Today I had the pleasant opportunity to be reminded that we cannot (and should not) control content on the Internet. I fully believe that the Internet is an open market where consumers and sellers, friends and family, and students and mentors should be able to pass products, ideas, and wisdom without fear of judgement or persecution. I call that free agency - the right to choose our path in this world, how we speak on our path, and what we choose to do with the information present on this path. Some will get this reference to one of the best movies I reflect on, "This is my path. There are many like it, but this one is mine."
However, that does not give the Internet free agency. There is a distinct difference, I choose for me, the Internet does not choose for me. I have the obligation to myself and my kids to control the content I want them to see. This is my obligation, there are many like it, but this one is mine.
I recently had a great talk with a business owner about his profession. He specializes in the web filtration of information that is not invited into the household. Brad, the owner of Online Safety Solutions, LLC went over quite a few of the different dangers lurking on the Internet, trying to find its way in front of our kid's eyes, and how he set out on a quest to stop as much of this as he could. He didn't set out to censor the Internet, he set out to control what his household is viewing. He discussed the implications of viruses, malicious code, and threats such as exploitation of minors. This one - exploitation of minors, this one stuck.
Brad has a passion. While his service to customers encompasses all harmful data on the Internet trying to interject into the household, his passion is to end exploitation of children - a much higher purpose than just blocking or filtering content. I began to reflect on why this is such an important topic. Not the content in the Internet, the content my children are inviting into their lives - and worse, I don't know about it. How is it that with all of the technology available to us, the vicious exploitation of children is not stopped? I will be so bold to tell you that it is because of the parents. We choose to ignore what our kids are watching, or we choose to remain ignorant of what content is available on the Internet. Let's take chat rooms for example. I just learned of a new chat room that allows the users to completely hide their actions. So how would we know if our children are communicating with an adult predator? We probably wouldn't. This problem lies directly at the heart of Brad's passion - not just being able to know about the Internet content our children are inviting into their lives, but also the technology they are using to accomplish it.
Child predators specialize in one thing - getting children to comply. We use to make a joke about the van with no windows and a guy offering free candy. Our suspicions of this type of activity in the real world should be no different than in the cyber world. The child predator will stop at nothing to find a kiddo just waiting to exploit. It is my guess that social media or chat rooms are largely responsible for the Internet exploitation of the kiddo. Perhaps we can reflect on a social need for a moment; someone to listen to our problems. Imagine if you will, your pre-teen or teenager is in a chat room discussing all of their worldly problems. Inside of this chat there is one person that is replying with all of the right answers. His chat room identity looks harmless, and his replies are spot on - good enough to get the full, undivided attention of your teenager. Soon, he has her completely mesmerized by the amount of wisdom he provides to her problems and she trusts him - perhaps even starts to believe she could love him. His passion and knowledge has swallowed her whole and she is ready to do whatever he wants. He finally breaks it to her that he is not a teenager, but a man in his 30s. She doesn't care. She needs to talk with him. She needs to feel the security he provides her. He has answered her social need. The next step in this series is for the predator to get more. He now has the open door to get whatever he wants out of her. First, it begins with pictures, progressing to phone calls, and eventually they will meet. And You. Did. Nothing.
So here is where Brad's passion comes into play. Educate parents on what they don't know, help them understand better what they do know, and give them the tools to provide safe passage for their children on the Internet. Me being the ever businessman, looking for opportunities to expand, ensure costs are low, and ultimately gain the largest margins possible, started to ask why he ISN'T charging more? He could be making way more in margins! Brad's answer was astonishing and made me completely believe he is on the right track. "It's not about margins, it's about making the Internet what parents choose it to be in regards to their homes. And if that stops the exploitation of children, then I want every family to be able to afford it."
I fully suggest you take a look at www.mycybershield.com. You should, as a parent, take responsibility for what your children see and do on the Internet. It is NOT the Internet's fault or responsibility - it is YOURS. This is my fault. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
***Note: The original quote comes from the the movie Full Metal Jacket - 1987. However, the original saying is the Marine Corps Rifleman's Creed. If I had asked Brad to put this quote into his own words, he might have said, "This is my passion. There are many like it, but this one is mine."
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Thursday, May 14, 2015
The art of networking... or something like it.
The days of applying to jobs in an on-line portal are coming to an end. In today's environment there are too many "options" in the job pool for HR to cover. With 100's of applications for a job rolling across the HR specialists' desk, it is no wonder great candidates get tossed to "File 13." And the database that is holding your profile for future opportunities, that database is a black hole.
