything anyone wants to read as far as running, personal branding, or other subjects? I am open to new topics that will require me to learn something and do research.

Also, I may spin off a second blog so that this one can be used for professional topics and the other blog can be used for writing about running. Any opinions?

Thanks,
Greg

Who Are You On the Internet (Part 3)

So (finally) this will be my last post on creating a good internet personal brand. Enjoy.

Who Are You On The Internet (Part 3)

After you have updated the already the existing you on the internet, it is then a good idea to start spreading your wings and use different types of media. Personally, I recommend running a blog or website and also beginning to use +Google+. Each serves their own purpose and can be used to reach out to different markets. Once, you feel comfortable with your old and new internet personal brand it is time to develop a plan to make periodic updates. As Murphy’s Law suggest everything decays with time.

Step 5

In the first weeks after losing my job, I searched around to find information about how to improve my writing. The major takeaway as the title of my blog suggest was to begin blogging or start a website. I have to say the help has been immeasurable. While somewhat worried about how rusty my analytical skill will be when I return to full-time work, I am not at all concerned about my writing skills. In fact, I believe they have gotten better since I stopped working. This a huge advantage as most engineer are considered to have horrible writing skills.

Additionally by having a blog, I am able to tell people about who I am and how I think. This can be a big help to recruiters and hiring managers when they are looking for someone to fit their culture. This information can also include common ground to bound over. One or two post have included my passion for running and why I enjoy it. This can make it easy from early on to develop a good working relationship.

However, there are many pitfalls when writing your own blog. First, don’t use a blog like twitter. It is very easy to spout off when your angry and come across as unprofessional. That’s not to say you have to write about boring topics. I have written about running, Dr. Seuss and Facebook. I just make sure my all my post can not offend people. It also helps to plan your post in advice. I will usually write an outline of actually type up a post. After, I put another barrier to posting by writing it down in a Google Doc. This gives me two opportunities to determine if a post is a bad idea. Another pitfall is how much personal information to include in post and the about section. This is difficult because it should be somewhere between +Linkedin and Facebook. You don’t want a future employer to know you got drunk over the weekend but you want people to know what make you smile. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you wouldn’t hire someone over the information. It is a tough line to walk but it’s doable.

Another growing social media to use is Google+. I have been using it for about a year and have enjoyed the experience. Love it or hate it, +Google probably already gave you one. As part of their plan to get you migrate from Facebook, every +Gmail user now has a Google+ account. While this may be frustrating it is quite a nice social network. The feature I like most about Google+ is that you easily control who sees what information you post through circles. Don’t want your boss to see your drunk pictures from the weekend? Then simple don’t let your Work circle see the picture. Have a great article you want to share with the world? Then simply make it public. These circles make easy to avoid posting the wrong info for the wrong people. Google+ is different from Facebook because it brings people together around ideas. If you don’t know anyone on the network, then just join a Community and start +1’ing people. This is also nice because normally your stream will only show information from people/things you care about. Google+ is really easy and once you get going it becomes very intuitive. Learning more about Google+ can become part of the continuing updates you make to your internet personal brand which is key to any good brand.

Step 6

As you move forward with your career and personal life, it will become very easy to forget about your personal brand and let it rust. This is even worse than having no brand presence. Everyone has heard the stories about an internet date where the person across the table looks nothing like the picture. This is how the employers will feel if you are not updating your internet profile.

If you are career motivated with your personal brand, then I recommend you start by having a schedule for Linkedin updates. It is very simple to add new projects to your employment history. Also, a weekly basis check for new connections and recommend people you have worked with in the past. If you did start a blog and it’s oriented toward your job field, then be sure to post on at least a weekly basis. No employer wants to see a blog on your website and then see you haven’t updated it for two months. They will think you have no follow through. Even if you have a less professional blog, you need to at least update it on bi-weekly basis.

For the social aspect of your personal brand, you need to be sure to check what photos people have tagged you in. This can be done on monthly basis and catch most poor-taste photos. For Google+, be sure to constantly check for new communities, people and companies. The network is growing and companies/people will see you as cutting edge if you are using it.

Also, be thinking about how you can use other forms of media to improve your brand. I don’t use sites like Pinterest, flickr, yelp and a host of other social networks. These can all be use to improve your internet personal brand. Be sure to share if you have any ideas about the sites I have mentioned or sites not discussed in these post.

Who Are You On the Internet (Part 2)

I stated in my last post that this would be the last post on this topic, but I have written so much I will be adding a third post. Enjoy the information on updating the current internet you.

Who Are You On The Internet (Part 2)

Step 4

As was stated above most of us would not hire the us we find on the internet. This may be less true for people above a certain age, but definitely true for people who went to college after the introduction of Facebook. When social media sites first  launched you posted just about any photo or comment in your profile with few if any understanding of the repercussions. As older adults began using these sites the full magnitude became clear. People lost jobs or did not get them, arrests were made and relationships ended. Even with all these stories people still did not take the time to clean up their social media sites. I am here to tell you it is a great idea and the following will give you some ideas.

Facebook

The best place to start your social media clean-up is with Facebook. We all have put stuff up that shouldn’t be on the internet. I had a recent hiring manager look at my profile. He didn’t look into my profile to deeply. He checked and made sure that my profile photo was appropriate. Fortunately, it was just of me finishing a marathon. I actually agree with his premise of this checking. If you at least have a good profile picture, then you are somewhat concise that people are looking for you: personal or professional. For that pick a fun appropriate photo. It can be with your family, doing volunteer work, or at a sporting event. My rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you would show it to the cops.

