Action Stations everyone!

Action Stations..




Again... it's all happening again.

This is my personal blog, just a disclaimer...... I do spend a bit of time here talking about Recruitment and the like, but I think my family get a fair mention.... well that is growing.

My wife announced on her Facebook page today that we are expecting child number 3. That means (her announcement) that it is open slather for me to say something dan. It has been tough to contain. I've been bursting to say something, but have waited the obligatory weeks, so watch out world... here we come.

When I was a little boy, my parents would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I'm not sure why, but for some reason, "Recruiter" didn't come out of my mouth... maybe "wecwuiter" may have... doubt it. Family legend tells me the "I want to be a Daddy" came out of my mouth pretty often.

I am blessed to be able to achieve that dream 3 times over. I can remember being freaked out when Talia our second child was born, (oh, I just found a blog I did for this, well well well) for different reasons to the fear, anxiety and excitement when Zach's (number one child) arrival was imminent. I wondered how there was enough room in my heart for more love. Sounds silly, but I seriously did...

It is going to be an amazing, albeit crowded, journey for our family now. With Zac 5, Talia 2 and our new one coming, I can't wait to see how it all goes.

I forsee stress, tears, frustration, mess. Ok that's just my normal life. But the joy I've received from watching my kids develop, watching my wife nurture, guide and raise them, make me feel blessed and absolutely pumped at what will come.

So if tired, weary posts start appearing here, and they start looking worse than my normal, tired weary posts.. forgive me, but the times they are a changing......

IMPOSSIBLE... NO! I'M POSSIBLE

Busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest.

I love that saying.....



Is wanting it all a bit much? I want the work life balance. The real thing, not a 60/40 split. Something always gives. Option a) You spend too much time in the office to deliver stuff and the family suffers, Option b) you leave early to look after family stuff and eyebrows in the office are raised. Especially the higher up to food chain you travel.

I've been lucky, in my career of late I've been in a company which, not only talks the talk, it walks the walk in this way. We don't expect any more than 40 hours a week, we keep travel to a minimum, as we seriously respect our people's time.

This last week I've been interviewing some pretty senior people for our business, and find our conversations heading down the work/life balance path at times. Especially with more mature people who have been around for a while. I hear the stories about their global successes, their travel, the wins the losses etc (and a lot of times their divorces). Each one seems to have sacrificed the home front for amazing gains in the business world.

Is this ideal of Work/Life balance a myth? Is it impossible? Is there a certain level within an organisation where the ideal becomes null and void, with a "we pay you $x, we own you now" mentality.

IMPOSSIBLE? bugger that.. I'M POSSIBLE.

I'd like to think I have a handle on priorities in life. And you know what... I want, ney I'm having both. Why? Because I can. Why not!

Hours don't maketh the employee, quality does. Same goes for parenting.

As mentioned in a previous post, my wife and I are expecting child number 3 come April. All kinds of challenges are running through my mind, one child starting school, one starting kinder, one, well just basically starting. It's hard yakka, which most likely my wife will bear the brunt of initially. Work will be there, this too is full on, if it's to be done properly and it needs and deserves to be done properly. It pays the bills, it's fun and it gives me a sense of who I am too.

I'm hoping with child number 3, I'll be more self aware than I was with the first two. I know what is expected of me from both camps and I know what worked and what didn't previously... and I'm ready for it. I have more tools and resources available to me now, and I'll be prepared.

I will still hit my personal goals and career goals... why? quite simply... to channel my Dad.. "BECAUSE I SAID SO! THAT'S WHY!" (don't make me come over there)

You can be Heroes

It's a great job when it all comes together isn't it?

The last 12 months haven't been the best in industry, many people struggling to stay afloat, keep themselves relevant and employed across all markets. But TODAY, I got my groove back...

It didn't start well today. The bat signal was being loud and clear from a distressed constituent (AKA A grumpy/distressed call from the business). A hiring emergency was happening... "holy recruitment issues Batman" I thought. I was informed that we needed people... 2 people, to complete our process successfully and hired to start on Monday (it's Thursday today) or the world as we know it would cease to exist. (Maybe not that extreme, but from the tone of the call it wasn't too far away)

No-one else in the business was free..... THIS WAS A JOB FOR.....

wait for it...






RECRUITMENT!

