He... was... awesome... and his Momma was SO relieved. I cannot wait to see the professional pictures. Here are some behind-the-scenes with our little camera (no flash) during the photo shoot yesterday at Methodist Children's. It brought back memories of visits we've had there where the mood was not nearly as light.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Picture this.
Today's photo shoot went really well. We are compiling photo essays (maybe 10-12 photos each) showing "A Day in the Life of..." different hard-to-fill positions. It's an exciting project, but takes me away from my desk quite a bit each day. This was the 4th of 6 photo shoots, and #5 is tomorrow. So far, we've been using other employees to pose as patients and I even found myself laying on the table in the Special Procedures room posing as a spinal chord injury patient waiting for surgery.
Tomorrow's photo shoot is at the Children's Hospital Emergency Room. For that, we need a kiddo to pose as a patient, and who better to grace the pages of the JoinMEthodist.com website? That's right... I am taking Jack Everett out of school to pose as our pint-sized patient. I called his teacher and made sure he wouldn't miss anything, and was lucky that Emily is willing to pick him up and bring him to my office at 10:30 tomorrow.
I don't know about anyone else, but there is something so special about seeing my kids at my workplace. I'm not sure just what it is, but it brings me such joy to show them where Mommy works and to show my coworkers why I do this day in and day out. They already love Jack Everett, thanks to his visits and the personalized artwork he created for each of them.
Tomorrow's visit could be different. It really could go either way. He could be compliant and totally work with me to pose for the pictures pretending to be treated by the RN we're highlighting... OR... he could get really embarrassed and hide behind my leg and say he doesn't want to do it. He is very easily embarrassed and does NOT like people bringing a lot of attention to him. (Just like his Mom.) With my bosses and coworkers and a photographer, in the ER, at the hospital... this really does have the makings of a fiasco... or a big success.
I can't worry too much about it. Whatever will be, will be. All I know is, either way, I am totally looking forward to going to work tomorrow and that is a truly refreshing feeling.
Want to see pics from our day? I'll post them tomorrow for my Facebook fans, including you, Emily... my newest fan. That'll teach you to leave your laptop unlocked...
Tomorrow's photo shoot is at the Children's Hospital Emergency Room. For that, we need a kiddo to pose as a patient, and who better to grace the pages of the JoinMEthodist.com website? That's right... I am taking Jack Everett out of school to pose as our pint-sized patient. I called his teacher and made sure he wouldn't miss anything, and was lucky that Emily is willing to pick him up and bring him to my office at 10:30 tomorrow.
I don't know about anyone else, but there is something so special about seeing my kids at my workplace. I'm not sure just what it is, but it brings me such joy to show them where Mommy works and to show my coworkers why I do this day in and day out. They already love Jack Everett, thanks to his visits and the personalized artwork he created for each of them.
Tomorrow's visit could be different. It really could go either way. He could be compliant and totally work with me to pose for the pictures pretending to be treated by the RN we're highlighting... OR... he could get really embarrassed and hide behind my leg and say he doesn't want to do it. He is very easily embarrassed and does NOT like people bringing a lot of attention to him. (Just like his Mom.) With my bosses and coworkers and a photographer, in the ER, at the hospital... this really does have the makings of a fiasco... or a big success.
I can't worry too much about it. Whatever will be, will be. All I know is, either way, I am totally looking forward to going to work tomorrow and that is a truly refreshing feeling.
Want to see pics from our day? I'll post them tomorrow for my Facebook fans, including you, Emily... my newest fan. That'll teach you to leave your laptop unlocked...
Saturday, April 17, 2010
The little guy is talking a lot more...
I will try to upload some video of his new words. He is hilarious. I have had a great weekend so far.
I am so incredibly behind at work, and know I should spend hours tomorrow on my laptop going through the 156 (last time I was brave enough to log on) NEW candidates who have applied to my positions.
It's really true what they say about "A recruiter looks at your resume for about 20 seconds before moving on to the next candidate." My best advice (as if someone asked)... if there's something on your resume that makes you think,"I will explain it in the interview...", you should explain it on the resume. In this job market, with far more applicants than openings, if something needs explanation, I just move on.
Anyway. I really feel for job-seekers on the other line of this impersonal electronic process.
