From: olson@mydual.uucp (Kirtland H. Olson)
Subject: Re: transform a resume
Reply-To: olson%mydual.uucp@alliant.com
Organization: The Harvard Group, 01451-0667
Distribution: misc
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 00:46:27 GMT

Let's try to get some additional positive concepts into this thread. 
Allan Adler wants to examine some possibilities and picked up on Terry
Traub's suggestion of buying an interface between Allan and another part
of the world.

How about using the standard creativity session principles:

o  Any idea is welcome, even if you have to preface it with "IF we could
resolve the issue of ________"

o  Tell us as many benefits as you can for concepts you put forward and
add to anybody else's list of benefits when you can.

o  Express things that trouble you as "I'm concerned about __________"

o  If you see a combination of ideas, or can combine yours with one you
see posted, point out the combination and it's benefits.

I postulate the following:

o  "The map is not the territory" S. I. Hayakawa

Allan asked if we could transform his description, and some of us
answered that he should transform himself.  But we have two parts here. 
One is the match between the Allan we get and the resume that describes
him.  The other is the match between the resume and the requirement. 
Notice that this is an open loop: Allan --> Resume --> Requirement. 
That may be part of Allan's frustration with the process he sees.

Looking at the other side of the hiring situation, we have another long
open loop: Supervisor --> Task --> Description --> Requisition.  What's
more, the supervisor is embedded in an organization of some size and may
be constrained in negotiation.  Thus the requisition cannot possibly
describe the territory.

But we could also look at other territories.  Allan says he lacks
"real-world" knowledge of some kinds.  Perhaps that extends to not
seeing that working near the top of a small organization offers more
flexibility than being near the bottom of a large one.  

What do we know of flexible organizations?  Who are they?  Where are
they?  What makes them flexible?

o  When Allan finishes his quest, only Allan will be different.

What's more, he'll be only as different as he wants to be.  The path is
often a succession of small "I could do that!" kinds of changes.  Some
of us trade off the quirks of employers for other things we find more
important.  Others of us find those behaviors unacceptable.  Perhaps the
only difference will be that Allan has found a joyful role that he had
not seen before. 

Allan, what's your ideal role in terms of what you do, where, when, and
with whom?  We need to see the ideal in terms of actions, environment,
and interactions.  That will let us see where other people should
provide functions you need but prefer not to perform. 

o  Doing creates value.

And the time required may bear no relation to the value created.  One
may find a new and faster path.  One may solve a previously unsolved,
but high-value problem.  One may publicize a little-known solution for
which one is in a toll position (collecting a portion on each pass).

What sort of doing will Allan prefer, and how can we help him profit
from it? 

o  Employment is only one of many sources of cash.

Some others include: grants, prizes, awards, investments, royalties,
commissions, licenses, and fees.  One may sell one's time or one's work
product, or the result of one's work product.  They differ, and the markets
for them differ.  One may also elect to use one's work only for one's own
benefit, like an inventor who manufactures and sells a product rather
than licensing his patent.

How many different sources of cash can we list?

o  Copying successful patterns works.

I suggest that Allan needs to find examples of patterns that others have
used, not to copy directly (although that works) but to stimulate ideas
that can work for him.  Since Allan seeks a periodic source of income,
one question is: "What makes it periodic?"  For example, the Christmas
store concept recognizes that 40-50% of the income is realized in 10% of
the selling time.  Periodicity is externally induced.  Allan already
pointed to the behavior of students--desire inspired by exam scheduling.
Rather than a problem, this becomes an opportunity for pay for fast
learning.  

What patterns do we collectively know that could be examples?

Happy New Year to All --Kirt


-- 
Kirtland H. Olson                     olson%mydual.uucp@alliant.com
Newsgroups: misc.jobs.misc