1. #discussion-starter
  2. Topics

Knowledge Manager Position—Job Search in the time of COVID #COVID-19 #discussion-starter #jobs #remote-work

Abbe Wiesenthal
 

Hello all, I'm reaching out to the group for advice and counsel. I've been looking for a Knowledge Manager position, either in Atlanta, GA or remote, for over a year now. I've had several interviews, culminating in my most recent two-week, six interview process that did not lead to an offer. Due to the potential legal risk (I believe) it's very difficult to get feedback from hiring organizations in seeking to make myself a better candidate.

I started the KM practice in an IT/Engineering division of WarnerMedia, and have created an online KM portfolio of articles and resources that I can share with recruiters and hiring managers.  So, I'm calling upon the collective wisdom of the SIKM group! Are you still finding the job market difficult to navigate, or are you finding that more and more companies are (at last) beginning to realize the need for KM as a "need to" rather than a "nice to" have?

I've also attached my resumé (it's one that I tweak depending on the job focus, but its basics remain the same) in the hope that other SIKM members can provide comments and suggestions. And if you hear of an open position, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or at abbewiesenthal@....

Thanks in advance, Abbe

?
Abbe Wiesenthal-Knowledge Mgmt Professional.docx

Dennis Pearce
 

Hi Abbe,

This is just my opinion, but I think there are two big factors influencing the KM job market right now.  The first is KM-specific: COVID has obviously put the squeeze on a lot of companies, and in my experience KM jobs are some of the first to get cut when budgets get tight because their impact is not as directly obvious as sales, accounting, tech support, etc.  I've used the analogy that the kinds of problems KM solves are often chronic aches, not sharp pains.  And so just like humans, organizations often find they can live with those aches in tough times.  The one area of KM where I've seen COVID have the reverse effect is the sudden interest across the board on how to make virtual meetings and working from home more effective.  But this tends to be more of a consulting uptick than an increase in hiring.

The second factor is more general.  There has definitely been a trend over the years of automated consumption and analysis of resumes, so if you don't have the right keywords your resume might not even get looked at by a human (maybe KM is its own worst enemy in this area?).  I retired a few years ago from a company I had worked in for over 30 years.  After a few months off I started looking for something new, and found that the traditional resume submission process just didn't work anymore.  There were even some who specifically said "Don't send a cover letter!" because clearly nobody was going to read it.

In the end, the current job I have is because I happened to know the person who hired me.  In fact, my wife and two sons also got new jobs in the last two years and in every case (health care, web marketing, and electrical engineering) it was because they had a personal connection to someone at the organization.  So I think the new path forward for a job in any field is increasingly (1) design your resume for computers, not people; (2) create a blog, twitter feed or other resources that can create a public online presence related to the field you're interested in; and (3) develop your professional network.

Dennis Pearce

Abbe Wiesenthal
 

Dear Dennis, thanks so much for your thoughtful response. I think many people in addition to me will find this advice helpful.

My voluntary severance package came with 90 days of outplacement services which I took full advantage of. I have indeed been working my network as much as possible but it's funny: my experience seems to be bucking the trend! That is to say, I've not gotten interviews for jobs for which I had an internal referral (either formal or informal) but have gotten interviews for resumés sent as what I call "cold uploads". I know that's not the norm. I have around 1,300 LI connections but am always expanding the list and looking for connections to a particular company when appropriate.

I agree with you 100% about the resume software; one of the members of this forum has kindly offered their feedback already. I have a "base" resume that I tweak for each job application; this also makes it easy to track which jobs I've applied for and when by filename.

Re: your comment about a blog: I have created a Confluence Space in which I've published my articles and experience around KM. If you like I can send you an invite since I cannot make the site public under an individual license agreement.

On a side note, I have a blog where I promote independent bookstores, books and authors around the world at www.angryalgonquin.com.

I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who has reached out to me on gmail or Linkedin. So generous and so welcome!

Matt Moore <matt@...>
 

Abbe,

1. A willingness to invite feedback on your CV in a public forum requires a fair degree of courage - so good on you.
2. Dennis’s comments are spot on - with one exception - I don’t think there’s much value in starting a blog anymore (2006 would have been a different story).
3. With my CV and the advice I got from professional recruiters aligned, some of it was contradictory. My key takeaway was less content but focused on what the organization said they were asking for and using terms the hiring manager would care about (e.g. $ value delivered, $ budget).
4. Many economies are depressed right now which makes finding a job hard. Not impossible but hard.
5. You can look at 5 different KM job ads with the same title and see 5 completely different activities being undertaken - from what is effectively programming to what is effectively human change management. There are also jobs out there that are effectively KM roles but do not mention KM at all.
6. I have had to do this 3 times in the last 2 years. It is brutal. And luck plays its part. You may go for 4 months without getting anything and then get 2 job offers at once.
7. The biggest thing for me during the job hunting process was maintaining a sense of agency. Putting yourself out there and getting continuously rejected is not fun. So it’s important to be doing things that remind you that you do have something going on, even when the world may not agree. That may be family or community work. I tried to have 4 conversations a week with interesting people. These were not about begging for a job (I would start the conversation off by categorically saying I would not ask them for a job and you could see the person relax). But about learning something and offering something. “Is there something I can do for you?” Again this is just my experience and it may vary for others.

