Dinner with Orville

My good friend Gerry Fusco contacted me last week to let me know that Orville Pierson would be back in town.  Orville is Senior Vice President, Corporate Director of Program Design and Service Delivery at Career Transition / Outplacement firm of Lee Hecht Harrison and the author of The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search.  He was in town to talk to the folks at Between Jobs Ministry (BJM) about Job Search Work Teams (JSWTs).  Orville was kind enough to help get JSWTs started back in 2006 and came in to see how they were doing and help kick off additional training from more team leaders.

Since I've now landed a position I wasn't able to attend the BJM sessions.  Gerry reports that they were standing room only and very well received.  Fortunately I was able to join Orville and the original group of JSWT leader for dinner that night.  It was great to see Orville and the team again.  My landing a new position is due in large part to the effectiveness of JSWTs and I highly recommend Orville's book (and website) and the JSWT process.

The key element about the book isn't about resumes and networking.  In fact it isn't about the job search process.  It is primarily about being more effective at that process.  The Pierson Method treats the job search process like a work project with 3 steps:

1. Get Ready: Plan and Prepare
2. Get Moving: Take a Systematic Approach
3. Manage Your Search: Use Progress Measurements

Orville's research indicates that on average you will need to talk with 25 to 35 hiring managers before you land a position.  Generally the higher the level of position you are seeking the more the average gets to the 35 range.  "Talks" with hiring managers doesn't necessarily mean interviews.  It is conversations, networking and interviews etc. about your search with someone who could theoretically hire you.  The research also indicates that you will need to talk with 15 people to get to each hiring manager discussion.  Fifteen people for each of 25 to 35 hiring managers - you do the math but that is a lot of people.  You can also do the math on how many hiring managers your talking with each week and calculate how long your search could take.

Orville provides a simple but effective method to track and measure your progress.  He also tells you how to form JSWTs.  These are part accountability groups, part support groups and part resource groups.  I can personally attest to how they can make your search more effective and shorten the process.  My activity after being involved in a JSWT increased dramatically and I highly recommend them.  If you are fortunate enough to be in Houston while conducting a job search I highly recommend that you check out Between Jobs Ministries (BJM).  BJM in conjunction with the JSWT process is a remarkable process and can really improve the odds of landing a good positions quickly.

If this topic was of interest, you might also like these:

• The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan
• The Right Job, Right Now
• CIO Competencies
• Or the posts in the "Career Management" category