Moving forward with Facebook, I recommended removing the drunk photos of yourself. They’re just as good on a flash drive as they are on the internet. They look great back in the day but now they just look trashy. Also, begin limiting the number of “friends” you have. I went from 600+ friends to less than 200 and honestly I find myself enjoying Facebook again. I longer hear what people from freshman year of college are doing and am starting to hear from people I actually enjoy. A final note on Facebook is to watch what you post and comment on. While your views on politics and religion may be correct some people won’t see it your way and you don’t want to start off on the wrong foot with people.

Linkedin

You next need to get going on Linkedin. I am assuming if you have a professional career, then you are on Linkedin. If not, then I highly recommended doing so. It is a great for anyone from a long-term professional to a college freshman. The features that are available can help anybody.

Since losing my job, I have learned the importance of this site. In engineering and many other fields, you only give Human Resource departments a one-page resume. If you have spent anytime as a professional, then this is hardly enough space to tell all of the work you have done along with the skills you have acquired. When used properly, Linkedin can fill in the gap. After losing my job, I discovered how little of the site I was using. If you look on the right-hand side of Linkedin, then you will see there is a tool that determines your “Profile Strength”. Linkedin provides step-by-step instructions for improving your profile. For the most part I agree with these and the order that is followed.

You start by filling in your experience. You will be asked your title, the company name, how long you worked there and a description of the position. The most important of these section is the position description. This is your opportunity to give in-depth details about your accomplishments that do not fit in your resume. You can, also, use keywords that recruiters will use to find people. This description should show that value you have added to each of the companies you worked at. Below is an example:

Validation Engineer

PharmaForce, Inc.

August 2010 - October 2012 (2 years 3 months) l Columbus, Ohio Area

My main responsibility was to ensure that equipment continued to meet FDA requirements. These projects were done on a yearly basis and required coordination with manufacturing. Often the best time for testing was during 2nd and 3rd shifts. Also, this required an update to the Standard Operation Procedures so that the documents reflected changes from previous testing. When equipment did not meet requirements I conducted investigation into the cause of critical errors including operator error and system failures.

After learning about company procedures, I lead the process validation for various types of drug products that would require FDA approval before release. For this task, I needed to coordinate with multiple departments and schedule the responsibility for each. After the products were manufactured, I compiled the information to show that we can consistently make the product.

I was, also, in charge of the certifying products on the automatic inspections system. The inspection portion of the production line was the biggest bottleneck. To lower this bottleneck, it was necessary that products go from being inspected manually to being inspected with an automated system. For this to be done, it needed to be proven that the automated inspection system can outperform the human system. This is accomplished by comparing the two systems using various statistics. Not every product can be certified on the automated system due to viscosity of the liquid. Also, it needs to be determined if it is cost effective to certify a product. Before leaving the company, I helped implement a Return-On-Investment tool to ensure which products were cost effective to qualify. With this tool, it was determined that several products have a low batch size and it could take upwards of three years to see a return on investment.

If I had included all of this detail in my resume, then this is the only information that would be on the page. Also, these descriptions give you the opportunity to show companies your writing skills. After you fill in your experience, you will fill in your educational background. This is not the most crucial section and provides very little detail, but it will again make it easier for recruiters to find you. The next step is again simple however it is one of the most important: selecting a photo for your profile.

This is so crucial, because it can be the first impression that potential employers get of you. Think about that for a second. If you have a picture up of you that is anything less than professional, then you will spend the rest of the recruiting process trying to convince a company that you will be professional on the first day. I recommend getting this done by a professional photographer. I was a fortunate and a former employer provided this service to all employees. Below is the photo that is on my profile. Also, do not think that no photo puts you somewhere in between. No photo makes you faceless and easily forgettable.

After selecting an appropriate photo, it is a good idea to fill in the summary section of your profile. This will give employers a brief overview of your experience. Personally this is not as important as the position descriptions but several HR professional I have told me that they read this before moving onto the rest of someones profile. Another way to impress recruiters is to add projects to each of your positions. These project section allow you to give detailed information about projects that added significant value to an employer. I recommend describing projects where you can give concrete savings which recruiters always love to hear about. Finally with Linkedin, I suggest you recommend others and endorse their skills.

Linkedin provides a unique process by where you can recommend people you have worked with in the past or endorse them for various skills. This service allows you to improve your professional network by showing people how much you appreciate your work and that you respect what they have done. Not only is this general good will toward other people, those you recommend or endorse will often do the same for you. This is very valuable as it will give recruiters and hiring managers third party verification. I like to help people start their weeks off on the right foot and write 3 recommendations on Monday morning. No better feeling that getting positive reinforcement on the longest day of the week.  

After you have cleaned up the you already on the internet it is a good idea to start using other medias to give people an idea of who you are professional and personally. In my next post, I hopefully will be able to describe effective ways to use a blog and Google+. Additional, if that information does not get too lengthy, I will help provide a plan to keep your personal brand up-to-date.

Who Are You On the Internet (Part 1)

I originally had this being one post but it quickly became too long. I have the intention of this being the first of two/three posts.

