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The Happy, Sad Tale of Tom The Turkey
June 28, 2005 by jim stroud
The Happy, Sad Tale Of Tom The Turkey
I recently visited the Atlanta offices of Microsoft to check-in with my employment cousins. I found happy, smiling faces on almost all I met. The receptionist greeted me with a Dentyne smile, Sponge Bob winked at me from a couple of cubicles and my fellow recruiters were all worker bees. Inside the conference rooms (each named after an Atlanta landmark) business was being handled and not too far from the Finance group was an advertising of after hours drinking in salute of the pending weekend. It felt like a Norman Rockwell painting of productivity and I wondered, how could such a perfect work environment exist? And then I heard the rumors… Someone half-heartedly laughed about the lurker on the grounds and another person gruffed at being a prisoner in their own car; I thought it all strange. I inquired deeper and discovered an issue that was polarizing my co-workers. It seemed that “Tom” was a popular character who frequented the Atlanta Microsoft office. Tom was a curious sort of fellow to learn about because he was hated by some, loved by others and misunderstood by all. Fascinated by the disparity, I took it upon myself to learn all I could about Tom. I wanted to demistify him, locate his soul and share with you a tragic figure worthy of Shakesphere.Dear reader, I would like to introduce to you – Tom The Turkey.
Tom, I hate you!
That is what I expected to hear from “C,” my employment cousin who was recently attacked by Tom. To understand the attack is to understand a few things about Tom that all are in agreement on. Tom lives in the nearby woods surrounding the Microsoft Atlanta office. Tom also claims several sections of the parking area and is often seen blocking parking spaces and even entry into the complex itself. On more than one occassion, Tom has been known to present his dissatisfaction of tresspassers with a fierce “gobble” and sprint towards an opening car door. Blowing your car horn will not dissuade fearless Tom from protecting what he believes is his home and neither will a vigorous “shoo, get away.” All who work in the Microsft Atlanta office know that they park and enter the building at the whim of a less than benevolent bird. Unfortunately for “C,” she suffered the misfortune of confronting Tom on one of his “bad days.”
To recap the story, “C” had just parked her car and was exiting her car when she met Tom at his most terrible. His wings were outstretched, his beak uplifted and his throat blowing in the majestic wind. This was the Tom of legend, a wild turkey of strength who had decided at that moment to exert his ferocious turkiness to all who would witness it. Who could withstand such a display? Realizing an emminent threat, “C” lunges for the complex entrance with the speed of an Olympic champion. Sanctuary was within reach until fate intervened and “C” slipped and fell to the ground. Seizing the moment, Tom stretched his wings wider and pecked at the open air. His statement? “I am Tom! I am a Turkey! Fear me!” And (perhaps) fear him she did, with the reflexes of a cat “C” initiates evasive manuevers and manages to elude Tom as she enters the building from a side entrance. A rip of stocking and minor abrasion accompany her testimony of her ordeal.
“Do you hate Tom The Turkey?” I ask her during our interview.
“I don’t hate the turkey,” C says bravely, “but I don’t want to be near it. As a vegetarian, I would not eat it but may very well kill it.”
Tom, I am going to get you!
That is what I heard in conspiratorial dialogues that I managed to overhear. Some said that they would kidnap Tom if they were assured of ransom; whereas others wanted to capture Tom so he could be released to the wild. It was also commented that someone would bring their German Sheppard to say “hello” to Tom in a most heinous way. When I asked why animal control had not dealt with Tom already, I was informed that due to some loophole that Tom was granted immunity from their intervention. (Does Tom have influence in quiet, dark places of power?) Be that as it may, Tom seems untouchable and all speculation of his capture has so far been the fodder of watercooler chats.
Tom, I think I love you!
