For the past 5 years, we have helped companies hire people who have started their own companies, worked as 1099 contractors or were freelance workers. Some companies shy away from these people since the natural inclination is to assume they have failed in some way. We strongly encourage companies to refrain from filtering these candidates out of their process simply for their recent experience. Their experiences and skills are often broader and richer than a career corporate employee. How to turn failures into selling points provides tips to candidates for explaining their recent career failures. The author provides coaching to candidates regarding their failures – I like this advice: Rather… Read More
Continue ReadingFree Agent Update
Monster.com – The State of Free Agent Nation in 2006 – is an article that discusses using “solo professionals” (contractors) as opposed to full-time employees. I don’t know if I would use the term free agent since that usually connotates someone who signs with a company. Mercenary may be a better euphimism for a short-term, contract worker. Nonetheless, good points from the author: It’s always taken courage to attempt professional independence, and the practical barriers continue to evolve. The lack of company-paid benefits is an increasing burden for free agents. “Rising health insurance costs inhibit people from going out on their own,” says Pink. “Another barrier could be that Americans… Read More
Continue ReadingNew Article Released Today
We just released a new article this morning titled Selecting Salespeople from Outside Your Industry. This article is tactical in its approach to finding transferrable skills amongst sales candidates who do not have direct industry experience. This topic is one we are constantly promoting, but we have no doubts it is becoming the most important topic in hiring. The candidate pool is shrinking, not growing, as the boomers exit the workplace. Some companies still subscribe to “shark tooth sourcing.” Sharks can lose a tooth without fear since they already have developed, duplicate teeth lined up in their jaw to replace the lost tooth. Many companies still expect sourcing to occur… Read More
Continue ReadingBad Boss Stories
Tory Johnson from abcnews.com has a quick, mailbag article from last week that I missed. I truly enjoy these anecdotal topics. This one covers “bad” bosses – I give you my favorite from the article: “While working for a computer company, I would take dictation from one of the vice presidents, an owner. He’d take his shoes off, put his foot on the desk, and clip his toenails while dictating letters to me! Yuck.” Hope you weren’t eating when you read that one. I have a similar story regarding a former boss who would chew his fingernails during meetings and then spit them on the floor. One time he he… Read More
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