#oldschool – CDTalent Enterprises

Four more with Good Reasons, ey?

A physical release in optimal weather is a deserved time-out reward, so take credit for doing something necessary, important, or Special. Including ‘Me’ in the company of Hackman and NFL QBs in Monday morning LinkedIn article was being seriously happy about a ‘specific and terrific’ cover letter I’d sent about a challenging EA administrative role.

Adding in the killer haircut and not-worn-often-enough-lately charcoal suit and sweet, coral-colored with ducks tie, presenting myself at their local HQ with additional quality examples of my written communications expertise, was a solid, Old School doubling down Tuesday. Since the HR person is now a LinkedIn connection, I’ll point out that ‘Resume’ piece shortly. Call the total effort #2,3 on good things accomplished.

#4 Mint Museum, Wednesday for Freebie Night

Over my thirty years in Charlotte (same as Panthers), you’d sometimes hear, ‘But there’s not so much cultural here (or bagels stiffness, or crispier crust..).’ My response is ‘There’s a coffee mug for that, ‘If its so important, GO BACK!’ -3/5/25 GShork story to new Charlotte person Brittny, touring the Mint Wednesday, *plenty* to appreciate on three floors.

I decided on visiting the Mint late last week, and arriving 6:20, strolled three floors and multiple galleries for 90 minutes. Perhaps not demonstrative proof of culture, but I defend those exceptional aspects like the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (which played for Pavoratti), does four wonderful June concerts behind SouthPark Mall and Christmas events downtown; regular Broadway tours at The Blumenthal, and culture *does* includes TWO Mint Museums and a Bechtler.

That literary park with Authors signs, sounds, fountains across the street is a treat to show visitors every time. Just sayin.’

I only gave away two CDTalententerprises cards, one to Brittny ‘without an A’, a favorite kind of memory hook clarifier, me being a two N Glenn. She said she was a newbie to Charlotte, we walked and talked, plenty of other participants to share opinions with too. I came back for her when I found something unique-r, and I’d be pleased if Brittny uses the good information that’s found on my good-looking card.

Clothes make The Man? If not now, When? Compared to mid-week usual, Styling a black felt hat that keeps getting noticed, Dad’s brownish-green hounds-tooth jacket, green shirt, antique-unique tie, tuxedo pants, I thought I might even drop in someplace afterwards. Wound up 100% satisfied as imagined with a self-guided event.

There were MUCH more display galleries in this Mint Location than I imagined. I’ve been in Charlotte long enough for this to be third iteration with Mint name.

There were a significant number of younger people as a category, nice mixture overall.

As I conveyed to an LI connection afterwards, networking has always been a strength, I have plenty of confidence in talking to others. Sports writing background and sales, Q&A has always been my standard, and after two full years WFH, I’ve missed that aspect. If not Great Expectations, engaging on Art is do-able.

I’ll get around to describing a microeconomic situation at Nordstrom’s in my ‘Don’t Give Up Your Day Job’ non-fiction book, but having a bit of artsy background, and being historically gregarious, Wednesday counted as a terrific reboot, new Social Goodness as an easy to achieve priority.

#5 – Opportunity to be of Service – Good Thought, it worked out

While I declined a nomination for Club Secretary in February, somebody else stepped forward during actual elections Friday for our community Mens Club meeting, so while I rethought taking the post (4x previous) because certain long-term organizational knowledge might be a clutch difference in success, guess we’ll see. More actual good PR for solid, long-time organization continues with Fridays annual Fish Fry. As a #BoomerwithAttitude, I’ll keep that communications/leadership club in my bag, use my five wood more in the Spring Captain’s Choice.

OKAY – Create a 700-900 word blog on a regular schedule – 1st of three on Monday, check on new habit, Week Two. Quantified, specific. Just me.

20170713_142743_resized_3

Having previously opined about how many, many job candidates could become better represented by recruiters if job search firms explored how certain extra experiences might improve their view about a ‘skills gap’ better, let’s draw attention to “us.”

Specifically, more in line with what candidates see as strengths regarding listings, when a recruiter doesn’t know about that factor at all.

