Welcome back to a #ThoughtFULLThursday. My name is Casey Hasten. I am an Executive Recruiter, Director of Recruiting with VIP, and all around #hiringguru. In an effort to continue our discussions about building a better team, I want to talk to you about concept I call, It’s a Small World After All.
I want to start off with something a little nontraditional and talk to you about the sitcom Seinfeld. Who doesn’t love Seinfeld? The episode I am referring to is the one where George Constanza finally lands his dream job. After landing the role, he meets with Seinfeld, Elaine, and Kramer and tells them how perfect this job is for him. There is no accountability. He does not even have to work. This is the exact kind of job he wants. He shows up the first day at work and notices a photo over his manager’s shoulder.
This photo was taken about 10 years ago and is of his hiring manager and his family at the beach. Then there is George Costanza in the background…photo bombing! He immediately starts to panic as this picture was taken after he threw the family’s boombox in the ocean. I am not going to go through the whole episode, but I do want you to fast forward ten years. George has finally landed his dream job and it is about to be ruined because of an encounter he had ten years prior.
We all know art mimics life. I want to give you a real life example and share with you a personal experience of my own. About three months after I had transitioned from my accounting career (a career I did not love), into recruiting (a career I am absolutely passionate about), my hiring manager came up to me and said, “Do you remember the guy who used to work with when you were a Controller at XYZ company?”
I responded I do remember him because he was my only contract employee. I had to get his time sheets every Friday, along with all his expenses. It was always a beating to track him down to get those. I was under a very tight deadline to do payroll. Rather than go tattle on him or yell and berate him, I came up with a new plan. I let him know one Friday that the following Friday, I would have Grandy’s biscuits with honey waiting for him. The only stipulation was he brings his timesheets and expense receipts. We never had another problem. He also would bring his dog to work with him, so I kept some dog treats in my office as well.
As I finished my story, I asked my hiring manager how she knew this man I used to work with. She said, I want to share something with you. That man is my dad. Before I hired you, he was your informal reference. My dad does not like anybody. I called him and I asked if he remembered working with you. He said you were one of the best Controllers he had ever worked with and I would be stupid not to hire you.
The reason I tell that story is to illustrate you never know when you meet someone what kind of an encounter you are going to have or when you will see them again. Almost 15 years later, this guy was a reference for me without me knowing and helped me land my dream job.
It’s a small world after all. When you meet new people, go into that encounter with the intent you will probably meet them again in the future. Be nice to everybody.
