Executive Career Consultant and Program Manager, George Schulz served in the US Army Artillery and Senior Career Consultant, John Perry served in the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Carolina, California and Vietnam. Both Schulz and Perry not only successfully re-entered the workforce but they both ascended in their careers. They each hold a unique perspective on life and their work, and offer advice for veterans. Read on for their insightful stories.
Here’s what Veteran George Schulz had to share.
“I am not a career soldier, and all of my time in the Army after basic and advanced training was in combat in Vietnam and Cambodia. Looking back over a half century later I still believe that was by far the most difficult time of my life. However, since then, when I am faced with difficult times, I think that at least I’m not in combat in the jungles of southeast Asia. It definitely makes difficult times easier to face. When I returned from Vietnam in 1970 many people did not appreciate returning soldiers. We received little credit for what we did. Thankfully, people began to appreciate the bravery of those who have served in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. And that has spread to an appreciation of all Veterans and combat Veterans which is an amazing change.”
Transitioning into civilian life and reacclimating back into society can serve as a challenge for some veterans, as can translating and transferring skills to the business world. Schulz shares his work experience within The Barrett Group community from a veteran’s perspective. “As a veteran and coach, I have worked with many other recently discharged and retired veterans as clients. It is a real pleasure to work with them and help them use their experiences and especially contacts from the military in order to gain the excellent positions which they have earned and deserve in civilian life.”
Here is the advice that Schulz has to share with other executives. “No matter what you did in the military, the discipline and experience you gained will serve you well in almost any civilian capacity. If you don’t know how to translate that into your value statement, let someone help you do it.” He leaves these parting words as his favorite saying that he learned from the military. “If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn’t plan it properly.”
Thank you, George Schulz, and thank you for your service to us all.
Here’s what Veteran John Perry had to share.
After serving in the United States Marine Corps, Perry took much with him, including the spirit, the camaraderie, the friendships with his fellow Marines, and the knowing at all times they had his “6.” These are just some of the intangibles that having served extends. When asked to share his experience in life as a veteran now, Perry offered “it gives me a sense of community with fellow veterans to share experiences, such as receiving the “Quilt of Honor” earlier this year for my service.” It is clear to see the gratification that Perry still holds for his time as a US Marine. He ascribes his sense of leadership and accomplishment to the discipline, strategy and direction he experienced during that period of his life. It is “making me a better leader and manager of people” stated Perry.
“Veterans understand the chain of command very well but appreciate the team environment where our associates are always willing to support our efforts,” states Perry. “As far as clients go, I have a feeling of confidence of being able to solve any initial issues they have. Converting from active service is hard but we make it easy.” His advice for veterans is “if you want help moving from active service and assimilating into the civilian world, to the government or the private sector, then The Barrett Group is the “best choice” for you and your family.” Perry closes with his favorite saying, “here for you.”
Thank you, John Perry, and thank you for your service to us all.
The Barrett Group sends a heartfelt thank you, to all of our veterans and we celebrate you this Veteran’s Day and always.
Read “Thank you for your service“
When I was very young, I was always fascinated by a small box that my father kept on his dresser.
There were numerous odd coins in curious shapes and sizes with names and languages that I could not understand. There were also two or three medals on ribbons, solemn and beautiful, testifying to something mysterious. And then there was this odd little mechanism made of once shiny brass with levers and rods poking out of a little cylinder.
I was fascinated.
Slowly the story of these objects impinged on my understanding as my father told me stories about his days as a GI and engineer in Europe during World War II. He had been wounded in numerous places and still bore the scars, so the purple ribbon and the little ivory colored bust turned out to be a Purple Heart, a symbol thanking him for his sacrifice. The larger medal was a Distinguished Service Cross awarded to him and the men of his unit for building bridges across rivers ahead of the troops and under fire.
The odd cylinder was the trigger mechanism for a land mine such as had blown up under his jeep, riddling him with shrapnel and leaving him in the hospital for some time.
At the Barrett Group our specialty is helping executives to transition from one career or industry or role or geography to another. Our Clarity Program© provides the keys to understanding each client’s unique circumstances and then clarifying their career objectives holistically before beginning the search. This applies equally to veterans and returning service personnel for whom we have created a special path: www.careerchange4veterans.com.
