The Dreaded “C” Word and My Trip to Boston

June 8, 2012

Today—the eighth day of June—carries special meaning for me. Just eight days ago I received the good news that a biopsy showed no signs of cancer.

Yet, on this date eight years ago the news was very different. I can vividly recall that surreal experience as I listened to a soft-spoken specialist tell me I had cancer. He described the rare form of melanoma growing on the retina of my eye.

Shocking! I didn’t see that coming. (Sorry for the pun.) I expected the doctor to tell me I only had a minor abnormality with my vision and life would go on as usual. Instead, I was blindsided by the cold, harsh reality that a large, malignant tumor was growing inside my eye.

Within days, my wife and I found ourselves in Boston where I was the patient of a world-renowned Harvard professor, eye specialist, medical researcher and textbook author. Before undergoing proton therapy, I was scheduled to have surgery at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, an impressive building adjacent to Massachusetts General Hospital.

The night before the procedure, my wife and I dined at a nice restaurant in downtown Boston. Weeks later, as I reflected on the events of that evening, I described my experience this way: Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by Duane Hallock

Outtakes from a Recruiting Process

May 23, 2012

I‘m hiring for a communications person to join my team here at the American Red Cross. With one week until we close the applications process, I’ve already received nearly 150 online resumes.

I am surprised and impressed with the quality of most of these individuals. Some I’ve known for years. In fact, I’ve hired some as interns or freelance writers. Some are people I’ve gotten to know through local professional organizations or clubs. They are all good people and very qualified professionals. The hard part will be narrowing the list and then selecting the final individual.

Then, there are the other applicants. (Sigh!)

These are the ones who will not be working for me. Unless their luck changes, they won’t be working soon for anyone else, either. I have gone through the entire listing of online applications just to get a feel for each candidate. In most cases, I have Googled the person’s name. Unbelievably, some people have no digital footprint, but I’ll save those rantings for another blog post. I shouldn’t judge invisible people. Perhaps they are part of the Federal Witness Protection Program and don’t want to be found.

Anyway, I was amused as I came across the following examples of vapid communications from people who are trying to present themselves as communications professionals. My purpose is not to make fun of the well-intentioned people who want to work with me, but rather to help job seekers to see their resumes through the glazed-over eyes of a hiring manager.

The following examples have not been edited. They were copied and pasted from the actual applications. A word of warning, though: If you plan to be awake at the end of this post, you will need an extra shot of caffeine. So sit back and enjoy… Read the rest of this entry »

8 Comments | Life in General | Permalink
Posted by Duane Hallock

There Is No Such Thing as the “General Public”

May 21, 2012

My eighth grade English teacher taught me an important lesson that profoundly affects how I communicate today, decades later.

The class assignment was simple. We had to stand in front of the class and tell a story.

We could select any story, but we had to tell the tale within five minutes. That can be a frightening experience, especially for most self-conscious eight graders like me. Fortunately, we were given several days to practice our storytelling in private before that dreadful moment when we had to stand before our peers.

Sounds simple, right? Well, hold on! The teacher had a surprise that made the storytelling in front of our classmates the easiest part of the assignment.

After we had each delivered our presentations, the teacher announced that we would be telling our stories again. Actually, he told us we were scheduled to make our presentations two more times—once in front of a classroom of innocent second graders, and then to a roomful of intimidating 10th graders. Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by Duane Hallock

The Time I Wrote a Letter to the Editor

May 2, 2012

Once upon a time, I lived in Portland, Oregon where I did public relations for a local hospital.

The medical center was well-respected and almost always received positive news coverage. One day, however, a headline writer for The Oregonian newspaper hurriedly summarized a positive story with a less-than-positive choice of words. The story described how the hospital offered a signing bonus to recruit nurses during a severe nursing shortage. Instead of describing the bonus as an recruitment incentive, however, the headline writer used the word “bribe.” To his credit, he put quotes around the word to indicate its use as a colloquialism.

