Boundaries

I just called a candidate about a President search we are conducting. He answered the phone on the second ring. I heard multiple voices in the background; I also heard a strong wind. I asked him if I had caught him at a bad time. He said no - he was simply at the beach. Upon further questioning, it became clear that he was on a family outing (likely a vacation).

AND my next call . . . . .

My next call was to another candidate - same search. He was not able to talk . . . . he was in a meeting. So - why did he answer the call? Does anyone have a phone without a voicemail system? (Hitting 'send' will re-dial the number anyway if no message is left and the curiosity is overwhelming.)

My kids would say I am simply old-fashioned

Has technology and the ability to always be connected helped us or hurt us? When my family or business associates need to reach me, it is nice to have the technology to do so. It is rare, however, that any message I get - personal OR professional - would cause a major problem if I did not receive it for an additional hour or two. My three wonderful young adult children know that cell phones are not allowed at any meal. They have never missed a critical call (I am sure I would know of it if they did).

You never get a second chance to make a first impression

There are books written on this topic; there are also advertising slogans that give us this same message. The experts on interviewing talk about the importance of the first few seconds and minutes. We want to be prepared for everything - a meeting, a presentation, an important interaction, an interview. Why is a phone call from a number you do not recognize any different? Judgment . . . . . did I learn anything about these candidates? Each interaction is one data point of many that will be considered. Can I project their behavior forward to being the leader of my client company? In one case I can - the candidate was in a meeting at work. In the other case, I can either admire his dedication or question his sense of balance (again with a number that would not be known to him). Going back to one of the above statements . . . . .

• You never get a second chance to make a first impression.