Front Office Manager

Design hiring is the trickiest

And no, the debate isn’t whether tech hiring is tough or non-tech hiring is tough - all I’m saying is ... design hiring is the trickiest of them all. Think about it: - There are only so many keywords to focus on. How do you even begin to filter out the right talent? - Subjectivity of Aesthetics: Defining what looks good vs what is “really” good. What might look good to a recruiter is not what might appeal to a hiring manager - Communication Breakdown: What looks good to a hiring manager needs to be translated to the recruiter on the grounds and factors why the design made sense. Tough - hell yeah! - Every designer has a portfolio, but how do you differentiate between genuinely innovative work and something that’s just flashy or just showed his inclination to one theme/style or is the portfolio screaming love for one sub section - neobrutalism anyone? Today’s trendy designs might be tomorrow’s outdated trash. How do you hire for timeless design skills? - Technical Skills vs. Artistic Vision: How do you balance or filter on either - the need for technical proficiency with the necessity for artistic vision - Client-Based Variability: Designers often tailor their work to what the ask was. How do you discern their true skill level when their portfolio is a mixed bag of client/customer whims? + how do you know X's work is not Y inspired or even better.. a rip off? - Designers are creative people. How do you access real Cultural Fit? This breed needs to be protected and let them be. But then how do you ascertain designers work style gels with your company’s culture? - Without assignments you cant get to know them or their depth and dimension of work, and assignments (in general) carry a bad rep in that circuit - cause a lot of work is passed off as a screening assignment. IMHO, design hiring is like assembling a rocket ship with Lego pieces - it’s complex, nuanced, and the stakes are incredibly high. If can either get it right or F UP real bad.

I dream of marrying a girl for her skincare collection

My mother has always been very beautiful and knowledgeable about dressing up. She used to always tell me to dress well or comb my hair or remind me to put oil - and even put powder on me till I was in first standard. I didn't pay much heed to my physical appearance till earlier this year. Throughout college, I was always occupied by the intellectual side of life. I loved studying and would wake up at odd hours to consume knowledge about subjects I enjoyed - participating in programming contests and taking meticulous notes about things. Then I was thrust into the corporate world and the full force of my family's loans (close to 88 lakhs) and did not have much time for other things. The financial situation got a bit better this year at last and I got to relax. And suddenly I was drawn to a new hobby of mine - skincare. It all started when I visited the mall and walked into a Bath and Body Works shop - I had no idea what it was about - I walked past it a hundred times before and only noticed it looked like Disney land. I was afraid to for fear of it being too girly. I did not know soaps came in liquid form - and suddenly I was taken in by the land of fragrances and colourful liquids. It was only the beginning - The disney like world of Bath and Body Works, the ancient Indian landscape straight from Jungle book setup by Forest, the vegan friendly Body Shop, the simple aesthetics of Kama or even the white coats and skeletons adoring a Kiehl's - I was just taken in by the exotic little land of skin care products. It's a hobby I cannot share with any friend of mine - I have developed a habit of going shopping alone and binging on these products to my heart's content. To be honest, a lot of things happened in the last year (my parents got divorced, my mother got cancer and is recovering through chemotherapy now). When I use these products, I think it makes me feel closer to her and also makes me happy. I long for someone to discuss these things with - I am in the age where I am searching for someone to marry and I often joke to myself of having a hidden criteria of a girl's skincare collection whenever someone asks me what I am looking for. No, I am not interested in her father's house or car or dowy - I am interesting in plunging through her entire skincare storehouse. While sitting and exchanging demographic details and kundalini details, I really want to ask her about her favourite perfume notes, her recommendation on toners and whether she has a separate day and night cream. Instead of discussing what ratio the expenses and household chores will be split, I want to know what ratio of her skin care products will be accessible to me. Don't ask me if I have a hidden vice of drinking, smoking or gambling - I am not interested. Ask me where I was in the last Bath and Body Works sale. I am not much interested in whether she prefers beaches to mountains, please just tell me do you prefer shower gels or cream based body washes !!! Instead of stayig up late into the night, exchanging details of what we ate for dinner, please tell me the kind of oil or solution best for hair growth Ugh, how I urge to share my hidden passions and skincare collections with someone knowledgeable, and share skin care products as a love language