I know of more than one executive who chronically would never return phone calls or e-mails and were generally not nice people, only to land on the scrap heap themselves. Boo-hoo.
After ten years as a creative services director, I was given the programming reins as well. It was a proud day for me to be given the additional responsibilities by Ed Piette, a great general manager who knew that I could do little to screw it up, since we had long-term contracts with all the great King World products at the time. Basically, I just had to keep the ship off the rocks.
When I asked him for his best advice on how to succeed as a programmer, he said, "yeah. Never treat syndicators like a**holes. The guy who comes with crap today has a hit tomorrow."
I think these are words to live by--just don't treat anyone badly, for the simple reason that the person you mistreat now will remember it later. On top of that, it's the right thing to do.
The great Ed Roth wrote very eloquently in our last blog (I Promise I'll Return Your Call) about how he was treated on a recent trip to Chicago. I'd like to add a few things to his wise words:
Return every personal call and e-mail, if you can. I know you get hundreds of useless e-mails a day, tut some are really important. Have you ever been a job searcher who really wants a position? Remember how hurt you felt when you had the qualifications but couldn't get a call back? That's how the person feels when you do the same. People get busy, but a quick e-mail saying "we're still evaluating candidates" is always appreciated. Don't just ignore people. It's rude.
Be as honest as you can. By saying "we're going in another direction" doesn't help anyone.
Try to be as specific as you can. Of course, consult your HR director about company policy regarding honesty. Your honesty jut might help me in my search.
Don't talk down to people. This might seem like common sense, but think about it. How many times have people above you in your company, or who were doing the hiring dismissed you? Remember how that felt?
Hopefully you got your revenge by getting an even better job and are thriving in it right now.
Finally, if you have no openings in your department, or you've already filled it, say so. Stop jerking people around. The person on the other end of the phone really wants the job, but I guarantee they're a grown up and deserve to be treated as such. Maybe it's just me, but I HATE having my time wasted.
There's nothing like adversity to create humility. I'm a New Yorker who's had a blunt, big, in-your-face personality for a long time. Living in the Pacific Northwest has been like being in one big "Calm Down Room." It's easy to get so involved in the importance of the job you are doing that you view those outside your building as an interruption in your routine.
But what if those outsiders were seen as allies who could help us do our jobs better, and give you a chance to help someone who really needs it.
If we could work at returning correspondences, being more honest and respectful, trying not to speak in generalities and be a straight shooter. Wouldn't that be novel?
What goes around comes around, right? You can screw with a New Yorker...but never with Karma.
RichIdeas
redrich24@yahoo.com
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Karma may be all-knowing and all-powerful, as you say. But karma, she is also a bitch.
ReplyDeleteFrom a fellow New Yorker. If you screw with us, we will getcha.