People "geeks"

We're Moving!

People “geeks” blog is moving! Shawn and I are still Blogging away, but our blog has a new home. We can be found at  http://jmsopeoplegeeks.blogspot.com/        

 

We’ll still be sharing our experiences, tips, resources and opinions. Our passion and focus remains true to helping organizations find the right people and people find the right organizations. So whether you’re a Hiring Manager, HR professional, Candidate or Recruiter, we hope you’ll join us in our new home.

 

We’d like to thank everyone who has supported us and helped to make our Blog a success. We hope you enjoy the NEW look and format. We have some more exciting news to share in the days to come.

 

“The candidate lacked ENERGY”

 

{by John Smith}

 

What mental image does this conjure up? Was the candidate lethargic? Were they nodding off in the interview? Did they fail to do back-flips through the conference room door, handing out resumes as we instructed them? Did they fail to “stick” the landing?

 

Usually this feedback comes from Hiring Managers who were not prepared to begin interviewing in the first place. They were simply hoping “the perfect” candidate would just walk through the door. When that didn’t happen, they shut down and failed to make a connection. It’s not because the candidate “lacked energy”, it’s because the manager really didn’t know what they were looking for in the first place.

 

This feedback has less to do with the candidate than the Hiring Manager. When a Hiring Manager understands the key objectives of the role and understands the requisite skills necessary to succeed, they provide in depth feedback (good or bad).

 

So, just in case you are lacking in a few fundamental job skills, practice your “floor routine”. The feedback is bound to be more positive!

 

What is your definition of “Energy” and how does this factor into your hiring decisions?

 

 

Profile Picture or Mug Shot?

With Social Media invading every aspect of our lives, the lines between “Personal” and “Professional” profiles are often blurred. I’m always amazed (and amused) by the number of Job-Seekers whose profile pictures look like mug shots. (My other personal favorites are the cell phone self-portraits taken in front of bathroom mirrors.)

 

Before you post your “Professional” profile picture, rethink your choice. Do you look like someone you’d want to interact with? Or, do you look angry, disheveled or like you should be holding a little sign with numbers in front of your chest. If you are not sure, ask a co-worker, your spouse, mother or friend.

 

If you are looking for a job or trying to gain new business contacts, don’t just post the first picture you find (unless you’re trying to build your “street cred”, then by all means post that picture of your bad self). Put some thought into it and make sure you are sending the right message.

 

“Applying Judgment and Discretion on a periodic basis” Part 2

 

{by John Smith}

 

This statement still tickles me. Shawn and I kept talking about it over the weekend (actually I’d bring it up and she’d politely listen).

 

I went back an revisited my internet search to see what the results revealed.  I found that this statement appeared just about equally in candidate profiles/resumes as it did in job descriptions. In one instance it was used as an endorsement for a candidate. It even appeared in a guide speaking to Career Development Planning. Primarily it seems to be used by the Academic community as a required (or desired) attribute for Enrollment Advisors and Counselors (this may reveal a lot about the state of Higher Education in America).  One result was for a Military Enrollment Counselor. It also appears to be a useful or desired skill for Administrative Assistants.

 

The funny (or sad) thing is, the more I thought about it, I began to realize that there is a truth to these words. Just watch the evening news, pick up a news paper or watch those around you. Observe for a moment and then add “Applying Judgment and Discretion on a periodic basis” as a summary statement to these events. It begins to explain a lot. I can certainly apply it to my own life (I think it may have even been a part of my wedding vows).  

 

So, in reflection, maybe it is a desirable trait that does reflect well on candidates and employers. It shows they are honest and in tune with themselves.  They are not trying to hide anything, set expectations too high or make promises they can’t deliver. What you see is what you get.

 

 

Don’t let your career go up in flames!

Current role not working out like you’d hoped? Let us get you on the right track.

 

Check out these great new opportunities. Send off your resume today to john@kellenjames.com or shawn@kellenjames.com  or, visit our website to apply online. www.kellenjames.com

 

Current opportunities:

 

NEW! Account Manager – Advertising/Publishing sales – NYC http://bit.ly/jg4Xw7

 

NEW! Account Executive / K12 Technology Services – NH or VT http://tinyurl.com/69smca3

 

NEW! Account Manager/ K12- Electronic database sales - Mid-Atlantic region. www.kellenjames.com

 

Associate Director-Special Library Sales – For Profit/Post Secondary - http://tinyurl.com/3pyan39 Application: http://tinyurl.com/3pufogp

 

Field Sales Rep – Healthcare – Eastern Canada http://bit.ly/fNVgRc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Applying Judgment and Discretion on a periodic basis”

 

{by John Smith}

I saw this statement sometime back and wrote it down so I wouldn’t forget (I thought it was pretty funny and wanted to share it with Shawn).

 

Needless to say, once I wrote it down I not only forget to tell Shawn, I forgot about it altogether (not sure if it’s age, ADD or both). I stumbled across it today as I was cleaning out files on my computer. Like a scene from “Groundhog Day” I read it and chuckled again. However, this time I had no idea in what context it had originally come to my attention. Thinking it might be a quote from some famous comedian or commentator, I entered it as a internet search and laughed even harder when I read the search results.

 

The first several pages were all links to Candidate profiles or resumes. I scanned the next few and they all related to legal issues (cases, summaries, etc.) Wow! What a compelling endorsement this must be for a hiring manager. “What is your value proposition Mr./Ms. Candidate?” “I apply judgment and discretion on a periodic basis!” “You’ll fit in just fine here!.......”