That is what I heard from the pro-Tom-The-Turkey side of the office. This faction regards Tom not as a menace, but as a loving protector of Microsoft employees. He has been billed by some as a “Security Turkey,” a tireless defender of the loading dock from unwelcome characters and smokers who choose the loading dock as their haunt. (Tom is most assuredly anti-smoking.) Tom is a goodwill ambassador to the pizza delivery guys and caterers who frequent the Microsoft Atlanta office, insuring them safe passage from truck to door. Furthermore, he is considered a mascot of the Microsoft Atlanta office. “L” mentioned to me how she has introduced Tom to her 3 year old son and watched them exchange gobbles from the car to each other. (Tom loves the kids.)Tom, I understand you!
This is what I heard from Tom’s most ardent admirers. They were the ones that explained to me how misunderstood Tom was.
“Tom was here before Microsoft moved in,” they said. “He has a history with this area. Some time ago, Tom met and fell in love with a goose that has since migrated away. Since that breakup, Tom has lost weight and become embittered.”
I asked, “Is this why he patrols the parking deck, loading docks and other areas around here?”
“I believe so,” was the reply. “Perhaps in his own way, he is looking for the goose that flew away.”
Tom The Anti-Hero
And there you have it dear reader, Tom is not a menace and not wholly a love figurine. He is (at heart) a creature wounded after love’s embrace. He seeks solace wandering on the very grounds that he and his lost love shared and when he does not find his goose, he gobbles in the angst of unrequited love. This is why (perhaps) he confronted “C.” It was not to assert dominance, but rather Tom was crying out for his beloved goose. Quite possibly, there was something in “C” that drove Tom to painful recollection and the reaction was… what it was. A hurting Turkey starving for affection.
“Don’t hurt the turkey!” is a slogan adopted by the fringe group of Tom supporters. Perhaps in recognizing the hurt experienced by this fowl, it would be better to chant in Tom’s defense, “Haven’t you been hurt by love? Save Tom”
Thank you.
P.S. Click here to buy your “SAVE TOM” tee-shirt. (Available while supplies last.)
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FREE PDF: Using Google to find a job
June 27, 2005 by jim stroud
Using Google to find a job
For David Perry
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Do you need CPR for your career?
by jim stroud
You go to work as you have a thousand times before. You sit down at your desk at the start of yet another workday. But wait… what’s that awful noise coming from your cube? It’s the sound of your career gasping for breath! Quick! Save it before it goes completely under!
Signs Your Career Is Not Going Well
Are you:
# Consistently passed over for promotions?
# Not invited to key meetings?
# Unhappy with minuscule or non-existent salary increases?
If you see yourself in any of these scenarios, then it’s time to perform career CPR and breathe new life into your flagging employment situation. Two remedies for an ailing career include seeking out new opportunities with your current employer or getting a new job elsewhere.
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CollegeRecruiter.com Releases White Paper on 15 Best Practices for Corporate Employment Sites (June 23, 2005 Press Release)
June 23, 2005 by alwinFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT INFO:
CollegeRecruiter.com
Steven Rothberg
3109 W 50 St Ste 121
Minneapolis, MN 55410-2102
USA
Phone: 800-835-4989
Fax: 702-537-2227
Steven@CollegeRecruiter.com
http://www.CollegeRecruiter.comMinneapolis, Minnesota — June 23, 2005 — Since the commercialization of the Internet in the mid-1990′s, employers have struggled with how they can best use this new media to improve the quantity and quality of their hires. CollegeRecruiter.com, the highest traffic career site used by job hunting students and recent graduates and the employers who want to hire them, announced today that it has released a white paper to help these employers.
The white paper, “The Best Practices for Corporate Employment Sites: The 15 Features Necessary to Maximize the Quantity and Quality of Candidates Sourced Through Your Web Site,” communicates to employers the experiences of the staff of CollegeRecruiter.com with respect to the best practices for corporate employment web sites. This document describes, explains the importance of, and gives examples of 15 of the most important web site features. And because CollegeRecruiter.com does not design corporate employment web sites, “The Best Practices for Corporate Employment Sites” white paper is an unbiased, non-sales document.
