Have you ever wanted to tell your boss to take a long walk off a short cliff or post something incendiary on social media about your former employer? Have you daydreamed of walking out of the office for a lunch break never to return? Did the movie Office Space strike a chord with you?

We’ve all been there. You’re so frustrated that you’re tempted to burn a bridge.

I’ve witnessed the destruction of many-a-bridge in my career, and they all have the same unhappy ending. Once the smoke clears, that’s one overpass you can never cross again.

Now, for Peter Gibbons in Office Space, it all ended well. But it may not for the rest of us. So, here are some of the most common bridge-burning techniques we’re seen and why you should avoid them like 37 pieces of flair.

• “Ghosting” a Potential Employer
A couple of years ago we helped a candidate land an amazing director-level job. The candidate seemed excited and the employer was thrilled. But as the start date neared, communication from the newly hired director trailed off. Calls, emails, and online messages weren’t returned. We started to worry that something terrible had happened. I remember combing local accident reports and news stories fearing the worst.  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks: the candidate wasn’t being held against her will in some remote locale; we had been “ghosted” (to borrow dating terminology).

What never made sense to me is why the candidate didn’t simply pick up the phone (or write an email) and explain she no longer wanted the job. Things change; these things happen. Despite the pain of rejection, the client would have surely understood. And if the candidate handled the situation correctly, there is a good chance we would have left the door open for future possibilities. Instead, she burned the bridge.

The lesson here is to have the decency and maturity to tell an employer that you are no longer interested in pursuing a job — whether it’s before or after an offer has been made. If you go radio silent, I pinky swear that your future options with the organization will be nil.

• Quitting a Job without Ample Notice
Employers feel the sting of rejection when they lose an employee, but they typically get over it with time — unless the departing employee ends things unprofessionally or leaves them in a lurch.

A client recently told me about an employee who just stopped showing up for work. No call. No email. No note. What? I’m having a flashback to how I broke up with my boyfriend in fifth grade. (Sorry, Rusty. I was young and foolish.)

This immature and short-sighted behavior will no doubt come back to haunt this gentleman. What happens when a future employer asks for a reference from the organization? Another bridge incinerated.

The moral of the story is to give ample notice before leaving a job. It’s the respectful thing to do. Two weeks is standard courtesy, but if you’ve been on the job for several years, more notice will may help you maintain a healthy relationship with your soon-to-be-former employer.

• Unloading on Social Media
Years ago I was working on a search and thought we had found the perfect candidate. The client was just about to draft an offer letter when he decided to sniff around on the candidate’s social media sites. Lo and behold he found a post in which the person had trash-talked a former employer. Then, faster than you can say, “short-term thinking can cost you a job,” the client moved on to another candidate.

Not only had the candidate burned the bridge with her former employer, but she had inadvertently let the fire spread to other bridges — many of which she may never know were burned.

The take-away here is to always be professional on social media sites when it comes to former employers. Just remember mama’s advice: if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

• Telling off a Boss
We’ve all had that boss. My first job out of college involved working for an unethical, dishonest, unresponsive, unprofessional jerk (to put it nicely). It took me all of three months to figure it out and then I knew I had to get out of there. I had all sorts of grand machinations to tell him off in dramatic fashion, but ultimately decided to be professional — as much as that pained me. It was the right move not only for my career, but also for my conscience.

The key point here is to not let your emotions in the heat of the moment get the best of you.  If you have irreconcilable differences with your supervisor, you should look for another job. And when you leave, there’s no need to tell the bossman how you really feel. Just put in your notice and move along.

So, the next time you’re tempted to pull a Peter Gibbons and not show up for work or emulate Joanna and let flair get the best of you, remember the power of long-term thinking.  It’s a small free-market universe; the things you say and do today will work for (or against) you in the years to come.

Forget the red state/blue state debate for a minute. If you’re in the market for talent, you really need to be thinking about the yellow state/blue state phenomenon.

The map above (courtesy of United Van Lines) illustrates whether states are experiencing inbound, outbound, or balanced migration. For those of you in the blue states, congrats! Finding talent is likely a bit easier for you than your friends in the yellow states. But all is not lost for you, my yellow-hued pals! You can always consider a virtual hire to significantly expand your talent pool.

Not surprisingly, Talent Market’s experience reflects the map quite well. For instance, a recent search in blue Washington state yielded three times the number of candidates as a nearly identical search in yellow New York state.  And for another similar search that allowed for a virtual office, the client had five times more candidates than the Washington state search!

