Last week I was at the bowling alley playing a bear claw game. My five-year-old son wanted to win a “stuffy” (what he calls stuffed animals). While he has hundreds of “stuffies,” I always find myself trying to win another one…even though odds are its going to take 10 times to win a prize that will probably be forgotten by the next day.
Fast forward to my fifth attempt with still no prize and I start to think about work. It’s a Friday night and I’m playing a game so why am I thinking about work?
At AurStaff you have multiple tasks to complete, no matter what your job title is. I am an account manager so I’m responsible for recruiting, marketing, completing references, compliance, writing job ads, etc.
Now consider all the planning that goes into winning a prize – what prize do you want, which is the easiest to get, what do I have to move to get to what I want, how much money is this going to take?
The same planning goes into placing a candidate or in gaming terminology the ultimate prize as an account manager.
Insert money, your 100 percent certain the prize is yours, the claw grabs the bear perfectly, it rises up to the top (so far so good), the claws moves toward the opening…SO CLOSE and DROP! The prize rolls helplessly back into the abyss and back to square one. Insert money and try again because that prize will be mine!
Similarly, a job order is in the system and you have the perfect candidate for their perfect job. Nothing can go wrong – the placement is in the bag until you hear, “sorry we filled it on our own, I am no longer interested, my car blew up, or I do not own the proper pants to take the assignment.” So you get a new job order, find a new candidate, and move forward!
When it comes to the bear claw game, I have lost more than I have won. I can blame weak claws, prizes packed too tight, not enough money, the prize is too heavy OR I can watch others play the game, see how the claw works, see what prizes they move, see how many tries it took them, or use a spotter to help guide the claw. In other words, find solutions to win the prize.
As an account manager for just over a year, I have had some successes but probably more defeats. I will not let the defeats stop me from winning. I will make each task count no matter how big or small it seems because in the end every single task can make or break placing a candidate.
I will always utilize my peers and management team (a spotter or previous players of the claw game). They have been and always will be my biggest asset to succeed.
Hiring my first direct hire from start to finish was one of the most gratifying work experiences I have ever experienced. Helping someone start a new life path is a pretty awesome feeling, similar to winning a “stuffy” for a five year old. I will continue to navigate the obstacles to succeed in my job and help others, no matter how difficult the road or game may be.
At $.50 cents a play and $5.50 later, you better believe I won that KC teddy bear! To see my son, Easton, light up like a light bulb was worth every penny!
Chris Bruner
Chris is from Omaha NE and he graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He has been with AurStaff since September of 2016 and currently is an Account Manager. Outside of work, Chris is a Huskers, Royals, and Chiefs fan.
The post Persistence “Bears” All appeared first on AurStaff Blog: Employment & Staffing Solutions – Technical, Industrial, Engineering..