Who Are You On The Internet (Part 1)

With the internet, we are now able to access an infinite amount of information. Any question we ever had about the world can easily be answered with a quick +Google search. Including in this information is us. People can find out our interest, past job history, or who we hang out with this weekend. This has created a world where we can easily be ruined by what people find on the internet. Some of this can be posted by others or ourselves. An angry customers may post an untrue comment about a small business and ruin their reputation with future customers. A hiring manager may see a recent grads drunk photos on Facebook and not hire them for a job. This means that people now need to watch their personal brand.

What is a personal brand? Your personal brand is how the world sees you. Hopefully, this is who your really are and not what other people create. It can be influenced by three important factors. First, it is affected by what you show the world. Second, what others say about influences your brand. Finally, what others don't say about you can affect your brand. You can take actions to move these in a positive direction.

Below are some concepts, I have used to improve my own personal brands. I am not a expert in this subject so these are just ideas that have worked for me.

Step 1

Before you can begin improving your personal brand, you have to believe that is important. This is the reputation that 99.9% of the world will see first. Even people that know you may be affected by what you post on the internet. Your grandma isn't going to look at you the same way if she sees the drunk Friday night pictures of you. Also, if you are not taking charge of your personal brand then it is probably going to tumble. I don't know too many people going on the internet to compliment people/businesses. Most of the time, we want to use the internet to bash people. So make this an investment and you will be rewarded.

Step 2

The first action you need take with your personal brand is to decide what it says about you. This is often called a personal branding statement. When people create a professional personal brand, they use it for resumes and Linkedin profiles. I like to use it as a guiding light for who I want to be. From Jessica Holbrook Hernandez and J.T O'Donell I snagged a few ways to creating a powerful Branding Statement.

When developing a statement, start by considering who you are. What are you passions? Why did you pick your friends? What did you go into your professional field? What are the positive impacts you want to make on the world? All of these should influence your statement. Next, look at how your past will lead to your future. Show the world that you have always been the person you are showing online at that you intend to be that person while improving yourself. Finally, consider the three words that the closest people to you would say about you. Use the answers to these questions to create a short personal branding statement.

Once you have written your statement, review it and make sure that it has WOMP. I borrowed the idea of WOMP from J.T. If your statement has WOMP, then it has World of Mouth Potential. I have read this to mean that when people find you, they can not stop talking about you. If a recruiter finds you on Linkedin, then they go straight to the hiring manager and talk about you. When someone friends you on Facebook, they see your profile and want to set you up with all their friends. Be someone that others want to talk about.  When your personal branding statement is fine-tuned, then you can use it as a guiding light to how you create the rest of your brand.

Step 3

After creating your personal branding statement, you then need to determine who you already our on the internet. This can easily be done by doing a +Google Search of your name. When I did this for myself, I figured out two things. First, that it is not easy to find bad pages of me. That’s good. Most of the pictures I’d prefer employers and certain family member not to see are hide to find. Second, it is not easy to find good pages about me. This is bad for basically the same reason. I have not made it easy for people to see all the great work and activities I have done. During my professional career, I have worked on a lot of difficult projects and succeeded. These projects allowed me to gain new skills I will use at future jobs. In my personal life, I have had several accomplishments that show the type of person I am.

After you have determined your place on the internet, you need to develop a plan to improve your place on the internet. I admit that did not originally do this so I am giving you my recommended ideas with 20/20 hindsight. I will briefly state each step in this step and then go into each in upcoming steps.

First, clean up the current internet you. Most of us wouldn’t hire or become friends with the person we find.

Second, start using new media. Many forms of media let you be the leading source on who you are.

Third, develop a plan for updating. You are not the same person you were six months ago so don’t let the internet say you are.

Finally, recruit others to improve your brand. No one will believe all the great things you say about yourself if others are not verifying the information.

In the next post I will get into how you effectively complete these four activities. Expect this in a day or two.

Tragedy to Close to Home

Today, I planned on finishing my post on developing a personal brand on the internet. Obviously, that is no longer a priority for me. I'm not even sure I will come back to it. Right now it seems so insignificant.

Thank God, I was not running Boston this but I have run it twice before. When I ran, I was like so many runners yesterday, celebrating all the work I had put into getting there. Most non-runners don't realize that running the Boston Marathon course is not the achievement. Running from Hopkinton to Boylston Street is the reward. It shows all the hours on lonely streets you put into qualifying for the invite. The race is the opportunity to celebrate. As I watched the explosion on television, I returned to my two finishes. Both times, I was fortunate to stop and hug my family before finishing. I then realized how lucky I was to have not qualified for the event. Something no marathoner has said previous to yesterday. My family had cheered for me from across the street from where the two explosions had occurred. This idea hit me hard. I have never been to New York. Or to Oklahoma City. Or to any other city that has been affected by a terrorist attack. But I have been to Boston and run this race. I wondered what might have been.

Fortunately, I was in my hometown and was able to see my family shortly after I found out. It was comforting in the immediate aftermath to hug my dad and see my brothers. My 14-year old brother was even willing to hug me in front of his friends. Then, I began taking the two hour drive home to Columbus. As I drove home and began getting what little news I could, the sinking feeling started coming back. I tried listening to music but it seemed inconsequential. I wanted news. I wanted the injured list to stop or maybe to go down to false reporting. That was not the case. Shockingly, the best news reporting came from ESPN. Even though, I had just seen my family and knew they would never go without me, I was terrified that they were hurt. When I reached Columbus, I needed to call and here their voices. I talk shortly to my dad and my brother. I still was afraid but felt somewhat better. I spent the rest of the evening thinking what might have been. I had wanted to run Boston this year. I, also, felt comfort in text from family and friends. Several, texted and messaged to make sure I was safe. When I finally saw my wife, I felt safe in her arms. I ran my last Boston before I met her and did not have the same feeling of dread. She was safe away from my memories and far from my nightmares. I had a headache before bed and that gave myself the excuse to take a Tylenol PM. It helped and I'm glad I did.

