Carson V. Heady's Blog, page 80

The Job Market Game

At some point or another, in all likelihood, you will seek employment. When you do, there are many common misconceptions and missteps that prolong this process far more than necessary. It pays considerably to know how to play this game.

There are few greater frustrations on the job hunt than the constant rejection – especially for jobs that you are perfectly qualified for and get your heart set on. How many times have you read a job description and said, “This job would be perfect for me!” only to get the rejection notice in your e-mail just hours or days – or even months – later. While they were impressed by your credentials, they went with someone more closely aligned. “How is that possible?”

I’ve endured several needless months of searching, plunked down considerable funds for a career coach once and applied to thousands of jobs so you don’t have to.

First, there is a reason they say, “it’s not what you know, but who you know,” because the most valuable resource in your career path is not talent, not ability, but network.

This chapter will not only delve into utilization of your own network, but how to branch out and forge new additions – even if you are an introvert.

Construction of a resume is crucial to the process, but realization that you are up against dozens – if not hundreds – of other candidates in your quest is moreso. What sets you apart? This is the most important question to ask yourself as you set sail on a new career path.

Playing the job market game is like gambling; the odds are against you. They could be 10-to-1 but are likely 100-to-1 or worse for every single job you apply to. With the ease of Internet applications in this day and age, anyone can apply to any job that is showcased for all to see on the web. That is why you must also utilize other methods by which to get yourself in front of decision-making parties.

There are many schools of thought on resume construction and applying to jobs; personally, my philosophy in building network and seeking careers is akin to my sales philosophy: do not discriminate against any potential lead sources. You never know which one will yield the golden ticket.

Let me liken your job hunt to putting together a marketing campaign, for this is exactly what you are engaging in. You are marketing yourself. This is why – just as companies do for themselves – you must figure out how to differentiate yourself from the rest and emerge the best. Why would a potential employer select you and your resume over the hundreds of others they received?

Fair or not, not every resume sees human eyes after being dropped into the job application well. In essence, it falls into a system; a system that is designed to eliminate as many resumes as possible. The last one standing is the one who takes the job.

And you may feel very proud of your resume; but the preponderance of the other 100 people who applied may very well be, too. This is why finding and employing every mechanism possible to market yourself is the best way to increase your chances at success.

It starts with presentation. I’ve actually received resumes scrawled in pencil on a piece of loose leaf paper. I’ve gotten the fancy paper, seen one-sheets and several sheets. Truth is, as a hiring manager, I don’t look at resumes much, but they are important when it comes to getting you through the gates.

Initially, your resume will be run against keywords that the employer may be looking to find or avoid. Companies and employers are looking for different things for different roles, which is why many people will tell you to use a different resume for different types of positions you are applying to; there is merit in that statement.

As a general theme, what most resumes are missing is real results. As a candidate attempting to attract a company, your goal is to show them what you’ve done in a way they can visualize you doing it for them.

In other words, it is far too common for a resume to read: “Answered phone calls and sold plans to customers.” What does this even mean? Does this make an employer fall all over themselves trying to sign you? Or does this sound like something anyone can do?

The burden of proof is on you to show that you are uniquely qualified for the position; that you will bring something to it no one else can. Rather than stating a simple fact of what your job function entails, post, “Exceeded 125% to sales goal all 15 months in inbound call center position. Averaged 95th percentile in call efficiency. Earned customer service award 6 months for top service surveys. Mentored fellow team members and increased their output 45% within 3 months.”

Your resume is your key to the kingdom. Once you get in, you have to perform for the royalty but before that, you have to gain entrance by showing you bring something of interest. Otherwise, they will not waste anyone’s time.

Should you apply to online openings? Yes. However, you should certainly not make this the chief method of search; in fact, it is not even secondary. But you never know who will see your resume – whether you are networking, reaching out to existing network or dropping your resume off door to door – so you must ensure it is indicative of what you bring to the table.

Each resume should lead off with contact information and roll into a summary, highlighting your claim(s) to fame. #1 Account Executive. Top 5% in Sales Leadership. Recognized for training and mentoring peers and construction of process improvement plan that increased office efficiency by 25%. This is where you trumpet your talents and what you have accomplished for – remember – an employer is asking, “Can they do this for me?”

What areas do you have talents in? “Extensive experience in account management, sales leadership, retail, inbound and outbound call center, customer service, conflict resolution, escalations…” You get the picture. If you have any accolades, significant achievements that you can show through results and unique accomplishments that set you apart from the pack, point them out here.

From here, it is time to summarize your work history. The more distinguished your experience and/or the higher you are attempting to climb the ladder, the more important it becomes to have consistency in your work history. This can be any number of things: first, consistency in dependability for a company and a reason behind any lapses in working. Second, this could consist of an undertaking you have on the side, be it consulting, real estate, writing, or any other entrepreneurial effort. It shows that you have been actively working, have always been trying to work and it lessens questions your potential employer might have about your work history and ethic.

Many of us will have circumstances from our work history that ended a particular job; your explanation as to why it ended should never have anything to do with not liking your boss or employer. Just like in sales, you quickly acknowledge and are prepared for the question, you address it and bring it back to the matter at hand: you see this as the opportunity for you based on your skill set and the job description, and you point out specific items that line up between you and what the employer is looking for.

“Absolutely, I chose to leave that position because it was not in my chief area of interest and I wanted to devote the necessary time to finding my calling. I’m currently only exploring roles in that area, which is what brought me here, and based on the job description and what I have accomplished (such as…), this would be a great fit.”

You might have hated your job and your supervisor, disagreed with their policies and disliked illegal activity they performed, but anything you say disparaging about your previous employer will only make your new prospective one wonder: “Will they talk this way about us?”

Remember: your new prospective employers have seen a lot, talked with countless numbers of candidates previously and they know what they want and do not want. In fact, you may be doing a job that has been done many times before or is being done now and they want to visualize you coming in, doing the job well, performing, and co-existing with their team. Everything you can do in your presentation, your resume and your interview process to convey those attributes and sell that persona will again enhance your chances at success.

That said, stay away from generic jargon on your resume like “team player” or “strong work ethic” or “trustworthy” or “excellent customer service skills”; they are not tangible and therefore they do nothing to further your cause. These are attributes you want to illustrate through actual examples of excellence, both in your resume and interviews.

How were you a team player? Did you form any committees to ascertain people’s opinions and foster collaboration?

How do you know you had excellent customer service skills? Did you receive commendations or awards?

Another valuable item that can set you apart from other candidates vying for the same job is a “brag book”; this is a compilation of your certificates and any other proof of your achievements. It can contain articles you have written, results, letters from supervisors, and anything and everything substantiating your superiority as an employee. When potential employers see this, it serves as evidence of your good standing. It makes the leap of faith any employer makes when they take a new hire at their word easier to make.

For, this is the goal of a job-seeker: enhance the chances of your success, cast as wide a net as possible and make yourself stand out above the other candidates you are up against.

