Month: October 2020

The #Coronavirus chronicles, part 23: Learning songs in a new language #COVID19

Before I get into this article, I need to direct you to a few other articles that I wrote, all of which are directly relevant to what I’m about to write. You will likely not understand some of the references in this article unless you read these other ones first (or are friends with me on Facebook, in which case you can skip these). Give them a read (or at the very least, skim through them), then come back to this one. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

Back yet? Okay…

This morning, a friend of mine PM’ed me with this: “it would be epic to see LOTD in Korean.”

I sent him back this reply: “challenge accepted!”

So, I looked up K-Pop songs, and I came across this video. I will freely admit that what caught my eye was the artist’s name (take a look!). I listened to the song, and as it turned out, it’s a really pretty ballad that’s relatively close to my own writing style. I might end up buying some CDs (yes, I still prefer buying CDs, even if I do rip everything to iTunes) from this artist.

I ended up using the first four lines for my Lyric Of The Day (and I’m posting this mostly for my own reference and learning purposes).

"나를 사랑하는 법은 어렵지 않아요
지금 모습 그대로 나를 꼭 안아주세요
우리 나중에는 어떻게 될진 몰라도
정해지지 않아서 그게 나는 좋아요..."
-- Roy Kim, "Only Then"

(If you’re dying to know what this says, here it is in Google Translate. And if you want to hear it, check out the video.)

I was never a fan of pop dance songs. When I first heard K-Pop songs and saw related videos, my initial impression was that K-Pop songs were primarily pop dance songs, so I haven’t given the genre a lot of thought. This video that I found changed my mind.

It got me thinking: what would it take to write a song that’s not in my native English? There is some precedent for this; probably the most famous example is Ritchie Valens singing “La Bamba.” It would be a challenge for me; I’m still learning Korean (although I’ll admit that I haven’t been pursuing it as aggressively lately), and I’m far from being able to read it quickly or being able to carry on a conversation. Nevertheless, the idea is intriguing, and one that I’m considering.

This idea is making me consider several things. First, it’s encouraging me to get back into my Korean language lessons. Second, it’s making me want to revisit my songwriting and MIDI recording endeavors. Third, it’s inspiring me to break many bad habits directly related to pandemic fatigue.

And, if nothing else, it’s sparked an interest in K-Pop with me. I guess I’m going to have to go buy some K-Pop CDs.

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You didn’t ask questions at your interview? You just blew the interview #JobHunt

This afternoon, I saw a tweet from James Phillips, who posted this:

It reminded me of what I think is an important point when you’re interviewing for a position. I responded with this:

This is a point that I emphasize in my job hunt presentation; in fact, I made mention of this in an earlier article, and I think it’s important enough that it’s worth emphasizing again. When you’re preparing for a job interview, make sure you have at least two or three questions prepared for the interviewer (I’d even prepare more that that; note that you don’t have to ask all of them). I’ve also mentioned this during Thomas Grohser’s interview presentation. I’ve sat in on his presentation a number of times (sometimes at his request), and I make sure that I bring this up as a talking point.

If you’re interviewing for a job, one of the worst things you can do is NOT ask any questions at an interview. I’ve heard several stories of people who blew their interview because they did not ask any questions — and for good reason.

When you’re interviewing for a position, keep in mind that you’re interviewing the company just as much as they’re interviewing you. You want to ensure that the position is the right fit for you — that it’s something that interests you, something you think you can fulfill, and the company culture is the right fit.

Asking questions is also a signal to the interviewer. It demonstrates that you are interested in the job and the organization. Not asking questions not only shows that you’re not interested, it also shows that you aren’t taking the interview seriously. This could prove fatal to your job interview.

That being said, it’s also important to ask the right questions (I actually wrote about this a while back). The best questions are those that demonstrate that you’re willing to be a team player for your prospective employer. For example, one question that I always bring with me to every interview is, “what is your biggest issue, and what can I do to help?” It demonstrates that I’m interested in the company, and that I’m willing to help resolve any issues that arise. Try to avoid questions that are self-centered (e.g. “what’s in it for me,” “what’s the salary range,” etc.). (That said, you’re going to want to know about the company, so try to phrase your questions in such a way that it doesn’t sound like, “what’s in it for me?”)

Whenever I prepare for an interview, I’ll research the company, and I always prepare appropriate questions in advance, such as “how can I help you solve your problems” (shows that I’m a team player), “what challenges does your organization face” (shows I’m interested in the company), or “what does your team do for fun” (shows I’m interested in team dynamics).