Now, of course, other factors were involved (reputation, pay, job details, etc.); but the numbers certainly reinforce the yellow state/blue state map. And they hopefully will provide inspiration for you to consider hiring virtually.

If you haven’t yet jumped on the virtual hiring bandwagon, here are some things on which to ruminate.

• If a virtual employee works in a forest and no one is around to see it, does he accomplish anything?
Let’s face it: one reason employers are wary of virtual work is that they won’t be able to see the work getting done. You’ll need to shed this way of thinking if you want to modernize your workforce. By focusing on work product and results (instead of who is best at water cooler talk), it will be easier for you to determine who your most valuable employees are.

• Not every job can be done remotely, but many jobs can be done (at least partially) from a virtual office.
Some jobs lend themselves to remote work (e.g. researcher), while other roles seem virtually impossible — pun intended — to do from afar (e.g. office manager). Many roles, however, can be handled at least partially from a home office. For instance, a communications director might benefit from being in the office to strategize and coordinate with staff, and being at home to write, edit, and engage in social media outreach. If you doubt me about the viability of remote offices, look at State Policy Network. It’s a well-oiled machine with headquarters in Arlington, but the majority of employees are spread around the country.

• Infrastructure and communication are key.
If you’re going to hire remotely, make sure you have the infrastructure to do it. Your remote workers will need the basics (a reliable computer, phone, internet connection, file-sharing capability, etc.).  And because distance will separate you, communication is critical. You’ll need to step up the phone calls, video conferences, and emails to keep the lines of communication open.

• Great virtual employees are simply great employees.
I’ve talked to some nonprofit leaders who have been burned by a virtual hire. As a result, they are hesitant to try again.  But in asking questions, I often discover that the virtual hires who failed weren’t top-tier talent to begin with. And putting them in a remote offices with the focus on work product only highlighted their weaknesses. This is why it’s important to put only great employees in virtual settings. Self-motivated, results-oriented individuals with keen judgment are your best bets. And you may just find that you get more out of them working remotely…which brings me to my final point.

• Watch the productivity increase exponentially!
We talk about working 8 or 10 hour days, but if we knew how much of that time was actually spent on work, we might be shocked. Consider the time spent commuting, chatting with cube-mates about weekend plans, attending justify-your-job meetings, lunching with co-workers, etc. It adds up! I’ve been working virtually for eight years and am still amazed about how much more productive I am now than when I worked in an office setting. And while I spend more hours working than before, the stress is gone — probably because I’m not distracted and I don’t have to sit in traffic and shout expletives at people who cut me off (not that I would do that).

For more on this topic, I suggest reading Remote: Office Not Required by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson. As always, I welcome your feedback on this topic. If you’ve had a great (or horrendous) experience with virtual work, let me know!

It’s May. If you close your eyes and listen hard enough, you can almost hear “Pomp and Circumstance” playing in harmony with a collective sigh of relief from parents and an occasional squeal of excitement from graduates eager to set foot in the real world.

As such, now is as good a time as any to offer advice to our new graduates who will soon enter the workforce.

1. Present Yourself Like the Professional You Want to Be
After one of my first post-college interviews, the potential employer pulled me aside to offer some advice: “Lose the purple lipstick. It’s unprofessional.” My first thought was “Purple? This isn’t purple! It’s mauve!” I later pulled out the tube in good lighting. I’ll be darned if it wasn’t the shade of Grimace.

I was mortified. But more importantly, I was lucky that someone had shaken a little bit of that collegiate overconfidence out of me. I needed to be reminded that the way I had presented myself in college was not appropriate for the real world. In addition to tacky lipstick, young professionals should ditch casual clothing, short skirts, flip-flops, super-tight skinny pants, revealing tops, and other unprofessional attire.

Remember: if you dress like a college kid, employers will probably treat you as such. But if you dress like a professional, you’ll likely be taken more seriously.

2. Clean Up Your (Social Networking) Room
I hate to sound like your mother, but you really need to clean up your room — your social networking room, that is. Online behavior that was fine for a college setting may not necessarily be acceptable to a potential employer.

Scrub your social media sites of inappropriate posts, comments, and photos. If I had a dollar for every employer who passed over a candidate because of something unsavory that was found online about him, I’d have a yacht docked next to Richard Branson’s.

And while you’re online, make sure to join LinkedIn. It may have seemed pointless in college; but from now on, it will be an invaluable networking tool if you use it wisely.

3. Don’t Job Jump
Cliff Clavin fun fact for the day: Did you know that the average job tenure is seven years for Baby Boomers, five years for Gen X, and only 18 months for Millennials?