And we have helped numerous military transitions, for example:
Or perhaps…
This Veteran’s Day take a moment to honor the women and men in uniform who have given so much so that we may have the freedom we enjoy and say a heartfelt thank you.
Veterans, we salute you.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
Dear friends,
We hope this finds you well, as are we. The Barrett Group has been active in the
career management market for 30 years and has weathered all manner of crises,
including 2008.
Yes, the US and the world are in the grip of a health crisis. Once governments recognize what needs to be done and commit publicly to doing it, people will adjust. Fortunately, with the measures rapidly being adopted in the US and Europe this is finally starting to happen, though it will certainly get worse before it gets better.
There is hope that “shelter in place” and similar measures being adopted elsewhere can slow the rate of spread and allow health services to expand their capacity and source the equipment and supplies they will need as the crisis peaks.
Medically, most people even if they become infected are not at risk of anything worse than a severe flu, if that, but please take all necessary precautions. Extensive testing for example in Iceland shows that many who are infected never become symptomatic… though they may still be infectious for a period of time.
The cruise ship, airline, amusement park, and concert businesses are already suffering. Consumer goods companies, particularly makers of hand sanitizer, face masks, toilet paper and the like are thriving. The health care industries once they adjust will probably do well, too.
On-line shopping is booming as you can see from Amazon’s stock development. Microsoft and others have leapt into the remote-learning market as schools have closed.
Government stimulus and support is also making its way through the regulatory process and green shoots are showing on the world’s stock markets. Many other industries will not be significantly impacted in the medium term.
At the Barrett Group we are modestly ahead of the curve as far as virtual working is concerned, and it seems that the world is moving our way. This may be the most significant impact of all in the long term as more and more companies recognize that there are in fact significant advantages to telecommuting.
Already, most initial employment interviews are conducted by telephone and videoconference.
By the way, we can help you set up a complimentary videoconference account of your own, if you wish, to help you capitalize on this trend.
Most of our clients land through the unpublished market anyway and we know how to help you make the connections required to be successful there.
Fear can be paralyzing.
But you need not be a victim.
Take advantage of this crisis to take stock of your situation. Perhaps it is time for you to take action. If so, please consult us. Thirty years of guiding executives toward a better work / life / compensation balance has made us the experts. We can help.
In the meantime, please do everything you can to stay healthy and
protect the health of those around you.
Sincerely,
Peter Irish
CEO
At the Barrett Group we make it our business to help executives clarify their career objectives (with our Clarity Program©) and then market themselves effectively. To do this as consistently as we do, we find it useful to take stock of the market situation every once in a while. Like a swimmer lifting his or her head up over the waves and verifying position and direction. By examining our own market observations. So, let’s compare Q1 and Q4 so far to understand what seems to be happening in the executive career change market.
In the first part of the year, the income segments of $100,000-$200,000 (total annual compensation). And above $200,000 were equally balanced at about 49% each. Some 39% of these clients state they were unemployed on average about 5.6 months before signing on. These results were quite polarized at the top and bottom end. With 43% of unemployed clients having been unemployed for 3 months or less. And 54% of unemployed clients having been unemployed for 7 months or more.
In Q4 now, these results show a budge in clients in the $100,000-$200,000 income category that has risen to almost 60% of clients vs. the first quarter’s 49%. Now 51% of clients say they have been unemployed, and the average unemployment period has lengthened to almost 11 months. So, it would seem that the middle of the market has experienced more pressure during the last six months.
These vary over time, and it seems there is a coherent pattern here, too, if we compare the first quarter versus the fourth quarter so far.
Often clients reach out to us because they are reentering the job market after a pause. The pause could be because they have been with the same employer for a long time. Or due to illness, unemployment, or even other reasons. Recently we have repeatedly heard from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that people who were not actively seeking employment (and therefore not technically unemployed) have been reentering the market in the last year or two. So that not only is unemployment low but the number of employed can grow without unemployment sinking… if that makes sense.
Some 23% of our clients in Q1 cited this reentry as a factor in their need for support. This share sank in Q4 so far to about 19%. The threat of possible unemployment on the other hand rose in Q4 versus Q1 from 16% to 22%, a fairly sizable increase. Does that mean that as the expansion moves into record territory, companies are finding more and more ways to be efficient at the cost of mid-level and senior jobs?
