Fresh Perspectives
Vice President, Experience
Jennifer's focus is on orchestrating the experience of the Cheskin brand. In her role as VP Experience, she focuses on aligning the internal and external Cheskin brand by shaping the human resource and marketing functions of the company. Uniting strategy, communication, and vision, she seeks to ensure a unique experience of Cheskin at all touchpoints -- for employees, clients, candidates, and associates.
15 March 2006
Sitting in today's new employee orientation, I explained what people need to know when it comes to the Cheskin Employee Experience. At the end, the org chart slipped out and I realized I'd forgotten to cover it. Because, after all, it means little to me.
There is an expectation of hierarchy, particularly when employees join a company. A navigation tool, a reminder of who's who, a guide for who to lobby -- whatever it might be, it feels irrelevant. As head of HR, I probably shouldn't be disdainful of tiles and roles. Yet, I'm in good company (and in a good company) when it comes to this perspective. Cheskin has never been a hierarchical place that relies on the strength of a strong baton.
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Posted in
Innovation & Design
by Jennifer Gray
18 December 2005
You'd think marketing candidates would be smart enough not to submit a resume when they are looking for a job. Why hasn't this lame method of job hunting fallen by the wayside? Nobody writes a resume that says what they do. Nobody enjoys reading a resume.
Hat's off to two recent candidates - Elena and George. A few days ago I talked with Elena about a job. As I do with all candidates, I asked for her 'story' - to walk me through her life starting at any point she chose and to fill me in on the 'why' behind the 'what'. I never fail to get a great sense of people this way. Well, smartly, Elena told her friend George about our open positions. George of course sent a resume. But he also sent what he called a 'walk-through'. It was the story of George. Why he took the jobs he did, what appealed to him and why, what got him moving from one place to another. Success. That's a smart 'candidate'. I called him. I hope we're working together soon.
We've got some good opportunities:
send your story to jgray@cheskin.com
Posted in
by Jennifer Gray
9 December 2005
As detailed in the new book due out by Steve Diller, Darrel Rhea and Nathan Shedroff, the power of meaning is logical and provacative. I'm sometimes ambivalent about the shape it will take when companies tap into personal meaning of their customers, but I know it can't be ignored. Witness this -
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by Jennifer Gray
22 November 2005
Denise Klarquist woke up one day last week and started her 11th year at Cheskin. How does a company recognize somebody who has solidly contributed for 10 years?
It is tempting to get creative in describing Denise and the contribution she makes to Cheskin. Diving deep into adjective-land to chronicle her contributions doesn't do her justice. Denise is all about the verb. She gets things done -- a rare talent in today's process-centric world of employment. We have asked her to take on roles and responsibilities that stretch her in numerous ways and she consistently exceeds the mark. Simply put, we thank Denise for the time she's devoted to Cheskin. We're better because she's so good.
Posted in
by Jennifer Gray, 1 comments
17 November 2005
Thanksgiving nears. My gratitude list includes plenty of entries about life at Cheskin and how fortunate we are. Everything we set out to do 11 months ago is taking shape and coming to fruition -- larger projects, more complex, broader in scope, strategic in nature, and focusing on innovation. Our intentions around recruiting have also paid off: raise the bar and hire thoughtully and carefully.
As we assess our opportunities for the new year, we've created several openings for new Cheskinites. Read on...
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by Jennifer Gray
19 September 2005
Criticism. I think it's a delicious form of feedback.
I'll admit it's an aquired taste and like avocados or sushi or chocolate, there are times when I'm in the mood for it and times when I'm not. I receive one bit of criticism over and over again. Yes, I'm good. Yes, I add value. But there's this one little thing standing in the way of greatness.
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Etcetera
by Jennifer Gray
1 September 2005
I haven’t been able to get my arms around the level of disaster caused by Hurricane Katrina. I scoffed at news reports of a Category 5 hurricane and the urgency to evacuate. How many of these ‘supposed’ disasters do we hear about, only to find out it wasn’t as bad as anticipated? I thought the news programs were just trying to rile us up during the slow month of August. Normally I get a little adrenaline rush from an impending disaster and find myself watching more news than usual. Not this time. I was gonna rise above it and not get pulled in by the dire predictions. Even after the storm hit, I knowingly nodded as I heard the storm was downgraded to a Category 3.
