HWY-66, The Eagles, and IT Recruiting. John Nilson

Self Proclaimed #gearhead and long-time IT Recruiter tells us in his ever-so-pleasant radio voice about driving old Route 66. 

Logisolve i4 Marketplace, a Logisolve Company Melinda Hyde #sap #leader #changemanagement #projects #linkedin #linked-in #podcast #logisolve #i4marketplace #it #consulting #friday

Transcript

00:00.72
kelly99
John Nelson welcome to the Kelly Winland Podcast how are you this fine Friday sir I'm doing good hey um to jump right into it before I get to the the exciting world of.

00:08.33
John Nilson
I'm well Kelly how about yourself.

00:13.59
John Nilson
A.

00:18.79
kelly99
IT recruiting um you are you are a self-proclaimed car guy or what would he call it gear get would you call yourself a gearhead or a car guy gear sweet your gearhead all right? So um.

00:19.53
John Nilson
You yeah.

00:28.12
John Nilson
Here Get gear. Yeah move.

00:37.92
kelly99
And you take a lot of interesting trips. You have an old classic muscle car and you were telling me about a route you had taken route 66 very famous highway in America and I was wondering for our listeners who have considered taking that route 66 or have heard about that. What what can they expect where does route 66 start and where does it end and tell us about what that journey is like.

01:04.34
John Nilson
You know it is a fascinating trip from the standpoint that it is the road traveled west that was used boy that. That route actually goes back to um wagon trail days right? That was the route west um, route 66 has been replaced by a few interstate highways most notably interstate 40 rungs East West through Texas Arizona New Mexico and into California and the best way to travel is staying off the interstate highway and you see sites like when you get into windslow Arizona as an example. Everybody knows of winsol Arizona from the Eagles song and it is a very vibrant community located on route 66 with a lot of touristy things to see there and they do play off that Eagle song. Very extensively. Um.

02:19.91
kelly99
So they have standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona and and they've got shops and knickknacks for sale and winslow related to the old eagle song.

02:30.35
John Nilson
Absolutely do and there's a sign that denotes the standing on a corner. You can have a photo up with there is a flatbed ford on the corner for a photo op opportunity. So i. Had my wife standing there as you're singing. It's a girl by a lord on a flatbed 4 and um, you know there's there's a lot of restored ah attractions along that route in various states. Um, this past weekend I was in Springfield Illinois which is denoted as the the beginning of route 66 um, there are things like restored gas stations for photo opportunities. And not operational, but they're all restored as they were in the 20 s and 30 s.

03:24.95
kelly99
And you said that so Springfield Illinois was back in the wagon train days was that considered maybe the place where population kind of ended at that point and then you were going to make. You know it was considered west all the way from Springfield all the way till you got to the California Coast is that how how that was in the eighteen hundreds or early nineteen hundreds

03:46.23
John Nilson
Yeah that's my understanding. You know there are there are segments in Springfield that I've discovered this past weekend. The road moved a few different occasions so there are. Segments of root 66 that are denoted from say 1923 to 1937. There was another area that was from 1937 through 1944 and then there was a segment of road denoted from say 1944 to 1977 which is I believe when the interstate was completed and the road was decommissioned as such and is.

04:30.26
kelly99
And and so as you're going along you. You talked about Arizona what else stands out in your mind from taking that drive and you know is it every state has its own you know piece of route 66 that they memorialize or are there highlights that.

04:35.51
John Nilson
Yeah.

04:47.20
kelly99
You know anybody who goes down is going to say okay here are the 3 or 4 spots that clearly are are you know milestone spots that everybody should see on route 66

04:58.62
John Nilson
Yeah, you know they some of the communities do a real good job of um of ah highlighting those those points of interest and a lot of road signs will will. Will direct you out to historic route 66 there are some parts of the road that are not accessible or or really recommended travel because the roads are pretty deteriorated and then there's other areas where they've been maintained. Well I imagine local communities are responsible for the main. Up there which allows him to be traveled right? Um, kind of think in the community we stayed in and they will draw a blank right now I think it might have been Gilbert I have to look it up but we spent a night in the. Wigwam motel and if you've heard of the wigwam motel each motel room is a concrete tepee with your sleeping quarters bathroom little lounge area.

05:58.19
kelly99
Um, ah.

06:06.41
John Nilson
And I believe there was 14 tepe at that motowel it was in Arizona it was just before wind slow. Um.

06:10.47
kelly99
In what state was that in John. Okay.

06:23.40
John Nilson
Yeah I would have to have to take a look at a map to remember where that was but it was a nicely restored motel. It's it's one of 2 that still exist I believe they say there was 12 of them at 1 time.

