Change Takes Time, Especially Without All the Tools Needed

Last weekend I tackled a do-it-yourself home improvement project. This was a small project and some people I know (who are do-it-yourself types) told me it was easy. Switching out new faucet fixtures for the bathroom sink. Easy.... just turn off the water, remove the old fixtures, hook up the new fixtures.

First I picked out the new fixtures at a well known home improvement type retailer. I selected something that looked similar to what was already installed - figuring this would lead to better success. I also spoke to a store employee to make sure everything I would need was in the box, including instructions!

Next I proceeded to remove the old fixtures. Not easy - simply because things were stuck in their ways - through hard water deposits mostly. Still, borrowing my teenaged son for some strength and ability to brave the spiders under the sink, after more time than I had originally planned the old fixtures were all removed and the parts saved for using to hook up the new faucet.

Problem - not all faucet fixtures are standardized and the old parts don't necessarily work with the new. Okay, trip back to the hardware store for flexible tubing to replace old copper tubes. Then, of course another trip to the hardware store for different sized flexible tubing and plumbers putty. Then, well the new drain is 1/2" shorter than the old one - so trip to the hardware store for an extension - followed by another trip to the hardware store for something called a tail piece that is what I really needed instead of the extension.

So, six hours and four trips to the hardware store later.... nice new fixtures on the bathroom sink!

I'm sure this could lead to a great business-related analogy about change and preparedness, and flexibility, and growth through doing something new. And maybe I'll write about that next time.

Learning to be thoughtful

This past spring, the organization where I work went though a tough time financially (as so many other companies) and we ended up losing about 2 dozen employees to a voluntary severance program. Even though the program was voluntary, many of the employees felt sorrow at leaving, and more noticeable afterward the remaining employees were affected.

Employees who stayed still felt vulnerable, missed their coworkers, and had to pick up some extra workload and the stress that comes with it. To help remind me to not let these extra work efforts and difficult emotions go unnoticed, I simply put a tiny post-it note on an inside corner of my desk. On the note I wrote the words "Be Thoughtful." Each day when I see the note (if it's not buried in paperwork) I try to think of some small thing I can do to be thoughtful of those who work around me. Maybe it is sending a thank you note to them for a job well done, or a birthday card, or just making a phone call to find out how they are doing.

I like to think this "be thoughtful" campain is helping. Since I've been doing it for the last month, more employees are stopping by to say hello and I'm starting to see more smiles, joking around (in a good and productive way), and less complaining or whining compared to the last few months. Maybe that is just my own perception, but even it if is - that's still rewarding and will help me to keep looking for small opportunities to make someone else's day a bit brighter.

Coordinating Schedules

Sometimes it's easier to coordinate a huge meeting at work with people from near and far than to coordinate a lunch meeting with a close friend.

Recently, I was chatting with a friend who I see briefly at least once a week, but who I never seem to be able to get together with for lunch. She and I discussed that we "really should do lunch" and then decided we would make it happen. She gave me her open days for the next month - this was just last Friday. When I was in the office on Monday morning, I checked my calendar, found an open lunchtime that matched with one of the clear days on her calendar, booked the lunch meeting time - and gave her a call to confirm. Oops - she was not actually free that day.

Coordination mix-up? or does she just not want to meet me for lunch? Luckily my calendar was still open and on the spot we rescheduled for another day. Let's hope this one works out.

Online Social Networks and Recruiting

Recently I prepared a presentation for a career fair to provide tips for job seekers and employers on using social networks, such as facebook, myspace, twitter, and linkedin for recruitment. I discovered that while just a few years ago only about 10% of employers were heavily using web-based recruiting methods, as of 2007 over 75% of companies were recruiting online. Based on the trends, that number has only increased in the last two years. Especially with companies being very financially cautious these days, online recruiting costs are much lower than many other methods.

So, to get to the tips for job seekers and employers. My advice to employers is to have a great web presence that positions your company brand in such a way as to attract the top talent you need. This may mean that instead of expecting job seekers to use only your corporate website and the major online job boards in their job search, you may need to establish a company presence on the social networks where your future employees meet. If your potential employees are from specific professions or trades, look for blogs, bulletin boards and networking sites that cater to these professions or are sponsored by the trade associations. If your potential employees congregate on facebook and myspace, your company needs to set up a group or a company page on those social networking site. Once their, you may want to post photos or a video clip that will catch the attention of even passive job seekers and will drive them to your corporate website for more information or to submit and application.

My advice to job seekers - network both in person and online. Let everyone know you are looking for a job and what type of job you'd like. You never know where you might get a great lead on a perfect position. And, since most employers are online, set a good first impression by cleaning up your image on facebook, myspace, or where ever you have personal web pages. Employers may be checking out your online profile and you want to show that you are a responsible person with a great network of friends, family and colleagues. What you don't want to show that prospective employer is the photos from that drunken binge or the latest stories about your legal entanglements. So, take a look at your web pages and just delete any of those old photos or stories that might not leave the best first impression of you.

Above all, the world is changing rapidly based on expanding technology and both employers and job seekers can and should use all tools possible to find a great fit with a fulfilling work relationship. Happy Job Hunting!