When I woke up this morning, my gut still sank. I had hoped it was all the worst dream of my life and the people of Boston were actually shaking off another wonderful Patriots Day. No such luck. The news became even worse when I got online. The attacks had killed an 8-year boy: Martin Richard.  He had been there to watch his father finish. Looking just as young as my brothers were when I finished my races. Then I heard that his mother had brain surgery and his sister had lost a leg. My heart was torn up for the father. Working so long and so hard for this day and then have it ruined for no reason. I think of all the ways I can celebrate the life of this boy. Wear his name at my next race, raise money for his family and anything else to not let the terrorist win.

As I read his name over and over again. I became oddly relieved the coward of this attack had not taken responsibility. I had been given the opportunity to learn Martin's name and not a rat. After the Sandy Hook killings the only name I heard was that of the shooter. The children's names weren't mentioned, the heroic teachers name were not mentioned. Just the shooter. And that was not a name I wanted to hear. I now have a name to remember. A name to keep running for. A name to show the weasel that we will run on and that they will not scare us away from something we love.

I had also spent the last day taking comfort in not knowing anyone running the race. I did not need to be afraid for anyone. That to could not be left sacred in my mind. My dad let me know that moments before the explosion my 1st grade teacher had crossed the finish line. Then, I went on Facebook and saw that a childhood friend had also run the race. Fortunately, they are both safe. But what might have been.

As I look through the online running groups am a part of, I am reminded that while running is a lone sport, we are connected in a common bond. All realize the mental fortitude it takes to participate. It is often not the body that is honed but the mind. It was said by the first women to complete the Boston Marathon that "If you are losing faith in humanity, then go watch a marathon." This statement was ruined for yesterday's race. We saw the worst humanity, but if we looked closely we saw the best. The first responders running toward danger and not away. The citizens of Boston who opened their homes to displaced visitors.

These attacks took the humanity out of the 2013 +The Boston Marathon but it did not take the humanity out of marathon. In the coming weeks, months and years runners will show the true humanity of the event. We will line up for the peak of marathon season and run to remember the victims. Then in a year, people will return to Hopkinton and start the 26.2 mile memorial run. They will look to left as they are about to finish and salute those who were lost. I hope that I have the privilege of being one.

Reapply for Your Job

This idea I am about to suggest is going to seem crazy and a lot of people may disagree with me but my current experience has made me believe it to be true. I think that we should have to reapply for our jobs/apply for new jobs every six months.

Think of this like a new level of performance review. I feel as though this would be good for both employers and employees for several different reasons. First, you would have to update your resume to show your employer what you have accomplished over the last six months. Wouldn't you work a little bit harder on projects if you knew that your employer would see you listing it. Also, it would force people to have constantly updated resumes. It was a real pain updating my resume last year when I hadn't done so for almost two years. Remembering all the projects I had worked on was surprisingly difficult.

The second reason for people to apply for their job is that it could be a confidence...or a reality check. I don't know about other people but getting a call back from a company is a real confidence booster. And getting that rejection email is really depressing. If you turned in a new resume, interviewed again, and then your company hired you back wouldn't that be a real make your day and motivate you to keep working hard moving forward. Also, if your company told you that they wouldn't hire you back (there would have to be rules so they couldn't just fire you), then you hopefully would work hard to improve your short comings.

I, also, think that if you had to reapply for your job every six months, then you might actually take the time to determine if you still enjoyed your job. It takes a lot of energy to apply for a job. So when you don't enjoy it then you probably would just apply for a job you may actually be happy at. I sure would have at one of my previous companies.

Finally, wouldn't it be good for company's if they knew that their employees did not want to continue work for them. This is where the process would cut both ways. Hopefully, a company will see that there are constantly losing employees during this process and fix some of their issues. Most won't I know but some may actually see the pattern. Also, it may show companies positions that people hate and again they can improve that area.

I know this is an out there idea and would need serious refining. For example, how do you keep employers from just firing people after six months. Obviously there would have to be a rule where a company didn't hire you back after three reapplications (1.5 years). But my experiences has shown mean that something needs to change in the performance review process. Either companies don't do them or they are so infrequent that employees don't know until things are to late.

Let me know what you think of this idea.

Acing Your On-Site Interview

In the last week, I had interviews at a company I hope to get a job. In the past this experience has made me incredible nervous and I could barely get through the process without having a heart attack. However, during my most recent experience, I have felt reasonable calm and left feeling as though I did everything I could do to get the position. Several things have helped me gain this confidence. A few may seem odd but if you read the explanation, then they will make a lot of sense.

First, researching myself.
This may seem like an odd concept, but it is very helpful in making a good first impression. Reminding yourself what you have accomplished in your career will be helpful when asked the specifics of your career.

For example, I was asked during the interview if I had ever a done the return on investment for a project. Fortunately, I had spent a lot of time (including writing about the project on Linkedin) articulating the most significant ROI I had done at a previous job. I had spent so much time working on this because in past interviews I had been asked similar questions. This is why it is important to remember previous interviews when researching yourself.