A resource I’d suggest is a book or website about good interview questions. There are a number of them out there (here’s a link to a few books on Amazon). Go to your local library, buy your own copy, or search Google. All of these provide good suggestions for appropriate questions to bring to a job interview.

Asking good questions won’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll land the job, but not asking questions nearly guarantees that you won’t get the job. Prepare questions in advance, and be prepared to ask questions as things come up during your interview. Don’t blow your interview by not asking any questions.

Is it live, or is it Memorex? #PASSSummit #PASSVirtualSummit #PASSSummit2020

1974 MEMOREX 60 Cassette - NELSON RIDDLE - ELLA FITZGERALD VINTAGE AD | eBay

First things first — for the benefit of those who aren’t old enough to remember the old Memorex ads (and don’t understand the reference to this article’s title), here’s a YouTube link to a couple of their old ads. Back in those days (and yes, I am old enough to remember these ads), “is it live, or is it Memorex” was an instantly-recognized tagline, along with “Just do it,” “Have a Coke and a smile,” “Got milk?,” and “Think different” (the grammar snob in me still has a problem with that last one).

(Since cassette tapes have gone the way of the dinosaur, I wondered if Memorex even still existed. Apparently, it doesn’t; according to a Wikipedia article, the company was dissolved in 1996.)

One of the things that PASS Summit asked speakers (like me) to do was to prerecord their sessions. I remember reading something about having a backup plan in case some kind of problem came up (for example, what if my cable modem died while I was in the middle of doing my presentation). I suppose that makes sense. It’s always good to have a backup plan.

The recording was due today, so I took this afternoon to get it done. (Greg Moore recently wrote an article about PASS Summit speaker deadlines.) It turned out to be an interesting (and, surprisingly, tiring) experience.

PASS offered two options for doing this; we could either record it on our own computer and upload the file to the speaker’s resource page, or we could do it online using a video tool provided by PASS on the page. I chose the latter for a few reasons. First, video files (especially for an hourlong presentation) can get large, and I didn’t want to deal with the hassles of having to upload large files. Second, I don’t have very good video recording software (basically, just whatever comes with Windows 10), and I didn’t want to waste time trying to figure out how to record video of my presentation slides while doing my presentation.

So, I opted for using the online tool provided by PASS. I figured it was more convenient, it was already there, and I didn’t have to worry about uploading anything; whatever I recorded would already be saved on the site.

It made use of my previously-uploaded presentation slides. Part of what made it interesting was how the recording was performed. I expected it to be a single continuous recording, as though I was actually doing my presentation. That turned out not to be the case. It made me record audio and video for each individual slide. When I was finished with each slide, I would save it, and it would move on to the next one.

I can see both pros and cons to this methodology. On the plus side, I didn’t have to worry about doing an entire presentation, and not being happy with the recording. If I didn’t like what I did with a slide, it gave me the option of deleting it and starting over. (That said, I did make it a point to not obsess with being perfect; I only re-recorded serious flubs or interruptions. There were some coughs and verbal stumbles that I didn’t bother to clean up.) I didn’t have to sit continuously for an hour (although I did, anyway — more on that in a minute); I could take breaks in-between slides.

Some of those breaks ended up being timely and necessarily. At one point, my wife texted me; at another, Bernard, our tuxedo cat, meowed and scratched at the door to the home office, demanding attention!

Of course, recording individual slides had its disadvantages as well. Because stops were frequent, it took twice as long than a straight recording session to get it finished; by the time I was done, I had used up almost the entire afternoon, and I was surprised at how tired I was. Also, because I was using the built-in slide presenter, I had no control over my slides; if any of them had any animations, I could not control them.

In any case, I got it done. That’s one less thing on my speaker’s to-do checklist.

It did also get me thinking: if I prerecorded my session, do I even need to be there to do my presentation? I’ve done a couple of virtual SQL Saturdays this year, as well as a few presentations for the Professional Development Virtual Group, but they were live sessions, and I wasn’t asked to prerecord them. (A couple of my virtual group presentations were recorded and are viewable on YouTube.) If PASS uses my prerecorded session, would it matter whether or not I was actually there?

(As it turns out, even if they use it, I am required to be there for fifteen minutes of Q and A.)

As of right now, I fully expect to do this presentation live on November 13. Nevertheless, it does make me wonder; if you do tune into my presentation, will you see me live, or will you see my recording?

