I’m Pressing the Rewind Button. Care to Follow?

Sunday, November 23, 2008  //  2 Comments  //  Announcements, Asides, Blog

Ok, so it seems that the “Tag-you’re it” bug is flying around the web these days. Or, at least it appears that way within the recruiting and HR circle.  Anyhow, I have been bitten by the bug twice now.  I was tagged once by good friend and fellow Think Tank Member Amybeth Hale, as well as by Susan Burns from TalentSynchronicity.

So, what does this all mean? Well, it means that today is the day I press rewind and share a sneak peak into what makes me tick (i.e., why I do what I do) by providing “7 things you didn’t know about me.”  Care to follow along?

Here are the rules:

• Link your original tagger(s), and list these rules on your blog.
• Share seven facts about yourself in the post – some random, some weird.
• Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
• Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blogs and/or twitter.

7-Things You Didn’t Know About Me.

1. Military Brats Rule! Uh,…not really.  Believe it or not, it’s actually a hard life when you’re growing up as a “military brat” and constantly being forced to relocate and make new friends every 2-3 years.  My father, now a U.S. Army retiree, was often assigned then re-assigned new military stations more times then I can remember.  While constant change was difficult at times, the benefit was that my family traveled the U.S., the world, and had some phenomenal life experiences. I was in Germany when “the Wall” came tumbling down. Talk about historic moment…  Growing up, I lived in AZ, CA, CO, KY, PA, TX, and Nurnberg, Germany – all before I drove my first car. Great friends, great memories.
2. In High School, I was an “Artist” and nice guy (so I’ve been told). I love art – all kinds.  Favorites artists include Vallejo (just incredible), Frank Miller, and John Bryne (legend in the comic book world).  I had a passion for drawing comic-book characters and even had a very short-stint as the school artist.
3. The rise of a future Politician? Nah, I just had lots of friends growing up and used my gift for gab. Truth be told, I had aspirations towards Law School.  Early on, I was pretty active with extra-curricular pursuits (e.g., H.S.-Student Government VP; Student Judicial Board Member (College); SGA-Senator & Chief of Staff (college); Founding Father & OX-Fraternity President, etc.). In retrospect I think it’s funny how I took a different career path, especially considering how my initial ambitions seemed so etched in stone. Today, I have zero regrets because I can honestly say I landed a career that I absolutely enjoy.
4. 8+ years living overseas… During my time abroad, I traveled throughout Europe and visited countries such as Austria, France, Italy, as well as visited much of West Germany.  The opportunity to spend eight years of my life abroad was something I now realize has directly influenced much of open perspective on cultures and topics. I wouldn’t change that part of my life because it has definitely helped me to become who I am today.
5. The comic book “geek”…few people actually know that I have been an avid comic book collector.  Although this passion has waned in recent years, I have assembled quite a collection which includes favorites such as X-Men and Daredevil.  When my 3yr-old comes of age, I will pass my entire collection to him.  Who knows, some of my rare #1 Editions may actually even help pay for his college education!
6. My flare for design… If anyone has viewed my PPT slideshows lately, then you may have already guessed that I have a passion for design, or at least a passion for piecing together the story-telling.  It should come as no surprise when I say that my passion for integrating slick design and story-telling is rooted from my early school days just doodling and dabbling in art.
7. How did I end up in recruiting? Back in 1996 I started with Xerox Business Services (XBS) out of Atlanta. As dumb luck would have it, I accidentally stumbled into recruiting by mid 1997. I started with a national recruiting firm where I initially became exposed to idea of internet search. I enjoyed working with the web so much that I eventually sought AIRS training for a deeper understanding of internet-search methodology, and even achieved AIRS CIR status. Since that time, I have devoted countless hours to experimenting with a variety of tools and resources, constantly evaluating what works and what doesn’t. It’s been a great ride so far.

So there you have it. I know that was more information than you really wanted to know but I still hope you enjoyed the sneak peak into my world. Now, it’s time to pass the baton and request that the following bloggers share a bit of insight into what makes them tick:

1. Amitai Givertz – Amitai’s Blogspot
2. Josh Kahn – Josh’s Blog: Find+Attract
3. Geoff Peterson – Geoff’s Blog: Staffbytes
4. Rithesh Nair – Rithesh’s Blog: Recruiting & Sourcing Secrets
5. Dan Harris – Dan’s Blog: SourcingTalent
6. Suzi Tonini – Suzi’s Blog: Infosourcer
7. Glen Cathey – Glen’s Blog: Boolean Black Belt

Would you each do us the honor?