Hiring a President

I once had to fill a position for management at one of the properties within our company.  I had gotten the list down to two candidates. One from outside the company, and one that was from within and was looking to be promoted.

The candidate from outside had a long list of references and accomplishments. He was very organized, financially educated. He knew how to create budgets, plan for future improvements and was a good team player and leader. He also was very good at working with other departments when obstacles came up.

The downside to the candidate was his lack of technical knowledge in some areas of the job.

The candidate from within had been with the company for several years. He was very well liked among his team that he managed. He had strong technical knowledge of what the job required.  Our company was very supportive of promoting from within and he should be considered for the position.

When he took the position that he currently held for 3 years, the department was a mess. There was a need to overhaul a department that had been run into the ground. He had great ideas and won the job.

The problem was his job performance was not up to par. He could not stay within budget. He never shopped for the best prices or services. He would not work with other departments and he had a reputation of calling off a lot.  He had overspent and under maintained the property. The property was worse than when he started.

So who should I Hire?

Whether you think Clint Eastwood hurt or help the Republicans at the convention in Tampa, he made a very good point.  The politicians work for us!  I  appreciate the fact that they allowed Clint to do his own thing.

I look at the recent conventions as part of a series of interviews for the job. We started off with the primaries, with a long list of applicants. That gets dwindled down to two.  Applicants for this job opening happens to include the current holder of the position.

The conventions are the second to last interviews, where we get to observe and hopefully hear what their plans are to do the job. At these conventions, you get to roll out your references, your ideas and yourself.

In Tampa, we saw a very well organized event. Even the city itself was very well organized. I hear there were only two arrests. From what I hear, Charlotte did a good job too. 

In Tampa, we heard about the candidate’s accomplishments, his personal side and some points on how he was going to resolve the country’s problems. I would like to have heard more details. Those I hope will come in the final interview, the debates.

In Charlotte, that candidate also rolled out his personal references. I did not hear anything new from them or him. It was almost word for word the same talking points from the last 4 years and the insistence that everything is still the previous job holders fault.  When asked to grade himself, the candidate gave himself an incomplete.

Now we all know that when we hire one of these candidates, he brings along with him his party. And when I look at Tampa, I saw a party unified. In Charlotte, I saw a party divided. Just look at the debacle with the vote to change the platform wording for example. The vote itself was a sham, since it was already done.

And then you have the DNC Chairwoman, who was caught in a bold faced lie and yet still blames it on the other party.

I will say that between the two conventions, the one moment that stands out above all and brings tears to my eyes is when Gabby Giffords walks out to say the pledge of allegiance. That is the highlight of both conventions.

There are a lot of important issues discussed in this current process. Healthcare, immigration and gun control just to mention a few.

But the biggest issue right now is the economy and jobs.

Who would you hire between these two candidates?

I can’t wait until the final interviews in October.