The Cat's Meow, er, Poop

Frustrated with his job search, a gentleman from St. Louis sent bundles of cat droppings to each of those companies who rejected him.  (Article link here:  http://bit.ly/1dHTRvQ).  Aside from the obvious repercussions including two years’ probation, this job seeker will forever be known as the cat-poop guy.  

How does that increase his chances of landing a new job now?

I have a couple of thoughts regarding these antics. First, if he channeled that ‘creative’ energy into his cover letters, or his interviews, could the outcome have been different?  When recruiters google his name (and they will), this article will appear, and he more than likely won’t get a phone call.  Such a shame, too, since at least twenty companies saw value in his resume AND presumably the phone call, enough to warrant a face to face interview.  Better directing his energies could have changed this outcome.

Second, what he did was illegal, as demonstrated by receiving the probation time. His antics (I’m calling them antics, because they were, in fact, childish) reached several people, not just the intended targets, including but not limited to postal workers, receptionists, office workers, other peoples’ mail, etc.  So, multiply the twenty companies he sent these ‘packages’ to by at least four and now you’re reaching eighty people.  That’s a lot of people to piss off because you didn’t think before you acted.  I wonder if there will be any additional charges brought against him by those ‘victimless’ victims?

Third, as one commenter pointed out, ‘Why involve the cat?’.  I get this comment was made tongue in cheek, but I think the bigger question is, what led him to think any of this was OK?!

I understand the frustration in the job search.  I understand the frustration with not receiving return calls from recruiters. I understand unemployment benefits being cut.  I get all of that, and I know it’s hard out there.  I beg, however, job seekers to think about what they are doing before they do it.  Send a nasty email to the recruiter?  Do you think that will actually help your chances?  No, you just burned that bridge.  Try to negotiate after the fact?  No, you should have thoroughly discussed compensation packages BEFORE the offer is made.  Any negotiating after the fact may result in you being unconsidered for the position.  Go behind the back of the recruiter?  Why on earth would you do this?!  They are your ally.  Use them as a resource, but don’t go behind their backs.  All of those ‘antics’ could knock you out of the running.  All of those ‘antics’ are bad.

Leverage your resources and develop relationships.  THIS will help in your job search. Don’t burn bridges, and for Pete’s sake, don’t send cat poop through the mail. 

Able, Willing AND Available

The first time I found myself in a position to file for unemployment was a real humble moment.  I had been ‘downsized’ from a company that said they were closing their doors.  I called my dad as I left the office that final day and was sobbing as I told him I was ‘fired’.  I’m putting those words in quotes, because depending on my mood, I tend to tell the story a little differently. 

Being downsized implies the workload decreased and/or my position had become redundant.  Being fired implies I did something wrong.  Anytime we are let go from a position we can’t help but wonder why, and if we did something wrong.  For purposes of this story, however, I’m going to vary between both as it is relevant. 

As I was on the phone with my dad, he said the first thing I should do was file for unemployment.  I became indignant and said no way was I going to file, I am fully capable of working and if this company couldn’t see that (fired) I would find someone who would!  My dad helped level set me by explaining that I did nothing wrong (downsized) and that until I find another position I was fully able to file for, and collect unemployment (downsized), unless my actions caused my termination (fired).  Since I was in fact downsized, I went ahead and filed for unemployment.

Every time I called in to collect they asked if I had been able, willing and available to work full time those previous two weeks.  Every time, I answered yes.

This scenario brings me to a point that I see becoming more and more prevalent:  people filing for and collecting unemployment while not actively looking for work.  I have heard everything from “I’m in school and this helps pay my bills” to “I have (however much) left on unemployment so I’m not in a rush to find something”.  Regardless of their ‘reason’ (c’mon, these are all excuses for not working), the bottom line is they are able, but NOT willing or available for full time work.  Therefore, they should be disqualified for unemployment.  I would hate for the benefits to go away for those who truly need them, versus those who aren’t working and actually choose not to.

If the state had other controls in place to prevent taking advantage of the system, I wonder what the unemployment rates would look like.  I wonder if those going to school, or waiting until their unemployment ran out, would actually find work that would suit their schedules/needs.  I see ‘help wanted’ signs all over town.  It’s hard to walk past a restaurant that doesn’t have one hanging in the window.  It may not be your ideal job, I get that, but it’s honest work for honest money. 

What these people are doing is wrong. The laws dictate you MUST be able, willing and available for full time work to collect unemployment wages. 

If this post upsets you, please note that it should.

Helicopter Parents Need to Fly On Outta Here!

Every once in a while I receive an email from a parent forwarding their (adult) child’s resume.  While I can appreciate your wanting to help them, it’s best to just hand over the recruiters’ contact info and have them contact the recruiter directly.  Be sure you have them mention you in their email, especially since you are the one with the relationship with the recruiter.  On second thought, if you don’t have a relationship with that recruiter, WHY are you forwarding their resume in the first place!?

