Always and Never

September 2nd, 2010

By Patricia Beasock, Talent Manager

Two words I dislike personally, and dislike even more professionally.  I try not to use them if at all possible.  Generally speaking… a term such as these is so absolute, it doesn’t really end up applying often in the recruiting industry.  Instead, I am a big fan of reading tea leaves, tarot cards, crystal balls, rain dancing – whatever pops your cork.  Often times these methods are quite accurate; sometimes frighteningly so.

That said, in my line of work, when working with human beings (and I’m going to brake my own rule to say)- there is ALWAYS room for error, and we should NEVER assume.

The savvy networker, Liz Ryan recently wrote an article called “Underhanded Ways Hiring Managers Say They’re Not Interested.”  Basically it describes the various ways a hiring manager tells a candidate “no” without actually saying that word. In my opinion, her thoughts veer a little too near the “always” and the “never.”

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Here’s where we differ:

Hiring Manager Says: “We’re going to look at some other candidates.”

Ms. Ryan’s  translation:  Sometimes they tell you that you’re one of three or five or some other number of candidates in the pipeline. That’s fine. It’s reasonable for a hiring manager to consider a number of people before making a hiring decision. The big red flag is when the hiring manager or the HR person says, “We’re going to look at some other candidates.”   Wait–you’re going to go find some new candidates, after you’ve interviewed me? That’s a sign to get out of Dodge. For whatever reason, you’re not their cup of tea.

My take:  With unemployment being near or over 10% – the client holds the cards in this market.  If the position isn’t a 911 fill (recruiter speak for ” I need this person 2 weeks ago!”) then they have the time, and the right – to be choosy with the talent pool that they have in front of them.

Hiring Manager Says: “We also have some qualified internal candidates.”

Ms. Ryan’s thought:  If you were a hiring manager, who would you look at first: the people who already work around you every day or strangers who responded to a job ad? You’d look at your internal candidates, of course. You’d talk to those people, and if you wanted to hire one of them, you’d never place a job ad. When you post a job publicly, you’re proclaiming to the world that you’ve already ruled out whichever internal candidates applied.

That’s why, when you’re into a recruiting process and you hear, for the first time, “You know, we also have some qualified internal candidates,” it’s time to cut and run. If there really are internal candidates, it’s a huge disservice to those folks to not make decisions about them before bringing in outside people like you.

And an ethical employer owes it to you and other external candidates to make up their dang mind about internal applicants before wasting your time. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

And Me: Especially in larger organizations, HR folk are often required to post internally, and cxv bn those talent need to be vetted the same way that your resume does.  Sometimes internal candidates pop up at the last minute.  Don’t sweat it – if you are the right talent, you’ll get the job.

If the Hiring Manager Says: “You’re still in the running.”

Ms. Ryan Reads this as: If anyone from the hiring organization says this to you, that’s your cue to bail. This is the professional equivalent of your sweetheart saying, “You’re awesome, but I think we should both see other people, too.”

I think: It’s summer. People are on vacation.  More than one person needs to give buy in before a final decision is made.  Life is in session.  Budgets need to be approved and procurement is holding up the process.  Any number of things can illicit this response.  Our time frame and sense of urgency isn’t always the same as the hiring manager.

If you hear: “We need to decide what kind of person we’re looking for.”

Ms. Ryan Thinks: This is the mealy-mouthed manager’s way of saying, “Whatever kind of person we’re looking for, it ain’t you.”

She’s close. I think: This is a peeve of mine. I prefer that the hiring manager knows what they want before they begin the search. Sometimes once in the search – they realize that what they thought they wanted and what they actually need are 2 different things – so this makes complete sense.

And LAST, if the Hiring Manager says: “We’re going to sit down and discuss all of the candidates next week.”

Ms. Ryan understands this to mean: Imagine that you’re a hiring manager with a big, expensive problem to solve. (If you didn’t have an expensive problem, you’d never have gotten approval to fill the position.) Imagine that the perfect person shows up, someone you know could solve your problem and let you sleep at night instead of tossing and turning. Can you imagine saying to that person, the one you desperately want on your team, “We’re going to sit down and discuss all of the candidates?”It would never happen. “We’re going to sit down next week” not only means “We’re in no rush to hire you” but also means “We don’t mind telling you that none of us would burst out crying if you decided to move on to other opportunities.”

I think: Again – a lot of the hiring process is a matter of timing.  Maybe they are bullshitting you. Maybe they aren’t. Bottom line, and I tell talent that I meet this all of the time: Trust your gut, follow your bliss.  Have faith. Leap, and the net will appear.