Another classic motivation we hear a lot is “I must get into a new industry.” Now this can have various meanings. From an acknowledgement that the current industry is losing its luster to a sense of personal boredom. And the need for new adventure. It can even mean that the client sees other industries as potentially more lucrative given his or her skill set. All of these are valid perspectives on the market.
This need to change industries has waned some though when we compare Q1 and Q4 so far. Dropping more than 12% points to just 11.6%. This may support the pressure we believe we see in the middle market. And therefore a shift in would-be career changer sentiment toward a search for security.
On the other hand, the other major motivation “My present income is too low” has risen sharply in the latest results, jumping more than 8% points to just under 20%. This certainly seems consistent with the bulge in mid-market job seeker population who have generally more upward income opportunity.
“No growth potential,” though remains a very consistent and strong motivator for our clients in both quarters at about 28%. This indicates that dissatisfaction with growth opportunities continues to drive would-be career changers to a large extent regardless of the economic cycle. With our active assistance, about 75% of Barrett Group clients find their next opportunity via the “unpublished market.” This has even greater relevance in today’s market because the unpublished market offers opportunities with potentially less competition and therefore higher compensation.
Perhaps it is time that you, too, lifted your head up and took stock of your career situation. We help hundreds of people like you every year, so reach out and let’s discuss your true potential.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
Do you have conflicts at work? It would be highly unusual if you did not. People involved in even the simplest tasks bring different experience, skills, and expectations so conflict in one form or another typically lurks just around the corner. Are you ready for take-off?
The questions are how you deal with those inevitable differences and what conclusions you draw. A little perspective can help. At the Barrett Group we use DISC as a behavioral diagnostic tool (as part of our Clarity Program©) that describes the four dimensions of Dominance, Influencing, Steadiness, and Compliance. Every DISC profile also includes a few tips on how to deal with people of one behavioral style or the other. The shorthand, for example, for dealing effectively with High D types (Dominance) is “Be Clear. Be Brief and be Gone.”
I remember one time I had a conflict with my boss (a VP at a Fortune 100 company)—so much so that I was considering leaving. One day in his office he accused me of being arrogant. He was probably right, by the way, but I reflected for a moment and then told him with complete candor, “That’s the pot calling the kettle black.” He looked shocked for a moment. Then he started to laugh, and we became strong allies going forward because we had a basic understanding. Ultimately, he even named me as his successor. In retrospect, my response may have been a risky move, but it apparently was the right medicine at the right time.
It does occasionally happen, in fact, that clients hire us to help them find a better job, however, during the career coaching process the client and coach may come to realize that by improving their reaction to the current workplace, or renegotiating certain aspects of the current job, the client can be happier, more satisfied, and in some cases better remunerated.
One specific example of this is an executive that I first met through a coaching assignment in San Jose. He was responsible for IT cybersecurity at a larger internet retailer. My coaching colleague and I met his entire team of 35 programmers—tattooed and pierced, ethnically diverse, but mostly under 30 years of age. Our client wanted to bring this motley crew together and create a shared vision of the mission for this recently inherited organizational unit.
We employed one of my favorite tools, a non-verbal trading exercise whereby the team members had to exchange tokens of different value, i.e. to “trade” without speaking or writing. Yes, it was chaos for a few minutes until they got the hang of it, and then it was hard to get them to stop. They drew excellent conclusions from the exercise and went on to craft a strong vision.
His career coach at the time observed that the client “…needs to let go of his security and take the leap if he truly wants to change jobs…”
But, in fact, what the client and the coach realized after a few months of work was that there probably was an opportunity to renegotiate the conditions at the client’s then-current workplace. He wanted to be able to telecommute part time so he could be home with his young child a few days per week. He also wanted more recognition and more income.
We use a five-step career change program at the Barrett Group, so in this case, we simply pulled the Preparation stage forward and used it to sharpen the client’s interpersonal skills and expand his compensation negotiation toolkit.
So even if you are not sure whether you want to stay or go, you might want to reach out to us and explore whether you are ready for take-off, or whether you just need a larger hangar.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
Distraction as a way of life. We have discussed at some length the fact that people have very different behavioral styles, particularly the executives who come to us for help with their careers. We use the DISC instrument as a way of detecting behavioral tendencies.
