Recruiter's Couch

It seems right now that there is a common theme with my most active hiring managers: storytelling.   I don’t mean just behavioural interviewing. It might start off as a “tell me about a time when” but what they are really looking for is a good story. It should have a beginning, a middle and an end. It should be about something substantial relative to your career and if possible, something that the hiring manager can relate to.

It takes time to prepare this kind of material but it is so worth it. A really good story allows a hiring manager to see your thinking and talking skills in action. And let’s face it.   Those are critical parts of every good role.

Stories don’t have to illustrate massive success; that’s not the point.  They need to show your ability to cope, react, change, persevere and grow. 

One of the keys is to tell the whole story, not just a single part.  The story is not just about a project was completed on time and on budget.  Big deal.  The story is about the obstacles that were put in your way and the people who recognized your success.  Did that project lead to another higher profile gig?  Maybe an award?  Or maybe it provided the platform for a whole new relationship.  Incorporate all these details.

When you are practicing, keep asking yourself “and then what?”

It’s those details that provide hiring managers with insight into your capability, credibility and thoughtfulness.

So invite a friend for coffee and start swapping stories, even if you are not looking for a job.  You never know when an impromptu audience might be the gateway to a great opportunity.

I was going to write about background checks and candidate vetting because it was in the election headlines last week but it got usurped by something way better.

It was my honour to moderate an all candidates meeting in the riding of Halton last Friday.  This was run as a breakfast meeting so it had a very different feel than typical all candidates’ events.  My volunteer group, CFUW Oakville, has been doing this for the last few elections.

We put together a committee (this time, headed up by the exceedingly competent Darla Campbell), find a venue with good coffee, sell tickets and invite the candidates.  Because it is an early morning start with a definite end, it has a very crisp feel.  There are time limits on both candidates’ answers and questions from the floor.  This means you can either use the time to slam your opponent or you can answer the question but you really can’t do both.

So the format sets it apart but what made this event different was that all four of the candidates at the head table were women.  Yep, all four. 

The whole thing had an air of decorum.  Even when the candidates did not agree, which happened often, the message with delivered with respect.  The audience, in return, was gracious and respectful of the candidates.

I think there was a genuine appreciation for these women are willing to put their lives on hold for six weeks to run a campaign and really put it all out there.  I know that I couldn’t do it but I sure am grateful that they are.

So to Pat Heroux, Connie Laurin-Bowie,  Lisa Raitt and Judi Remigio, you have my respect, admiration and thanks.

A good friend told me that the moon is waxing crescent this week.  I had never heard the expression before and was struck by how lovely it sounded.  It just rolled off my tongue in conversations this week. 

I did some research and learned that waxing crescent refers to one of the phases of the moon and it is sometimes called a young moon.  (This also sounds nice but not quite as lovely as waxing crescent.)  This phase happens when the Earth, the moon and the sun are pretty close to lined up in space.

Lots of people I have been speaking to lately have careers that are waxing crescent right now too.  Things are picking up and they are feeling a little more loved and little less nervous. 

Instead of keeping their heads down and averting their eyes, people are starting to look up and shake hands with people.

Maybe it’s not just the moon.  Maybe it’s the fact that spring is here and the green shoots that looked so fragile last week, look like they might actually make it to be tulips, daffodils and hyacinths.

We should all take advantage of this.  Whether you are working, want to be working or want to be working differently, take some time this week do some walking and thinking.  Sometimes this kind of brain work can be accomplished in a long shower but a) that’s another blog topic and b) you might as well get out in this new air while you can.

I got a big lesson on the candidate experience this week.  I was surfing around linkedin when I saw an interesting job posted.  It looked like something I might want to do.  I hemmed and hawed for a while on the decision-making teeter totter.  Should I?  Shouldn’t I?  I like what I do but what if there is something better?

I took a deep breath and then sent an email.  Whew.

Then I went about my day and forgot all about it.  Until the next morning when it dawned on me that no one had called me back.  All of the sudden, I was back in sixth grade.  Do they like me? Was I too forward?  Am I barking up the wrong tree?  When should I call to follow up?  Now?  Maybe I should wait.  For about ten minutes, I was like a dog chasing my tail.

Then the phone rang.  It was not the employer.  It was a client.  I got my head back in the game and forgot about the whole thing.

Later, I actually did get a call from the headhunter.  We had a nice chat.  Ultimately, we decided that my experience did not quite fit the employer’s wish list.   This was not heartbreaking news.  I love what I do and I am doing it in one of the best places to do it.  It was an interesting exercise that confirmed exactly what I thought: I am in the right place for right now.

It was also an interesting exercise because it reminded me what it’s like to be a candidate: putting it out there, waiting for some feedback, trying to continue focussing on other things while you wait to see if you are wanted.  An excellent lesson indeed.

Arthritis is a painful condition where your knuckles, knees and other knobby parts are stiff and sore.  It drags you down.  A lot.

Career arthritis is also a difficult condition where your knowledge and experience get stiff from under use.  It also drags you down.

Arthritis pain can be treated with medication, therapy, even replacement of the offending joints. With career pain, it’s not so easy.

First you have to figure out the source of the pain and aggravation and then possible treatments.

I’m not saying these are easy things to do/change but let’s face it.  If you don’t do something about career arthritis, you will get so stiff and tired that you won’t be able to do anything at all.  So get moving!

No pithy entry from me this week.  I am on vacation.  Going for the big battery recharge.  In fact, I am so far out of the zone that I did not even realize it was Thursday so it must be working (because I certainly am not!)

See y’all next week!

The other day, I called my national wireless provider.  The nice lady in customer service asked me all the security questions: postal code, account number and first and last name.

And then she says “And may I call you Laura?”

Huh?  What else would she call me?  Princess?  She Who Must Be Obeyed? (This is a popular moniker at home).  Or perhaps Madame?  That has a nice, colourful ring to it.

I said that Laura would be fine but it really got me thinking.

Who would have expected that level of graciousness and respect on the frontlines of a wireless company that everyone loves to hate?

At my Tim Horton’s drive though, they now say “Welcome to Tim Hortons.  My name is Barb.  How can I help you?”  It’s certainly better than the muffled “Whadywant?” that we used to get.

Maybe this is a new movement.  Maybe the level of personal accountability and respect is going to increase in other places too.  Imagine if crankiness was gradually replaced with grins and crustiness was washed away by candor?

Other than Bart Simpson being out of a job, I can’t think of any downsides at all.  And yes, you can call me Laura.

Prince William and Kate Middleton had their first outing today.  They blessed a new lifeboat and poured champagne on it.

Imagine the interview questions that Kate had to answer for her to get promoted from “Royal Girlfriend” to “Royal Fiancé”?

• Have you ever been in a situation where your attire was scrutinized on the evening news?
• How strong are your smile muscles?  Could you smile for an hour?  Two?  Could you do it even if William pissed you off in the car on the way over?
• How do you deal with inlaws?  Have you ever had them before?  When they invite you to drop by for tea, do they mean it?
• Would you describe your ideal pet as a horse, a corgi or a Doberman?
• How important is your opinion?  Could you deal with being misquoted and having things taken out of context frequently?

When she got through all of this, there would still be references to be checked and I am sure that the security check goes back three generations.

I wish them all the best for a fairytale wedding in this cynical world.