It was time to shine... My AWESOME team clicked into gear. Challenge? Ha! I repeat HA! I laugh in the face of a challenge.. to quote an amazing bit of American cinematography.. (you pick if I'm being sarcastic or not!) "Bring it ON!" It was amazing to watch. A sleeping giant awakening, ahh the buzz, I'm smiling at the remembered vision.

ACTIVITY! ACTIVITY! ACTIVITY! I swear smoke was coming up from the phones, creativity oozing from the pores.... At the end of the day, the team was able to look at each other... They'd found the unfindable, solved that business problem, influenced the immovable force to change course, pulled the rabbit out of the hat and solved that business issue. Oh I love it.. the sweet sweet taste of victory.

This is what we do. This is why we do it. Recruitment makes a difference, and I love the days where what I know to be true is seriously quantifiable and visible to all.

Australian Recruiting show on its way... Monday

Those who read this, yes that's you Mum and Dad, will know I am a Recruiting tragic. I read blogs everyday, I'll listen to replays of The Recruiting Animal Show, I'll call in to Bill Boorman's show and listen to his US version, I'll listen to Maureen Sharib and Geoff Webb's Talk Sourcing show. I Ustream'd ERE's convention in the US, and get involved in as much as I possibly can.


Fortunately or unfortunately most of these things are done after hours for me, as most of these things are not targeted at Australian audiences, apart from the one Recruiting Animal show, which I was lucky enough to be a part of. They put it on for us, ie worked around our time, so I wouldn't have to wake up at 3am to dial in!

The good news is Bill Boorman is turning his focus on Australia. Bill Boorman is quickly becoming a global legend in this space. Bill is an extremely experienced Recruiter, turned Recruiting Trainer/Commentator. Trust me, what he says needs to be listened to and respected.


Bill is launching his Australian Show THIS MONDAY!

Why? He is either sick of Aussies calling into his show and confusing the POMS with our accents (we don't mention anything sporty), or he's heard that there are a large number of English Recruiters out here, and think they may need to hear a little more from home, or of course he's looking for a tax deductible trip down under. Whatever the reason at 3pm Monday AEDST Bill is launching his Australian show.....

Such shows should be mandatory listening for your Australian Recruiting Professional, well, if you have time in between billing that is. Participation is the key. Great for your brand too.


Check out Bill's site on Blogtalk Radio (you can find links on my blog too!) and get involved. His first show will be titled "Road to Recovery". Be there or be square... love that... I will be.

$#IT Happens

I write a lot from the Recruiter point of view, but I had one of those weeks, which changed my mindset for a while.

I've had to make a number of calls to unsuccessful candidates. As a job to do... that sucks.. but you know what?.. I'm sure it doesn't suck as much as taking the call.

Going for a job is a brave thing to do. You're putting yourself out there to be judged by others. Baring your soul, putting your future in someone else's hands to decide on. Like those people who will put themselves out there for reality TV.

Put yourself in the jobseeker shoes if you will... You know how it goes, you get excited about a role, you invest in it, you research it, you go to the interview, like the people you meet, you think you perform well, and you leave the meeting absolutely PUMPED! Dreams change, your ego rises and you start mentally preparing your exit strategy.

You then get the call, from the Recruiter. You were unsuccessful.... what the? How did that happen? OK, ask for feedback, you're tough.. you can take it.

What? nothing specific, just someone better? Seriously? That had that little tiny skill that you thought you could learn in a heart beat and out pointed you on that?

I have to tell you, oh job seeker... this HAPPENS ALL THE TIME! Sometimes it is really hard to quantify why one person was chosen over another, other than that other poor reason, "culture fit!" You didn't blow the interview, they just chose someone else. (Even if you blew the interview, review the interview again honestly to yourself, take the feedback and use it in the next one. By the way, personal honesty is the hardest type, it is not that comfortable inside that house of mirrors)

It sucks, I know. To quote the great man Forrest Gump "Shit happens". Suck it up, be upset, that's fine, that shows a competitive nature and no one should like to lose, and find the next door to open. It may be hidden, or out of sight, but trust me... it's there somewhere.

Trialled something new this week.

I had a weird feeling this week, it was actually an idea, weird I know...

I've heard all the VIDEO hype, so I thought.. "let's try a video ad without any written words"

I contacted the CIO of SEEK Carey Eaton, and asked if they would have any issues with it, and he was supportive, so we gave it a whirl. An advertisement aimed at getting Graduates for our Melbourne office

Here it is... would love to know what you think.

DWS Resorts to capturing avatars for advertising