Careerbridge

The early and mid 1990s were an exciting time to be in communications – and working with technology clients allowed me access to some pretty cool tools, too. In addition to embracing hardware innovations like Palm Pilots and cell phones, I couldn’t wait to take advantage of e-mail and the internet, which was absolutely revolutionizing the world for communicators.

I joined Careerbridge Corporation when my teaching career and my high-tech consulting business were competing for my attention. As the PR director for this new high-tech startup, I was charged with getting trade media excited about a new web-based recruiting software – a precursor to Monster.com. With free resume posting and job browsing available to a large and talented pool of high-tech workers, Careerbridge was able to attract employers like Nortel, Mitel, Newbridge and many others to subscribe to a dedicated, focused recruitment portal that even allowed for “virtual interviewing” via webconference. It was a very exciting story to tell.

As we were putting together our case study newsletter and media kit, I was looking for a catchy headline. I was doodling (as I often do)…. “e-mail”, “e-commerce”, hmmmm, how about “e-cruiting”? Well, let’s just say that the slogan – while it was embraced – ended up lasting longer than the company. Shortly after I was laid off to save budget, they sold the company and, like many tech startups, the principals made their bang and moved on. My legacy? A great coffee cup, a nice denim shirt, about $200,000 worth of media coverage (including the front page of the Globe’s financial section), a cool slogan you’re just going to have to take my word that I created, and a very useful education in the world of high tech.

a Prof is born…

It started small: supervising a few shifts in the agency, giving a few guest talks. But there was a little flicker deep inside of me that responded early on to being in front of a class full of people. I loved being able to encourage a discussion during which new ideas were explored – and most of all, I was hooked on the rush that came from seeing the light bulb go on for a student. And let me tell you, I have learned as much from my students as they have from me. Teaching compels me to keep current on trends in the practice, and to keep true to the highest standards and principles of our profession.

Over time, I’ve had the chance to teach almost every core course in Algonquin's PR program. I taught full-time through two sabbaticals, and in the early years supplemented my growing consulting business with part-time teaching. I have been pleased to see how technological developments have made much of the more mundane aspects of teaching easier, and allowed for more innovation in the classroom. I am taking this year off from the College classroom to focus on our program's anniversary celebrations, and to explore more of the newest teaching tools and models including those for delivering online and distance education.

Meanwhile, I have been able to bring my teaching experience to the Service Canada College, which delivers service excellence and program-related training to thousands of employees across the country. I will be focusing on curriculum as well as content development for an employee engagement program. Meanwhile, I renew my commitment daily to learning and growing as a coach, mentor, and willing participant in the exploration of new ideas.

Information Officer, ‘80s style

As a member of the three-person “information services” team at the City of Nepean, my colleague Lois and I were essentially the city’s 4-1-1 service. In the days before databases and the internet, residents often turned to City Hall for answers to questions as wide-ranging as “how do I get Mom placed in an old folks’ home?” to “how do I get rid of the skunk under my porch?” to “where is the nearest bus stop?”

Over the course of a couple of years, we built the Black Book – a three-ring binder stuffed with every scrap of information we would possibly need. Our motto was that if we didn’t have the answer, we would find it and get back to the citizen. We sourced out provincial and federal contacts, community organizations, advocacy groups, crisis and information lines – everything we could to add to our bag of tricks.

I see now that we were trying to be the “Service Canada” of the City of Nepean: no wrong door, focused on service, we always delivered for our clients. But it sure would have been easier with a database…

reconnecting

Love it or hate it (again) - blasted "technology"! 

It's made even worse when you crave it and can't get to it...

let me explain ... I have been locked out of my blog for months, caught in a silly technical sinkhole of forgotten passwords, "upgrading" interfaces, and job changes. I was able to get my satisfaction from blogging at H&K while I was there, but since I have returned to Service Canada, I have effectively been locked out of two blogs. (and of course, as a public servant, I am unable to access social media from behind the Fire Wall... but that's another subject!)

At any rate, with much relief, I finally figured out how to get back into this blog tonight, and look forward to sharing a whole lot of thoughts on ICT, the life of a bureaucrat, and on the profession of public relations. But first, to fill in some of the gaps in my narrative, here are some thoughts forged in the crucible of my adventures at Hill and Knowlton... http://blogs.hillandknowlton.com/blogs/leawerthman/default.aspx