Searching for What You Want

In the spring of 1981, it was obvious that a coal miners’ strike was imminent. Tim was working as a mining engineer and I was operating an interior design studio in a small town in central West Virginia. Typically, coal strikes cause the economy to take a nosedive. We decided to look for a new place to live with the hope of a better financial outlook.

On my Royal typewriter, I wrote letters of inquiry to potential employers in the western United States. “White Out” correction fluid  hadn’t been invented yet. If I made a mistake, I would have to start the letter over. I sent over 100 letters and landed only two job interviews—one in Vail and the other in Aspen, Colorado. By June the strike was in full swing. So, we decided it was time to venture into the unknown.

Tim and I packed the U-Haul double axle trailer and hooked it up to my brown, 1972 Buick Skylark, nicknamed Ellie May. The U-Haul slogan emblazoned on the side “an adventure in moving” rang true for our experience.

The trailer was so heavy, or maybe the car’s shocks were so bad,  that the hitch drug on the pavement. We unpacked it and repacked it with my Dad and Uncle’s help. They had lots of experience in moving, but to no avail. So, we rented a single axle trailer. It worked better, but we had to stop every 100 miles or so and use a jack to bend the trailer hitch back up. The headlights on the car didn’t work with the trailer connected. So, we had to be sure to arrive at our hotel or campsite before sunset.

Needless to say, it was an adventurous trip across the United States. By the time we arrived in Denver we knew it wasn’t wise to pull the trailer up into the mountains. We chained it to a utility pole near a friend’s apartment while we interviewed in cities in western Colorado.

We ultimately settled in Denver for about nine months until Tim received a job offer in Phoenix, Arizona. Note to file: Phoenix is really appealing in March when the palm trees are swaying in 70 degree weather, but that attraction quickly wears off by May when the thermometer reaches 110 degrees. We have continued to search for that perfect western locale.

Last weekend while preparing to teach my leadership class, one of the course readings was titled, “Are You Picking the Right Leaders?” The essence is how important it is to search for a person who is the right fit. I thought it would be valuable information for an executive search firm that recently called me.

Today’s gift was to send this information to the recruiter. It will help them perform more effective job searches for what they want in their candidates who will lead organizations.

In Giving,

Robin