by Beth | Jul 10, 2024 | Uncategorized
I go to the gym 6 days a week, otherwise, the stress monger will eat up my insides. I ride a stationary bike that I have named Mike.
I have a love/hate relationship with Mike. There are days when I walk into the gym feeling great, and I have a horrible ride with Mike! There are days that I feel like crap when I walk into the gym, I walk out feeling like I won the Tour de France. I keep track of food, sleep, water intake, step count, supplements, stretching, and I literally can’t predict how it is going to go with Mike.
Welcome to the world of interviewing.
There are days when you interview several candidates, and you end up with no one to move forward. There are days when you end up with numerous people moving forward, but you can’t tell which kind of day you are going to get. You can keep track of applicants, ads, postings, certifications, and resumes, and you can’t tell what kind of applicant will show up to the interview.
So, what is a person to do?
Here’s the bottom line: what really counts is showing up. Get on the bike and start pedaling. Schedule interviews and conduct them. Have a set time to have interviews every week and keep that time slot on your calendar, just like you keep your gym appointment. Work through your applicant pool one by one, and eventually, your candidate will show up- usually when you least expect it.
And, Mike and I will continue to love/hate each other.
POWER THOUGHT: Mike the Bike has taught me how to manage my expectations…especially on the days that I hate him.
by Beth | Jun 24, 2024 | Uncategorized
When I was in college, I lived with my brother and cousin in a condo right north of campus in Austin, Texas. (Hook ‘em Horns!) Anyhoo, when it came time to study for finals, the boys would suddenly get the cleaning bug. They would scrub cabinets, carpets, toilets, grout, windows, trash cans, seats in their cars, baseboards, the fridge, microwave and particularly, the oven. Seemingly until finals, they had zero interest in cleaning.
Fast forward to today, I am working on book number 5. Actually, I am working on NOT working on book #5. I am doing everything that I possibly can to avoid sitting down to write the damn thing.
Recently, I have scrubbed every cabinet, every drawer, cleaned out every closet, and changed every filter on every major appliance in my house. All under the guise of WORKING. Do these things need to be done? Yes. Do they have to be done NOW? No. Do they have to be done by me? Also no.
To be fair to myself, there are times when doing menial labor can actually spur on the creative process. I have written many a blog while doing dishes, but this is not one of those times. I simply need to sit down and write, or this book will never get finished.
I am Procrasta-working.
Usually, I am pretty good about getting the things done that need to get done. I usually have a list of the top three things that I HAVE to do that day, and I work hard on getting those done first thing in the morning when I am at my best. Not this time.
You didn’t know this, my dear reader, but you just became my accountability partner in getting this book written.
Congratulations.
Cleaning my oven is just going to have to wait.
POWER THOUGHT: Procrasta-working is doing all the things without doing the thing.
by Beth | Nov 23, 2023 | Uncategorized
My daughter, Katy, and I would like to wish everyone a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday.
I am so grateful for all of my clients, friends and family for supporting A-list Interviews, as we continue to grow and thrive. A giant thank you to my team for a great year as well.
I hope your holiday is full of peace, love, joy and pie!
Yours in success,
Beth Smith
by Beth | Oct 18, 2023 | Uncategorized
Anyone who knows me knows that I hate snakes. I mean I HATE them! So why did I read a story about snakes on Facebook? Not sure, but I did.
I read a story on Facebook about a girl who had a snake. She took the snake to the vet, and the vet said, “This snake is very small for its age, and it should definitely be much larger. What size tank do you have it in?” The girl told the vet the size of the tank and was informed that the tank was WAY too small for this type of snake. The snake can’t grow in such small surroundings. She immediately purchased a larger tank, and the snake grew rapidly. The snake stretched out and grew.
My third book, Power Hire, is now available on Amazon. You would think that by the time I wrote my third book that I would be comfortable putting it out into the world; however, you would be wrong. While I love writing books, I really hate the actual putting it out into the Universe. It is so uncomfortable!
Every time I write a blog, I stretch myself. Every time I write a book, I put myself out there. Every time I present a new idea, I am leading with a bit of vulnerability. Staying in a small tank doesn’t do anyone any good, but the discomfort… wow. It can be hard to manage, even for a seasoned writer and professional.
It would be so much easier if we could stretch ourselves first, THEN change environments, but that isn’t how things work. You have to change your tank first; make it larger, and then you can stretch yourself into new places that allow for growth.
Like the snake, once this book is out in the world, I will feel better and grow faster.
But for today, I am feeling a bit like hissing,
Anyone felt this way before?
POWER THOUGHT: Change your tank, and growth will happen. And that discomfort you feel? Completely normal.
by Beth | Aug 23, 2023 | Uncategorized
When my daughter, Katy, graduated from college last May, she came to live with me for 8 weeks. We had dinner together every night, we went shopping together, and we watched extensive seasons of Yellowstone. We ate a ton of sushi, explored new restaurants, and hit the frozen yogurt place more than my pants liked!
Then she left. I was bereft, because this was the last time that she would spend that kind of time in my house. She left for Dallas in the middle of July, and she is thriving in her new job and her new life. I am SO happy for her.
A client of mine called a few weeks ago and told me that his right-hand person was leaving him after many, many years. She was the one he bounced ideas off of, collaborated with and relied on for new processes. He depended on her for so much! She was completely changing her life and going back to school. She was SO excited about her new life! She gave my client a month’s notice. And, he was not completely surprised by this: she had indicated that she might go this route. He is bereft. He is also very happy for her, but so, so sad for himself.
Then, I realized that I had all this time on my hands, and I got to completely redefine my life. My client realized that this was an opportunity to re-define his operations.
I got excited! I still missed my baby girl, but I was excited. My client got excited! He was really going to miss working with his right-hand, but he is looking forward to this opportunity to transform everything for the better.
Change is never easy for us human beings and it has taken time to figure out what I want to do, just like it has taken my client some time to figure out how to transform his operations. In times of uncertainty and shifting, anything is possible. It is perfectly okay to honor the sadness, just like it is perfectly okay to feel excited about new opportunities. Human emotions are nuanced, and embracing both of these feelings is important to our growth.
POWER THOUGHT: In every ending there is a new beginning.
by Beth | Nov 22, 2022 | Uncategorized
My daughter, Katy, and I would like to wish everyone a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving holiday.
I am so grateful for all of my clients, friends and family for supporting A-list Interviews, as we continue to grow and thrive. A giant thank you to my team for a great year as well.
I hope your holiday is full of peace, love, joy and pie!
Yours in success,
Beth Smith