The high D (Dominance) types are driven and focused but often have no patience for details or the attention span to follow longer term programs. The high I (Influencing) types are so busy being creative or talking or meeting new people and seeking new adventures that they often achieve nothing at all. High S (Steadiness) and high C (Compliance) personalities have their own particular issues.
If I am busy, the logic goes, then I must be productive. Think about people you know who constantly have to listen to music or TV so that they are not left with a spare moment to reflect. Others are constantly going somewhere, doing something, again, for the same reason—so that they do not have to be alone with their thoughts and self-reflections.
Increasingly, it seems to me, American society is losing the capacity for reflection. The ability to value moments of solitude and silence in which to contemplate and listen to your own thoughts and feelings and consider the bigger picture.
Many years ago, I worked for a brash, Dutch manager in Europe who was always busy and always outspoken, though to his credit he also cared deeply about his team and their well-being. He was certainly a victim of this incessant drive to act instead of reflecting. But he also left me with one particular pearl of wisdom. At one crucial moment he whispered to me in an aside during a meeting “You know, people have more brain cells in their guts than in their heads…” Now I don’t know if this is medically correct, however, it is definitely my experience that when I make a good or bad decision, if I listen to my “gut” I will know how I really feel about the decision and sometimes change it.
Think about that hamster you’ve seen running wildly on his wheel, turning and turning and going nowhere… That is the state in which we often encounter executives who know at some subconscious level that they need to change their ways, but they do not know how. Or remember the story about the foreman and the lumberjack. The foreman notices how one of his men is always working hard but actually not producing very much timber. Suspicious, the foreman walks over and casually inspects the edge of the lumberjack’s axe.
“You know,” the foreman says, “you could be a lot more productive if you would sharpen this axe.”
“Sure, but I don’t have the time,” replies the lumberjack.
At the Barrett Group we employ a Targeting step at the outset of each career change program that ensures a thorough reflection on personality, short-term needs, and longer-term objectives. We call it the Clarity Program©. Here’s what one recent alumnus, Jim Lareau, has to say about its benefits:
“I hope all the other coaches have the ability to be as insightful and inspiring as Mark [his Clarity Coach] was to me. He helped me to think “deeper” about me and what I need/want/am looking for in my next great adventure. Thank you, Mark!”
So, turn off the TV, close your eyes, listen to your gut, and consider the lumberjack or the hamster. Get Clarity. Give us a call.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
Several times in my career I have been without work. Sometimes by choice. Sometimes not. And particularly in the latter case, it can be a very scary feeling… almost as if you are alone in the world. You send all of those emails, you submit your resume, you try to engage with recruiters, you reach out to your contacts and affect some semblance of happy confidence… but in the quiet of your own mind, you may well be very afraid.
Worrying is normal, by the way, and according to Daniel Goldman (Emotional Intelligence) may have its evolutionary roots in practicing for future possible events—preparing for them so as to not be caught off guard.
It is always helpful under such circumstances to look for some external input, perhaps from a friend, a loved one, a parent, a spiritual guide, a coach… Someone who can help you weigh the evidence and know whether your worrying is helpful preparation or just plain, frozen-in-the-headlights fear. Sometimes just being able to talk about what concerns you can help you feel better and more in control.
On the other hand, even if you are not specifically afraid, looking for a new job can be a huge amount of work and to many people, it is hard to know where to start and how to prioritize one’s time. Combing through job boards and applying can be very time-consuming, as can networking, interviewing, or talking to recruiters.
Our clients start with a Clarity Coach who guides them through the Targeting step in our five-step career change process, the Clarity Program©. The output of this step is a clear understanding of the client’s target and an agreement about how we will approach the market together.
Next comes the Career Consultant. This team member guides the next four steps in the process (Packaging, Market Access, Preparation, and On-Boarding) and remains the sounding-board and principal client resource as the program advances.
At the right time in the process, we bring in a Researcher who helps winnow through the market using our state-of-the-art databases to select companies and contacts as relevant per the Targeting step. A Writer comes in, too, to prepare cover letters and resume versions as necessary and appropriate to optimize campaign results.
