Hipster 3.0 released

If you are a fan of paper based PIM systems (I’ve gone back to a paper based system recently, more on that later) then you should check out the Hipster PDA. Doug Johnston has just released the 3.0 version of his templates for this system http://www.diyplanner.com/templates/official/hpda. Check it out.

New Support and Information Tool

I'm the first to admit that I don't know everything. In fact the older I get the more I discover that I don't know. But one thing I have learned in my many years in IT is that I don't need to know everything, I only need to know how to find out the correct information. That source of information can be via the Internet, newsgroups, and my network of IT contacts. With the advent of Web 2.0, it is easier than ever to tap into the global pool of knowledge and experience.

The folks over at Splunk have just launched a new Wiki called Splunk Base. Splunk Base is designed to let you post and search through log files (system, database, etc.) in search of answers. Since it just released there's not a lot of data yet, but I suspect it will become a useful resource rather quickly.

To capture and index your own log files Splunk offers two different products, Splunk Server which is free and limited to indexing 500 MB of info per day and Splunk Professional which is licensed based on volume and includes additional features.  Currently they only run on Linux/Unix platforms.

Employee Rewards?

It’s nice to think of ways to say thanks to employees that are doing a great job. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but can be something as simple as a gift certificate to a local restaurant or the movie theater.

However there are things which just say all the wrong things. For example, if your employees have come in over two weekends to clear up a big backlog of work, you don’t want to reward them with stupid meaningless gestures. A manager here decided that they would “reward” their employees who worked so hard by gathering a bunch of rocks and hand painting “You Rock” on them. This manager then handed them out to their employees.

Google Calendar Images

There’s been speculation for the past year about Google releasing a Calendar product. Well now there’s been some screen shots leaked. Check it out at I Heart The G. Also available over at TechCrunch. The logon page for CL2 (Google’s name for their Calendar product) is here. It won’t let you login, but it must be getting close.

WordPress and NewsGator

NewsGator has plug-ins for several different Blogging engines (so you can post to your Blog directly from Outlook), but didn't have one listed for WordPress. After some searching around I ran across a beta version of a plug-in (exe or zip) on this NewGator forum.

This post and the previous one were both submitted via the plug-in. So far it is working well. Give it a try. I did mention it is beta, right? So YMMV.

Getting out from under

I thought technology was supposed to make life easier? Instead it’s just made us too accessible and overloaded us with way too much information. Ellen McGirt from Fortune magazine address some of these issues in her story here.  The key thought and paragraph in the article is this:

“So how are modern knowledge workers to weave their way through the minefield of interruptions and conflicting priorities? The simple answer is this: By figuring out what is actually worth paying attention to, and when. Which turns out to be really hard to do.”

Ultimately I find it takes stepping back from trying to deal with everything coming at you and setting aside time to be creative and strategic. I’m working towards this using a few different tools. One is the Getting Things Done system. Once I can get all my “stuff” out of my brain and into my system, then I can use my energy and brainpower to deal with issues that I’ve identified as important.

Secondly is making sure I set aside some time to actually think. I may not even have a predetermined goal or issue that I need to think about. In fact some of my most productive times come when I don’t plan them out in advance. But you have to set some ground rules for yourself.

1. No computer. That means no eMail, no Web, no reading blogs. I know this is the most difficult step of all, but it can be done.

2. Have paper and pencil available. Nothing worse than having a great idea only to see it vanish because you never wrote it down.

3. This one is kind of strange, but I find performing menial tasks help me think. Mowing the lawn for example almost always results in either some new great ideas popping into my head, or the answer to an existing problem presenting itself. And remember item #2. That means keeping a small notebook or index card with you all the time.

One more thing not to do

If you have submitted a resume and are expecting someone to call you on the phone, make sure to have a professional sounding message on your answering machine. I just called a candidate that had Timon and Pumba from The Lion King singing as his message. I almost hung up and tossed his resume in the trash. He’ll have to go the extra mile to convince me to call him in for an interview now.

Do not pass go, do not collect $200

For many of us the goal is to continue to advance our careers in an upward path. Along that path there can be many stumbling blocks to trip us up. This article on Seven People of Highly Ineffective Habits focuses on personality behaviours that will keep you from reaching the CIO’s office.

EverNote

I spend a fair bit of time performing research for various projects. In fact I find I spend more time researching and learning about the best products/solutions for a given task at a small company than I did at the larger companies where I’ve worked. This is because the dollars spent here are more important and any investment in a system/solution has to have a longer life and the best return on that investment possible.

Trying to keep track of all the various bits and pieces can quickly become overwhelming. Enter EverNote. This program allows you track notes, links, images, digital ink, etc. in a searchable system. It can even encrypt individual notes that need to remain secure. Notes can be categorized a bunch of different ways and no saving of info is required as data is saved as soon as a new note is created.