I’m getting ahead of myself.  It’s nice to want to help your children, but there comes a point when they need to help themselves.  Give them the contact info and let it go.  Don’t check in with the recruiter to see if your child followed up.  And certainly don’t try to sell your child to the recruiter.  As much as you love your child, please let HIM/HER introduce themselves!

Making connections and tapping contacts are an important part of growing your business, your sphere of influence, if you will.  By all means, do it.  But don’t do it FOR someone else.  You worked hard for those connections and you learned a lot along the way.  Let your kids put forth the same efforts.  If you don’t, you’re robbing them of some very valuable life lessons.

Is Blogging the new Black?

Blogging seems to go with everything these days!  Like quilting?  Start a blog?  Love a recipe?  Blog about it?  Run the operations side of a search firm?  Blog it, baby!

The problem comes in that you have to keep blogging.  Social media experts aren’t very forgiving when you don’t blog often.  Blog now and blog often.  Check your spelling and grammar, too, though, those can turn people off quicker than wearing white after Thanksgiving.

Be sure to get your sayings straight, too.  Otherwise you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about.  We turn to bloggers for expert info, don’t we? 

Blogging goes with everything.  Staying current with your blog makes a huge difference.  Be relevant is important, too.  Maintaining credibility with your audience is critical.  Being true to your self is imperative.

Stay golden, Pony Boy.  Remember, nobody puts Baby in the corner.  

It Just Wasn't a Good Fit (Follow up from yesterday's post)

Following up on the previous blog regarding the candidate who kept saying ‘It wasn’t a good fit’:  After several attempts, days in between conversations, and my sharing with him my concern for him not being able to articulate WHY he left, he finally shared with me his story. 

After he was terminated (previously, he had not answered the question as to whether he was terminated or he quit) he went to HR and asked what went wrong.  He said he had never been terminated before and was quite embarrassed about it.  HR said, ‘We are sorry it didn’t work out, you can simply say it wasn’t a good fit’.  Since he had never been in this situation before, he felt that per the direction of HR, this response would suffice.

Something that he had never thought about was that HR could have been walking a thin line from a legal standpoint if they told him any different.  I explained that HR no longer ‘supported’ him as he is now an ex-employee.  Their loyalty (and legal standing) is with the company, not the former employee, which is what he is now.  Their answer suited their needs, not his.

Once he understood this, he opened up about what happened.  As much as I was looking for a story that could possibly become the next great American Novel, his story was quite simple:  He made a mistake on a report that had consequences.  Interestingly, it sounded like the owner/HR took little to no responsibility in the training process for a relatively new employee, etc., but instead, made a quick decision to terminate the employee.   

While it is a blow to the ego, and goes down in the ‘fired’ category, it’s not the end of the world.  For a company who has a strong training program in place, this would not be viewed as a deal breaker.  It could definitely be looked at as a training opportunity (Do we have measures in place to fully train new employees?  Do we have a check and balance procedure in place for new employees?  Are documents reviewed for accuracy before being distributed?).

Now that we understand the situation, we can work on how we are going to communicate that going forward.  We can form an articulate response to the question, ‘Why did you leave?’.   For the record, flailing arms still scare me.  

Communication, Articulation and Gesticulation

Shortly after reading an article about ‘telling your story’ in an interview, I had the opportunity to meet with a candidate for a high level position. During our conversation I asked why he left his previous position. He smiled and politely replied, ‘It just wasn’t a good fit’. That is such a pat answer, and albeit a safe one, it tells me nothing. What wasn’t a good fit? The responsibilities? The direction of the company? What?! Too many unanswered questions, so I asked a little differently.

‘What wasn’t a good fit?’ His response? It just wasn’t a good fit. Now, to put things in perspective, I’m not being nosy or judgmental on whatever happened (unless it was theft, intimidation, violence, or any other illegal act), but communicating with me the ‘why’ can help possibly prevent you ending up in the same/similar position. So, I ask again.

‘Why do YOU think it wasn’t a good fit?’ The response: ‘I liked it there, but it just wasn’t a good fit.’ So, now I am wondering WHAT HAPPENED that you are SO reluctant to discuss with me. My mind is reeling with different scenarios, which is never a good thing. If someone at this level cannot articulate their own thoughts, I have to question their ability to perform at said level. I’m not asking to breech any confidences, betray any trusts or talk bad about your former employer, but instead I’m asking YOU why YOU thought it wasn’t a good fit.

 Telling your story can be a powerful tool. Communication your story gives great insight to the things that are important to you and indicators regarding your strengths and desires in your role. Not being able to articulate your story prevents recruiters/hiring managers from knowing what truly motivates you to succeed. In order to be in a role where you are set up to succeed is a much better place than the alternative.

I love a good story. It really helps me figure out the right environment for you. Share with me who you are and what you are all about. Let me see the real you. But please, don’t go overboard on the gesticulation. Too much animation may scare me.

