Posts
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The Many Ways We Connect With Each Other
I was thinking this afternoon on my drive to the hotel the many ways we as humans can connect or chose not to connect with one another. I was at a stop light and saw a homeless man with a sign that read "really homeless, live in the woods with wife who has ovarian cancer." This man absolutely looked homeless as well as exhausted.
My heart went out to him; as a human I felt compassion for his situation. I was in the right hand turn lane there were cars in the left hand turn lane. I wanted nothing more than to give him some money and look him in the eye and tell him I "see him" I wanted him to know I really saw him. I am still thinking about that man.
Do you miss an opportunity to connect with someone because you are in a hurry to get to your meeting, make your phone call or get to the bank before the deadline? Do you miss really seeing people, looking them in the eye and connecting with them even if its just a slight smile?
Or do you take every opportunity to find out more about them, ask them about their day, how they are doing? The girl at the magazine store in the Atlanta airport on Concourse B does. She was my first encounter today. As I payed for my water she simply asked me what kind of work I did. I explained that I had my own executive search business; a head hunter if you will in the health care and technology industries. She explained to me that she was going to school to be a surgical technician because working for $7/hour was for the birds! Even though she has a great personality I didn't get the sense that she really liked being a cashier. She proceeded to tell me that she was working full time, going to school full time, etc. She went on to say that she wouldn't be able to pay her rent if her parents didn't help out. I told her that she was on the right path; getting a job in health care would give her more security than most and that it was awesome that she was handling all that responsibility. She was smiling when I left the store.
Life certainly seems to be more challenging than it used to be; for everyone. I know you have a lot to do, so do I, so does everyone. Can you take a few minutes each day to be aware and awake enough and not afraid to look someone in the eye and let them know you you "really" see them?
That is your challenge; our challenge as human beings. Not human doings. We are all connected.
My heart went out to him; as a human I felt compassion for his situation. I was in the right hand turn lane there were cars in the left hand turn lane. I wanted nothing more than to give him some money and look him in the eye and tell him I "see him" I wanted him to know I really saw him. I am still thinking about that man.
Do you miss an opportunity to connect with someone because you are in a hurry to get to your meeting, make your phone call or get to the bank before the deadline? Do you miss really seeing people, looking them in the eye and connecting with them even if its just a slight smile?
Or do you take every opportunity to find out more about them, ask them about their day, how they are doing? The girl at the magazine store in the Atlanta airport on Concourse B does. She was my first encounter today. As I payed for my water she simply asked me what kind of work I did. I explained that I had my own executive search business; a head hunter if you will in the health care and technology industries. She explained to me that she was going to school to be a surgical technician because working for $7/hour was for the birds! Even though she has a great personality I didn't get the sense that she really liked being a cashier. She proceeded to tell me that she was working full time, going to school full time, etc. She went on to say that she wouldn't be able to pay her rent if her parents didn't help out. I told her that she was on the right path; getting a job in health care would give her more security than most and that it was awesome that she was handling all that responsibility. She was smiling when I left the store.
Life certainly seems to be more challenging than it used to be; for everyone. I know you have a lot to do, so do I, so does everyone. Can you take a few minutes each day to be aware and awake enough and not afraid to look someone in the eye and let them know you you "really" see them?
That is your challenge; our challenge as human beings. Not human doings. We are all connected.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
What a week..
I thought I would be able to keep you up to date on all the happenings with my executive search business and life in general. Business has been busy - lots of hiring, traveling for clients and we just started clearing the land on our 14 acres in Western, NC. We plan to build a guest house first on the site closest to the road. Our other site is up past the guest house in the hills. This picture shows the view from our eventual guest house. We are talking to a builder who seems to be a good normal guy, but we have never done this before and we just hear the horror stories about building a house. Hopefully it won't be too painful.The girl (our daughter) is settling into her marketing maven position with the Internet marketing company; Mailchimp.
I continue to work at being a writer; look I basically write the way I speak. So you can pretty much get my voice from reading these words.
