Pimping ain’t easy

And the hits keep coming. Not only am I in the process of hiring one person but I have a second one that is pretty much a big deal.  I’m in the middle of looking for a graphic designer to complete the team.  I said this before but I’ll say it again. I hate this process.  I know that you are trying pimp yourself out during those times. You will do anything and learn anything.  My heart does break for you that I have something that you want but there is a line behind you that also wants what you want.  I do believe its a crap shoot. The odds are a little better but a crap shoot none the less.  You can interview, have an awesome resume go to the best school and turn out to be crazy.  It takes having a couple come through your life to know what I mean. It’s pretty shocking the first time it happens to you. You wonder what you did wrong.  That’s probably why I take more time just shooting the breeze during an interview. If I can get along with you then things are going to be ok.  I also try to have a second person in the room just in case my crazy meter aint working.  So here are 5 steps on how to Pimp your self if you are planning on applying to student life well let’s just say to interview with me.

1. Don’t wear a tie. I know that its respectful. I know you were probably taught to over dress rather than under dress.  If you are going to wear a tie at least look hip about it. Your paisley purple tie doesn’t make it happen. If you drop off your resume in person you would be able to see the culture.

2.  Always, always research on what we do.  Nothing irks me more than someone asking “So what type of work will I be doing?”

3.  When I ask if you have any questions, come up with one.  We have sat here listening to you talk you’ve got to want to know something.

4.  When I say “tell me about your self” and you ask “What do you want to know?” It is to give you an opportunity to tell me not only about yourself but you get to tell me the things you think are important about you.  I dont do it to try to stump you.

5.  I know you are nervous but I’m going to try to make it as fun as possible. Take a deep breathe and have fun.

Ok so these are hard and fast rules. These are ways to work here for me.  Try them don’t try them.

Peace in the middle east

New Music- John Mayer

I don’t know when I became a John Mayer fan. I think it was actually during the chappelle show when he did a guest appearance.  I like him and I like this album. I once again bought and LP off of Itunes. This one wasn’t as cool as the Jay-z album but it was good.  It had a couple of videos and of course the lyrics.  Ok this is going to be real short. I may give a little write up later but for now give it a listen give it a try.

I’m going to let this speak for him. One of my favorite michael jackson songs.

My New Love

Ok. Nothing about work here. Today starts my get some stuff done day. In honor of that I’ll start by talking about my new favorite show. Modern Family. What i like about it is they way it looks at our messed up family lives and say “you are not alone”  I was an avid watcher of Married with Children and what I liked about the family was that no matter how much you saw them go at it they truly loved each other.  (yeah I know its a show but you get my point) Kind of like the Osbourne family.

This show came out of no where for me. One day while flipping through some hulu stuff I thought I should give it a try. I ended up watching all the episodes they had.  Here is what the show consist of a : A father that divorced his wife to marry a Latin princess who already had a quirky kid.  His daughter is married to the typical american dad persona (he’s made to look stupid but has a big heart). Her brother is gay and is married to a dude and they just adopted a kid. Typical huh. Give it a shot you may be surprised.

Peace in the Middle east

Not reading email + Throwing something together = being unprepared for meeting

So I’ve noticed that I have spoken about pop culture in about a week. There will be a new music Friday this week but it seems I’ve been on this work kinda kick lately. Maybe its the added responsibility. I dont know. Its just where I am right now.

So yesterday. I was asked about a week ago to come to a meeting and pitch along with others some ideas for a new project we are working. With this being part of my job I gladly accepted.  That was about the end of me thinking about it. We had a follow up email to ask about what time. I gave what time I could attend and said meeting was even reschedule to accommodate me.  That was my second opportunity to engage.  There were follow up emails giving instructions. I once again did not read. Then came the day of the meeting. When we are talking about lesson ideas I sometimes like trying to think up with those right before the meeting.  This though is different. You have to search and look and dream. I blew it and it showed.  Never throw that kinda stuff together.  This goes back to how a meeting should be run.  From the moment I started talking I knew I was in trouble especially when you see people who had thought about it working. I suck. Because of my guilt I bought the staff breakfast.  A kind of hey please like me and because they are pretty awesome . They continue to take up my slack.  I have a list for being ready for a meeting.

1. Read all correspondence

2. Prepare to prepare for a meeting

3. Know when you can’t contribute.

4. Don’t be afraid to say you are not ready.

5. You are to be a help not a hindrence

6. Don’t be stupid.

Peace

Meetings (persudae or defend)

I think its hard to actually get anything accomplished in a meeting. I don’t know if that’s universal. NO. I think it is. Here is what happens in a lot of meetings I’m in. Ever person has a certain agenda. We don’t always know what that agenda is. So we spend most of the time trying to persuade or defend our agenda.  That happened to me recently.  Two people were engaged in discussion where I do think they both were speaking different languages. It was like the tower of babble you know. Right after the fall or Pentecost.  So, the rest of us also not knowing what language this was just kinda waited until the dust cleared.  Two people trying to persuade and defend.  The funny thing is I don’t think either person was necessarily wrong.  Both had great points and both wanted the other person to understand.

I don’t have a list of things to remember. Well I do have one. Let your agenda be known. You may find that when each person does that you start with what you all hope to accomplish from this meeting.  I do work with one guy that is very good at that. He starts his meetings with “here is what I hope to accomplish with this meeting” From the start we are all on the same page. Good job you. I may bring you a cookie today.

Peace

Resume Reading

So we are in the hiring process here at the old office. It’s a process I hate being in just as much as I hate having to do.  I try not to take out my aggression on applicants. They are in the same boat that I was once in….You send in your resume hoping that someone on the other side picks you to look at.  When you are in the business filed I would think you look at where they worked before and what school they went to. In the creative world its a little different.  Yeah I could look at your school maybe if you just graduated but lets say you’ve been out a couple years. Do you think I care where you went to school or your G.P.A?  Not so much.  I’m going to look at your body of work and what people say about you. So if by chance you are applying here and if by chance its for something in my department here are a couple of hints or suggestions.

1.  You’ve got about three minutes of my time. [edit] Oh I will watch a DVD of you

2. If you send me to your portfolio site… do me a favor. Make sure I can download your resume and your portfolio. If I can’t make sure I can find it easily.  Nothing frustrates me more than an overly creative site where I can’t find anything.

3.  On your resume… in the objective line… if its too generic I assume you don’t want to work here you want to work anywhere.

4. Yes we are a christian org. but you actually have to have skill in what you are applying for. You can’t just want to do anything or just be interested in the field.

5. Related experience should actually be related.

6.  You can actually find out who is hiring.  If you type in “creative director” “Student Life” andy blanks comes up third.. who works here at student life who wrote a post about me.  There you will find my name. Ta-da

Seems simple enough. We also post our stuff on employment sites so we get people who aren’t so much interested in us as they are a job.  I know times are tough and it sucks but I wont give it a second look if it seems generic to me.  Well that’s all I got. Happy hunting to those out there looking for work. Keep at it. Stay in the fight.