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As a headhunter, recruiter, placement advisor, and part time shrink, I have heard it all. Sure – sometimes the client or HR manager will run you in circles instead of giving you a firm “thanks but no thanks”. For me, I prefer the direct approach. It’s in my east coast blood -I can’t help it.  Unfortunately, not everyone has a broken filter like me and they end up taking the less direct approach.  I’m not saying that Ms. Ryan is completely off base on her thoughts above…. I am saying that there are two sides to every story.

Meta Information: That’s Info About Info (If You Didn’t Know)

August 23rd, 2010

Here’s some information about information about information. Sorry, I couldn’t resist.  It’s meta information… like in the title and it’s EVERYWHERE.  It’s a trip when you think about it.  This entry was written for 52’s blog by Brian Belefant whose link to more info is included in the body.  Thanks Brian!

A picture used to be worth 1,000 words. But thatʼs no longer enough. When I import a picture into Aperture, I can append it with 52 meta tags –– words that describe everything from the focal length I shot  it at to its copyright.

This may seem fairly benign, but when youʼre sitting in the Newark Airport for five hours waiting to make a connecting flight –– as I am –– you have lots of time to explore implications.

My first notion is to think of it in economic terms. What used to be worth 1,000 words is now worth 1,052. Thatʼs a five percent rate of inflation, or deflation, depending on whether youʼre talking about the pictures or the words.

Words about pictures is only one thing, though. I write a blog (www.60secdirector.blogspot.com). Recently, I had a slightly uneasy feeling when I found out that people were blogging about my blog.

Sure, itʼs flattering. But some of the blogs that blogged about my blog have larger readerships than I do. Isnʼt that weird?

And then thereʼs the part about the information itself. My blog provides information –– itʼs bite-sized lessons on directing for aspiring filmmakers. But when someone blogs about my blog, theyʼre providing information about information.

Meta information.

And what about twittering, googling, facebooking, linking, tagging, and all those other verbs that didnʼt even exist 15 years ago, but now have infected our language to the point that theyʼre better understood than concepts that many would argue contribute more to our body of knowledge? Can you distinguish between “continuous” and “continual”? I canʼt. I used to know the difference. Now I have to look it up. But I can tell you how a blog is different from a tweet. Does that mean information about information supplanting information itself?

(Okay, bad example. “Continuous” and “continual” are words about information. But you get my point.)

Wandering around the terminal for the fifteenth time, I pass Starbucks. They have nine different words to describe coffee mixed with milk. And Iʼm not even talking about sizes or the adjectives you can apply to fine-tune your purchase, like “wet”, “dry”, “no-foam”, and “extra-hot.”

Outside Hudson News, thereʼs a huge poster for ʻLuckyʼ. An ad for a magazine dedicated to shopping. Or to put it another way, an ad for a collection of ads and information, much of which, Iʼm sure, refers to other information –– books, other magazines, movies.

If you buy the magazine, they put it in a plastic bag with pictures of magazine covers on it, presumably to advertise their availability to the other passengers waiting five hours to make a connection. Hudson News recruits you to disseminate information about information about information.

Inside Hudson News, my eye is drawn to a particular book. ʻPreciousʼ. Based on the movie ʻPreciousʼ, which was based on the book ʻPushʼ.

Huh?

A book based on a movie based on a book? They should make a movie about that. And if it does well, they can turn it into a book. And so on.

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I’d Like to Ask the Audience, Regis

August 19th, 2010

I’m reading this article on Wednesday at around 4:30p. Between the nearing end of the day haze and the sugar induced brain goo brought on by 4 mini candy bars, I’m not sure if my brain is firing on all cylinders… so I figure, heed the article’s advice.

It’s a pretty quick read so I buzzed (literally after that much sugar) through it.  After reading Dan 3.0’s description I set back in my chair and said, out loud which made everyone’s head swivel, “huh.”

What a brilliant thought.  Ask the people!  Not a new idea for sure…  today IS the 90th anniversary of women’s right to vote, you know.  I think the novelty of the idea is in how the feedback is used.  In the below companies, it seems to be used directly… not really edited or diffused, or at least minimally so.

