Volume 1, catalog series #2

Sean Cunningham’s 1966 Chevrolet Impala Coupe

Sean Cunningham is Co-Founder of a digital agency and Executive Creative Director of Sleek Machine in Atlanta. His Impala has won a few awards, most recently at the Lowrider Magazine Supershow in Atlanta. Originally built in St. Louis, Sean picked up this car in Colorado. The paint is original and has the original 327 4BBI, 2speed Powerglide and comes with air conditioning.

Has had some upgrades….most notably is the air-ride (bagged) suspension that allows him to get it laid out low as well as an adjustable ride height, all controlled via an app or hard wired unit. Some engine upgrades include a March pulley system with two electric fans, a larger radiator and dual rear antennas. Future projects may include fuel injection and period matching interior.

Volume 1, catalog series #1

Barney Robinson’s 1973 Thing

Barney Robinson is founder and CEO of Orchard Creative. Take a look at his 1973 Volkswagen Thing, with a 4-speed manual transmission, RWD and a 1.4l flat 4. Barney’s wife grew up in a little surfing town called Solana Beach. When she was a kid, her best friend had this car. And she’d been looking for one for years. One in good enough condition to drive semi regularly finally became available. A lovely 80 year old man had restored it and used to enter it into car shows around Long Island. “It’s the most fun car I’ve ever owned”, says Barney.

If you know me, you know I drive a 1977 International Scout SSII. I’ve driven Scouts my whole life. I learned to drive in one (partly why I drive so close the the middle of the road…I can explain) and previously owned a 1970 Scout 800. I have owned my current Scout since 2005 and bought it pretty much “as-is.”

But enough about me. This is about you. Or what you have. In the coming months I will be highlighting cool vehicles owned by members of the creative industry. If you have a cool car or truck and you would like to be featured, send inquiry and lots of money to: steve@harvestertalent.com.

This feature will run for as long as the pictures keep coming in. All judgement of whether a car or truck is cool enough to be featured will be by myself but favor will be given to classics….over 25 years of age.

Let’s get this going!

Harvester Talent, a creative/marketing talent solutions firm, launched January 2023. But, that sounds so PR-esque. Harvester did in fact launch. It’s my 3rd creative staffing agency and talent solutions firm….actually my 4th. The previous three were all very successful but I exited each for different reasons. Sure, I probably could have pivoted and done something else professionally. However, as I tell people, this is who I am; this is what I do. And now, I will be competing against two firms that I built and which carry on with good portions of my philosophies. So, how’s that gonna work? Simple….Harvester Talent will out-work and out service them all. We are Built for Work.

Pot of Coffee returns on December 16, 10:00-11:00, at Good Coffee, NW Raleigh. For the coming holidays, please bring an unwrapped toy for donation. There will also be cookies provided. They might be homemade….we shall see. Please RSVP here, on LinkedIn, @potestio on Twitter or text me. Right on.

Pot of Coffee 3 went indoors at Good Coffee to escape the wind and rain on Friday the 4^th. While we missed the fresh air, it was good to be inside and warm.

Unfortunately, many of the folks that joined us had been recently laid-off. That allowed us to talk about topics related to the job search and gauge everyone’s thoughts on the current hiring climate.

We also covered hard hitting topics like pants and zippers. Stretch pants to hard pants, to prescription pants, to stuck zippers and does clothing differ on which side the zipper is? Apparently, some people don’t know that zippers and buttons are on different sides of clothing depending on gender. But, back to stretch pants and the why? I guess they are comfortable. It was appreciated and noted, of course, that most attendees (spot checks were not done) had bravely left their homes by donning hard pants.

In spite of recent layoffs people are not feeling a ton of pressure or concern about the economy or their job prospects. Some folks were already looking and some saw the warning signs, which lead to a discussion about just how bad companies can be when it comes to employee attraction, retention, and dismissal. If it wasn’t such a serious topic, it would be comical.

One person was contacted by a recruiter at a design agency and eventually received an offer, only to have that offer rescinded.  It turns out the hiring agency and the agency where the person was employed have a “no poaching” agreement since they are both owned by the same holding company. Note to internal recruiters: understand the organization you’re supporting and any limitations before reaching out to candidates.

The warning signs of an impending layoff were visible to an attendee when her manager started asking for the status of projects and pushing for early completions. One person was blindsided but had already decided to leave anyway, so the surprise was also met with relief.

In addition to year-end layoffs we have also entered the “circle back” time of year when many put off responding directly to requests by saying they will need to “circle back” after the end of the year. Whether they do or not is debatable but there is no debating how easy is it to put people off with this response.

