Job Search Organization

An issue that I ran into shortly after starting my last job search was the number of notes that I accumulated, and how to effectively manage those notes so that I could quickly retrieve whatever I needed when I needed it.  I like to say that “I have a great memory, but it’s short” …fortunately there’s technology for that.

The other thing that complicates the job search is how non-linear the process is.  It is entirely possible that you could get a call out of the blue that references a conversation that you had a while ago.  How quickly could you find the notes you had on that previous conversation …and for that matter, all the contacts and side conversations that took place between the two calls that may also be relevant?

The solution I found was in a simple application called TiddlyWiki. TiddlyWiki is an entire Wiki in a single HTML file.  What’s a Wiki?  If you are unfamiliar with that, I’m going to refer you to the most popular Wiki for an explanation - Wikipedia.

What I did was take the default TiddlyWiki file and make a few modifications so that I could more easily manage the content accumulated from my job search process.  I guess it would be comparable to making a template in Microsoft Word, although much more functional for this process.

Advantages:

• Accommodates a non-linear process
• Everything is searchable
• Organization is managed through “tags” and controlled by you
• Tags enable immediate categorization as well as the ability to browse
• Everything can be tweaked to match your preferred process
• Everything is contained in one file and can be easily backed up
• Everything is done inside of your web browser, so no additional applications need to be kept open
• It’s simple!

I have made my TiddlyWiki available for those of you that need some organization in your search process.  For assistance with this tool and the process that I have put together I have created an instructions page that will present itself when you first open the wiki.  For additional assistance please contact me using my contact form.  For more advanced assistance with TiddlyWiki you may also wish to browse the organization's site.

Files:

• JobTiddlyWiki.html
• TiddlySaver.jar

(Download each file by right-clicking the link and selecting Save link)

Note: I use Google Chrome as my default browser, so therefore I also need a second file called TiddlySaver in order to save changes in TiddlyWiki (also required for Safari).  An explanation of why is found here. To use it download the TiddlySaver.jar file and store it in the same directory as the TiddlyWiki html file. …that’s it, simple.

Good Service Key Attributes

What is good service?  Everyone claims to provide it.  Everyone positions it as a competitive advantage.  Yet there is this adage that most companies don’t deliver on their service claims.  Whether that is true or not, the reality is that some people will receive what they perceive as good service and some will receive what they perceive as poor service.  At times you may receive good service and then poor service at other times.  It is doubtful that this inconsistency occurs purposely, except for possibly a few bad eggs.  The point is that service involves multiple people with varying personalities and the wild-card, emotion.  Under those circumstances consistency is difficult.

So as a company that needs to provide service for its products what can you do?  The obvious answer is to hire good people.  Yes, everyone knows that.  So let’s say you have good people and you keep them motivated, up-beat, and positive, how do you ensure they deliver what is perceived to be good service?  The answers that need to be provided to clients can’t always be positive news.  Sometimes there are “no’s”, or “the issue can’t be resolved in your timeline” type statements that need to be delivered.  The answer to these questions lies in the key elements that make up what can be perceived as good service.

In all situations there is nothing worse than an incorrect answer.  Not only does an incorrect answer waist time, it can also be extremely costly.  For this reason “accuracy” needs to top the list of good service key attributes.

Equally as frustrating as an incorrect answer is “availability”.  This is the “first impression” of the service world.  If you need help and you are unable to get a hold of anyone, the emotional wild-card is ruffled.  It’s an up-hill climb from that point forward.

Next is “follow through”, or another way to state it is “integrity”.  This is the “doing what you said you were going to do in the timeframe you said you were going to do it”.  Follow through, or lack thereof is slightly less frustrating, however it has a long term effect.  Follow through or integrity is what creates reputations.

The final key attribute is “communication”.  Communication, and how effective at it you are, is the mortar in your wall.  This is what hold everything together and makes it strong.  Communication effectiveness is based on what is effective for the specific client, person, situation, etc.  If the message doesn’t get to its destination it wasn’t effective, no matter how good your intentions were.  Over communication trumps under communication, so when in doubt over communicate.

Once you have good people, these four attributes must be your focus.  “Communication” and “follow through”, and to some extent “availability” are disciplines.  “Accuracy” is mostly a matter of training and/or technology.  “Availability” is addressed by staffing, management, or technology.  However, each of these items can be influenced by company actions.

Focus on the key attributes to leverage your good people most effectively and to delight your clients.

The Game

I will be introducing you to the “The Game”, or at least it is the game that I play in my search for excellence and ultimate knowledge.  Well, I suppose I need to rephrase that because excellence isn’t something that you can find.  It isn’t a defined entity.  It is a relative term.  It is a heightened awareness.  To some it is a state of mind.  Dictionary.com defines it as “the fact or state of excelling; superiority; eminence”.  To me it is simply setting standards as high as possible and caring enough about whatever you are doing to meet those standards.

Before I get to the game, I’d like to point out a few relevant key points in my definition of excellence.  The first is standards.  These standards aren’t those that others define, these are what you define.  Set the highest standards possible as defined by you.  Don’t limit yourself to other’s standards.  The second is caring.  Care about everything that you do no matter how big or how small, regardless of whether you’re doing it for the first time or the one hundredth time.  Caring about something creates passion.  Being passionate about something creates excitement.  If you want to get excited about what you do, care. 

Think of everyone you know that you consider successful.  Are their standards higher than most?  Are they passionate about what they do, or for that matter, about everything that they do?  Is their excitement addicting?  If you want something become addicting.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, excellence is not an act. It is a habit.” — Aristotle

Before I get to the game, I suppose I need to clarify what I mean by my search for ultimate knowledge.  The thing about knowledge is that the more you learn the more you realize you don’t know.  That’s why it is important to develop a passion for the “learning” rather than the “having”.  Why do we continue to hear stories of self-made millionaires losing everything and then returning to millionaire status a short time later and conversely, lottery winners blowing everything and ending up poorer than before receiving their winnings?  Knowing how to become a millionaire is much more valuable than being a millionaire.  Knowing how to get the answer is more valuable than the answer.  Knowing how to develop your knowledge is more valuable than the knowledge.

The word ultimate has a competitive connotation, so ultimate knowledge would be acquiring more knowledge than others.  Having more knowledge than others isn’t always a good thing.  It’s what you do with that knowledge that matters. If you want to become addicting to others, become a source of knowledge for others.

…and now for the game.

The game is played with everyone you know and everyone you come in contact with regardless of whether they know they are playing or not.  You never need to let anyone know you are playing the game.  The object of the game is to acquire the most knowledge, to be the smartest.  The only rule is that you must immediately share everything you know on any relevant topic with those same people.  In other words, there can be no hording of knowledge.

There are those of you that may disagree with the game and question, how is it possible to get ahead if you share all your secrets?  My response is to remind you that knowing how to get the answer is more valuable than the answer.  Any “getting ahead” that would come from your secrets would be short term.  Just as the lottery winner fails due to the lack of knowledge of the ability to reproduce how he got to where he is; the same will happen to the individual who tries to capitalize on the answer alone.

The true power of the game comes through the response of others, in their appreciation of what you have given them.  As you continue to play you will find other’s playing the game and sharing their knowledge.  The more you play the more you will need to increase your knowledge to stay competitive.  The combination of knowledge and excellence is a powerful thing.  It is an inspiring thing.  Amazing things happen to those who inspire. …or as the more informed would say, amazing things are created by those who inspire!

Inspire someone.