“A good employment site is often your first point of contact with a candidate,” said Steven Rothberg, President and Founder of CollegeRecruiter.com. “It creates lasting first impressions about your company and its opportunities.
Optimal employment site design encourages applications from highly qualified candidates and discourages applications from less-qualified job seekers. Yet most employment sites fail to achieve this objective. Why? The majority of sites focus too much on presenting the preferences and requirements of the employer while forcing applicants to jump through hoops to submit an application. Employers are often heard to say that such hoops are desirable because they discourage applications from candidates with little interest. Yet candidates with little interest are often highly qualified passive candidates and it is these candidates that employers most want to hire. If your site forces such candidates to jump through hoops and fails to speak to the needs and wants of the best candidates, then your site will actually discourage applications from highly qualified candidates and encourage applications from less-qualified job seekers, which is exactly the opposite effect you want.”Copies of “The Best Practices for Corporate Employment Sites” are available at no charge from CollegeRecruiter.com. Email your request for the white paper and your full contact information to Steven Rothberg at Steven@CollegeRecruiter.com.
About CollegeRecruiter.com
CollegeRecruiter.com is the highest traffic career site used by job hunting students and recent graduates and the employers who want to hire them. The CollegeRecruiter.com network of career sites is used by 5,000,000 visitors per month to find part-time positions, summer jobs, internships and career opportunities. CollegeRecruiter.com features tens of thousands of job openings and over 1,300 pages of employment-related articles and Ask the Experts questions and answers. Further information about CollegeRecruiter.com is available at http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com/pages/press-room.php.
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Where ya’ at girlfriend?
June 22, 2005 by jim stroud
The percentage of women in information technology has dropped sharply since 1996, according to a report being released today.
Women held 32.4 percent of IT jobs in 2004, down from 41 percent eight years earlier, despite holding steady in the overall workforce. And the percentages of Latinos and African-Americans in IT jobs still lag far behind their representation in the workforce, according to the report by the Information Technology Association of America.
The report suggests that corporate outreach, government initiatives and other diversity efforts have not made a long-lasting impact. The results come as U.S. companies face increasing competition abroad and an impending talent shortage at home — with baby boomers edging closer to retirement and student interest in IT continuing to lapse.
“We’re certainly concerned that after several years of noting this trend, we see no improvement,” said Bob Cohen, senior vice president for ITAA. “If we don’t draw from the full talent pool . . . we’re really competing with one hand tied behind our back.”
The data is drawn from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, and includes IT jobs in industries ranging from banking to retail.
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What’s wrong with equal pay for women?
June 21, 2005 by jim stroud
The biggest thing holding us back from higher salaries – six figures and beyond – might just be ourselves. Recent studies show that women, even at the highest levels of business, perceive negotiation negatively, while men almost relish it. And when it comes to negotiating pay it’s costing women dearly.The trouble starts early on. From the sandbox to the playing field to the classroom, boys encounter far more power and control over their environment than girls do. Boys are often rewarded more often for taking a stand and admonished less frequently for making aggressive demands. It’s no wonder they grow up more eager to negotiate than women.
Though women hold nearly half of the management level jobs in the U.S. work force, on average, white women earn 78 cents for every dollar a male earns. Minority women earn even less, with African-American women making 67 cents and Latina women being paid 56 cents on the dollar.
Experts disagree about how and why the difference persists, despite the gains made by working women and the laws that protect women from salary discrimination. Statistics from the Department of Labor point to one partial explanation: men and women enter different professions. Another recent study, conducted in the United Kingdom, suggests women are more likely to hold nonprofit sector jobs and positions in smaller private firms that simply pay less.
READ: Negotiating to Win
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Life with Bill… (Vacation message)
June 20, 2005 by jim stroudHere is an out-of-office vacation message I received from a Microsoft co-worker. I thought it was cute enough to share.