So how do we overcome the shortfall of applying for a job? Let's start here. You take very precious time logging into an application portal. Most of the time an application takes around 15 minutes. If you are serious about finding a job, then you probably apply for 5 or more while the motivation is fresh. After searching and searching for the ideal jobs, and the numerous tabs clogging the top of your web browser, you begin the quest. Your goal: to flood as many resumes, cover letters, and applications to as many organizations as it takes until you get that offer.
You get the email: "Thank you for applying with [company x] for [position y]. Your application is being reviewed. If your experience and qualifications match, we will contact you."
What it should read: "Thank you for applying with us. We are mandated, by law, to post these jobs. Really what we are going to do is promote internally, or, take a recommendation from an employee that their brother/sister/cousin/friend is a better fit. We really don't appreciate the massive amount of time you have spent on the various documents it takes when applying, so we just automate an email. And, since technology is awesome, we don't even have to remember to send you another email that will tell you we decided to go a different direction - so expect that email in about a week or two. Oh, and P.S., I hope you don't mind that we will either put your effort into File 13 or just tell you that we are keeping your information for any opportunities that your profile fits. Either way, your information is going to fall off of our radar."
As it turns out, if a human reads your resume they will only view it for about 5-7 seconds even though they will say they take about 5 minutes per resume. Most humans have a list of matching words, or key words that are handed to them by the actual person needing to fill the position. If they can't spot the key words quickly, they move on quickly. Some say there is a magic trick to writing a resume and offer to do it for you. This is another money-suck that just takes your precious time and much needed funds and doesn't change your chances for hire. For companies that frequently receive a lot of resumes when they post a job, they are likely to use resume scanning software. So, at either approach your chances of getting your resume across the actual person responsible for hiring you has gone way down. Above that, simple errors on the resume such as spelling errors, grammar errors, or even an unprofessional email account demolish your chances. So why is it that Joe can get me a job, but the enhanced web career search cannot?
Networking. Networking has a distinct advantage; your story gets heard and someone is putting their stamp of approval on you. Resumes are nothing but a story of the things you have done that qualify you for a job. Oh, you will probably be asked for your resume at some point. But Joe has already done the hard work - getting your resume to an actual decision maker's desk. Even if Joe doesn't hand walk the resume to the decision maker, he has seeded the idea that you are worth a look because Joe, a trusted employee, has put his personal stamp of approval on you.
Think of it this way. There are essentially two different types of jobs - publicly posted jobs that everyone gets to see and everyone can apply to and the hidden jobs that nobody really knows about. Public facing jobs are likely not going to be filled by the on-line application process. Companies can submit the notice and fulfill some HR requirement that x number of jobs are posted. Or, jobs that will really go to the incumbent are advertised to meet some sort of regulation guideline. Either way, these jobs are not the jobs you want but you wouldn't know that because they are the only ones available to see. So what is the other type of job? It could likely be the same one, or a different one, but is hidden in all respects. These jobs take a recommendation; a stamp of approval. These jobs are not known about, but are waiting to be filled or, in some cases, created for the right candidate. Joe knows this. He is inside the company and sees the day to day operations. Joe is a trusted member of the "in-crowd" and can not only locate a job, but also get your resume seen. Heck, maybe even Joe can score you the ever elusive interview.
Networking makes it easier to break down the silos of HR.
Let's review it from this example. You look on-line at one of the major job search engines and find "THE ONE." You take your time. Ensure that your resume is sharp, free of errors, and has all of the key words needed. Your application reflects only the best attributes of you. YOU. GOT. THIS. The position: Nuclear Physicist.
You submit your application, resume, and cover letter to the system. An automated email is spawned letting you know you did a successful job at clicking the submit button. The resume enters a database and waits for the next available attendant. And here the problem starts. The attendant reading your life's perfect path of professional performance is being read by someone that has no clue what Nuclear Physics are, let alone how to even "score" a resume based on the qualification represented in your information. The attendant notices that your resume is 5 pages of pure knowledge - a report of awesomeness that could in no-way be matched by any other. It has certificates, work history, skills, education, power statement, references, and past articles authored by you. And, these 5 pages take way to long to look through so the attendant sends your portfolio to file 13 and hits the automated rejection reply.
It took 5-7 entire seconds for all of the hard work you put into your life to be dismissed to File 13. If you cold look into the company you would probably find that Joe ran a much less qualified candidate right into the boss' office and said hire this one.