Good luck,

Matt Moore
+61 423 784 504

On Feb 25, 2021, at 4:11 AM, Abbe Wiesenthal <abbewiesenthal@...> wrote:

Dear Dennis, thanks so much for your thoughtful response. I think many people in addition to me will find this advice helpful.

My voluntary severance package came with 90 days of outplacement services which I took full advantage of. I have indeed been working my network as much as possible but it's funny: my experience seems to be bucking the trend! That is to say, I've not gotten interviews for jobs for which I had an internal referral (either formal or informal) but have gotten interviews for resumés sent as what I call "cold uploads". I know that's not the norm. I have around 1,300 LI connections but am always expanding the list and looking for connections to a particular company when appropriate.

I agree with you 100% about the resume software; one of the members of this forum has kindly offered their feedback already. I have a "base" resume that I tweak for each job application; this also makes it easy to track which jobs I've applied for and when by filename.

Re: your comment about a blog: I have created a Confluence Space in which I've published my articles and experience around KM. If you like I can send you an invite since I cannot make the site public under an individual license agreement.

On a side note, I have a blog where I promote independent bookstores, books and authors around the world at www.angryalgonquin.com.

I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who has reached out to me on gmail or Linkedin. So generous and so welcome!

Stephen Bounds
 

Hi Abbe,

I echo everything Matt has said and would add: Make it as easy as possible for people to match up the value they are looking for with what you are offering. This can be tricky and sometimes involves a degree of mind-reading but there are some strategies which can help.

  • Sell a story of what people can expect to get if they hire you. The goal is to get them on the "hook" from your first words.

  • Back your story up with examples

  • Reflect their terminology in your claims, or at least make it compatible (eg I tend to talk about "information and knowledge management" to avoid demarcation arguments)

As an example, this is a framing statement I used for one of my CVs (this was for an organisational change role):

Stephen Bounds offers strategic thinking and insight into the improvement of organizational capability and effectiveness from 20 years of experience in management and project delivery, with a particular focus on Knowledge Management, Information Management, and Information Technology solutions across the public and private sector.

Recent projects include leading change workshops for ACT Health, consultation and development of an information governance framework to drive systemic improvements at the Australian Maritime and Safety Authority (AMSA), and developing a knowledge management strategy at the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) to transform how they approached practice change uptake.

Stephen has a keen awareness of how to work within an organisation’s culture, manage its process maturity, and leverage informal knowledge networks. Through active questioning, deep technical knowledge, a hands-on approach and a minimum of preconceived ideas for solutions, Stephen has successfully worked with small, medium and large organisations to build consensus and collaborate on implementing solutions that meet their values and desired outcomes.

A good general rule for this kind of statement is no more than 3 paragraphs. To be honest, this is probably at the upper end of what's reasonable.

Best of luck!

Cheers,
Stephen.

====================================
Stephen Bounds
Executive, Information Management
Cordelta
E: stephen.bounds@...
M: 0401 829 096
====================================
On 25/02/2021 4:08 am, Matt Moore wrote:
 Abbe,

1. A willingness to invite feedback on your CV in a public forum requires a fair degree of courage - so good on you.
2. Dennis’s comments are spot on - with one exception - I don’t think there’s much value in starting a blog anymore (2006 would have been a different story).
3. With my CV and the advice I got from professional recruiters aligned, some of it was contradictory. My key takeaway was less content but focused on what the organization said they were asking for and using terms the hiring manager would care about (e.g. $ value delivered, $ budget).
4. Many economies are depressed right now which makes finding a job hard. Not impossible but hard.
5. You can look at 5 different KM job ads with the same title and see 5 completely different activities being undertaken - from what is effectively programming to what is effectively human change management. There are also jobs out there that are effectively KM roles but do not mention KM at all.
6. I have had to do this 3 times in the last 2 years. It is brutal. And luck plays its part. You may go for 4 months without getting anything and then get 2 job offers at once.
7. The biggest thing for me during the job hunting process was maintaining a sense of agency. Putting yourself out there and getting continuously rejected is not fun. So it’s important to be doing things that remind you that you do have something going on, even when the world may not agree. That may be family or community work. I tried to have 4 conversations a week with interesting people. These were not about begging for a job (I would start the conversation off by categorically saying I would not ask them for a job and you could see the person relax). But about learning something and offering something. “Is there something I can do for you?” Again this is just my experience and it may vary for others.

Good luck,

Matt Moore
+61 423 784 504

On Feb 25, 2021, at 4:11 AM, Abbe Wiesenthal <abbewiesenthal@...> wrote:

Dear Dennis, thanks so much for your thoughtful response. I think many people in addition to me will find this advice helpful.