There is a PS to this story, and it will be in the next blog….

The Counter Offer and Other Acts of Desperation

At one time or another, we’ve all heard stories about that dreaded counter offer. We’ve either worked next to the guy who stayed because he received a hefty pay increase or we’ve had to pick up the slack for the gal who laughed at their attempt to keep her and left for the new, immensely more glamorous, position. Even though these things are supposed to be confidential, word always gets out.

On one hand you have the employees who are beside themselves for not thinking of it first, but on the other, and probably the most detrimental, you have employees who see it for what it is: an act of desperation. Your weakness. You’ve tipped your hand that at the moment, you feel said employee is worth more than the rest, or at least that’s the message you’re sending. Truth? Does it matter? If perception really is reality, then we now have a problem on our hands.

The Counter Offer isn’t the only way companies scream desperation to their employees. The company who throws money at new hires? What’s that all about? If the economy supports a certain pay range for your position and a company throws money at you (in other words, it means hiring you in at a significantly higher salary then you are currently making), be sure to ask yourself the tough questions. Am I really worth this to them? What do I bring to the table that they SO want? Why is this position paying so much higher than my current one? Is this company successful? Why is this position open? And taking it further…..what is going on with this company that they need to pay SO much more for this position? It’s a desperate attempt to hire employees without examining, or revealing the issue or cause for concern.

The stories we hear around this topic can be heartbreaking. I remember one employee who was approached by a competitor and lured with promise of a pay increase of $7/hr. That’s almost a $15k annual increase. She had done nothing to warrant that increase (no further education/masters degree, management role, etc.) and looked it as a lucky break. I encouraged her to dig deeper, make sure the offer was a good one since her current position afforded her husband to stay home with the kids and paid for their medical benefits in their entirety, as well as flexibility and overtime pay. She chose to stay in her current role and three months later she read in the news that the company who tried to hire her was closing up shop and moving their facility to Tennessee. She chose wisely.

When companies honestly communicate their situation and their intentions during the interview or recruiting process, the fallout will be reduced dramatically. More than likely, the companies will end up hiring like minded individuals who just may even be able to help turn things around. I would much rather discuss the position for what it really is and not in a sugar coated, hope-they-don’t-figure-it-out sort of way. When you do the right thing in communicating your intentions, the right results will follow. Your employees, clients, and competitors will see you as a solid entity, and not as someone acting out of desperation.

A great vantage point, if you ask me.

Survivors’ Guilt or Bad Business Decision?

SCENARIO: You own a business and are doing fairly well. Your friends know you are doing well, since you regularly pick up the tab when you all go out for drinks after work. One of these friends has had trouble getting a job and comes to you asking for one. You hire your friend for a sales position, knowing that there is one glaring reason that you shouldn’t have. Survivors’ guilt or bad business decision? Read on….

BACKGROUND: On the surface it seems that hiring friends might be the issue, but it’s not. There is much more to the story and as an employer, it’s up to us to do our due diligence and make sure our hiring is done with ethics and integrity in mind. The back story to this hypothetical situation is this: your friend has two DUI’s and has actually spent time in jail for these offenses. Fortunately no one was injured, but the offenses are still pretty serious. And, your friend lost their license, so you now have a sales person, in a position where they must drive to locations, driving with no valid license, AND YOU KNOW ABOUT IT.

So the question is, is it survivors’ guilt, since you have a position, and have the ability to hire your friend, or is an act of arrogance and a really bad business decision? I’m not a lawyer, nor to do I play one on TV, but I would think that there is some sort of liability as an employer, having an employee with no valid license (in a position where they have to drive) due to two DUI’s, AND YOU KNOW ABOUT IT. So, you have knowingly put someone in a position of further trouble, and have probably taken on some risk as well.

What about the clients you are sending this person to? What happens when they find out? Does that damage your reputation or increase your sense of compassion in their eyes? Will they see it as survivors’ guilt or a really bad business decision?

Regardless of friendship, I would think doing the right thing would take precedence. And by doing the right thing, I mean obeying certain laws and protocols. Hiring someone for a position which they are unable to perform FOR LEGAL REASONS seems a bit like arrogance to me. Unless they take the bus to appointments. THAT would be legal. Good thing this is a hypothetical scenario. I’d hate to be the employer in this situation.

You decide…Survivors guilt or really bad business decision?

Too much is really too much

A friend was recently telling me how cumbersome it was to apply to some positions on bigger companies’ online portals. There is so much information you have to enter over and over again, the same information in so many different places, etc. It is really time consuming, and that’s just for one position! If there is more than one of interest in that company, you have to enter the information all over again!

Really? Was it really that bad? So, I took a look. I went to a really large company headquartered here in Southfield (many of us have had to deal with their customer service department at one time or another) to look at their submittal process. First things first, I set out to find a position that would interest me.

