Baby Sitting
When John Sumser sent me an invitation to post on interbiznet as part of his Top Ten in 2006 yearend review, I could not have been more surprised, gob-smacked actually. It was not that he referred to me as “one of a few” or that he said – quite nonchalantly – the others were “leading thinkers in the industry.” The reason that I was taken aback was that anyone widely respected in the bubble – let alone the patriarch of recruiting bloggers – would place me in such esteemed company, let me post first. Well, ain’t that something? I mean, I am accustomed to being spanked on the bottom for being naughty, not pat on the head for being good:
We had lunch with Ami in a prototypical Manhattan diner the first time we physically met him. We’d been hearing from and about him while suffering the lash of his pen over the past year or so. Ami is the single most provocative and infectious of the new voices that have emerged in the blogging fury that has taken center stage in the industry. It felt like a gathering of old Bolsheviks plotting the overthrow of anything that came up. We were completely unprepared to like him so much.
As each contributor posted their take on the 10 most important things that happened in our industry during 2006 I realized – seeing that on so many points we were agreed – that perhaps I could hold my own as a panelist at some fancy-schmancy recruiting conference, command some un-Godly fee. We “thought leaders” do get paid un-Godly fees, don’t we? No? How about .01% of the take plus actual expenses? No? How about some free publicity, stroke of the ol’ ego then? Hmmm…that sucks. I might as well stay at home and blog then, don’t you think?
Thank you for honoring me John, sincerely, thank you…
- Amitai Givertz : Top 10 in 2006 (v1)
- David Hurst : Top 10 in 2006 (v2)
- Scott Dow : Top 10 in 2006 (v3)
- Kevin Wheeler : Top 10 in 2006 (v4)
- Hank Stringer : Top 10 in 2006 (v5)
- Tim Driver : Top 10 in 2006 (v6)
- Steve Levy : Top 10 in 2006 (v7)
- Martin Snyder : Top 10 in 2006 (v8)
- Don Ramer : Top 10 in 2006 (v9)
- Hans Geiskes : Top 10 in 2006 (v10)
…and who knows, one day you might invite me to join one of your panel discussions, eh? I’ll negotiate a special rate just for you, John.
5 Comments, Comment or Ping
Steven Rothberg, CollegeRecruiter.com
Amitai,
After having had the pleasure of meeting you at the Kennedy Information conference in NYC, it was no surprise to me to see your name in John’s top 10 list. You speak from the heart and that is sadly missing from many of our otherwise esteemed colleagues, but at least as importantly is the fact that you also speak from your head. Many who speak from the heart don’t think through what it is that they’re speaking about. You’re different. Thank goodness.
Dec 30th, 2006
Gautam
There was this talk in the recruiting blogosphere whether it is biased in favor of established voices, and Heather made the point that if the content was great we’d not need any artifical linking for newer voices
You prove the fact that Heather was right
Have a great 2007 !
Jan 1st, 2007
Recruitomatic
I’m flattered. Thank you, Steven; Gautam.
Jan 1st, 2007
Stephi
Good feed for recruiters.
Jan 11th, 2007
Lavinia Weissman
I tried to find an easy way to say hello to John and my eyes are blurred searching for a spot to talk to him.
Amital thanks for reconnecting John and I, we go a long way back in virtual space when we both lived down the road from each other. John has a brilliant mind and a fabulous pen.
So I am saying hi to him here. Haven’t live in Marin since 1999. John, I hope you and yours are well. I am now in Boston and continue to stay in touch with numerous of our friends. In fact, I now write for Strategy and Business, new sphere in cyber called Leading Ideas.
Take a peak, http://www.strategy-business.com/li/leadingideas/li00004.
Amital as a side bar, I have been intrigued by the blogsphere that surrounds talent management and more. In the course I developed on social networking, I futured Social Networking as a competence that naturally brought you to your livelihood. We are still away from there. But I am ready to go on teaching this and finding out how that little experiment works for myself.
Best,
Lavinia
Jan 16th, 2007
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