5 Days and 4 Nights

Disclaimer: This is not an advertisement for a travel itinerary by a fly-by-night operator. Also, it's an event that happened a few years ago and this post was sitting in the 'Draft' folder for a long time.

I’m referring to 5 Days and 4 Nights that were spent in the hospital, while my mother underwent neurosurgery for an extreme case of Trigeminal Neuralgia. She’s doing fine now, but the tabs were not helping her stay active. She needed to rest for at least 15 hours a day! Anyway, my stay at the hospital (as her caretaker/attendee) was filled with loads of tension, anxiety and extremely high levels of hyper-tension, while she was undergoing surgery. I read an entire book in about 4-5hours (can't even remember the name right now) and a ton of help from my wife kept me from going into a hysterical black-hole.

So, I did eventually manage to keep calm and in fact had a lot of lessons to learn from the hospital staff. They were efficiency in motion!  

Lesson #1: Keep your cool!

The doctors, nurses and every single paramedic in the Operation Theatre, ICU and wards displayed calmness during the entire surgery. I did get to see the video of the surgery, to re-assure and also to keep me informed about the procedure. They had to keep their cool. And hold their nerve with tons of patience. After all, the patient’s life was in their hands. Literally!

Anxiety kills half your brain-cells, or atleast it dulls the senses enough to not think clearly. I’m sure your role as HR could involve hiring, firing, conducting appraisals, employee relations, HR ops and loads more. Phew!  This makes you feel swamped with work! Just imagine, if your next move involved saving a person’s life and you froze. 

Here’s what I learnt – take on one issue at a time. Multi-tasking is great, but even that needs a priority list to be prepared before you get into the task. A cool head is what helps you get that list straight and with enough room for flexibility. For example, retention of employees should be a higher priority than planning a replacement for them. Unless they are let-go for either integrity issues or poor performance. It’s a no-brainer, right?

Lesson #2: Timely Communication is MANDATORY!
 
At the hospital, I’d spent a considerable amount of time outside the Operation Theatre and ICU waiting for the doctor to come and update me on the medical situation. The waiting time was filled with anticipation and nervousness. Thankfully, he did come with an update on time.
 
I suppose it’s the same at your workplace too. Right? Honestly, there will be queries around Performance Appraisal, Employee Referral, Company Policies and Practices, Salary Structure, Employee Benefits and more (see you are swamped with work!) Hold on! Don’t panic. Either you DO know the answers to all the queries (not likely) or you DON’T know. If you do know, then you’ll answer (hopefully on time) to the query. If you know the answer and are still NOT responding to the query on time, time to re-look at your style of working.

The trouble actually starts when you don’t know the answer. You get a query from an employee via mail/call/in-person, for which you don’t know the answer. What to do next? Unable to think through it, you sit on the query for many days without doing anything about it. Meanwhile, the employee who had to fill the appraisal waited and sent an incomplete one which is going to impact the review. It’s an extreme case, but nonetheless, it did happen. If you DON’T know the answer, let the person know. Ask for time to get back (be practical in taking time) and then come back to ask your manager or other team members, but get that query answered – ON TIME. More importantly, it's perfectly okay to ask for help.

Lesson #3: Think and Act
 
More often than not, we do have a tendency to “jump-the-gun” while solving problems! It’s good, after all having a bias-for-action is appreciated. However, a little discretion never hurts, while deciding the course of action. THINK & ACT! Is it easier said than done? You bet!

Fire-fighting is a tough skill. Combine that with some strategic thinking and you’ll get yourself a killer-combo!
 

The best lessons are learnt in the most unlikeliest of places. Mine just happened to be in a hospital…

Four books that one MUST read in 2017

There are book lists and then there are books that change your life.

Here are 4 books that I'm sure will have a positive impact on the reader.

   

 P.S: I'll share my thoughts on each book, but if you've already read them, do share your takeaways as well. 

Happy New Year!

