I’m back from a needed break in this sour economy. Everywhere I go I ask people about their business. It is fairly consistent – something from “could be better” to “really down.” That economic context allows some freedom for hiring companies to incorporate what I call contextual hiring techniques. These are typically techniques that take longer to measure and allow the hiring company to see the salesperson in action. Some examples: Job Shadowing – just as it sounds, the candidate spends time with an existing sales rep to get an understanding of the position. Peggy McKee at Medical Sales Recruiter has a post on this topic. A friend of mine… Read More
Continue ReadingDouble Dippin’
I’ve come across two different instances of a nefarious sales trick that is reviving itself in the telecommuting era. Two different customers recently shared accounts of salespeople who were on their payroll and the payroll of another company. This stickler is that they were allegedly full-time employees for both companies. In one instance, the salesperson was on the West coast while headquarters was back in the East. This guy set up a small office in an office building and had a slider sign on the door. He would simply slide it to reveal the company he was representing that day for that appointment. He also had a company car from… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Future Of Social Networking
The Herman Trend Alert’s topic this week is the future of social networking. An excerpt for you (my bolding): “Social networking is in its infancy”, says David Nour, Relationship Economics CEO and Web 2.0 guru. “We’re on the upward swing of the hype cycle”. Lots of people are discovering the power of Social Networking and investing their time and energy to make it work for them. “The real power and promise of Social Networking is a mass collaboration platform, accelerating one’s ability to get things done”, adds Nour. Enlightened individuals are shifting from “not invented here” to “invented everywhere.” It gives us the opportunity to extend our reach beyond any… Read More
Continue ReadingWhere The Jobs Will Come From
Call me an optimist, but it is always of interest to see where “experts” believe the recovery will begin. This information comes from the Herman Trend Alert and seems to make simple sense to me: When considering where the new jobs will come from, remember that there are two kinds of small businesses: those without employees (or non-employer businesses), and those with paid employees (or employer businesses). The US Small Business Office of Advocacy estimates that in 2008 there were 23.1 million non-employer and 6.1 million employer businesses. When the economy struggles, the number of non-employers tends to increase at higher rates, while the number of employer businesses stagnates or… Read More
Continue ReadingHard Numbers On Telecommuting
The Herman Trend Alert newsletter (sorry, no link) provides some interesting statistics from a Cisco survey: Now the international technology giant Cisco Systems has just released a study of its own organization demonstrating these benefits and more. Using telecommuting, Cisco estimates annual savings of USD $277 Million. In its in-depth “Teleworker Survey” of almost 2,000 company employees, the company evaluated the social, economic, and environmental impacts associated with telecommuting. The study found that telecommuting significantly increased employee productivity, work-life flexibility, and job satisfaction. In addition, the report cited that “a majority of respondents experienced a significant increase in work-life flexibility, productivity, and overall satisfaction as a result of their ability… Read More
Continue Reading5 to 1
That is the ratio of jobseekers for every advertised job opening in April of this year. The data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics by way of the Career News newsletter (sorry, no link). …there were 5.4 job hunters for every advertised opening in April. The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey said the April ratio was up from 4.8 in March, and up dramatically from 1.7 in December 2007, when the recession began. That is one tough market for jobseekers. You notice the reference to “advertised” openings? At some point, maybe already, networking will become the highest priority for jobseekers in their search for job openings. The fact… Read More
Continue ReadingFor Gen Y, Jobs Are Secondary
I’m beginning to think Gen Y is the most overanalyzed generation in…a generation. BusinessWeek.com offers up this article – Why Certain Cities Attract Gen Ys. The big city has a general appeal to the Millennials which is probably true for most young generations. However, Gen Y does face a difficult career path due to tenure. Here is a surprising graph (emphasis mine): The appeal of big cities stems from a simple economic fact: They offer thicker labor markets with more robust job opportunities across a wide number of fields. Getting ahead in your career today means more than picking the right first job. Corporate commitment has dwindled, tenure has grown… Read More
Continue ReadingThe Pain Of A Lagging Indicator
Hiring, that is, and it appears that it is going to be an even rougher road over the back half of 2009. If you are in the recruiting, hiring, assessing business you are aware of this fact. 9.4% unemployment is remarkable. From abcnews.com: The percentage of people without jobs in this country is now at the highest point in nearly 26 years. Every month since January 2008 we have seen jobs disappear. So far the economy has shed 6 million jobs since the recession started push (sic) employers to start handing out pink slips. I’m still looking for the report that lists the number of jobs “saved” by the stimulus… Read More
Continue ReadingCities Getting Downsized
Here is a funny clue from the abcnews.com article: To be direct: If Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel or John Mellencamp has written a melancholy song about your city, it’s probably on this list. Good line for a sad story. I wonder how some of these towns are going to be affected by this present economy? Here is the top 10 most downsized cities: 10. Providence, RI 9. Lansing, MI 8. Pittsburgh, PA 7. Toledo, OH 6. Buffalo, NY 5. Dayton, OH 4. Detroit, MI 3. Cleveland, OH 2. Flint, MI 1. Youngstown, OH It is almost shocking how close these cities… Read More
Continue ReadingPink-Slip Parties
This is a new trend, I think: As unemployment numbers hit historic highs, “pink slip” parties are popping up in big cities around the country. Hundreds of axed employees are going to happy hour meet-and-greets, where one can enjoy a drink and discuss career prospects with eager recruiters. People are finding creative ways to stand out above the pack. In order to get a job in this economy, people have to get out there. And while there are no guarantees of gaining anything more than good conversations and a few contacts, some pink slip attendees have had success in finding new employment. Pink slip parties offer those on the prowl… Read More
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