Narrowing down the selection started off my conundrum. There are a couple of local offices, which one do I want? More than one? Does that increase my chances of being hired? OK, let’s search under all of the local offices…..

Next, which category? Hmmm, most of my background is in HR/Operations, but to not limit my options, let’s just go with all. Wouldn’t that be easier than trying to figure out which is the right category? So many companies have differing titles for the same position, I don’t know which way to go here. I’ll just do all of them.

Excellent. Narrowed it down to 35 openings. Wow, that’s a lot. More than I thought there would be! Scrolling…..don’t understand what those first two titles even mean, so scrolling…..scrolling….oh, there’s one that looks like it might be HR! Nope, some sort of legal compliance and I’m not an attorney, so scrolling.…scrolling…..

Another one that looks like it might be HR. I pull up the job description and read through. Well, at least as much as I can. Honestly, I don’t understand much of what they are asking me. I am not sure if I have that experience, since I don’t really know what it is. Bummer. Maybe I don’t have the experience I thought I did. Wow, that’s really a bummer. All these years in staffing and I don’t know what that stuff means. How disheartening.

So, back to scrolling……faster this time, since I’m pretty sure I won’t understand what those other openings are either.

Done. How disappointing. Out of 35 positions, I don’t think I’m qualified for one of them. And I didn’t even get to the submittal part! How frustrating. There is a small amount of relief that I already have a job, and one that I love, but still. What if I didn’t? What if my unemployment was running out and I had to go through this every day? Tough, tough gig at this point.

My reaction will definitely be different when someone says they have been applying on line for positions. My sympathies, for sure. Fingers crossed, you have all the key words you need in your resume if you do understand the job description. Oh dear, the resume………

Slow Down, You Moved Too Fast......

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news/local/man-gets-tangled-up-in-new-hire-mix-up-20110901-wpms

The attached article will no doubt strike a chord with many. The excitement of the hiring manager’s voice when they pick up our phone call…the adrenaline when they say they got the job…and the disappointment of being told they don’t like us anymore. All these are too familiar a feeling when we are in the job market.

I said I have very strong feelings about this article (please read if you haven’t already since I’ll probably address it more than once!), and I do. I was really intrigued as to the big ‘mix up’, and then really disappointed to learn it was just because the manager thought he was someone else.

Wait…what?! The manager thought he was someone else?!?

Ok, Mr. Manager, I have a concern here. Several, actually. You answer the phone and a couple of things can happen at this point: you recognize the voice of the person you are talking to since you developed some sort of rapport when he interviewed with you; you ask for clarification or spelling of the last name to be sure you were talking to the right person (you said there were three applications in front of you, all with similar names); or you say you will get back to them, when you have a minute to talk, thereby controlling the situation and making sure you are doing the right thing.

So let’s start with the first point: you recognize the voice since you developed a rapport during the interview. Oh, you didn’t interview them in person? You were just hiring off the resume? Oh dear, that is a problem. So you had no idea who you were really talking to, and for a server in a restaurant you really should. As a matter of fact, when you interview a candidate and you love them for the job, you should have just offered it to them on the spot! That would have made for an awesome story for FOX 2 to pick up!

On the second point, you ask for clarification of the last name since you had multiple applications with similar last names. The only thing I could offer to you here is to pay closer attention to detail on this one. It IS a major screw up. I’ll bet if that was one of your servers making this sort of an error, they’d have heard about it, and not been allowed to offer an ‘opps’ as the response.
Behind door number three? Taking control of the situation and calling the candidate back. This would definitely have been my choice. It would have been controlled, exact, communicated clearly and correctly and executed with finesse and a level of respect.

The article in itself is a bummer for the guy. He quit a job he already had to take this one and he’s left out on the street, figuratively speaking. It wasn’t his fault the manager made a rash decision, but he’s paying the price for it. It would have been nice for the manager to hire him anyway, or to throw him a bone on another possible position, or even made a call to the former employer. Any one of those things would have been a nice thing to do.

The bigger picture problem here that I have is with the way the whole thing came down. A hiring manager should ALWAYS know who he’s making an offer to! I realize that sounds silly, but that’s exactly what happened here. Managers, or anyone in position with hiring authority, should always be in control of the situation. Phone calls should be made within the privacy of their office (where it is quiet and well, private!). Offers of work, regardless of the role, should be done with a level of professionalism. Only their application, or resume, should be in front of the hiring manager. There shouldn’t still be a stack at this point, unless you have multiple, yet identical, openings. There should be some amount of small talk with the candidate, perhaps enough to authenticate the identity of the person you’re speaking with, if necessary! None of these things should be exempt from the hiring process. Shame on those who make hiring decisions without going through their own version of the ‘triple lock down’. My fellow recruiters will know that, for certain, and probably grimaced when they read that. Duh, triple lock down, dude!

