Allow me to indulge myself for this is a pet peeve of mine. Inc.com offers up this article – Majority of Small-Business Owners Do Not Offer Retirement Benefits. Only 14 percent of the nation’s small-business owners offer a 401(k) plan to their employees, and 63 percent do not offer any retirement benefits at all, according to a new survey. I’m not surprised by this number. I’ve worked for both small and relatively large companies and there is a distinct difference between the benefits. Obviously the larger companies have the capital to offer more comprehensive plans. Here is the pull quote that struck a nerve (emphasis mine): “Small businesses employ half… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Top 10 Sales Traits
It is next to impossible to determine 1 specific set of descriptors for the perfect salesperson. The reason is simple – no 2 sales go down the same way. Each sale is almost a mini-drama in itself. On top of that, no two competitors approach the market the same way. This difference is the reason why we always start our hiring process by defining the typical and ideal sale for that company. That information provides a blueprint for the salesperson with the abilities to succeed in that particular position. Now that I have written all that, we’ll take a stab at 10 sales traits that are needed in any sales… Read More
Continue ReadingTelecommuting Trend Expands
Telecommuting is the Norm is a quick article from Sales & Marketing Management’s website. I don’t think this trend is surprising to most people. We have seen a tremendous shift towards this approach in outside sales positions over the past 2 years especially. Most candidates now expect some form of telecommuting capability including wireless-connected laptops, VPN connections and PDA cell phones. If your company does not offer these telecommuting basics, consider this excerpt from the article: “The war for talent, combined with commuting times and costs, and an increasing need for work-life balance are all factors that promote telecommuting,” says Jim Lanzalotto, vice president of strategy and marketing for Yoh.… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Multitasking Myth – Physical Limitations
Multitasking is one of those words that has entered business lexicon but should be considered an urban myth. We posted on this topic a few months ago and now I have come across a short Q&A article from CareerJournal.com that addresses the physical aspects of so-called multitasking. First, kudos to the author of the question who can really turn a phrase (emphasis mine): You’ve written that too much multitasking can leave the mind and body marinating in stress hormones. Can you elaborate on the physiological effects?…Brief or infrequent stress responses pose little risk. But when a person responds this way habitually or over long periods, the risk of injury or… Read More
Continue ReadingHope For Bad Writing Skills
Bad Writing: As Written Communication Skills Deteriorate, Business Schools Take Aim. There is hope and I am encouraged this Monday morning. We comment about writing skills frequently here at The Hire Sense since, well, we have seen some atrocious documents. The article attacks the problem right at the source: But in an era of nonstop e-mail and instant and text messaging, written communication skills within companies may be getting even worse as quality is compromised by the perceived need for speed. The casualness of email and the shorthand of text messaging has crippled writing styles. Now it appears to be affecting basic writing ability. The ubiquitousness of cell phones probably… Read More
Continue ReadingCover Letter of the Month Club
The email covers are like Clark Griswold’s Jelly of the Month Club membership – they are the gift that keeps on giving. Scanning through recent resumes led me to this cover email statement: I currently am the best sale personality i have ever met. However i’m not loving my postion right now. I think this was supposed to be a joke. At least I hope so.
Continue ReadingYouTube Resumes
Posting Your Resume on YouTube To Stand Out From the Competition. First, the gist of the article: …young job hunters are starting to make a video clip part of their job application, sometimes even posting them on sites like Google Inc.’s YouTube… It seemed like this day would be coming. But the author does bring up a good point that crossed my mind: Many employers and third-party recruiters remain wary of the concept of video resumes. Those who oppose it say that turning down candidates for interviews after seeing what they look and sound like on video could leave employers open to discrimination lawsuits. When job candidates send in photos… Read More
Continue ReadingMy Dog Ate My Homework
Remember that old line? Apparently some employees believe it still has legs even after graduating. We love lists here at The Hire Sense and CareerBuilder offers up one of my seasonal favorites – Thirty-Two Percent of Workers Called in Sick With Fake Excuses in the Last Year. I have no idea how many companies still separate sick days from vacation days – I was under the impression most companies just offered PTO now. At any rate, a couple statistics from the survey: Twenty-seven percent of hiring managers reported they have fired a worker for calling in sick without a legitimate reason. The most popular motivator for missing work was the… Read More
Continue ReadingFrom the Bad Business Decisions Dept.
This is sheer stupidity in action – St. Paul gives ex-cons a break on city hiring – With rehabilitation in mind, job applications won’t require disclosure of criminal records. Honestly, what do they hope to accomplish by decreasing their information on a candidate? We always tell our customers to complete a thorough background check before hiring any new employee. It is simply common sense that drives this approach. Then there is the city of St. Paul: The city decided this week to stop requiring job hopefuls to state on their applications whether they’ve ever been convicted of a crime. My first thought was positions that work with children, but then… Read More
Continue ReadingChristmas Bonus Trends – Gifts or Time-off
In a recent survey conducted by BNS and sponsored by Kronos, researchers found that more employers will give staff gifts and bonuses this year while fewer plan to extend the holidays by granting three or more days of paid leave. Here are some highlights from the survey: 49% of employers will give employees holiday gift items, cash awards or bonuses this year. This represents an increase over 2005 (40%) and is the highest figure reported in the survey’s 25-year history. 43% of employers are giving workers three or more paid holidays – down from other comparable years when these holidays also fell on Monday (49% in 2000, 47% in 1995… Read More
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