Second, Remember the past
No two interviews are ever the same but they are often very similar in the questions that they will asked you. If you are interviewing with someone in HR, then they will usually asked you question about yourself and high-level information about previous work experience. This will help them determine if you will fit into the company culture and if what they discussed with hiring manager matches your skills. Also, the can determine if you will bring passion to the position.

If you are fortunate to get an interview with a hiring manager, then this is when knowing your own career can come pretty handy. These people usually know their stuff and are going to grill you so that you know yours. This can become unnerving because often times early in your career you will be learning on the job and not be able to give concrete ways you would solve problems at the company. When this happens it is important to show off your critical reasoning skills and let the hiring manager know how you would complete tasks. If you have learned transferable skills in unrelated situations then you will show them that you can succeed in the position. Often times it also valuable to bring up problems at a company before they mentioned them. This is why it always important to research a company before you visit them.

Recommendation for Young Professionals
I know that it may be very difficult for young professionals to relate to the first two recommendations. You have few experiences to draw discuss in an interview and you have little or no interviews in your past. I have a few further recommendations. Always remember your past but use transferable experiences. If you had a group assignment where you were leader, then discuss how this required project management skills. To prepare for the question, have a practice interview with an established professional in your field. Their questions will often times give you insight into what you will be asked. The final two preparation steps can be used by just about everyone.

Third, know the company
I think just about everyone has heard that you should always learn about a company before you go and visit them. This advice is given because interviewers often times ask you what you know about the company. They usually want to see that you spent as much time learning about them as they did learning about you. In the past, I used this question to show that I had at the very least looked on the their website. While this is great and shows you put a little effort into the interview. It does not go nearly fair enough in impressing the interviewer. Take this opportunity to actually think about your position and what kind of problems you will be dealing with on a daily basis.

For example, the job I interviewed for is to help the logistics department at a distribution facility. The products they sell are often endorsed by celebrities which makes predicting demand, in turn supply, very difficult. I realized this and mentioned in my interview. The interviewer had an example of this type of celebratory endorsement and how the product sold out in under 12 hours. Me bringing this up led to us having a five minute conversation. I could tell that this critical thinking on my part really impressed him.

Also, be absolutely sure you know the location of your interview. Even if you have gotten direction on your phone still give yourself to get to the interview. Before one of my interviews, I printed directions off of Google Maps. There is error in their maps that required me to drive down a road that doesn't exist. This meant I had to spend an extra half an hour looking for the site and barely arrived on time for my interview even though I left with 90 minutes to get there (it was 30 minutes from my house). While all of these preparation are great at helping me acing my interview, I refuse to do them they day of an interview.

Finally, relax the day of the interview.
All through college, I chose to cram for finals in the days before instead of actually learning the material beforehand. This required me to continue studying right up to the test instead of taking the time to digest the information. I can tell you that it rarely workout in my favor and my GPA will show this mistake.

I have learned from these poor choses and apply it to my interviews. First, once I have an interview I became very diligent and complete the three preparation steps discussed previously. Then on the day of the interview I stop getting ready for the interview. My theory, and what I have experienced, is that this only makes me nervous. This has required me to come up with different techniques for morning and afternoon interviews.

If the interview is in the morning, then I am always sure to set my alarm 3 hours before the interview. This sucks when you have an 8am interview but it helps get the hour relaxers complete without feeling rushed. After getting up, I take my dog running. I know in a past post I said this was not something I would do. I retract my previous statement. As I mentioned before, this really helps calm the nerves. Next, I take a shower and shave(boys only). I might recommended shaving the day before depending on how long it takes you to get a five-o-clock shadow. Finally, I am sure to make sure to eat a bowl of oatmeal with some fruit and brew a cup of coffee. This was good advice (minus the coffee) when we were kids and it is great advice now. A few more items need to be added if the interview is in the afternoon.

For an interview that is later in the day, I still do the above items but set my alarm clock later. Also, I need to do a few more activities. I recommended coming up with a chore list the night before. This often included laundry, dishes and cleaning one room in the house. This distracts me from what I have later and makes me feel as though no matter I have accomplished something with my day. Also, I will up the intensity of my runs. Before a morning interview, I will only run about 2 miles. On days I have an afternoon interview, I will often do 6+ miles at race pace. When I complete the run, my confidence is through the roof.

Once you arrive at your interview, everything else is pretty much on you. Just remember that you have the skills to do the job and all the company wants to do is determine if you are the right for them.

Away on Honeymoon

Sorry, it has been so long since my last post. I was away all last week on my honeymoon. My new wife and I went to Chicago for a couple days. It was an amazing trip. I should be posting a new article later today that I wrote while on the train back to Ohio.
Later All.

Running and the Price of Excellence

Running is one of the great sources of enjoyment in my life. No matter the length, a run always has the power to center me and clarify my world. I especially love running marathons. This as led people to constantly ask me why I put myself through such torture. I've never been able to give people a straight answer and even when I try I usually change a month later. And yesterday I found this months reason I run. 

This winter/spring I am training to break 3-hours in the marathon. It has always been my gold-standard in the event. To break it however, it involves taking your training to a whole new level. No longer can I just do a daily six mile run with a speed workout thrown in once week. I am doing tempo, pace, and yasso runs. All while spending my Saturdays running 15 to 20 miles in the cold, windy Ohio winter. 

The weather kind of broke yesterday. A winter storm was rolling in (we got 6" last night) and pushed some warm air in front of it. It was 39 with very little wind. I decided to go to Jesse Owens Stadium and run around the Ohio State track. The workout was incredibly tough but it felt easier the week before when I ran around the same track but with the weather being 35, windy and rainy. I finished the workout and started to walk out of the stadium to do my 2-mile cooldown across campus.