I wish anyone who ever hires had to be trained, or certified, in the process. Not just the ‘legal’ side, but the ‘human’ side, too. It’s not a skill set that is intrinsic for everyone. For most, it’s learned. For some, it’s a talent. For this restaurant manager, it was a tough lesson learned. Hopefully. For the next guys’ sake.

Down But Not Out

Reading through Yahoo news this morning, I came across an article, and subsequent link, to this: Down But Not Out: http://downbutnotoutletters.tumblr.com/

It is a compilation of stories (in their own words) of those who have been unemployed for an extended period of time and what it means to them; short and long term effects.

Curiosity got the better of me and I started to read through the individual stories. Once I started, I couldn't stop. Each and every story is one I've heard before; no one story stood out from the others. Not to diminish their situations, it is just that none was unique. I'm not sure what I was looking for, maybe at least one story to say, "See, you could have done something different to change the outcome!", but I never found one. Each of these letters came from someone who wanted to work, and could work, but for reasons beyond their control, weren't doing so.

Instead, what I found were some very cold employers, a market that is severly disabled due to work going overseas, negative stereotypes of people who have been unemployed and a large section of corporate America who is not willing, for whatever reason, to help out those who are trying to do the right thing (mortgage modification, benefit plan adjustments, affording day care to continue to work, etc.).

Another similarity among the stories were the suggestions made by each and every person that were very valid. There is a big difference between a program working 'on paper' and how it works in real life. If these suggestions were made to those doing the hiring, creating and executing programs, foreclosing on homes, etc., we may come to some sort of agreement and be able to help some of these people get back to work.

For any employer reading this, please don't overlook someone who has been unemployed/underemployed at any point over the past 4 or so years. In most cases it was due to some sort of downsizing, layoff, change in ownership or outsourcing. There are some very good, qualified individuals available but we are overlooking them due to our own preconceived ideas of what constitutes a 'good' employee.

So, recruiters and hiring managers everywhere, please do your part to help out. Please give feedback as often as you can to candidates who you have interviewed but didn't receive an offer from you. Please let them know if there is anything they can do next time. Education, age, drive distance, etc, are all poor reasons for not hiring someone. Take a look at their skills and their personalities. Hire people who are qualified and will fit into your company. THESE are the people who will be your most dedicated employees. THESE are the people who aren't going to come to you telling you they are going to quit unless you come up with a counteroffer. THESE are the people who will make sure your clients/customers are taken care of on your behalf. THESE are the people who truly understand the value of the job and will work extra hard to stay employed. THESE are the people on which you can grow and thrive in your business.

You know you will be able to count on them. After all, they are "Down But Not Out".

Wait, what?! Did I read that right?!

Please read this article before you read this blog post…..
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43655299/ns/business-personal_finance/

OK, deep breath….First, I’d like to clarify what I just read….a CEO in New Zealand thinks that ‘menstruation makes women less productive in the workplace than men”. AND, he’s the CEO of New Zealand’s Employers and Manufacturers Association?

So, let me back up for a second. This man, Alasdair Thompson has probably picked up a plethora of tidbits throughout his career, including workplace trending and patterns, issues, concerns, and many more. He must have some sort of insight into the behaviors within the work place, right?

Mr. Thompson asserts that women earn less because ‘once a month they have sick problems’ and that women take time off to go home to look after their children. Wow. Not sure what to say about all that. Actually, he’s right in part. Women do go home to look after their children when necessary. And most have a monthly cycle (I am certainly not going to assert that they miss work due to it, heck, dare I suggest we are more productive and make quicker decisions then?). But to equate that with earning less because of it? No way, buddy.

Interestingly, he also says that women take the most ‘sick time’; presumably to care for their family. I have a suggestion for Mr. Thompson……maybe you should take a look at the amount of time men take off for things like golf weekends, or sporting events, or hunting/fishing trips, or ‘guy’ weekends, or because the fantasy football draft will take hours and they need to get started at 3:00, or to BABYSIT their kids because the wife is gone. Oh dear….please don’t get me started.

I’m not picking on the men, mind you. I just wanted to suggest that the ‘time off’ scale would be equal, if not swayed the other way, if we include ALL time off, not just ‘sick time’. Regardless, as is stated in the last line of the article, that organization needed to take action to ensure ‘businesses understand discrimination is not in their interests and needed to be addressed.”

Mr. Thompson was subsequently fired from his position. His company was right to fire him. I just hope it wasn’t too late; the damage may have already been done.

Afterthought......In irony of ironies, what if his new boss is a woman? Would his biases come into play here? More misconceptions, maybe? Demi Moore in Disclosure, perhaps? As long as it’s not Michael Douglas in Falling Down, I think we’re OK.

Exactly how far away is New Zealand, anyway?

Asking for Help

Now, more than ever, is the time to ask for help in your job search. Whether it be about your resume, the interview or how to network your way in to the perfect position; go for it, ask the question, ask for help.

