Shiny Objects, Twists of Fate and Random Acts of Kindness
By Carmen Jeffery
I am compelled to talk about a term in recruiting called “Stopping to Pick Up Shiny Objects”, it refers to when you are targeting candidates for a specific role and you get distracted by “other” great candidates along the way. It also relates nicely to any one who is setting out to find something, anything at all.
It reminds me of classic children’s stories when the mother sends her child out the door and says, “Now go straight to grandma’s, don’t doddle or stop to talk to strangers”. We all know how the story goes, the child then stops frequently to ask for directions and meets and greets a myriad of strangers, heading into all sorts of adventures and trouble. Along the way, lessons are learned, lives are saved and personal growth is fostered. Here, in the twists of fate present in stories like Little Red Riding Hood and The Wizard of Oz, its all about the journey.
As a hybrid recruiter/business developer, I have to confess that detours are often how I discover new clients, prospective candidates and eventually my candidate. I keep focused enough to state what I am looking for in my conversations, but I always welcome the chance to hear about their professional pursuits and request referrals. Yes, at times I have wandered too far off my path, but over the past 12 years; I have developed pretty good big bad wolf radar.
Here’s where the Twists of Fate and Random Acts of Kindness come in. It seems to me that if you are intent on finding something you always do, intention is more than half the battle and many people forget that.
For example, if along the way to finding a Director of E-Commerce, you find an Architect, a Product Manager and a UX Designer; as long as you are intent on finding an E-commerce Director you will. The whole aspect of 6 degrees of separation always plays in here, and each person whom you connect with along the way will often lead you to some one else, who will eventually lead you to your destiny. With good intentions, and taking the time to offer advice and listen, you often get more than just your golden treasure. By creating a flow of sorts, you end up opening all kinds of doors. Small and sometimes random acts of kindness along the way set every one on their path.
Here’s how it plays out, the UX designer whose resume you critiqued interviews with a product manager, it goes so well that they digress and get to chatting, your search comes up and the product manager asks for your coordinates because he has an old boss whose looking. The next day, you get a call and a LinkedIn request; it’s your E-Commerce person. Months later as he gets up and running, you client is happy, your candidate is too and now they call and ask you to find them product managers and UX designers. There you have it, the meanderings, the stops along the way to pick up shiny objects, the twists of fate and random acts of kindness, calls, e-mails, Tweets and RTs all play an important part in getting you where you need to be.
The moral of the story? Don’t be afraid of the big bad wolf, intend not to run into him, get to grandmas and enjoy every step along the way, because there will be more than just a hot apple pie when you get there.
Oh yes and, “Toto, sometimes we aren’t in Kansas any more”.
Re-Posted with written permission from the Author
Precision Recruiting
Ottawa: 613-287-3767 Toronto: 647-727-4737 Web: www.PrecisionRecruiting.ca