So what was I writing about? Oh yes, Davis using his words. And my great weekend. I am just trying to let everyone know that I am doing better. Another recruiter, Mindy, sat with me and went through a bajillion catalogs for giveaways. We are going to print "JoinMEthodist.com" on mini handi-wipes (3"x 1.5"), magnetic heavy-duty chip clips, blue ballpoint dart pens, lip balm, sticky notes, reusable grocery bags, and sunglasses holders. It felt really good to get that out of the way since it was on my long project list. Not surprising I chose the most fun one to mark off my list first.
Emily and I had a playdate today and I accidentally left my cell phone at home. I also left my laptop cord at home. It was so great to have uninterrupted time with my dear friend and the boys enjoyed seeing each other after WAY too long. We even put the kids down (all three) for naps and watched "Baby Mama" while enjoying some Chipotle takeout. Yum. When the kids woke up, we went to Kohl's and Target where I found a new Welcome Mat to go with the new flowers we planted.
Tomorrow is Part Two of our "Great Marriages" series at church. The first one was about how to be a Great Man. This one is about how to be a Great Woman. I am actually kinda nervous. In my current state of emotional overload, I am not so sure I need to hear about anything else I need to work on. But, I'm going.
...as any Great Woman would.
*ha*
I am so incredibly behind at work, and know I should spend hours tomorrow on my laptop going through the 156 (last time I was brave enough to log on) NEW candidates who have applied to my positions.
It's really true what they say about "A recruiter looks at your resume for about 20 seconds before moving on to the next candidate." My best advice (as if someone asked)... if there's something on your resume that makes you think,"I will explain it in the interview...", you should explain it on the resume. In this job market, with far more applicants than openings, if something needs explanation, I just move on.
Anyway. I really feel for job-seekers on the other line of this impersonal electronic process.
So what was I writing about? Oh yes, Davis using his words. And my great weekend. I am just trying to let everyone know that I am doing better. Another recruiter, Mindy, sat with me and went through a bajillion catalogs for giveaways. We are going to print "JoinMEthodist.com" on mini handi-wipes (3"x 1.5"), magnetic heavy-duty chip clips, blue ballpoint dart pens, lip balm, sticky notes, reusable grocery bags, and sunglasses holders. It felt really good to get that out of the way since it was on my long project list. Not surprising I chose the most fun one to mark off my list first.
Emily and I had a playdate today and I accidentally left my cell phone at home. I also left my laptop cord at home. It was so great to have uninterrupted time with my dear friend and the boys enjoyed seeing each other after WAY too long. We even put the kids down (all three) for naps and watched "Baby Mama" while enjoying some Chipotle takeout. Yum. When the kids woke up, we went to Kohl's and Target where I found a new Welcome Mat to go with the new flowers we planted.
Tomorrow is Part Two of our "Great Marriages" series at church. The first one was about how to be a Great Man. This one is about how to be a Great Woman. I am actually kinda nervous. In my current state of emotional overload, I am not so sure I need to hear about anything else I need to work on. But, I'm going.
...as any Great Woman would.
*ha*
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Deadlines.
"I will commit to you that I will call you back by close of business today to let you know if a decision has been made." It is almost midnight and I JUST remembered hearing these words today. They came from MY mouth... to a candidate who has waited far too long to hear the outcome of her interview.
After muttering this promise, I immediately sent an e-mail to the Hiring Manager with whom I had scheduled the interview. It was an e-mail follow-up to a previous voicemail, which was a follow-up to our conversation at the end of Thursday's HR Staff meeting, after which she was scheduled to interview with a different candidate for this same role.
Well, I never heard back today, but did not create an Outlook reminder for myself to call the candidate either way... and the day got away from me. The message got buried under my other twelve voicemail messages at the office number and eight messages on the cell phone. (One from the school nurse telling me that the letter on file from Jack's pediatrician exempting him from the MMR vaccine will not work for next school year and needs to come from the Health Dept in Austin.... which will require documentation from my allergist and new allergy testing...)
This particular position has 160 applicants in queue. (I meant to unpost it from Monster before leaving Friday, but... the day got away from me.... which meant 61 new applications were received over the weekend... which is sure to generate some phone calls.) I have phone interviewed a dozen, scheduled in-person office interviews for six, second interviews for two, and am waiting for feedback from the manager. I need a decision. In the meantime, I juggle voicemails from candidates who are anxious and who all feel like it is ME who can't make up my mind.