My voluntary severance package came with 90 days of outplacement services which I took full advantage of. I have indeed been working my network as much as possible but it's funny: my experience seems to be bucking the trend! That is to say, I've not gotten interviews for jobs for which I had an internal referral (either formal or informal) but have gotten interviews for resumés sent as what I call "cold uploads". I know that's not the norm. I have around 1,300 LI connections but am always expanding the list and looking for connections to a particular company when appropriate.

I agree with you 100% about the resume software; one of the members of this forum has kindly offered their feedback already. I have a "base" resume that I tweak for each job application; this also makes it easy to track which jobs I've applied for and when by filename.

Re: your comment about a blog: I have created a Confluence Space in which I've published my articles and experience around KM. If you like I can send you an invite since I cannot make the site public under an individual license agreement.

On a side note, I have a blog where I promote independent bookstores, books and authors around the world at www.angryalgonquin.com.

I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who has reached out to me on gmail or Linkedin. So generous and so welcome!

Ginetta Gueli
 

Dear Abbe,
I am in your same situation and I fully understand your worries and concerns. I also think that Dennis and Matt hit the point, completely: 100%.

What I can add here is:
- try to be an active member in several CoPs;
- probable you are already doing this, but try to stay as much busy as possible, even if the results are not coming or are not what you deserve, but
- not too much busy because as Matt said, and using other words, "sometimes is just a matter of being luck!".

I know that what I will tell you might not be of such great help, but I want to let you know that US labour market is more active (or less inactive) than the European one. In particularly South European countries are suffering a lot and there are no sign of recovery, still (Z-E-R-O). Pure KM jobs are a mirage, especially in some countries (but this is not different from the past) and we, KMers, need to recycle our background even more due to Covid-19. So stay positive, because as some Italians used to say (and most of the time it is true), when US economy will recover, you will be the first ones to get a job :-).

Hope that this email can cheer you up a bit.

Stray strong and all the best,
Ginetta

--
Ginetta Gueli
Information & Knowledge Manager | Project Manager

Nirmala Palaniappan
 

Abbé,

I think you have received some fantastic inputs from the others here. I am inclined to agree with Dennis; I believe knowing someone in an organisation does make all the difference (though, ideally, that shouldn’t be the deciding factor). I see so many KM job openings every week but each position (as Matt pointed out) seems to be different from the rest and each organisation seems to want their respective KM managers to do drastically different things. 

I am, sometimes, worried about these idiosyncratic perceptions and wonder if organisations will only look for someone who has carried out projects of a certain kind. To cut my rambling short, I am in a situation similar to yours and am trying to up-skill as well as pick up projects that are not particularly related to KM. One of the things I am placing a bet on is that things will get better once economies start recovering (which is only a matter of time).

I think it is a good idea to take up probono projects for startups and NGOs, if that makes sense. Another idea is to create inexpensive service-oriented packages as an independent consultant. Do feel free to connect with me in case you want to discuss more. All the very best and stay positive. :)

Regards
N


On Wed, 24 Feb 2021 at 8:01 PM, Abbe Wiesenthal <abbewiesenthal@...> wrote:
Hello all, I'm reaching out to the group for advice and counsel. I've been looking for a Knowledge Manager position, either in Atlanta, GA or remote, for over a year now. I've had several interviews, culminating in my most recent two-week, six interview process that did not lead to an offer. Due to the potential legal risk (I believe) it's very difficult to get feedback from hiring organizations in seeking to make myself a better candidate.

I started the KM practice in an IT/Engineering division of WarnerMedia, and have created an online KM portfolio of articles and resources that I can share with recruiters and hiring managers.  So, I'm calling upon the collective wisdom of the SIKM group! Are you still finding the job market difficult to navigate, or are you finding that more and more companies are (at last) beginning to realize the need for KM as a "need to" rather than a "nice to" have?

I've also attached my resumé (it's one that I tweak depending on the job focus, but its basics remain the same) in the hope that other SIKM members can provide comments and suggestions. And if you hear of an open position, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or at abbewiesenthal@....

Thanks in advance, Abbe

--
"The faithful see the invisible, believe the incredible and then receive the impossible" - Anonymous

Tim Powell
 

I’m sorry to hear this, Abbe, but thanks for sharing your story — which I’m sure will benefit others who face similar circumstances.  The past two recessions (2000 and 2008) were brutal for knowledge professionals, and there’s little reason to think that this one — which in some industries is expected to last through 2024 — will be much different.

 

As with all job searches, the most important thing — and often the hardest to stay focused on — is that it’s not primarily about you, your needs and ambitions, and your skills and qualifications — but rather about your client, her needs, and her organization’s needs.  When I have searched for hires, it has often struck me how little effort they have put into researching my organization and envisioning my needs — and how they could help me. 

