Drowning in Paperwork

One of those many days that I am drowning in a sea of paperwork.  The longer I do this job, the more paperwork is added on.  And so many of the forms are the same information, just in a different format.  So what ever agency that wants to track the information has it in their format...

I realize the need for accountability and tracking data.  How else can "evidence based" functions be shown to work or not work if we don't track the data to show it?  But it just gets deeper and deeper. 

How is it in your jurisdiction?  What is your paperwork load like?  Has it gotten to the point where it takes more time away from the things you need to do or would like to do with your probationers/clients?



P. O. Doe

#probation
#probationuncovered

Twitter - @PODoe2015
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/probationuncovered/
Email - probationuncovered@gmail.com

Perspective theme

A common theme with my posts is perspective.  But it is a theme of balance.

I am a firm believer that I am here to help people.  I also know that these people can be dangerous.  I try to embody the philosophy of being kind and courteous to everyone, while having a plan to kill them.  Also that public protection is paramount and it is our highest priority as probation officers.

With this in mind, plus the drain that the probationers that get the most of my time and energy are the neediest and can be a major pain n the ass.  The squeaky wheel gets the grease.  This can affect my view, my perspective, that the work being done isn't effective.  I can forget that there are a larger number of people I'm working with that are greatly benefitting from the chances given and the services provided.  While the services are there for all probationers, it has clicked for these individuals that this is there life and they don't want anything more to do with being locked up.

Some days can be more of a struggle to keep good perspective.  But keep it I will.



P. O. Doe




 #probation

 #probationuncovered

 Twitter - @PODoe2015

 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/probationuncovered/

 Email - probationuncovered@gmail.com

Get ready for that job interview!!

Just how do you prepare for that job interview?  Try this technique that could just land that big break you have been needing!!

What is the STAR Method for answering tough interview Questions?

S – Situation, background set the scene
T – Task or Target, specifics of what’s required, when, where, who
A – Action, what you did, skills used, behaviours, characteristics
R – Result – Outcome, what happened

I cannot stress how valuable learning this question answering technique will be for you.
Life changing may sound like an exaggeration, but if you don’t know it…
Yes, I feel life changing is an accurate description of what this can do for you.
The STAR method technique will enable you to answer tough work related questions (not limited to job interviews) in a subtly, compelling and powerful manner.
People like hearing stories, facts are easier to remember if wrapped in a story, stories tend not to get interrupted; basically stories are an ancient proven method of getting a message across!
Listeners will remember more of your answers, and the messages within them, yet your message will be delivered in a friendly likable style.
As far as job interviewing is concerned, your success ratio will go off the scale.

 How to build a STAR method Story

A Star story should be about 2 minutes long, and delivered with energy and enthusiasm about a real experience you have had (it does not have to be a work experience, as long as it describes a relevant skill or behaviour).
Time for an example:
Question: Have you ever lead a team before?
This is another reason why the STAR method is so powerful. The above question is a terrible closed question.
You could answer “yes” or “yes” on three separate occasions” and move quickly onto the next question.
But Leadership is an important skill, and you must not miss this chance to shine.
A lot of folks would give the easy answer here, you have a great chance to impress, and basically do all the interviewers work for them.
Lets build a STAR method story answer
(Situation) “Yes; a relevant example being at my last company, where I was initially a software developer, In a team of 6 developing a new finance module for our core accounting product.”
(Task) “The project was critical as launch dates had been set with a lot of sales and marketing investment riding on the product being ready. However the project was behind schedule, when our team leader unfortunately became ill, and had to leave.”
(Action) “I had been sports team captain at school, where I loved the challenge and responsibility of leadership. So I volunteered to stand in, and by using my technical analysis skills, spotted a few small mistakes made in the initial coding, that were causing the sporadic errors, and slowing us down. I then negotiated with our product director a small bonus incentive for the team, and budget for two pizza evenings, so we could pull a couple of late night shifts to correct the coding and catch up with the critical project landmarks.”
(Result) “Though this took us 1.5% over budget the software was delivered on time with a better than target fault tolerance. The project was seen as a great success as the additional project cost was minimal compared to the costs of delaying the launch, and the negative affect on our product branding. The team where delighted with the extra bonus and I have now been officially promoted to team leader as a result.”
You need to practice your answers out loud, to ensure it’s continuity and that you don’t go over 2 minutes.
The example above not only answers the leadership question asked, but also conveys that you have other skills and behaviours any interviewer would be interested in.
Answering tough interview questions like this will work wonders, but answering poorly worded questions will really set you apart.

