Reinke Faces Life

On LinkedIn say that you use search to find someone you know, finding them, you can then tap “I know so and so”. It presents you with the standard canned message and a blank for their email address. Plug in a valid email address for that someone and it will issue the invite. I’ve done it and had it done to me.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2006/092706-yourtake-indiana.html?page=1

Q&A: How Indiana cleaned up its big IT mess
CTO says: “The vendors were running wild.”
By Carolyn Duffy Marsan, Network World, 09/27/06

In 18 months, the state of Indiana has gone from disarray to discipline in its IT infrastructure. Brought in by Governor Mitch Daniels, an experienced IT management team has cut 230 jobs, consolidated hardware and services, renegotiated contracts and saved the state $25 million in annual costs. Network World Senior Editor Carolyn Duffy Marsan interviewed Gerry Weaver, CTO of Indiana’s Office of Technology, about how he pulled off this remarkable turnaround.

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What were the biggest challenges you faced in terms of changing the way Indiana acquires and manages its IT infrastructure?

Getting all the other agencies to understand what was going to happen. We had a few hard meetings with agency IT directors. There were a couple that didn’t buy into our plan and, quite frankly, they’re gone.

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It would seem that when change happens, it’s in one’s own best interest to get on board with the new guy’s program. It’s either that or be “roadkill” in front of the steam roller. Or, be a displaced outplaced outsourced “turkey” down at the “turkey farm” protesting you was robbed, misunderstood, or misappraised. As we used to tell new turkeys arriving a the Delta Beta Mu turkey farm, “you’re here. that prima facie evidence that you’re here for a reason.”.

http://www.enewsbuilder.net/theayersgroup/e_article000541048.cfm?x=b11,0,w

http://www.enewsbuilder.net/theayersgroup/e_article000649698.cfm?x=b8b45Nl,b55f1D3v

The Age-Advantaged Workforce
A Different Job Strategy
by Terry Ebert

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“The leading edge of the baby boom still has the old hiring mentality, that age is a negative rather than an advantage, ” says Ayers’ Senior Vice President Doug O’Connor, CFP. “It usually comes out at our first meeting with a 55+ candidate: ‘Will I ever be able to find a job again?’ As we work with these candidates on positioning, they begin to recognize the depth of the resources they’ve accumulated over the years.”

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Demand a contract and take a full measure of “value retained”!

http://execunet.blogspot.com/2006/10/breaking-news-from-about-time.html

Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Breaking News From The About Time Department

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Over the same period of time as we have talked with recruiters about their feelings about candidates and shared the candidate’s feelings with them, with few exceptions, their responses range from “Yeah, I know and I don’t blame them” to “If I had the time I would try to do something about it, but I just don’t” to “tell ’em to grow up, my obligation is to the client.”

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Well, it (a change in recruiter behavior) would be an interesting “climate change”.

Some might know that I keep a “special list” for those that don’t play well with others. I always urge, “don’t get mad; get even!” as a response. Maybe it’s my mutli-decade experience of being “in”, “out”, uncermoniously tossed on my ear once, and treated “interestingly” over many “transitions”, but I’ll bet on the continuation of bad manners.

I think it is MOST amusing when a hunter, who slighted me two decades ago, has the chutzpa to yell when I won’t “work with him”. He was literally speechless when I described our last interaction for him. (I’m not only as hefty as an elephant, but I have a “trunk” of text files that are totally indexed by Google Desktop.) Perhaps, if more people refuse to be treated badly, we can collectively like a guild enforce a better standard of conduct.

As we come into the “gray-if-not working-it’s-retirement/vacation” (i.e., retirees who work for “fun”, not money) of the workforce, I think getting and keeping talent will be harder and more competitive. I think that there may even a cyclical rotation back to the old days of manners out of necessity. Further, as talent becomes more valuable, the value equation may shift. Envision a hunter who knows that seeker, with a highly desired skill, who might be “dislodged”, would then “broker” that knowledge to “thirsty” organizations. It might for by money, pride, or opportunity. No one will care why; it’ll just be about getting the talent on the team. Then you’ll see the climate change.

There is another possible reaction to being treated badly, and that is when seekers stop seeking the “corporate job”, and become one man consulting shops. Then, the hunters will starve. And, the corporations will be paying a lot more for skilled help. It really rebalances the playing field between those that do (need) and those that manage (get big bucks). Having been introduced to McKay’s 66 in my “self-improvement” phase, I’m ready to “sell” how this process will match supply and demand. It will take completely new paradigms, infrastructure, hardware, and software.

