Today’s announcement of 7.2% unemployment is remarkable in a bad context. Yet, I do appreciate the AP writer’s opening sentence (my color): The nation’s unemployment rate bolted to 7.2 percent in December, the highest level in 16 years, as nervous employers slashed 524,000 jobs. Dramatic, wouldn’t you say? Look, it is bad and most people realize that fact, but this type of fear-mongering is over the top. How about the third graph: For all of 2008, the economy lost a net total of 2.6 million jobs. That was the most since 1945, when nearly 2.8 million jobs were lost. That was the first half; here is the second half (can’t… Read More
Continue ReadingWe’re Back…
Ok, we never really went anywhere, we just took the holidays off and enjoyed a time of relaxation. Now the new year is upon us along with what I consider the best selling time of the year. From now until Memorial Day, companies are implementing plans, purchasing equipment/services and focused on business. It is a window for any salesperson to start strong on their 2009 quota. This year definitely will challenge many salespeople as the worldwide economies have been in a funk. However, sales still occur. One thing about being a successful salesperson – you have to have passion with controlled emotions. I’ve seen salespeople allow themselves to get into… Read More
Continue ReadingProper Interview Follow-Up
As an employer what type of follow up should you expect from a candidate? Should you receive a thank you? Should that thank you be a hand written mailed thank you, an email thank you or a quick text on your cell phone? Did that last one get your attention? It did mine as I read a post from Steven Rothberg. The post used a couple of quotes from hiring managers that were offended by candidates sending out an email from a blackberry within minutes of the interview and a text message to the managers cell phone. The hiring manager that received the text felt her “personal space” was infringed on. If… Read More
Continue Reading2009 Prediction Time-Talent Management
The Herman Trend Alert offers up some expected predictions, some insightful ones and some surprising ones for 2009. Here is one that falls in the expected/not surprising category: 1. Certain Skill Sets Continue to be in Short Supply. In spite of the global economic slowdown and massive layoffs, certain skill sets are in short supply. All but the most short-sighted employers will continue to respect talented workers in all fields for their contributions. I don’t think that is surprising at all, but not all companies subscribe to that approach. Here is an insightful prediction: 3. Fear and Apprehension Reduce Productivity. As we have written about some months ago, there is… Read More
Continue ReadingThe End Of The Keyboard
Nothing like the end of the year and the obligatory futuristic predictions. Yahoo offers a story that predicts the end of the keyboard as we know it: “Talk and touch are common technology interfaces. People have adjusted to hearing individuals dictating information in public to their computing devices. In addition ‘haptic’ technologies based on touch feedback have been fully developed, so, for instance, a small handheld Internet appliance allows you to display and use a full-size virtual keyboard on any flat surface for those moments when you would prefer not to talk aloud to your networked computer.” The idea is to incorporate this technology into a cell phone to make… Read More
Continue ReadingLiars For Candidates
Remember the old joke, you can tell when they are lying because their lips are moving? Selling Power provides this article which opens with this statement: Did you know that 50 percent of candidates lie on their resumes? (This includes people who omit things, stretch the truth, and those who outright lie.) That seems optimistic to me. This lying problem is rampant in hiring as we have seen first-hand. I think candidates believe they can state things that are difficult to verify with the legal restrictions in this country. How can you verify that they turned around a territory? How do you know they were the lead person on a… Read More
Continue ReadingTips For Hiring Superstars
Great article here from SellingPower.com – The Best Ways to Turn Off a Star. I am a big fan of showing people how not to do something. That is a powerful format for teaching. In that light, here are 6 tips from the article (in a “what not to do” vein): Talk about yourself and your company. You really don’t need any information about the candidates; it’s all on their resumes anyway. Wait for them to call you. Make them wait. Hey, if they really want to work for your company, it’s worth waiting through your 40-minute phone call to your old college roommate. Bribe them. Offer a free microwave… Read More
Continue ReadingOnline Job Ads Down
Recently Cheezhead mentioned that online job ads are down again in November. According to the Conference Board Help-Wanted Online Data Series online job postings declined 70,200 to 4,369,200 in November. Job postings for the September to November period were down 264,000. The data they collected shows declines in the Northeast, the South and the West. In the Northeast Pennsylvania lead with a decline of 19,900 postings and in the south Texas lead with a decline of 37,800. Our state, Minnesota, had the largest decline in the midwest – down 12,600 postings.
Continue ReadingFunny Job Ad Titles
I recently stumbled across this article and blog – 51 Funny Craigslist Job Titles and Listings. Now sometimes a catchy title may catch a candidate’s eye, but most of the time you run the risk of not being taken seriously. Here are a couple that I thought were rather good: Attractive, Busy Professional Seeks Very Attractive Personal Assistant The easiest “SALES JOB” – EVER GONE FISHING WITH DYNAMITE? Get Paid to Wave and Dance!!!
Continue ReadingFragrance Follies
CareerBuilder.com has a post regarding an overuse of perfume and cologne by employees. The author asks a good question: Apart from sharing the story, I’m writing this to ask how you think managers should handle “strong fragrance” issues in the workplace. It seems like a sensitive issue because people wearing the cologne or perfume must not realize that it is SO noticeable for the people around them. Let me be a little crass – I heard a funny story from a sales manager we met with yesterday. He used to work for a company where he was a sales manager for one territory and there was another gentleman who handled… Read More
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