I promise to do a better job of writing when I am on the road and don't give me too much of a hard time for my first foray into the blog world; be kind; I am still learning! Thanks for your support and I'll be back soon!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
The Power of a Network
Do you have a network of professionals you correspond with frequently? Entrepreneur.com's definition of networking is: 'Developing and using contacts made in business for purposes beyond the reason for the initial contact."
Do you use your network for good or evil?
Recently I got to witness the power of my network. I sent out an email to contacts I have frequent interaction with; some of them daily, some weekly, monthly. You get the picture; people I connect with more than just when I need something. (do you hear me all you people that only contact your network when you are out of a job?) Sorry I digress...
The email I sent out pertained to my daughter looking for a job. I didn't send the note to everyone on my network list but only the ones I felt would have a connection somewhere with the type of companies and individuals that may have connections with regard to the direction and career my daughter was looking to enter. I sent my email to my list mid-day with her resume inserted in the body of the note not as an attachment. By the end of the day and into the evening she was getting responses from people that had openings that matched her background and interests. My current network even sent the note along to others in their network and THOSE individuals were contacting her.
Networking works if you a) use your network appropriately and b) don't keep going to the well without reciprocating when one of them reaches out to you or asks you to help one of their contacts.
A network needs you to care for it and nurture it. Meaning connect with your network frequently. I want this post to also act as a BIG THANK YOU to all of the individuals in my network that were kind enough to pass my daughter's information along and/or reach out to her personally. I appreciate you all and look forward to helping you when you reach out to me.
More later this week...
Do you use your network for good or evil?
Recently I got to witness the power of my network. I sent out an email to contacts I have frequent interaction with; some of them daily, some weekly, monthly. You get the picture; people I connect with more than just when I need something. (do you hear me all you people that only contact your network when you are out of a job?) Sorry I digress...
The email I sent out pertained to my daughter looking for a job. I didn't send the note to everyone on my network list but only the ones I felt would have a connection somewhere with the type of companies and individuals that may have connections with regard to the direction and career my daughter was looking to enter. I sent my email to my list mid-day with her resume inserted in the body of the note not as an attachment. By the end of the day and into the evening she was getting responses from people that had openings that matched her background and interests. My current network even sent the note along to others in their network and THOSE individuals were contacting her.
Networking works if you a) use your network appropriately and b) don't keep going to the well without reciprocating when one of them reaches out to you or asks you to help one of their contacts.
A network needs you to care for it and nurture it. Meaning connect with your network frequently. I want this post to also act as a BIG THANK YOU to all of the individuals in my network that were kind enough to pass my daughter's information along and/or reach out to her personally. I appreciate you all and look forward to helping you when you reach out to me.
More later this week...
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Blogs, blogs everywhwere...
Where do you start with SO many blogs and interesting information to choose from? I know now that I have started using Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) I feel like I have ADHD! I really have to find a better way to keep up with what's happening in and around my networks and I vow to do a better job.
Just to show you what I mean take a look at my most recent day events:
While reading Shelly Greenberg of the Brazen Careerist (http://www.brazencareerist.com) I looked up the Social Media 4 Social Good site http://www.sm4sc.com/ and from there got connected to Change Blogger http://changeblogger.ning.com/ So NOW you see my dilemma - I am like a bird hopping from one site or thought to another; not so productive when you have "real work" you should be doing.
As I have said here in the past and I still do highly recommend checking out the Brazen Careerist; lots of great info for job seeking and just managing your life - regardless of what generation you are from.
You will still find me tweeting or twittering from the web or my twitter berry and you can follow me if you so choose at http://twitter.com/VickiZLauter But now I must get back to my clients.
Just to show you what I mean take a look at my most recent day events:
While reading Shelly Greenberg of the Brazen Careerist (http://www.brazencareerist.com) I looked up the Social Media 4 Social Good site http://www.sm4sc.com/ and from there got connected to Change Blogger http://changeblogger.ning.com/ So NOW you see my dilemma - I am like a bird hopping from one site or thought to another; not so productive when you have "real work" you should be doing.