That's when I saw a quote from Jesse Owens. A quote I had probably read a few dozen time but never truly understood until that moment. It read "We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort." That's when I realized why I love running. It is a constant reminder of what it requires to be excellent. 

In running, as anything in life, you can be average with very little work. If you just want to earn a paycheck at your job, then do what is expected. If you want an average marriage, then put in just enough effort so the other person doesn't leave. As I said above, I was able to put in very easy weeks and actually be an above average marathoner. I have run the Boston Marathon twice and have qualified about half a dozen times. Those easy weeks are a double edged sword. You are walking a fine line between faking greatness and being exposed. And trust me I have been exposed more then a few times. I have done too little training and had the world see that I was just faking being in shape when I had to walk the last miles of a marathon. Run/walking to the end of a marathon and having dozens of people pass you by is very humbling experience. The same can be happen when try to be average in your career, marriage or any other aspect of your life. 

Some things it can okay to be average. I shoot pool every week in a pool league. If always average at that, then I really won't be to hard on myself. I do that and several other things in my life just for fun. However, to get to that next level in the important things in life, you have to put in a whole lot of effort. That is what this new training scheduling is teaching me. Excellent just happen by accident. You have to get up every morning focused on what you want to achieve. If I want to break three hours, then I need to  wake up with no doubt to my run for the day will get done. Do you want to be the very best at your job? Go out fix that problem no one else was willing to try and fix. Are you not happy in your marriage? Then put every ounce of energy into fixing it.

The world has convinced us that greatness is a gift reserved for a chosen few (thank you +Nike). But it is not. And it does not require you to be seen on television or the internet. To be great or excellent, you have to get up every morning and put all your energy into the things that matter to you. That is why I love running. Where in some aspects of your life you can easily forget what it takes to be great in life, running will never allow you that opportunity. If you forget what it takes to be excellent without putting in the effort, then when you try to be excellent on race day the course will chew you up and spit you out. Very little other aspects of life have a "race day" so it is very hard to see when you are not being great. 

Hopefully, I never forget the words of Jesse Owens and use his wisdom in all aspects of my life. 

Google+ and Facebook Will Coexist

A few months ago, I was struggling through the last few moments at work and decided that I would do a little social networking on this particular afternoon. A phrase that seems so strange since it was something that did not exist until about eight years ago when I was a freshman in college. Back then social networking still wasn’t a commonly used expression, Mark Zuckerberg wasn’t a household name and smart phones were only for politicians and CEOs. I didn’t even want to join Facebook when I was a freshman. I was forced by a girl I liked back then and when I first joined it was a great place to be. It was cool. You could share a little information with people you had just met, check if girls were single before you asked them out, people couldn’t post their every thought and most importantly you had to have a college email to join. That really was the good old days of Facebook.

Then Mark’s eyes lit up with dollar signs. If tens of millions of college kids could make him hundreds of millions of dollars, then hundreds of millions of people from the rest of the world could make billions of dollars. That’s when things got bad for Facebook’s first users. Friend request started showing up from parents, grandparents and high schoolers. At first it wasn’t too bad. They just thought it was something silly that younger generations did. They asked questions like “What’s the point?” and “How do you keep track of that many friends?” They hadn’t caught on to the fact that it wasn’t keeping track of people for the long term. You just wanted to easily tell people about yourself and learn about them. Personally, after the first viewing of someone’s profile, I may only view it again one or two times. After about a year of Facebook being open, the older generations caught onto how to use network. And things were never the same.

Before Facebook became an open social network, there was very little fear of a parent or another adult viewing your profile. This meant that you could post just about anything you wanted. While in hindsight that’s a terrible ability, it didn’t seem that bad when only other stupid college students could see it. The only time my parent or grandparents saw my profile was when my cousins or myself were asked to show them. While this did lead to an awkward conversation where my Grandma called my posted photos “rowdy.” Her word not mine. But this was an isolated occurrence and was not a big fear of mine. Shortly after this event, the Facebook was open and college students were in a constant state of fear that their families, bosses or other authorities would see their photos, post, and other embarrassing information. There were stories of parents harassing classmates who had posted pictures from the bar the week before. Or a job offer was revoked because a hiring manager saw the pictures from two years earlier when you drank under age. The worst part was that Facebook did not give users an easy way to limit what information each of your friends could see. You have to set up viewing parameters for each friend you have. Not only that, the viewing parameters were fairly generic. You couldn’t let them view one photo and then later on view a different photo. It is all or none. But a lot of people outside of college joined and Zuckerberg was making his billions.

Things didn’t get any better from there. The Newsfeed was added. The place where people could post every detail of their lives and you were stuck seeing it when you logged in. I understand why people might post details about their wedding or new born baby but everything else was just nonsense. Guys would post about their awesome meal for the fifth day in row and girls would post about how they went out for the hundredth weekend in a row. And it was the first thing you read when you signed onto Facebook. Not only was there none sense about activities people were doing in the real world, there was constant request from people to help them “feed their hogs” in Farmville or steal something in Mob Wars. It all just became too much and I wanted something new.

After taking my first job, I started going on Facebook a lot less. I had no desire to be on it any more. While I still wanted them to have great lives, I just couldn’t stand hearing about what people from high school are doing. So, I didn’t do a whole lot of social networking. I was waiting for Facebook to give me greater control over what I let certain people see about my life and I wanted to hear information I actually show up in my homepage.

