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I sent my
resume over to my friend (now a corporate officer at Intel!)
whom I attended The Nutcracker with; she passed it on
to a Mr. Robinson who passed it on to the HR person in
Corporate Engineering who was leading the effort to recruit
new, diverse talent.
I did not
receive a call for over two months. I obviously assumed
that I did not fit the profile of the candidates that they
wanted. Then out of the blue I receive a call from the
person who was coordinating the interviews.
The
conversation went like this: Recruiter: Hello may I speak to
Karl A. Parker? Me: Hello, this is Karl A. Parker. How may I
help you? (In my deep so called professional voice. LOL!)
Recruiter: My name is Ms. Stateman, I am calling to schedule
a time for you to come interview for our Engineering
Development Program. Me: Oh really? That’s Outstanding! (In
my mind I am thinking: Engineering Development Program?
Hmmmmm. Do they have the right person? Don’t they know I am
over 30 and have been a project engineer and electrical
designer for several years now?) Me: What day are you
thinking and where? Recruiter: We are looking at one week
from today in Toledo, Ohio at the following hotel. Me: Ok.
Sounds great!
Then the
next question shocked me! Recruiter: Are you the Karl
Parker that grew up in the Old West End? Me: Yes. Why? Who
are you? Recruiter: (Dialect shift occurs) This is Lavesa!
Me: Who? Recruiter: Boy, me, Lavesa!! Me: I don’t know
anyone by that name! Recruiter: Boy, you know me! This is
Faye! Me: Faye who? Recruiter: Boy I should hang up on you
now!! I am Lori and Latisha’s big sister! Me:
OOOOOOOHHHHHHHHH! Faye!!!! I never knew your name was
Lavesa!!! LOL! Recruiter: Boy I should reach through the
phone and slap you upside of your head!! LOL! Me: LOL! I
am sorry. I never knew. How long have you been working at
OC? Lavesa: Since high school! Me: Ahhh! Do you like it?
Lavesa:
Yes, it has been cool. We are going through a lot of changes
now with the new CEO. However, this would be a good time to
come over. They are looking for diverse talent. Lori and
them always talked about how you were good in school. This
may turn out to be a good fit for you. I will put in a good
word for you with Rick, the manager of the Engineering
Development Program! Me: Cool! I will try to make you proud.
Lavesa: Boy, you better! Me: Thanks so much! Lavesa: I will
mail you the details along with a job application etc. Me:
Cool! Talk to you soon! Tell your sisters and Butch I said
hello!!!! By the way you were fine back in the day! Are you
still? Lavesa: Boy you are so crazy… BYE!!!
I had not
seen Faye since 1978 or 1979. I was surprised that she knew
me almost 14 years later. She was the big sister of my
friends that I would see from time to time and say hello to.
She was always nice and would return the hello and keep it
moving. I never had a conversation with her or anything.
At any
rate, the interview was scheduled and I was faced with a
huge dilemma! I did not own a suit or tie!!!!!! So my
friend, 6 Shooter (story for another time), became my
interview dress consultant and helped me select a nice black
suit, a sharp red tie and forced my frugal self to purchase
$125 wing tip shoes!
I called my
Nutcracker date and inquired about what I should
expect from the interview process. She explained that OC
uses a behavioral based interview approach and that I should
answer questions using the STAR technique. That’s all that
she would share. Lavesa said, hey I can only tell you to
bring your ‘A’ game and don’t blow it! I put in a good word
for you. (She would not share what she said!)
Well, I
went to the interview and had six interviews that lasted
about 45 minutes each. I had no clue how I was viewed. The
interviewers did not provide instant feedback. However, I
thought I connected with one of the interviewers.
After
several days, I finally called Lavesa to inquire. She said-
Karl it appears that you did really good! I heard through
the grapevine that they may make you an offer. There were
two concerns: 1) You spoke kind of fast. (Still do!), 2) You
had a very low haircut!! (I was like what?? Yes, I had a
fresh bald hair cut for the interview.)
Well, I
received the offer from Hank Real! Whom I affectionately
began to call hammering Hank once I joined OC.
The
interview process at OC piqued my interest in how talent is
sourced. I became extremely interested in how criteria was
developed to select by Fortune 500 companies. I then became
slightly obsessed with the TSI interview process, and made
it a point to learn it, know it, and share it with my circle
of friends and colleagues.
The tipping
point in my career truly occurred on an uneventful day as I
was entering OC’s Global HQ. The local security guard
stopped me and asked me what business do I have here and
that deliveries are in the back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To be
continued in Part X - Entrepreneurship – Who should you
partner with or hire?
Entrepreneurship – Who Should You Partner With or Hire? -
Part VIII |