Watching TV, I still didn’t quite ‘get’ the magnitude. I watched looters and got irritated. I figured it was like Loma Prieta and surely they were just showing us the small ‘pockets’ of town that were damaged. I’m not sure what it was, but the disaster just didn’t register for me. This morning, I picked up the Chronicle and read.
“Chaos gripped New Orleans on Wednesday….and officials said there was no choice but to abandon the city devastated by Hurricane Katrina, perhaps for months.”
I’m not sure why that hit me the way it did. Abandon the city? New Orleans? The town where I saw my good friend Anne get married; the place where I was fortunate to spend a blurry weekend with Chris fueled by Hurricanes and great music before he died suddenly two weeks later; the place where I feuded with my sister and didn’t speak for months after; the place where I’ve heard great music simply by wandering through a dark doorway? New Orleans. Abandoned? For months?
It’s finally hit me. I watched the news with a different understanding and read the paper with a new curiosity. These people need our help. I donated through MercyCorps. Please think about the people throughout the four states whose lives have been turned upside down. If you can help, please do so. Select a charity that works for you and do what you can. There are an infinite number of possibilities listed on the internet.
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Etcetera
by Jennifer Gray
6 June 2005
Having an extended group of friends and associates is a gift. Yeah, a gift that catapults me more often than not into dizzying confusion and scheduling. Count your groups. Here's a glimpse of mine: Family (Close, Extended); Friends (high school, college, work friends, BCI Alumnae, EDAW Alumnae); Candidates (current, prospective, past); Church; Sasha's basketball team; Sasha's soccer team; School moms; Hiking Partners; That's just a start.
Add a spouse and a couple more kids and the groups quickly get out of control. Airset to the rescue.
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by Jennifer Gray
18 March 2005
Congressional hearings over baseball and steroid use: it's like watching gardeners mow weeds. It'll look good for awhile, but we all know the weeds will be back.
Congress is saying, "this has got to stop. Young men are harming themselves because they want to be like you." Well, when I see a congressional hearing to make actresses and super models fess up to bulimia and anorexia while serving as role models to girls who refuse to eat, throw up, and yes, die to look a certain way, I'll trust that motivation.
C'mon people. Economics got us here. Marketing got us here. Communication got us here. Meaning got us here. Never once have I gone to a baseball game because Congress told me to. A congressman is not going to shape my thoughts and actions. Economics will. Marketing will. Communication will. Meaning will.
Unlike the gardener looking for a quick fix, why not encourage each other to reach for the right tools for the real problems?
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by Jennifer Gray
14 March 2005
Every Monday we meet to review the prior week's new projects and figure out what new projects are coming in the door. We also laud someone with the "Best Written Proposal of the Week", and a new learning is shared from each group.
It was a small group today so I opened our "Out of Office" calendar. Here's where Cheskinites are today:
Moscow, India, China, Chicago, Milan, Los Angeles, New Jersey, the 'East Bay',
Washington D.C., San Antonio, Baltimore, Bangalore, Frankfurt
Bear in mind -- we're not flying into corners near and far and sitting in a meeting or attending a conference of our peers. We're hitting the streets, invited into the homes and businesses of people all over the world, watching and learning. Now that's perspective.
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Etcetera
by Jennifer Gray
3 March 2005
Driving to work I saw a bumper sticker on a nice Murano in front of me:
Bose is the 'White Zin' of sound systems. Music deserves better.
It bummed me out. I see "Bush sucks" and I have no problem with that, but here's a pot shot at a brand and I wonder why. What's his deal? Just hates Bose? A music afficionado who needs to undrop a name even when he's driving? Owns a competing brand?
He may just want a few more highs and lows in his music. Me, I'll take a few less lows in messaging.
Posted in
by Jennifer Gray
28 January 2005
I like the new Kraft mayo jar. Best Foods happens to be my brand of choice, but that new Kraft mayo container is smart. Fits in the refrigerator better, easier to get in/out of, keeps the knife clean.
Packaging is boring until it's fun or smart. Kudos to Kraft for doing something new and smart that falls into the 'why not before', 'why isn't everybody else doing this' category.