Then I start thinking about the what-if’s.  What if 52 incorporated some form of this?  Like, um, events.  We ask folks what they want to see, or learn about, or who they want to hear from.  Then…. we do it!  Again I say, “huh.”  OR… and this is kooky so bear with me… but what if a “gig” is posted.  Say a client needs a poster with xxxxxx copy on it, and xxxxxxx graphics incorporated, to be used for xxxxxx application, and whatever else we know.  Then  if you want to work on it, you do, then upload your work directly to that client’s ‘profile’ for them to review. Then, in the end, if the client uses your art, you get the “prize.”  In this case probably money.

Ok, I’m sure there are major flaws in this 35 second idea but really though, sometimes it’s tough to get started in a field, or a new city once you’ve moved, or even if you wanted to change careers.  Something like this could provide a break-in chance.

“Huh.”  These are just my sugar flooded braincells banging together.  Here’s the article originally posted on Spring Wise.  Thoughts?

Five Businesses That Look to the Crowds for Content

by Stefan Grimm and Jim Stewart

Tapping the crowd for creative input can provide a double-sided benefit for businesses: first, it unleashes a huge resource of ideas, often at little or no cost. Second, it’s a powerful marketing tool, providing information about who potential customers are, and about what they like. Here are five recently spotted enterprises that make use of content from the crowd:

1. NAMING FORCE — Naming Force crowdsources name ideas for businesses, websites, and products. Clients sign up for a package of suggestions and provide a brief description of what they want named. The incentive for the community of namers is a cash prize of USD 100-500, paid by the client to the person whose idea is chosen. If the client doesn’t like any of the suggestions, they’re refunded the prize money. (Related: Name This.) Read the rest of this entry »

Like a Concert But With Sketchbooks. Sounds Quiet, But Really Cool.

August 18th, 2010

Unfortunately 52 isn’t involved in this at all.  And unfortunately the tour doesn’t stop in THIS Portland.  But anyone can submit  and I know of a bunch of folks that should!!  Plus, I have a sneaking suspicion that 52 NYC will represent when the tour makes a stop in Brooklyn.

Many of you may have already heard about this, if you haven’t here’s the deal:

Thousands of sketchbooks will be exhibited at galleries and museums as they make their way on tour across the country.

After the tour, all sketchbooks will enter into the permanent collection of The Brooklyn Art Library, where they will be barcoded and available for the public to view.

Anyone – from anywhere in the world – can be a part of the project.

To get more information or to enter (do it… I would if I were extremely talented like you) go here: SketchbookProject

“How Do I Put this Gently? THAT’S THE WORST IDEA I’VE EVER HEARD!”

August 16th, 2010

It’s hot.  For some reason, when it’s hot the “writer” section of my brain goes on hiatus.  But, while feeding a different section of my cabeza I stumbled onto this article after Googling “Creative Inspiration”.  Though it’s not exactly what I was looking for, it was something I felt should be shared. I read the original article on “A List Apart” a site for web designers/developers.

No One Nos: Learning to Say No to Bad Ideas written by Whitney Hess

No. One word, a complete sentence. We all learned to say it around our first birthday, so why do we have such a hard time saying it now when it comes to our work?

Guilt. Fear. Pressure. Doubt. As we grow up, we begin to learn that not doing what others expect of us can lead to all sorts of negative consequences. It becomes easier to concede to their demands than to stand up for ourselves and for what is right.

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2010 Creative Resolution: Fail

August 5th, 2010

John, a brilliant writer and good friend of 52, contributed this piece in December of 2009.  How do you think these methods have stacked up so far in 2010?

I thought up a wish around Christmas 2008. (You remember, this was when the economy fell into a well, only to crawl out in an algae-soaked stupor around mid-year.) By the end of 2009 I got some of the stuff I hoped for: Cool projects. Money. And I made some great new relationships with passionate professionals. I was lucky. But some things never came. That’s the era we’re in.

IMHO, 2010 isn’t going to be the year of getting back to the big getting that we sometimes enjoy. (My stimulus package is pretty much BOGO at the supermarket.) Sure, Obama’s president. I have hope. But the economy remains iffy. Building brands will be fun but no less exacting than 2009—given lean budgets, challenged clients and the speed of change. But you’ve got a great secret weapon. It’s called: an idea.

If I, you—we—do nothing this year but die for our ideas or the ideas our brand teams come up with, you’ll make it to 2011. People will admire you. Will want to work with you. And if you play it right, they’ll pay you well. What’s truly thrilling is how powerful ideas can be now. As in: effective, gorgeous, persuasive, cash-generating, transforming, life-building, whatever.
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Culture Killers

July 29th, 2010

Arrogance. Ego. Too much emphasis on profit. All of these can lead to the death of culture in a creative agency.

