Seattle Area Networking Events

Guys networking

Well, it’s been a bit, hasn’t it? It’s been nearly a year since my last post. Wow! My apologies. Attempting to reboot my career has taken a great deal of my time and energy. I deeply appreciate that you are here, now, reading this post. Thank you so very much!

As I’m now looking for a new role, I thought it apropos to create a list of networking events. Besides the need for ME to network, I’ve had a couple of folks ask me for places to go. So, here’s the quick list I came up with.

List of Seattle networking events

  • Seattle Chamber of Commerce:
  • Puget Sound Business Journal
  • IABC (International Association of Business Communicators)

Now, here’s where you come in. This list is minimal. Please give me ideas, add to this. I think this could be a nice addition and regularly updated element to my site.

Why I’m Launching A New Career In Web Development

Just over a month ago, I learned I was being let go from my current role. I’ve wandered this path before, so I, initially, wasn’t terribly concerned. However, the more I thought about it, the more concerned I became. Mainly, I’d been laid off twice in less than a year. Thinking further, since 2009, I’d been laid off 4 times. I’m a bit tired of that. Yeah, even being a tech-savvy executive assistant/project coordinator, that work is too easy to outsource. Plus, with digital assistant growth, the lessening of friction for scheduling, the ease at which most folks can book their own travel, and you see the recipe for a dying career. I’m ready to be, shall we say, more essential.

Pretty much all of my life I’ve had a fascination with technology. As a young boy, my love of robots and radios (I had a particular fascination with shortwave radios), evolved into space and aviation, then into computers. Early PC games and BBSs then morphed into a vocational certificate in Information Processing (mainly databases and spreadsheets). Looking back, my biggest contribution to most of my past roles has been digitally based. Whether it’s my ability to fix a copier, 90% of PC issues, set up and manage a network, use things like Photoshop and AutoCAD, or build a website, those were the things that added the most value to the world around me.

I believe that the web holds our future. We will interact with most systems and data with web tools. SaaS models are already driving there…in the fast lane. Web development is a fast-growing path (projected 27% growth over the next 10 years), with decent salaries to boot.

So, it looks like fun, and there’s a need, which seems like a great combination. Thus, off I go.

Life & Career Update

Update in the life of Carl: this Friday will be my last day at my current job. Though tinged with sadness (great people to be missed, though a commute to Bellevue I rejoice in leaving behind), I move forward. After exploring some re-training options, I plan to study Web and Application Development at Edmond Community College. Though still ironing out details, this path excites me. With a gap in my time starting next week, I plan to spend time catching up as many people as I can. Friendship: life’s best present.

What’s New With Me

Back in June Eagle Country Construction let me go (with 6 weeks of notice!). So, after digging around the internet, I’ve accepted a new position with Matt Steel, a Bellevue-based broker with EXP realty, with a decade or two of real estate experience.  I’ll manage their digital marketing. This excites me greatly. I did this for C&K real estate team a few years ago. I loved this part of my job, though I”m a bit rusty. My interest in digital marketing goes many years back and it aligns with my interests in web design, writing and social media.

Also, I’ll be managing this team’s transactions, which is another thing I’ve done (both for C&K, and also with Eagle Country construction). I’m excited to be continuing in the real estate and housing sector. I discovered how much I know and understand, and how much I bring to the table. As I’ll be renewing/rebooting my real estate license, I’ll dive deeper into this sector. I’m not entirely sure what I will do with this part of my career, but there are so many options, so many good ways to earn a living. I’m not sure which path is the right one. But as I’ve been listening to Gary Vee the past few days (updating my digital marketing knowledge), I see a need to experiment, take some risks, try some ideas out and see where they lead. I won’t get anywhere I want to go by seeking the easiest path, the easy way forward.

I’m excited to get back into the fray. And very excited to add the official title of “digital marketer” to my resume. And I’m really pumped to put all I’ve learned, and am learning, to work. Time to hit it hard!

Hmmm…to become a real estate mogul…or not

A house made of dollar bills

I held a real estate license for over 7 years. However, last December I let it lapse. Over all the years I held my license I closed no transactions…as an agent. For that time I worked on a team that sold bank and government owned homes. That was my focus. So I didn’t work with clients…exactly. I worked with asset managers, on behalf of the institution that owned the house in our portfolio. I needed my license, but I never needed to go out and generate leads and such that’s part of being a real estate agent. Buy I know about the local market, how to price a home, how to market it, and I know the contract process better than most agents. So, though I haven’t a single transaction officially tied though, I’ve closed hundreds.