Before you do that, however, I caution you: Be open to the responses.

Just a couple of weeks ago a candidate who contacted me directly had asked for feedback on her resume. I asked her if she had specific questions that I could address or just my impressions in general. “In general” she said, so off I went.

My first response was the Objective didn’t give me any additional or new information, so delete it. It’s not necessary if it offers nothing of value. Her response was that she read about it online and was keeping it.

My second response was to create a heading for “Volunteer Work” to clarify which positions were volunteer and which ones were for pay. The response was that it was obvious which positions were volunteer positions since they were all located in the same city where she lived. I’m sorry, I missed the connection. As a recruiter or hiring manager, how would I know that was volunteer work? Never before in my career have I come across this theory. I’ll have to think about this one.

Wearily, I ventured in to my third thought. Since the most recent experience was all volunteer (and not directly related to the overall career goals), let’s put the Education section first and highlight the Masters level degree obtained in the desired field. This will draw attention to the degree and bring into focus the scope of her education and how it will relate to the positions she’s interested. Back to the online article she read: the Education section should always be last on the resume, right above ‘References will be Provided Upon Request”.

After a long, really long, pause in which my jaw was slightly dropped, I asked her if there was anything else I could do to help her out. “Resume aside”, she said, “I just don’t know why no one will hire me”.

Hmmm. Me either.

Relatively Relative

Big article this morning on Yahoo about President Obama being related to Sarah Palin. Really?! Apparently so. They traced it back to a 17th century gentleman, John Smith, I believe (because there was only ONE John Smith back then).

Is this really a big deal? I am a little surprised I even took the time to read that article. I'll never get those 30 seconds back. Why the cynicism, you ask?

Does it really matter that Obama and Palin are reported to be 10th cousins? Or that Obama is related to Brad Pitt (wait, Brad Pitt?!?)? Or that former President Bush is realted to both Obama and Palin? Oh, the horror!! In my opinion, there is nothing of value in reporting that information. There is no value in looking for that information! What will we do with it once we have it? Nothing.

Except write an article and hope it ends up in some random blog somewhere where it can live in cyberspace infamy.

Now, back to Brad Pitt's family tree.....

The Price of Halloween

According to this article on www.msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39346852/ns/business-retail/), Americans will spend an estimated $5.8 billion on Halloween this year. The National Retail Federation indicates that people are going to spend about 18% more on Halloween this year than last, totaling about $66 per person. The break out is approximately $24 for a costume, $20 on candy and $20 on decorations.

Are you kidding me?! $20 on candy?! $20 on decorations?! And PAYING for a costume?!

When we were kids, we always dressed up as gypsies: pulled out the ‘dress clothes’, put on an old wig, lots of costume jewelry and a fancy scarf, and have big red rosy cheeks. Even my brother. Cutest little gypsy ever! Every once in a while, one of us was allowed to wear something that made us look like a pirate. Or a gypsy pirate, really. Candy? Big bag of suckers. Since we didn’t like suckers, every last one got handed out. And decorations? Decorations were simply the already-fallen leaves in the yard and carved pumpkins; nothing more, nothing less. Oh, and flashlights. Back then, that was plenty!

So what happened? When did this change? I’m not going to get into consumerism and how that’s changed over the years, blah, blah, blah. I think the focus is more about losing perspective. Wasn’t Halloween supposed to be a time for the kids to play dress up and hang out on a school night collecting candy that we would not normally ever let them eat? And didn’t the parents walk in groups themselves? Warm drink in hand; far enough away to let the kids have fun but close enough to comfort them when they tripped and fell.

The past couple of years have taught us a lot about scaling back, minimizing and becoming good neighbors again. We’ve been working on putting things back into perspective. We’re getting there; slowly but surely, we’ll get there.

This year, I think we’ll be gypsies and hand out suckers. Yea, that sounds good.

Are White Lies OK?

We were told Santa Claus existed. We were told the Easter Bunny existed. We were told our dog went to live on a ‘farm’ where he would be happier. And we believed them, unquestioningly, until we learned otherwise. We didn’t hold it against our parents for lying to us; we may have gotten upset, but we got over it. So a couple little white lies were told, big deal! Or is it?

In a recent conversation on LinkedIn, one participant posed a question, the gist of which could be construed as a little white lie. The issue at hand was that an applicant lied about their current employment status and it was only discovered after the offer letter was sent. Apparently even the references of the supposed current employer went along with the ruse to help her gain employment.

Little White Lie or major offense? According to the application, all information should be provided or it could result in rejection of application, termination, etc. The candidate clearly lied on her application. Do we need to consider the motivation behind it? Maybe. Do we need to have another conversation about it? Maybe. Do we need to sit her down and explain that because she lied, we now have a concern regarding trust, integrity and honesty? Maybe. Are we spending a lot of extra time on a candidate who misrepresented themselves? Definitely. Is it worth it? You tell me.