 

For me, this simple (but significant) extra effort – whether or not completely accurate -- typically made the difference between someone I would hire, and the others who “needed this job.”

 

Hope this helps,

 

Tim


TIM WOOD POWELL | President, The Knowledge Agency® | Author, The Value of Knowledge |

New York City, USA | DIRECT/MOBILE +1.212.243.1200 |

SITE www.KnowledgeAgency.com | BLOG www.KnowledgeValueChain.com |

 

 

From: <main@SIKM.groups.io> on behalf of Abbe Wiesenthal <abbewiesenthal@...>
Reply-To: "main@SIKM.groups.io" <main@SIKM.groups.io>
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 9:31 AM
To: "main@SIKM.groups.io" <main@SIKM.groups.io>
Subject: [SIKM] Knowledge Manager Position—Job Search in the time of COVID #jobs #discussion-starter #remote-work

 

Hello all, I'm reaching out to the group for advice and counsel. I've been looking for a Knowledge Manager position, either in Atlanta, GA or remote, for over a year now. I've had several interviews, culminating in my most recent two-week, six interview process that did not lead to an offer. Due to the potential legal risk (I believe) it's very difficult to get feedback from hiring organizations in seeking to make myself a better candidate.

I started the KM practice in an IT/Engineering division of WarnerMedia, and have created an online KM portfolio of articles and resources that I can share with recruiters and hiring managers.  So, I'm calling upon the collective wisdom of the SIKM group! Are you still finding the job market difficult to navigate, or are you finding that more and more companies are (at last) beginning to realize the need for KM as a "need to" rather than a "nice to" have?

I've also attached my resumé (it's one that I tweak depending on the job focus, but its basics remain the same) in the hope that other SIKM members can provide comments and suggestions. And if you hear of an open position, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or at abbewiesenthal@....

Thanks in advance, Abbe

Abbe Wiesenthal
 

Matt, everything you said rang so true to me. I too have gotten contradictory feedback on my CV from different people; I take what makes sense for the role I'm applying for and tweak my resume as needed.

I don't really have a "blog" per se so maybe I used the wrong word. I have a Confluence Space in which I've created a centralized source for my KM articles, case studies, other publications, and resources. I use it as a portfolio that expands upon my resume, rather than a traditional blog. It's a showcase for my experience with creating, curating, centralizing, indexing/tagging and sharing knowledge in a highly technical, global, IT/Engineering division within WarnerMedia.

Technology moves at the speed of light in the media/entertainment industry. We who provided the technology infrastructure for the network brands had to keep abreast of these developments in order to remain competitive as new distribution platforms and video formats come online. This use case was the primary one I used to propose, and then move into, the KM role at WarnerMedia.

Of course, once I took the job, the role of the KM Center expanded beyond its original purview, and several sections of it became useful to departments outside of our division. I also added video content which is much "stickier" and attracted more users to the site; I believe a multi-media approach to KM is a great strategy to implement.

Thanks for responding; I'm overwhelmed by the generosity of the forum members who have reached out!

Abbe Wiesenthal
 

Great examples, Stephen, thanks.

Pavel Kraus
 

Hi Abbe,

Just to emphasize what Tim has just said. Often it is the language one uses during the job interview that is decisive about the success or failure.

Yesterday, at our SKMF roundtable we had an extensive discussion about just this matter. Whatever your potential employer considers as value - this is what you can give him through KM. And this has to be communicated convincingly.

We are trying to do this by defining KM around the profitability for business orientated organizations:
https://skmf.net/en/

So by reversing the perspective from your skills to your future employer needs, is the only way to go. As a consultant I do the same for my clients.

Hope to find soon a good job.
Kind regards,
Pavel 

-- 
Dr. Pavel Kraus
Präsident SKMF
SWISS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FORUM
www.skmf.net


Am 25.02.2021 um 16:40 schrieb Tim Powell:

I’m sorry to hear this, Abbe, but thanks for sharing your story — which I’m sure will benefit others who face similar circumstances.  The past two recessions (2000 and 2008) were brutal for knowledge professionals, and there’s little reason to think that this one — which in some industries is expected to last through 2024 — will be much different.

 

As with all job searches, the most important thing — and often the hardest to stay focused on — is that it’s not primarily about you, your needs and ambitions, and your skills and qualifications — but rather about your client, her needs, and her organization’s needs.  When I have searched for hires, it has often struck me how little effort they have put into researching my organization and envisioning my needs — and how they could help me. 

 

For me, this simple (but significant) extra effort – whether or not completely accurate -- typically made the difference between someone I would hire, and the others who “needed this job.”