Then, I heard about it in the summer of 2011: Google+. Google’s attempt and competing with Facebook in the social networking realm. The feature I was most curious about was Circles. Everytime you +1 someone or something into your network you put them into a circle. The advantage of circles was that you shared information fluidly. If you wanted to share a certain picture with only a few friends then you just select that circle, but if you wanted to share a job promotion with the whole world then you just select Public. Unfortunately, when I first heard about Google+ was still in the “field testing” phase. So, I waited until it was opened to the public and immediately joined. When I started playing around with the site, I saw it’s potential, but like everyone else, I knew it’s fatal flaw. It was somewhat of a ghost town and needed more users to be a practical social network. I, again, was a man without a social network.

I did check out both Google+ and Facebook, but on a very sporadic bases. I would go on Facebook once a week and then immediately get off after I realized why I had left. Then, I would get on Google+ and see all my updates for the last week in about 15 minutes. Something was changing however. There started being ideas, topics and organizations. Google+ was just limited to people as Facebook seemed to be. NASA was on Google+ posting minute by minute updates of the Mars Rover mission. People created pages for topics like running, art and job searching. Google was helping Africa by creating +Google Africa to show some of the great work being done there. Google+ seemed to be the place where you discussed ideas and Facebook was the place where you discussed people. Also, about this time my Google+ time started increasing, I started using LinkedIn more often.

I had finally become fed up with my job and wanted to get something new. I had had a Linkedin profile for quite awhile, but gave no real effort to expand my network and have a well maintained. Like Google+, it originally seemed like a ghost town. Originally, most of the people I could connect with were classmates and teachers who I saw on a daily bases. I still didn’t see the advantages of the site during my first job. However, when I started my job search, I realized the potential. You could use the site to let recruiters see what you had been doing without sending a resume, quickly find jobs in your area see, let connections recommend your skills and vice versa. Also, LinkedIn today gave you the ability to quickly see articles that involved industries you were involved with. One other aspect I enjoyed about the site had nothing to do with its features. I loved that it was a professional website. This meant that you knew not post anything unrelated to your career. The information felt civilized. Again, not the nonsense that is found everywhere on Facebook. I, quickly, found a job through Linkedin and knew the power of the site.

My experiences have shown me that Facebook will not be the superpower of social networking. It, also, will not have a quick, sudden death like Myspace. With 7 billion people currently on the earth and more everyday getting access to the internet, no one site can make everyone happy. Some people want a site that will allow them to see what family and friends are doing (Facebook). Some seek out a place to discuss ideas (Google+). Others need a place to make business contacts (LinkedIn). And there are a thousand other social needs people need from the internet which means some other site(s) will come along to fill them. Experts that predict the continued dominance of Facebook or Google+ as the great Facebook killer are a little short sighted. No one saw the potential of Facebook in 2004 and people are still predicting Google+ failure after gaining 235 million active users.

Dr. Seuss Lessons for New Graduates

No matter how old I get I still enjoy reading Dr. Seuss books. I can remember being a little kid and having one of my parents reading me The Lorax for the first time. Then 20-years later being upset that the movie ended with the Lorax coming back Thneedville which I thought completely changed the story. I, also, remember visiting Dr. Seuss land at Universal Island of Adventures and having so much fun. I still think about  being on The Cat and The Hat ride with them and realizing we both had a look of pure joy on our faces even though they were just about to start kindergarten and I was just about to start driving. Somehow the stories of Dr. Seuss have hundreds of lessons for people of all ages to learn and enjoy. In the following post I will share life lessons for recent graduates from a book Dr. Seuss seemed to have written specifically for them: Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Your Start 
Right after graduation can be one of the most exciting and terrifying times in a persons a life. The world is your oyster and you're not quite sure which way to go. Here are some things you need to remember:

"And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."
As you start out you can never forget that this your life and only you can make it exactly the way you want it. If you let other people make decisions for you, then you will make their dreams come true but your own will get lost along the way somewhere.

"And you may not find any (streets) you'll want to go down. In that case, of course, you'll head straight out of town. It's opener there in the wide open air."
When you begin the new chapter in your life there will be plenty of opportunities all around you, but none that fit your personality. Don't let the discourage you and just settle for the best opportunity. Go track your dreams down and beat them into submission. That's what the most successful people do.

"And when things start to happen, don't worry. Don't stew. Just go right along. You'll start happening."
One of the scariest parts about life is that you never stop learning which means you'll never quite know what your doing. Even though this is the case, just remember, to make the best decision possible and one that you are willing to credit for. Right or wrong.

"You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed. You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead."
There will be times in your life when you are the most successful you know. Enjoy these times. You have earned your success. But you will not always be that person.

The Middle
Sometimes in your twenties you'll hit a bump in the road. The career you thought was soaring will start to stall or end. This will be a very difficult time in your life since you've never dealt with it before.

"I'm sorry to say but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you."
Even though you may be incredibly successful in your life, it won't always be that way. You have to realize when things are going you're way it's not all bad. If things always were great, then we wouldn't ever know how great they were.

"And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump. And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done."
This time still will not be easy. You may stuck at home looking for a job while not having a steady income or be at job you hate hoping something better comes along. But you have to forward because you have to keep fight or else.