As days pass, I fear that the candidate we DO choose will be so fed up that we took so long that she might decline my offer. In this case, I can't say I'd blame her. In this economy, people are desperate. Time is money, and hope is all some of these people have left.
After muttering this promise, I immediately sent an e-mail to the Hiring Manager with whom I had scheduled the interview. It was an e-mail follow-up to a previous voicemail, which was a follow-up to our conversation at the end of Thursday's HR Staff meeting, after which she was scheduled to interview with a different candidate for this same role.
Well, I never heard back today, but did not create an Outlook reminder for myself to call the candidate either way... and the day got away from me. The message got buried under my other twelve voicemail messages at the office number and eight messages on the cell phone. (One from the school nurse telling me that the letter on file from Jack's pediatrician exempting him from the MMR vaccine will not work for next school year and needs to come from the Health Dept in Austin.... which will require documentation from my allergist and new allergy testing...)
This particular position has 160 applicants in queue. (I meant to unpost it from Monster before leaving Friday, but... the day got away from me.... which meant 61 new applications were received over the weekend... which is sure to generate some phone calls.) I have phone interviewed a dozen, scheduled in-person office interviews for six, second interviews for two, and am waiting for feedback from the manager. I need a decision. In the meantime, I juggle voicemails from candidates who are anxious and who all feel like it is ME who can't make up my mind.
As days pass, I fear that the candidate we DO choose will be so fed up that we took so long that she might decline my offer. In this case, I can't say I'd blame her. In this economy, people are desperate. Time is money, and hope is all some of these people have left.
In the meantime, I have 26 other positions just like it.... for Case Managers, Chaplains, Administrative Assistants, Clinical Educators, Biomedical Equipment Technicians, and a weekend/evening Childbirth Educator.
I am designing and populating content for our website, (to be rolled out in May!) designing and ordering new Recruiting shirts, ordering giveaways for our Job Fairs, and coordinating professional photo shoots (1-2 per week) with a photographer to take pictures for the website... with all the CEO's, who need release forms, and Outlook invitations, and reminders, and I need to be there early to pick out pretty spots on the campus. For which I need to fill out a mileage reimbursement form. In the meantime, I am maintaining the JoinMEthodist Facebook page and Twitter accounts.... for the 2nd-largest employer in San Antonio. Since I started 90 days ago, our team of ten has hired over 600 people and received over 12,000 applications.
Can I really do all of this? Am I cut out for it? Is EVERYONE as overwhelmed in their jobs as I am? Will I learn how to manage better or is this too much to expect? When I leave the office, I WANT to leave work behind... After all, I need to think... do we have milk in the fridge? Are the boys allergic to tomorrow's daycare menu item?... Did I put Jack's bedding in the dryer? The new To-Do list begins. I turned on the laptop instead of going to bed because I can't sleep until I email this particular woman back. To tell her I still have no answer.
I will start her e-mail with a variation of how it seems I start every e-mail... and phone conversation with a friend... and regretful RSVP... and overdue visit with my Grandmama... and phone call to my Dad... and to my blog... and to my kiddos...
"I apologize for taking so long to get back with you..."
I am designing and populating content for our website, (to be rolled out in May!) designing and ordering new Recruiting shirts, ordering giveaways for our Job Fairs, and coordinating professional photo shoots (1-2 per week) with a photographer to take pictures for the website... with all the CEO's, who need release forms, and Outlook invitations, and reminders, and I need to be there early to pick out pretty spots on the campus. For which I need to fill out a mileage reimbursement form. In the meantime, I am maintaining the JoinMEthodist Facebook page and Twitter accounts.... for the 2nd-largest employer in San Antonio. Since I started 90 days ago, our team of ten has hired over 600 people and received over 12,000 applications.
Can I really do all of this? Am I cut out for it? Is EVERYONE as overwhelmed in their jobs as I am? Will I learn how to manage better or is this too much to expect? When I leave the office, I WANT to leave work behind... After all, I need to think... do we have milk in the fridge? Are the boys allergic to tomorrow's daycare menu item?... Did I put Jack's bedding in the dryer? The new To-Do list begins. I turned on the laptop instead of going to bed because I can't sleep until I email this particular woman back. To tell her I still have no answer.
I will start her e-mail with a variation of how it seems I start every e-mail... and phone conversation with a friend... and regretful RSVP... and overdue visit with my Grandmama... and phone call to my Dad... and to my blog... and to my kiddos...
"I apologize for taking so long to get back with you..."
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