Many candidates in this day and age also construct a video resume, whose web address can be attached to your physical resume, sent via e-mail and through social media sites. It does not even have to be professionally compiled or edited; it is you selling a potential viewer on why you are a candidate worth paying attention to. Whereas I do not believe the “objective” segment of a physical resume is vital, here it can be inserted. “I am looking for an innovative corporation who recognizes hard work, wants to grow and will be the company I retire from.”

The trick of job hunting is that there is no silver bullet; you have to reach out to as many places and people as you can with the best presentation possible. Sadly, it’s as if they are looking for a way to eliminate you and – honestly – who can blame them? From their vantage point, they receive 100 or more applicants for one position, all touting the same things – greatness. How do you pick just one person? Even if you’re seeking placement as one of 10 in a new training class, you are still grappling with 10% odds or less in some cases.

This is the very reason why you are rejected for the positions you fall in love with and think you would be perfect for; because 99 other folks are thinking the same thing. We are less-than-thrilled when businesses we work for bring in somebody else’s buddy, right? But if they have someone they know vouching for them, it makes the decision to take the aforementioned leap of faith an easier one. Why take a chance on someone they don’t know when they can hire Jim’s buddy who has done something similar before?

These words serve as no consolation when you are suffering through a drought of unemployment – I know this. Nevertheless, it is what we are up against, so to give ourselves a fighting chance, we have to network. We have to become Jim’s buddy.

Look at your network. This could be your address list in your phone. It could be your LinkedIn network, or Facebook or e-mail addresses. Your network is people you feel comfortable with reaching out and sticking out job market feelers to.

Let me tell you – there’s no pride when it comes to job searching. You are talking about feeding your family and taking care of your livelihood; people are not going to look down on you because you reach out to them to see if they know of anything that might align with your skills. In fact, you may also find that you are doing them a favor. Many of your contacts may be compensated for referring high quality people to a position, so this could be mutually beneficial. Furthermore, ask what would you do or have you done when someone has reached out under similar circumstances in the past?

Hard times hit us all. We can prepare against the downside, but it does not mean we will not find ourselves unemployed or even working in a stepping-stone job. The older we get, the more likely this will be the case. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, it is not as likely that we will work our entire careers with one company – or even two – as many of our ancestors did. Because of this, it is likely we will be forced to learn the job market game.

Many people reach out to their network and quickly latch on to something – even something that might be less than what they had intended or are qualified to do. This happens, and we do what we have to do. But just like our actions in our jobs qualify as constantly “interviewing” for the next level, our actions networking should be constantly planning against that downside.

Networking can be free, easy and very valuable for a variety of reasons personally and professionally. Thanks to the Internet, some of the best networking can be done either online or by acquiring contact information online.

Many people are very open to networking with you for this very reason; they know the value of networking and that there is no telling when a relationship will pay mutual dividends. Ask yourself: if you were in the position for someone to reach out to you and ask for some advice, would you give it to them if you could help? That is the same mentality many others have.

What is your preferred method of reaching out to your existing network? It may be the phone for some individuals; e-mail or social media for others. Remember that when you ask someone for assistance in your job search, it is vital not to be pushy, desperate or demanding. This is a passive, relationship-building process and – like any other part of the job market game – there is strength in numbers.

You get more flies with honey – this is key to networking of any kind. Growing your network also assists in you having more numbers of people on which to rely.

Call the people you feel comfortable calling. Contact the others in the way you see fit so they have the ability to absorb the information and see where you may be of use at their company.

Another reason it is important to constantly network and stay in touch with people is someone may feel opposed to helping you if the only time they ever hear from you is when you want help. This is another reason why social media can be so valuable, because it gives you the opportunity to engage them daily whether it is commenting or “liking” a status or post or shooting them a quick message.

Your message to any potential networking source should be complimentary and to the point. Also, you should never ask for the desired end result – a job. This is skipping steps and will often result in no response or in the other person shying away from your request with a cordial rejection of sorts. You also have to realize that not everyone you reach out to is going to be in a position to help you – right now. You never know when they might be, so burn no bridges that may later bring value.

“Jane: How have you been? I hope this note finds you and your family well. I’ve recently begun exploring new career opportunities and was looking for your advice on where I might be able to transition my sales and customer service skills into XYZ Marketing. I’d love to chat for 5-to-10 minutes and get your guidance. If there is anyone else you can think of I should also talk to, I’d appreciate you pointing me in their direction, too. Also, if my network or I can ever be of service, please do not hesitate to ask. Thank you! Vincent.”

Here we have expressed our desire for their well-being, which is always a classic. We’ve announced an interest in looking for a new career opportunity without coming across as desperate (I got fired, I got laid off) and even without spelling out circumstances. Remember: everyone on the other end is always on a need-to-know basis, whether you dislike your current job and are passively looking, or you just got canned and you are trying to get back in the game.

Asking for advice is far better than, “Do you guys have any jobs?” or “are you hiring?” because – again – you have to set yourself apart. People ask people all the time if they have jobs where they are – stand apart! Flatter them with a request for their advice; it shows you respect them and will break down any barriers they may have against such requests.

You have also planted the seed that you would love to talk to anyone else they know, which can assist in your exploration and open new doors.

Finally, you have offered your own network to them in a gesture that makes them aware that if they ever need you for anything, they can feel free to contact you.

Like anything else in sales or business, your #1 goal is getting the person on the other side to put down their walls, let you in and build a relationship. That is what enhances your chances at success; it’s the “presentation” piece of the job market game.

Be patient and be gracious; you need them now and that’s why it is key to do this on their timetable with what they feel comfortable without being pushy.

Our networks start out at varying sizes but – specifically as we advance in our career or wish to branch out to new fields, it is imperative we add to our networks. Some prefer networking events and like working the room, meeting new faces and trading business cards like baseball cards. Others prefer a more passive approach, which is why they are often found trolling the Internet job boards to no avail. There is a way, however, to have success right there from the comfort of your home – to start. It is also very effective if done properly.

Networking events can be promising, however you are contending with several others – financial advisors, insurance agents and the like – who are working to get leads. The reason I prefer utilization of LinkedIn and online mediums to locate leads is because it is convenient, effective and highly targeted. You cannot control who shows up to a networking event, but you certainly can control how you geographically target individuals from companies or industries you are interested in.

Another thing to remember is you are not necessarily looking to connect with a recruiter or just a random person at a company of interest. Recruiters are already up to their eyeballs in resumes and will typically direct you back into their funnel by telling you to apply on the site. It does not mean to leave them out of your search; your best bet is to reach out to someone in a position above what role you are looking to fill.

The reason I led off with the resume is because you must have one in order to start playing this game. LinkedIn is a phenomenal site that has been very lucrative in many job searches; the LinkedIn journey begins with your profile.

Like with anything else, standing out for positive reasons will help you catch the eye of a potential employer. Your LinkedIn profile should mirror your resume structure and the nice thing about LinkedIn is that it will prompt you to soup it up quite a bit.

Once you have a strong profile, your next move is to join groups. My recommendation is to join the ones that are geographically conducive to your job search. If you are looking anywhere, your target can be a lot broader or you can even join the groups that your target contacts reside in. The reason for this is that you can connect with anyone in the same group as you, utilizing the shared group as the reason for your connection request. It is another aid in increasing the likelihood of their acceptance.

