Yahoo HotJobs has a story out today titled Recession-Proof Jobs in 2008. First, I love this old media trick: Economists at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley say the U.S. is heading for its first-blown recession in 16 years, and a recent CNN poll found that 57 percent of the public believe the U.S. is in a recession already, with the economy topping the list of voter’s worries. 16 years? How about 8 years ago with the tech bubble? Are we in a recession if CNN does a poll and people say we are? Please, I would prefer to read what measurements show that we are in a recession today. Enough… Read More
Continue ReadingDressed For Success-Take Two
Ok, the whole candidate attire topic seems to be floating around the areas of the web I patrol. CareerJournal.com offers a follow up article titled Tassels, Pantsuits and Other Interview Fashion Faux-Pas. Great title. Here is a quick description of the debate from the article: Perhaps it’s lamentable that a person should be judged on how he maintains his car interior or what he wears. “I’ve encountered far too many empty suits who are perfectly groomed but have little relevant knowledge,” wrote Marty Robins, an attorney in Buffalo Grove, Ill. “Conversely, many people who emphasize keeping current their technical skills and industry knowledge do not have time to spend preening… Read More
Continue ReadingHiring Well Sounds Simple
CNNMoney.com’s quick-hitter advice article titled 7 ways to avoid employees from hell offers some simple advice. How about this one: Hire well Even the lowest-level prospect – the kind who is typically hired quickly – should be thoroughly vetted by at least two interviewers. Check references. Well, yes, “hiring well” is the key to strong employees. Eating well is also a key to losing weight…but that doesn’t make it easy to do. Two interviewers is a good start. Objective assessments are a better plan. Having a structured hiring process is the best plan.
Continue ReadingUse Anti-Bonding When Hiring Salespeople
Here is an interesting article from Columbia Business Times titled The Mysteries Of Hiring Salespeople Unlocked. Good title. The short article has some excellent advice and some marginal suggestions. From the excellent column (emphasis mine): 3. Unlearn your present interviewing system. First, throw away the hiring profile assessment you are using now (are you using one?), and instead find one that measures sales skills, adversity, toughness and, most important, whether this applicant will sell for you in your industry. Second, remember this applicant was someone else’s salesperson. Salespeople who “turn over” get good at giving you answers you like to hear. Third, instead of using your natural bonding skills, try… Read More
Continue ReadingCue Up For Dinner
I’m not British so waiting is not my specialty. This factoid is from the JustSell.com daily newsletter: According to the National Restaurant Association, the average consumer is willing to wait 23 minutes for a table for dinner. That number rises slightly to 31 minutes if it’s a weekend. If you replace minutes with seconds, you will know my threshold for waiting at a restaurant. My wife, who will wait 45 minutes to get into a good restaurant, has initiated a behavior modification plan to correct this weakness in me.
Continue ReadingBest Cities For Jobs In 2008
I always question how these lists are compiled, but they are interesting nonetheless. Forbes.com recently released their list. A quick preview of the top 5 cities: Salt Lake City, UT Wichita, KS Austin, TX Atlanta, GA Forth Worth, TX My sister and her family lived in Wichita for a couple of years and I took my family down there a couple times to visit. I liked the town and it seemed to be quite busy for a smaller city. I have to confess, I am surprised it is number 2. There is a large aviation sector down there so that may be driving it.
Continue ReadingA Red Flag Job Title
I came across a sales resume this morning that listed this title for the person’s current sales position: Bid Writer Every siren at Select Metrix simultaneously went off on that one. If you are in sales and this is your title, change it on your resume. This title reads of someone who simply responds to Request For Proposals (RFP). Yet, this salesperson describes himself as a “High Performance Salesperson.”
Continue ReadingDressed For Success
I’m no slave to fashion so this CareerJournal article – Aspire to Become a CEO? You Have to Dress the Part – struck me as being quite superficial when it comes to hiring. The thought that attire could eliminate a candidate seems trivial. The deep analysis from the article: “People don’t understand the messages that their clothes send,” says Ms. Waldt, a recruiter with CTPartners. Women sometimes don’t realize how often a tight shirt or a low neckline comes across as seductive. People who meet them are likely to assume the sexual innuendo is intentional. It’s harder for men to goof, but they do — for instance, by being sloppy… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Subtle Requirements For Successful Sales Hiring
ManageSmarter.com offers up an interesting article titled Do You Have the Right Talent? First off, I love the fact that they advocating the pursuit of talent – that is the key to a successful sales hire (read: not experience). Second, the author strikes a chord that resonates with us: There is no one-size-fits-all salesperson. The right approach is to look at a salesperson’s abilities and see how well they fit into your sales model. This approach is talent/skill-based, not experience-based. Here is an excellent example of this principle in action (emphasis mine): A client of ours is a partner in a construction company specializing in commercial ventilation systems. They have a… Read More
Continue ReadingSome People Play Checkers, Others Play Chess
BusinessWeek.com offers up the Best Corporate Practices 2008 which is a fascinating slide show if you have time to view it. This is from the opening of the article: In fact, much of the gap between the best and worst management practices can be described by that word: trust. At one point as a corporate human resources leader during the dot-com boom, our company switchboard was bombarded with calls from recruiters, seeking to pull away our sharpest technical talent. Our hardworking phone operators did their best to deter search consultants looking to make contact with talent by any means possible, but it wasn’t always easy. … We said to our… Read More
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