 

Hope this helps,

 

Tim


TIM WOOD POWELL | President, The Knowledge Agency® | Author, The Value of Knowledge |

New York City, USA | DIRECT/MOBILE +1.212.243.1200 |

SITE www.KnowledgeAgency.com | BLOG www.KnowledgeValueChain.com |

 

 

From: <main@SIKM.groups.io> on behalf of Abbe Wiesenthal <abbewiesenthal@...>
Reply-To: "main@SIKM.groups.io" <main@SIKM.groups.io>
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 9:31 AM
To: "main@SIKM.groups.io" <main@SIKM.groups.io>
Subject: [SIKM] Knowledge Manager Position—Job Search in the time of COVID #jobs #discussion-starter #remote-work

 

Hello all, I'm reaching out to the group for advice and counsel. I've been looking for a Knowledge Manager position, either in Atlanta, GA or remote, for over a year now. I've had several interviews, culminating in my most recent two-week, six interview process that did not lead to an offer. Due to the potential legal risk (I believe) it's very difficult to get feedback from hiring organizations in seeking to make myself a better candidate.

I started the KM practice in an IT/Engineering division of WarnerMedia, and have created an online KM portfolio of articles and resources that I can share with recruiters and hiring managers.  So, I'm calling upon the collective wisdom of the SIKM group! Are you still finding the job market difficult to navigate, or are you finding that more and more companies are (at last) beginning to realize the need for KM as a "need to" rather than a "nice to" have?

I've also attached my resumé (it's one that I tweak depending on the job focus, but its basics remain the same) in the hope that other SIKM members can provide comments and suggestions. And if you hear of an open position, please feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or at abbewiesenthal@....

Thanks in advance, Abbe 



  


					


				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
			
				
	

		

			
			

			
			
			

				

					


						
							
								
	
		
			
		
		
  
	
    Katherine Sandler
	

	

							
						
					

					

						
							


						
						 
						
							
							
						
						
					

				

			

			

			


Hi Abbe,

If you're curious how an algorithm rates your resume when you submit it blind through one of the Applicant Tracking Systems (like iCIMS, Taleo, Workable, etc.), you can check out Jobscan.co or SkillSyncer. You copy and paste your resume as well as the job description and it reviews the keywords in the job description to what youve stated in the resume. Sometimes I use it to see if Ive missed a bigger concept in the role description.

In my current search for a job, I have moved away from blind applying and have just made it my goal to grow my network through casual conversation and informational interviews with others.

(If this suggestion is redundant, sorry, I missed some prior emails in this thread.)

-Katherine

				
					
					

					



On Thu, Feb 25, 2021 at 2:54 PM Pavel Kraus <p.kraus@...> wrote:




  

    Hi Abbe,

    

    Just to emphasize what Tim has just said. Often it is the language
    one uses during the job interview that is decisive about the success
    or failure.

    

    Yesterday, at our SKMF roundtable we had an extensive discussion
    about just this matter. Whatever your potential employer considers
    as value - this is what you can give him through KM. And this has to
    be communicated convincingly. 

    

    We are trying to do this by defining KM around the profitability for
    business orientated organizations:

    https://skmf.net/en/

    

    So by reversing the perspective from your skills to your future
    employer needs, is the only way to go. As a consultant I do the same
    for my clients.

    

    Hope to find soon a good job.

    Kind regards,

    Pavel 

    

    
    
-- 
Dr. Pavel Kraus
Präsident SKMF
SWISS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FORUM
www.skmf.net

    

    

    
Am 25.02.2021 um 16:40 schrieb Tim
      Powell:

    

    





      

        
I’m sorry to hear this, Abbe, but thanks
          for sharing your story — which I’m sure will benefit others
          who face similar circumstances.  The past two recessions (2000
          and 2008) were brutal for knowledge professionals, and there’s
          little reason to think that this one — which in some
          industries is expected to last through 2024 — will be much
          different.

        
 

        
As with all job searches, the most
          important thing — and often the hardest to stay focused on —
          is that it’s not primarily about you, your needs and
          ambitions, and your skills and qualifications — but rather
          about your client, her needs, and her organization’s needs. 
          When I have searched for hires, it has often struck me how
          little effort they have put into researching my organization
          and envisioning my needs — and how they could help me. 
          

        
 

        
For me, this simple (but significant) extra
          effort – whether or not completely accurate -- typically made
          the difference between someone I would hire, and the others
          who “needed this job.”

        
 

        
Hope this helps,

        
 

        
Tim

        

          


                TIM WOOD POWELL | President, The
              Knowledge Agency® | Author, The
                    Value of Knowledge |

          
New York City,
              USA
              | DIRECT/MOBILE +1.212.243.1200 |

          
SITE www.KnowledgeAgency.com | BLOG www.KnowledgeValueChain.com
            |

        

        
 

        
 

        

          
From: <main@SIKM.groups.io>
              on behalf of Abbe Wiesenthal
              <abbewiesenthal@...>

              Reply-To: "main@SIKM.groups.io"
              <main@SIKM.groups.io>

              Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 9:31 AM

              To: "main@SIKM.groups.io"
              <main@SIKM.groups.io>

              Subject: [SIKM] Knowledge Manager Position—Job
              Search in the time of COVID #jobs #discussion-starter
              #remote-work

        

        

          
 

        

        
Hello all, I'm reaching out to the group
          for advice and counsel. I've been looking for a Knowledge
          Manager position, either in Atlanta, GA or remote, for over a
          year now. I've had several interviews, culminating in my most
          recent two-week, six interview process that did not lead to an
          offer. Due to the potential legal risk (I believe) it's very
          difficult to get feedback from hiring organizations in seeking
          to make myself a better candidate.
          