For, from this point, your entire goal is to build a network of people that can conceivably help you – one way or another.

When it comes to groups, there are some that begin with the title LinkedWorking followed by a geographical area or city name; if there is one near you, it would be advisable to join. There will likely be several others that bear the name of nearby cities – join them. The more of these groups you join, the better chance you have of sharing groups with some of the people you will want to meet.

Once you have joined groups (you have a limit of 50, and should leave some room to join groups that desired contacts are in) it is time to start making connections. Pick a company, or several. Pick an industry. Search for it in the search bar at the top of your screen and throw in a job title that is higher than the one you seek. If you wish to be a sales rep, pick Manager, Area Manager, Director, VP of Sales. If you wish to be a Manager, pick Area Manager, Director, VP of Sales.

After the results are populated, you can narrow them down to your liking; geographically and by current company, to ensure they are still at the company you are looking at. Of course, there is much merit for the other companies you may find high-ranking officials at. There is much merit to the small businesses that are out there, whose CEO’s are much more available to you than the CEO at a Fortune 500 company.

As prominent as LinkedIn is and is becoming, no one is really off limits. Find someone you wish to connect with, select connect, and it is time to fashion another flattering welcome that gets you in the door.

Again, where many make their mistake is they ask for the end result rather than taking the steps to get there. At this point, we should not ask for jobs or even an interview. Initially, we just want to become part of their network, and them part of ours.

The request is simple enough; select how you “know” them – often through the same group (you can even change search parameters to only show you people in your groups) and move to the field where you can personalize the request.

“Good morning/afternoon, Tony. It is my sincere hope this note finds you well. Our mutual interests and shared group led me to believe you would be a great person to share ideas with and learn from. I would be honored to be a part of your network. Much appreciated – Vincent.”

You have stated your name and case, flattered them and sought only the connection. From your target connection’s viewpoint, the risk is minimized and they really have no reason to reject your request. This first step has a 50/50 chance of working depending on their frequency of checking LinkedIn and interest in broadening their connections. Many of them will view your profile as well (which you can also monitor), making it all the more important that you make the right first impression.

Timing from this point is also important; rather than come across as an opportunistic weasel by pouncing on them the moment they accept your request, wait a few days. It reminds me of the movie Swingers when the minimum wait time to call a new potential date is 3 days (or, as Vince Vaughn warns, “You might scare off a nice baby who’s ready to party”). Apply the same wait time here and let the dust settle on the acceptance prior to making next contact.

From here, your odds will diminish further, which is the very reason you again cast a wide net, you have your online applications you fill out and you reach out to your existing network, enhance your resume and even film a video resume. Pull out all the stops. It’s your career, after all.

In fact, using this in unison with your online applications can only bolster your attack. Find a job you feel you’re perfect for online, as we discussed earlier? Perfect! Target leaders in that company via this method.

When you have waited a few days, reach back out to the new contact with a quick message. The easiest way to keep up with who you need to touch base with is by saving the e-mails from LinkedIn regarding those who have accepted your request. Keep them marked as unread until you have reached back out to them.

“Good morning/afternoon, Tony – I hope this note finds you well. Thank you for connecting. The intent of my note is to seek your advice as I am exploring transitioning my skills in sales and management into the pharmaceutical industry. It would be an honor if we could sit down and chat for 15-to-20 minutes so I could obtain your guidance on where I may fit in your business. Please let me know what times this week work best for you, and I look forward to meeting you. Much appreciated – Vincent.”

There are a few ways of doing this; sending messages out like this early in the week leave plenty of time for your new contact to put you on their schedule for the week. A mix of connecting with new people and sending out messages like this is what you are ultimately driving toward; managing your schedule between allotting time to seek out new contacts while actually having advice meetings with those who accept is a dream scenario.

This is a continuing process – often even when you are currently working! Never pin all your hopes on one job or job opportunity; what will you do if it does not pan out? Until you have a job offer for your next opportunity, you are in transition. Even if you are employed and content in this day and age, there is no telling when changes will occur that could put your role in peril. Having a network, building a network in your field or others that interest you and keeping in contact with them is always of benefit.

A smaller number than those who accepted your LinkedIn invitation will take you up on the offer for a meeting in their office or coffee. Nevertheless, this is what you were after to begin with: a chance to showcase your skills to a live person. Sometimes, they will suggest a phone call; do not be discouraged. Ultimately, you want to talk to this person to gain insight into the business unit you are interested in; they may give you information, call you in for a meeting or point you in the direction of someone you should talk to. There is no bad discussion here.

Chief to the discussion is to prepare yourself similarly to an interview, but know that you will be doing the driving. This can be daunting for some initially, but once you do a few of these they will come more naturally. Fashion your pitch like a sale or precisely like the communications you have branded up to this point; thank them, state your business and launch into questions designed to elicit the desired responses.

“Hi, Tony, this is Vincent Scott. We met through LinkedIn – how are you today? Great! First off, thank you so much for your time. I’m currently looking at ways to transition my sales and leadership talents into the pharmaceutical industry and took a specific interest in XYZ Pharmaceuticals because of your prominence in Minneapolis and some of the strategic acquisitions you’ve made. What advice or guidance could you give me on potentially making that transition?”

From here, listen and ask additional probing questions. What they tell you may be that you have to start from scratch in their business, it may be changes going on in alignment and it might be in new divisions that are being built and not even advertised via online listings. Ask if there is anyone else you should speak to. Be ready to answer questions they may likely have about your background, experience, skills and accomplishments. They have likely checked your profile and know a little of your background – these conversations can turn into interviews if they like you.

If the meeting is in person, it is another good opportunity to bring along your brag book. Remember – do not force your resume on them and do not solicit an interview. Just cast the wide net of asking for advice and see where it goes.

Some of these meetings will seem utterly fruitless. However, if they do nothing more than get you in front of someone new who is prominent in the field who knows you going forward wherever they go in their career and it hones your ability to conduct these meetings, it was a worthwhile investment of your time. Investments do not always pay immediate dividends. Contacts you make today may pay off years down the road.

Just like following a job interview, follow this up with a brief, succinct thank you note showing appreciation for their time and guidance. If they have instructed you to do any follow up activities, do them quickly to reinforce your interest and seriousness.

And remember – your goal is planting as many seeds as possible with the best presentation, best approach and best follow-up possible. There are literally no guarantees in the job hunt, but the fewer gaps you leave in your search, the better your approach. If and when you find yourself in need of a new career path, you will already know how to best play the job market game.

RANK LOCAL: Sales and Sales Leadership for SEO, PPC

RANK LOCAL: A commission sales / sales leadership opportunity with RANK LOCAL, a search engine optimization/ pay per call firm. You would be a founding member of a field sales team with ability to call all over the world marketing their optimization packages ( see http://www.ranklocal.com for details on bundles).

The opportunity is work-from-home to start. You would have the choice when the call center space is opened in a few months to report to the office. We will be eventually expanding sales teams in St. Louis and other major cities with big SEO growth TBD. SALES MANAGER OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE as the team expands.