06:41.11
kelly99
Ok, and you partially answered my holdbrook. Okay and you partially answered my question on this one but it sounds like the interstate has not been kept up that there's not federal funds in place.

06:42.98
John Nilson
Along route 66 and that was in Holbrook Arizona.

07:00.39
kelly99
Is a historic landmark from Springfield all the way to the California coast to make sure the the highway is in great shape for people to drive is is that true.

07:09.66
John Nilson
Yeah, some of it has been maintained others if you are running down interstate Forty. You're running parallel with route 66 and you can see where the road has deteriorated to the point where no travel recommended. And there are areas where the road is accessible and less than desirable is about the way I would describe it my goodness It was a very pothole bumpy ride for those 20 some miles we brought in and what you just every mile.

07:42.39
kelly99
In were you driving your old class a car does that thing have air conditioning.

07:48.79
John Nilson
Yes, you know it did so being in the desert it was a welcome addition to that old car.

07:58.62
kelly99
What what kind of gas mileage does that think it.

08:02.58
John Nilson
That car will get 20 plus miles per gallon. It is. It is a muscle car with a muscle engine but an overdrive transmission that allows me to get that.

08:08.77
kelly99
Um, it's a and it's a V Eight isn't it.

08:21.15
John Nilson
Decent gas mileage.

08:21.33
kelly99
Well, that's got to be handy because in the olden days you I remember stories of people walking for gas because the gas stations were so infrequently placed along that route. How is that today is it more manageable.

08:34.64
John Nilson
No, that is still lots of truth. There's a lot of miles between towns and guest stops and.

08:43.61
kelly99
Well I guess people driving a Hummer may want to not take that route then.

08:50.63
John Nilson
Um, that is true or is certainly need to be cognizant of your gas mileage and distance to the next town.

09:01.91
kelly99
Sure what in word. Oh.

09:05.26
John Nilson
And speaking from experience on our trip. Not that I was affected by it but 1 of the people I traveled with had a breakdown triple a does come to your rescue in time. It's a long way.

09:18.12
kelly99
Is that a paid advertisement that sounds like a paid advertisement are you at are you selling triple a insurance these days.

09:27.16
John Nilson
Ah, no I'm not but as ah as a person that travels extensively by car. It is a good thing to have in your back pocket and.

09:36.47
kelly99
Good to know and well noted hey where where're where're in California does it does it end.

09:45.55
John Nilson
You know, officially the Santa Mon appear it's a little um way to get there but you do end up the Santa Monica appear

09:48.86
kelly99
So in Los Angeles yeah I consider that Los Angeles is in that kind of right around Los Angeles yeah and then what do you do you? you get to the pier you go walk out and you.

09:58.54
John Nilson
Yeah Southern Southern L a.

10:08.13
kelly99
Buy some food and and hang out and then you drive into L A and sleep for the night and then head back east.

10:11.40
John Nilson
Yeah, and and we yeah we had a day on day on the pier at Santa Mon Pier and there is a photo op there with a real big sign that declares it to be the end of route 66 um, you ever been to the Santa Mon Pi there's a lot to do a lot of neat restaurants. Great seafood and then we continued our journey up the pacific coast highway until we were able to turn east to head back home by way of. Utah and the banval salt flats and.

10:50.13
kelly99
It sounds like a lot more interesting route for someone like me who likes the mountains and likes hiking and seeing the wildlife that's in the mountains and um.

10:56.76
John Nilson
Oh yeah, you know if you've never been out there one certainly a site to see would be and Oakman Arizona which is I believe that was the tallest point in Arizona along route 66 it is a old mining town. Still fairly vibrant, definitely aged in appearance and it is most noted for all the wild boro that run around town.

11:28.30
kelly99
Did you run around and try to jump on one and and tame it.

11:34.45
John Nilson
I'm not sure that'd be possible I don't know how close you could get to trying to mount one but they do come up looking for food and if you provide an Apple for them. They're your friend for the day they do not leave you alone will. Follow you like a little puppy dog. Ah.

11:50.26
kelly99
Um, it well if you go and have and ah a few whiskeys at the at the local bar I'm guessing you you can jump on one and see if you can break 1

12:03.28
John Nilson
Um, I would leave that to an experienced horseman person for shooter.

12:06.96
kelly99
Um, yes, so hey we should talk just quick I T recruiting We won't talk too much about it. But you've been doing it recruiting for a long time. How many years you've been doing it recruiting.