          

          I started the KM practice in an IT/Engineering division of
          WarnerMedia, and have created an online KM portfolio of
          articles and resources that I can share with recruiters and
          hiring managers.  So, I'm calling upon the collective wisdom
          of the SIKM group! Are you still finding the job market
          difficult to navigate, or are you finding that more and more
          companies are (at last) beginning to realize the need for KM
          as a "need to" rather than a "nice to" have?
          

          

          I've also attached my resumé (it's one that I tweak depending
          on the job focus, but its basics remain the same) in the hope
          that other SIKM members can provide comments and suggestions.
          And if you hear of an open position, please feel free to
          connect with me on LinkedIn or at
          abbewiesenthal@....

          

          Thanks in advance, Abbe 

        

        

      


    

    

    

  








					


				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
			
				
	

		

			
			

			
			
			

				

					


						
							
								
	
		
			
		
		
  
	
    Tim Powell
	

	

							
						
					

					

						
							


						
						 
						
							
							
						
						
					

				

			

			

			










Well, said Pavel – and glad to hear your group is moving the needle on this timely existential topic.


 


And, to underscore what others have said, networks and “connections” are critically important. 
Build them long before you need them!


 


tp






TIM WOOD POWELL | President, The Knowledge Agency® | Author, The
 Value of Knowledge |


New York City, USA
| DIRECT/MOBILE +1.212.243.1200 |


SITE www.KnowledgeAgency.com | BLOG www.KnowledgeValueChain.com
|




 


 




From: <main@SIKM.groups.io> on behalf of Pavel Kraus <p.kraus@...>

Organization: SKMF.net

Reply-To: "main@SIKM.groups.io" <main@SIKM.groups.io>

Date: Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 3:54 PM

To: "main@SIKM.groups.io" <main@SIKM.groups.io>

Subject: Re: [SIKM] Knowledge Manager Position—Job Search in the time of COVID #jobs #discussion-starter #remote-work






 




Hi Abbe,



Just to emphasize what Tim has just said. Often it is the language one uses during the job interview that is decisive about the success or failure.



Yesterday, at our SKMF roundtable we had an extensive discussion about just this matter. Whatever your potential employer considers as value - this is what you can give him through KM. And this has to be communicated convincingly.




We are trying to do this by defining KM around the profitability for business orientated organizations:

https://skmf.net/en/



So by reversing the perspective from your skills to your future employer needs, is the only way to go. As a consultant I do the same for my clients.



Hope to find soon a good job.

Kind regards,

Pavel 








-- 


Dr. Pavel Kraus


Präsident SKMF


SWISS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FORUM


www.skmf.net


 




Am 25.02.2021 um 16:40 schrieb Tim Powell:





				
					
					

					




I’m sorry to hear this, Abbe, but thanks for sharing your story — which I’m sure will benefit others who face similar circumstances.  The past two recessions (2000 and 2008) were brutal for knowledge professionals, and there’s little reason
 to think that this one — which in some industries is expected to last through 2024 — will be much different.


 


As with all job searches, the most important thing — and often the hardest to stay focused on — is that it’s not primarily about you, your needs and ambitions, and your skills and qualifications — but rather about your client, her needs,
 and her organization’s needs.  When I have searched for hires, it has often struck me how little effort they have put into researching my organization and envisioning my needs — and how they could help me. 



 


For me, this simple (but significant) extra effort – whether or not completely accurate -- typically made the difference between someone I would hire, and the others who “needed this job.”


 


Hope this helps,


 


Tim






TIM WOOD POWELL | President, The Knowledge Agency® | Author, The
 Value of Knowledge |


New York City, USA
| DIRECT/MOBILE +1.212.243.1200 |


SITE www.KnowledgeAgency.com | BLOG www.KnowledgeValueChain.com
|




 


 




From: <main@SIKM.groups.io> on behalf of Abbe Wiesenthal
<abbewiesenthal@...>

Reply-To: "main@SIKM.groups.io" 
<main@SIKM.groups.io>

Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 9:31 AM

To: "main@SIKM.groups.io" 
<main@SIKM.groups.io>

Subject: [SIKM] Knowledge Manager Position—Job Search in the time of COVID #jobs #discussion-starter #remote-work






 




Hello all, I'm reaching out to the group for advice and counsel. I've been looking for a Knowledge Manager position, either in Atlanta, GA or remote, for over a year now. I've had several interviews, culminating in my most recent two-week,
 six interview process that did not lead to an offer. Due to the potential legal risk (I believe) it's very difficult to get feedback from hiring organizations in seeking to make myself a better candidate.