In two days one week I had meetings with three management level people that have seen the cultures of their employers, creative agencies in town, shift dramatically away from employees and toward the bottom line and/or a founder(s) arrogant vision.

This is an all too common mistake that companies make. With many local agencies being founder-based it can set up challenging dynamics when it comes to establishing and growing culture. It takes a healthy ego to start a company. As your company grows, at some point it becomes your employees that are growing and sustaining the company, not the founder(s). This is a realization that many either do not make, or do not believe. To successfully grow and maintain growth founders need to empower their staff and maintain a positive employee-driven culture.

Ego’s can often get in the way of this because, after all, the company grew around the founder(s) so they are always the key component. Not true once a level of growth has been obtained. Read the rest of this entry »

Portland on the DL Could We Use a Little Bling Bling?

July 26th, 2010

Unpretentious, relaxed, quirky, and fiercely independent, Portland’s creative community is very much on the down low in terms of nationwide visibility. Even though our agencies consistently garner national awards, and our boutique agencies produce some of the most original advertising, marketing, and creative material anywhere. But people are beginning to take notice that Portland is truly a dynamic creative hub.

Young creatives fresh out of college and art schools flock here. Talented people with established names and businesses in larger markets are moving to Portland for quality of life reasons a smaller city with outstanding arts and culture, diverse and urban with great planning, respectful of the environment, and with some of the best food, wine, and beer in the country. In a word, Portland exemplifies livability. Often they’re also bringing their high paying clients with them who positively impact our economy.

Major companies already recognize the city’s wealth of creative talent. Nike is a homegrown powerhouse that has forged a long-term advertising partnership with Wieden and Kennedy. Adidas has their North American headquarters here. This competitive atmosphere also helped raise the profile of local companies such as Columbia Sportswear. Now a new wave of companies is drawn to Portland for its talented creatives and energized setting. Nautilus, Keen Footwear, And Icebreaker all come to mind.

We’re seeing this exciting new wave of talented people in our own practice. At 52 Limited, we’re working with creative and inventive people from many places and backgrounds: art directors from New York, designers from Minnesota, copywriters from San Francisco, fashion designers from Los Angeles to name a few. As a creative resource company, we’re able to match highly talented individuals with our best businesses. We work diligently to ensure success at all levels. Our growing creative base has made this an easier task. Success breeds success. The more outstanding our industry becomes, the more Portland shines as a creative center. Read the rest of this entry »

Education through Collaboration – Crème Brûlée Done Three Ways

July 22nd, 2010

Written by Andy Young for 52 (Thanks Andy!)

I was recently in Paris, where one day walking out of Gare du Nord train station I was able to come out of a serious sugar coma long enough to notice something; Parisians like fonts! Don’t get me wrong. New York works in no other font than Helvetica, and we heart NY for it. Paris though doesn’t play favorites, and has a neon letterpress of imagination to prove it. It’s as if the gleaming glass cases of croissants weren’t enough, and they just had to put the word patisserie in just the right font, with just the right kerning, to have you floating in on a trail of steam and butter… Wait, before I start thinking I’m writing for Food and Wine I should get back to the subject at hand… Read the rest of this entry »

Waste More Time

July 15th, 2010

Written by Rick Albano for 52. Read more from Rick at sissyfish.blogspot.com

Wasting time. It’s something we all do pretty well, but invariably feel pretty guilty about, especially when bills are piling up, work’s bearing down, and-frankly-we’re not getting any younger. What’s your diversion? Craigslist? Cupcakes? Yacht Rock? Fantasy football? Pinot Noir? Roller derby?  There’s always something we’d rather be doing than sitting in a cubicle, staring at a screen.

As a freelance music writer in LA a few years ago, I scored a job interviewing bands for a living. For a lifelong music fanatic, this seemed like a dream scenario, but my enthusiasm eventually sagged when I realized was just another Hollywood hack, writing fluff copy to sell widgets in the form of MP3s.  One day in particular sums up my experience: I was sitting at a desk (after sitting in traffic for hours), being reprimanded over the phone by Liz Phair for not writing good interview questions. It broke my heart, because I loved Liz Phair, but at the same time, I thought she’d become a complete sellout. The problem was, I couldn’t ask her why she’d sold out, because I would have gotten fired. But wait-They couldn’t really fire me, because I was never even “hired” in the first place… But I’d been sitting at the same desk for two years!
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