The #Coronavirus chronicles, part 22: How TV could make this world a better place #COVID19

TRANSPLANT — Season: 1 — Pictured: (l-r) Torri Higginson as Claire Malone, John Hannah as Jed Bishop, Hamza Haq as Bashir Hamed, Jim Watson as Theo Hunter, Laurence Leboeuf as Magalie Leblanc, Ayiah Issa as June Curtis — (Photo by: Fabrice Gaetan/Sphere Media/NBC)

When I was in high school, my friends and I were into M*A*S*H — so much so that we nicknamed ourselves after M*A*S*H characters (my best friend and I used to argue over which one of us was Hawkeye or B.J.), and we tried to outdo each other any time the local radio station asked M*A*S*H trivia questions. Even to this day, any time I come across a M*A*S*H rerun on TV, I just have to turn the channel to it.

One of the things I appreciated about M*A*S*H was that it wasn’t afraid to take on social issues. Several episodes took on hot-button topics, such as racism, alcoholism, politics, religion, and so on. It made for some interesting episodes, and I think they made the show all the better.

Lately, I’ve gotten hooked on a new medical drama, Transplant. It seems like the US prime time network market is saturated with medical dramas, but a couple of things make Transplant different. First, the main character and protagonist, Dr. Bashir “Bash” Hamed (played by Hamza Haq) is a Syrian refugee, which makes for some interesting plot lines, including his struggles as he adapts to life in a new country. Speaking of which, this leads me to another thing that makes this show unique. The country in question is not the United States. The setting for Transplant is a hospital emergency room in Toronto, Canada. While NBC has the US broadcast rights to the show, it is not produced by NBC; it’s actually produced by Canadian station CTV. That the show takes place in Canada is apparent in a few subtle ways; in the pilot episode, a police officer wore a Canadian flag pin on his uniform, the CN Tower is visible in a few establishment shots, and in one scene, a doctor taking a patient’s temperature mentioned that it was 37 degrees, rather than the 98.6 that we Yanks are accustomed to hearing.

It also occurred to me that this may be the first show on a major prime-time network where the main character is Muslim. In these times of social issues, Islamophobia, racial equality, and Black Lives Matter, that is a big deal.

Dr. Bash (as I call him) is a very likable character. As a doctor, he is obligated to ensure his patients’ welfare, and he displays compassion and humanity toward his patients. As a big brother to his little sister, Amira, he is the father figure that they are missing in their lives (their parents died in the Syrian Civil War). As a friend to his colleagues at the fictional York Memorial Hospital, he displays caring and empathy for his coworkers.

He is the doctor I would want treating me if I had to go to the hospital.

There is a stereotype about Muslims in the US that paints them as extremists and fanatics. Dr. Bash breaks that stereotype, which is why I think this show is important. I have friends who are Muslim, and I empathize with them when they are portrayed as radical terrorists. Dr. Bash shows that he is not a radical; rather, he is human, with human emotions, feelings, and faults.

Many dramas (movies, not just TV) seem to have the power to raise awareness about issues. Dances With Wolves, for example, broke the stereotype of Native Americans as being “savages.” Likewise, Emergency! (another favorite TV show of mine when I was a kid) is credited as contributing toward the establishment of EMT services across the country.

TV shows, done right, have the power to change the world. If characters, issues, and situations are portrayed properly on prime-time, this world could be a much better place.

October CASSUG Monthly Meeting

Our October meeting will again be online. NOTE: you MUST RSVP on Meetup at https://www.meetup.com/Capital-Area-SQL-Server-User-Group/events/273734124/ to view the Zoom URL!

Our October guest speaker is Elizabeth Noble!

Topic: Streamline Database Deployments

Our online meeting schedule is as follows:

  • 6:00: General chat, discussion, and announcements
  • 6:30: Presentation

We usually wrap up between 7:30 PM and 8:00 PM.

Please RSVP to this Meetup, then use the online event URL to join (note: you MUST RSVP for the URL to be visible). We will send out a meeting password as we get closer to the event.

Your job application was rejected by a human, not a computer.

Last Saturday, at Virtual SQL Saturday #1003 (Memphis), I sat in on Christine Assaf‘s presentation about Organizational Trauma: Mental Health in a Crisis (or something like that — I don’t remember the exact title). I found her presentation interesting and relevant to my own; so much so, in fact, that I invited her to sit in on my presentation and offer any of her insights.

