I had a sales candidate ask an excellent, subtle question yesterday – “What other positions is this company currently hiring?” Again, the subtlety of this question provides a view into a company’s needs, growth and possible turnover. It is an excellent question to ask in any interview. The second part of this equation is for the hiring manager to appreciate the question. What I mean is this – listen carefully to the questions being asked by the candidate. We often watch hiring managers trip over themselves to answer a good question without appreciating the question itself. Some times the hiring manager cannot even recall the questions asked in the interview. … Read More
Continue Reading“Staycations”
The Herman Trend Alert (sorry, no link) today highlights areas of the economy that are growing, even thriving, during the slowdown. Some you may not have considered: Logistics alternatives to diesel-consuming trucks that are more efficient at moving goods, like railroads, are also doing well. Plus, fed up with increasing delays and cancellations of flights, passengers are choosing rail travel over air. Expect this trend to increase; the US rail lines will borrow experts from Canadian Pacific and Virgin to learn how to deliver extraordinary passenger experiences. Domestic food producers, especially domestic cheese producers are reaping the benefits of the falling dollar. Rapidly rising prices for imported products are prompting… Read More
Continue ReadingA Needed Trait – Resourcefulness
I’ve been dealing with many different sales candidates of late and one thing that is starting to stand out – a candidate’s resourcefulness. This trait comes shining through on some candidates and is little more than a dull luster on others. The less resourceful a salesperson, the more wary you should be in considering their candidacy. This trait has always been important in sales. Resourcefulness feeds networking, prospecting, qualifying and competitive knowledge. Recently I have encountered a couple of candidates who just plain lack this ability. The lack of resourcefulness shows up in not finding email addresses or cell phone numbers. One salesperson wasn’t able to recall the position for… Read More
Continue ReadingAmerica’s Top Growing Job
Roustabout, according to Forbes.com. I didn’t know what a roustabout was/did either. Roustabouts are the workers who assemble and repair oil and gas field equipment. They do other unskilled work around rigs like cleaning up spilled oil, moving pipes to and from trucks and guiding cranes that move loads around decks. It’s hard and dirty work, and in the labor hierarchy of oil rigs, roustabouts are a notch below roughnecks. Don’t you just love the American economy? Never ceases to amaze me. Of course, there is always the other side of the coin. The disappearing jobs: The disappearing jobs list also reflects the continuing long-term decline of no- and low-skilled… Read More
Continue ReadingCountercyclical Market Segments Are Hiring
The Career News (sorry, no link) references an article regarding job market growth in 3 specific sectors (my bold): While hiring in the financial and consumer discretionary sectors has clearly been impacted by the continued fall-out from the mortgage market collapse, the technology, healthcare and defense sectors are all adding to their executive-level ranks nationwide. There were 12,000 more $100,000+ jobs posted on TheLadders in the first quarter of 2008 than there were in the first quarter of 2007. The recession is grabbing the headlines, but there are always countercyclical segments of the market that thrive in a down economy. The reports are showing a lot of reliance in this… Read More
Continue ReadingOutside Managers Running HR
Here is a trend I have not heard of – managers without human resources backgrounds being moved into HR Manager roles. From the Wall Street Journal online: Of the 15 large-company chief HR officer changes that consultant Brian Wilkerson has tracked in the past five years, about one-third have been filled by non-HR executives, he says. That compares with maybe 10% of such appointments before… The driver behind this increasing approach is fairly simple: The shift reflects the increased importance that chief executives and boards place on recruiting, retaining and grooming employees. It also reflects a perception that some traditional HR professionals lack the deep understanding of business and financial… Read More
Continue ReadingOnline Ads Down Again
I’m not sure the implications of this information, but Inc.com reported that the sheer number of online ads has decreased from last month and last year. The number of new jobs posted online in June was unchanged from May, marking the fourth straight month of year-over-year declines, the Conference Board reported this week. Some 3.8 million job openings were advertised online last month, or about 2.5 vacancies for every 100 persons in the labor force, according to data compiled from 1,200 Web-based job boards. That’s down from 2.9 vacancies per 100 persons in May, and 11.2 percent below a year ago, the report said. I’m not certain what data is… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Hot Dog/Bun Mystery Solved
From JustSell.com: Have you ever wondered why hot dogs typically come 10 to the package, while the buns come in batches of eight? While some suspect that the disparity is a marketing tool meant to increase sales, hot dog historians point to a time when customers purchased meat from a butcher and buns from a baker. Meat was sold by the pound, with the typical frank weighing one–tenth of a pound; 10 franks came in the pound package. But pan sizes dictated that buns be baked in multiples of four. (The eight–bun pan is still the most common pan size.) Enjoy the Fourth and eat a dog or two!
Continue ReadingPowerPoint Singalong
That is a new phrase for me and a humorous one to start the long, holiday weekend. From JustSell.com’s daily newsletter: Familiar with the term “PowerPoint singalong”? According to buzzwhack.com, a PowerPoint singalong is a presentation read from the slides without comments or asides of any kind. (Monotone optional, but not required.) There’s no telling whether this buzzword has staying power, but it does raise an important point… When making your next sales presentation, make sure you engage with your audience. Prepare so that you don’t have to read off of your slides and you’re comfortable answering questions and comments. Have a wonderful Independence Day!
Continue ReadingGas Prices Leading To A Sea Change
According to a Workforce Management article the buzz at the SHRM conference inolved rising gas prices and the wide-ranging effects it is having. In fact, the conference’s opening press event highlighted its recent poll showing how companies are trying to assist their workers. The two most noted solutions were flexible schedules and telecommuting. Some of the other ways they are helping are four-day weeks, gas cards and car-pooling. John Challenger, CEO of Challenger, Gray & Christmas made a great comment (my bold): These are more than short-term fixes, Challenger says. They are the beginning of a revolution in the office that will result in productivity being the central value of work, rather the… Read More
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