Benefit to customer is bundles are up to 30% less than industry standard and there are no contracts. Current retention of plans is 95%. Standard plans are $395, $795 (most popular) and above if additional services required. There is a $1,395 plan that also includes additional blog posts. Average customer buy is the $795 program. There are no limitations on customers we can contact. Warm leads are coming in via calls and visits through the site, and they will be given out on rotation and/or per performance. Warm leads are also coming in on existing customers and lead generation sources currently in play.

Our status is 1099 and for the first 60 days we receive 50% commission on all sales, based on monthly revenue. There are no contracts, but with 95% of customers renewing and SEO being a process that perfects itself over months, you will see residuals, and each month those residuals grow exponentially. Thereafter, our take is 20% commission on all sales.

As frame of reference:

1 $395 sale/day (calculating 22 sales days) = $4,345 Month 1 payout on just those sales, $8,690 payout in Month 2 (counting your residuals from Month 1 and sales from Month 2) and you would CONTINUE to get paid 20% on just those sales going forward!

Jan 1 $4,345

Feb 2 $8,690

Mar 3 $5,214

Apr 4 $6,952

May 5 $8,690

Jun 6 $10,428

Jul 7 $12,245

Aug 8 $13,904

Sep 9 $15,642

Oct 10 $17,380

Nov 11 $19,118

Dec 12 $21,014

TOTAL $143,622

IF CHURN 10% $129,259.80

YEAR 2

Jan 1 $22,752

Feb 2 $24,490

Mar 3 $26,228

Apr 4 $27,966

May 5 $29,704

Jun 6 $31,442

Jul 7 $33,180

Aug 8 $34,918

Sep 9 $36,656

Oct 10 $38,394

Nov 11 $40,132

Dec 12 $41,870

TOTAL $387,732

IF CHURN 10% $348,958.80

1 $795 sale per week (factoring 4 1/3 weeks per month):

Jan 1 $1,722.50

Feb 2 $3,445.00

Mar 3 $2,067.00

Apr 4 $2,756.00

May 5 $3,445.00

Jun 6 $4,134.00

Jul 7 $4,823.00

Aug 8 $5,512.00

Sep 9 $6,201.00

Oct 10 $6,890.00

Nov 11 $7,579.00

Dec 12 $8,268.00

TOTAL $56,842.50

IF CHURN 10% $51,158.25

YEAR 2

Jan 1 $8,957.00

Feb 2 $9,646.00

Mar 3 $10,335.00

Apr 4 $11,024.00

May 5 $11,713.00

Jun 6 $12,402.00

Jul 7 $13,091.00

Aug 8 $13,780.00

Sep 9 $14,469.00

Oct 10 $15,158.00

Nov 11 $15,847.00

Dec 12 $16,536.00

TOTAL $152,958.00

IF CHURN 10% $137,662.20

As you can see, with residuals because you keep getting paid on your book of business, income will continue to increase.

We will prospect leads together via major search sites and connecting with business owners and you will get warm leads coming in from various sources, but we can do business all over the world and will be opening sales offices in several prominent search cities throughout the United States.

We are looking for hungry, trustworthy, hard-working sales leaders who want to grow and make a lot of money.

Please reach out to Carson V. Heady at cvheady007@yahoo.com for more information.

“While the Salesman Is Away, and Other Stories/ The Surviving Game” CHAPTER 1: THE PURPOSE TO ALL

“While the Salesman Is Away, and Other Stories/ The Surviving Game” CHAPTER 1: THE PURPOSE TO ALL

It may not help you to read about how many times Babe Ruth struck out or Michael Jordan missed a shot because – let’s face it – these are mythical creatures we may have seen a glimpse of, read about or seen on a highlight reel. I’ve personally been rejected for 2,218 jobs I’ve applied to and my book was rejected by 953 publishers before publication. Despite that or, perhaps better said, in the face of that, people call me a success.

Success – I’ve learned – is relative; relative to a great many things. Most of all, it is relative to the definition of the beholder and their prioritization of love, family, money, fame and power.

No matter your level of mastery of selling, management, leadership or life, you will be challenged tremendously over the duration of all of the above. It is highly likely you will witness unfair practices, be a victim and struggle with losses that are completely out of your control – no matter how good you are at whatever you do. That is why – even more important than the selling game – there is the surviving game.

If you are reading this, let me lead off by saying thank you.

After The Selling Game I felt accomplishment; I had summed up something I wanted to contribute to the world and managed to fill a book with said musings. The experience was (and is) a tremendous learning one. It also gave me a priceless opportunity: connecting with people all over the world that I could learn from and mold my experiences because of.

Our lives are constantly in motion, continuously classified as works-in-progress and, regardless of circumstance we are faced daily with decisions that will craft our futures.

As we discussed in chapters regarding battling burnout and earning the promotion, keeping fresh challenges always in our lives is one of the greatest challenges in and of itself. In addition, living a life you can be proud of, making choices you can and will have the courage to stand by and operating without fear and regret are extremely tough to do.

Someone once told me that our chosen career path should coincide with our answer to the question of what we would do with our lives if money and privilege were no object. The thought behind this theory, of course, is that when we choose with our heart, we find career happiness. Of course, money very much does play a factor, but there is some merit to this point. From the early days when I wrote stories about my friends and I traveling to outer space, to third grade when I incorporated all of my classmates into a story about time travel even into writing newsletter columns regularly at work, writing was more than a hobby for me.

So the one thing I have always been passionate about is writing; communicating via the written word to an audience I am hoping to inspire. Your talent matters. And, if what I hope my talent is, matters to you and helps you grow, it did its job.

Every day, in every way, my mind expands to accept and process just how great and vast and wondrous this existence is and can be. Things that make no sense at first glance, things that confound and confuse many, are all revealed when we allow our true selves to come into focus.

So – what is the purpose to life, to our reality and to the things large and small that we encounter, experience and expect daily, monthly and over the annals of our years?

You could be the most powerful person in the political world. You could be the person who bought the last box of a brand of cereal, forcing another customer to make a different purchase that makes them ten seconds later to buy a winning lottery ticket, causing them a financial windfall they give to a charity that saves someone’s life. You could be the great-great-great-great-great grandmother to the doctor who cures a fatal disease. You could write a song, a play, a movie, or a television script that inspires someone to get off their couch and do something with their life that touches someone else’s. You could be an athlete with motivating ability, a janitor whose cleaning prevents someone from falling and breaking their neck so they can go on to win an Olympic medal and inspire millions worldwide, or the salesperson peddling sporting event tickets who convinces someone to go to a game that – had they missed it – they would have been elsewhere during a catastrophe that would have cost them their lives and prevented them from one day going on to cure a disease.

You could be the one who grows up to cure the disease.

It all starts with believing it.

My point is overly specific above, but the general idea is this: absolutely everyone and everything has a meaning and a purpose. The real challenges lie in finding ours, committing to that destiny and staying on course, despite all obstacles that will inevitably present themselves in our paths over and over until the day we die. That is the surviving game.

These obstacles can break your spirit, your physical body or your morale. But they only will if you let them.