As I have said here in the past and I still do highly recommend checking out the Brazen Careerist; lots of great info for job seeking and just managing your life - regardless of what generation you are from.
You will still find me tweeting or twittering from the web or my twitter berry and you can follow me if you so choose at http://twitter.com/VickiZLauter But now I must get back to my clients.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Interview success & the job market
Monday
This past weekend there was clothes shopping success with the daughter. She has several interviews these next few weeks; parents are hoping for job offer success!
I know it's tough when you graduate from a great liberal arts college and you have these great writing skills and you are a deep thinker. Unfortunately in the real world companies want tangible skills; the trick is how to present the liberal arts skills into tangible skills. You have to be crafty and astute as to how you get this information on your resume. I always recommend having someone that worked in Outplacement give you some pointers.
Its got to be frustrating as a relatively new graduate (3 years out) to get your foot in the door. You have to use all the networking skills you can muster; parents, friends and friends of parents. Anything (within the law) that will give you a head start or advantage over the masses. Then there is all the media hype and negativity. Like the story in Market Watch - Job Market Likely to Weaken into 2009. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/job-market-likely-weaken-well/story.aspx?guid={9314CB5F-3AAD-413B-9CB6-E074AECF7AE5}&dist=msr_1
I like to quote my friend Walt Brewer: "You already have everything you need inside you. Keep the faith and your eye on what you are going for, it's in your reach." http://www.scienceofmind.com/ Is a good resource for postive affirmations; check it out.
Again - the lines of life and recruiting/job hunting, etc are blurred. I hope you get the job you are seeking my friends. Don't forget to check out The Brazen Careerist www.brazencareerist.com
This past weekend there was clothes shopping success with the daughter. She has several interviews these next few weeks; parents are hoping for job offer success!
I know it's tough when you graduate from a great liberal arts college and you have these great writing skills and you are a deep thinker. Unfortunately in the real world companies want tangible skills; the trick is how to present the liberal arts skills into tangible skills. You have to be crafty and astute as to how you get this information on your resume. I always recommend having someone that worked in Outplacement give you some pointers.
Its got to be frustrating as a relatively new graduate (3 years out) to get your foot in the door. You have to use all the networking skills you can muster; parents, friends and friends of parents. Anything (within the law) that will give you a head start or advantage over the masses. Then there is all the media hype and negativity. Like the story in Market Watch - Job Market Likely to Weaken into 2009. http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/job-market-likely-weaken-well/story.aspx?guid={9314CB5F-3AAD-413B-9CB6-E074AECF7AE5}&dist=msr_1
I like to quote my friend Walt Brewer: "You already have everything you need inside you. Keep the faith and your eye on what you are going for, it's in your reach." http://www.scienceofmind.com/ Is a good resource for postive affirmations; check it out.
Again - the lines of life and recruiting/job hunting, etc are blurred. I hope you get the job you are seeking my friends. Don't forget to check out The Brazen Careerist www.brazencareerist.com
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Thursdays Thoughts
This morning I waited for the house painters to come and (finally) finish the job they started over a month ago. It's been a long haul and at times very frustrating.
My interaction with the painters and painting company got me thinking about the parallels between different industries customer service tactics (they cut across the board). A good customer service rep can make a company look like a million bucks and bad customer service can 1) make clients (or recruits) angry and 2) make them say bad things about you and NEVER return.
I think employers sometimes don't realize that interactions between recruits or potential employees and the human resource and/or recruiting departments can reflect great or poorly on their brand. It's really strange because we hear about this ALL the time but yet few companies really get it right.
You can probably think of several companies you are familar with that do a good job and other that don't do sucha good job of making potential employees feel good about working for their organization. A few I think have been getting it right (although no one is perfect) that I have been following are:
My interaction with the painters and painting company got me thinking about the parallels between different industries customer service tactics (they cut across the board). A good customer service rep can make a company look like a million bucks and bad customer service can 1) make clients (or recruits) angry and 2) make them say bad things about you and NEVER return.
I think employers sometimes don't realize that interactions between recruits or potential employees and the human resource and/or recruiting departments can reflect great or poorly on their brand. It's really strange because we hear about this ALL the time but yet few companies really get it right.
