Who are you? What do you do?

While these two questions are very different, we are sometimes (unfortunately) more clearly defined by what we do.  Deep thoughts, indeed, as it is not always so easy to recognize that the inner you might be very different than the you you present to the world. Knowing how to manage you can be an elusive task, full of introspection along with some sweet surprises.

I am good at what I do...

True business professionals should be able get to the center of biz matters quickly, using discernment as well as the revelatory gear which coincides with this thing we embrace as our work, livelihood, position, job, security, employment, and career.  This discernment is what makes us successful at our jobs.  The abilities to assess a situation, comb through data, and translate tone of voice are just a few of the capabilities which lead to success in almost any chosen field.

There are those who have trained for years, attended industry-specific courses, and successfully navigated degree programs to find their place in their chosen industry.  Still, others fall into careers by sheer accident or mere coincidence. Whatever or whomever brought you to your current place in the work-a-day world; the opportunity to build more than an occupation is encouraged in any field of endeavor.

Some cite a love or passion they feel for their respective careers because of the ability to change lives, including their own, while to others – simply making a difference is reason enough to claim success. Most recognize the prospect for financial gain or steady income when work goes well, as well as establishing lasting business relationships.

What is it about you that drives your success?

What makes you great at your job?  What is the reason your team gets the job done?  Maybe you have some advice or words you live by that result in accomplishment.  Maintaining a personal vision is imperative when times are uncertain.

“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be.
If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing,
it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it.
On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it,
I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”
~Mahatma Gandhi

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

I used to plow through my days
at the speed of light.

light

If I slowed down, I would fall behind.  I couldn’t afford to fall behind.  What if I got left?  My greatest fear as an adult has always been failure.  I have much to do, so I haven’t stopped, but I have learned to slow down a bit and ride the surf that carries me instead of fight against it…

I have learned to take time to strategize and/or construct lists,
lists that I will actually mind and check off.

During the course of your day, are you taking the time to slow down and regard your work? Or do you flit from one report or project to another, without considering the whole picture and the time suck that absent-minded work can become.  Becoming mentally engaged is not always at the fore front of everyone’s mind.  Many times, we arrive at our desk and absently pour over emails or reports without first connecting with a particular vision or purpose.

In my very first job as a recruiter, I worried incessantly that I would not appear or sound “engaged” or in the know. I was new to the industry and vehemently denied the sales side of me.  I spent a half hour every morning just re-attaching myself to my work, to a particular assignment – its requirements and various details. It was important to me to have that time to strategize, make mental and written notes, and then customize my presentation.  I reviewed the previous day’s work and the follow-up required. I often felt ill-prepared because I had not been raised in business as recruiter or sales person – but I had been raised as a service provider, so the transition required thought and at times, was very difficult for me.  In the end, my service provider mentality blended richly with the salesman dying to get out.

The daily snapping-it-all-back-together is a requirement for me.  Carefully regarding my work is a must.  I must look at the pieces before I try and make the puzzle work.  Then I also must envision what the final picture will look like.  Strategy.  It is not a dirty or lazy word. I think it is one of the most beautiful words there is, but it also is not an easy word.  It requires thought, time, and patience. In the long run – for there is no short run, strategy saves those three key resources.

Thought
Time
Patience

Slow down you move too fast, you’ve got to make the morning last.  And it will be gone before you look over the top of your computer.

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

I had stood patiently for my car in the parking garage for the first half hour.  I had given my ticket to the valet thirty minutes earlier.  Seriously, thirty minutes. Finally, an attendant strolled lazily over and asked me for my ticket. “I gave you my ticket already.” Ten minutes later still no car. “Do you have the smaller ticket?” “What smaller ticket?” I asked. “The smaller one,” he persisted. “I gave you the only ticket I had. It was medium-sized and blue. I gave it to you. You have my car and I would like to go home now.”