The video might be a distraction, it's also a sign that most times we are focusing on the easy targets. Like sending a mass mail to candidates, WhatsApp'ing a common wish to everyone on your contact list, or even worse not doing anything at all. Everything is a choice.

May 2017 be the year where you take the leap-of-faith to:

- develop an attitude that will get shit done
- be ever so optimistic that you'll work on an idea even if it has a 20% chance of working
- bring candor to every discussion
- keep the faith in people around you
- make 'Trust' your defacto mode in day-to-day work
- not shy away from failing
 
Everything is a choice. Make yours count!

Happy New Year!

5 years, 7 months, 15 days...

Wow! It's been a long time and there's this thing called the writer's block.

Well, the past few years have been truly amazing on the personal and professional front. It's kept me so freakin' busy that I almost forgot that I used to write here.

I truly hope that I find the inspiration in 2017 to write about all that I've learned these past few years.

Wishing you and your family Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

Cheers!

Managers, clones and hiring

Have you ever experienced an interview where managers are looking at hiring candidates that are clones/replica of themselves? And then you get back from the discussion wondering if it was for a role that you didn’t fit into. Or, you got hired for a role that held much more promise than the one you eventually got.

It’s not an uncommon scenario. The easiest way for a manager to conquer the hiring heights is to look for candidates that match the job description 100% and yet would bring in a bit more competency to the table. It’s an ideal scenario that has, less ramp-up time, good fit and most importantly easy to manage. They’re easy to manage (or at least so it seems) because they already know what needs to be done. Zero conflict situation. Perfect.

Except that they are far too many issues that will crop up in due course of time. That’s when the ‘safe’ managers will take a hit. Imagine a situation where the product needs a new roadmap to be defined and everyone at the table thinks alike! Breaking news: The product just got killed.

What should you do if you are a manager stuck in this hiring situation? First and most importantly, don’t benchmark candidates against the last person in that role. Treat each candidate’s competency differently. Assess your current team’s strength and hire to fix gaps. Be prepared to accept new perspectives. Give the candidate some room to learn things in the role. Finally, be ready to take risks (at least the calculated ones) as a manager. If you can’t, then ask yourself if you are in the right role.

What should you do if you are a candidate stuck in this situation? You were promised a meatier role, but ended up in a role that’s identical to your last job. It’s time to communicate with your manager. Understand the duration of your current responsibilities in the role. If it’s for a fixed duration, then ask for a timeline to start taking on more/newer things. I’m quite sure there’s no manager (in their right senses) that would say ‘No’ to a team member asking to take on work. If the answer is no, the responsibilities will continue for an indefinite time, it’s a call you need to take. Are you willing to continue or move on?

Can I tag along for an interview?

I got this question at a discussion forum with friends.

Can I tag along for an interview?

Adding a little more context to the question; the person asking the question comes with a background of approx 5-6 years of work experience and has been on the look out for a another job for the last few months. He hasn’t yet received a call from any prospective employer. Another person in the forum got an interview call with a company for a job that matches the original poster’s profile. This wasn’t a walk-in interview. It was a scheduled one. Should he just tag along with his friend?

The short & quick answer is – No. Please don’t tag along with your friend for an interview.

Now, here’s a bit more explanation. There are at least three different sets of people involved in this situation. In order of priority: Your friend. Company/Firm. Yourself.

First, let’s take your friend’s situation. He’s might have known you long enough and doesn’t want to end up saying ‘No’ (which he ideally should say). Yet, you are putting him on the spot by asking to tag along. It’s his interview call and let him go for it. The best you can get from your friend would be the mail ID of either the recruiter or hiring manager to send your resume. Tagging along would put him and yourself in an awkward situation at the interview.

Second, let’s see the company perspective. Yes, they would love to talk to another candidate, but it’ll have to be on another day too. This just happened to be a ‘scheduled’ interview. It means that time and effort of the interview panel was planned. They definitely can’t accommodate another unplanned candidate into their schedule. They’ll ask you to send your updated resume to them for consideration. Save yourself and them the trouble and wait for your friend to get back from the interview.