What do you do? Don't give up on the on-line job search. Use it to find out which companies are hiring. If you are serious about finding a job, figure out a way that you can network into the company and get your application read, or better yet, you can get that interview. Go to the company's social media profile; like LinkedIn. Try to connect with someone that might have common attributes as you do, or, get courageous and connect directly with the decision makers. Go to local meetups. Find people who can file you into the company. Ask questions and don't be scared. Find the gap and fill it. The job search online is not an entire waste of time, but the numbers suggest you are probably not going to find success - unless you want to work for an insurance agency on commission based salary.
Oh, and for all that is right in the world - NEVER PAY A RECRUITER TO GET YOU HIRED. But that is a discussion for a different day.
So how do we overcome the shortfall of applying for a job? Let's start here. You take very precious time logging into an application portal. Most of the time an application takes around 15 minutes. If you are serious about finding a job, then you probably apply for 5 or more while the motivation is fresh. After searching and searching for the ideal jobs, and the numerous tabs clogging the top of your web browser, you begin the quest. Your goal: to flood as many resumes, cover letters, and applications to as many organizations as it takes until you get that offer.
You get the email: "Thank you for applying with [company x] for [position y]. Your application is being reviewed. If your experience and qualifications match, we will contact you."
What it should read: "Thank you for applying with us. We are mandated, by law, to post these jobs. Really what we are going to do is promote internally, or, take a recommendation from an employee that their brother/sister/cousin/friend is a better fit. We really don't appreciate the massive amount of time you have spent on the various documents it takes when applying, so we just automate an email. And, since technology is awesome, we don't even have to remember to send you another email that will tell you we decided to go a different direction - so expect that email in about a week or two. Oh, and P.S., I hope you don't mind that we will either put your effort into File 13 or just tell you that we are keeping your information for any opportunities that your profile fits. Either way, your information is going to fall off of our radar."
As it turns out, if a human reads your resume they will only view it for about 5-7 seconds even though they will say they take about 5 minutes per resume. Most humans have a list of matching words, or key words that are handed to them by the actual person needing to fill the position. If they can't spot the key words quickly, they move on quickly. Some say there is a magic trick to writing a resume and offer to do it for you. This is another money-suck that just takes your precious time and much needed funds and doesn't change your chances for hire. For companies that frequently receive a lot of resumes when they post a job, they are likely to use resume scanning software. So, at either approach your chances of getting your resume across the actual person responsible for hiring you has gone way down. Above that, simple errors on the resume such as spelling errors, grammar errors, or even an unprofessional email account demolish your chances. So why is it that Joe can get me a job, but the enhanced web career search cannot?
Networking. Networking has a distinct advantage; your story gets heard and someone is putting their stamp of approval on you. Resumes are nothing but a story of the things you have done that qualify you for a job. Oh, you will probably be asked for your resume at some point. But Joe has already done the hard work - getting your resume to an actual decision maker's desk. Even if Joe doesn't hand walk the resume to the decision maker, he has seeded the idea that you are worth a look because Joe, a trusted employee, has put his personal stamp of approval on you.
Think of it this way. There are essentially two different types of jobs - publicly posted jobs that everyone gets to see and everyone can apply to and the hidden jobs that nobody really knows about. Public facing jobs are likely not going to be filled by the on-line application process. Companies can submit the notice and fulfill some HR requirement that x number of jobs are posted. Or, jobs that will really go to the incumbent are advertised to meet some sort of regulation guideline. Either way, these jobs are not the jobs you want but you wouldn't know that because they are the only ones available to see. So what is the other type of job? It could likely be the same one, or a different one, but is hidden in all respects. These jobs take a recommendation; a stamp of approval. These jobs are not known about, but are waiting to be filled or, in some cases, created for the right candidate. Joe knows this. He is inside the company and sees the day to day operations. Joe is a trusted member of the "in-crowd" and can not only locate a job, but also get your resume seen. Heck, maybe even Joe can score you the ever elusive interview.
Networking makes it easier to break down the silos of HR.
Let's review it from this example. You look on-line at one of the major job search engines and find "THE ONE." You take your time. Ensure that your resume is sharp, free of errors, and has all of the key words needed. Your application reflects only the best attributes of you. YOU. GOT. THIS. The position: Nuclear Physicist.
