Today's Officer - Winter 2007 - (Page 10) MESSAGE CENTER CAREER Before You Recommend a Friend … TO PARAPHRASE JOSEPH NYE, former dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., your reputation is a lot like oxygen: You tend not to notice it until you begin to lose it, but once that happens, there is nothing else you can think about. Wi t h m a ny employers offering cash rewards and other incentives to employees who refer someone to fill a position in their co m pa ny, i t’s easy to throw out recommendations without pausing to do any due diligence. But the consequences could be significant. If someone you recommend doesn’t work out or doesn’t accept an offer, you probably won’t be fired, but your reputation could suffer. Although it’s natural to want to help our friends and colleagues, referrals and recommendations work best when you have a detailed understanding of the requirements of the job and a strong grasp of the candidate’s qualifications. Before deciding to recommend a candidate for a vacancy, have a conversation with the person to whom the new hire will be reporting. Try to learn as much as possible about the requirements of the position and why the last incumbent left. Culture clash is one of the biggest reasons new hires fail or under-perform, so be alert for any idiosyncrasies or cultural issues. Disagreements about dress codes, management styles, and conflict resolution can trump qualifications and experience. Also, spend some time with the person you are thinking of recommending to determine his or her fit for the position. Make sure to discuss the types of bosses he or she has worked with and ask to review his or her résumé. Be alert for signs of job-hopping, résumé inflation, or any indication the candidate might not accept the position if it is offered. Your reputation and the prosperity of your organization are important underpinnings of your professional success. Accordingly, it’s best not to recommend a candidate you would not welcome on your team. Jim Carman is a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management and a retired Navy captain. He writes and lectures about career-transition topics. COMMUNITY MOAA’s Army Ten-Miler Team MOAA MEMBERS and headquarters staff laced up in Washington, D.C., Oct. 7 to run in the 23rd annual Army Ten-Miler, America’s largest 10-mile race. This was the third year MOAA had a team participate in the race. A total of 60 runners represented the association, including MOAA President Vice Adm. Norb Ryan Jr., USN-Ret. MOAA members and staff cheered on runners along the course through the nation’s capital. After finishing the race, runners went to a post-race party in the MOAA tent. There they rehydrated, snacked, and cooled off with fellow team members. The MOAA team trained together in after-work and Sunday group runs, and the night before the race runners and their friends and families loaded up on carbohydrates and enjoyed team camaraderie at the MOAA pasta dinner held at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va. Plans already are under way for MOAA’s fourth annual running team. Challenge yourself to get in shape, have fun, and represent MOAA in the nation’s largest 10-mile race by joining the team. For more details and race-day photos, visit www.moaa.org/running. 10 TODAY’S OFFICER Winter 2007/08 http://www.moaa.org/running
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