Several minutes passed before my dark gray Honda Accord pulled up in front of me.  How did I feel about tipping at that moment?  Not so great. But it is customary, right?  Now, if my car had been returned to me in a timely manner, with speed, with alacrity…, I probably would have tipped without question.  Yes, I had dined at this hotel before.  No, I had never had a problem…

Would I return for a repeat engagement? That was now questionable.

Don't laugh, it's paid for...

The dinner was lovely. The conversation splendid.  The service by the valet?  Too few valet attendants running wildly around at midnight does not sound like organization or tip-worthy. But tipped, they were. Why? because it was customary.  A good enough answer? It was at the time.  Though, I regret it now. 

When we reward less than stellar service, what message do we send?

The children’s dentist who I worked for many, many years ago used to say, “I am only as good as the last appointment. It doesn’t matter if you handled a difficult child twenty times with perfect precision and all went right with every single appointment. If the last one was less than perfect, that is all they remember. And you will hear about it. Often.”

So if you are only as good as your last visit, your last project, your last assignment, what chance have you at gaining another opportunity? Not a very good one.  The dentist, the cop, the waitress, the teacher, the recruiter:  you are only as good as your last appointment, arrest, table service, lesson, fulfilled search.

Make it count. If you don’t, who will?

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

Do you tell it?

I have written about The Capability Lie before, but after my last week, I have been thinking about it once again and I would like to revisit this disease and frankly, I shake too many hands that drip with it…

Where are the Floating Chunks of Truth?

The longer I am in business, the more I learn.  Additionally, the longer I am in this industry, the more I cannot believe the incongruities and deceits that abound. I know, deceit in biz has been around forever. It is why CS Lewis is still taught in business schools and ethics classes. It is also why we have compliance departments and attorneys. It is why we are constantly exposed to others’ mistakes and misfortunes, ie; Bernie Madoff, Martha Stewart, Ken Lay, and so many others.  It is also how we learn and how our true selves are exposed.

I have been writing Bonus Track for three and a half years now – during that time, I have changed jobs and gained a greater understanding of business and how it should be done.  Sadly, I have been exposed to whole ‘nother under-belly of the recruiting industry and those that look to take advantage of others. It is always difficult for me to believe when I hear of an impropriety or desertion of principles. But it happens every single day. I see it.  I am told about it, I read about it, and I experience it, myself, first hand.

I understand that everyone has their own level of understanding of the universal moral code, I get that. I also know that as we age in business, how we understand, interpret, and follow that code will alter. Some of us think it’s ok to not pay taxes, some of us think it is ok to not pay a partner their fair share, some of think it is ok to raise our fees to fill a gap, some of us think it is ok to not tip – I didn’t tip the valet the other day, because just to park was $36 a night – please. And there are those who pay their taxes dutifully, who pay their partners and employees what is due them, who provide incredible service at the same fee for every customer/client, and who over-tip when it is right and good to do so.

But is it ever ok or right to lie? Is it ever ok to tell a client that you provide a specific service when you don’t?  Or that your service will cover their butts should a question or issue or legality arise?  Kind of like H&R Block’s promise that they will cover the gap should you have to pay taxes when they have determined and stated that you do not? I remember the story of Bill Gates who told a fib very early on that he had a technology developed he really he didn’t…, but because he lied, he won the account and the rest is history. Sort of. Enter Steve Jobs.

Truth in advertising…, oh how I miss it

Here’s the thing, I am tired of the lies circulated by companies about their competitors or about themselves simply to gain business.  I am tired of the capability lie – it reeks and stinks up not only our industry but every other industry we touch. Why does it happen? Good question. The answers can be found in an endless list that includes fear, greed, anger, envy, stupidity, poor ethics, bad judgment…

I could go on but frankly, I’m getting sick.