Believe me: you will face hardships and stumbling blocks and grief like you sometimes cannot even imagine. It may not let up. Your definition of happiness, your desires and your destinations may change, and often at that. At the core, however, the most vital attribute is staying true to yourself, your beliefs, your morals and what you hold dear.

And even if you have been crippled by the brutality that life can inflict on you, it makes you all the more valuable, versatile and viable in your quest of facing the millions of challenges that still lie ahead.

Those who allow life to keep them down will be kept down. Those who move past the obstacles, learn from them and challenge themselves to be great will be.

During a recent sabbatical, I finally consumed Napoleon Hill’s Think And Grow Rich. The most profound morsel from this excellent work is that the preponderance of those who have found success found it just after most contemporaries would have given up. The moral? Keep taking steps towards your goals and your destiny, no matter how many steps you get knocked back. Weather the storm. You will eventually find the blue skies.

Is the aspiring actor who never becomes a household name, but keeps trying all while they are waiting tables to pay the bills, any less valuable to the world than those who broke through and made it against all odds? The people fighting who don’t necessarily “make it” in the eyes of the public can still find what they need or want. They also push those regarded as “the best” to be even better.

And – ironically – many in history have not been fully heralded for their feats until after their deaths.

We all have our own preconceived notions about what “making it” is. Live a noble life that you can be proud of. Make a difference, one step at a time.

Only if one believes they are not valuable does that become true. Only if one fails to choose to put forth their best foot, best effort and their all will they find that rewarding life.

The things that are easy to obtain come with less sense of reward and accomplishment. The best things we have – the accomplishments, the victories and successes – often came at a price or extensive effort. At the end of the day, the people and things we have in our lives that actually add value are what we must be thankful for and we must spend our time truly treasuring.

We will all encounter petty jealousy, wolves in sheep’s clothing and fair-weather friends; things that do not make sense, things that challenge every bit of our patience and test our limits. The real question is: why does what other people, who are incurably lazy and utterly miserable with their own lives, think about us remotely matter? Be proud of yourself, your transitions, your forward-thinking strategy, the steps you are taking and the person you know you will become. Other people can and will be obstacles, just the same, and often for their own jealous reasons. If it or they are not adding value to your life, that obstacle must be jettisoned immediately.

A string of ten failures in a row does not mean the eleventh attempt will result in another one, so why do we ever stop trying? Athletes miss shots, lose games, but they keep conditioning and playing. Actors put out poorly-received films, but they keep cultivating new ones. We lose jobs, we have horrendous relationships – but do we stop working or trying to find a match that will fulfill and enrich us?

Think about the people you consider great. They are grand in our mind, or the minds of others, because they never stopped when faced with adversity. If they inspire you, let that attitude inspire you more. People love success stories, comeback stories and stories of greatness and great ideas because, if even just for that moment, they believe or believe again that greatness can be achieved by all of us.

Life, business, politics, medicine, operations, sales – these are all processes that have been practiced and experimented with over the history of our world. Someone can have flash in the pan achievement and disappear from public consciousness. Someone can flounder around with the wrong course of action and never find success. Or, you can live a life that allows you to look back and know you did everything you could to squeeze out all the juice of life in every situation.

That choice is yours.

The most difficult part of life is living it. There is so much uncertainty and so many obstacles. Happiness is often just a fleeting period of contentedness, interrupted regularly by roadblocks. If everyone could make it to the top of the mountain, they would, but most people stop somewhere along the way after multiple falls.

Through decisions, learning, falling, and getting back up, weathering storms and keeping your eyes on the prize, you can find reward.

We are not inventing or re-inventing any wheels here; the processes in the aforementioned walks of life have already been created and done a thousand times over. Our role is to contribute. Our role is to add to what has been done; to make our own invaluable entries in the ledger of life.

It is key to remember that everyone has at least one talent. Everyone has a part to play. Everyone has something to contribute, and you cannot let anything stop you from making that contribution – even if you have no idea what the end result is.

Figuring out what you want can also be tricky, but without that goal to move towards we are just moving aimlessly. And being able to commit to that, commit to a plan, commit to the process that matters and commit to staying away from the evils and obstacles is a very challenging task that will literally consume your entire life.

Are you satisfied with absolutely everything about your life right now? Figure out what you are not afraid to risk; if there is no satisfaction in your life, you can risk quite a bit. Either way, making calculated risks and always making the best decisions weighing all variables will aid you in your endeavor.

There is no such thing as a prescription of action that will handle or appropriately address anything you could possibly face. There is no road map to life. There are no-win scenarios. Your heart will be broken, your fears realized and your limits tested. Daily.

Just make sure that you focus your sights on what will truly give you the feeling of happiness, accomplishment and satisfaction; don’t settle and do not let the knockdowns of life keep you down.

For, in the end, the real truth is that life is nothing more or less than the surviving game.

The essential elements of successful sales leadership: Staying ahead of the curve

Recently, I was asked to submit an article for the Baylor University sports program newsletter. Here it is: The essential elements of successful sales leadership: Staying ahead of the curve

http://baylors3.com/sales-leadership-essentials/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sales-leadership-essentials

The Sales Commandments According to This Disciple

Recently, I was asked by Baylor University’s sports department to pen an article entitled, “The Sales Commandments According to This Disciple.” http://baylors3.com/the-sales-commandments-according-to-this-disciple/

I would be honored by your feedback!

Life, The Game Show: Are You Leveraging Your Present Against Hopes for a Better Future?

Long after Howie Mandel voiced the role of Gizmo for my generation (look it up!), he helmed the successful game show, Deal or No Deal. To this day, it is my daughter’s favorite pastime at the local game places – the arcade version where she is gambling tickets – not money, and certainly not happiness. (We are still working on Kenny Rogers’ adage concerning when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.)

Does your life mimic Deal or No Deal? Let’s face it: each day, in many ways, some of us take perfectly good or acceptable outcomes life has presented, we gamble them, and we hope for a better tomorrow. We invest hard-earned cash in the ultimate puzzler – the lottery – something we have virtually no chance of winning. We pick apart everything we despise about our job and convince ourselves that the job we saw on Indeed.com is going to solve all our problems. We jettison our financial future, we fail to plan; we bet against the House and the House always wins.

Greatly leveraging your present in hopes for a better future is a dangerous game – mostly because it is an imperfect being making a choice or commitment they have a hard time following through on. Don’t get me wrong: every day, millions go into debt or take out a loan to endeavor into school or their own business and they stick to the plan and make it work. On the flip side, once that plan has been committed to, we cannot perilously deviate from it to our detriment. We are typically our own worst enemies.

Take your current situation: are you happy or unhappy? Whichever you answer, why? Take a look at the good things you have – perhaps food, shelter, clothing, a support system of people who care, a job, comforts, a relationship, a religion – and contemplate for a moment if you are truly that bad off. Some certainly are. Many of us are not – we have a lot of things that have been provided or that we have fought to obtain and achieve.

Take it a step further: we all have things that ail us to various degrees. Everyone has their crosses to bear and heartaches burning a hole in their souls; the moral of this story is to ensure we are not making rash decisions, constantly hedging our bets and gambling the present in hopes of a brighter future. Like playing the stock market, you may see some gains (which reinforces the behavior), but you will also make losses – sometimes tragic – whereas you could have easy accepted your current lot and been at peace. Those impulse purchases and that money you go into debt over today can become part of a pattern; you become comfortable in that state and you never stop borrowing against the system.