This is a troubling trend for employers. After all, why would they want to hire someone who will leave shortly after he has been properly trained — and perhaps even before he has started adding real value to the organization?

But it’s also a troubling trend for recent graduates. Why? Because staying on the job for a year and a half doesn’t give them an opportunity to actually dig in, build a significant portfolio of accomplishments, and truly make a difference. After all, you don’t want your knowledge to be a mile wide and an inch deep.

Many of the nonprofit hiring managers we work with won’t even talk to someone whose resume screams, “I jump jobs with the frequency of a cheap ham radio.” Don’t let that be you!

4. Try Not to Reinforce the Millennial Stereotype
In a recent discussion with friends about managing people at work, I got an earful about Millennials and how challenging some of them can be. Among the complaints:

? Millennials need constant praise and rewards – One friend complained of an entry level staffer who wanted to be “rewarded for coming to work on time, completing tasks in a timely manner, and  taking only a 30 minute lunch.”  The take-away? Don’t expect accolades for meeting basic expectations.

? Millennials feel entitled – Another friend told of a junior level staffer who thought he was ready for a senior management role — despite the fact he was struggling to perform the duties of his current role. Make sure you’ve mastered your current role before proclaiming your ability to run the show.

? Millennials are more comfortable in front of screen than a human – One friend lamented that the art of in-person conversation is lost on Millennials. Email is efficient, but know when to walk down the hall and have a face-to-face conversation with a co-worker or boss.

5. Remember the Importance of Reputation
If you interned or participated in a conference, workshop, or seminar in the liberty movement during college, you’ve already started sharpening one of the most useful arrows in your career quiver: your reputation.

The good news: if you worked hard and produced quality work, people are talking about that  — and it will likely help you land a job in the future. The bad news: if you slacked off and copped an attitude, that news is traveling twice as fast.

With every new job, project, and relationship, you’ll have a chance to build your name. If you develop a positive reputation now, it will open countless doors for you throughout your career.
Feel free to forward this along to recent graduates. And don’t forget to encourage them to get connected with Talent Market (http://talentmarket.wpengine.com/candidates/sendyourresume/) if they have an interest in a free-market nonprofit career!

This month’s tip was written by Lauren Skiver, Talent Market’s Talent Manager 

Being in the talent business, we have a lot of conversations that revolve around the question, “What do you want to do next?”

It’s a tough question. Some people knew at five years old what they wanted to be when they grew up (I’m married to one of those!).  But for the rest of us, it’s all trial and error.  And living in an age with endless career possibilities, it’s easy to get overwhelmed or sidetracked.

Most days, I feel like candidates think we’re mind-readers over here at Talent Market.  I can’t tell you how often someone comes to us and says they’re ready for a career change, but when asked what they want to do next, they say, “Uh, I don’t know. What do you think?”

We’re flattered you trust us that much, but this is a decision that only you can make! Before you make a career shift, you owe it to yourself to sit down and really think through what you want to do next.

Here’s a few steps for what that might look like:

1. Start with a framework.

Try not to anchor yourself on the front end of the process.  Instead, start by brainstorming a list of situations where you felt like you were really hitting the nail on the head.  And don’t limit it to your working experiences—pull from every corner of life: from school projects in undergrad to volunteer activities today.  The key is to come up with a list of scenarios where you felt, “This is what I was made to do!” And then step back, and look for a common thread.

When I was eight, I decided to make a chart of the different wildlife that visited my grandparent’s bird feeder because—I wish I was joking—I wanted to analyze which feed attracted the best wildlife.  My poor parents.  But those details are important!  I wanted to collect data in order to attract the best birds.  And I still have that nerdy eight year old in me, but now my focus is on collecting information to attract the best candidates to the free-market non-profit arena.

2. Seek insight from others.
Once you’ve done some internal digging, seek outside insight!  This might sound like overkill, but there’s no way of knowing how much we might be missing if we don’t ask.  Ask former bosses, co-workers, mentors, teachers, project partners—anyone you trust to give you an honest answer—where THEY think you excel.  And be open to their feedback!  We’re often too close to see our own big picture.

— What situations do you thrive in?  Do you excel in sink-or-swim environments or perhaps you prefer to be entrepreneurial within certain parameters with a safety net to catch you?

— What do you geek out on most? Researching and writing? Building relationships? Driving projects to completion? Persuading? Educating?

— What level of guidance is ideal?  Do you want someone else to set the goal and you find a way to get from A to Z.  Or perhaps you prefer to support the goal setter?  Or perhaps you’re at your best being the goal setter.

