Hi all,
The 49th London Wikimeet will take place on Sunday 11th September: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/London/49
We're hoping that the finalist candidates for the position of Wikimedia UK's chief exec will be able to attend this wikimeet, although this is still to be confirmed. This will follow from the first stage of interviews on 1-2 September and the second (and final) set of interviews on 9th September. We'll be making the final decision on who to appoint to the position a few days after the wikimeet - and your views of the candidates at the wikimeet will be particularly important in making this decision.
In order to enable non-London wikimedians to attend this wikimeet and meet the candidates, WMUK is offering to cover travel costs to get to the wikimeet for up to 6 non-London wikimedians. To apply to have your travel costs covered, please send me an email by the 9th September, giving a brief rationale for why we should support your attendance (focusing on the presence of the future chief exec and questions you would like to ask them, the development of future wikimeets, or similar), and an estimation of your travel costs. Please note that we can't support attendance without prior approval by email.
Thanks, Mike
On 31/08/2011 21:57, Michael Peel wrote:
The 49th London Wikimeet will take place on Sunday 11th September: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/London/49
We're hoping that the finalist candidates for the position of Wikimedia UK's chief exec will be able to attend this wikimeet, although this is still to be confirmed.
Can I ask what is the timeframe is for this? I wanted to get along (to discuss Wikimeet 50), but as you might recall, I tend to arrive fashionably late!
The Wikimeet starts at 1pm, and AFAIK has never had any formal end time.....
Gordo
Could we get some mini-CVs of the candidates so we can make more efficient use of their time? On Aug 31, 2011 9:58 PM, "Michael Peel" michael.peel@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Hi all,
The 49th London Wikimeet will take place on Sunday 11th September: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/London/49
We're hoping that the finalist candidates for the position of Wikimedia
UK's chief exec will be able to attend this wikimeet, although this is still to be confirmed. This will follow from the first stage of interviews on 1-2 September and the second (and final) set of interviews on 9th September. We'll be making the final decision on who to appoint to the position a few days after the wikimeet - and your views of the candidates at the wikimeet will be particularly important in making this decision.
In order to enable non-London wikimedians to attend this wikimeet and meet
the candidates, WMUK is offering to cover travel costs to get to the wikimeet for up to 6 non-London wikimedians. To apply to have your travel costs covered, please send me an email by the 9th September, giving a brief rationale for why we should support your attendance (focusing on the presence of the future chief exec and questions you would like to ask them, the development of future wikimeets, or similar), and an estimation of your travel costs. Please note that we can't support attendance without prior approval by email.
Thanks, Mike
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
Yes, that's a great idea. In particualr, do any of them have any experience with Wikimedia or any similar experience?
________________________________ From: Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.com To: wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org Sent: Mon, 5 September, 2011 0:28:39 Subject: Re: [Wikimediauk-l] September London wikimeet and candidate WMUK chief execs
Could we get some mini-CVs of the candidates so we can make more efficient use of their time? On Aug 31, 2011 9:58 PM, "Michael Peel" michael.peel@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Hi all,
The 49th London Wikimeet will take place on Sunday 11th September: http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/London/49
We're hoping that the finalist candidates for the position of Wikimedia UK's chief exec will be able to attend this wikimeet, although this is still to be confirmed. This will follow from the first stage of interviews on 1-2 September and the second (and final) set of interviews on 9th September. We'll be making the final decision on who to appoint to the position a few days after the wikimeet - and your views of the candidates at the wikimeet will be particularly important in making this decision.
In order to enable non-London wikimedians to attend this wikimeet and meet the candidates, WMUK is offering to cover travel costs to get to the wikimeet for up to 6 non-London wikimedians. To apply to have your travel costs covered, please send me an email by the 9th September, giving a brief rationale for why we should support your attendance (focusing on the presence of the future chief exec and questions you would like to ask them, the development of future wikimeets, or similar), and an estimation of your travel costs. Please note that we can't support attendance without prior approval by email.