After this weekend, Christine wrote this ‘blog article. I haven’t yet had a chance to fully process it (as I’m writing this, I haven’t had my coffee yet, and my brain is still in a fog), but what little I did process, I found interesting.

I intend to scrutinize this more when I’m a little more awake. And I suspect I’ll be making some adjustments to my presentation.

HRTact

INTRO:
Recently I attended a presentation where a commonly held belief was repeated and I feel the need de-bunk this. The speaker stated “75% of applications are rejected by an ATS (applicant tracking system) and a human never sees them…”

First, I want to point out that recruiters will tell you this is false. As the main users of ATSs, recruiters have extensive experience and years in talent acquisition, and will tell you they hear this all the time and they cringe upon it’s utterance. But if you want to know my opinion on why this “myth” has infiltrated the job seeking world, scroll past all the research and jump to the end.

MY RESEARCH:
Secondly, let’s track down the origin of this false statistic. The speaker I heard it from cited topresume.com. So I did some digging:

From topresume.com

That topresume.com article (which includes the same false stat…

View original post 1,019 more words

I am a professional grant recipient!

This is a piece of news that I actually received back in August, but I wanted to make sure it was publicly announced before I said anything about it! (And now that it’s been made public…)

Back in June, I came across a professional grant program sponsored by my fraternity alumni association. Having just started my own LLC, I thought this was something that could help my endeavor. So, I threw together an application package and submitted it for consideration.

I’ll be honest. I wasn’t thinking anything of it. I figured that getting the grant would’ve been nice, but I also figured that there would be other recipients with more impressive resumes than my own. I sent my application with the mindset of, “let’s put in for this and see what happens. What do I have to lose?”

I didn’t think anything more about it until August, when I received an email saying that I was one of the grant recipients!

My profile, along with the other grant recipients, appeared in the September issue of the alumni association’s monthly newsletter!

The grant money will go toward professional memberships to help support my LLC and my professional interests. Part of it will be used to reinstate my membership with STC (I had been a member several years ago, but I let it lapse, primarily because it was starting to get too expensive for me to maintain). The rest will likely go toward membership in some business networking group to promote my LLC (most likely a Chamber of Commerce; I had looked into BNI, but it’s too expensive, even with the grant offsetting it. I’m still trying to figure out where the rest of the grant money will go).

So I guess that it just goes to show: if you see a program that interests you, go ahead and apply for it. You never know what’ll happen!

Bad web forms — how to drive people away from your site

I’ve come across my share of bad design, and I’m sure you have as well. I’ve especially come across some egregious examples as a job applicant.

I came across one that particularly set me off. While poking around Indeed, I found a technical writer position for GitLab that interested me. Of course, most people who work in IT are familiar with GitLab, so they have a reputation. I read through the description, and it sounded interesting, so I clicked the button to “apply on company site.”

The subsequent link took me to this page.

The page talks about the technical writer roles and responsibilities. It talks about the hiring process, it includes a salary calculator, and it even talks about benefits, including stock options.

Nowhere on the page was there any link to actually apply for the position!!!

If you don’t believe me, check out the link and see for yourself. No wonder why they need technical writers. I understand and appreciate GitHub’s reputation in the IT community, but this page is seriously making me question whether or not I really want to work for them.

GitHub is far from being the only offender. I came across another page that, even after they asked me to upload my resume, it still asked me to manually input my work experience. (Even worse, these were required fields; there was no way around this. What if you’re a student with no work experience?) After I hit Submit, it came back and told me there were errors. It had cleared out all the dates I’d entered (I had entered months and years), and it insisted that I entered days. Seriously, raise your hand if you actually remember what day you started or ended a job from years ago. I have enough trouble just remembering the month or year. It made me question how well their automated formatting really worked (if it worked at all). Once I filled those in (with the best guesses for days), it told me there was another error. I clicked the message, expecting it to show me where the error was. Nope. It just told me there was an error. I had to search the entire page to figure out what it was complaining about.

I’ve come across too many forms like this during my job hunt. I also remember coming across some very badly designed forms years ago from previous job hunts — some that were so badly designed that they discouraged me from applying for the jobs.

I’ve talked about making documentation easier for the end user, and this is far from the only article I’ve written about how bad design is a detriment to anyone who needs to follow instructions. UX/UI needs to be as painless as possible for the end user. If you’re a vendor, bad design can drive away customers. If you’re an employer, you run the risk of discouraging qualified applicants.

Like good documentation, good form design needs to be well-thought-out and well-designed. Don’t be the organization that lost customers because your forms were too arduous to use.