 

When a hiring Manager’s scan resumes (yes, scans, not reads), they latch onto certain snippets. Some positive, some negative. It all depends on the bias-slant they begin scanning with. I can’t imagine the context in which this statement would be seen as a positive (or perhaps it’s that I don’t want to admit that it exists).  

 

Why do you want to leave?

 

{by John Smith}

What is motivating you to look for a new job? Is there a problem with your current role or organization? Have you reached the pinnacle of your career (professionally and/or financially)?  Is your role being phased out? Can you clearly articulate your reason(s) for seeking a new opportunity?

 

Deciding to make a change is the first step in launching a job search. However, it’s not uncommon for a candidate to trip up when asked this question. Sometimes there’s even silence on the other end of the line. Motivation for making a change is an area many candidates are unprepared to discuss. That’s not to say their reasons aren’t valid, they just haven’t spent much time analyzing them. Consequently they have trouble articulating them.

 

Expect potential employers to ask this question in an interview. Generally it’s not an area they’ll spend much time on. Unless, you stumble around searching for a  response. There’s no one right or wrong answer. Everyone’s situation is different. Don’t let this question derail your interview. Spend some time thinking about your reason(s) so that you are prepared when asked. 

 

Is it the thrill of the hunt you enjoy?

 

{by John Smith}

Before you launch into a job search, you should to be clear on your real intent. Are you serious about changing jobs or are you simply researching your market space to see what’s out there?

 

If it’s the former, you most certainly need to perform some due diligence to make sure that a specific job or organization is right for you. You really won’t know until you’ve had a couple of conversations with your Recruiter and the potential employer.

 

However, if it’s the latter, interviewing is not the right course to pursue. For Hiring Manager’s there is nothing more frustrating than interviewing  a candidate only to have them back out of an opportunity at the 11^th hour because, “I’m really not ready to make a move”. 

 

If you are trying to get a pulse on your market space, talk to your Recruiter. Ask them what trends they’re seeing. Monitor and participate in Industry specific groups. Network with colleagues in the space.

 

For some people it’s the thrill of the hunt that excites or validates them. However, becoming a “serial Interviewer” will only earn you a bad reputation.

 

 

 

 

WE ARE AWESOME !!!

 
{the author and his "Older" Brother}

My brother shared this commentary with me the other day. Besides reminding me that I’m OLD, it made me realize how much the world has changed since I grew up. I thought I’d share it with you. Many of you will smile as it conjures up fond memories, others will be shocked at the dangers and inconveniences we faced in our daily lives, and others will stare blankly as they ask one of us “Old-Timers” to explain.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED THE

 

1930s, '40s, '50s, '60s and '70s!!

 

First, we survived being born to mothers who may have smoked and/or drank

 

while they were pregnant.

 

We took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

 

Then, after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

 

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, locks on doors or cabinets, and, when we rode our bikes, we wore baseball caps, not helmets, on our heads.

 

As infants and children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, no booster seats, no seat belts, no air bags, bald tires and sometimes no brakes.

 

Riding in the back of a pick- up truck on a warm day was always a special treat.

 

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle.

 

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle, and no one actually died from this.

 

We ate cupcakes, white bread, real butter, and bacon. We drank Kool-Aid made with real white sugar. And we weren't overweight.

 

WHY?

 

Because we were always outside playing...that's why!

 

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day.

 

--And, we were OKAY.

 

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride them down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem..

 

We did not have Play Station, Nintendo and X-boxes. There were no video games, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVDs, no surround-sound or CDs, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet and no chat rooms.

 

 

We had friends and we went outside and found  them!

 

We fell out of trees, got cut, broken bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits from those accidents.

 

We would get spankings with wooden spoons, switches, ping-pong paddles, or just a bare hand, and no one would call child services to report abuse.

 

 

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and 

-although we were told it would happen- we did not put out our eyes.

 

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.

 

 

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.

 

Imagine that!! 

 

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

 

These generations have produced some of the best  risk-takers, problem solvers, and inventors ever.

 

The past 50 to 85 years have seen an explosion of innovation and new ideas..

 

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned how to deal with it all.

 

If YOU are one of those born

between 1925-1970, CONGRATULATIONS!  YOU ARE AWESOME!!

 

We had the luck to grow up as kids before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives  for our own good.

 

 

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it ?

 

 

Don’t be a Victim

 

{by John Smith}

Bad things happen to good people all the time, there’s no denying it. Over the past few years all sorts of crazy things have happened to good folks, causing some hiccups in their work history.

 

Candidates dread this part of the interview process, explaining why they left an organization. Before you begin to over explain those hiccups, step back and listen to what you’re saying. Are you portraying yourself as the victim by relaying a series of bad luck stories? In most cases there are perfectly legitimate reasons why things didn’t work out.

 

Hiring Manager’s understand that many good employees are let go during a reorganization, downsizing, etc. They’re the ones that have to deliver the message to their employees after all. 

 

So the next time you’re  asked, “what caused you to leave ACME, Corp?” Don’t try to sugar coat the explanation. Meet the question head on with the truth. If you were downsized, say so. It’s not a reflection on you personally. If the Hiring Manager asks for further details, elaborate. But whatever you do, don’t be a victim.