details matter
It’s no secret that I have been a fan of Apple products for many years. I may not agree with everything Steve Jobs did as CEO, but there is no question his attention to detail was legendary and is built into the DNA of the company.
His biography written by Walter Isaacson has many examples of Jobs’ drive for perfection with every project. One excerpt from the book really stands out to me, and as I begin this new year, now is the perfect time to share, and take his words into consideration for every project I take on this year, and I hope you will as well.
“I want it to be as beautiful as possible, even if it’s inside the box. A great carpenter isn’t going to use lousy wood for the back of the cabinet, even though nobody’s going to see it. When you’re a carpenter making a beautiful chest of drawers, you’re not going to use a piece of plywood on the back, even though it faces the wall and nobody will ever see it. You’ll know it’s there, so you’re going to use a beautiful piece of wood on the back. For you to sleep well at night, the aesthetic, the quality has to be carried all the way through.”
This quote really jumped out at me because I can certainly relate to it. Not only do I completely agree with this quote, but I believe that as creative artists, paying attention to details is built into OUR DNA. No matter how small, every component is a part of the whole, and must be met with equal importance...it is a vital part of what I do and what I am passionate about.
I was also drawn to this quote because it reminds me of my father, which I'm sure is the source of my passion for details. He is a master woodworker, and he would never put a cheap piece of wood on the back of one of his cabinets. Yes, it is built into my DNA and I cannot change that.
Think about the first time you opened that Apple product and how the packaging was just as cool as the item you purchased...these details earn respect! Your client will notice it...they will appreciate it...and they will come back for more!
Whether it’s the back of the cabinet no one will see, or in the video production world, the size, shape and color of a small word that is only on screen for a few seconds. The details DO matter...and if that means it may take an extra hour or an extra day to get it right, then so be it.
Whatever project you are working on, please remember the details…they do matter and I promise you will sleep better because of it…I know I do!
in the dark…the lack of communication during the hiring PROCESS
You’ve just finished saying goodbye to an employee. The goodbye cake is nothing but crumbs. The “I’ll miss you” selfies have all been posted and maybe even a few tears were shed. Now the reality sets in. “It’s time for you to dive head-first into the HR process to find your next ‘superstar’ employee!
Surely, technology has made this process easier, especially getting the word out about your new opening. Just a few clicks and bam, hundreds, even thousands are reached about your open position. However, it also means that possibly hundreds will respond, and now you’re inundated with resumes, most of which are not at all qualified.
But, you have to go through them because in that pile is your next employee.
As someone who has been on both sides of this table, I encourage anyone hiring, whether you do it daily as an HR professional, or you have to deal with just the occasional hire…PLEASE communicate with your candidates as if they are already on your team. Let me explain.
It is completely unrealistic to think you should send a personal note to every single applicant. I’m not talking about the big pile that will never make the cut…your HR folks will hopefully take care of them with the generic ‘thanks but no thanks’ email.
I’m talking about those that DO make the cut…the select few you want to learn more about. THIS is the group I’m referring to.
Once you make that initial contact with a potential candidate, you’ve crossed that line…it’s the line that requires you to do the right thing and communicate with this person from here on out, regardless of the outcome.
Here’s a real word scenario: You apply for a job and a few weeks later receive a phone call from the hiring manager for the initial phone interview. They like what you have to offer so they arrange the “in-person” interview. If you’ve made it this far, it’s safe to say you are one of their top candidates. As you walk away and head to the airport after your interview, you assume you will hear from them again, after all, they just said to you, “I’ll be in touch in a week or two.”
You arrive home and immediately send the “Thanks for your Time” note back to the hiring manager…and then you wait, and weeks go by. You send the “I’m still here” email, and nothing. Then there it is…a post on your favorite industry blog that someone else was hired for this job.
WOW!... You liked them enough to go through the time and expense to fly them in, but you don’t care enough to call afterwards to say you decided to go with another candidate? Come on folks…its common courtesy and you owe it to every finalist to let them know what is going on.
If you think I’m exaggerating, I assure you this scenario is a true story. Sadly, a lack of communication during the HR process has become the norm…an acceptable byproduct in today’s workplace.
Do this…put yourself on the other side of the table. At some point, YOU were the one waiting, wondering what was going on. Wouldn’t YOU have appreciated a simple call or email? How hard is it to send that person that you talked to on the phone a follow up email? How hard is it to give a quick phone call to a candidate you met in person and spent the better part of a day with? If you answer truthfully, you know what you should do. It is in our best interest to make the extra effort…do the right thing and communicate with them.
Getting back to my initial statement about communicating with candidates as if they are already on your team…would you leave one of your current employees in the dark about the next project they are responsible for? Of course not. You communicate with them…tell them what is going on, what is expected of them. The same level of communication should be applied with potential job candidates. This person that you interviewed but didn’t hire will get a job somewhere else. And if your industry is like mine, you may find them in a position of influence the next time YOU are searching for a job…don’t laugh, it could happen.
So my simple advise is to treat ANY candidate as if you will run into them again…as if they are already on your team. Communicate with them and take the extra effort to let them know what is going on. Don’t leave them in the dark. Because one thing is for sure…if you don’t communicate with them, they WILL remember you!