If that happens there will be lots of surplus hunters, corporate HR types, and “executives”. A ton of much happier and better compensated workers productively employed with a lot less downtime and inefficient “interviewing”.

While I’d rather see more surplus lawyers and politicians, it will be interesting times.

Since I have loaded my Outlook address book into LinkedIn, I have turned to being more selective of the invitations I will consider. It might be that LinkedIn isn’t “valuable”. Any way, if you want to send me an invite, then you have to let me know you’re doing it. I’ll put you in my LinkedIn Other folder and it will allow you to send an invite. I’m down to my last 500 invites so I’m saving them. :-)

http://careerandleadership.com/

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In this issues, we are very pleased to include an article submitted by Dr. David Salter who brings a thoughtful and new perspective about information technology and education. Networking expert Russ Kovar writes about the importance of networking in his article “People Know People”. Vikram Rajan makes another appearance with his article about press releases in our Leadership section. Robin Cook’s piece explains the nine shared characteristics of innovative organizations in the Work Life section. Also in the Work Life section is a compelling article about getting organized by Carla Thorpe. Writer Megan Byrd has contributed another insightful Book Review.

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Re: getting organized

My Mom used to say ” A place for everything; everything in its place”. That’s why I plog. Get all my thoughts in one place. ;-)

An employed-eee is merely a consultant with restricted choice of where and on what they will work on tomorrow.

Posted by: “George”
Wed Sep 27, 2006 6:34 am (PST)

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I don’t know about other users, but I am finding diminishing returns
on LinkedIn.

I have used it for over a year for networking and business development
as a consultant and executive coach. But more and more I am getting
stuff from recruiters looking for me to do their job for them.

Whats the next big thing?

Has LinkedIn outlived its usefulness?

What other networking and business development tools are people using now?

There also seem to be more executives who – it appears – have someone
put their profile in LinkedIn – but never use the tool or respond to
invitations. Whats the point of that? Another sign of its diminishing
value.

George F Franks III
Franks Consulting Group
Web site: http://franksconsultinggroup.com
E-zine: http://careerandleadership.com

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This is an interesting observation.

For each person that I link to, after two weeks, I send them a chatty little email. So far I have ZERO responses.

So LinkedIn isn’t networking. And, it may be of ZERO use other than a glorified yellow pages of people.

Hmmm!?!

http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/2006/09/marketing-lessons-learned-from-dating_30.html

Saturday, September 30, 2006
Marketing lessons learned from the dating world

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5) After a long night of striking out with every girl we approached, my friend Aaron decided to call it quits. “No, we’re not giving up. Come on, let’s try something else,” I said. We went onto the floor all by ourselves and started dancing like complete idiots who didn’t have a care in the world. (And at this point, we really didn’t.) Before we knew it, girls were actually coming up to US and saying hello. A few hours later we ended up at a 24 hour diner on an impromtu double date. One of the girls is still a good friend of mine today!

LESSONS LEARNED: don’t sell, enable people to buy; don’t market, position yourself

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I liked this one. Struck me as a job seekers guideline.

Lars Hinrichs
Open Business Club GmbH, openBC, Xing openBC to become XING 28/09/2006, 3:42 pm

Dear member,

I would like to personally inform you about major changes to the openBC brand in the near future. The openBC platform will be re-launched by the end of the year with a new design and a new brand name:

XING

Why XING?
Our community has evolved immensely since it was first formed and has expanded well beyond the realms of a “Business Club”. Whilst entrepreneurs and business people still make up a valuable and valued part of the network, they have been joined by a diverse spectrum of professionals from all industries and backgrounds – from scientists and creatives through to academics.

Members also network on the platform in 16 languages, so we needed a brand image that carries meaning in different cultures around the globe. XING meets this requirement. The name XING is cosmopolitan, innovative and unique – all qualities that reflect our community.

What will change on the platform?
The Website has been re-designed with maximum user-friendliness in mind, making it simpler for you to navigate and use the interface. And I can assure you: All of your openBC personal data will remain secure and unaltered, and all the networking features you have come to value on openBC will be part of XING – with many new features ahead!

The XING Website will be launched in the fourth quarter. You can already visit www.xing.com to gain an impression of the new brand and preview the new, improved interface.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for being a part of the community and wish you continued success and enjoyment from your network on XING.

Best Wishes,

Lars Hinrichs
Founder and CEO, Open Business Club GmbH