Hi Team,I
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EVENT: Meet me at TAG – June 21st @ 6:00pm
June 19, 2005 by jim stroud
“Trends in Blogging and Online Social Networking”Courtesy of:
The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
Recruiting Special Interest Group (SIG)
www.tagonline.org.When: Tuesday, June 21st, 2005
6:00 – 6:30 PM
Networking and Registration6:30 – 7:45PM
Speakers + Question and Answer PeriodWhere: 1000 Abernathy Road, Northpark Bldg 400,
3rd Floor GeorgiaRoom, Atlanta, Georgia 30328Cost: TAG Members: No Charge
Non-TAG Members: $20.00 -
How my wife lost her job at Cabot
June 10, 2005 by jim stroud
I recently wrote about my positive experiences as a Microsoft employee. When I receive letters like the one posted below, I am reminded of the impact one recruiter can make on a company and on an individual’s impression of a company as a whole. Please read the following open letter to Jobseeker’s Revenge and my comments that follow.
Dear Job Seeker’s Revenge: Cabot Corporation, a 1.9 million dollar multinational manufacturing company
operating 36 manufacturing facilities in 21 countries and employing 4,400
people, doesnCollegeRecruiter.com Founder Invited to Speak at IQPC Recruiting and Staffing Summit (June 10, 2005 Press Release)
by alwinFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT INFO:
CollegeRecruiter.com
Steven Rothberg
3109 W 50 St Ste 121
Minneapolis, MN 55410-2102
USA
Phone: 800-835-4989
Fax: 702-537-2227
Steven@CollegeRecruiter.com
http://www.CollegeRecruiter.comMinneapolis, Minnesota — June 10, 2005 — CollegeRecruiter.com (http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com), the highest traffic career site used by job hunting students and recent graduates and the employers who want to hire them, announced today that Steven Rothberg, its President and Founder, has been invited to speak at Human Resources IQ’s eighth annual Recruiting & Staffing Summit in Atlanta, Georgia this September.
“Steven is a passionate and knowledgeable speaker,” said Carey Bradshaw, Managing Director, Recruiting & Staffing Summit. “He brought a lot of excellent information and insight to his presentation at the 7th Annual Recruiting & Staffing Summit.”
“I’ve spoken for Human Resource IQ a number of times and have a tremendous amount of respect for their staff and the programs they put on,” said Rothberg. “They’re real professionals, deliver great content, and I’ve heard many attendees tell me that the programs have exceeded their high expectations.”
During his presentation on September 21, 2005, Rothberg will discuss how employers can best engage today’s candidates through a highly interactive discussion about the best practices for the design of corporate employment web sites. The discussion will first address how, in less than ten years, the Internet has evolved from being a curiosity to one of the most critical elements in ever large employer’s recruiting plan. Yet many organizations spend a ton of of time and money buying job postings and resume searching from job boards and virtually neglect their own sites. Corporate career web sites are occasionally fantastic, sometimes good, and usually in need of a serious upgrade.
Rothberg will then discuss why it is important to take corporate employment web sites from merely allowing candidates to view opportunities and perhaps learn about organizations to sites which educate, engage and inspire candidates. He’ll look at real-life examples of fantastic sites and discuss what features make them fantastic, which of those features can be easily and inexpensively replicated, and why those features are important to candidates and need to be just as important to the organizations.
About CollegeRecruiter.com
CollegeRecruiter.com is the highest traffic career site used by job hunting students and recent graduates and the employers who want to hire them. The CollegeRecruiter.com network of career sites is used by 5,000,000 visitors per month to find part-time positions, summer jobs, internships and career opportunities. CollegeRecruiter.com features tens of thousands of job openings and over 1,300 pages of employment-related articles and Ask the Experts questions and answers. Further information about CollegeRecruiter.com is available at http://www.CollegeRecruiter.com/pages/press-room.php.
About the Recruiting & Staffing Summit
Human Resource IQ’s 8th Annual Recruiting & Staffing Summit will be held from September 19 through 21, 2005, at the Intercontinental Buckhead, in Atlanta, Georgia. For more info, go to www.iqpc.com/na-983-07/2020, call 1-800-882-8684, or email info@iqpc.com.
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