I started the KM practice in an IT/Engineering division of WarnerMedia, and have created an online KM portfolio of articles and resources that I can share with recruiters and hiring managers.  So, I'm calling upon the collective wisdom of the SIKM group! Are
 you still finding the job market difficult to navigate, or are you finding that more and more companies are (at last) beginning to realize the need for KM as a "need to" rather than a "nice to" have?




I've also attached my resumé (it's one that I tweak depending on the job focus, but its basics remain the same) in the hope that other SIKM members can provide comments and suggestions. And if you hear of an open position, please feel free to connect with me
 on LinkedIn or at
abbewiesenthal@....



Thanks in advance, Abbe 




















					


				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
			
				
	

		

			
			

			
			
			

				

					


						
							
								
	
		
			
		
		
  
	
    Seth Earley
	

	

							
						
					

					

						
							


						
						 
						
							
							
						
						
					

				

			

			

			





Our firm is looking for potential contract resources for KM projects. We are looking for people who can be doers as well as managers. If you are interested or you know anyone who may be, you can send a note to jeremy.grubman@....






I’ve passed on a couple of the folks who indicated they were looking. It’s less about managing a team and more about owning the solution.  (understanding enough about the information and knowledge architecture to guide resources as well as be an individual
 contributor) 







Some of the work is in emerging areas such as conversational access and embedded knowledge within products. (One day a maintenance engineer will be able to walk up to a machine, ask it how it’s doing and the machine will tell the maintenance person what
 it needs and how to fix the problems using plain language- specific human friendly contextualized information. )







We are working on leveraging component content and ontologies to power virtual assistants.  







If you want to learn more about the line of thinking you can take a look at this webinar https://www.earley.com/training-webinars/complex-product-configuration-intersection-knowledge-management-and-product 







Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or would like to talk shop. Interested in how others have tackled those problems













































































Seth


781-820-8080







Seth Earley 


Author of The AI Powered Enterprise

https://www.amazon.com/AI-Powered-Enterprise-Ontologies-Business-Profitable/dp/1928055508 

















				
					
					

					


On Feb 25, 2021, at 3:54 PM, Pavel Kraus via groups.io <p.kraus@...> wrote:









 Hi Abbe,



Just to emphasize what Tim has just said. Often it is the language one uses during the job interview that is decisive about the success or failure.



Yesterday, at our SKMF roundtable we had an extensive discussion about just this matter. Whatever your potential employer considers as value - this is what you can give him through KM. And this has to be communicated convincingly.




We are trying to do this by defining KM around the profitability for business orientated organizations:

https://skmf.net/en/



So by reversing the perspective from your skills to your future employer needs, is the only way to go. As a consultant I do the same for my clients.



Hope to find soon a good job.

Kind regards,

Pavel 





-- 
Dr. Pavel Kraus
Präsident SKMF
SWISS KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT FORUM
www.skmf.net






Am 25.02.2021 um 16:40 schrieb Tim Powell:










I’m sorry to hear this, Abbe, but thanks for sharing your story — which I’m sure will benefit others who face similar circumstances.  The past two recessions (2000 and 2008) were brutal for knowledge professionals, and there’s little reason
 to think that this one — which in some industries is expected to last through 2024 — will be much different.


 


As with all job searches, the most important thing — and often the hardest to stay focused on — is that it’s not primarily about you, your needs and ambitions, and your skills and qualifications — but rather about your client, her needs,
 and her organization’s needs.  When I have searched for hires, it has often struck me how little effort they have put into researching my organization and envisioning my needs — and how they could help me. 



 


For me, this simple (but significant) extra effort – whether or not completely accurate -- typically made the difference between someone I would hire, and the others who “needed this job.”


 


Hope this helps,


 


Tim






TIM WOOD POWELL | President, The Knowledge Agency® | Author, The
 Value of Knowledge |


New York City, USA
| DIRECT/MOBILE +1.212.243.1200 |


SITE www.KnowledgeAgency.com | BLOG www.KnowledgeValueChain.com
|




 


 




From: <main@SIKM.groups.io> on behalf of Abbe Wiesenthal
<abbewiesenthal@...>

Reply-To: "main@SIKM.groups.io"
<main@SIKM.groups.io>

Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 9:31 AM

To: "main@SIKM.groups.io"
<main@SIKM.groups.io>

Subject: [SIKM] Knowledge Manager Position—Job Search in the time of COVID #jobs #discussion-starter #remote-work






 




Hello all, I'm reaching out to the group for advice and counsel. I've been looking for a Knowledge Manager position, either in Atlanta, GA or remote, for over a year now. I've had several interviews, culminating in my most recent two-week,
 six interview process that did not lead to an offer. Due to the potential legal risk (I believe) it's very difficult to get feedback from hiring organizations in seeking to make myself a better candidate.