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

Satisfy, Justify, Mystify

You’ve probably heard of Spotify.  I have it on my iPhone, laptop, and all three of my desktops.  I love it.  It has changed the way I select, play, and listen to music.  If you haven’t yet checked it out, you should.  A new world of free music is just a click away…  Yes, you can use it for free, but it is much better if you buy a premium package which allows for better streaming and unlimited music, no advertising.  $9.99 a month. Gotta love that…

You may not have yet heard of Chirpify.  I was so excited when I heard about this.  Why? Because I seriously cannot wait to use my phone to pay for everything.  And Chirpify is one step closer to that.  This app is lovingly referred to as Twitter Commerce – get it, chirp?  With Chirpify, you can pay for services and goods, as well as make donations over Twitter.  Start transacting on Twitter now…

Likify Me

And now, we have Likify.  This is a new semi-automated way to social market.  Combining the power of QR Codes and social networking, Likify allows the marketer or supplier to create a code for consumer-choice sharing.  Once downloaded, the consumer can select how they will social share a product or service.  They even have case studies from Nike and Sephora.  Their website is simple, self-explanatory and makes me wonder… have we gone too far?

By the way, a QR Code is a Quick Response Code. They were first created by Toyota to track auto parts.  You can learn more about QR Codes for HR & recruiting here .

Isn’t social media, social networking, and successful social marketing all about organic sharing? How much automation before we lose touch with the reality of true sharing?  Will virtual living, buying, and selling take over?  Will IRL only be an acronym?

I know, hard to believe that I, me – Rayanne – is saying this/writing this.  I am a fanatic when it comes to mobile technology and social media… I have 8 social profiles that I visit daily.  And countless others that receive weekly and monthly attention, as well. One of my favorite books and plays has always been Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury.  It thrilled me while scaring the crap out of me and there are days when it feels like we are headed that way…

Books becoming obsolete, thanks Kindle, Nook, and iPad.
TVs the size of walls.
Big Brother and Marketers watching everything you say, write, read, watch, buy, sell…

And yes, I am a marketer.  And yes, I specialize in social marketing.
But I think at some point,  it will come back to  me – you – every person  strolling through the market, squeezing avocados, checking the color of tangerines, stopping at a shop, trying on shoes, stepping inside a little bakery to pick up a loaf of freshly baked bread that smells incredible…

That’s organic.
That isn’t automated.
That is sensory…

And that cannot be squelched, or stifled, or silenced.       Thank goodness.

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.  

It's all how you look at it

Perspective

Emails, tweets, status updates, blogs, surveys, voicemails, text messages…, So many ways to get a message across. How do we break it down? How do we disseminate truth from made-up, happy-go-lucky, too-good-too-believe mostly true?  Advertising, marketing, bragging, or sharing?

• If it feels like a template, it just might be.
• If it feels like a lure, there is a distinct possibility that it is.
• If it feels like a waste of time, follow your gut

Differentiation is a key component to success. What makes you different than the others in your industry, market, or space? These are the things that will drive organic traffic to you, to your offering…

Cutting past the images, ordinary words, and weak attempt for opinion isn’t for the faint of heart or for the cookie cutter marketer, advertiser, business owner or business professional. Everything you say, everything you write, everything you do is an advertisement for your product or service - you are a walking commercial.  So, what can you do to prevent your audience from changing the channel, closing the magazine, deleting an email, hanging up the phone, or simply clicking unfollow?

Professionalism means different things to different people. Being true to yourself is important but remembering your audience might have to counter that loyalty. Are you prepared to sacrifice some authenticity for expansion? Many are.  Many are not.  What makes you different? What value do you provide?  How will you survive, then thrive?  Now is not the time to cut back on advertising or quality of service.  It is the time to be unusual, to be extraordinary, to be available, to be flexible, and to be brilliant. Now is the time to be better.

It is time to be better than – not better at selling or stealing, but better at providing a service, creating a better product and and then continually bettering both your service and your product.  Are you doing that?  Are you striving to better what you offer? Or do you over sell, under provide, and lie about everything?  How important is authenticity and truth in advertising to you when you are the buyer?

It’s all about perspective…

Rayanne Thorn, @ray_anne is the Marketing Director for online recruiting software company, Broadbean Technology.  She is also a proud mother of four, happily engaged to Tom, residing in Laguna Beach, California, and a daily contributor for Blogging4Jobs.  Connect with her on LinkedIn.