Here is a picture of my backyard this morning: This is no April Fool’s joke – 7″ of snow yesterday and last night. Honestly, do you wonder why we normally recruit locals for Minnesota-based sales positions?
Continue ReadingWomen Sell Better
That isn’t my commentary, it is from the author of the Inc.com blog Sold!. His reasoning: And there are some very good reasons why I believe woman are better suited for selling. Among them: o In their personal lives and in business they tend to create relationships better. o They tend to sell based on personal input and business input rather than just business. o They listen. o They don’t have a sales history that they are tied to, so “new” works for them. o In many areas, women who are good in sales are still enough of a rarity to create a buzz. Ok, it pays to be provocative… Read More
Continue ReadingA Reason To Web Commute
Is there a better anecdotal piece of information to support web commuting – $5.20 per gallon gas: Five dollars and 20 cents for a gallon of gas. The number says a lot. Yes, it may be the most expensive gas in America. But $5.20 doesn’t begin to explain essence — the rich, off-beat, some might say, eccentric, essence of Gorda, Calif.
Continue ReadingAssessments Shorten Interviews
I’ve read many sales technique articles recently that discuss how to approach a prospect. Salespeople are expected to have a cursory knowledge of the company itself, it’s market and, to some extent, whether or not they have a solution that may be a fit for this prospective customer. Gone are the days of cold calling a prospect and asking what it is their company does. I think everyone can agree with that paragraph. So why do companies still expect hiring managers to go through the added discovery of sorting out communication styles, motivations and skill sets? Granted, most managers want to verify these items, but assessments provide a starting point… Read More
Continue ReadingWeb Commute
That is a term coined by Citrix and one I suspect we will see with some frequency. If gas goes to $4/gallon, I suspect these articles will publish daily. ManageSmarter.com offers up an article discussing the preference of today’s workers to have technological flexibility in their job. The key here is the demographics of the results (emphasis mine): …U.S. workers aged 18-34 prefer flexible working conditions two-to-one over other age groups. In fact, 70% of survey respondents agreed that working remotely would be a welcome opportunity. In an era where acquiring and retaining good employees is a challenge, and the workforce is becoming increasingly young and mobile, offering the ability… Read More
Continue ReadingRetention Is The Toughest Challenge
Inc.com has a short article reporting the survey results of HR professionals that shows a shifting trend: In a survey of 413 HR professionals, more than half identified talent management as their top priority, and were planning to improve their rewards and benefits programs. Most employers cited employee retention among their five toughest challenges, ahead of health-care costs, the survey found. Last year, 80 percent identified health-care costs as their biggest challenge. I fully expect retention will move into the top spot and stay there for quite some time (i.e. years) as the Boomers retire.
Continue ReadingThe Cleanest Cities In America
Maybe the list from Forbes.com (via ABCNews.com) provides some assistance in recruiting candidates for relocation? The Twin Cities is ranked no. 9 on the list. A definite advantage until weather (i.e. winter) is discussed. Miami, FL Seattle, WA Jacksonville, FL Orlando, FL Portland, OR San Francisco, CA Oklahoma City, OK Tampa-St. Pete, FL Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN San Jose, CA
Continue ReadingStupid Candidate Tricks
This post from Steven Rothberg over at CollegeRecruiter.com had me laughing. Isn’t it amazing how out-of-touch some candidates can be during a phone screen or interview? From Steven’s post: Candidate asked the interviewer for a ride home after the interview. Candidate smelled his armpits on the way to the interview room. Candidate said she could not provide a writing sample because all of her writing had been for the CIA and it was “classified.” You have to read the other 7 mistakes in the list. Unbelievable…and entertaining.
Continue ReadingNegative Penny Flow
Here’s a fun way to start your Monday – this sounds like the premise to a Steven Wright joke: “It costs almost 1.7 cents to make a penny,” said U.S. Mint director Ed Moy. Each year, the U.S. Mint makes 8 billion pennies, at a cost of $130 million. American taxpayers lose nearly $50 million in the process. The penny’s not alone. It costs nearly 10 cents to make a nickel.
Continue ReadingJobs In Paradise
ABCnews.com offers a completely tempting story to those of us stuck up here in the frozen tundra. With a snowstorm heading our way this evening, I am stuck on this thought: “We also have a ‘chief of village,’ which is sort of a cross between a cruise director and general manager,” Moeller said. “This is the most aspired-to position for many of our [employees]. It is like being queen or king of the roost.” There is a recruiting opportunity here: Most of these companies that cater to an international clientè have structured recruitment programs to draw worldwide talent. Bases are set up on multiple continents to sell the idea of… Read More
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