Now, I’m trying to figure out what to do next. I’m nearing the end of my grace period with the state of Washington. As of right now, I just need to take a few hours of online course work and then pay the renewal fee. After December, I’ll need to retake my real estate course work from scratch to renew.  A significant up-tick in cost and time. And, I’m not sure the pay-off. I don’t want to invest either cost without a plan for some kind of return.

So, currently, I manage the construction process from getting a contract signed around to having permits in hand. I believe that my understanding of the construction process coupled with my understanding of bank and government owner homes gives me a unique skill set in the real estate world. New construction, custom homes as well as real estate flipping and investing are things I understand well.

Not sure I want to become a mogul. But I think I could make a positive impact on the world. Do I need my real estate license to make that impact? Is it enough to make the investment worthwhile? Would I make back the investment in money, time and energy? I’m just not sure. What do you think? I’d love to hear your insights and recommendations.

 

Focus

What is my direction?
I’m pulled so many ways?
Is that bad?
Or does that tension
Make me bigger?
I don’t which is better
For my soul 


I am challenged by “focus”. When focused, other things must be ignored. Such a painful thing, to give up on interests. Yet I see that by diluting my focus, passions get sacrificed. I’ve searched for passion, just not very well. I’m pulled this way and that. Unsure which way is true. I’ve spent so much time eliminating risk that I’ve never truly considered passion, and how that can fit into career. I still have plenty of work to do. 

Current Career Iteration: Q1 Complete

Currently, I’m working in the residential construction sector. At the first of the year, I shifted over from real estate. It’s been fascinating to apply my project management skills in this setting. Now, it’s only been a few months, and I’m only just getting my feet under me.

It’s been great to see several of my interests align. Some of my work at Starbucks encompassed green building, and here’s an opportunity to take that to a different level. Technology and the tools therein there have some powerful implications, opportunities that I don’t see leveraged well in this industry…yet.

Finance within this sector has been one of my learning that I didn’t expect. The was money moves is a bit different than with larger companies. And within other sectors.

I really appreciate the opportunity to take in something so dramatically different. Yes, there’s a lot of layering my old learnings, lots of synergies. But this sorts of shifts really provide an opportunity to grow.

I’m looking forward to getting to grow past learning and into making a difference, into effective leadership. It’ll continue to be a hoot.

Thinking about Boeing

Having spent most of my life in Lynnwood, I’ve long been in the shadow of Boeing. Interestingly, though I’ve worked for many Seattle stalwarts such as Starbucks, Microsoft, and Amazon. But never Boeing. I’ve had a few opportunities, but for each one, by the time they extended an offer to me, I’d accepted one somewhere else. And their slow hiring process is something they’re known for.

I’ve heard from many folks about the giant B is soul sucking and fraught with petty factions and frictions. Yet I have many friends and family who’ve worked there for decades. It seems, from one view, that many (most?) folks end up there for the long-haul. Now, I guess I can understand that if you have a rather non-transferable skill, say aerospace engineer or aircraft machinist. For those folks, I could see hating the place but being rather trapped by circumstances. But then there are those folks like me who have very transferable skills. Why would they stay if Boeing is so very miserable? Well, they won’t. Which tells me there’s something more at stake here.

Every workplace has their challenges. And the larger an institution, the easier it is to feel caught up in something soul-less. Yet at the team level, where you talk and interact with people everyday, that space is much more pleasant. Perhaps this disconnect between the local and macro sums this up.

What do you think? Do you work at Boeing, hate it and yet have been there two decades? Do you love Boeing? I’m deeply interested in your thoughts.

Please comment and let’s “talk”.

Lynnwood, My Fair City, Is Looking For A Human Resources Director

I’m biased, but this is probably a great position. Lynnwood is quite the eclectic little community. Our population is a bit over 35k with housing types from studio condos to $ million + homes. This is a very diverse community with many languages spoken, different cultures represented, and business types in place. Lynnwood employs 333 FTE’s and has a 2015-16 General Fund Budget of $104 million and biennial budget (all funds) of $166.7 million

Below are the details from the position’s posting.

The Department & Position

 

Mission

 

The Human Resources Department strives to partner with other departments to attract, sustain and inspire a thriving City workforce.

 

The Human Resources Department provides a variety of professional human resource duties in support of the City’s personnel programs, including professional and technical duties in recruitment, examination and placement, classification and pay administration, performance evaluation, labor relations, safety, training, benefits and employee relations.  The HR Director is expected to apply knowledge of currently accepted human resources policies and procedures and relevant employment laws and regulations.

