I wasn't looking for a "Job" like this, but when my sister saw the Times online article dicussing the recruitment for the Director of the Movement For Happiness I was intrigued.
On reading it, I was even more intrigued. Then I read some more, about the goals of theMovement for Happiness and the people who are setting it up (Lord Layard, Geoff Mulgan & Anthony Seldon) and I got excited, very excited!
This job could have been written for me as the ideal of everything that I aim to do in my career, in my life. Not only that, but it is a perfect match in terms of my experience & skillset, it feels like everything I have done over the years has brought me to be in the perfect position to step into being the Director of Happiness.
Over the last few years I have concentrated on working with business owners who have in mind a goal that is not just about generating profit- it's about improving the quality of life of people throughout the world. Before that, when I worked as an HR Manager, it was always my goal to improve employees well being within the working environment- My philosophy is that happy employees = productive employees.
I was so inspired I decided to do a short Video application, to make sure that I secured the interview.
Do let me know your reactions to it, and to the Movement for Happiness, I love receiving feedback!
And here it is...
Write a comment
Claire Raikes (Thursday, 22 April 2010 05:00)
Well... you get my vote of confidence Claire! Brilliant initiative - both yours in doing this vid - and theirs in creating the Movement for Happiness. I think we can safely say you've secured an interview - and your passion and vision shine through - so I am watching this space with interest and everything crossed for you :)
Go girl!
Warmest
Claire
PS. Have joined the Movement too!
Karen Knott (Thursday, 22 April 2010 05:55)
Give this woman the job!
tony de lacy (Wednesday, 19 May 2010 12:33)
Brill, they have got to see you otherwise you can set up your own happiness organisation.
Marc Sokol (Monday, 01 November 2010 13:02)
I LOVE the out takes! Changing the world, one business at time or one person at a time, is serious business, but not so serious that we can't have a laugh at the same time!
Your post reminds me of a few additional ways of digging into happiness in the workplace (whatever that workplace happens to be):
1. One of my best jobs, by 'happiness quotient" was were I had a boss who demonstrated as often as he could that he deeply believed in each of his staff and gave us the leeway to use our talents; where I also had a group of colleagues who thrived in diversity among the team and interactive discovery, so we were always learning together; where I felt part of a business with a mission to improve the world in some manner. My wife used to say there was something wrong with anyone who goes to work each day happy and seems to come home each day even happier! It was a good gig for quite a few years.
2. One of the best questions to ask high achieving, aspirational executives or wanna-be executives is this: Where have you been happiest at work over the course of your career? How do you recreate that set of dynamics for yourself and for others as you move into new settings and organizations?
One last memory your post triggered.... some years ago a Champagne producing vineyard in California posted a job for a director of marketing, but they didn't call it that; the posting was for a Director of Romance. Now there's a company that understands its value proposition in the marketplace!
Thanks for the great post, Claire!