This may be an old one, but it is a good way to end the week: A little field mouse was lost in a dense wood, unable to find his way out. He came upon a wise old owl sitting in a tree. “Please help me, wise old owl, how can I get out of this wood?” said the field mouse. “Easy,” said the owl, “Grow wings and fly out, as I do.” “But how can I grow wings?” asked the mouse. The owl looked at him haughtily, sniffed disdainfully, and said, “Don’t bother me with the details, I only advise on strategy.”
Continue ReadingThink Sourcing – Part 2
CNNMoney.com takes the today’s job report even further – Skilled worker shortage hurts U.S. The article’s opening sentence: The biggest problem with job growth right now isn’t too few new jobs. It’s too few skilled workers. And later: “It’s down to the nub already,” he said. “Supply and demand is completely out of whack.”Some experts say part of the blame for the slowdown in the economy in last year’s second half can be laid on labor constraints – companies couldn’t expand as fast as they wanted due to a lack of workers with the right skills. Notice that the comment is not a lack of skills, it is a lack… Read More
Continue ReadingCommunicating With The CEO
In Selling Power’s latest Sales Manager’s Newsletter there is an article from Anthony Parinello, author of Selling to VITO and Think & Sell Like a CEO. As a sales manager who is working with a salesperson on their messaging, Anthony makes some great points about assumptions CEO’s hold about the business world. He provides seven assumptions – if your sales approach aligns with the CEO, he/she will not feel you are wasting his or her time: Knowledge is power. CEO’s seek knowledge. They understand that the more they know, the better their decisions. Thus your message must expand his or her flow of critical information, not clutter that flow. Passion… Read More
Continue ReadingThink Sourcing
From Foxnews.com – Economy Shrugs Off Weak Housing and Automotive Sectors As Employers Add 167,000 Jobs in December. We are encountering extended sourcing cycles right now due in no small part to compensation increases. Employers stepped up hiring last month, boosting payrolls by a brisk 167,000 and keeping the unemployment rate steady at a still historically low 4.5 percent. Workers’ wages grew briskly. The latest snapshot of the nation’s employment climate, released Friday by the Labor Department, showed that the jobs market ended 2006 on a strong note and provided fresh evidence that the troubled housing and automotive sectors aren’t dragging down employment across the country. We have implemented numerous… Read More
Continue ReadingStrategy vs. Tactics
Seth Godin offers a clear delineation between strategy and tactics. This post reminds me of a company I used to work for that provided sales training. The tactical level of the training was excellent and provided the salespeople with a toolbox of powerful moves. Unfortunately, the strategy behind the process was never coherent and the salespeople never grasped the process. The end result was salespeople who could use one or two of the tactics, but would then get shut down by the prospect. The frustration in the salespeople manifested itself in their concise criticism, “I don’t know what to do next.” Mr. Godin speaks in marketing terms, but this point… Read More
Continue ReadingAnother Survey, Similar Results
Now HotJobs.com offers up their survey about job seekers in 2007 – Many workers to consider new jobs in 2007. No surprises in that headline. Their stats: The survey — in which nearly two-thirds of respondents (66 percent) said they would consider new job opportunities in 2007 — suggests the U.S. workforce is full of “passive job seekers” looking to improve their prospects.Optimism about new jobs in 2007 was also common among survey-takers, as approximately 70 percent believe opportunities for job seekers are better or the same as one year ago. These numbers are similar to SHRM’s results. There is a stark contradiction later in the article. Salary ranked as… Read More
Continue ReadingAd Format
I saw this section in a sales ad this morning: Day to Day – At a glance The section contained seven bullet points explaining the tasks of a typical day in this role. It was a quick read section that provided enough insight into the position to pique the interest of the right candidates. The brevity of the section is the factor that makes it work. I would not recommend 25 bullet points with every daily task – just provide the flavor for the candidate.
Continue ReadingThe Perfect Storm
CNNMoney.com offers this quick story – Planned job cuts take big Dec. dip. The phrase “planned job cuts” is a poor construction, but it essentially means expected layoffs. Planned job cuts for all of 2006 fell below 1 million for the first time since 2000, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., an employment consulting firm. Be wary of the naysayers spouting an impending doom for our economy. The economy is robust and it truly is an employee’s market right now. The reason why you should be aware of this fact: “With the American economy at full employment for the first time since Sept. 11, 2001, the latest job-cut data… Read More
Continue ReadingSales Traits Series – Self-Management
Today we are focusing on an aptitude that has become more prevalent with the advent of remote salespeople. When we assess sales candidates for home-based or remote office positions, we place a higher significance on this trait. Self-Management An overall trait comprised of multiple factors which involve a person’s ability to manage his or her own self. This trait is similar to a person’s ability to manage others which involves empathy, understanding, gaining commitment and various other leadership qualities. This trait measures a person’s ability to marshal similar abilities toward managing themselves. A salesperson with strength in this aptitude will be able to objectively and accurately assess their own strengths… Read More
Continue ReadingPsychologically Unemployable
CareerJournal.com – Returning to the Corporate Fold After a Stint As Your Own Boss: “After seven years of running your own business, you’re a renegade,” Mr. Eberharter says. “I call people like this ‘psychologically unemployable.’ “ What a fantastic saying – I laughed out loud when I read it. I often tell the Rock Star I am unemployable. There is a good piece of advice for any jobseeker tucked in the article: If you’re determined to find a corporate job, you likely need to redo your resume since yours isn’t opening doors to the higher-level positions you should be targeting, says Jewel Bracy DeMaio, a resume writer in Sanatoga, Pa.… Read More
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