 

The HR Director is a member of the Mayor’s Executive Leadership Team as a peer with the team but also provides support and guidance regarding personnel and labor issues to the team members. The HR Director must be able to work in a fast paced and, at times, politically charged environments and must be a strategic thinker with a city wide perspective regarding personnel issues, labor agreements and staffing into the future. The director needs to implement innovative methods to recruit and retain employees and must be able to research and initiate effective succession planning programs.

 

The HR Director must have knowledge of labor laws and experience working with labor groups, including labor relations, collective bargaining and conflict resolution. The HR Director will have experience with technology and promote the value of a good technology and HR software programs.

Responsibilities Include:

 

Ø  Delegate responsibility and appropriate authority to assigned staff.  Monitor daily work activities to assure the timely and accurate completion of functional responsibilities.

Ø  Conduct applicant job interviews.  Select, orientate and train new employees.  Assure the availability of adequate staff equipment and facilities.

Ø  Prepare and conduct oral and written employee performance evaluations.  Recognize superior performance.  Effect correction in undesirable trends in performance consistent with established City policy.

Ø  Participate in department-wide long range, strategic planning activities.  Prepare and recommend objectives, methodologies and associated schedules.

Ø  Administer and manage the human resources function for the City, ensuring that appropriate federal, state and local personnel policies, acts, laws and procedures are followed.

Ø  Draft human resource policies and procedures consistent with federal and state legislation; assist City supervisors to administer policies.

Ø  Administer and control departmental budget.

Ø  Provide administrative and advisory support to City management and employees.  Serve as staff support to the Mayor and department heads.

Ø  Direct and administer the recruitment and selection program, including serving as the Civil Service Secretary/Chief Examiner for Police and Fire personnel.

Ø  Direct and/or perform development of job descriptions and classify people into appropriate salary ranges.  Conduct salary surveys to ensure jobs are appropriately paid.

Ø  Administer and direct the employee performance evaluation program and ensure that step increases are granted according to policy and procedure; advise management on discipline issues.

Ø  Develop, implement and monitor a plan to diversify the City’s workforce and provide diversity training to employees.

Ø  Direct the maintenance and security of all personnel files and employee records.

Ø  Coordinate City employee training and development programs; conduct needs assessments; determine needs; arrange for provision of employee training.

Opportunities & Challenges

 

1)    There is a need to review and update policies, procedures and codes that relate to personnel, human resource and training. (This might be completed?)

 

2)    The City will need to continue to evaluate its benefit programs to assure compliance with the Affordable Care Act, in addition to making sure the benefits are fair for employees and cost effective for the city.

 

3)    Into the future, there will be a need to evaluate staffing levels for efficiencies and alignments to the delivery of services provided by the City.

 

4)    There is a strong desire to continue to recruit, hire, and retain qualified staff who reflect the diverse population of the City.

 

Ideal Candidate Profile

 

Lynnwood is looking for a talented director or senior HR professional from a public sector organization of comparable complexity and size, with extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of human resources. Extensive knowledge of employment laws and human resources regulations and practices is required.

 

The ideal candidate needs to be collaborative and understand the internal and external customer service expectations of the department. He/she must be personable and approachable, and able to build alliances throughout the organization to achieve the personnel goals of the City. The ability to distinguish the skills and talents of each staff member, see the big picture, and look beyond issues of a single department is a key skill to have for this position.

 

 

There are four labor groups; Police, Fire, Teamsters and AFSCME. The most recent labor agreements were negotiated with the contracted assistance of the Summit Law Firm. The HR Director needs to be able to develop and maintain strong professional and positive relationships with labor leadership.

 

The new director must have knowledge and experience with employee benefit programs, and show strong written and oral communication skills. Experience with LEAN or process improvement programs is desirable. The ideal candidate will be approachable and non confrontational, and have strong interpersonal skills with a sense of humor. The ability to embrace diversity and see the value of a diverse workforce will be important to be successful in Lynwood.

 

Education & Experience

 

A bachelor’s degree in Personnel Administration, Public Administration or a related field, plus at least five years of HR generalist experience, including experience in a supervisory role, or any satisfactory combination of experience and training that demonstrates the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the above duties are required.

 

Compensation & Benefits

 

Ø  $106,142– $134,305 DOQ

Ø  100% Medical, Dental & Vision; 90% for dependents

Ø  Life & Long-term Disability Insurance

Ø  PERS State Retirement System

Ø  12 paid holidays & 12 sick leave per year

Ø  Management benefits which include vacation days per year based on past experience

 

Please visit http://www.prothman.com/Current_Searches/index.aspx for the full position profile and to apply.