People say HR lies to employees all the time. How many times have we all heard, ‘No, there won’t be any more layoffs’, ‘It’s not a major issue, we’ll address it’, or ‘I’m sure this won’t be held against you’? When, in fact, just the opposite happens. But we continue to believe HR, because they are the ‘Human’ side to the company. If we can’t trust the Human side, who can we trust?

Should the same sort of forgiveness be extended to candidates? Depends on how you look at it. If you consider lying about current employment status to be a little white lie, you may forgive. If you consider it to be a major offense, you probably won’t.

Times are still tough, not just here in Detroit, but all over the country. Desperate times call for desperate measures, some say. If you have to compromise your integrity is it worth it? Won’t you forever be known as ‘the one who lied’? Is that the legacy you want to leave, even just through the interview process?

That’s up to you. It’s YOUR integrity in question. The truth will eventually come out. Where does that leave you then? Probably unemployed again, this time with a bit of a true blemish. Unless you decide to lie again…..

Wouldn’t it be easier, and more beneficial in the long run, to just be honest from the start? Tell me the truth and you’ll have an advocate for life. Lie to me and it’s over. Your choice.

Just the Facts, Ma’am.

Several years ago I found myself in court dealing with a landlord who was, in my opinion, being completely unreasonable. I legally fulfilled my obligation to him legally however, he didn’t see it that way. He was insistent that I had caused him undue hardship and was breaking our contract. I certainly didn’t have an extra $12k laying around to cover his supposed losses. In the midst of freaking out, I received some great advice, ‘Just the facts, leave the emotion out of it’.

WHAT? WHY? I’m an emotional, passionate person! Any judge would rule in my favor when they hear my story! I have a voice that needs to be heard! This man is wronging me and I won’t stand for it!

‘Just the facts, leave the emotion out of it.’

Yeah, I heard you the first time. I just don’t know how to do that. Passion and emotion are part of who I am. Heck, they make me who I am! How do I separate the two? I have 12k reasons to figure this out and to figure it out quickly!

The lawyer I contacted said to write out the facts of the contract and the facts according to my paper trail (and put the paper trail in order, chrolonogically, while that’s sort of a ‘duh’, I didn’t do it). Speak clearly and enunciate the words, but don’t let the inflection in my voice rise or fall. Stay steady, stay true to the words and stand up straight.

When it was my turn to speak, I did exactly as the lawyer said. I remained calm (actually, I was shaking I was so nervous!), I spoke clearly, but most importantly I stuck to the facts. I left the emotion out of it. I did smile on occasion, and when the plaintiff wouldn’t move from the podium to I could lay out my paperwork, I asked if the bailiff could hold my purse. Had to get a little of my personality in, somehow!

The judge ruled in my favor. If I had not done my homework, my due diligence, if you will, I may not have won. I walked out of that courtroom with a strong sense of pride in knowing I did the right thing and I won. I won based on fact, not emotion. Fair and square.

Great story, but what does that have to do with your job search? The same principle applies to the job search and interview process as it did to my courtroom drama: ‘Just the facts, leave the emotion out of it’.

Stick to the facts of your experience, talents, abilities, strengths, weaknesses, etc. Focusing on the emotional side (I don’t have any unemployment left, I just need a job, I’m going to lose everything) will move you to the back of the line quicker than anything else! Employers don’t want to add drama or desperation to their team, they want to add productive, talented people. Focusing on what you can bring to the employer and how your background/talents can help support the core values of the company will go a long way. Remaining positive and focused shows organization, drive and ambition, and will far outweigh ‘emotion’ in the job search process.

When in doubt, take the advice of my new lawyer friend, ‘Just the facts, leave the emotion out of it’.

Ford posts profits; Arts, Beats & Eats moves to Royal Oak and the Red Wings are again in the Stanley Cup Playoffs

So much is happening in Metro Detroit, it’s hard to keep up! 2010 has started out with a bang; I’ve barely had time to update the blog. The good news is things are happening and people are getting hired. Despite what you may hear in the news, companies are hiring. There have been days when we have not had enough hours to get everything done. There have been companies who have been stretched too far for too long and are adding to their staff. There are businesses that are opening up in our area, taking up residence in otherwise empty spaces.

In this time of ‘spring fever’, we can take advantage of the renewed energy and revamp our job search. We can update our resume; remove any ‘fluff’, correct any typos and streamline our work history. We can refresh our resume on the job boards, bringing our resumes to the top of the pile. We can remove any stale buzzwords and replace with strong action words. We can dust off our wardrobe and make sure our clothes are appropriate and fit properly.

While we’re at it, it’s a good time to take a look at your auto insurance, cable and/or internet bill, and credit card statements. Make sure you are not overpaying for anything, or find areas where you can save. Plant a garden. Grow your own vegetables and swap with your neighbors. Offer to get your neighbors’ mail on a rainy day. None of these things cost much, if anything, but they can make a difference in someone’s day.

