Corporate Social Responsibility: Having fun and helping people

Several years ago I was asked by a client (Timberland) to join their Serv-a-Palooza. It involved community service projects like building playgrounds and improving parks.  It was a huge affair with several hundred people participating.   Employees and vendors were bused to a specific site and given an agenda for the job –  and it was a full day’s project. It was a fun day of working side by side with people who you just met. At the end of the day, you could see the results of the work. I found the whole event very gratifying. The company’s philanthropic perspective comes from the top, which is why for several years they were designated by the media as a “Best Place to Work” in the Northeast.

Last weekend I had the privilege of participating in the 26^th Trek Across Maine for the American Lung Association http://bit.ly/Maineala . It’s a three day event stretching 180 miles from Sunday River in Bethel to Belfast, with over 2000 participants and 600 volunteers with the goal of raising $2 million (currently at $1.6 million). Trekkers are tasked to raise a minimum of $500 to join in the fun. Unlike last year where it poured solid for more than a day, the weather was stellar and because of this, everyone was in excellent spirits. 

The first leg of the Trek takes you to the University of Maine, Farmington, and the second night ends up at Colby College in Waterville. What I find interesting is both the beauty of the landscape — rivers, lakes and ponds, and the wide diversity of participants. Age groups range from 10 to 70+ years of age.  Many of the people I met there have done this event for over 10 years and several were part of a family group.

Although the ride is the primary focus of the event, the post-ride free time is the fun part where you get a chance to meet your fellow Trekkers and volunteers.  People are lounging, listening to live entertainment, getting massages, or strolling around the campus.  The mood is upbeat and because you are a part of the group, people always open up to you in discussing their career, family and history. It’s an excellent forum for getting to know the culture of the people that make the event a wonderful experience – giving one’s time to support a great cause.  At the end of each ride, there are hundreds of people cheering, “Great job!” and clapping for all of the Trekkers as they cross the finish line. It is truly a wonderful feeling!

 Having spent almost ten hours in the saddle over the past weekend was a minor sacrifice. Thank you to everyone who supported me and the program. For those leaders who understand value of supporting philanthropic causes, you have my admiration and endorsement.

Tags: career, culture, job prospects, maine, motivation, perspective

Customer focus first and foremost

Having been in the recruiting business for over 20 years does not exempt me from making fundamental mistakes in my day to day business. I became painfully aware of this in a recent meeting with an HR manager at a manufacturer in southern Maine.

I was introduced to the Human Resources manager by a contact I made previously with the company engineering director.  He informed me that they had been looking for an operations manager for a while but never ended up filling the position. A rejuvenated effort was in the early phases and my timing was perfect. What was really interesting was that they terminated their plant manager there that same weekl  They needed a candidate search conducted where the person could assess the immediate needs, provide the necessary leadership and run the plant operations.

In a meeting with the  HR manager, he gave me a very detailed understanding of the position, describing why the last employee left,  who the decision makers are, and what the company culture is like. After he summarized the position and the key responsibilities, I assumed that we were done and got ready to leave.  As I was getting up, he said, “Let me tell you about my situation and where I’ve been in my career.”

He proceeded to discuss his upbringing in the Midwest, how he moved continuously throughout the country with his family, where his family is now, and even a few details about his hobbies – he owned a small airplane! In the 15 minutes that he shared these details, it was evident that I almost missed the opportunity to do what every service provider needs to do: listen to your customer to get to know them.  If the objective is to develop a long term relationship, understanding the customer’s story is Customer Service 101.  It is vital to go beyond fulfilling a need to developing a bond that cements a relationship where you become not only a vendor, but an integral part of the team.  There is no way to develop a partnership without establishing a personal relationship based on genuine interest.

Meeting with new and interesting people is my favorite part of the job at Advantage Recruiting.  There’s no question that when I get to know a customer on a personal level,  my motivation in doing everything possible to make a successful deal is stronger.

My candidate was successfully hired and recently started.  I think I made a favorable impression and I fully intend on furthering my knowledge of the customer to earn that right to become a key business partner.  When they want to fill that operations manager position, I hope it’s me they call.

Tags: attentitive, career, customer service, impressions, jobs, maine, partnering