While some lamented the need to craft specific resumes for everyone job they applied for, a recruiter offered the “the glow one feels when talking about a role of opportunity they are passionate about” as a solid reason to continue the practice. Of course, you better feel the glow of interest in a job, otherwise applying might be a waste of time.

Hopefully, Pot of Coffee 3 was not.

The Pot returns on November 4th, 10-11, at Good Coffee on NW Raleigh. We will be inside the building in the hallway….or inside the shop. I don’t really know until I get there myself, but look for me in the hat with the word “TRUCKS” across the front. We can surely talk about trucks too if you want. But definitely bring me some questions!

When you are unemployed and looking for work, it seems like employers and recruiters are holding all the cards. You’re sitting at a blackjack table in a loud casino, the dealer is smirking, and you’ve had one too many and are having a hard time counting. I get it. I’ve been there….more times than I care to admit. But, here you have an advocate. I’ve been in this creative industry talent business thing for over 25 years. I’ve done it all….staffing recruiter, internal recruiter, digital agency talent acquisition, staffing business owner, staffing industry executive, job seeker, you name it.

You’re not alone and I can help.  

With each passing today, it’s starting to look like a challenging job market for many is either here, or it’s on its way.

If you’re looking, here are some things to keep in mind to help set you up for success:

-LinkedIn is your friend. I barely even look at resumes anymore. Take stock of your online presence and what it says, and doesn’t say, about you. There is plenty of content out there about good LinkedIn profile practices. Take advantage of this platform to present yourself positively and to build your network.

-Package yourself in a clear and consistent manner. Brand yourself. Know who you are, who you are not, and who you may want to be. Understand your strengths and your weaknesses. Be honest and realistic.

-Make sure trusted connections are aware of your search. Don’t expect anything from them but you want to be top of mind if they become aware of any opportunities.  

-If they can’t find you, they can’t hire you. Do not name your resume file “resume”. Use your last name as a file name. Add your phone number to your e-mail signature. List your portfolio address in your LinkedIn summary. Make it easy to find you and your work.

-Send thank e-mails after every interview and every substantial networking meeting. It’s a lost art. It shouldn’t be. Graciousness never goes out of style. It also shows interest and intent and can help keep the conversation going.

-Do your homework before every interview and every meeting. If you don’t care enough to find out about the company and role, why should the company care enough to find out about you?

-Hiring is a two-way street. It’s not the hiring company’s job to figure out why they should hire you. It’s your job to present your case in the best way possible. And be prepared to interview the company. You may be showing up to work there every day. There must be something you want to know about it.

-Don’t be too timid and don’t be too obnoxious when pursuing opportunities. It’s a balance. Be confident, not desperate. And use the “3-strikes and you’re out” rule. If you send a resume or inquiry to a company and get no response (or waiting on feedback from an interview) wait 5 business days for a follow up. Assuming no response again, spread it out to another 7 days and finally a third attempt after another 10 days. No response still? Move on.

-Market yourself. Look for opportunities and look for jobs. Jobs exist. Opportunities are created. Put yourself into conversations by being the starter. Reach out to people. Ask for meetings.

-Constantly evolve. Don’t lose your edge. Stay relevant.

-Finding a job is a job. Work at it every day. And if you do, give yourself a break. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You got this.

The extrovert Olympics (this gem courtesy of Jess Forgue)

Thanks to everyone that came out for Pot of Coffee 2 last Friday. It was a little chilly with the fog, but it’s fun to be outside in the early Fall. Maybe I shouldn’t have worn shorts.

Being in public with people rolled nicely into our first discussion around remote/hybrid/office dynamics, preferences and what is and is not working.

There is no “one size fits” all and hybrid seems to be the best of both worlds. Companies are still figuring out what works best and there is a disparity in approach when establishing policies. Some companies are grudgingly going to hybrid. Truth be told, I would guess that company execs/owners want everyone back full-time but they know it’s not going to happen. People work in different styles and with different levels of productivity in the office and remote. Work needs to be designed to take into account this.

Determining how to navigate best communication practices seems to be scattered. Tools to communicate are either hoisted upon us as they company “way” or companies are taking time to evaluate what works, what doesn’t and including, hold your horses, employee feedback to make those decisions. Yay for those companies!

Is remote work better for your work?

An industrial designer was strong in his opinion that yes, his work is better from working remote. I always wonder about the inspiration one gets from being “out and about” and challenged this notion. He does find outside influences, such as taking a walk or running an errand contribute to creative inspiration but it’s still taken back home and executed. People actually find they end up working more hours, not less, when remote. There is no “I have to leave the office to get home by 6” dynamic anymore so often people just keep on working.