You can probably think of several companies you are familar with that do a good job and other that don't do sucha good job of making potential employees feel good about working for their organization. A few I think have been getting it right (although no one is perfect) that I have been following are:
There are many more out there and I would like to hear from you what companies you think are "getting it right" Drop me a note and I'll add your thoughts in another post.
Thanks for stopping by!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The week after a holiday
Tuesday - It's back to the work week and networking for more business and to fill the searches I am currently working. So far so good today; the daughter finished her resume and is starting her job search...diligently this is a good thing. I am starting to have hope that all will be well.
Met with an former colleague for lunch today. She works in health care technology; good lunch and glad to get reconnected to people I used to like working with. Lots of networking going on this month.
More to come later this week.
Met with an former colleague for lunch today. She works in health care technology; good lunch and glad to get reconnected to people I used to like working with. Lots of networking going on this month.
More to come later this week.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Labor Day
Today my husband and I spent part of the day watching our 26 year old daughter kick out her deadbeat roommate. My daughter unfortunately likes to take care of strays; all kinds; animals and apparently people. This person had come up with a business idea to promote bands and not only did he do very little work and put no money in the venture; he never paid rent. Why you ask; well do the words "deadbeat loser" mean anything? This is not the first time he has skippped out with out any payments.
Of course I can't blame him 100% maybe 75% and her the other 25%. Come to find out not only is he a deadbeat he is a bully too. Yep, he bullied her into a few things and now she has had to move back to her parents house because she litterally has no savings or any way to live on her own until she digs out of her debt hole.
I am sure you can sense the frustration in my tone. As a parent you have so many hopes for your child; send them to private schools and private college, thinking that if they get a solid education they will have some sort of edge when they do head into the real world. We'll the problem with my theory is this...this child has "free will" yes they have a brain of their own and you can only hope they use it for good and to better themselves. Not for one minute did I ever think my adult child would have to move back to our house.
Now you say, Vicki you are a recruiter you can help your daughter find a job. We'll again folks there is a problem with that theory and again it's called "free will" Just because you can give your kid advice and point them in the right direction does not mean for one minute they will take your advice and make something happen.
I can only hope in the coming weeks she starts to get her act together. This is definitely a different generation. I keep saying that and I am quite honestly not that old myself. But I do remember working my way up the ladder from menial jobs such as food prep and accounting clerk. This generation doesn't seem to understand that the first job you get is not the job you are having for life and yes you probably will be doing such menial tasks as filing.
For all of you looking for that foot in the door I can recommend this site as a start: http://www.collegerecruiter.com Good luck and try not to make your parents too crazy with your career choices.
Of course I can't blame him 100% maybe 75% and her the other 25%. Come to find out not only is he a deadbeat he is a bully too. Yep, he bullied her into a few things and now she has had to move back to her parents house because she litterally has no savings or any way to live on her own until she digs out of her debt hole.
I am sure you can sense the frustration in my tone. As a parent you have so many hopes for your child; send them to private schools and private college, thinking that if they get a solid education they will have some sort of edge when they do head into the real world. We'll the problem with my theory is this...this child has "free will" yes they have a brain of their own and you can only hope they use it for good and to better themselves. Not for one minute did I ever think my adult child would have to move back to our house.
Now you say, Vicki you are a recruiter you can help your daughter find a job. We'll again folks there is a problem with that theory and again it's called "free will" Just because you can give your kid advice and point them in the right direction does not mean for one minute they will take your advice and make something happen.
I can only hope in the coming weeks she starts to get her act together. This is definitely a different generation. I keep saying that and I am quite honestly not that old myself. But I do remember working my way up the ladder from menial jobs such as food prep and accounting clerk. This generation doesn't seem to understand that the first job you get is not the job you are having for life and yes you probably will be doing such menial tasks as filing.
For all of you looking for that foot in the door I can recommend this site as a start: http://www.collegerecruiter.com Good luck and try not to make your parents too crazy with your career choices.
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