Thanks, Mike
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 05/09/2011 00:48, HJ Mitchell wrote:
Yes, that's a great idea. In particualr, do any of them have any experience with Wikimedia or any similar experience?
*From:* Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.com *To:* wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org *Sent:* Mon, 5 September, 2011 0:28:39 *Subject:* Re: [Wikimediauk-l] September London wikimeet and candidate WMUK chief execs
Could we get some mini-CVs of the candidates so we can make more efficient use of their time?
This is fun! An "interview" by an ad hoc committee on a Sunday afternoon in a pub in London....
Maybe the Wikimeet has become a "wiki meat market"?
:-)
Gordo
I'm guessing MeatballWiki is one of the items on display? [/offtopic] On Sep 5, 2011 3:41 PM, "Gordon Joly" gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
On 05/09/2011 00:48, HJ Mitchell wrote:
Yes, that's a great idea. In particualr, do any of them have any experience with Wikimedia or any similar experience?
*From:* Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.com *To:* wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org *Sent:* Mon, 5 September, 2011 0:28:39 *Subject:* Re: [Wikimediauk-l] September London wikimeet and candidate WMUK chief execs
Could we get some mini-CVs of the candidates so we can make more efficient use of their time?
This is fun! An "interview" by an ad hoc committee on a Sunday afternoon in a pub in London....
Maybe the Wikimeet has become a "wiki meat market"?
:-)
Gordo
--
Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com http://www.joly.org.uk/ Don't Leave Space To The Professionals!
On 05/09/2011 08:51, Deryck Chan wrote:
I'm guessing MeatballWiki is one of the items on display? [/offtopic]
OK. Let us get serious.
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Gordo
On 5 September 2011 09:12, Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Well, the way I see it it's more that it's an opportunity for the potential Chiefs Executive to consider whether they really want to serve our community - so best behaviour from all attendees, please!
Certainly, I wouldn't want the Board to make a decision based on a few idle chats in a pub, but I'm sure they wouldn't.
Yours,
Don't forget, though, that some of the Wikipedians may have decent experience either as CEO's themselves, or in HR - or even working under CEO's!
So there may be important insight to gain from them and their advice :) Especially as it is likely to be a no BS assessment.
When I hire people I usually round up the final candidates and take them to lunch with some of the current employees - and then debrief informally later to see what they thought. This is almost always the best hiring advice you will ever get.
Tom
On 5 September 2011 10:19, James Forrester jdforrester@gmail.com wrote:
On 5 September 2011 09:12, Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Well, the way I see it it's more that it's an opportunity for the potential Chiefs Executive to consider whether they really want to serve our community - so best behaviour from all attendees, please!
Certainly, I wouldn't want the Board to make a decision based on a few idle chats in a pub, but I'm sure they wouldn't.
Yours,
James D. Forrester jdforrester@wikimedia.org | jdforrester@gmail.com [[Wikipedia:User:Jdforrester|James F.]]
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
Another organisation I'm involved in is doing something similar though a tad more formal this week. Their shortlisted candidates will be rotated round four tables so everyone gets to meet everyone else, and we don't wind up with a table of candidates. The candidates will be arriving a little later than the rest of us and leaving at a set time, that allows for a briefing beforehand and a debrief afterwards. The London meetup usually winds up subdividing into two or more discussions simply because of the length of the table, and then folds back to one discussion by the evening as numbers dwindle. I'd hope the board will be thinking of something like that, particularly giving the candidates a leaving time so that there is time to discuss them after they've all gone..
WSC
On 5 September 2011 10:24, Thomas Morton morton.thomas@googlemail.comwrote:
Don't forget, though, that some of the Wikipedians may have decent experience either as CEO's themselves, or in HR - or even working under CEO's!
So there may be important insight to gain from them and their advice :) Especially as it is likely to be a no BS assessment.
When I hire people I usually round up the final candidates and take them to lunch with some of the current employees - and then debrief informally later to see what they thought. This is almost always the best hiring advice you will ever get.