 

Good luck!  Add to the luck with great preparation!!

P. O. Doe

#probation
#probationuncovered

Twitter - @PODoe2015
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/probationuncovered/
Email - probationuncovered@gmail.com

What are the issues?

I had this link forwarded to me from a friend who works there:

http://www.ebcitizen.com/2016/02/alameda-county-supervisors-to-replace.html?m=1

All I can say is wow.  It's not so much the article as it is the comments that follow.  Last time I looked there were more than 50 and they are not pretty.  Not sure how much is true, but I do subscribe to the belief that where there is smoke, there is fire...

I hope none of you work there!!  But if you do, either pm me or comment on your perspective.


P. O. Doe

#probation
#probationuncovered
Twitter - @PODoe2015
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/probationuncovered/
Email - probationuncovered@gmail.com

Life changing words of advice

People on Reddit were asked: "What is something someone said that forever changed your way of thinking?" Here are some of the best responses. 

---

1. "You know you're an adult when you can be right without proving the other person wrong."

Ocktick

2. "Next year, you'll wish you had started today."

trytryagainn

3. My mom was dying. A friend told me "you have your whole life to freak out about this-- don't do it in front of her. "

It really helped me to understand that my feelings are not always what's important. It IS possible to delay a freakout, and that skill has served me innumerable times.

DiffidentDissident

4. I was 13 years old, trying to teach my 6 year old sister how to dive into a swimming pool from the side of the pool. We were at a big, public pool, and nearby there was a woman, about 75 years old, slowly swimming laps. Finally she swam over to us just when I was really putting the pressure on, trying to get my sister to try the dive, and my sister was shouting, "but I'm afraid!! I'm so afraid!!" The old woman looked at my sister, raised her fist defiantly in the air and said, "So be afraid! And then do it anyway!"

loubird12500

5. "You are not required to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm".

maeEast

6. I was sitting in a bus once, and we came to the railroad tracks. There were some cars sitting inbetween us and the next red light, so if a train came, we'd be stuck until it had passed. That was always a couple of annoying minutes.

Then the light turned green, and the bus went across the train tracks without having to wait for a train. Pheew, crisis averted. Then, behind me, a mother said to her small child:

"That was too bad, we didn't get to see the train today."

That was the perfect way to frame that. Why not enjoy what you get?

AF79

7. "Do it to do it, not to have done it."

corneliusthedog

 

8. I'm the oldest of three kids. I'm older than my little brother by 2.5 years and my little sister by 9.5. When I was about fourteen or so, arguing with my dad in private about something I don't remember, he, being the second-oldest of eight kids, told me:

"Any decision you make in this household, you make three times. Once when you make it, once when your brother makes the same decision after watching you do it, and once when your sister makes the same decision after watching you and your brother do it. How you treat your brother will tell him how he can treat your sister; and how you treat your sister tells her how she will expect to be treated for the rest of her life, even as far as her future boyfriends."

That kinda shook me up and made me rethink my role as the oldest child; I started taking my responsibilities as the role model a lot more seriously after that.

Mutericator

9. "Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes but, when we look back everything is different..." - C.S Lewis

-DgAr-

10. "I learned to give... not because I have too much. But because I know how it feels to have nothing."

yours_duly

11. My old boss, the CEO of a small hospital, told me a story from back when he was a lab technician (for simplicity, let's call him Dan). Dan had forgotten to check some sort of mechanism on a piece of equipment he used, it malfunctioned and broke the equipment which ended up having around a $250,000 repair bill. The next day Dan's boss called him in to talk about it, and he was sure he was going to be fired. His boss asked him why he didn't do a proper check, made sure he understood what happened and sent him back to work. Dan asked him "Am I not getting fired? I was almost sure that's what this was about." His boss said "No way, I just spent $250,000 teaching you a lesson you'll never forget. Why would I fire you now?"

