Be proud of what you do....

You’ve read here often that I tell people the best job for them is the one they have and that their challenge is to make it the one they want. Sometimes they’re able to do that and other times not: in either case you have to find the thing you love to do and are proud of. Having recruited so many people, I was always optimistic that it would work out well for everyone: but there were times it didn’t and some moved on. As disruptive as that turnover was, it was good they found companies and positions that were better for them. It’s really never too late to be what you really want to be: if you’re not, find the strength to start over. There’s nothing more important than living the life you’re proud of today.

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (1896 –1940): American novelist and short story writer, whose works illustrate the Jazz Age

Love what you do....

The Las Vegas Chapter of the Cornell Hotel Society held its annual Holiday Dinner last night. Years ago when I arrived in Las Vegas I went to that year’s dinner: I think there were less than 10 people there, none of them in the hospitality industry.  So when I started doing college recruiting in preparation for the opening of The Mirage, I visited Cornell’s Hotel School and was fortunate to get 10 of their top students to join our company. During that first recruiting effort I had to convince those students, their parents and the School’s administration into giving gaming and Las Vegas a chance: I promised them they would love it. That was 29 years ago: since then so many other Cornell graduates have found careers they love in Las Vegas that its become one of the Society’s most vibrant chapters.  As I looked around the room last night I was gratified to see that so many had found and done what they loved here.

Bradbury (1920 – 2012): American author and screenwriter most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream

Work hard: sleep tight....

Most of us work to support ourselves and our families, pay the bills, and put away for later: work hard and you might end up with more authority and responsibility.  That’s what I did at Wynn, and over time the rewards of money and authority came: I loved what I did and put everything I had into my job.  Weekends, nights, vacations: I worked all of them and more. Was I happy: sure; did I have high blood pressure and sleepless nights: you bet. But I know now that you can be passionate about your work and your life at the same time.  You can set parameters, turn off the cell phone, leave the laptop alone and still be successful.  Know how you want to live your life and let your boss and colleagues know how and when you work and live.  I know it’s easier said than done, but it’s worth a try. Then clear your conscience and get a good night’s sleep.  

  

Marian Wright Edelman (b. 1939): American activist for the rights of children t and founder of the Children's Defense Fund

Help others adapt....

I recruited and worked with lots of wonderful and talented people during my years at Wynn. A large part of my job was welcoming them to the company, orienting them to our policies and procedures, and helping them transition to what for them was a new corporate culture. Nearly everyone changes jobs at some point in their careers: that’s a time to be open to the opportunities those changes create.  It’s also a time for those who welcome them to help make the most of those same opportunities.  People have high hopes that these kinds of changes will work out for the best: when change happens commit to something greater than yourself and your own ego and work hard to make it a success.   That’s when hard work can and should become a labor of love.

Steve Pavlina (b. 1971): American self-help author, motivational speaker and entrepreneur

You gotta love what you do....

If you love what you do, keep doing it. I loved opening Wynn’s hotels and figuring out how to keep improving our high volume hiring process. The HR team at Wynn Las Vegas screened nearly 125,000 applicants and passed half of those on to department hiring managers for consideration. We scheduled second interviews every half hour, developed behavioral questions that focused on attitude, had them input their interview results directly into computers, and gave them daily recruiting updates so they knew the status of their recruiting efforts.  Most hiring managers dislike interviewing because it’s not a core competency; our team loved it and they happily interviewed 55,000 applicants in 5 weeks.  The secret of our recruiting success was in the simplicity of the process, the clear instructions and training we provided, and the ease with which the process flowed. Make sure the processes and procedures you design for your employees are easy to understand and simple to use. They’ll love their job if you do that today.

Benjamin Disraeli (1804 – 1881): British statesman of the Conservative Party who twice served as Prime Minister of the U.K.