Tom
On 5 September 2011 10:19, James Forrester jdforrester@gmail.com wrote:
On 5 September 2011 09:12, Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Well, the way I see it it's more that it's an opportunity for the potential Chiefs Executive to consider whether they really want to serve our community - so best behaviour from all attendees, please!
Certainly, I wouldn't want the Board to make a decision based on a few idle chats in a pub, but I'm sure they wouldn't.
Yours,
James D. Forrester jdforrester@wikimedia.org | jdforrester@gmail.com [[Wikipedia:User:Jdforrester|James F.]]
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 05/09/2011 10:24, Thomas Morton wrote:
When I hire people I usually round up the final candidates and take them to lunch with some of the current employees - and then debrief informally later to see what they thought. This is almost always the best hiring advice you will ever get.
Ah, yes, the old boy network...
Gordo
On Sep 5, 2011 8:53 PM, "Gordon Joly" gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
On 05/09/2011 10:24, Thomas Morton wrote:
When I hire people I usually round up the final candidates and take them to lunch with some of the current employees - and then debrief informally later to see what they thought. This is almost always the best hiring advice you will ever get.
Ah, yes, the old boy network...
That's not the old boy network... You may want to look that up...
Yeh. Quite the opposite!
Tom Morton
On 5 Sep 2011, at 21:26, Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.com wrote:
On Sep 5, 2011 8:53 PM, "Gordon Joly" gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
On 05/09/2011 10:24, Thomas Morton wrote:
When I hire people I usually round up the final candidates and take them to lunch with some of the current employees - and then debrief informally later to see what they thought. This is almost always the best hiring advice you will ever get.
Ah, yes, the old boy network...
That's not the old boy network... You may want to look that up...
_______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 5 September 2011 21:26, Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.com wrote:
On Sep 5, 2011 8:53 PM, "Gordon Joly" gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
On 05/09/2011 10:24, Thomas Morton wrote:
When I hire people I usually round up the final candidates and take them to lunch with some of the current employees - and then debrief informally later to see what they thought. This is almost always the best hiring advice you will ever get.
Ah, yes, the old boy network...
That's not the old boy network... You may want to look that up...
No but if wasn't for the smoking ban it would literally be the traditional smoke filled rooms. However given WMUKs current fairly small size that may be no bad thing. Obviously thing will change if/when it gets larger.
That's no reason we can;t interrogate them! If they candle the chief exec's job, a bunch of Wikimedians chatting over a beer should be no problem.
Harry
________________________________ From: James Forrester jdforrester@gmail.com To: wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org Sent: Mon, 5 September, 2011 10:19:27 Subject: Re: [Wikimediauk-l] September London wikimeet and candidate WMUK chief execs
On 5 September 2011 09:12, Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Well, the way I see it it's more that it's an opportunity for the potential Chiefs Executive to consider whether they really want to serve our community - so best behaviour from all attendees, please!
Certainly, I wouldn't want the Board to make a decision based on a few idle chats in a pub, but I'm sure they wouldn't.
Yours,
'Cos there'an embarrassing typo on the Main Page! See http://uk.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Main_Page&curid=317&d...
Harry
Oops - fixed! Thanks for pointing it out. :-)
Mike
On 7 Sep 2011, at 18:36, HJ Mitchell wrote:
'Cos there'an embarrassing typo on the Main Page! See http://uk.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Main_Page&curid=317&d...
Harry _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
It's likely the typo is also on the WMUK blog...
Richard Symonds
On 7 Sep 2011, at 18:40, Michael Peel michael.peel@wikimedia.org.uk wrote:
Oops - fixed! Thanks for pointing it out. :-)
Mike
On 7 Sep 2011, at 18:36, HJ Mitchell wrote:
'Cos there'an embarrassing typo on the Main Page! See http://uk.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Talk:Main_Page&curid=317&d...