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by Jennifer Gray
28 December 2004
We have a new ceo at Cheskin. In some companies, this is referred to as a shifting of power, or the changing of the guard or some other militaristic term. I see it as a subtle change of influence. As Christopher Ireland moves into her new role leading research and development, Darrel Rhea is subtly shifting the voice and flavor of Cheskin.
At a recent meeting, Darrel laid out a new vision. Clear, not dazzling. Motivating. In the midst of some very pragmatic, bottom-line oriented goals was a subtle change that took me by surprise and had me listening a little more intently.
Meaning.
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Posted in
by Jennifer Gray
10 December 2004
I do a series of WORK HERE blogs that profile open jobs at Cheskin. More and more, people call and say 'how do you find your people'? There are a few of us who exchange resumes and refer people to each other. After all, the goal is to get the best people in the right jobs. This week, Linda Hoffman of Hornall Anderson called. They're looking for a brand strategist with 5-7 years experience to work on a couple of key accounts.
Friends help friends. If you're looking for a brand strategy job or know somebody who is, you may want to visit their website or drop Linda a note (l.hoffman@hadw.com).
Tell her Cheskin sent you :)
Posted in
by Jennifer Gray
2 December 2004
In my twenties I had one of those posters up on my wall -- you know, the ones that list how to achieve some level of happiness, satisfaction or success. One day my roommate screamed to me to take it down cuz it created too much pressure.
Geez.
Never looked at those things quite the same way. I read a new list after reading an article in HOW magazine on how to jumpstart creativity. Zingzone. Sam Harrison has put together a long (maybe too long) list of tenets to encourage creativity. Even with the long-ago reaction swirling in my memory, I found this list fun and fruitful. Read it and see if you can achieve a little entelechy...just don't hang it on your wall :).
Posted in
by Jennifer Gray
2 December 2004
I remember sitting at Candlestick after the Loma Prieta earthquake. A guy walked by and I asked, 'hey aren't you the guy from the Mens' Wearhouse?', to which he replied, 'I guarantee it.'
That was the retail chain's tag line back then (maybe it still is). It was kind of funny and then I went back to wondering how much of the Bay Area was still standing.
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by Jennifer Gray
5 November 2004
Back in the lazy days of summer, Jenny Daley blogged about her unfortunate experience of the Salami Give-away at a Giants baseball game.
Jenny LOVES salami. So, when she found out Columbus Salame Company was giving away salami, she swooned. I won't repeat the blog, but things didn't go as planned, and Jenny went from salami friend to salami foe in the blink of an eye, AND she blogged about it.
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by Jennifer Gray
21 October 2004
Red is my favorite color. I just adopted a twelve year old boy. We've been trading all sorts of factoids about what we like and what we don't. Alex is from Russia and speaks little English, so we're using gestures, expressions and limited vocabulary. On the plane ride home, we found each of us considers red our favorite color.
Instant relaxation. Instant communication. A growing bond. We both like red. Things would be okay.
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by Jennifer Gray
19 October 2004
I don't know what happened. I was feeling creative a moment ago. But in one little instant, it left me. Quirky little ways of looking at things evaporated and I was left with a few simple and straightforward thoughts. Experience tells me to be patient. The energy I'm seeking will return.
But for now, I'm reaching out in a simple and straightforward way to creative thinkers who want to join the Cheskin team. Here's who we're looking for:
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Etcetera
by Jennifer Gray
2 August 2004
Nothing works for everybody. I know that. Which is why I'm so grateful to have a job that works for me. Read that sentence again. It's vitally important.
I love to work but I'm not always great at it. Sometimes work becomes this giant mirror for all the things I'm not good at. I can't seem to swing getting in at the same time each day. I have a hard time when everybody doesn't wildly embrace my exceptional ideas :). The list could go on, but I'll exercise restraint.
But you know what? Cheskin is a company that understands how to match people to the work they do best. I can pretty confidently say I'm good at a whole bunch of stuff. I can quickly assimilate information and formulate direction on the fly. I can conceptualize new visions and implement a plan to get there. I'm fair. The list could go on, but I'll exercise humility :).