Happiness is a state of being; there is no “happily ever after.” Even the kids on 90210 have problems every episode, so there is nothing money, clothes and perfect hair magically solve (no matter how much they may alleviate of other potential problems.) Truly consider how you may be making decisions daily that put your blessings in peril – relationships, career, hopes and dreams – and find a way to stop. Make time for what matters most – nothing is so serious that it should endanger everything else. We have one life to live, and all we can do while we are here is our best. There’s no need to rush: we have all the time in the world.

Make a list of the things in your life that you are happy about and make you happy, and do everything you can to preserve those things. Mninimize the decisions that could have an outcome negative to those things. In the end, your present will be less sporadic and frenetic and your future will be brighter for it.

Carson V. Heady has written a sales/motivation/success book unlike any other, entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be. It is a how-to sell/career advice book inside a novel about the fictional author who practices what he preaches.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.carsonvheady.com/.

The Family Man

It has been some time since the last viewing, but the 2001 Nicolas Cage film of the same name is a very worthy watch whose message captures a struggle I can relate to.

In my 20′s, I was the Cage that opened the film: the successful, single businessman. My priorities were my career and my career, and I garnered promotion after promotion after promotion on sheer will, brute sales force and determination all while unable to commit to or prioritze anything else beyond it. Most of my best friends were in the workplace, and I devoted my entire self to my workforce and my work. My love for my career overshadowed many things, I was heralded as a phenom and promised to one day be CEO.

In my 30′s, everything has changed, but the message here is that while I miss facets of that life – the standing ovations for my speeches, the cavalier way by which I managed my life and the run-and-gun environment – the joys that have replaced that life far surpass what once was.

I miss the ovations, but they pale in comparison to the hugs from my daughter. I miss the sales awards and prizes, but I prefer the cards and pictures and trinkets she creates for me. I miss the comradery of fellow sales stars, but I prefer the company of family.

It is vital for us to be able to compartmentalize memories – and great ones, at that – into their proper place. We can look back fondly, but cannot dwell; we can enjoy the thought of those magical times, but the new memories we are making add to a collection that will span a lifetime.

The Cage character realizes that the life he believes has it all is actually quite lacking – it is missing love, it is missing belonging, it is missing true purpose and joy. I still have no idea what I am destined to do in this world, but I can say this: I don’t regret anything that got me to here. I made choices that took me on a completely different path; I stood up for what was right instead of crossing over to the dark side, made some mistakes and stumbled along, but this path is far more rewarding… and it’s mine.

Carson V. Heady has written a sales/motivation/success book unlike any other, entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be. It is a how-to sell/career advice book inside a novel about the fictional author who practices what he preaches.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.carsonvheady.com/.

Sales Conversion: How to Increase and Conquer

How often have you heard it? “You need to close more sales.”

Unfortunately, unless you have a strong leader, that is where the conversation begins and ends. You need to close more, but I am not going to shed any light on how it’s done.

You have come to the right place.

To close more business, you have to ascertain why business is not being closed. Far too often, we hyperfocus on various parts of our pitch, we try harder during the close or get frustrated when we just cannot get over that customer objection. The truth is, no matter how good you are at the selling game, you will not close them all. But you close more if you can determine the hurdles and scale them.

Why are your customers not buying? What reasons are they giving you? Is there a particular part of the sales call or visit where it goes south? Or are you pretty much dispatched from the get-go?

These are vital questions when determining where to begin your process of increasing sales conversion. Truth is, no matter what line of work you are in from a sales vantage point, you will come across easier sales to close than others. Many sales gigs have that “low-hanging fruit” whereby the customer either initiated the purchase or it was a slam dunk. Let’s call it what it is: that’s not really sales.

If you are privy to such easy revenue, great; however it is what we do with the rest of our business that will determine our success.

Sales is a process; it starts with introductory statements and building the relationship, asking questions and uncovering, discovering and/or creating needs. You must show the customer why they need what you have. You must show the customer why what you have is better than what they are doing right now. You must show the customer the grass is greener on your side and that any cost on their part is justified because of the ensuing benefit.

So – where are you losing the customer? If they balk early, your focus needs to be on building the relationship and developing better reactions. If they balk after you have pitched, your focus needs to be on fine-tuning that pitch to address the customers’ needs and developing better reactions. If they balk after your attempt to overcome their objection(s), your focus needs to be on weaving in their own words that you hopefully uncovered to ice the deal and make it a no-brainer… and on developing better reactions.

Spend a day or week just jotting down the customer objections you are getting: when do they shut you down? What do they say when they shut you down? What are you saying (or not saying) to address their shutdown?

Remember: if at any time a customer objects or hesitates, it must be dealt with. They may voice their concern early, but if you do not hear it or fail to address it and move forward, your likelihood at failure on that sale is high. Do not let it be the elephant in the room; ensure at all times that your customer is listening, understanding and on the same page with you. No better way than using their own words to brandish your pitch and ice the deal.

Sales conversion is not about trying harder to close. Increasing sales conversion is about realizing and acknowledging where and why in the sales process you are losing the deal or the customer’s buy-in. Creating, practicing and executing on a more effective reaction and response to the objections you are getting will result in better conversion. You are already getting the “low-hanging fruit.” You are already closing the sales that rely mostly on your knowledge and know-how. The ones tripping you up are the ones that require a quicker, zippier, more effective reaction and response.

Uncover that reaction and response, perfect your usage and delivery of it, and results and compensation will follow.

Carson V. Heady has written a sales/motivation/success book unlike any other, entitled “Birth of a Salesman” that has a unique spin that shows you proven sales principles designed to birth in you the top producer you were born to be. It is a how-to sell/career advice book inside a novel about the fictional author who practices what he preaches.

If you would like to strengthen your sales skills, go to http://www.carsonvheady.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7574150

The State of the Union

I have to be inspired.

I like music and movies and the heightened feeling I get when one or the other drives me to want to give someone the same rush I just got from said medium.

The older we get and more experiences we have, the clearer things come into focus. Priorities, principles and perspectives. In youth, we never consider consequences or the perspectives of others nearly as much as we should but as we age, as relationships start, die, change and grow and as we chart our business and personal lives out, it is incredible the transformation that occurs within.

Growing up, I was very fortunate; I was blessed with a great family. I went to a good school, effortlessly got good grades and had good friends. Only child syndrome and driven by a desire to make my parents proud have caused me to stop at nothing to find success. But the definition of success keeps changing.

At 22 I moved away from my hometown and embarked on a workaholic career in sales that has netted money, awards, promotions, a book and a lot of highs and lows and pleasure and disappointments. At 34, I no longer have the invincibility; I tire, I wonder, I take breaks. Now I’m Daddy, working 70 hours a week and trying to juggle the world. I get writer’s block, I try to make time to work out and I feel far too often like I have no clue what’s next.

