Recruitment, Life and Death Decisions

Whilst doing some assessment centre work recently I was doing my usual second thoughts process of watching people.

One of the ideas of this particular brand of recruitment centre is that as they pass each stage we tell them the result.Obviously as it becomes more involved in the later stages it becomes really serious. When I was telling some of the candidates that it was time to go home I was crushing their dreams, they had almost not considered failure and who was I to tell them it was all over.

A "No" in these situations will remain a "No" and the only thing I can do is spend some time with them explain any feedback and de-brief them. For some it is still a great shock and disappointment.

My day consisted of going from "No" candidates to "Yes" candidates, so one minute I would be watching a face go from worried to full beam smile, and the next worried to despair.

Now that is not a good description of how the candidates were taking these decisions, so I came up with an analogy to describe the reactions.

Dead Cat / Resuscitated Cat

The idea is that instead of telling them Yes / No I can tell them a story to get the same reactions. Here are my two stories:

Dead Cat

I am sorry but your cat has died, there was nothing I could do.

Resuscitated Cat

Your cat is going to be fine, the operation was a complete success and we have managed to save her. She will be running around in no time.

I can imagine the reactions on the peoples faces would be the same that I have seen.

Of course the amazing things is the very variety of reactions that I get, especially when I tell them they have got the job offer. Some people barely react and it is always difficult to tell whether they are just really cool headed people or whether what I am saying has just not sunk in yet.

I guess it all goes to show that we are all individuals.

On another note if I were feeling like creating myself a new job title maybe I should call myself the "Death of Cats" making decisions of life and death.

Snow Watch 2007 Update

Well I think that is the end of the first leg in Snow Watch 2007.

The short term forecast is generally dry with some cloud. However, it is still early in the season and I remain hopeful for significant snow fall later in February. Long range forecasts from the met office suggest for the next 6 to 15 day period that:

"There is a possibility that colder more wintry conditions spread to many other parts later in the period."

So the reports will begin again when snow heads this way. This is Snow Moore handing you back to normal programming.

Snow Watch 2007 Update

Well the snow came overnight on the 23/24 January. On Wednesday morning I woke up to about a 1/2 inch of snow. It was lovely powdery stuff as I walked towards another day.

Most of the main roads were clear and traffic was flowing pretty much as normal although obviously some people decided they would rather stay at home. Untreated roads looked a bit dodgy.

The only sad thing is that I did not get to walk around while the snow flakes were actually falling, that is such a magical thing.




I was up early before dawn heading for a busy day. Sadly one of my infrequent 12 hour days so I did not get to see any more of the snow, by evening it was well on the way to water, ice and slush although there is the odd lingering patch still around today.

Poppies against a fence

Poppies against a fence.

Why ... Why not?

Snow Watch 2007 Update

*** Newsflash***

Dateline 22 January 2007. Time 10.55 pm

I am reporting to you almost live from Northern Oxfordshire where locals have been witnessing what can only be described as a shake of snow. A passing cloud deposited this wintry present so quickly that several people blinked and missed it.

Here is what one local said:

" I have never seen the like, snow in January that will be global warming"

I also spoke to this old gentleman

" Call that snow, in my day it would be six foot deep by now."

(on screen image of six foot snow drift with caption "reconstruction")

This is I am Snow, Northern Oxfordshire, getting colder by the minute, I think my foot has frozen, back to Jon in the studio.

(No news reporters were hurt in this sketch but the shake of snow was real)

Dictionary definition: (my own)

A shake of snow: a sparse ground covering of snow similar to the effect of sieving icing sugar onto a Victoria sandwich.

Snow Watch 2007 Update

Well Monday 22nd January 2007, and here is the Northern Oxfordshire snow update.

(newsy type music, think drum beats, repetitive, forthright etc)

No snow as yet but still hopeful!

Barometer is high and rising slowly.

My snow theory is that you need high pressure with a series of weak low fronts breaking against the high, therefore most likely place to see an accumulation of snow is in the area between the two. It usually comes down from the north and starts with a very cold high pressure area. So according to the barometer we have the high pressure, come on that low.