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Etcetera
by Jennifer Gray
13 July 2004
Some companies get it right -- not just the product, but the experience they provide. I spent Sunday in the emergency room with my dad. He has an automatic defibrillator implanted in his heart and the unit kept firing in an attempt to regulate his heartbeat.
In the emergency room for about eight hours, he was surrounded by nurses, doctors and technicians. You'd think all those people would provide a measure of comfort and reassurance. But it wasn't until (in my dad's words), the 'gal from Medtronics' showed up that he visibly relaxed and we knew he was finally in good hands. Over ten years ago, Dad received his first Medtronic defibrillator, which saved his life.
We've come to regard Medtronic as a true health partner. They aren't a brand to us. They're a group of people with leading edge technology who provide the best health care experience one can hope for. They do a ton of patient research, in which our family has participated. Seeing their medical devices in action is a thing of wonder.
These guys know what they're doing -- innovative product development and a thorough and personal understanding of who they help. They never refer to us as a 'customer'. Medtronic employees exude technical competence and patient empathy. It's no surprise the stock is strong and they're rated a top company to work for in the U.S. Strong research, excellent product design, continual innovation, and training their team to provide a holistic partner experience - it shows up everywhere you look.
Posted in
Innovation & Design
by Jennifer Gray
8 July 2004
The feeling of stress is palpable at Cheskin. July means performance reviews. Need I say more? We're all busy looking back to see what we've accomplished and figuring out how to get better going forward. Wears me out.
Cheskin is at the top of our game. We're selling more than ever. We have such good people they make the place sing. But during reviews, we inevitably self-assess using the harshest and most stringent criteria. Unless we get ranked #1, we feel inadequate and think we're failing.
Last Sunday I watched Wimbledon. The mens' final came down to #1 and #2 in the world. The first set was a beautiful thing for Andy Roddick. Then came the rain. Then came Roger Federer. Four sets and Roger Federer was the 2004 Wimbledon champion. Just like that. Andy Roddick became a 'loser'.
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Etcetera
by Jennifer Gray
5 July 2004
I talked with someone today about who we are and what we do. After the call, I received an email that simply said:
"Thank you for giving me a call today and telling me more about your company. I have begun to take a closer look at your website, and I must say that I am rather excited by what your firm is up to. There is something alive, real, conscious, intelligent and sensitive going on; I can feel the heartbeat.
Felt good. Everyone should receive such reinforcement. I thought I'd share ours.
Posted in
Positioning & Branding
by Jennifer Gray
15 June 2004
I read a great article today in Smithsonian magazine about StoryCorps, a national project modeled after a WPA project in the 30s. StoryCorps has set up a soundproof recording booth in Grand Central Station to inspire people to record each other's stories in sound. What a great, great idea.
I love the idea because it totally fits my approach to hiring. What do I look for when hiring people at Cheskin? Two things:
- the talent to listen wisely and inspire people to tell their story
- the knack of telling a compelling story -- using words, pictures, numbers
This is our foundation. You may be a branding expert, a strategic marketer or a design strategist (all stuff we look for), but without the storytelling and story-listening talent, these other skills are diluted and commonplace.
So, what kind of story tellers are we looking for right now? Visit our jobs page and see a full listing. Better yet, if story-telling is a talent and you're a strategic thinker with qualitative or quantitative research background, tell me your story.
Email me: jgray@cheskin.com. Call me: 415.348.0780x202.
Posted in
Positioning & Branding
by Jennifer Gray
24 May 2004
One doesn't expect to get marketing advice at church. Right? I'm going through some sort of spiritual renaissance. Maybe it was Easter or yet another birthday or something different altogether, but I started going to mass recently. Okay, it's Newman Hall in Berkeley. For those familiar with the Paulists, at least it's intellectually interesting even if you question the wisdom of my newfound curiosity...
Anyway, back to marketing.
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Posted in
Positioning & Branding
by Jennifer Gray
6 May 2004
Wow - thanks for the response to my earlier blog. Brian McMahon, who's become a close Cheskin friend over the past few years, referred Michelle Vasquez our way. Michelle starts June 1st. In the spirit of finding good people for great jobs, here's a cool new job to consider.
Read more to find out about the job...