Now this whole process takes time and the feelings of worry, anxiety, or outright fear do not necessarily evaporate. So, when there is a bump in the road, we also bring in our Client Concierge (one of several senior resources) who has guided thousands through this process and can literally take the client by the hand. They recognize and avoid the potholes, and help him or her focus on the straight and narrow path that leads on to career success. Now you may be the truly confident sort who does not need any moral support. But if you are not, how would it feel to have a professional team at your elbow when you face the job market? One thing is for sure: you would never feel alone in the world.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
These days, as I understand it, most stock brokerages and similar financial service firms primarily offer exchange traded funds that essentially track a specific market basket of stocks, often something as recognizable as the NYSE or its ilk. The reason is that machines do this better than humans. They recognize the patterns faster, make the adjustments faster, and ultimately deliver a more consistent result.
That is certainly also true in many other areas of human life. When was the last time you struggled with a map while you were driving? We don’t have to anymore because the navigation has matters (generally) in hand.
Closer to home in the job market, machines also hold sway, sorting millions of applicants for hundreds of thousands of jobs and proposing that some be invited for an interview and some receive a dear John letter (or just be quietly discarded).
Those who know me recognize that I am a fan of automation. If we can automate a process, I’m all for it… up to a point. And that point is when we actually want to listen to a prospect’s or a client’s story and help them address their issues.
Our coaches and consultants work hard on improving their interpersonal skills, their understanding of different personality types, active listening, and simply extending courtesy and compassion to people who have reached out to us because they have one form of stress or another, be it boredom in a repetitive job, fear of being downsized, desperation after long term unemployment, or a need to finally give back and contribute to society.
“I have no suggestions for improvement. Scott [his Clarity Coach] was excellent throughout our conversations. He helps guide you to find out what really makes you do what you do. His explanations as we jumped into the DISC profile were nothing short of awesome! If you are looking to learn about yourself, I would highly recommend using Scott and the Clarity Program. Thank you.”
Or perhaps this one from Denis Sovik, who also just completed his Clarity Program©:
“The process was extremely detailed, and Hiyam [his Clarity Coach] was flexible to work around my schedule, even making some intra-day time changes. Superb experience.”
The Clarity Program© is only the first step in a five-stage career change process that the Barrett Group has perfected over the past thirty years and with which we have helped thousands of executives clarify their career objectives and then find their targeted next step.
At least as long as I’m in charge, we will seek to balance the efficiency of automation with the caring and compassionate approach we have lived for thirty years and continue to deliver that human touch.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
Imagine the glorious future when all you have to do is go online and type in the sort of job you want, the location, and maybe the target compensation… and out pop two or three job offers.
Well, we’re not quite there yet. In fact, we may be farther away from that job seeker’s utopia than we’ve ever been because there has never been as much data available to job seekers as there is today, and oddly enough, that does not make the search any easier.
Let’s take a simple example. Suppose you want to be a Vice President of Sales. Nationally this morning on a popular on-line job board I found 4,577 such jobs advertised nationally, 121 in Atlanta, 49 in Houston, 31 in St. Louis, (MO)…
Or what about CEO (376 nationally) or CFO (948 nationally—315 senior level vs. 131 entry level).
That’s too general, you say… Well, OK. How about a full-time Operations Manager in the food industry earning at least $80,000 per year anywhere in the US? This morning the job board suggests there are 257 such jobs available, but only 3 in Houston and 1 in Buffalo.
The fact of the matter is that there are lots of jobs advertised and, of course, hundreds of applicants for every job. The labor involved in applying for even several of these jobs is significant, and the competition is intense. The algorithms rule and the hiring managers have the upper hand in this “buyers’ market.”
So that is why many job seekers report frustration, anger, resentment, and even outright helplessness in the data desert that the on-line job boards have become.
Anecdotally, one person who recently contacted us claimed that he had applied for more than 100 jobs (at the Director level in “Chicagoland”), had 10 interviews, received 4 offers, and that none of those offers was attractive. That’s why he came to us.
Another victim of too many interviews added this comment, “I really need to see someone who sees my experience and [doesn’t] tell me that I am over-qualified, and they can’t afford me.”
So, it can be done.