I started the KM practice in an IT/Engineering division of WarnerMedia, and have created an online KM portfolio of articles and resources that I can share with recruiters and hiring managers.  So, I'm calling upon the collective wisdom of the SIKM group! Are
 you still finding the job market difficult to navigate, or are you finding that more and more companies are (at last) beginning to realize the need for KM as a "need to" rather than a "nice to" have?




I've also attached my resumé (it's one that I tweak depending on the job focus, but its basics remain the same) in the hope that other SIKM members can provide comments and suggestions. And if you hear of an open position, please feel free to connect with me
 on 
LinkedIn or at 
abbewiesenthal@....



Thanks in advance, Abbe 























































					


				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
			
				
	

		

			
			

			
			
			

				

					


						
							
								
	
		
			
		
		
  
	
    Abbe Wiesenthal
	

	

							
						
					

					

						
							


						
						 
						
							
							
						
						
					

				

			

			

			


I just wanted to say how grateful I am for the generous outpouring of support, feedback, and inquiries about KM roles I received in response to my posting. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! You have renewed and strengthened my job search efforts and I will keep you updated on my progress. If I can ever do anything in return, please let me know. I am a fast and meticulous copy editor/proofreader so if any of those skills might be of use to you...let me know as well. Heartfelt thanks, Abbe

				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
			
				
	

		

			
			

			
			
			

				

					


						
							
								
	
		
			
		
		
  
	
    Abbe Wiesenthal
	

	

							
						
					

					

						
							


						
						 
						
							
							
						
						
					

				

			

			

			


Does anyone have a contact at a company called rev.io? They have a position I'm interested in. https://rev.io/

				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
			
				
	

		

			
			

			
			
			

				

					


						
							
								
	
		
			
		
		
  
	
    Jaye Lapachet
	

	

							
						
					

					

						
							


						
						 
						
							
							
						
						
					

				

			

			

			


Hello all,
I want to echo Abbe’s post below. I benefitted from her outreach as well. I was feeling sad and disheartened after a COVID layoff several months ago. Hearing your support for Abbe gave me the will and strength to redouble my job search efforts. 
 
Thanks for being kind!
Jaye
 
 
Jaye
 
Jaye Lapachet
jlapac@...
 
 
 

				
					
					

					


From: main@SIKM.groups.io <main@SIKM.groups.io> On Behalf Of Abbe Wiesenthal
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2021 6:36 AM
To: main@SIKM.groups.io
Subject: Re: [SIKM] Knowledge Manager Position—Job Search in the time of COVID #jobs #discussion-starter #remote-work
 
I just wanted to say how grateful I am for the generous outpouring of support, feedback, and inquiries about KM roles I received in response to my posting. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! You have renewed and strengthened my job search efforts and I will keep you updated on my progress. If I can ever do anything in return, please let me know. I am a fast and meticulous copy editor/proofreader so if any of those skills might be of use to you...let me know as well. Heartfelt thanks, Abbe 

					


				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
			
				
	

		

			
			

			
			
			

				

					


						
							
								
	
		
			
		
		
  
	
    Vinod Shenoy
	

	

							
						
					

					

						
							


						
						 
						
							
							
						
						
					

				

			

			

			


Hi Abbe,
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I can relate having been in your shoes before. In my experience, the KM job market is a tough nut to crack but is not impossible. I have recently been contacted by a few recruiters on Linkedin and can certainly send them your way. How flexible are you with (eventual) relocation? 

Stay positive, I'm sure you'll land something soon. I sent you an invite on LinkedIn to connect.

Thanks,
Vinod

				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
			
				
	

		

			
			

			
			
			

				

					


						
							
								
	
		
			
		
		
  
	
    Abbe Wiesenthal
	

	

							
						
					

					

						
							


						
						 
						
							
							
						
						
					

				

			

			

			


I wanted to update everyone who was so kind to respond to my original post about my job search. I have gotten some excellent, targeted feedback on both my job search and my resumé. I've updated the resumé to reflect my ACCOMPLISHMENTS rather than my RESPONSIBILITIES; one of the best pieces of advice I received. I've had several interviews and informational conversations with both recruiters and hiring managers, and several of you have continued to pass along posted positions. Although no firm offers have come through yet, I am more optimistic than I've been in a long time. 

I've also continued to add KM content to my online portfolio; since it's in a "free" Confluence Space, I can only share it by email invitation. However, it's proven to be a great resource for me to send prospective employers to so they can read more about my KM expertise and recommendations. If anyone would like to see the Space, or talk to me about setting up a similar portfolio, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or email me. Best, Abbe

				
				
				
			

			
				

			

			
	

		

			

			

			
				

					

						
						
					

				

			

		
		

			

				

			

		

		
		
		

		
		
	


		


			
		
	

	

		
		
		
		
		
	

	

		
		
		
		
		
	

	
	

		
		
		
		
	



	

		
		
		
		
		
		
	

	

	

		

			
	
		

			

				

					
						
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