You submit your application, resume, and cover letter to the system. An automated email is spawned letting you know you did a successful job at clicking the submit button. The resume enters a database and waits for the next available attendant. And here the problem starts. The attendant reading your life's perfect path of professional performance is being read by someone that has no clue what Nuclear Physics are, let alone how to even "score" a resume based on the qualification represented in your information. The attendant notices that your resume is 5 pages of pure knowledge - a report of awesomeness that could in no-way be matched by any other. It has certificates, work history, skills, education, power statement, references, and past articles authored by you. And, these 5 pages take way to long to look through so the attendant sends your portfolio to file 13 and hits the automated rejection reply.
It took 5-7 entire seconds for all of the hard work you put into your life to be dismissed to File 13. If you cold look into the company you would probably find that Joe ran a much less qualified candidate right into the boss' office and said hire this one.
What do you do? Don't give up on the on-line job search. Use it to find out which companies are hiring. If you are serious about finding a job, figure out a way that you can network into the company and get your application read, or better yet, you can get that interview. Go to the company's social media profile; like LinkedIn. Try to connect with someone that might have common attributes as you do, or, get courageous and connect directly with the decision makers. Go to local meetups. Find people who can file you into the company. Ask questions and don't be scared. Find the gap and fill it. The job search online is not an entire waste of time, but the numbers suggest you are probably not going to find success - unless you want to work for an insurance agency on commission based salary.
Oh, and for all that is right in the world - NEVER PAY A RECRUITER TO GET YOU HIRED. But that is a discussion for a different day.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Just a stay at home mom.
What is it with women of this generation? I cannot express the amount of disappointment that I feel when I hear the words, "I am just a stay at home mom."
Really? You can do better than that. Only a stay at home mom? It is made to sound like Dobby the house elf on Harry Potter. It is said with such negative connotation that I almost believe that it is perceived to be true. It bothers me and quite frankly, it is crap.
A few days ago I went into a restaurant. A gentleman and I were having a wonderful breakfast, in a great atmosphere, and partaking in excellent conversation. The waitress was a very pleasant woman and carried a smile that showed pure confidence. I quickly picked up on what confidence must have been there and so I asked the question, "What was your job before this one?" I fully expected an answer, drawn out with long years of courageous experience in a long career in customer service. All because she had a style that fit into what my perception of a superior customer service representative, achieving the highest honors, would be.
At this point, and to my astonishment, her head lowered, her shoulders buckled, and her breath shortened. It was almost like someone told her that Fluffy the cat just died. Whatever confidence she had coming to our table to make sure we had what we needed deflated like a balloon hit by a needle. The air didn't go out slowly, it burst. Her head low, her pride gone, she was broken by one simple question, "What was your job before this one?" If I had known this question would draw the wind out of her sail in such a way, I would never had asked. I couldn't believe that she felt her previous job was not worthy enough to mention to a couple of men, having breakfast, and drinking coffee.
The waitress, deflated by the question, answered, "I was just a stay at home mom for the past few years until all of my children went into school. They are all in school now, so I got a job."
Wow. While I applaud her for getting a job, what she failed to realize is she had one all along. Perhaps it's a Soldiers perspective, perhaps not. "So I got a job." My instant reply could not have been more direct as I said, "You mean you went on vacation." Her head cocked with obvious confusion as to how this is a vacation. She looked at me, straight in the eyes - there's that confidence again, and asked, "I went on a vacation?"
Now, understand, I prop my wife up on a throne. This amazing person took care of my children, got her Master's degree, and became the person she thought the world would respect. My wife accomplished this during a very long year of me being deployed into a combat zone. Before I left, she moved in order to find a sustainable household far away from where we were stationed. She was left in charge of picking out our home. She was in charge of getting our children into school. She was, pure and simple, in charge - and she was "Just a stay at home mom."
My reply to the "Just a stay at home mom" went something like this:
YES - you were working something between 14 to 18 hours a day as a planner, organizer, cook, maid, driver, therapist, receptionist, executive, executive assistant, and all the while making sure you still had time for friends, family, and shopping. Oh, and by the way, who balanced the checkbook? Deposited the money? Paid bills? Paid allowances? Recorded records for taxes? Punished? Praised? Oh, you? So to top it off, you were an accountant, financial planner, records manager, tax preparation manager, payroll, and human resource manager? Who fixed the boo-boos? The cuts, bumps, scrapes, bruises? Who held the puke bucket? Pulled the hair back from the toilet? Cleaned up the diarrhea? Oh, you? So you were, on top of that, the emergency medical respondent too?
So how is it, while doing this in the span of 14 to 18 hours a day, sometimes more, sometimes less, 7 days a week, for 9 straight years, were you "Just a stay at home mom?" And therefore yes, you are on vacation.
