by Beth | May 31, 2023 | Attitude
A couple months ago, I bee-bopped into the gym on a beautiful Saturday morning. I started my stretches and got on the bike for a long ride. One of the boys that works the front desk came over to me and said “Do you drive a black Toyota Rav 4?” I said “Yes! Why are you asking?” He said “Well ma’am, it was broken into.”
Horrified, I ran out to the car, only to see no window on the driver’s side back seat, glass everywhere, and my wallet was gone.
I spent the rest of the day calling credit card companies and canceling cards, when suddenly it occurred to me: I was supposed to get on a plane to Canada first thing Monday morning. I couldn’t drive my car with a missing window, because it was snowing. I couldn’t order an Uber, because I didn’t have a credit card. I couldn’t ride the bus, because I had no way to get to the bus stop. In addition, I had my passport, and a little bit of cash, but what happens if I had an emergency in a foreign country?
It was time to rally the troops.
I called my client in Canada, and he graciously pre-paid all of my expenses. My neighbor kindly offered to drive me to the airport AND pick me up. A woman from the gym, who I barely know, wanted to provide me with cash and her credit card. I didn’t take her up on that offer, but what an amazing gesture! Several of my friends presented me with food, money, and experiences with their own stolen credit cards, hugs, and listening ears. People from the gym offered their support with kind words and sympathy for my situation. Even the police gave advice on what things to watch out for in the future.
While having your wallet stolen is a terrible experience that cost me a lot of money and time, I am overwhelmed with the love and support that I received. The outpouring of kindness that came to me gave me an extra bounce in my step, and the lesson that I learned was that even when things look awful, you can find something good. Focus on the miracles, not the lack.
POWER THOUGHT: You have the choice to look at a set-back as a chance to re-set.
by Beth | May 17, 2023 | Interview Process
Several weeks ago, I wrote about my daughter’s frustrating job search (read about it here). Out of 37 jobs that she applied to, she heard from about half. She received a job offer from a hospital that she didn’t even interview with (a mistake), she was offered a job on the spot and was subsequently rejected by email 3 days later, she was offered 5 jobs in departments that she didn’t want, and she broke down crying that she was going to be living in my basement for the rest of her life.
Then, she received a call from a Nursing Manager at a hospital in Dallas. They had about a 6-minute conversation, and the woman said “We are having in person interviews in Dallas next week.” Katy said “Well, I am going to school in Miami.” The woman said that they could do a zoom call.
Katy decided to fly to Dallas for that interview, because it was a job that she really wanted. The woman promised to send Katy an email with all the details. Katy never received that email. She called the woman several times and didn’t hear back. Katy finally called the HR department to get the address of where to go. She got to the right hospital, on time, and had a FANTASTIC interview. Katy was SO excited!
The following Friday, Katy received an email at 8 pm from the Nursing Manager, saying how sorry she was. The Nursing Manager had been sending emails to the wrong email address, and realized that Katy had never received any of her communication. 6 days later, Katy received her job offer. She is completely ecstatic.
The lesson here is that you can’t mess up the right thing. It is mind-boggling to think about all the ways that this could have been a disaster, and it wasn’t.
When you are tired of interviewing, keep plugging away. Your right job/employee/opportunity will present itself in time, and you can’t mess it up. Go!
POWER THOUGHT: You can’t mess up the right thing, and the wrong thing will always be a struggle.
by Beth | May 3, 2023 | Interview Process
Every day for several days in a row, at 3:02 pm, always from different numbers, I get a call from someone named Stephanie. In her sing-songy voice, she would cheerily ask me about my day. She sounds happy and content, while pitching questions about how she might be able to help me with a business loan and/or my car warranty. I finally clued in that she was a robot, but to be fair to Artificial Intelligence, it took me a while.
Artificial Intelligence is alive and well and now, with Stephanie’s help, robots will be conducting interviews on behalf of both candidates and companies. According to this article in the Denver Business Journal, (https://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/news/latest-news/2023/02/chatgpt-job-interview-best-practices.html?page=all) what will become even more important will be the ability to conduct effective interviews and reference checks.
Are you curious about how Stephanie is going to affect your business? I highly recommend attending this AI conference, hosted by Sam Reeve, founder of the Comp Team. (details here: https://aicompadvantage.com/register). AI experts can help you navigate how these rapid changes will affect your business, and then you too can put Stephanie in her place.
POWER THOUGHT: Best friends should be human, not robots.
by Beth | Apr 19, 2023 | Consulting
When I was a little girl, I used to play at Cherry Park. There was a bandstand at this park, and I spent hours on that bandstand pretending to be in front of an audience. I started off dancing on that bandstand (see photo above), but I knew that one day, I would be a public speaker. I had no idea what I was going to SAY in front of said audience, but that didn’t stop me from believing that one day, I would speak in front of audiences all over the world.
Today, many moons later, I have met that goal, and I continue to speak in front of groups on a regular basis. I love doing that work. However, I find myself missing working with my individual companies and clients. I miss the camaraderie. I miss getting to know the teams of people and seeing where and how they work. I miss watching the dynamics play out. And I really miss watching my clients have light bulb moments in their searches.
Don’t get me wrong: I am so glad that I learned how to present in front of groups of people. I am so proud of myself for graduating from Mikki Williams’ Speaker School and working hard to be a professional speaker. And, I am especially glad to be able to offer a training service to my clients. I think it has made me a better consultant.
Learning a new skill makes your employees more versatile and well-rounded, and this is why you MUST invest in professionally developing your people. The benefits of professional development go WAY beyond what you think it might: it boosts your employees’ confidence and makes them more willing to contribute. Developing ancillary skills will not only help your employee with their everyday job, but it also gives them self-assuredness to branch out in other areas. Win/Win
Yes, I am still on the bandstand. I am also behind the scenes supporting other peoples’ bandstand moments. How can I help support yours?
POWER THOUGHT: Support your employees’ bandstand dreams, because in turn, they will help support yours.
by Beth | Apr 5, 2023 | Interview Process
My daughter, Katy, is about to graduate from college in May. She is in job search hell. 37 job applications in 9 different states. She heard back from 25, interviewed at 17, and has had 2 no’s. She has had 6 job offers, but 5 of them aren’t in the department that she wants and 1 is in a terrible part of town. Keep in mind that this is on top of full time school work, 2 clinicals and a part time job. When I talked to her last week, she said, “Mom, I am tired. And not the kind of tired where I need to go to bed early, but ‘life-tired’.”
My clients totally get the concept of ‘life-tired’. The numbers from the last search/hire that we completed in 8 weeks looked like this:
Total applicants: 260
First interviews: 36
Second interviews: 7
Third interviews: 2
It is easy to see why everyone on both sides of the table are ‘life-tired’.
And…
Last week, Katy flew to Texas for an in-person interview that knocked her socks off. The synergy from that interview completely changed her energy, her perspective, and her excitement about her future. She said “Mom, I am no longer worried about finding the right job for myself. I don’t even have a job offer yet, but I know that one is coming. I just feel it.”
“Are you still feeling life-tired?” I asked.
“Oh no. I am life-excited!”
One interview can change your whole life, regardless of the outcome. One candidate/employer can transform you from life- tired, to life- excited. Put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. Your person/job is on its way.
POWER THOUGHT: The middle of your search is the hardest part, and it is so easy to settle! DON’T! Stay focused through life-tired in order to get to life-excited!