Finally, from your perspective, this is a great opportunity. Agreed. But you’ll end up messing the opportunity it if you tag along. Typically, companies would like to review a candidate’s resume before they initiate a discussion. And possibly even have a telephonic discussion before meeting you in-person. That hasn’t happened in your case, they’ll have to say ‘No’ to you.

Candidate Tip - Part 10

I started the ‘Candidate Tip Series’ on this blog with the intent to answer recruitment related questions from readers. The series was also introduced in an attempt to avoid redundancy in replies. I tweet these tips on my twitter account too, and use the hash-tag #candidatetip.

If you are a candidate, hope this helps. If not, you can help send this post to people searching for answers. I’ll continue to take questions and should you have one, you can send it to thehrstore@gmail.com

Looking for the earlier posts on candidate tips? You can read them here

1. Putting your spouse's contact number on your resume isn't a great idea. Recruiter's would want to talk to the candidate.


2. Not a good idea to place an interviewer 'on-hold' during an interview. And not return to the call even after 5 mins! Enough reason to reject.


3. Words like 'hyper-active' don't sound great on your cover letter. You may want to rephrase.
   
4. Using wi-fi connectivity during interviews is fine. Just don’t get hooked to it and forget the very reason for being there.


5. Use your name as the file/doc name for your CV. Eg: .doc/.pdf. Names like 'Cool Boy', 'HR Bull', 'Chosen One' sound insane!


6. If you're referred by a friend for a job at the company he works, let him know you'll meet him after the interview. Stay focused.


7. Avoid using acronyms in interviews. Else, first give context and then use it. Saying BRX, MNJ, XYZ means nothing to anyone outside your current company. Explain it.


8. It's ok to follow-up with the recruiter/hiring manager on the status of your interview. A couple of mails should be fine. Don’t go over-board. If they still don’t reply, you wouldn’t want to work for them
.

9. It's not a good sign when you want re-negotiate the job offer after you’ve accepted it. Think.


10. Take time. Read. Re-read. Ask questions. And only then say ‘Yes’.


11. It's ok to ask the hiring manager a few questions on his/her style of management. You'll know if it works for you or not.


12. Try to not change your contact number(s) in the middle of an interview process. If you really have to change it, keep the recruiter informed.


13. It's not a great idea to take another interview on phone, while you wait in the lobby for the present one to start! Not. A. Good. Idea.


14. Coming from a competitor definitely gives you an edge, but you still need to ace the interviews. Take nothing for granted!


15. Aggressiveness is an asset. Don't demonstrate by hitting the discussion table, to make ur point! It's not the same trait.


16. Getting a presentation to an interview is fine. Just don't force it on the interviewer; unless it was asked of you.


17. If you're invited for an interview outside the employer's office, it's your call whether to want to take it there or not.


18. Good hiring managers look for two must-have things in managerial candidates: (1) Emotional Quotient (2) Intelligence Quotient. Go prepared.

Things to do in your notice period...

• Plan, document and share a list with things that you will to complete during your notice period.
  
• Prepare a manual that captures everything that your team or manager might require in your absence.
  
• Documentation would help your colleagues to deal with things in your absence or at least till they identify your successor.
  
• If you have some time to spare, volunteer to help out colleagues with their work.
  
• Help your manager with the process of identifying your successor. Even helping with interviews would suffice.
  
• Be ready to take calls or mails (for atleast a week) from your manager/team member asking for your help while your successor/manager works through the transition period.

Take a minute and re-read the points above. To be honest, you would want your team member or peer or even your manager to do these things during their notice period! It’s always good to leave on good terms with an employer. Getting good references are one part of the deal. The other part, and the important part, will be if you cross paths with your manager/peer in the future, they’ll be more than happy to recommend you to be hired.

OR

• Walk in late to work everyday.
  
• Don’t care a damn about the remaining work in the project. Someone else will clean your mess. No?
  