We’ve been working on ways of doing just that. Our intent is to more directly communicate with job seekers and clients. Stay connected through the various forms of social media.

Best thing: it’s free.

The Whale Said, "Thank You".

Since it's getting close to the holidays, I wanted to forward this article. I'd love to credit the author, but I don't know who wrote it. The information can be verified, however, if you google the story. I think it's worth sharing. Enjoy.

If you read a recent front page story of the SF Chronicle, you would have read
about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of
crab traps and lines.

She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to
struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped
around her body, her tail, her torso and a line tugging in her mouth.

A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the
Golden Gate) and radioed an environmental group for help.

Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was
so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her.
They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her.

When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles.

She then came back to each and every diver, one at a time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around -- she was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives.

The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same.

May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude.

An Advocate for Change

Several years ago I found myself at the local Michworks office completing the paperwork to receive unemployment benefits. I handed my resume over to the gentleman working at the front desk and after scanning it he reiterated that I had just been laid off from a recruiting role. Um, duh, that’s why I’m here. He reached into his desk drawer, pulled out a piece of paper, handed it to me and asked for my help. What I held in my hands was his resume. He was asking me to help him find a new job and I am the one standing in the unemployment line!

While the economy was slightly different back then, I still found it offensive that he was currently employed and asking me, an obviously unemployed person, for help in getting him another job. The bigger picture, however, was the overall lack of respect and commitment to his job and the people he was supposed to be helping. John (obviously not his real name) was an employee of the state, working in this Michworks office. Out of curiosity, I asked him why he was looking for a new job. He said he heard recruiting was easy and you can pick and choose who you work with. Unlike the unemployment office, where you HAVE to go in order to collect unemployment. Yup, most people are pretty grumpy, which doesn’t make for a good day for him. But you have good benefits? Yup, that’s why he hadn’t made the move yet.

So, here sits an employee, a representative of our state, if you will, who really doesn’t like his job, nor does he like the people he is supposed to be helping, and takes up company time to try to network himself into a new position. All the while, he is being paid to help those in front of him find new positions. Some people who have probably never put together a resume, never collected unemployment and don’t know where their next paycheck is coming from. Literally.

What really bothered me about this whole interaction was the lack of, well, effort. There was absolutely no energy in that office. No positive vibe, no upbeat attitude, no ‘team spirit’. Just the silence of people who are counting the minutes until they can leave. Not the most positive experience I’ve had, but as usual, I feel compelled to speak my mind and maybe, just maybe, help make it a better experience for the next guy.

In order to do that, I would like to propose some changes to our Michworks system. In theory I think the system is a great thing for employers as well as those looking for work. The ‘free’ aspect is a huge draw for employers and as a central point for all job seekers, it’s a phenomenal tool. It’s very user friendly and covers everything I need as a job seeker. Before I lay out my proposed changes, however, I do want to put the caveat out that not every employee in the Michworks offices are as I described John. There are some who love their jobs and are good at what they do. I’m afraid those are few and far between, however. So on with my changes.

As an Advocate for Michworks Reform, I would suggest:
1. All employees of the Michworks offices must apply for the positions and have the experience (either in recruiting or HR) required to best serve the job seekers (the Civil Service exams would not count).
2. Incentives (not necessarily monetary) should be placed on the amount of top notch resumes entered into the system with the employees’ initials on them. Incomplete or substandard resumes are subtracted from the total numbers.
3. Personal, one on one time with each job seeker discussing whatever they want to focus on. Whether it’s interviewing techniques, dress code, how to cold call for job openings, etc, the Michworks employee should be knowledgeable and ready with guidance. These meetings should be scheduled at the request of the job seeker and the availability of the employee. Not a mandated meeting with little or no benefit to either party.
4. As a Government Operated program there should be incentive (not necessarily monetary) to help the job seekers get back to work. The more people working in our state, the higher the tax base, the more money available for our state budget, etc. Instead of just processing people through the system, the Michworks employees should be held accountable for the people they see every day.
5. The overall culture/attitude of the Michworks offices need to be addressed. Yes, it is a rough time for people, we all get that. But what’s wrong with a smile and some compassion the job seekers? These positions should be coveted positions within the state system. The chance to really make a difference in someone’s life? These positions should be for people who are passionate about our great state and really want to do their part.

These are just a few to get started. A positive environment combined with the right amount of compassion and guidance can really make someone’s day. The more people start to feel good about themselves, the better they will do in their job search. Ultimately, the more people that are back to work and off unemployment, the more disposable income will be in our community and the more our local economy will benefit.

As a state, shouldn’t we hold each and every one of us accountable for doing our part? Shouldn’t we all do the right thing and do our part to move things forward? If we have provided the tools to be the best we can be, then we have done the right thing. Shame on us for doing anything less.