Recently, we saw the new Wizard of Oz film. The to-be-annointed Wiz states, “I don’t want to be a good man. I want to be a great man”; a sentiment that perfectly captures my conundrum. For the more we want out of life, the more life throws at us. Superheroes, Presidents, and even Rocky Balboa – they went through and go through hell to endure their “trials” and their tribulations, only to discover their powers and reach their apex. When will I reach mine? Or are my best days behind me?

Years ago, there was no stopping me. I had no limits – in anything; or, at least, that was my own perspective. I have been the golden boy, the guy who was guaranteed to be the CEO of the Fortune 7 company one day who was raking in the dough and throwing the money around stylishly. I’ve had my unfair fall from grace. And I’ve fought back. I’ve been naughty and I’ve been nice. I’ve liked and loved and given up and been burned and lost friends and lost money and hated and gone numb. And I have no doubt there are many adventures left. I just hope they lead to greatness. Carson V. Heady on the Independent ticket for President 2016 has a nice ring to it.

In Rocky III, after Mickey dies in the locker room and Rocky takes on Mr. T, there is a moment right before the punch that fells him for good in that fight when Rocky is just standing there….. waiting for the punch to knock him down. Oh, how I know now what that feels like. I have resurrected myself before and I am hesitantly optimistic on several fronts now, but it’s life: there are no guarantees other than change and uncertainty. Rocky stands there; almost wanting that punch to come so he has that out. The fight will be over. Sometimes I wonder if another knockdown punch will result in me accepting the ten-count.

There is a moment in the new 007 film Skyfall when the villain asks of an aged, jaded Bond, “Is there any of the old 007 left?” I’ve felt that recently, too. My cavalier, frolicking and 24/7 days are over, I don’t care about the things I once did and contemplative, reflective evenings of music and writing have long replaced carousing in clubs or chasing skirts and cocktails. And my passion for the selling game has changed dramatically as I have developed new passions that I want to prioritize.

I’m rambling, but these are the things on my mind. I’m at a crossroads. My deepest desires are on the cusp of becoming reality; if only I had the time to make them so! This year will see closure on the two greatest battles of my life, I know I have more books in me if only I had time to pen them…. and I pray to someday soon figure out what I’m going to do when I grow up.

Oh, wait.

The James Bond film rankings, according to Carson V. Heady

As a huge fan of all things 007 (except for the 1967 spoof spinoff), I feel it is my civic duty to rank them for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

From Russia With Love (1963)

Because there is truly never a dull moment from start to finish, it barely edges its predecessor Dr. No as the best James Bond movie ever. Amazing pre-titles sequence, tremendous story, another smoking-hot Bond girl, and Kerim Bey has got to be the coolest Bond sidekick/accomplice ever. Not only is this a more realistic Bond story, but the fact that Bond shows he can really fight is a nice boost as well. Flawless.

Dr. No (1962)

Connery is amazingly cool, witty, dry and in shape. This is a no-nonsense Bond and couldn’t be any better in any way. The line “That’s a Smith and Wesson, and you’ve had your six” is the one that made me fall in love with these movies oh, so many years ago. The fact that Ursula Andress is the hottest Bond girl ever doesn’t hurt, either. Jack Lord is also the only Felix Leiter in the same level of the stratosphere of cool as James Bond. 2nd to one.

Goldfinger (1964)

Essential for so many reasons; if someone is watching a Bond movie for the first time, this is probably the one to watch. Connery at the top of his game, amazing pre-titles sequence, a stellar golfing scene, and some of the most clever and classic iconic scenes in the 007 franchise. The Aston Martin. OddJob. Shirley Bassey. A smoking hot babe covered in gold paint. Bond Heaven.

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1967)

A faithful adaptation and the book and a smooth transition from Connery to Lazenby, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is one of the best – probably only behind Goldfinger because Connery was in Goldfinger. Lazenby is witty and entertaining, and his relationship with the wounded bird Tracy is what keeps this story pumping. The movie is long but does not slow down. The plot is a little different, but hey – it came from the book. A tragic ending that not only molds the character of James Bond forever but is referenced numerous times going forward. A masterpiece.

Casino Royale (2006)

When word first came that the franchise was going to be rebooted like the Batman series with a blond Bond, I couldn’t have been more skeptical. However, the opening sequence got me hook, line and sinker and the movie is an absolute masterpiece. This is one of those movies that is for fans of movies, not just for fans of 007. Now that I have seen what this movie did for the franchise, it’s clear that the right thing was done. Sometimes you have to trust the caretakers of something to take care of it. In no other movie could 45-minutes of card-playing be entertaining and exciting. Daniel Craig is a cold-blooded, ruthless killer and is not a prettyboy; making him more of Ian Fleming’s Bond than some of the others. He is second to one.

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

This movie certainly proves that Ringo Starr (Mr. Barbara Bach) is a very lucky man. Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does It Better” is the 2nd best Bond song ever created and, if I ever choose to marry, it is my lifelong dream to have it sung to me at the reception. Roger Moore is more Live and Let Die here than the goof that he was in The Man With the Golden Gun and the ones to follow. It jumped the shark a bit but was his best outing, slightly edging For Your Eyes Only because it has so many staples of the series. And Jaws is still my favorite villain of the series.

GoldenEye (1995)

Enter Pierce Brosnan. His first outing is his best – he’s smooth, not afraid to kill, has pithy comments galore, and the first hour is such vintage 007 transformed to modern day that it is uncanny: the car chase, the casino, the interaction with M. All priceless. This movie resuscitated James Bond after a 6-year absence and made him relevant again, if you believe he ever left. This one truly has it all. The Eric Serra music is pretty lousy but aside from that, this one is tough to beat. Add in the gorgeous baby blue BMW and the exchange, “How can you act like this? How can you be so cold?” “It’s what keeps me alive” and you’ve got yourself a true winner.

Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)

Pierce’s second outing is nearly as strong as the first. David Arnold does a great score for this movie, the intro is wildly entertaining and thrusts us straight into the action, and scenes like the indestructible BMW, remote-controlling the BMW, the exchange with Dr. Kaufman, and the literal barrage of witty one-liners make this one a keeper. It only loses a step from GoldenEye because of some of the slow Wai Lin scenes – the second hour is nowhere near as powerful as the first. The plot and the villain are interesting and Pierce is on top of his game.

For Your Eyes Only (1981)

This movie sees the demise of Blofeld, Bond cool again in the wake of the awful Moonraker, and some great scenes like 007 knocking baddies into the hockey net of the ice rink and him uttering, “Send them to the funeral” regarding the lilies he orders just prior to dispatching some motorcycle-riding henchmen. There really are no slow parts to this movie – it returns triumphantly to the basics of Bond that make him worth watching. Good, realistic plot, entertaining sequences and it also has Topol; what more can you ask for?