It seems silly, but that attitude always resonated with me. Don't make professional decisions based on emotional responses. Always know what your goal is when dealing with someone, and what exact problem you are trying to solve. Everyone makes mistakes, and yelling at them just makes them resent you and become defensive. Being calm and understanding will make people look up to you.

Toribor

12. "If you're scared of doing it because you're afraid that people will judge you, trust me they won't even remember it after a year."

Fafafee

13. "A fool thinks himself to be a wise man, a wise man knows himself to be a fool."

TheYellowKingg

14. I was having a bad day one time and being all "Why me?" when a coworker said "Why not you?". I had never thought about it before, but it was a good point. So I shut up and got over it.

SirRogers

 

15. "There's no point trying to track down your SO when they go out, or even asking them not to go, just because you're afraid of being cheated on. If they want to cheat on you, they will. They will miss a day of work, or lie about visiting their parents, or even fake a medical appointment. There's nothing you can do about that. The only thing you can do, is being a loving, caring person. This is the most effective way of obtaining someones love and trust."

hank_moo_d

16. "The person that you will spend the most time with in your life is yourself, so try to make yourself as interesting as possible. "

PM_ME_WALLPAPERS

17. "We judge others by their actions and ourselves on our intentions." Really made me think about people and I try telling myself that when the fucking idiot in front on me doesn't indicate when merging.

Rex--Banner

18. When I was 38 I contemplated beginning a two year Associates Degree in Radiography. I was talking to a friend and had almost talked myself out of doing it. I said "I'm too old to start that. I'll be 40 when I get my degree." My friend said "If you don't do it, you'll still be 40, but without the degree." I'm nearly 60 now, and that degree has been the difference between making a decent living, and struggling to get by.

luckyhenry

19. I met a person who was in a wheelchair. He related a story about how a person once asked if it was difficult to be confined to a wheelchair. He responded, "I'm not confined to my wheelchair - I am liberated by it. If it wasn't for my wheelchair, I would be bed-bound and never able to leave my room or house. "

RedheadBanshee

20. "Education is expensive, but no education is more expensive". Definitely took school more seriously after someone said that to me.

vforviolet

21. "Everyone you meet knows something you don't." My grandfather told me this, and it's been a good reminder that I am surrounded by teachers.

maelfey

P. O. Doe

 #probation
 #probationuncovered

Twitter - @PODoe2015
 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/probationuncovered/
 Email - probationuncovered@gmail.com

Probation officer recognized with award for off-duty action

Great read about positive work off duty from a San Diego County, California, Probation Officer.


http://www.countynewscenter.com/news/probation-officer-awarded-duty-bravery




P. O. Doe


 #probation
 #probationuncovered

 Twitter - @PODoe2015
 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/probationuncovered/
 Email - probationuncovered@gmail.com

What will 2016 bring you?

So that is the big question on this first working day of the year 2016.  What will the year bring you?  

I am working on finding more satisfaction.  I know that I fight with finding job satisfaction.  Some of my positions have been more satisfying than others.  More rewarding.  Some positions it is easier to see that you are making a difference.  Some are very frustrating.  That is part of the job.  You can not save everyone with a rose colored glasses outlook of what "saved" means.  I have to not necessarily adjust my expectations, but redefine what making a difference looks like.  Especially when working in the juvenile world.  Most of these kids don't have the advantages that you had, even if you grew up poor or in a broken home (or both) or any of a hundred other less than desirable conditions.  Remember that even though the squeaky wheel gets the most grease, there are many others on your case load in need.  And helping, making a difference, can be just as simple as being kind.  As listening instead of directing.  As advocating for that person. 

I will find that increased job satisfaction this year by letting myself find the good. 


What will you do?


P. O. Doe




#probation
#probationuncovered


Twitter - @PODoe2015
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/probationuncovered/
Email - probationuncovered@gmail.com