People don’t remember how to interact

Coming back to the office isn’t necessarily resulting in better work or productivity either. Manners and civility seem to be more challenging than they were in the past. And Portland’s passive aggressive tendencies are sometimes apparent such as when co-workers remark, “you didn’t even say “hi”” before responding to a question. No one makes eye contact anymore. We’ve all been Zoom-ified.

The extrovert Olympics

Who has the biggest personality when in the office? Who can be the most active, most engaging? Who wants to prove that they are the best at being back in the office? Apparently, a lot of you do but the rest of us just want you to simmer down.

How does one stay relevant while remote and otherwise disconnected from direct co-worker contact?

People are using social media more. People are reading more. You may follow more leaders in your industry. You are more award of who’s saying what.

People have become so formal in setting up times to meet or talk. You can’t just grab someone in the office anymore, you have to not only ask for a meeting you have to be super specific about time/place to hope to get a commitment. Slack has replaced the tap on the shoulder.

It’s still who you know.

Internal recruiters can still act more like gate keepers than an avenue into a company. It’s often still “who you know” who gets you an interview or a meeting. It’s not unusual for recruiters to interview you as a box to check-off, without real interest.

While hiring is still brisk in many sectors, tell-tale signs of a slowdown are there too. Hiring freezes are back as a strategy, whether based on real data or an assumption on the direction of the economy.

Blue Suede Shoes

They were actually gray, but they were well received. See you next month.

The next Pot of Coffee coffee event for the creative industry is on 9/30/22 at Good Coffee in NW Raleigh, Portland. Weather permitting we will be outside the coffee shop.

Come with any questions/discussions around jobs, hiring, employment, recruiting, talent management, job searches, etc. I’ll do my best to keep lively conversation going. Look forward to seeing you there.

Last Friday (8/26) I hosted my first Creative Coffee Chat for Creatives who want to drink coffee. So that’s not really what it’s called, because I haven’t branded it yet, but it is what it is. Here is a sampling of questions that were covered, and since I do not record these sessions, the answers are as close to what I actually said as possible. Minus a few “ums” which I am working on.

What trends are you seeking in the employment market?

It’s an interesting market right now. What is occurring now in employment and hiring is not something we have ever seen before. People are now conditioned to work remote and changing that will be very difficult. Talent has a lot of pull in the types of jobs they will consider. Most people looking for work prefer remote or at the least, a limited hybrid schedule. Many employers are asking people to return to the office, either now or in the near future…. generally, again, a hybrid situation. While the percentage of businesses that allow 100% remote has increased significantly since before the pandemic, I believe over time there will be a continued shift by employers to have people back in offices. In the long term, employers still hold more cards than talent. But talent won’t give these cards up easily.

What can I do, as a recent graduate, to stand out in the job market?

Network, do your research, engage and connect. Network – be someone who is involved in the community in which you belong. I once met a recent grad at a networking event…she was there by herself and clearly felt out of place…but she was there. We started talking, I was impressed by her willingness to get into the community and I ended up finding her an associate level account services role. She is now a digital marketing manager for a major consumer brand. She wanted it and made it happen.

I’m hiring and I have a hard time finding qualified talent.

I’m not surprised. Again, if you read the news we are all led to believe that talent calls the shots. And some do and always will but by and large, if you are having a hard time attracting talent, the problem is not that there isn’t great talent out there, they just aren’t interested in your company. You have to ask yourself why, and what can you do to change that?

Attracting talent really starts with everything you do. It’s not just one thing, like hiring a good recruiter or recruitment agency. It’s the whole ecosystem of your business that sets you up to succeed or fail as a hiring organization. Companies tend to roll out the red carpet for the best talent and ignore the rest. That’s is a real transactional approach and not how you build an employer brand.

What do you tell someone new to recruiting?

Someone once said that “recruiting is having a bunch of coffee meetings with people you don’t want to have coffee meetings with”.

Recruiting has many flavors so it’s hard to cover them all, but at the core, it’s about them, not you. Them being the person engaging with you to hire, and the people you are trying to hire or place. And since it’s not about you, it’s also something you can do only so much to control. Set guardrails, be a good person, do the right thing always and have others best interests in mind.

I’m holding court @ Good Coffee on NW Raleigh starting at 10AM Friday, 8/26. Come talk about creative industry, jobs, finding talent, recruiting, horses, whatever. RSVP @potestio on Twitter. PS….I’m afraid of horses.

Working with clients and talent on a national level has always been a goal of mine and am excited to announce a big jump in my career.

https://www.prweb.com/releases/2022/6/prweb18741327.htm

As I transition this site from a blog back to a more business type of thing, something will happen. Not sure what yet but something will happen.

Never have been. It’s not the way I view recruiting. But times change, and 2020 certainly brought change. So, I rolled with the changes…

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-people-steve-potestio/