No weather warnings out from the met office but BBC suggested snow on Wednesday was possible. According to the BBC 24 hour weather for Oxford there is a chance of a light snow shower at around 0700 on Tuesday. Anybody want to put money on it.

More snow updates to follow.


(more newsy type music, think drum beats, repetitive, forthright etc)

Quick Joke email

Received today in my work inbox, made me chuckle.

Warning

I am not usually one for posting warnings about potential scams but I had a close miss yesterday. I walked into B & Q at lunchtime and some old guy dressed in orange asked me if I wanted decking. Fortunately I got a quick punch in and that was the end of that. Those less suspecting might not be so lucky.

Just say "No" to decking. You have been warned. Be careful out there.

Snow Watch 2007 Update

The latest news is that freezing snow and ice will sweep down from the north as early as tomorrow.

"Scotland, the Borders, the north east, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, East Anglia and Kent could see snow falls measured in inches."

I wont hold my breath, more updates to follow.

Snow Watch 2007

Well in the centre of England I now feel the time is right for me to declare the Snow Watch 2007 season open.

Following up on the "Worst storm in the last 17 years" the weather people have been hinting at a cold snap with a possibility of snow on Monday or Tuesday. One forecaster even suggested "Snow for most". Of course given the usual timid forecasting of snow by the weather people this could mean anything from heavy rain to blizzards.

Latest release from the met office.

No weather warnings released as yet but they are usually not issued until 24/48 hours before the actual event so it may be a bit early yet.

Watch this space.

One is Most Displeased Mr Blair

When I get bored on the bus I make up comedy sketches: Sometimes I even remember to write them down, so I thought I might post a few. Sadly, they may only be funny in my head.

One is most displeased Mr Blair.

Queen: So Mr Blair what is it one wishes to discuss this time.

TB: I thought we might discuss your speech to parliament.

Queen: I grow tired of your smiling face Mr. Blair and so one is willing to give you ten seconds head start.

TB: Pardon Ma'am

Queen: (Pumps a pump action shotgun one handed) One will start counting now. 10, 9,

TB: But surely Ma'am

Queen: No Mr Blair one knows the will of the people and one has had enough. Philip release the attack corgis. That is 5 Mr Blair.

Prince Philip: Yes Lizzie (mutters) bloody politician Liz will show him what for.

TB: Good Afternoon Ma'am (shouted as runs away)

(Queen shoots and blows a hole in the door which has closed just after TB)

Queen: Bugger

Philip: Never mind Liz the bloody idiot didn’t give you the script for the speech, he will have to come back.

Queen: Good, one wonders if one has a handy bear trap.

Quotes

One of many little things I collect is quotes. Some of them come with pictures, so I can stick them on my wall. I know people find inspirational quotes a bit annoying, some of them state the obvious etc blah blah blah.

I like them and they don't harm anyone, so any complaints address them to the complaints manager who as they say is definitely not bothered.

Here are some of the ones I have picked up:

"It is only as we develop others that we permanently succeed" - Harvey Samuel Firestone

If you haven't guessed he was the founder of the tyre and rubber company. He has a high school in Ohio named after him, like many other Americans.

Quite a simple quote really, its easier to achieve greatness yourself but to prolong and achieve lasting greatness you need to pass your experience and knowledge onto the next generation.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away." - Leonardo Di Vinci

Everyone should know who Leonardo was, he played the lead in "Titanic". Oops sorry wrong Leonardo, Da Vinci was Mr Renaissance man. He wrote his famous notebooks full of all his thoughts which this blog is a kind of homage to.

The quote itself is breath taking (Puntastic). I don't think it needs much explanation as it is one of those rare quotes that touches something in the human soul and speaks to us on another level from mere words and letters.

"It's so much friendly with two" - Pooh Bear (A. A Milne fictional character)

Given to me by an ex-girlfriend as one of those romantic little keep-sakes. It is right though most things are better when there are two of you. Humans are not really supposed to be alone, everyone needs somone.