This is where I just don't understand. When is it that women lose their confidence and self worth enough that when they respond with something as massively important as the job of "mom" they feel ashamed? Even more, when "Just a stay at home mom" is interviewing for a job and they list on a resume or an application they have no prior experience, they don't mention the years of experience that being "Just a stay at home mom" carries with it? If I was interviewing a "Just a stay at home mom" and her reply was any shorter than that of a CEO's, I would question the kind of people that have been supporting this woman for the past however many years. So, I say to all you "Just a stay at home moms" out there, B.S. Take pride in what amazing things you have accomplished during your tenure as the Chief Executive Officer. Your industry might very well be the toughest on the market. And you are certainly more than "Just a house elf."
Really? You can do better than that. Only a stay at home mom? It is made to sound like Dobby the house elf on Harry Potter. It is said with such negative connotation that I almost believe that it is perceived to be true. It bothers me and quite frankly, it is crap.
A few days ago I went into a restaurant. A gentleman and I were having a wonderful breakfast, in a great atmosphere, and partaking in excellent conversation. The waitress was a very pleasant woman and carried a smile that showed pure confidence. I quickly picked up on what confidence must have been there and so I asked the question, "What was your job before this one?" I fully expected an answer, drawn out with long years of courageous experience in a long career in customer service. All because she had a style that fit into what my perception of a superior customer service representative, achieving the highest honors, would be.
At this point, and to my astonishment, her head lowered, her shoulders buckled, and her breath shortened. It was almost like someone told her that Fluffy the cat just died. Whatever confidence she had coming to our table to make sure we had what we needed deflated like a balloon hit by a needle. The air didn't go out slowly, it burst. Her head low, her pride gone, she was broken by one simple question, "What was your job before this one?" If I had known this question would draw the wind out of her sail in such a way, I would never had asked. I couldn't believe that she felt her previous job was not worthy enough to mention to a couple of men, having breakfast, and drinking coffee.
The waitress, deflated by the question, answered, "I was just a stay at home mom for the past few years until all of my children went into school. They are all in school now, so I got a job."
Wow. While I applaud her for getting a job, what she failed to realize is she had one all along. Perhaps it's a Soldiers perspective, perhaps not. "So I got a job." My instant reply could not have been more direct as I said, "You mean you went on vacation." Her head cocked with obvious confusion as to how this is a vacation. She looked at me, straight in the eyes - there's that confidence again, and asked, "I went on a vacation?"
Now, understand, I prop my wife up on a throne. This amazing person took care of my children, got her Master's degree, and became the person she thought the world would respect. My wife accomplished this during a very long year of me being deployed into a combat zone. Before I left, she moved in order to find a sustainable household far away from where we were stationed. She was left in charge of picking out our home. She was in charge of getting our children into school. She was, pure and simple, in charge - and she was "Just a stay at home mom."
My reply to the "Just a stay at home mom" went something like this:
YES - you were working something between 14 to 18 hours a day as a planner, organizer, cook, maid, driver, therapist, receptionist, executive, executive assistant, and all the while making sure you still had time for friends, family, and shopping. Oh, and by the way, who balanced the checkbook? Deposited the money? Paid bills? Paid allowances? Recorded records for taxes? Punished? Praised? Oh, you? So to top it off, you were an accountant, financial planner, records manager, tax preparation manager, payroll, and human resource manager? Who fixed the boo-boos? The cuts, bumps, scrapes, bruises? Who held the puke bucket? Pulled the hair back from the toilet? Cleaned up the diarrhea? Oh, you? So you were, on top of that, the emergency medical respondent too?
So how is it, while doing this in the span of 14 to 18 hours a day, sometimes more, sometimes less, 7 days a week, for 9 straight years, were you "Just a stay at home mom?" And therefore yes, you are on vacation.
This is where I just don't understand. When is it that women lose their confidence and self worth enough that when they respond with something as massively important as the job of "mom" they feel ashamed? Even more, when "Just a stay at home mom" is interviewing for a job and they list on a resume or an application they have no prior experience, they don't mention the years of experience that being "Just a stay at home mom" carries with it? If I was interviewing a "Just a stay at home mom" and her reply was any shorter than that of a CEO's, I would question the kind of people that have been supporting this woman for the past however many years. So, I say to all you "Just a stay at home moms" out there, B.S. Take pride in what amazing things you have accomplished during your tenure as the Chief Executive Officer. Your industry might very well be the toughest on the market. And you are certainly more than "Just a house elf."
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