Licence to Kill (1989)

Those who try to pin the near-death and 6-year absence of the franchise that was to ensue on Dalton or Licence’s shoulders needs to take a second look. Bond was having an identity crisis. The series went cold turkey from a pretty boy with quips who never killed anybody to a killer who wasn’t pretty and wasn’t funny in the eighties when everything was lighthearted and campy. Personally, I love this movie. Sanchez is a great villain, Q gets a much-deserved and entertaining expanded role, the plot is solid, Bond goes rogue, it references his lost wife Tracy, the ending is amazing, Talisa Soto is hot, there is brutality, there is card playing, and the line, “Then I guess it’s…a farewell to arms” (delivered to M in the Hemingway House no less) is one of the best in the entire series. This movie even has Benicio Del Toro and Wayne Newton, for crying out loud! “Bless your hearts.” Great flick.

Live and Let Die (1971)

Featuring the third different actor as 007 in three movies would sound like a gamble, especially following Connery, but this movie delivers. It is Roger Moore being funny but not over the top, Jane Seymour as one of the sexiest Bond girls ever, a good plot, and the absolute best theme song ever: the song of the same name by Paul McCartney and Wings. Roger Moore goes on to take Bond in the wrong direction as more of a clown (literally in Octopussy, sadly enough!) but this movie is just flat out cool.

Thunderball (1965)

Thunderball continues the unfolding of Ernst Stavro Blofeld’s SPECTRE organization and its most entertaining part is when Bond antagonizes #2 Emilio Largo with his mocking use of the word “specter”. Domino is one of the most amazing Bond girls yet and this movie has it all: Connery being cool, gadgets, fast cars, hot women and a good story. The detractor: too much underwater stuff.

Quantum of Solace (2008)

Literally picking up as the next scene following the end of Casino Royale, this flick follows Bond hell-bent on revenge and not caring who he kills. All of the changes that were made to the overall series in Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace make sense after seeing both from start to finish. The villain Greene is uninteresting, the plot is not the greatest, but if you want to see James Bond as a brute murdering machine, this is the flick to watch. Pretty much action from start to finish and it ties up the previous film’s loose ends well.

You Only Live Twice (1966)

It gives a face to Blofeld, has some entertaining lines, and some typical cool Bond moments, but the corny outer space stuff, Bond becoming Japanese, and some slow sequences push this back a little in the fold. Still: it’s Connery, and that makes this better than many Bond movies that are to come. Frankly, the fact that it is Connery is the only reason that it’s this high on the list.

The Living Daylights (1987)

This is probably the mid-point of all of the Bond movies because it’s not great but it’s not bad. Timothy Dalton debuts without a whole lot of bombast and he does not visibly bed any beauties (we can only assume he bunks down with the main Bond girl and the pre-titles girl), but he puts an end to the corniness of the Roger Moore era and finally lights up a cigarette for the first time since the sixties. The plot is plausible and the movie is watchable all the way through – the shooting of Pushkin is the high point. A decent effort…though Dalton is not funny.

Octopussy (1983)

Truly, the bulk of the first hour of this movie is pretty entertaining: Bond at the auction, seducing the female baddie, the whole Property of a Lady storyline with the antique egg, the game of dice, and some witty one-liners make for a fun first half. Sadly, the second half falls apart. The absolutely shameful Tarzan reference signals the beginning of the end. James Bond in a clown suit? Makes me want to scream.

Diamonds Are Forever (1969)

The way this started out and could have headed was pretty promising: 007 pissed off and hell-bent on making Blofeld pay for murdering his wife, and featuring the return of superstud Sean Connery. Instead, it took cornball twists, had an out-of-shape Connery, really bad plot, an unimpressive Bond girl and Jimmy Dean the Sausage King (in an albeit funny role). This movie is pretty horrible and is definitely the worst MGM-sanctioned Connery flick. The pre-titles sequence is first rate. The rest of the picture is far from great.

Die Another Day (2002)

While the pre-titles sequence is fairly good and a select few of the plot devices are mildly entertaining, this movie overall is pretty bad. Madonna? An ice palace? Gene therapy-mutated villains? A diamonds-powered weapon designed to blow up South Korea? Bond surfing with remaining scraps of a plane? An invisible car? Madonna? The movie itself was bad enough but the end was even more horrible. Even the one-liners have become stale. It is relatively fun to point out the references to each and every Bond movie prior, but the bad outweighs the good on this one. It made a ton of money, but it really ran the gamut and, after this, a reboot was needed.

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Denise Richards as a nuclear physicist? That pretty much sums it up. The pre-titles sequence is fine – Bond kicking butt in a Swiss bank over the death of an MI6 agent and falling off an exploding hot air balloon onto the Millennium Dome after a high-speed boat chase. Unfortunately, the villain is very boring and, while Robbie Coltrane makes another good performance as Zukovsky, there isn’t enough good in this movie to outweigh the bad. There are some terrible lines – the script is in bad shape. Sadly, this would also be the last appearance of Desmond Lleweyln as Q.

From A View to a Kill (1985)

Honestly, how realistic is it that the head of MI6, his secretary, the quartermaster of all technological exploits and the top field agent would ALL take the morning off to go to a horse race just to scope out the head of a corporation that the Brits suspect MIGHT have something to do with a death of one of their agents? The Beach Boys reference in the pre-titles sequence is shameful, Roger Moore is old, but there are a few bright spots: horse racing is cool, Christopher Walken is somewhat entertaining, and this is the end of the cheese: Roger Moore’s final movie in the 007 franchise. Duran Duran’s theme song can’t save this stinker.

Never Say Never Again (1983)

Okay, here’s the skinny: Moore is less, so seeing Connery again after all of the cheese is a nice change of pace. However, the fact that they expect us to believe that every woman in the world still turns their head to adore when an out-of-shape 50+ year old 007 walks around is a little much. It’s good to see the best Bond one last time, but a video game contest with the nemesis? The cornball Fatima Blush wanting Bond to sign something saying she was the best lover he ever had? Kim Basinger looks good, but everything else about this stinker is very, very bad. The guy that played Brad in super-turd Superman III is in familiar territory – this movie is almost THAT horrible! It may be an unofficial Bond, but it officially sucks.

The Man With the Golden Gun (1974)

In a word: cheesy. Few redeeming qualities exist in this hokey departure from the norm, which was to become the norm in the Roger Moore era. The concept of an assassin using a golden gun and a duel of two great marksmen was lost amidst the cheesy use of “Fantasy Island”’s half-sized Tattoo, half-wit banter and a half-baked plot. I mean, seriously, what is the point of this movie? Christopher Lee is cool; but the plot is that his lover wants him dead so she makes MI6 think that Bond is his next target so he will come after him and kill him in his funhouse? Ridiculous and forgettable.

Moonraker (1979)

Due to the success of Star Wars, this space-based flick was bumped up in the stead of For Your Eyes Only. Bad move. This whole movie was a bad move. Don’t get me wrong: the pre-titles sequence is entertaining: Bond somersaulting in mid-air, freefalling with a baddie while haggling over a parachute – then followed by Jaws. After the Shirley Bassey tune sounds the opening, the movie goes downhill and never recuperates. Awful, awful, awful. The Romeo and Juliet theme celebrating Jaws finding love? The Magnificent Seven reference? The Close Encounters reference? A plot about expunging Earth’s population only to replenish with a new breed of superior genetically engineered humans? Those God-awful special effects and laser blasts in space? Please. A new low that is so bad it makes Star Trek I look like Citizen Kane.