A central point is that candidates should, and BETTER, make all extra efforts to keep themselves proactively involved in job search opportunities. I haven’t heard about any great improvement regarding the 8-Second Rule, the time an average resume gets attention.

Having reworked my LinkedIn profile the last few weeks, I *know* it strongly and specifically highlights my abilities and experiences MUCH better now. It includes about a dozen high quality blogs and content creation examples, and features a more personal 1-1 reading style versus, well, just an electronic resume for many.

I listened to a guy—Tyron Guiliani, an Aussie—on a couple podcasts, and signed up for an hour phone session with him, specifically about creating a more productive site.

FREE is ME! was part of that decision to listen to Tyron as a coach, as was sticking around for three minutes, when the next online session was starting.

While declining to go further with what he described as “high four-figures coaching help” at the end of a terrific sixty minutes phone session, clarifying my expertise with a smooth, conversational, Story of Me on LinkedIn was suitably engraved.

I point everybody at that profile—I’m proud of it being both a good read and accurate in conveying my background. Here I am.

Starting the clock on Success

New Year’s Eve afternoon, right before heading out for a little fire pit action and brewskies in Charlotte’s South End, I clicked Fast Apply to send that good profile for a Content Specialist position. The next day, Happy New Year! for real, there’s an e-mail from a Marketing person, about setting up a time to talk.

Next day, instead of talk, there’s another e-mail from company stating I wasn’t going to be considered going forward. Say what?

Old school still works

Early the next morning, I did some copy-paste of their site material and hand-edited it, pointing out perceived flaws. I wrote (IMHO) a fine cover letter with bullet points, and suggestions about certain things I’d circled. Putting those five pages in a manila envelope, I drove it across town, getting to the front doorbell just as the HR person was leaving for lunch.

It’s 12:15, I tell her what the contents are, and that I’m sort of not taking fugedabowdit for a final answer.

I’m asking you this seriously— Do you know what you’re worth when you sit in front of a person with the potential to determine your paycheck, yea or nay?

At 3:30 there’s an e-mail from the Director of Content—he’s impressed enough by my follow-up to give me an assignment for the weekend: 750-1000 words about a specific topic relating to the CBD industry. I nailed it with 900, plus numerous links.

Two minutes into a phone interview Wednesday, he says, “We don’t need to do this– are you available tomorrow?” and Thursday, after a period of exchanging views about career experiences to date (he’s a 2014 grad, I had better stories) we got to the money question.

20200211_151948 Take it seriously – Yea or nay, Do you know what you’re worth? when you sit in front of a person with the potential to determine your paycheck? Most of my career, probably not, but research shows the average salary for Content Specialist job titles in Charlotte is $56k, still about 6% less than the national average.

I got a job offer that’s going to reflect an economic value for my professional skills, and the reality of a barely two year-old company. That company is about to catch major momentum as a result of Senate bill (S.2667, The Hemp Farming Act of 2018) getting passed before the impasse with Trump’s wall. The company is well-financed, its dead-red on my expectations, and my content creation arena is a decent challenge.

That benefits thing vs. gigging

Oh yeah, and that benefits thing. I’ve enjoyed a physical renaissance since knee replacement and rehab last December-March (God bless the ACA), but there’s no problem having healthcare paid for by an employer.

Straight up, getting the 100% okay on the anniversary check-up of that left knee Tuesday, how it has fared is just soooo damned reassuring. (Yeah, this was a LEFT knee, the grotesque, pre-replacement 2017 version.)

bad knee pre surg12-18cut

As a life-long athlete, the twelve years I was kind of a gimp has become ONE as a well-preserved sixty-one year old guy with a terrific, year-old knee. I’m immediately cooler, no more skipping across the street so I don’t get run over.

I’ve promised myself about joining a tennis league in 2020.

Fact: January 3^rd I hand-delivered a letter to a company regarding a specific Content Creation situation I’d felt strongly enough to originally quick-click as a LinkedIn application just before New Years.

Fact 2: After some back-forth described in that letter, Diligence was rewarded on January 10^th. From ground zero to within an acceptable background check of a greatly enhanced, much better compensated professional mission, results came directly from ACTIONS in doing the follow-up, right? Old school still works.