The hospital’s president (my boss) thought the newspaper was implying that he engaged in unethical, under-the-table transactions. He was enraged and immediately ordered me to write a letter to the editor expressing our indignation. Read the rest of this entry »

1 Comment | Life in General, Life Observations, Marketing & Strategy, Marketing in a Nonprofit | Permalink
Posted by Duane Hallock

How to Stay Afloat in a Sea of Overwhelming Data, Technology and Clutter

April 5, 2012

We live in a cluttered, confusing world of technology, tools and gadgets. We are drowning in data, and the systems we hoped would keep us afloat are actually dragging us down.

I may have found my lifesaver, though. My absolute favorite tool for productivity helps me to be more creative, organized and effective. My one-word solution for the confusion, chaos and clutter in my world is…

Evernote

Evernote is a blend of software and services where I can capture, organize and store everything in my busy world. It is a free service, with an option to upgrade to a premium level. I’ve used Evernote for three years, but only within the past three months have I become a “power user” and moved to the premium level.

In case you’re wondering, the glowing endorsement that follows yields me no compensation. Nor do I benefit in any way except in knowing that my friends and colleagues are living life more abundantly by joining me in using this service.

With that disclaimer, here are three reasons I love Evernote: Read the rest of this entry »

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Posted by Duane Hallock

My Digital Trip Back to the Future

April 4, 2012

Two years ago my “inner geek” was elated! I finally had devised a system that freed me from the confines of Microsoft Outlook.

Using a Google App with my own domain name, I configured 100% of my email—representing six different accounts—to flow through one inbox. I also began using Google calendars exclusively to store and organize my appointments.

More than a year ago I opined in a blog post that “we are veering towards obsolescence if we are still anchored to Outlook or to a Franklin-Covey planner for either our personal or work calendars.”

Ironically, this week I have been swept back into that platform because of my employer’s nationwide standardization of information technology. Fortunately, the new, cloud-based system—Microsoft Office 365—is different and better in many important ways.

I actually welcome the move and understand the thinking of those who made this decision. Yet I believe that one size never fits all.

At the risk of sounding like a cantankerous curmudgeon, I still feel compelled to devise my own systems within the architecture that others have imposed upon me. As I have become more digitally-savvy, I realize that my data must meet certain criteria. My digital world must be:

  1. Cloud-based. One of the reasons I hated Outlook was that it anchored me to a clunky office computer. I needed for all of my important data to be readily available on any device at any time and in any location. I became an early adopter of Google Docs for that very reason, though I’ve since found much better options.
  2. Synced. I want my phone, my office computer, my laptop and my tablet to sync data so that any updates on one device will automatically show up real-time on every piece of hardware I use. Read the rest of this entry »

2 Comments | Life in General | Permalink
Posted by Duane Hallock

Does Anyone Care that March Is ________ Month?

March 1, 2012

Years ago, I began my career as a hospital public relations intern. My responsibilities included promoting National Hospital Week which occurs each year in May. I really tried to make the general public aware of this momentous occasion, but I eventually realized that no one outside of the hospital really cared. I was disappointed that my well-written news releases failed to convert that week into a newsworthy event.

Over time I discovered that almost every hospital professional (except for PR interns) had a day or week designated in their honor. For example, National Doctors Day is celebrated on March 30.

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, the birth date of Florence Nightingale. During that week there is a National Student Nurses Day and also the globally-celebrated International Nurses Day. To further complicate things, each subspecialty within nursing has a special day or week—emergency nurses, gastrointestinal nurses, oncology nurses, pediatric nurses, cardiovascular nurses, neonatal nurses, perianesthesia nurses, nurse anesthetists, operating room nurses, IV (infusion) nurses, neuroscience nurses, school nurses, ad infinitum.

Oh, and don’t forget about the national days and weeks recognizing pharmacists, physical therapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, food service workers, respiratory therapists, social workers, home health providers and medical transcriptionists.

Red Cross Month begins today

March was first proclaimed Red Cross Month in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Since then, every president has designated March as Red Cross Month. This is a time when we hope to remind everyone about the work of the American Red Cross. We also want people to understand how we depend on public support to help people in need.

So, as you celebrate Red Cross Month, please don’t be distracted by March Madness, St. Patrick’s Day, Super Tuesday, Earth Day, Daylight Savings Time and the beginning of Spring (the vernal equinox). Furthermore, please don’t be sidetracked by those hapless PR interns who have been assigned the task of writing news releases to educate you that March is also: Read the rest of this entry »

9 Comments | Life in General, Marketing in a Nonprofit | Tagged: , | Permalink
Posted by Duane Hallock

To Be Findable, Share Your Content Online

February 2, 2012

To a great extent, you can control what people see when they Google your name. You can proactively create the content that fills your digital footprint.

