From this week’s SHRM Newsletter: EEOC Backs Targeted Recruitment of Older Workers. We have written several posts related to this subject (Marketing to Baby-Boomers, 76 and 44). The article contains several points of valuable information. EEOC’s Aug. 11 proposed rule change is in response to a Supreme Court decision two years ago (General Dynamics Land Systems Inc. v. Cline, 540 U.S. 581 (2004)), which concluded that there is no such thing under the ADEA as reverse age discrimination. While the current rule prohibits job advertisements favoring older persons, the proposed rule would make it permissible to encourage older people to apply. Employers may post help wanted notices or advertisements expressing… Read More
Continue ReadingPerformance-Based Compensation
As a lifelong salesperson, I have always contended that all employees should be on some variable, performance-based pay. This article from CareerJournal indicates that a trend is forming in this direction. Employers are making employees work harder for their money.Most workers will receive modest raises this year and next, as employers reward employees with performance-linked bonuses rather than broad salary increases, according to a survey by consulting company Hewitt Associates Inc. That first sentence is bunk. I’m guessing the author has not worked in sales. The better lead would be to state Employees now have a chance to earn far more money for their efforts. “More companies are relying on… Read More
Continue ReadingEmployees Leaving Through the Back Door
Good post here from MN Headhunter regarding hiring and retaining top-level talent. There is nothing I can add so here is a tease: Let me bust this down to the simplest of levels: If you are bringing employees in the front door make sure you have the back door blocked with proper pay, work conditions, and job satisfaction. Retain your current talent and recruit your hard drive off and you can have one of the best staffs around. Fail to do so and you will be lucky to maintain staffing levels and at best average talent.
Continue ReadingTop 50 Employers of Boomers
If you have read us for any length of time, you know we are suckers for lists. I just caught up to this one from the CareerJournal website: The following are the top 50 employers for workers over age 50, according to AARP. Mercy Health System, Janesville, Wis. Lee Memorial Health System, Fort Myers, Fla. Bon Secours Richmond Health System, Richmond, Va. Leesburg Regional Medical Center and The Villages Regional Hospital, Leesburg, Fla. Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Conn. Volkswagen of America Inc., Auburn Hills, Mich. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. Oakwood Healthcare System Inc., Dearborn, Mich. First Horizon National Corp., Memphis, Tenn. Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (Roche), Nutley, N.J.… Read More
Continue ReadingSalespeople Who Can’t Discuss Money
Another CareerJournal article – When It Comes to Job Offers,It Pays to Ask for More Money – that discusses strategies for negotiating pay in the interview process. The short article has good suggestions for candidates but I want to take a myopic view of the article for sales candidates. First, from the article (my emphasis): CareerBuilder.com’s survey of 875 hiring managers revealed that about 60% leave room in the first offer for salary negotiations, 30% say their first offer is final, and 10% say it depends on the candidate. Meanwhile, four out of five corporate recruiters said they are willing to negotiate compensation, according to a study conducted by the… Read More
Continue ReadingBad Interview Techniques
Great post from Seth Godin this morning that makes a not-so-subtle point about typical interview techniques. Here is the post in its entirety: Omer sends in this riff from Peopleware: Juggler Interview Circus Manager: How long have you been juggling? Candidate: Oh, about six years. Manager: Can you handle three balls, four balls, and five balls? Candidate: Yes, yes, and yes. Manager: Do you work with flaming objects? Candidate: Sure. Manager: …knives, axes, open cigar boxes, floppy hats? Candidate: I can juggle anything. Manager: Do you have a line of funny patter that goes with your juggling? Candidate: It’s hilarious. Manager: Well, that sounds fine. I guess you’re hired. Candidate:… Read More
Continue ReadingEmployee’s Sticky Fingers
I am probably naive about this topic, but I found this Inc.com article to be surprising regarding theft: While only one in 10 workers admit stealing from their employers, close to 40% of hiring managers say they have fired an employee for theft at the office, according to a recent survey. The survey, conducted by CareerBuilder.com, found that the most commonly purloined items were office supplies (15%), money (14%), and merchandise (11%). 40% just seems incredibly high. However, this motivation does not surprise me: “One of the biggest reasons employees steal from the companies they work for is they feel the company owes them,” Marasco said. Much of this does… Read More
Continue ReadingAnecdote – Communications Major?
Is it Labor Day weekend yet? Let’s go with an anecdote for now. I received this email with only a resume attached for a position that was advertised on Monster. In the ad, candidates were asked if interested to call or email Lee. Our client needed a salesperson with excellent communication skills. Their sales cycle is 1-2 years and it is a complex sale requiring formal written and verbal presentations to multiple people. Here is what I received in my inbox: Lee- I am a Communications Major with more that 10 years experience. I am sending a cover letter and resume for your consideration to fill this position. Please contact… Read More
Continue ReadingWhen Photoshop is a Verb
At the risk of piling on about Katie Couric’s doctored photo in the news, I thought I would reference a prescient post regarding Work & Health. If you look at the article’s stats, perhaps Katie’s new anchor position is getting to her. Personally, I thought she looked great in the first picture. I’d write more but I am off to photoshop my own image before uploading it to this site.
Continue ReadingThe Impending Entrepreneur Wave
A good sign from an Inc.com article – Three Out of Four Teens Want to Start a Business. I suspect there is a dream factor to being young and having your work career completely in front of you. Nonetheless, I am all for the youths of this country aspiring to create new careers for themselves. Two interesting points from the article: Of more than 1,400 teens surveyed across the nation earlier this year, nearly 71% said they would like to run a business someday, up from 64% in 2004 Surprisingly, very few said the desire to own a business is driven by a lack of meaningful employment elsewhere. Instead, nearly… Read More
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