12:21.11
John Nilson
You're gonna date me Kelly I've been doing this for over 30 years yeah

12:25.35
kelly99
Well I'm going to date us. Ah so you you know what do you?? What do you see these days. Um, you know nowadays we we hear a lot of of our people talking about remote Work. You know theyre talking about the quality of the work. What. What are the hot buttons to that make up a good assignment for for candidates these days.

12:49.77
John Nilson
You know that's a great question I would say the hot buttons today are the ability to work with the latest technology and everybody seems to want some type of purpose. And the job they're doing so with our organization logisol we have a number of opportunities that can fulfill a person's desire for doing good. We have a lot of work in the healthcare space where. We are building apps for our clients to better an individual's healthcare or their health outcome if you will whether that app is monitoring an individual's vitals. Or perhaps reminding them to take a medication or perhaps being involved in a clinical trial for a new medical device and.

14:00.48
kelly99
How Ah how important is is pay I mean pays always at the top of most lists is do you find that pays still number one and then right after that is fulfillment or does it depend on the person in your you know in your experience.

14:15.24
John Nilson
Well I think it depends on the person most certainly, um, everybody would like to see an increase in their pay rate every client would like to see rates Decline. For budget reasons. So It is a balancing act that we as recruiters need to recognize and work within constraints that the client has explain these scenarios to our consultants and to our candidates and. Meet in the middle. Yes, what.

14:49.97
kelly99
Yeah, what? what has changed in your 30 years what is what what has changed in what has remain the same when ah when it comes to recruiting.

15:03.56
John Nilson
Um, and what's really changed. Great question. What's changed the approach in this whole business has changed when I got started to miss line of work many years ago we did not have computers laptops or databases. We had essentially a shoebox with index cards and that's how we talk of our candidates you wrote down department information on the individual with the contact information they were categorized by a discipline. And that is what you had for a database. So the electronic revolution if you will has made our job much easier with respect to tracking maintaining contact maintaining database of individuals and growing your. Number of contacts but what remain the same is the need to reach out and establish a relationship because that's what this business is all about is relationships I work with people I talk with people today.

16:04.13
kelly99
How do you go about? yeah.

16:10.00
John Nilson
That we're workers doer type individuals that are decision makers today. How all those are.

16:17.30
kelly99
How much how much how do you? How do you? How do you create those relationships in a world that moves so fast and it is a lot of digital connection points.

16:31.98
John Nilson
An honest conversation Really I will talk to an individual about an opportunity and I will also ask the individual what they're looking for in their next opportunity because I don't want to present a role that may not be of interest. And other words if I am talking to an individual that is looking for a role that allows them to expand upon some new Technologies they've touched on I will try to present opportunities accordingly rather than trying to convince them that they need to go work. And this assignment that perhaps has older technology that they may not be interested in working with because that will turn the individual off and perhaps not take my call again because he may have felt I wasn't listening.

17:27.20
kelly99
Sure what's what's the are people mean to you when when you call or are they generally pretty affable. Are they do you run into some people that are just flat out mean and they tell you to stop calling them and there's too many recruiters in the world.

17:29.29
John Nilson
Should.

17:42.76
John Nilson
You know there is a segment of the day that goes that way right? Not everybody's receptive to a call from a recruiter I had one recently where I had found the individual's resume outline and I. Get a conversation with them. It was brief. He told me it was no longer looking Thanks for to call I tried to ask a couple of follow on questions in a non-threatening or demanding way if you will and the fellow stayed on the line with me for about another minute and a half to answer my questions Just essentially. Where'd you go? What are you going to do who do you know, looking for a referral. So little benefit.

18:27.52
kelly99
So that so that that person was a good example of of trying to help really right? It sounds like he wasn't being mean or um, you it sounds more helpful than anything is that right.

18:38.40
John Nilson
He was willing to be helpful from the standpoint of I Not in other words, my conversation with them turned from hey I'm looking for an individual that can do to. Well congratulations on your new opportunity. Best wishes for continued successes where did you end up landing you know I've got an opportunity I described to you. Do you know anybody that can do that job.

19:09.31
kelly99
Sure so still. Yeah.

19:11.89
John Nilson
Ahll ask for the referral. Not everybody is willing to provide a referral but you don't know if you don't ask, but.

19:18.33
kelly99
Yeah, and that's a good opportunity for them to maybe help a friend or or a colleague so that that all makes sense. Well John Nelson

19:26.90
John Nilson
Um, yes.

19:29.72
kelly99
Thanks so much for your time I have a great Friday and weekend everybody you are listening to the Kelly Winland Podcast

19:38.75
John Nilson
Um, have a wonderful day. Kelly thanks for the opportunity. Um.

19:40.78
kelly99
Thanks. John awesome John thanks for your time appreciate it. Sir.