I suggest you create content that reflects the three dimensions of what your brand represents. Those categories are:

  1. Who you are professionally. LinkedIn is the basic platform for sharing this information. You may also decide to use other websites—perhaps even your own url—where you can showcase your portfolio, resume and other relevant information.
  2. Who you are personally. I recommend using Facebook for this purpose. If, however, you prefer not to use Facebook as a branding tool, then I suggest your work very hard to find another online presence where people can see you as a real person.
  3. How you view the world. A blog is an excellent way to share your ideas and your perspective. I recommend that your first blog posts provide information that you hope your next employer will ask you in an interview.

Creating and sharing content will make you more finadable online. This will help you build your personal brand and will increase your chances of being interviewed and ultimately hired.

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These ideas on personal branding were originally presented during two workshops I conducted for the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. The sessions were attended by current and aspiring nonprofit leaders who came from across the nation for the annual Alliance Management/Leadership Institute, the nation’s largest leadership development and networking symposium for students, faculty and nonprofit professionals. —DH

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Posted by Duane Hallock

To Be Findable, Expand Your Digital Footprint

February 1, 2012

Google your name. The search results represent your digital footprint.

Do you like what you see?

Does your online presence help someone understand 1) who you are professionally, 2) who you are personally and 3) how you see the world around you? Does your digital footprint contain enough information for a prospective employer to “know” you before he or she calls you for a first interview?

When you look at your digital footprint, ask yourself how much of it you actually created? How much it was created by others? Do you have control over your personal brand?

You can expand your digital footprint and actually shape your online image by being findable on at least three social media platforms. I recommend LinkedIn, Facebook and a blog as the basics for building your online image. You can then connect your social media platforms by linking them together. For example, you can put a link in your Twitter profile directing people to your blog. Then, in the “About Me” tab of your blog, you can include links to Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

To be findable in a competitive job market, deliberately look for ways to expand your online presence. You really can create and control the size and shape of your digital footprint, so make it impressive.

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These ideas on personal branding were originally presented during two workshops I conducted for the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. The sessions were attended by current and aspiring nonprofit leaders who came from across the nation for the annual Alliance Management/Leadership Institute, the nation’s largest leadership development and networking symposium for students, faculty and nonprofit professionals. —DH

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Posted by Duane Hallock

To Be Findable, You Must Want to Be Found

January 31, 2012

When looking for a job, the first step in being found is actually wanting to be found.

That sounds simple enough, but too many job seekers have anxiety about what a prospective employer might find when Googling their names, even when they have nothing to hide.

Many well-intentioned (and misguided) individuals try to instill in us a fear that social media is a window where people on the other side are voyeurs. That advice seems to fit with warnings we’ve received since childhood about “stranger danger.”

Consequently, too many job seekers overreact when trying to protect their privacy. Somehow they have been programmed to think that having their personal information “out there on the Internet” is bad. That mindset does not work in today’s competitive job market.

Even if you are inherently shy and guard your privacy, you must recognize that being too secretive will work against your best interests. Being too cautious and private only erodes your efforts to brand yourself and to find your ideal job.

The best job seekers want to be found. They want to be discovered. Therefore, they deliberately leave “bread crumbs” along the pathway that will lead a prospective employer to find them. They create a presence on numerous online platforms, knowing that each platform gives a different perspective of their multifaceted brands.

In a job search, transparency should be your mantra. You cannot simultaneously hide your brand and look for a job. You want to be seen. You want to be findable. You actually want people—even strangers—to Google your name.

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These ideas on personal branding were originally presented during two workshops I conducted for the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. The sessions were attended by current and aspiring nonprofit leaders who came from across the nation for the annual Alliance Management/Leadership Institute, the nation’s largest leadership development and networking symposium for students, faculty and nonprofit professionals. —DH

Leave a Comment » | Life in General, Marketing for Job Seekers, Marketing Oneself | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Duane Hallock

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