You might find—as both Claire and I did—that others sometimes have a better idea of where you truly kick rear end.  In both our situations our dear friend Whitney Ball saw something in each of us that made her encourage us to start / join Talent Market.

3. Frame your answer around concrete skills.

Once you figure out what your common denominator is, figure out a way to put it in language that other people can understand and that resonates with them.“I want to help people” is too vague. What sort of people do you want to help? How do you want to help them? What do you have to offer?

I recently received a resume for someone that listed her “skills” as: “I am a big picture thinker who discusses ideas, ideals, and ideologies; analyzing underpinning philosophies that are at work in culture and politics.”  

Personally, I think it’s awesome this girl has her own mission statement.  Introspection is great: figure out what fuels you.  But as a recruiter, I don’t know how this translates into a job for her. On paper, I see a classic Millennial who isn’t 100% customer focused.  Instead, translate whatever lights your fire into concrete skills that will provide value to prospective employers.

Employers do care that you love what you do, but they need to know how that passion will benefit them and their mission foremost.

4. Have patience with yourself.  
It will probably take years to figure out what your niche is.  Or maybe your niche will change mid-career.  With so many new and emerging markets, it’s impossible to predict!  Someone that entered the communication field 15 years ago couldn’t have known their niche may be new media.  But at the core you will still be the same.  Regardless of where you are, with each step make sure you’re learning something new about yourself and your skills. And be patient with yourself!  Careers usually zig-zag; don’t expect a linear path!

Godspeed to you as you dig into this question!  You might find time spent on this is the best career advancement investment you can make.  As always, feel free to reach out if you’re thinking through career opportunities.  And, if you have moved or changed job preferences recently, send us your updated information here so we can keep you posted on opportunities relevant to you!

I read a lot of cover letters.

With most of them, I feel as though I’m reading standard newspaper AP fare.  Nothing earth-shattering, but it gets the job done.  Others are harder to digest — it’s more like reading furniture assembly instructions…in a language I don’t speak.

But every once in a while I come across a cover letter that captivates me like a great piece of literature. It accomplishes exactly what it should: it makes me want to keep reading and then reach out to the candidate and learn more.

This happened recently when I received an application from a candidate I’ll call “A.R.” She did five things in her cover letter that every free-market job applicant should do:

1. Tell a Story
   From the very first sentence, A.R. captured my attention:
   As an immigrant from a country where the opportunity to succeed is only available to a select few, I have my own experience with the American Dream. She went on to explain how her family moved to the United States to have a better life. Of course, not everyone will have such a dramatic story to share, but even telling an account of how you first came to appreciate liberty or how you personally witnessed the value of free-markets will go a long way to engage readers.

   Not only was A.R.’s story captivating, but it also provided a great segue into the organization’s mission…which brings us to the second key ingredient for a well-written cover letter.

2. Explain Your Passion for the Mission
   Even if your resume illustrates your zeal for free-markets, make sure to explain your interest in the hiring organization’s mission. A.R. did this beautifully by tying her personal story to the nonprofit’s goals. In addition, she described how she had observed in her career the very problem the organization seeks to address. In just two paragraphs, she skillfully articulated how her personal and professional experience aligns with the organization’s work.
3. Tell Me Why I Should Hire You
   While your resume will hopefully provide many good reasons for you to get the job, the cover letter is your opportunity to highlight the things your resume doesn’t include. Again, A.R. hit a home run on this point. She artfully explained how she has handled the very same responsibilities outlined in the job description. As icing on the cake, she even provided concrete evidence that she possesses the characteristics the organization seeks in candidates, such as adaptability, flexibility, entrepreneurialism, and relationship-building skills.
4. Follow Instructions
   The application instructions asked for a few simple things — all of which A.R. provided on the first submission. This is not only a good indicator to the organization that she will pay attention on the job, but it also demonstrates that she cared enough about the opportunity to get it right the first time.
5. Proofread!
   A.R.’s cover letter was not only engaging and persuasive, it was also delightfully free of errors! If I had a dime for every client who told me he was not going to pursue a candidate because of mistakes in a cover letter, I wouldn’t have to fundraise to keep Talent Market’s lights on. And it’s not just grammatical/spelling errors; oftentimes candidates express their heartfelt interest in the wrong job with the wrong organization — a clear sign they forgot to proofread!

As you have gathered by now, A.R.’s cover letter was a cut above the rest. She did everything you’re supposed to do, and her writing was eloquent. But don’t worry if you’re not Billy Shakespeare: if you follow these simple rules, you, too, can craft a powerful cover letter.