Harry _______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
On 5 September 2011 10:19, James Forrester jdforrester@gmail.com wrote:
On 5 September 2011 09:12, Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Well, the way I see it it's more that it's an opportunity for the potential Chiefs Executive to consider whether they really want to serve our community - so best behaviour from all attendees, please!
We're always on our best behaviour at London meetups! ;)
Certainly, I wouldn't want the Board to make a decision based on a few idle chats in a pub, but I'm sure they wouldn't.
The candidates going to the pub have already passed several stages of the hiring process, so even if the final decision was made based only on what happened in the pub (which I'm also sure won't be the case) then much more is being implicitly taken into account just by the fact that they've got this far.
On 5 September 2011 09:12, Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
On 05/09/2011 08:51, Deryck Chan wrote:
I'm guessing MeatballWiki is one of the items on display? [/offtopic]
OK. Let us get serious.
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Actually, I think it's fairly standard to do things this way. The interview-in-a-pub technique is very well known, and it's perfectly normal to have candidates for senior jobs meet the people they would be working with before any final decisions are made. I don't see a problem with merging the two.
On Mon, Sep 5, 2011 at 1:17 PM, Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.comwrote:
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Actually, I think it's fairly standard to do things this way. The interview-in-a-pub technique is very well known, and it's perfectly normal to have candidates for senior jobs meet the people they would be working with before any final decisions are made. I don't see a problem with merging the two.
We did do something similar when we interviewed Pavel Richter, WMDE's executive director. I think it can be useful in gauging some sense of compatibility between candidates and the people they might have to work with. At the same time, it would be prudent not to overestimate the value of this particular method since you're not hiring a manager to manage Wikipedians but someone to manage your chapter's staff.
Best regards,
Sebastian President Wikimedia Deutschland
On 5 September 2011 13:07, Sebastian Moleski info@sebmol.me wrote:
On Mon, Sep 5, 2011 at 1:17 PM, Thomas Dalton thomas.dalton@gmail.com wrote:
I humbly assert that this process (many Wikipedians, face to face, in a pub in London) breaks any modern standards of the selection process (e.g. all candidates being asked the same set of questions).
Actually, I think it's fairly standard to do things this way. The interview-in-a-pub technique is very well known, and it's perfectly normal to have candidates for senior jobs meet the people they would be working with before any final decisions are made. I don't see a problem with merging the two.
We did do something similar when we interviewed Pavel Richter, WMDE's executive director. I think it can be useful in gauging some sense of compatibility between candidates and the people they might have to work with. At the same time, it would be prudent not to overestimate the value of this particular method since you're not hiring a manager to manage Wikipedians but someone to manage your chapter's staff.
Indeed, it is important to distinguish between managing people (which is what the CEO needs to be able to do with the staff) and working with people (which is what the CEO needs to be able to do with the volunteers). I expect all the shortlisted candidates have previous experience of managing people, so there shouldn't be a problem there. Working with volunteers is something altogether different and this session should provide some useful information.
Here is my question in advance: when will WMUK become a registered charity, and what will you do to accelerate that process?
Gordo
Gordo,
Speaking as a volunteer, they might not be able to answer the first part of that question, simply because they're not hired yet and so possibly not privy to that information. I also think that, at present, the 'when' is as much in the hands of the Charity Commission as it is WMUK! Again, I'm speaking as a volunteer here.
Richard
-----Original Message----- From: wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org [mailto:wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of Gordon Joly Sent: 05 September 2011 20:55 To: wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org Subject: Re: [Wikimediauk-l] September London wikimeet and candidate WMUK chief execs
Here is my question in advance: when will WMUK become a registered charity, and what will you do to accelerate that process?
Gordo
_______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
An amazing number of people have signed up for today's London Wikimeet!
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/London/49
Gordo
Yes, looks promising! See you there!!
Tom
On 11 Sep 2011, at 08:42, Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:
An amazing number of people have signed up for today's London Wikimeet!
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/London/49
Gordo
--
Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com http://www.joly.org.uk/ Don't Leave Space To The Professionals!
Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org
wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org