Yes, most applicants don’t really want a job – they want a career.
They may not openly confess to their employer that this is what they want. Heck, they may not even admit it to themselves. But while we continue to hear so much political rhetoric about “creating jobs,” what Americans really want is a career.
And there is a monumental difference between a job and a career. Read more…
The wife and I were out running errands on Saturday morning when we happened upon an unexpected and rare energy explosion.
As we approached an intersection, we noticed a human billboard doing his very best to get the attention of the passing motorists; and getting attention from motorists is obviously what an individual in this occupation is paid to do.
Human billboards have become commonplace in our metropolitan area, but this particular young fellow was going all out. He wasn’t merely “holding” the sign, he was jumping up and down, smiling and waving at all passers-by, and making certain that everyone who could see his sign read it. Lori and I got a chuckle observing him before driving on to our intended destination. Read more…
Postal workers get a bad rap and are frequent fodder for comedians and late night talk show hosts. But aside from the renowned story of Fred in The Fred Factor, here’s another glowing example of a remarkable postal worker.
“It’s just part of our work ethic,” Deborah Ford said when asked how she’s retiring from the U.S. Postal Service after 44 years without ever calling in sick. The “our’”part of her response was referring to her 86 year-old father who also never missed work.
Naturally, over the course of four and a half decades there were days when Ford was under the weather, but she said she would simply “shake it off.” She used her vacation days instead of sick days when she had a medical appointment or something that caused her to miss work. Read more…
This isn’t just another one of the thousands of articles, blogs, and stories sharing personal feelings of betrayal in light of Lance Armstrong’s recent confession to Oprah Winfrey.
There’s already been so much public outrage that anything I add about him would be redundant.
This is about something bigger and infinitely more important.
I’m more concerned about how I should frame this to my own kids. Read more…
Kyle (age 21) handles the scheduling, appointments, estimates, and all payment transactions for the auto service center near my office.
On a recent weekday morning at 8:16, I call to inquire about getting my vehicle in for shocks and an alignment. Kyle politely tells me that if I can bring it in within the next 30 minutes, he’ll have it out by 11:45, in time for me to make my lunch appointment.
I agree and head out immediately. I arrive at 8:37 am and notice that there are already three customers in the waiting area in front of me. Read more…
The phrase “Coffee is for Closers” should resonate with anyone who’s seen the classic film, Glengarry Glen Ross.
This 1992 movie stars six Hollywood A-list leading men as salesman who work for an unethical real estate outfit. The actors portray fast-talking hucksters who lie, exaggerate, and use a series of con games to goad unwitting prospects into signing on the dotted line for overpriced real estate.
If you haven’t seen the movie, and you have a high tolerance for foul language, here’s the scene that made the “Coffee is for Closers” catchphrase famous and earned Alec Baldwin an Academy Award nomination. Read more…
The employment landscape in America for 16- to 24-year-olds is abysmal; the worst it’s been in more than 50 years.
So if you’ve got a teen or a young adult on your holiday gift list, don’t head to the mall or to your nearest big box retailer. What they need most from you cannot be found in stores.
According to this recent story in the Huffington Post, the employment rate for teens between the ages of 16 and 19 has fallen 42 percent over the last decade: 2.2 million teens and 4.3 million young adults aged 20 to 24 are neither working nor in school. Of those without school or work, 21 percent — or 1.4 million — are young parents.
Before blaming this crisis on the current recession, consider this: A recent study completed by Manpower reported that 52 percent of all employers in America are hiring and are finding it difficult to fill key positions. Read more…
In this new economy, time is the commodity that is the most prized. Seldom do you run into a colleague or associate who has a wide-open schedule or is looking for a way to fill some empty or idle time in their day
Forced to do more with less, time-crunched leaders push their people to find the fast-and-easy solution when they encounter a problem such as an equipment breakdown or a customer service complaint. But the quick fix is seldom the right fix, and the Band-Aid approach to problem solving only lasts as long as the adhesive on the back. Read more…
Bodybuilding is the most narcissistic, self-absorbed ‘sport’ ever conceived.
I can offer that critique as a former competitor, promoter of numerous state bodybuilding championships, emcee of the Mr. & Ms. Universe competition, and color analyst for ESPN’s bodybuilding coverage. (All of these things took place before Bill Clinton was sworn in, but my opinion has not changed much over the years.)
That being said, I owe a great deal of my own work ethic to the principles I learned while involved in bodybuilding during my early adulthood while I was launching my career as an educator, speaker, and author. Regardless of your regard for bodybuilding, it’s hard to discount the work ethic that underlies this controversial pursuit. Read more…
Every company that employs teens and young adults wrestles with the boundaries of professionalism.
How do you get the emerging workforce to set aside, if only temporarily, the supposed “personal right of individual expression” in favor of representing you and your organization without completely zapping them of their enthusiasm, creativity, and energy?
Sometimes their personal preferences line up squarely with your organization’s needs, but often, especially for the emerging workforce, they don’t. A professional puts the job ahead of the personal. Read more…
“Exit interview is a vital task concerning the HR manager , I consider it so. it neither a routin . . . ”
— DrHussein Mazen on Exit Interviews: The 2nd Most Worthless Activity HR Has to Handle, 9 hours ago
“Delay exit interviews for at least 6 months from the time of departure. Give enough time to think about it . . . ”
— Dick on Exit Interviews: The 2nd Most Worthless Activity HR Has to Handle, 16 hours ago
“Tom -- I have been to probably 10 SHRM annual conferences, all as a member of the media, and I . . . ”
— John Hollon on Keynote by Hillary Clinton at SHRM Chicago Will Be Closed to Media, 17 hours ago
“Been to several SHRM conferences, can't remember the media being there :D”
— Tom Glasscock on Keynote by Hillary Clinton at SHRM Chicago Will Be Closed to Media, 17 hours ago
“Brett --- thanks for your insight. I can't think of anything to add!”
— jacque vilet on The Recruiting Dilemma: Do You Look for Cultural Fit, or for Innovation?, 1 day ago