Another 10% of our clients land through the recruiter market, another perfectly legitimate way to find a job—but remember, a recruiter has a very specific job description and candidate profile against which he or she screens applicants. If you do not tick all of those boxes, you probably will not even hear back from the recruiter.
Call it the “back door,” or serendipity, or simply good luck… but we believe you make your own luck by doing the right things in the right way.
Firstly, you need to be clear about your targets. That’s what the targeting stage of our process assures (the Clarity Program©). Next you need to be packaged and branded appropriately for your target (the next stage in our process). Only then can we really help you go to market.
Generally we start with your own network. You know a lot of people, but you don’t necessarily interact with them very often. So, get networking! Be prepared to give because “givers gain” as they say at BNI. On LinkedIn you probably know even more people (theoretically). And every one of them knows other people, who know other people…
At the end of the day, if you know how to network and use the available tools, with some support from the Barrett Group’s sophisticated research capabilities, you can almost always find someone who can introduce you to your target decision makers who even now are thinking about organizational changes, unannounced vacancies, and creating new roles they have not even published. If you happen to cross that decision maker’s desk or screen or meet him or her at some function at the right time—ta da! You are at the head of the queue with little competition and very well placed to use the excellent personal branding and interview preparation skills we have helped you hone to land that job of your dreams.
At the Barrett Group, we’ve had this slippery, shifting market in focus for thirty years, so let us know if you need a little guidance. The job market does not have to be such a mystery if you have a good guide.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
…on the other side of the fence? Greener.
Most of us at one point or another in our careers feel under-appreciated, like the boss does not really see all the wonderful things we do, like the team takes us for granted, unloved, under-paid, etc. Human beings have ups and downs, of course, and it’s always hard to qualify these feelings. So, what can you do to be more confident when making such a key decision?
One simple way is to find someone you trust who as far as you can tell either has your best interests at heart or is a neutral third party who can listen to the evidence and give you an honest opinion. You remember the story of Diogenes walking through Athens with a lantern… looking for an honest man? Sometimes it can be hard to find someone you really trust.
In general, though, most such decisions (to stay or go) are actually driven by the very fundamental balancing of the three drives allegedly underlying most human (and in fact, vertebrate) behavior. Daniel Goleman in his seminal work “Emotional Intelligence” paints a simplified picture of how the limbic system (our primordial emotional guidance system) grew out of our sense of smell and therefore addresses such decisions at a very basic level. Can I eat it, mate with it, or should I run away? In other words, gratification, dominance, or safety.
We all come to the world with a basic set of behavioral inclinations that are then affected by our experience.
But your life circumstances are also key. We all go through stages. Sometimes gratification is key (new car, new love, gourmet meal, etc.). While at other times we realize that safety is key and begin to fund that nest egg. At other times we want to tell someone or the world in general to “go to hell,” an expression of our need for dominance. Which impulse should you follow?
Where are you now and what are your medium terms goals? That is the key question you need to ask yourself when you feel that “Should I stay, or should I go?” question stirring in your bowels. Can I afford to drop everything and change horses? Will the pastures really be greener when I do?
Again, at the Barrett Group we use a simple Diamond Map instrument to help our clients during the Targeting stage (the Clarity Program©). Our five-stage career change process begins with clarifying where our clients are now and where they might like to be in 12 months. Our four fundamental questions relate to finances, career, health, and relationships. The result is not really scientific. But it incorporates the neutral third party aspect mentioned above, the quantitative sifting of the evidence, scope for gratification balanced by dominance balanced by safety… In other words, in an imperfect world, this instrument helps individuals under stress come to conclusions that are rational and feel right.
I can honestly say that if it had not been for the life & career coaching by Greg & Julie, I would likely not been able to convert on this opportunity. Although the job opportunity did not come from the traditional networking activity that I was doing, the tools & procedures that I was coached on for the preparation of the resume & cover letter, the initial phone interview and the subsequent 8 face-to-face interviews, I can honestly say that I would not be in this position. I thoroughly enjoyed and will value for the rest of my career the work that I did with the Barrett folks. Thank you everyone!!
John Shaw, October 2019
So, when your leg starts to twitch and you feel it might be time to go, consider our Clarity Program© as a possible solution for making that key decision.
Peter Irish
CEO
The Barrett Group