• Delay sending your reports and don’t get on any conference call(s).
  
• Don’t agree to take on more work, after all you’ve resigned. How can they allot new/more work to you? Absolutely crazy, no?
  
• Spend a ton of time on social networking sites.
  
• Delete everything from your mailbox. Everything.
  
• Send a farewell mail ranting about everything from the a/c, cafeteria, and size of your cubicle and color of the walls!

And before you actually exit the company; you can be rest assured that you’ve burnt enough bridges to last a lifetime. Even worse, you could be at the receiving end of such treatment at a later stage in your career. Ever thought about that? Maybe, it’s time.

Wow!

Last weekend, my wife & I had been to Pizza Hut for dinner. Oh yes, Pizza is considered dinner when you don’t have too many options. We got to our table and were given the menu card to place an order. All along the guy serving us was doing everything that was expected of his job; attentive, polite, courte, well-mannered and multi-tasking. All along he was a good listener and kept up with the pace in the place. We got served some tasty pizza and then came the surprise of the evening! Time for the check/bill. No, I’m not going to complain about the cost or taxes or any such thing…go ahead and have a look at the bill.

Wow! Just. Wow. This was absolutely wonderful and it’s got a personal touch. To be honest, this happened the second time around (last time was a few months back). Hence, it deserves this time and space on the blog!

Are you a manager wondering how to identify top talent within your team?

This display of ‘wow’ right here should act as an example. There were at least 8 other people serving tables at the place. Among them this was a stand-out performance. He didn’t need to do anything different, rather was not required of his role to do anything different. Yet, he chose to go the extra mile, take the extra step and deliver awesome customer experience.

Dream Company or Dream Job?

Here’s the scenario:

You’ve heard the company and researched a lot about them too. It’s the company that you’ve dreamt of from the day you got into college. You’ve been waiting for a chance to interview with them ever since. Now, they’ve called you for an interview! You’re totally thrilled and expect them to put you into a role that you had in mind. You’ve cleared the interviews and got yourself a job offer. Based on the interview evaluations, they deemed you fit for another role. Unfortunately, it’s for a role that doesn’t interest you. However, it’s your Dream Company. What do you next?

Should you take the role because it’s in your dream company? And wait for them to give you the desired role at a later stage? Or should you focus on your career and the role that you want to get into? It might be with another company.

It really isn’t a tough decision, if you know what would keep you going. Typically, the idea of a dream job evolves over a period of time, even leading to major changes in your career path. Have you watched MasterChef, the cookery show? Most of the contestants come from diverse career backgrounds and their passion – cooking is something they do at home. I wonder if they knew when they started their careers, whatever they studied for, would eventually lead them to becoming chefs?!?

Sorry, I digress!

Coming back to the dilemma (if we can call it that) at hand. The truth about careers is that once you choose a particular area of interest, you start investing your time and effort into that role. Before you know it, you start getting slotted as a specialist. So, effectively every day at work you are digging deeper into that particular role. It isn’t necessarily wrong, since you are increasing your chances of getting a better offer in your “dream role”. It’s more like spreading your net wider in the industry. It’ll open up newer avenues. There’ll be more companies interested in your profile, rather than just one specific dream company. In this mode, you’re chasing a specific goal; single-minded approach to being the best available talent in a particular area of work. It will no longer be about the company, it will be everything about you…and your job profile.

On the other hand, what if you choose your dream company irrespective of the role? I can only speak from experience; that at some point in time the dissatisfaction of the wrong role will begin to have negative effects. Think about it, eight to ten hours in a company that gives you awesome benefits, perks, salary and a role that isn’t interesting! On the contrary, you’d be getting lucky or may even be noticed for potential role match in your dream company. I guess that’s a minority. Maybe it’s just my own perspective. You might have your own thought process.

Bottom line, I would place my bet on people who work on increasing their chances of gaining knowledge and expertise in a particular field. Rather than opt to work for a dream company, which might require compromises in the role.

What’s your take?