They have two versions available EverNote 1.1 (freeware) and EverNote Plus ($34.95 US) which has extra features. Download a copy and give it a whirl.

10 things to help you get hired

In my last post I outlined several things to do to not get an interview/job offer. Well I decided to flip it around and focus on some positive things that may help you along the job path. By the way I have to tip my hat to my wonderful wife who made many of these suggestions to me years ago. I initially blew many of them off, but came to discover that she was correct about virtually every suggestion.

1. Hand deliver your Resume
Even if you submit an electronic copy, stop by the main office if possible and walk your resume in the door. Quite often it will get directed to the hiring manager and bypass HR. Even if HR does get it first it will often be noted that you took the time and effort to drop it off. In addition you will have a nice looking resume sitting in the stack with all the hideous ones that have been mangled and decimated by the Monster/Career Bulder/Dice resume gremlins.

2. Show up early and talk nice to the receptionist
Show up a few minutes early, but not too early. If you arrive too early then you just put pressure on the interviewing and/or HR manager. When you first arrive find the restroom, take care of any last minute business and double check your appearance. Then, while you’re waiting for the HR person to make their appearance, chat up the receptionist. I can tell you that almost every person that comes into our office for an interview is being evaluated by our front desk person. She’s been here a long time and has a good feel for seeing if a person is friendly and seems like a good fit for our organization. I always ask her what she thinks after a potential candidate has left.

3. Be prepared for behavioral questions
Behavioral questions are becoming more the norm all the time. Search the internet and find a good sampling of these types of questions. Try here or here or here as a starting point. As many articles point out there is a fairly standard way of phrasing your answers. It’s called the STAR (Situation/Task – Action – Result), or PAR (Problem – Action – Result) method. Go over a list of questions that you think you are most likely to be asked and have some examples ready to respond to those questions. Do not respond with general or non-specific answers. A good interviewer will continue to try to get you to provide specifics. But if you keep giving vague, non specific answers than they will mark you down heavily for that.

4. Ask for business cards
Ask for a business card from each person you meet during the interview process. In addition to showing that you have an interest in the person you just met, it also provides you with contact information that becomes valuable later on in the process. And in a pinch if you are terrible with names like I am, you can sneak a quick peek at the card. This becomes doubly important if you are in a panel type of interview where you have 3-5 people interviewing you at the same time.

5. Be prepared to ask them questions
Besides asking about the obvious responsibilities of the job, have several other questions ready. Ask them what the 3 greatest challenge they see that they expect you to solve if you take the position? What obstacles currently exist to prevent or inhibit you from accomplishing those goals? Is this a new position or are they backfilling this position? What happened to the prior person in this position? Did they leave or get promoted? There are plenty of resources available for these types of questions like here or here.

There are also some questions you probably don’t want to ask during an initial interview. Don’t ask about vacation policies or benefits, etc. Those are best addressed during a second interview. Asking those kinds of questions during the first interview can come off as “What’s in it for me?”.

6. Ask what concerns they have about you
Near the end of the interview make sure to ask if they have any concerns or reservations about you being the best candidate for the job. Listen to their response and address those concerns using a specific example if possible (see the STAR/PAR method above) or you the Feel/Felt/Found response:

I understand how your FEEL about that issue.
I FELT the same way (or I’d FEEL the same way) if I were in your shoes
But here’s what I FOUND out…..(explain why you can address/handle those objections)You may not want to use those exact words, but it’s the response method that’s important.

7. Send each person a thank you card
This should be a hand written card thanking them for their time. Almost nobody does this and it makes a huge impression on most people.

8. Follow up with everyone you interviewed with
Using the eMail address obtained from #4, send them an eMail that night or the next morning thanking them again (this does not replace the handwritten card) and summarizing why your skills are a great fit for the position as they outlined it. Also offer to clarify any outstanding questions or concerns that they may have. If you don’t have their eMail address than this should be done in a mailed letter.

9. Call them back
Wait a day or two and then call them back (you have their business card, remember?). Ask them where they are in the selection process. Ask if there are any outstanding questions or issues about you being the best candidate for the job that you could answer. Then if they haven’t told you that you’re no longer in the running, ask them when you should call back again. Then keep calling.

10. Don’t seem desperate|
I didn’t really have ten suggestions at first, but that just didn’t seem right to have only nine. So after pondering it a few minutes I came up with this, don’t seem desperate for the job in your interview. Rule #1 in negotiating anything is to be willing to walk away. That’s true even in an interview process. Remember it’s not just them offering you a job. You are also offing them some of the most valuable commodity on the planet; your time. Even if this is the only lead you have on the radar, don’t let them know that.