"You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at breakneck pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place. The Waiting Place..."
If you don't keep fighting, then your just waiting for things to happen. Which I guarantee they will, but trust me they will be opportunities that the doers left behind. And if you look around in the waiting place you'll see the people you don't want to be.

"Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for the wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday nigh or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting."
I have been victim of this excuse more then a few times. Going through a time in life where I was waiting for something to happen. Things rarely ever just happen. If you let yourself become the type of person that waits for things, then nothing will ever happen.

"NO! That's not for you."
You have make things happen in the life. In nature and in life there is always entropy. Standing still just means that your life will start to decay and nothing good will happen. Always be a fighter cause you never know what will happen if you do.

The Turn Around
Things never stay all good or all bad for very long. And feels pretty good when things start going well again.

"Ready for anything under the sky. Ready because you're that kind of guy."
If you keep fighting for dreams, then you'll know them when they come along. People who get stuck in the waiting place will never have their dreams because they are always making excuses as to why they don't have them.

"There is fun to be done."
Make sure that you enjoy chasing your dreams. If you aren't then you're chasing the wrong things in life.

And Down Again
No matter how much you try to fight it, life is a sine/cosine function and things will go up and down. (Yes I just snuck in some math humor).

"Whether you like it or not, Alone will be something you'll be quite a lot."
Often times we spend our lives alone. You have to be accepting of these time and make the most of them. Make sure you are your own best friend.

"And when you're alone, there's a very good chance you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants. There are some, down the road between hither and yon, that can scare you so much you won't want to go on." 
Life is a scare place and you can't avoid the things you fear the most. While running away can let you avoid them for a short period of time, they will only get bigger the longer you wait.

"But on you will go though the weather be foul."
Keep pushing forward. Otherwise you will stay in the same in the storm and never reach your goal.

Fighting Back Up
The more you go in search of your dreams the easier it seems to become. That's because the things that were once hard are now easy and you have gained confidence from your past. It's like pushing a heavy cart. It is initially difficult to get the cart moving but once it gets going it is nearly impossible to stop.

"On and on you will hike. And I know you'll hike far and face up to your problems whatever they are."
If your smart, then you will keep fighting toward you're dreams. When you are going after your true dreams, you will face all of your fear. You're able to do this because you won't the thing so bad that nothing can stand in your way.

"You'll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go."
When I was younger I thought this meant stay away from the weird kids in school. But as I get older I have realized that may not have been what Dr. Seuss meant. All he may be suggesting is watch who you let into your life. Just because someone is strange to the rest of the world doesn't mean they're not the perfect person to let into your life. And let's be honest who would you rather be friends: the CEO who stole money from thousands of employees or the nerd in the IT department.

"So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life's a Great Balancing Act."
After you chose your dreams and the people you want to be there, make sure that you balance the two. Achieving your dreams but what's the point if you push all the people that love you out of the way to get there.

And On You Will Go
I think I'll let Dr. Seuss End Things.

"And will you succeed?
Yes! You will indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!
So... 
be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea
you're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!"

Trying and Failing to Find Your Phone Interview Style

As was mentioned in my opening post, I recently lost my job. I am fortunate to be in a field that is still in demand during the rough economy and have several companies interested in me for open positions. This requires me to be capable of interviewing well. As is now common practice, I have had to do several short phone interviews before being invited to visit the company's facility. Phone interviews are difficult. You are unable to see the interviewers facial expressions, it is often times difficult to find a quiet place to talk and give you a limited amount of time to state your case as the best applicant. Going through the process for a third time, I am starting to find my phone interview style.

Last week, I had to phone interviews back-to-back. Normally, I would not recommended scheduling interview like this, but one interviewer cold-called me. While this did increase my stress level, I was able to keep my cool during both interviews for several different reasons. First, I planned for the schedule interview. I researched the company and determined their goals and values. This allowed to align my goals and values with theirs during the interview. While this can sound cheesy and rehearsed having a story to align with both really impresses the interviewer. It shows them that you are not wasting their valuable time by trying to wing the interview. Not only did I research the company, I also had a few highlights from my career I wanted to discuss. By talking about accomplishments, I was able to show the interviewer that I had brought value to my past companies. When a company is hiring you for a position, they are making an investment and want to see that there is potential for a return on their investment. Doing both of these tasks, calmed me down since I already knew what I wanted to discuss during interview.

The other way I kept my cool during the interview was to do an activity I enjoy: running. In the past I tried things like taking a long lunch or watching a funny show. These activities seemed to give me too much time to think and I often botched the interview. Running clears my mind and makes it possible for me to focus on the interview. Also, because I am above average in my running ability, it gives me a lot of confidence before the interview. While not something, I could do before an in-person interview, because of the unpleasant body odor, doing any physical activity tend to lower the heart rate and help people relax.

While I hope nobody is ever in this position, you may also need to discuss why you are currently unemployed. My advice here is the same as before. It's all preparation. Be ready to answer the question openly and honestly. Very few people make it through their whole career without a job lose. During both interviews when this question came up, I told them what I happened and that I was ready to start working again as soon as possible. They respected my honesty and understood that these things can happen during a persons career.

My final piece of advice for a phone interview is to stay calm. Anytime you've made it from the resume review phase to the interview phase, the company is telling you that your skills match the position. This phase just lets a company decide if you'll fit their culture. Also, at this point, they need to start selling you on the company and the position. While it may be tempting when you are unemployed or just starting your career to take the first position, one of the worst things in the world is to go to a place you hate five days a week.