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by Jennifer Gray
26 April 2004
If you've been reading Cheskin blogs, you're getting a sense of who we are and why we're here. Every so often I'll profile a job opening at Cheskin. We're always on the prowl for good people, but sometimes an opportunity pops up that deserves more audience than a job board can reach.
If a job piques your interest, I'd love to hear from you. If somebody pops into your mind as you read, send them my blog or send them my way.
This week........
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by Jennifer Gray
21 April 2004
Reading through LiAnne Yu's recent blog got me thinking about Betty Crocker. In seventh grade, I came across a deal -- by collecting and sending in Betty Crocker coupons, somebody could get a much needed kidney dialysis machine. I don't remember the details, but man, I was converted. I started a campaign and the Betty Crocker coupons flooded in.
My mom was a Duncan Hines gal, but that didn't matter. We became a Betty Crocker family. Scalloped potatoes (back then they only had one kind...), cake mix and anything else that we didn't use or need, I convinced my mom to buy. Somebody was gettin' a kidney dialysis machine and that's all I needed to know.
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Positioning & Branding
by Jennifer Gray
12 March 2004
Friday Beer Carts. So yesterday. Or are they? Oddball perks have come and gone at Cheskin, but Friday beercarts prevail. A few less carbs, but other than that, very little has changed.
I just spent a good chunk of time with colleages in our SF office -- we lowered the Aeron chairs (a little more 'lawn-chair' like), and enjoyed good conversation fueled ever so slightly by a decent bottle of wine.
Topics after the requisite 'what are you working on?' included reality tv --- Extreme Makeover, the Apprentice and Pimp My Ride; the new eGO Cycle 2; why Oakland is an untapped jewel of the Bay Area (that fueled a little debate); how Stephanie's husband proposed and the themes emerging in their relationship; retro baby cribs; what the week felt like for our newest hire, Chip; and a comparison of Bay Area mayors.
It's a great day. We worked hard this week. It felt good to take time, connect on a different level and ease our way out of the workweek and into the weekend. Not bad. Not bad at all.
Posted in
by Jennifer Gray
20 February 2004
People assume hiring is a slam dunk in this economy. When you pursue people who have "it", the economy doesn't matter. Good people demand a lot of prospective employers. The best know as much as they can about us before they send a resume. They have an artfully crafted approach to finding out exactly what we are looking for and if Cheskin will work for them.
Call them stars, high achievers, top performers-- I prefer to call them Maria Flores Letelier, Carlos Ordonez, LiAnne Yu, Terri Ducay, Ingrid Riley and Jenny Daley. Each kept us on our toes. We had to prove how they'd do their best work, if our culture is how we describe it, and whether or not clients will present challenges they're ready for.
It worked. We have two senior marketing strategists who know the Hispanic market inside and out, a bi-lingual ethnographer, a seasoned creative director, an ad agency refugee with a passion for kids and trends, and a newly minted MBA. More importantly, we have an engaging storyteller, a Brazilian-restaurant owner, a fly-fisherwoman, a talented photographer, a subject of a Diane Sawyer news special and an active Taproot volunteer.
Let's just say that the cocktail hour 'round here has been really interesting...
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Etcetera
by Jennifer Gray
16 February 2004
We recently shook things up at Cheskin. In keeping with our mantra of Fresh Perspectives, our CEO, Christopher Ireland, approached a few of us with novel ideas about our roles at Cheskin. Take, for example, redirecting the Marketing VP away from marketing and toward account management and knowledge management. On the flip side, consider the HR Director being asked to assume responsibility for marketing as well as human resources, under the umbrella of "Experience".
I had the good fortune of being that HR Director and never once questioned Christopher's vision. For me, it was a dream come true. A chance to put my beliefs into practice about the need for marketing and HR to be intertwined. In a nicely synchronistic moment, I came across Steve Yastrow's book on Brand Harmony.
There it was, in black and white, exactly what we're doing at Cheskin--ensuring a consistent and fresh experience of the Cheskin brand at each touch point, from clients to candidates to employees. As Yastrow puts it, "If your employees don't understand and believe in your brand, there will not be a chance that your customers will be able to understand it."
We agree. I've been at this combined role for about two months now. If first impressions are as strong as believed, we're on to something...
Posted in
by Jennifer Gray
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